News in Thurrock

VICTIMS of domestic violence in the region could be helped by the granting of £213,000 following a successful bid for Home Office funds by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex.

The money will go towards rolling out already successful perpetrator change programmes across Essex, such as the Change Hub, as well as funding awareness campaigns to help people recognise what harmful behaviour is and how they can get support to change.

A COMMUNITY opera company born out of the legacy of a Royal Opera House initiative in Thurrock is offering two taster sessions for potential new members next month.

Thames Opera Company was created in late 2020 by members of the former Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus (ROHTCC).

THE former world snooker champion Stuart Bingham will be the star attraction at an event in Stanford-le-Hope next week.

The 2015 world champ from Basildon, who also won the 2020 Masters, will be hosting 'an evening with Stuart Bingham' at the East Thurrock Community Association on Corringham Road on Friday 27 August. He will be playing six frames of snooker then hosting a Q&A session.

CRICKET fans in Thurrock were entertained by a match featuring the MCC in the past week.

Local cricket buffs will know that Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket and still holds considerable global influence.

RESIDENTS, particularly in communities like Orsett, Horndon on the Hill, Chadwell St Mary and Stanford-le-Hope, and are set for another weekend of disruption as the A13 will be closed in both directions between the Manorway and the Orsett Cock roundabout from 9pm this evening (Friday, 20 August).

This will allow workers to carry out drainage, road construction, surfacing and barrier works as part of the A13 Road Widening Project.

DESPITE a plea for leniency a woman who lives in Purfleet has been jailed after she played a role in theft from a charity.

Mum of two Oluwabunmi Tejuoso, 44, of Church Hollow, Purfleet, who is a former childminder who was based in Orsett, was found guilty at Basildon Crown Court of laundering more than £280,000 of stolen money from the unnamed charity. She had pleaded her innocence but was convicted by a jury.

IN his weekly message to residents Thurrock Council leader Cllr Rob Gledhill has repeated his call for local people who have not yet had a Covid vacination to arrange to get one.

And he has pointed out that young people aged 16 and over can now get jabbed at one of a number of walk-in centres in the borough.

AN event held in Grays yesterday (19 August) launched the start of £625,000 in new safety initiatives set to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre, provided by Government Safer Streets funding.

Leader of Thurrock Council, Cllr Rob Gledhill, said: "A great deal of work is set to take place to help make Grays High Street safer thanks to £432,000 government funding secured by a joint bid we made along with the Essex Police Fire and Crime Commissioner. This has been bolstered by an additional £193,000 in match funding, bringing the total available to £625,000.

THURROCK Council planning committee members have approved a plan to build four blocks of apartments on the site of the Springhouse Club in Corringham.

Outline permission has been granted for the scheme which will see 95 new homes built on the site, together with a new sports and social club.

DESPITE opposition from ward councillors and residents, another infill development in Stanford-le-Hope has been approved and a bungalow will be demolished and replaced by nine new homes!

Tonight's meeting of Thurrock Council's planning committee gave the green light to an application to build the new homes at Windy Ridge, a site at 251 Branksome Avenue.