News in Thurrock

NHS Volunteer Responders are urgently calling for more steward volunteers in Thurrock to support at the Thurrock Community Hospital vaccination site at Long Lane, Grays, where there is a high demand for volunteer help.

The vaccinations are administered at the Alastair Farquharson Centre.

THURROCK Council has declined to give details of a controversial land sale that has angered local ward councillors and raised questions about the council's ability to value its properties.

Nub News recently reported on the planned sale of a brownfield site on Argent Street in Grays that was formerly an engineering works.

FIREFIGHTERS spent several hours last night and into the early morning today (Thursday, 7 June) battling a blaze that affected a caravan and containers on a site north of South Ockendon.

The incident happened on Dennises Lane where the alert was raised just before 10pm. Flames were finally extinguished at 12.20am though crews remained for some time checking for hotspots. A crew will return to check the scene later this morning.

Update: Man has been found safe and well:

POLICE issued an appeal for information as they tried to find a missing man, who may be in Thurrock.

TWO students from Thurrock were among the top winners at South Essex College's virtual Celebrating Success event this evening (Wednesday, 16 June) which commemorated outstanding students' performances.

The awards evening had to play out slightly differently again this year because of Covid-19 and social distancing. A video montage of winners was created to showcase their achievements with photos of students receiving their awards.

PROMINENT Stanford-le-Hope businessman Simon Renoldi, who numbers the Railway Tavern and Gino's Taverna in the town among his commercial interests, has been charged with the trafficking of class A drugs.

Renoldi, 49, of High Road, Fobbing has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply ecstasy, and two counts of conspiracy to supply Class B drugs.

"ATTITUDES are changing" says a woman police officer who has spoken about what life is like on the front line as a Romani Gypsy police officer.

It's currently Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month and Essex Police has shown its support by raising the community's flag at our Chelmsford headquarters.

THE cost of the Lower Thames Crossing to Thurrock and the impact it will have on the borough, was discussed at this week's meeting of Thurrock Council's Lower Thames Crossing task Force.

At Monday's meeting, it was agreed that independent East Tilbury councillor Fraser Massey will again chair the task force for the next civic year and Labour group leader Cllr John Kent was elected as the vice chair.

A TRIO of friends from Thurrock are planning a second event next month to raise funds and the profile of a mental health charity.

Last year, Harrison Ball, 24, from Grays, Stanford-le-Hope's Ryan Wilkins and Kye Holloway from Corringham (both aged 25) came together to raise £9,483 for MIND through a DJing and fitness event when Ryan and Kye completed a 24-hour physical exercise challenge and Harrison completed a 24 hour DJ set.

AS exclusively revealed by Thurrock Nub News, Thurrock Council is set to permanently close two day care centres for older folk and its meals on wheels service in a bid to save more than £500,000.

The news leaves the council's portfolio holder for adult social care totally red-faced, as it is just days since she said no discussions had taken place on these proposed changes.