Kingston Courier

Kingston Council has confirmed plans to refurbish the Queen Mary Hall in Norbiton with the help of development partners Countryside- by Ciaran Nerval

Kingston Council to refurbish Queen Mary Hall – Kingston Courier Kingston Council has confirmed plans to refurbish the Queen Mary Hall in Norbiton.

With upcoming Kingston Council borough elections set to take place in May 2022 Kingston residents said they are likely vote for the Liberal Democrats again? - -hannah Bansah

Are Kingston residents happy with a Liberal Democrat led Council? – Kingston Courier With upcoming Kingston Council borough elections set to take place in May 2022 Kingston residents said they are likely vote for the Liberal Democrats again

Kingston Council has released details about its transformation plan to build new homes, create new public spaces and boost the local economy- article by Ciaran Nerval

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-council-details-plan-for-borough-wide-regeneration%ef%bf%bc/

Kingston council details plan for borough-wide regeneration – Kingston Courier Kingston Council has released details about its transformation plan to build new homes, create new public spaces and boost the local economy. As part of

Kingston Council has unveiled plans to convert the basement of John Lewis on Kingston riverside, known as the Undercroft, into an affordable workspace- article by Katie Byng-Hall

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-council-announces-affordable-riverside-workspace-for-young-people/

Kingston Council announces affordable riverside workspace for young people – Kingston Courier Kingston Council has unveiled plans to convert the basement of John Lewis on Kingston riverside into an affordable workspace and creative hub for entrepreneurs and young people in the community.

The number of women attending vital breast cancer screenings at Kingston hospital bounced back last year following a fall during 2020- article by Kieran Kelly

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/breast-cancer-screening-levels-bounce-back-after-initial-pandemic-blip/

Breast cancer screening levels bounce back after initial pandemic blip – Kingston Courier The number of women attending vital breast cancer screenings at Kingston hospital bounced back last year following a fall during 2020. The number of mammograms

Kingston council has confirmed that almost 90 per cent of children across the borough applying for secondary school positions in September have been offered one of their top three choices.
- article by Naveen Gharyal
https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/majority-of-kingston-children-get-top-choice-for-secondary-school/

Majority of Kingston children get top choice for secondary school – Kingston Courier Kingston council has confirmed that almost 90 per cent of children across the borough applying for secondary school positions in September, have been offered one of their top three choices.

Backed by huge industry names like Dame Vanessa Redgrave, one of the few performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, and BAFTA-award-winning Mike Newell, the festival is sure to be a success.

The borough was the home of the first-ever moving image, created in 1871 by Eadweard Muybridge, and it will now act as a vessel for innovation with the coming of this new creative platform.

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-international-film-festival-coming-this-summer/

Kingston International Film Festival coming Summer 2022 – Kingston Courier Kingston International Film Festival (KIFF) will light up the borough from 24-26 June this year with culture and tourism.

Kingston’s only functioning public swimming pool at the Malden Centre reopened on Thursday, having been closed in February for essential repairs.

The news comes ahead of a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee on Wednesday to decide whether or not to approve planning permission for the demolition of the Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Kingston upon Thames, which also had a popular swimming pool.

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/new-malden-swimming-pool-reopened-before-crucial-kingfisher-demolition-meeting/

New Malden pool reopened before crucial Kingfisher demolition meeting Kingston’s only public swimming pool at the Malden Centre has reopened, having been closed in February for essential maintenance work.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has confirmed that planned overnight strikes on the Central and Victoria tube lines will last for three months.

More below!

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/months-of-misery-ahead-for-london-commuters-as-tfl-strikes-continue/

Months of misery ahead for London commuters as TFL strikes set to continue – Kingston Courier The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has confirmed that planned overnight strikes on the Central and Victoria tube lines will last for three months. The

Kingston Hospital’s maternity ward has triumphed in the Maternity Survey 2021, ranking best out of eighteen London health trusts for antenatal care, labour and birth and postnatal care.

Read all the details of the survey in the article.

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-hospital-triumphs.../

Kingston Hospital has best maternity ward in London – Kingston Courier Kingston Hospital’s maternity ward has triumphed in the Maternity Survey 2021, ranking best out of eighteen London health trusts for antenatal care, labour and birth

Surrey Police and two other organisations with links to Kingston have been named by Stonewall as top employers for LGBTQ+ inclusion. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Written by Emma Curzon

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/surrey-police-among-local-employers-celebrating-stonewall-lgbtq-inclusion-awards/

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Surrey Police among local employers celebrating Stonewall awards Surrey police and two other organisations with links to Kingston have been recognised by Stonewall as top employers for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

German-owned discount supermarket chain Lidl GB has officially opened a new £70m head office at the former site of the Hook Venturer Sports Club in Tolworth.

Read the full story below. ✍️ Jacobien van der Kleij

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/lidl-house-open-70m-head-office-in-tolworth-amid-traffic-concerns/

Lidl opens £70m headquarters in Tolworth, five years after Kingston Council grants permission – Kingston Courier German-owned discount supermarket chain Lidl has officially opened a new £70m head office at the former site of the Hook Venturer Sports Club in Tolworth.

An estimated 18 million people reportedly visit Kingston Upon Thames each year, with much of the town centre’s attraction put down to its retail appeal.

Is the future of High Streets uncertain after pandemic retail closures?

Read the full article here:
✍️ Hannah Gravett
https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/future-of-high-streets-uncertain-after-pandemic-retail-closures/

Future of High Streets uncertain after pandemic retail closures – Kingston Courier More than 17,000 chain stores closed down across the UK last year, according to research by the Local Data Company (LDC), prompting conversations about the future of the High Street.

REVIEW: A very different Persuasion at the Rose Theatre Kingston

This unorthodox twist on the Jane Austen classic, directed by Jeff James and James Yeatman, plunges the 19th-century characters into the present, with their regency-era concerns about marriage and inheritance intermingled with a soundtrack of Dua Lipa, Cardi B, Lizzo and more.

Written by Katie Byng-Hall

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/review-a-very-different-persuasion-at-the-rose-theatre/

REVIEW: A very different Persuasion at the Rose Theatre – Kingston Courier The modern-day production of Persuasion at the Rose Theatre is far from conventional. Keep your ears open for Cardi B.

The Batman is the start of a brand-new trilogy directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson as Batman, and the new film starts the trilogy with a bang.

Read the full article below!

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/review-the-batman-is-a-dark-cinematic-masterpiece-unlike-any-we-have-experienced-before/

REVIEW: The Batman is a dark cinematic masterpiece unlike any we have experienced before – Kingston Courier The Batman is the start of a brand-new trilogy directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson as Batman, and the new film starts the

Kingston College student and young mother set up a community fitness initiative to encourage others to pull themselves out of a slump during lockdown.

Rebecca Palfrey, 28, from Hampton Wick, lost both her parents when she was young and suffers from depression and anxiety.

Read the full article, written by Liv Jones here

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/local-mother-inspires-others-to-work-out-to-improve-their-mental-health/

Richmond mother inspires others to work out to improve their mental health – Kingston Courier Kingston College student and young mother set up a community fitness initiative to encourage others to pull themselves out of a slump during lockdown.

Members of the UCU - University and College Union at Kingston University went on strike on Monday and Tuesday to achieve better working conditions.

Lecturers have said that they are fighting on four fronts: unsafe workloads, shrinking pay, rising job insecurity, and pay inequality seen in ethnicity, disability and gender pay gaps.

Read the full article by Kieran Kelly

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-university-ucu-members-engage-in-more-strikes/

Kingston University UCU members engage in more strikes – Kingston Courier Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Kingston University went on strike on Monday and Tuesday to achieve better working conditions. Lecturers have

Most Kingston residents disagree with the government’s decision to scrap all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England according to a recent poll.

This follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on February 21, which detailed his ‘Living with Covid-19’ strategy. It brought an end to self-isolation from today and free Covid tests for most people from April 1.

Article by Aysha Gilmore

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-residents-disagree-with-governments-living-with-covid-19-strategy/

Living with Covid: Kingston residents disagree with government’s decision to scrap restrictions – Kingston Courier Most Kingston residents disagree with the government’s decision to scrap all remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England according to a recent poll.

The recorded crime count for domestic abuse in Kingston has gone down but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, according to police data.

The Metropolitan Police’s ‘Hate crime or special crime’ dashboard shows that 1,493 crimes were flagged as domestic abuse in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in 2021.

👉👉👉Women in the UK experiencing domestic abuse can also call Refuge’s 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247, while men can call Respect’s Men's Advice Line on 0808 8010327.

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/domestic-abuse-crimes-down-in-kingston-after-covid-19-high/

Domestic abuse in Kingston still above pre-Covid levels after 2021 drop The recorded crime count for domestic abuse in Kingston has returned to near pre-pandemic levels after rising in 2020.

Teddington lifeboat station is full to the brim with life-saving equipment. Fluorescent orange life jackets are stacked high and bright yellow boots line the walls.

The station’s two lifeboats are just outside, poised for action.

Read the full feature below, written by Katie Byng-Hall

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/water-safety-respecting-the-river/

RNLI water safety: How to respect the river – Kingston Courier Water Safety Officer Glenn Wouters from RNLI Teddington shares his best advice on how to stay safe on the Thames.

The chief executive of Cancer Research UK, Michelle Mitchell, has welcomed the government’s calls for a “war on cancer” but warned on this year’s World Cancer Day that as a country we “seriously needs to up our game”.

Hit the link below to read the full article by Jacobien van der Kleij

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/world-cancer-day-highlights-need-to-close-the-care-gap/

Cancer charity warns we need to seriously "up our game" – Kingston Courier Head of a leading cancer charity has welcomed government's calls for a "war on cancer" but warned on this year's World Cancer Day that as a country we "seriously needs to up our game".

Former Kingstonian FC midfielder Lee O’Leary has returned to the club after five years away after being appointed as the club’s new assistant manager.

Article by Christian Mayes

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingstonian-appoint-oleary-as-new-assistant-manager/

Kingstonian appoint O'Leary as new assistant manager – Kingston Courier Former Kingstonian FC midfielder Lee O’Leary has returned to club as the new assistant manager.

Ten years ago, when 18-year-old Australian law student Noelle Martin reverse image searched herself out of pure curiosity, nothing could have prepared her for the nauseating results that Google would empty before her.

Scores of pornographic images of her stretched on the screen before her, images she had never consented to being shared online. In fact, she had never consented to them being taken at all. Because they hadn’t been taken: they had been faked. Anonymous individual(s) had stolen Martin’s likeness and superimposed it onto the bodies of po*******hy actresses before sharing them online.
Article by .dunne
Read more online at www.kingstoncourier.co.uk

Kingston hit by Storm Eunice 💨- article by Abbey Bamford- check out link below to give it a read 🔻
https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-hit-by-storm-eunice/

Kingston hit by Storm Eunice – Kingston Courier Kingston was battered by Storm Eunice on Friday with winds of up to 70 miles an hour causing disruption to travel and uprooting a large tree that crashed into a residential street in Teddington.

Peer-led London mental health charity Hearts and Minds has closed down due to financial and staffing problems, but has said that former employees would continue to offer support as a voluntary collective.

The closure of Hearts and Minds which supported young people aged 14-25 experiencing mental health difficulties, was announced on its website on January 19.

Article by Emma Curzon:

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/former-mental-health-charity-hearts-and-minds-to-continue-as-volunteer-collective/

Hearts and Minds to continue as volunteer collective Former employees of London-based charity Hearts and Minds, which recently ceased operations, will continue to offer support.

This January marked 20 years since the RNLI set up four lifeboat stations on the Thames, and 20 years since the UK’s busiest river became a whole lot safer. 🛶🛶🛶

Read the full article by Katie Byng-Hall

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/the-rnli-celebrates-20-years-saving-lives-on-the-thames/

The RNLI celebrates 20 years saving lives on the Thames – Kingston Courier The RNLI has been making waves on the Thames for 20 years, including in nearby Teddington.

The holiday of St Valentine’s Day is thought to have originated from a Roman festival called Lupercalia, which was a celebration of the start of springtime.

Read more in our article online about the origins of Valentine’s Day and what it has come to mean.
Article by

Kingston University's Town House is one of three UK buildings nominated for this year’s European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award.

Congrats! 🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊🎊 Grafton Architects

Read the full article below:

https://kingstoncourier.co.uk/kingston-town-house-nominated-for-prestigious-european-prize/

Kingston Town House nominated for prestigious European prize – Kingston Courier Kingston University’s Town House is one of three UK buildings nominated for this year’s European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe