#06: Hedgehogs crossing in Old Malden, Joe Wicks in Kingston, loos in Canbury Gardens, EV charging in Kingston, GCSE results, twerk & jerk, Hampton Court Food Festival, National Burger Day, new Tube map, green energy and more.
START WITH A SMILE: Stuff to cheer us up
☀️ ELECTRIC ‘SUPERHIGHWAY’ BETWEEN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND GETS GO AHEAD: A multi-billion pound subsea cable that will transmit renewable energy from Scotland to 2 million homes in England gets the go ahead. Part of a wider strategy to shift away from fossil fuels to tackle climate change, the project will be the first of four subsea links that will eventually carry enough capacity to power 7.5 million homes.
LOCAL STORIES: Stuff you need to know
🦔 HEDGEHOGS CROSSING IN OLD MALDEN: Kingston Council has unveiled England’s first official hedgehog crossing signs in Old Malden in a battle to save the species. It’s estimated that around 150,000 hedgehogs are killed every year across the country and the current population has declined to around one million compared with 36 million in the 1960s. It’s hoped that the four signs erected on a number of neighbouring streets will help drivers and pedestrians keep an eye out for hedgehogs crossing the roads in the area.
🤸♂️ JOE WICKS BRINGS SPORTS DAY FUN TO KINGSTON: The Body Coach, the Nation’s PE Teacher, online fitness sensation, author, holder of Honorary Doctorates (St Mary's University and Loughborough University), Joe Wicks MBE teamed up with @OurParksUK for Sports Day Workout at Fairfield Recreation Ground last Sunday 18 August. From star jumps to tug of war, sack racing to wheelbarrow racing, it was a fun-filled way to get fit for the whole family. And the superstar that he is, Joe hung around for hours until the long and winding photo-seeking queue eventually came to an end. We couldn’t quite decide who were more excited for the selfies – the kids, yummy mummies or the gym daddies! ‘Dr Joe’ – done! ‘Sir Joe’ next? We say so!
🎓 GCSE RESULTS 2024: Last of the pandemic cohort, over 600,000 students in England, Wales and NI received their GCSE, BTec Awards and other Level 2 results today, Thursday, 22 August. GCSE results have fallen for a third year running with 67.6% of students achieving grade 4/C or above compared with 68.2% in 2023. However, this year’s results are similar to those achieved in 2019, the last year exams were sat before the Covid pandemic. Whatever the results, there are plenty of options for students wishing to pursue further studies, apprenticeship or work – your school should be your first port of call for advice and there’s also lots of helpful advice on the BBC, The Guardian and government’s Apprenticeships websites. But one should not make decisions on an empty stomach – so, for those receiving results here are some freebies on offer from popular eateries including Nando’s and Wagamama.
🎓 UNIVERSITIES OFFERING CASH AND FREE ACCOMMODATION: If your A-level grades last week meant you missed out on a place at the university of your choice, you may be lucky! Along with 30,000 places being made available through clearing, universities are trying to entice students through cash prizes and rent-free accommodation. St Mary’s University, across the river in Twickenham, is promising a guaranteed place in university accommodation for students who apply before 22 August and is running a prize draw for a £250 shopping voucher. While a university staff union has described these initiatives as ‘inappropriate’, it does highlight the commercial pressure England’s higher education sector faces to attract students.
🔥 FIRE FORCES VITAL COMMUNITY CENTRE TO CLOSE: A fire has forced the closure of a vital community centre at Kingston’s Cambridge Gardens estate. The centre is a crucial hub for local organisations such as a foodbank, youth clubs and church services as well as local charities including Kingston Centre for Independent Living, RBKares, Moving on Together and homelessness charity SPEAR London. Kingston Council is working with affected organisations to find alternative provisions while work is undertaken to assess the extent of the damage and estimate potential re-opening of the centre.
🤔 GETTING RID OF A STICKY PROBLEM: Have you ever looked down at the floor while out and about in Kingston? Really looked at the floor. There are 1000s of 10-pence sized marks in varying shades of off white, grey and black where ever you look. They look a bit like pressed flowers, only nowhere near as pleasant. Yes, spat-out chewing gum is everywhere. In various degree of ‘decay’ although it never really decays – every tread of a resident’s shoe simply reinforces its permanence amongst our streets. Now, two key gum manufacturers, Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, have provided £10m for cleaning projects across the country. And two of our neighbouring councils, Mole Valley District and Elmbridge Borough, have already taken advantage of the funding (£7000 each) to tidy up their streets. We wondered if Kingston Council might do the same.
📚 KINGSTON ADULT EDUCATION PRAISED BY OFSTED: It’s never too late to learn a new language, add to your skill set, pick up a new hobby or enhance your knowledge of a subject to improve your career prospects. Often, adult education organisations are a great place to start. And according to their latest Ofsted report, it looks like Kingston Adult Education is doing a pretty good job of providing high quality education to its residents through 12 centres across the borough. Ready to polish up your Excel skills? Time to pick up that acoustic guitar? Oui s'il vous plait!
COMMUNITY, CULTURE & EVENTS: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy
With the summer holidays drawing to a close, the coming Bank holiday weekend may be one of the last few opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. So, this week we’re focusing on a few hand-picked events we think you might enjoy. Hoping the sun shines!
😋 HAMPTON COURT PALACE FOOD FESTIVAL: Just across the river from Kingston, the Hampton Court Palace Food Festival returns this year with over 150 food stands spread across the palace grounds. Nibble your way through macarons and marmalade, truffle and bubble tea as well as chilli, cheese, churros and chai. All in the splendour of Henry VIII’s little house on the river!
🦚 ENJOY JERK WITH YOUR TWERK: Yes, it’s Notting Hill Carnival this Bank holiday weekend, 24 to 26 August. With thumping bass from sound systems reverberating through the street of west London, there is something for the whole family across the three days of celebration of Caribbean heritage, arts and culture. Enjoy the sounds of steel bands, dancehall, slow reggae or sweet soca and taste the flavours of region’s food and drink and be transported to the Caribbean. Bejewelled and feathered outfits are not essential but certainly help with uninhibited twerking!
🎻 BATTERSEA PARK IN CONCERT: If you prefer a tenor to a twerk, you might want to head up to Battersea Park in Concert, 24 to 26 August. Enjoy Proms in the Park with your host Myleene Klass on Saturday, sing along to your favourite musical song on Sunday or relive Paul Simon’s Graceland with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orhestra on Monday.
🏥 NIGHT TO REMEMBER CHARITY WALK: There is still time to join 100s already signed up for the Night to Remember walk and help raise funds for Kingston Hospital Charity. Each walk starts and finishes in Kingston’s Market Place and you can choose from 6.5 or 13 miles. Registration is still open and the walk takes place at 7pm on Saturday 7 September 2024.
🎸 TOM WALKER RETURNS TO PRYZM: To celebrate the release of his new album I Am, Tom Walker returns to Kingston to play at Pryzm on Wednesday 18 September, courtesy of Banquet Records. While we hear of conversations on local WhatsApp groups about the creeping prices, where else can you can watch headline music acts up close and personal and on your doorstep!
🎽 999TH PARKRUN: One more Saturday to go before Parkrun celebrates its 20th anniversary on 31 August 2024. In the meantime, expect another big turnout at Bushy Park this Saturday at 9am for their 999th parkrun!
🍔 NATIONAL BURGER DAY: It’s National Burger Day on Thursday 22 August, not to be confused with International Burger Day which takes place on 28 May each year. As a nation, we eat around 2.5 billion beef burgers during the course of a year. That’s roughly 52 beef burgers per person per year. And this doesn’t include a further 4.2 billion chicken breasts we get through over the same period. Maybe it’s time someone came up with National Not-Burger-of-Any-Sort Day! Fewer beef burgers consumed, good for us. Fewer belching cows, good for our planet.
LOCAL DEMOCRACY: Stuff that affects your neighbourhood
This week in ‘local democracy’, we’re focusing on request for feedback from Kingston Council on a number of projects that affect the daily lives of residents of the borough.
🔌 HAVE YOUR SAY ON EV CHARGING POINTS IN KINGSTON: 20% of total car sales could be electric vehicles by the end of the year. Importantly, Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate that is now law in Great Britain, requires that 100% of cars and vans must be zero emissions by 2035. This means a key part of the infrastructure, EV charging, needs to be in place urgently. Kingston Council is seeking your feedback on where you'd like to see public use electric vehicle charging points.
🏞️ HAVE YOUR SAY ON KINGSTON’S GREEN SPACES: 45% of people in the UK found visiting green spaces, such as parks, helped them to cope throughout the pandemic. Kingston Council is seeking residents’ views on green spaces across the borough – what people like or dislike about them and any barriers people have to using them. You have until 15 September 2024 to share your views.
🌳 HAVE YOUR SAY ON CANBURY GARDENS: Kingston Council is currently running two engagements seeking views from residents who use Canbury Gardens in North Kingston – public toilets and the shared path for pedestrians and cyclists. The former includes accessible toilets and baby changing facilities and residents have until 30 September to provide feedback to allow the council to assess level of support and use. The toilets are due to be removed at the end of October. For the shared path, residents have until 9 May 2025 to share their thoughts.
SPORTS DAY: Stuff about enjoying your local teams
⚽ KINGSTONIAN FC: Kingstonian’s great start to the season continues. Having delivered two wins from two in the league, the Ks have now secured a place in the First Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup after a 3-2 victory against Eastbourne United AFC last Saturday, 17 August. Their reward is to host Isthmian Premier newcomers Chichester City in the next round on Saturday, 31 August. Come on the Ks!
LONDON CALLING: Stuff to do, experience and enjoy in the big smoke
🖼️ GET YOUR MODERN ART FIX AT THE NEW MOCO LONDON MUSEUM: Moco London, central London’s newest art space has opened its doors across the historic Marble Arch near the north east corner of Hyde Park. Already established in Amsterdam and Barcelona, Modern Contemporary (Moco) Museum is an independent museum hosting a wide range of modern, contemporary and street art. Moco London’s inaugural exhibition sees works of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Keith Haring, and a huge new Marina Abramovic exhibition is planned for September.
🎫 GREENWICH + DOCKLANDS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2024: Last of the summer festivals and this one is completely free. Greenwich + Docklands International Festival returns this year from 23 August to 8 September, featuring outdoor theatre, dance, circus and installations. Enjoy theatre on the shore of the Thames, an eight-hour aerial performance on top of a melting block of ice, groundbreaking street roller skate choreography with live cello music featuring world class figure skating virtuosos, and much more for the whole family.
WHAT ELSE? Stuff we couldn’t quite fit anywhere else but still like
🚇 NEW LONDON UNDERGROUND MAP: We may not enjoy commuting but most of us have great fondness for the iconic London Underground map designed by Harry Beck in 1931. Well, now, a university lecturer has redesigned it and says the official version is ‘garbage’ and his is better ‘in every way’. We’ll let you be the judge of that.
Funny how these fires tend to start around lucrative redevelopment opportunities.