Congratulations to pupils across Havering who are celebrating their A level results today (Thursday).

Pupils began arriving at their schools early this morning to find out how they had done in their exams.

Due to the pandemic, it was the first time since 2019 that pupils were able to sit their exams in person. The pandemic had meant that pupils were graded on their previous work rather than exam results.

At Drapers Academy, Harold Hill, there were big smiles for many pupils as they collected their results this morning. Some of them (pictured) were congratulated by Havering Council Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Cllr Oscar Ford (on the left), and Trevor Cook, Assistant Director of Education (on the right), while others were interviewed by Channel 5 News.

Students who sadly haven’t received the results they wanted can speak directly to their schools about their options for the future.

Havering Council Public Protection officers were joined by the Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Barry Mugglestone (pictured), and Council-funded police officers from the Havering Joint Task Force for recent enforcement action on unlicensed HMOs (houses in multiple occupation).

This followed reports of unlicensed HMOs in Rainham, Elm Park and Hornchurch.

Six properties were visited, and three are now under further investigation.

Havering Council's parks department has successfully applied for a large grant to deliver some heritage projects in Dagnam Park in Harold Hill.

The money comes from National Highways as part of its Lower Thames Crossing project.

The works will include recreating a historic path to the Round Pond (pictured), the restoration of the Round Pond brickwork and a section of the old Manor House's retaining wall. It wil also involve construction of some new walls around the recently excavated steps to the cellar at the Manor House.

These works will begin on Monday 22 August. Unfortunately, the work will mean that there will be some temporary disruption in the park, especially around the old Manor House site.

Later, the grant will also provide the funding for the restoration or replacement of around 400 metres of historic estate fencing.

Following the discovery of polio virus in sewage in London, health authorities advised that a polio vaccine booster dose should be offered to all children between the ages of one and nine in all London boroughs.

Polio can be incredibly serious for unvaccinated children and can cause paralysis, but with an effective vaccine we have the opportunity to protect our children.  

Vaccine uptake in Havering is one of the best in London but some children and young people have not had all the recommended doses.

Parents and carers can check whether their child is up to date with their vaccinations by looking at their child’s personal health record – ‘the red book’ or by contacting their GP if they are still unsure. If they have any gaps, they can get vaccinated now at their GP surgery.

Older children who have missed school age vaccinations can also attend special sessions planned for Tuesday, 30 August at Fairkytes Art Centre, Hornchurch, and at myplace, Harold Hill, on Thursday, 1 September.  

For more information call 020 3432 1971 or send an email.

Also, all children aged under 10 will be offered an additional booster in the near future. The booster programme is starting in boroughs at highest risk before being extended to the remaining London boroughs including Havering. Families in Havering will be alerted about the booster programme when it becomes available.

Anyone can catch Monkeypox.

You get a rash with blisters plus aches, a fever and swollen glands for up to three weeks.

Spotted these symptoms?

Avoid close physical contact with others.

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You can still help the residents affected by the Wennington wild fires by going to the dedicated JustGiving page set up by the Salvation Army and supported by Havering Council.

The Romford Salvation Army Wennington Fire Support Fund, will help to coordinate and distribute support to the families and individuals impacted by the fires and provide some extra help to those in need.

Thanks to everyone's generosity for the initial target of £20,000 being beaten with donations now topping £23,000.

Donate

The NHS is asking residents across the area covered by the BHRUT hospitals of Queen's and King George for their views on proposals to be able to increase the number of checks, scans and tests. 

One proposal is to build a dedicated Community Diagnostic Centre at Barking Community Hospital for a range of diagnostics such as CT and MRI scans, ultrasounds and blood tests.

The NHS wants to hear from residents about what is important to you when accessing these services. For example, what should the environment be like at the diagnostic centre, and what appointment times should be offered.

Please complete the short online survey, before 9 September.

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Local water company Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) are asking for our help to save water after a long spell of very hot weather and very limited rainfall.

Warm weather can cause ground movement which can lead to burst pipes. If you see what you think might be a leak, report it and ESW will do its best to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Check your toilets for leaks. If you think you might have a leak, ESW may be able to fix it for free. Report a toilet leak to ESW online.

Use water wisely and minimise any usage where you can. Here are some easy ways you can reduce water use:

• When the kids and pets have finished cooling down in the paddling pool, reuse it to water your flowerbeds or wash your car.
• Water your plants in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky. Not only does this minimise the risk of burning any leaves, but it also means you are wasting less water too.
• Use a watering can instead of a hose pipe to water your plants and hanging baskets.
• Don't water your grass. Lawns have the magic power of going to sleep when it becomes very dry, unlike most other plants they will come alive when moisture levels increase. Rainwater is also much more nutritious than tap water as it contains nitrogen that boosts growth. 

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Currently, over 1.4 million pensioners in Britain receive Pension Credit. However, many are still not claiming this extra financial help that can be worth over £3,300 a year.

In Havering alone more than 160 households eligible for Pension Credit are not claiming it.

Pension Credit can be claimed by phone and online, so older people can apply safely and easily, wherever they are.

There is also an online Pension Credit calculator that can help pensioners check if they’re likely to be eligible and get an estimate of what they may receive.

Pension Credit is designed to help with daily living costs for people over the State Pension age and on a low income, though you do not need to be in receipt of State Pension to receive it.

It tops up a person’s income to a minimum of £182.60 per week for single pensioners and to £278.70 for couples.

If you claim Pension Credit before 24 August you can also get the Government's £650 Cost of Living payment.

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It’s not too late to claim your Council Tax Energy Rebate

Over 93 per cent of households living in Council Tax properties banded A to D have now received their £150 Energy Rebate to help with the rising cost of energy bills. Check if you are eligible and apply now.

If you haven’t claimed your Energy Rebate by 19 August, not to worry, we will credit your Council Tax account with this money instead, if you are eligible.

During the summer holidays children aged between four and eleven can sign up at their local Havering library, then read any six library books of their choice to collect special stickers and rewards along the way – all for free.

This year three library visits by the participating children are needed.

The first visit to pick up a pack, and two more visits to return completed book reviews and talk about the books they have read in order to receive a medal and certificate.

This Saturday, 20 August sees a Kids Summer time Play and Craft Day at New Life Church, Emerson Park, 13-15 Butts Green Road in Hornchurch.

This free event runs from 10am to 12.30pm. Children aged 3 to 5 years old can attend with their parents or carers for play time with toys, a snack and drink, story time and make a craft session.

There's more information online.

To commemorate Brookside Theatre's 10th anniversary and 110 years since the infamous Titanic tragedy, the Brookside Theatre in Romford will be staging Titanic The Musical.

The original Broadway production of Titanic The Musical won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book.

It plays from 24 to 28 August. For more details and bookings visit the Theatre's website.

The last of this summer's Havering Council Housing volunteers family fun days will be held on Wednesday (24 August).

There will be free activities for the whole family between 12noon and 3pm at Macon Way, Upminster, RM14 1NY.

Take part in face painting, enjoy the bouncy castle and receive a free healthy lunch. Also, at the community fun days you will be able to talk to local service providers such as Havering Adult College and Havering Council's repairs contractor, Mears. See more on the Council's website.

Romford BID will be hosting a weekend-long celebration in the town centre from Friday 9 September to Sunday 11 September.

This three day event will be a celebration of all things “street” – street food, entertainment, art, and music.

It will also mark the 775th anniversary of Romford Market.

Across the weekend there will be a programme of musical acts, theatre groups and performance acts appearing on a stage in front of Tollgate House at the top of the market. There will also be two smaller stages in Brewery Walk and South Street where street entertainers and local musicians will be performing.

In addition, there will be rides in South Street, and games areas set up in all the shopping centres: The Brewery, The Liberty, The Mercury, and Romford Shopping Hall.

Then, on Saturday 10 September, the day will be heralded by the sounds of the bells of St Edward’s Church being rung out at 10am by the East London Bell Ringers. This continues a tradition which began in 1755 with the establishment of the St Edward’s Ringing Society.

Visitors will be welcomed into St Edward’s Church where an exhibition charting the 775-year history of Romford Market will be on display.

An Evening of Burlesque comes to Queen's Theatre Hornchurch on Sunday, September 11.

The show blends cabaret, comedy, music, circus and burlesque.

It takes its roots from the art form that was hugely popular during Victorian times.

For more details visit the Theatre's website and for tickets call 01708 443333.

The Arts Society Havering's September event is a talk on an Impressionist painter entitled Berthe Morisot: “une finesse fragonardienne” given by Dr Lois Oliver.

It's at 10.30am on 13 September at the New Windmill Hall Upminster. The event is open to visitors for a fee of £8.

More details on the Society's website.

Lastly, Havering Council’s Arts Development Team is inviting entries for its creative exhibition. Submit your entry on the theme of "summer".

It could be a photograph or painting, or a picture of something you have made like a sandcastle or piece of jewellery. All ages are welcome to take part. 

Email your entries before the end of September.

Once the pictures have been received (and consent organised) a video gallery of all the suitable photos will be shared on the Havering Culture and Leisure YouTube channel.

You can view previous exhibitions online.

Earlier this week Queen's Theatre Hornchurch relaunched its QCafé found in the Theatre’s large foyer space at the front of the building.

The newly decorated café (pictured) now ties in with the recently redesigned Box Office and QBar.

The café also has a new menu. Customers can select breakfast items such as a stack of American pancakes, a granola mixed berries and yoghurt breakfast bowl, or an avocado and cream cheese bagel. For lunch and dinner, the Theatre offers a variety of hot and cold meal options from jacket potatoes with a filling of choice, to a hearty steak and ale pie. 

The new menu also has options for vegetarians, vegans and customers who require gluten free food.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is a registered charity and it receives regular funding from Havering Council.

Former Havering Sixth Form student Victoria Ohuruogu is fast becoming one of Britain’s brightest athletics stars after her success at the recent Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Victoria (pictured at the Commonwealth Games) won silver in the women’s 400 metres – achieving a personal best of 50.72 seconds and only just losing out to Sada Williams from Barbados, who set a new Games Record.

Back in 2009 when she started at Havering Sixth Form, Victoria was already showing exceptional promise on the track.

In the following two years, she became the British U19 400m champion as well as the English Schools 400m champion. She also competed for GB in the first Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

She studied A levels in English Language, History and Textiles and was mentored on the college’s Elite Athlete Support Programme which was set up to help high-achieving students juggle their sporting commitments with their A level studies.

Victoria’s Commonwealth Games silver adds to the bronze she won in July in the women’s 4x400m relay in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA.

Now she has her sights set on gold at the European Championships being held in Germany this week. Last night (Wednesday) she just missed out on a medal finishing fourth in the women's 400m final. She runs again in the women's 4x400m relay event tomorrow (Friday).

Come and talk to your local public transport providers about your travel options.

The Accessible Transport in Havering event will be held at the YMCA in Rush Green Road, Romford, on Friday 2 September, between 10am and 2pm.

It's a public drop-in event that will also feature as guest speakers Seb Dance, London's Deputy Mayor for Transport, and Havering Council Leader, Cllr Ray Morgon.

Pop along for the chance to talk to transport providers and officials representing  the range of Transport for London services including London Buses, DLR, and the Elizabeth line.

South Street in Romford, between its junctions with Victoria Road and Eastern Road), will be resurfaced in overnight work that will begin tonight (Thursday 18 August) at 7.30pm and should be complete by 6am tomorrow (Friday 19 August).

Resurfacing work is planned for Drummond Road and Drummond Avenue, Romford, to take place during the daytime (8am to 5pm) from 22 to 25 August.

Claremont Gardens in Upminster will be closed from the junction of Ingrebourne Gardens to the junction of Deyncourt Gardens for gas main replacement work from 8am on Monday 29 August until the work is completed

Helmsdale Road in Chase Cross will be closed between Nevis Close and its junction with Lower Bedfords Road for pavement resurfacing from Tuesday 30 August until 9 September, or whenever the work is completed.

Following the completion of the road resurfacing in Havering Road, Romford, a return visit on 30 August is planned to apply a special surfacing to the pedestrian crossing by Bower Park School and the approach to the junction of Lower Bedfords Road and Chase Cross Road.

Lastly, Glenton Way and Glenton Close in Chase Cross will be resurfaced on 30 and 31 August.

Public transport