Browsing: Community

Southend-on-Sea City Council’s new recycling and waste service launches next week in partnership with SUEZ. The initiative aims to make recycling simpler and streets cleaner, with around 60,000 homes switching to wheelie bins and some seeing collection day changes.

Southend City Council’s annual Toy Drive returns for its twelfth year, bringing festive joy to vulnerable children and young people. The scheme runs until 12 December and encourages donations of new toys, vouchers, and gifts to help make Christmas magical for families across the city.

Hawkwell made history with its first-ever marathon and fun run, uniting residents in support of the Save Mount Bovers Green Belt campaign. The event celebrated community spirit, fitness, and determination while raising funds to protect local open spaces.

Leigh Road Baptist Church is inviting homes, schools, and businesses across Southend to take part in Streets of Light 2025, transforming their windows into glowing displays of “Light, Love and Hope” from 25 October to 2 November. The creative community project aims to connect neighbours and spread positivity across the city.

Southend-on-Sea residents are being reminded that the city’s new waste and recycling service begins the week of 27 October 2025. The rollout includes new wheelie bins, alternate weekly collections, and a dedicated app to keep households informed.

Southend Libraries has been awarded Arts Council England National Lottery funding to expand its popular Storysacks programme, helping local families make reading fun, hands-on, and accessible through creative kits and free storytelling workshops.

Southend has launched the Red Relief scheme, making free period products available in nine council-owned venues across the city as part of a two-year trial, led by the Southend City Youth Council to tackle period poverty.

Southend-on-Sea City Council is reminding residents to celebrate responsibly with its Rocket O’Clock campaign, asking people to limit private fireworks to 7pm–9pm while enjoying official seafront displays for safe, family-friendly fun.

A local resident questions whether Southend’s 20mph limits have made roads safer, citing Department of Transport data that shows serious accidents along the Golden Mile have more than tripled since their introduction.

Tiny toes ballet Essex Mid & South, run by Natalie McCormack, has been named a national finalist in the What’s On 4 Kids National Children’s Activities Awards 2025.