Browsing: Community

Southend-based charity HARP is celebrating another incredible year for their iconic 24-hour endurance race, HARP24. Now in its 12th year, the event brought together over 300 runners, who battled through the weekend’s heat to raise an amazing £50,000 for local people experiencing homelessness.

Campaigners are preparing to rally in protest over contentious proposals to build 10,000 new homes on protected Green Belt land.

Southend, Rochford and Wakering residents are being urged to speak out as pressure mounts to build over 10,000 homes on protected Green Belt land near Bournes Green.

Local resident Peter Lovett questions Southend Council’s promises surrounding a 10,000-home development on Green Belt land. Citing a long list of broken commitments—from scrapped flood defences to stalled infrastructure projects—he warns residents not to be swayed by “bold” plans that history suggests will never be delivered.

Veolia Orchard has enriched playgrounds nationwide since 2022, enabling biodiversity to flourish in over 500 school grounds across the UK. Now, students in 28 schools across Southend-on-Sea have joined this blooming initiative to develop long-lasting environmental habits and improve their local area.