It’s safe to say that today, lending a neighbour a cup of sugar has become a rather unnatural concept in many places. However, this cannot be said for Claygate in Surrey, where the residents exude a remarkable sense of togetherness, which has unquestionably
During the month of October there were a total of 13 robberies across the Borough of Kingston. In Surbiton alone there has been four daytime burglaries across Berrylands/ Alexandra area (Raeburn Avenue, Manor Drive, Beresford Avenue, Tolworth Rise South
David Cameron’s Big Society could be accused of being a little vague but one word that the government does stress time and again is “volunteering”. The importance of it and the need that exists to go out into the community and do something for nothing
Siri, the most talked about feature of Apple’s iPhone 4S. It could arguably be the most advance feature on a device to this present day, as Apple says, “Your wish is its command”. Does this not imply that it can do just about anything? - Within its limits
The television cameras are long gone. As are the gawkers and journalists, who came to respectively observe and document the devastation in early August. The scars of the worst riots since the 1980s remain however. West Croydon is remarkably quiet and
The friendly October weather has had a delightful effect upon many aspects of local culture, which is highlighted throughout this season’s programme at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. Unquestionably, the most marvellous flower amongst the bouquet of performances
It is not every day that your school has the chance to be part of a television commercial. Yet for students of Sutton Grammar School one day in October was that day as the cameras were set up at both the school and the nearby playing fields for Heinz
Seeing as tomorrow the date will be 11.11.11 I decided Remembrance Day deserved an article. Roughly a year ago war veteran Arthur Taylor visited Richmond Park Academy and told 10 lucky students, who were particularly interested and talented in history
Since May 2011, 12 students from local secondary school Richmond Park Academy have been working on their very own business. The main idea is to have green tea imported over from Paradise Farm in Sri Lanka, re-brand it, re-package it and sell it to the
For some, standing on a touchline with a cup of coffee on a wet and windy Saturday morning is their idea of a nightmare. This is not the case for the parents of children playing in West Sutton Little League. Running since 1974, West Sutton Little League
Along the road from Ealing Broadway, perched out of the way in front of Walpole Park, there is a plain white building. Some passers-by might spare a glance at the two droopy, illegible white flags. A sharp-eyed few might glimpse the little round blue
An anonymous student of a comprehensive school in Hounslow was recently mugged by council estate youths at a bus stop while on her way home. After her valuables were stolen, she was violently pushed to the ground, subjected to verbal abuse and repeatedly
Recently there has been a substantial level of publicity on the issue of child sexualisation, which could be due to inappropriate television programs, music videos and advertisements for immodest clothing that is easily accessible with today’s technological
We all love watching television. Phrases such as “Thank god its Thursday, I’ve been looking forward to Glee the whole day!” and “I can’t wait until Monday’s Apprentice!” are commonly heard around these parts. So exactly why do we love the T.V. so much
Fulham Cross has a very busy week coming up as they are planning for their international week which takes place every year it is going to be held from the 28th November to the 2nd of December. It is a fundraising week to raise money for schools in Morocco
Think of the last time you wanted something; it could have been an item of clothing from a shop, a job promotion or even simply a snack. You would probably dismiss this as mere human nature as it happens so many times in a typical day, yet when you really
Protests in Egypt began on 25 January 2011. The people of Egypt were desperate to bring about government change after having the same President for 30 years and a total disregard for democracy forcing them to take an active stand. Beginning around midnight
Footage has recently come to light showing six Scotland Yard officers smashing up a car of a suspected thief. They were wielding baseball bats and the handle of a pick axe. You’ll note that none of these items were despatched by the police. They smashed
There once was a time when Kingston upon Thames was an idyllic place to live; where you could step outside and breathe in fresh air, admire the tranquil greenery and walk down the street safe in the knowledge that you would not be run over by a large
The world we live in claims to be open, multicultural, with equal opportunities for all. But when one brings up the simple notion of whether women are ‘wimps’, debate is but inevitable. Not simply because of a difference in opinion, but because of the
From making little pieces of jewellery on her bedroom floor at the age of 5 and selling them to her family, Alyssa Smith now owns her own successful and unique jewellery design business. In recognition of her business skills, she has also taken on the
It has become clear to me that as the years go by, that obesity levels have increased recently especially for the youth. I think the source of this increase is the fact that more and more technology have been introduced to the younger generation and because
Recently, I was one of the lucky few who attended Sir Alex Ferguson’s 25th anniversary game, Manchester United versus Sunderland. This was a pure coincidence; when the tickets were purchased, I had no idea that this was to be the first match after this
1931 and the new Catholic Girls Convent School, Holy Cross, opens its doors to just a few dozen young girls across New Malden, only a small, developing town. 80 years on and the school is still running, holding just under 1000 pupils under the Headship
In the duration of last month, numerous amounts of schools within the Hounslow Borough attended the compulsory show - ‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ (SDSA); to name a few amongst several others are – Gumley House Convent School, The Green School, Gunnersbury
Brentford boss Uwe Rosler has said he will not rush defender Leon Legge back to action despite being short of staff in his back four. The 25-year-old came off the bench in Tuesday’s 6-0 win over AFC Bournemouth, nearly scoring with his first touch and
Mariah Yeater, the girl who claims to have had Justin Biebers baby spoke out for the first time to the American show, The Insider. She states that she was asked to go backstage by a security guard, at a Justin Bieber concert in Los Angeles last year.
A past time usually associated with wailing babies and burnt entrées, entertaining guests at an informal dinner party may be dismissed as a trivial proceeding. In fact, some may even go as far to describe the whole affair as a time of relaxation, an opportunity
Britain’s geek culture is alive and kicking. On 29th and 30th October, the Excel Centre hosted the MCM Expo, also known as the London Comic Con. Held half-yearly, it is a hub of all things anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics that are read
The one-way system at Esher green has been the cause of several crashes over the past few years and its poor design urgently needs to be amended. Not only was the system threatening, it was also impractical for the locals of Esher. In 2003 Michael
The Dempsey Centre was opened in September 2004 and was the first step to revolutionizing Tiffin Boys’ School. It comprised of a 180-seat lecture theatre known as the Judge Lecture Theatre and a careers department. Most noticeably, it consisted of the
Last week, Croydon was part of the annual pilgrimage of ‘The Run’, the race in which vintage vehicles are driven from London to Brighton. It is the event where those die-hard enthusiasts are prepared to lovingly nurture, cajole and coax their perfectly
Dignitaries have been excluded from participating in a memorial service for the first time in 85 years. New Malden councillors have held an official role in proceedings, performing readings and processing in robes, at the memorial service at
Controversial proposals to introduce double yellow lines on a street notoriously bad for parking have sparked uproar. Kingston Council has suggested implementing the no parking zone in Chestnut Grove, New Malden, as part of a traffic management
Kingstonian's stop-start season stalled again on Wednesday night with a 2-1 defeat at Metropolitan Police. The newly promoted Met, with three serving officers in their first XI, went behind to a Bobby Traynor penalty but long-range strikes from Tyron
Director of rugby Mike Schmid has insisted he has the backing of the Esher board despite his side’s nightmare start to their Championship campaign, writes Mark Bengoeshea. The Molesey Road outfit’s season hit a new low as they crashed 32-17
Whether you’re looking for a bargain or just popping in for a casual afternoon breezy browse- charity clothing shops seem to be attracting more than just one style of customer. Beyond the barricade of Bin Bags, the mothball odour and the dusty bric-a-brac
Rail users are facing delays following a broken down train at West Croydon station. Southern Railway has reported short notice cancellations and delays between West Croydon and Sutton as they try to rectify the situation. London Buses
Croydon Harriers enjoyed two individual wins and a team victory at the opening Downs League fixture at Epsom Downs on Sunday, writes Matthew Kiernan. Michael Eagling kicked off a successful morning for Croydon taking the win in the U11s 1.5 mile race
Two men accused of shooting a man through a window have been found not guilty of murder. Andrew Cross, 28, of Colchester and Lemuel Robinson, 27, of Collingwood Road, Sutton, denied killing Larry Malone with a Mac 10 sub-machine gun at his aunt
The annual British Curry Awards will be spicing up Battersea this month. Over 1,600 restaurateurs, VIP guests and celebrities are expected to turn up and see the coveted awards handed out at Battersea Evolution. TV celebrity chef James Martin is hosting
A vintage fashion fair is being held at the Battersea Arts Centre grand hall on Sunday, November 20. Anita's Vintage Fashion Fairs have been attracting retro fans in London for over eight years, staging events regularly in Battersea and Notting
October, end of autumn, return of Halloween, and, we must not forget, Black History Month. A scheme designed to celebrate and preserve the respective cultures of the children of the African diaspora and of Carribean descent, Black History Month was last
A Cheam cyclist is eyeing gold at the London Olympics after taking top honours at European track cycling Championships in Holland last month. Joanna Rowsell joined up with Laura Trott and Dani King to form the British team pursuit team in Apeldoorn and
Excitement may be building around a National League One promotion push at Rosslyn Park, but, as ever, Jan Bonney is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. Park's head coach was in jovial mood after seeing his side win their fifth game out of
Epsom Downs’ Millie Maguire cannot wait to get up close and personal with tennis superstars Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the ATP World Tour Finals later this month. Beacon School pupil Maguire will be one of 30 Barclays Ball Kids at the O2 Arena in
Two men have been sentenced to 30 years behind bars for executing a man outside Wandsworth prison. Leon De St Aubin, 34, from Chelsea and Rupert Ross, 30, from Fulham, were both given life sentences for murdering Darcy-Austin Bruce on May 1
A rugby club stalwart has been reunited with 18 months of research into his team’s history after the documents were stolen from his car. Papers containing the 150-year history of Wimbledon Rugby Club were snatched when thieves broke into a car belonging
Jimmy White lost his grip of Wyldecrest Parks World Seniors Snooker Championship crown last weekend at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, writes Ziad Chaudry. The ever popular 49-year-old from Tooting, could not repeat last year’s triumph
Stuart Cash is enjoying his spell in AFC Wimbledon hot seat - but wants boss Terry Brown back sooner rather than later. The Dons' assistant manager has taken over first team affairs for the last fortnight, with Brown taking time off to look after his
Sammy Moore is revelling in his midfield enforcer role at AFC Wimbledon and believes he has finally found his position on the pitch. The 24-year-old scored his first goal since January in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Barnet but was rested for the Johnstone's
Two men have been arrested in connection with the suspected murder of Richard Ward in Battersea on Monday. The men, aged 35 and 37, were arrested at a house in Tooting yesterday morning. Mr Ward, 37, of Buckmaster Road, was found dying
In his 14 years as a professional, David Wright has never enjoyed his football more than he is at Crystal Palace right now. The 31-year-old signed a new one year contract extension last week - that will keep him at the club for another 18 months - and
The mother of a murderer has lost her posthumous appeal against his conviction. Darren Liston had served eight months of a minimum 18-year jail term for the murder of chemistry technician Anthony Fernandes in July 2008. The 28-year-old
Three men have been jailed and a fourth awaits sentence after being caught by armed police trying to burgle a property. James Davidian, Roland Malcolm, Deon Smith and Eustace McKenzie all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary at Croydon
I went out to see how video games affect children of all ages; I gave a game called Fifa 12 which is a football game to a 10 year old and call of duty modern warfare also known as COD to a 16 year old to see how playing the game would affect their day
Nowadays thousands of people in society are struggling with money or getting a job. After interviewing 3 different people I had a Varity of comments, when I interviewed MR. and Mrs Rajid a married couple who own a corner shop in surrey they gave me a
A mum of four who pretended to be a police officer so she could burgle a suspected cannabis factory has avoided jail. Lorraine Kichenside blagged her way into the Home Office-run house in South Norwood, Croydon, after becoming convinced the
Can a small, black box really make that much difference to the environment? Actually it can! This month, Croydon Council delivered food waste recycling ‘caddies’ to Croydon residents and I asked people in my area what they thought of this new system.
Croydon's Come Dine with Me guests were treated to the "classiest party of the week" last night. Trainee solicitor Vanessa D'Souza rustled up food of Michelin star quality for her fellow diners, on night three of the competition. The
It became apparent to me in an assembly at Blenheim High School, that we teenagers have an unmade mind. Are we too envious of other larger, boastful towns? We were visited by a member of the local Epsom and Ewell council, who told us that teenagers
The ever changing western culture has progressively moved in a new direction. Fashion, language and hobbies are becoming ever more urbanised. Main stream celebrities such as Rihanna have adapted with this change, as we’ve seen, she stands for individuality
A nurse suspected of swiping powerful painkillers from St Helier Hospital’s accident and emergency (A&E) department has been suspended. Sarah Louise Brown was found guilty of misconduct at a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to
A man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of up-and-coming rapper Carl Beatson Asiedu. The 19-year-old Norbury performer, part of rap duo Kid and Play, was stabbed in the heart outside a nightclub in Kennington in August, 2009.
A teenager from Carshalton has received 20 months’ detention in a young offender institution for his part in the violent disorder in Sutton High Street in August. Scott Valero, 19, from Meadow Lane, Carshalton, was sentenced at Inner London
A late night sex encounter led to tragedy for a bisexual father who died on Clapham Common, an inquest heard. Eric James, 46, died in the early hours of Wednesday, June 30, shortly after having sex with a man who said he had taken poppers and started
A 16-year-old has been arrested and a 19-year-old labourer charged with conspiracy to commit burglary after £30,000-worth of jewellery and watches were stolen. Nathan Beutler, 19, of Lindsay Road, Worcester Park, was arrested on Sunday, October
A former borough athlete turned local councillor has been selected to help co-ordinate the London Olympic legacy. Councillor Florence Nosegbe, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport, has joined the board of the London Youth Games Foundation
An inspirational mother who is grieving four deaths in her immediate family said she is “just surviving”. Kate Borau, whose daughter Izzy committed suicide nearly five years ago to the day, suffered further heartache when another daughter Anna
As hundreds of Croydon College students graduated this week, perhaps the slide technician should have taken a course in English. This photo shows an embarrassing gaffe made during its “gaduation” ceremony held on Friday at the college.
A Croydon Council road sweeper died this morning after suffering a heart attack and crashing his truck. The unnamed man was working in a road cleaning vehicle on Tamworth Road, at around 7.10am when he had a heart attack, causing his vehicle
The bereaved family of an England squash player who died suddenly on his 22nd birthday continue to raise awareness of the condition that killed him two years after his death. Aspiring barrister Neil Desai, from New Malden, died of Sudden Adult
A naval officer whose ship fought off pro Gaddafi forces in Libya can finally get married after reuniting with his fiancée. Lieutenant Rubin Nash planned to wed fiancée Emma Pinder, 28, back in March but was forced to cancel when his ship,
A war memorial dedicated to three soldiers who died in World War One will remain in storage this Remembrance Sunday, despite hundreds of people urging the church to reinstate it. Nearly 400 people have signed a petition calling on Epsom Methodist
Christmas celebrations will get under way in Sutton next week with a little help from Santa, Cinderella and some real life Shetland ponies. Father Christmas will join the mayor of Sutton to light up the Christmas tree in Trinity Square at 6pm
A suspected disability benefits cheat exposed on national television last week participated in a national bike race lasting 24 hours earlier this year, the Croydon Guardian can reveal. Graham Axford, of Belgrave Road, Croydon, who claims he
Croydon could soon become home to Westfield's third shopping centre. It was confirmed this morning the Australian developer have entered into a deal with the Whitgift Foundation, to become a development partner at the site. It is understood
A suspicious wife sparked a High Street bomb scare after attaching a tracking device to her husband’s sports car. Sutton High Street was evacuated and cordons put in place around William Sachiti’s Lexus SC430 after he walked into Sutton police
These are the dramatic moments when a disabled man crashed his mobility scooter into an exposed metal stump in the High Street. David Nield, brother of Liberal Democrat councillor and former mayor Janet Lowne, was thrown to the floor from his
A woman is in hospital after being hit by a car near the Lombard Roundabout, Thornton Heath. The 20-year-old victim suffered head injuries after being hit at around 7.50pm on Wednesday (November 9) at the junction of Mitcham Road and Ockley
An emergency locksmith's van had to be rescued by a team of firemen and tree surgeons around 10.20am on Sunday. A large tree fell over the road, but was propped up at a 45 degree angle by an empty parked van in River Gardens, Carshalton.
A man who was ordered to leave his beloved allotment after it was deemed ‘uncultivated’ by the council has been given a second chance. Paul Welles, 49, of Lower Court Road, Epsom, took on an allotment at Christchurch Mount in Epsom in 1996
Parents have defended a school's decision to send home about 50 students for wearing the wrong uniform. The Beacon School in Piquets Way, Banstead, sent students home on Monday, October 31, telling them they would not be allowed to return until
An investigation has been launched into why a severely disabled teenager suffered massive internal bleeding at a playground and why it took the authorities more than a week to explain her injuries to her mother. Merton Council has reported
Steve O’Connell has justified the use of water cannons and other measures to stop public disorder in the future. The London Assembly member said the riots in August which blighted Croydon were a result of a “softly, softly” approach to crime
Paul Doswell believes his Sutton United side couldn't be in a better place going into Saturday's FA Cup first round clash with Kettering Town. United are second in the Blue Square South after this week's 4-0 win at Staines Town, thanks to two goals each
A woman who did not receive any post for a week was told her postman was off sick and there were not enough staff to cover for him. Diane Meaney, 63, of Carmicheal Mews, Wandsworth then complained to the Royal Mail head office in Nine Elms
Croydon Council has named and shamed the most unhygienic restaurants in the borough Eleven restaurants in the borough are under investigation after scoring zero in food safety and hygiene inspections. Croydon Council is in the process of
A 68-page government-funded research document into the London riots fails to mention Croydon once. Croydon was one of the main town centres hit by looters during the August disorder, with the historic House of Reeves furniture ablaze one of
A naval officer whose ship was attacked by pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya can finally get married after being reunited with his fiancée. Lieutenant Rubin Nash who grew up in Epsom planned to wed fiancée Emma Pinder, 28, back in March but was forced
A set of barriers will be installed at Croydon’s historic Grade II-listed town hall. The glass gates are designed to heighten security at the council establishment, one of the architectural gems of the borough, despite security staff on the
By Shay Reading, Colliers Wood The clocks have changed, the nights are long and dark. Perfect conditions, of course, for the selfish dog owners of Colliers Wood. Yes, it's the time of year when some of our so-called caring dog lovers let their
A 13 day police operation across the borough over Halloween and Bonfire Night resulted in nine arrests for offences including GBH, robbery and possession of class A drugs. Police stopped and searched 96 people in town centres, parks and transport
Volunteers came together on Sunday to plant 1,500 wildlife bulbs and five mature trees in a park as part of a community event. Wildlife bulbs – including native bluebells, wild garlic, wood anemones and snowdrops – were planted at two of the
A policeman was killed after his motorcycle was involved in an early morning crash with a mini cab. Christopher Whelan, a 31-year-old father-of-two from Surrey, was off duty when his bike collided with a Nissan Almera on Sunday, November, 6 in Streatham
A new invention may have solved the age-old problem of encouraging students to wash their dirty socks more than once a term. Kingston University student Lee Wei Chen’s amusement washing machine combines the much-loathed chore with a student
Many young people are currently studying languages in schools but it seems that they are not very popular. In a school such as Whitgift School in Croydon there is a wide variety of languages to choose from, including ones which aren’t taught in many schools
Over the last couple of weeks, during break time I would order a lovely hot chocolate to warm me up against the cold and frosty weather... As I wait in the queue, I find my fellow students buying pizzas. At first I did not give it a second glance; however
After noticing that many of my neighbours had bags of salt for the roads, I decided to go and investigate where everything was coming from. After talking to a few of the local residents, it was clear to see that Sutton Council are preparing for the worst
