Southend’s annual St George’s Day parade will start outside the Odeon Cinema at 10am this Sunday (April 24).
 
It will be led by the RAF Colour Party of 54 Sqn, which has just been awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Southend.
 
The impressive parade line-up - which also includes members of the Armed Services, Veterans, representatives of the Emergency Services, Cadets, and youth organisations - will march down the High Street to St John’s Church for a special service starting at 11am.
 
After church, the parade will re-form for a march past at the junction of Pier Hill and Royal Mews. 

An official salute will then be taken and the Freedom of the Borough ceremonially presented.
 
54R Squadron OC – Wing Commander Andy Ross said: “This is a very special day for 54(R) Squadron. We are here to honour the British and Allied forces that fought and died during the Battle of Britain and to recognise all the men and women who continue to serve in the Armed forces today.
 
“We’re immensely proud to be exercising the bond of friendship with Southend-on-Sea, an honour which cements the links between 54(R) Squadron and the people of Southend in this our centenary year.”
 
The Mayor of Southend, Councillor Andrew Moring, said: “We are very grateful to the Southend branch of the Royal Society of St George for organising the parade.
 
“This year’s event gives us an extra special chance pay tribute to the RAF No.54 Reserve Squadron by presenting them with the Freedom of the Borough. We wanted to thank them formally on behalf of Southend for their 100 years of service.
 
“We are delighted to welcome so many RAF personnel taking part in the parade.
 
“I hope as many residents and visitors as possible will come along too, to show their support for the work of all our Armed Services, Veterans, Emergency Services and youth organisations.”

Nearly nine in ten Southend children will start primary school in September 2016 at their first choice primary school, the highest figure since records began in 2010.

The data on primary school allocations has been announced by the Council as part of ‘national offer day’, with more parents and children getting their first preference primary school choice than in 2015, and 9% more than in 2012.

Out of 2,148 applications, 1,886 (88%) received an offer for their first preference, 160 (7%) their second preference, and 35 (2%) an offer for their third choice. Sixty-seven (3%) received an alternative offer (12 less than last year and 44 less than in 2014).

Brin Martin, the Council’s Head of Learning, says: “It is pleasing that nearly nine in 10 pupils have received offers for their first preference and 97% one of their top three. These are the best figures that we have achieved since we started recording in 2010.

“Despite having 52 additional applications since 2014, more people have received their first choice and this really highlights the hard work that we do around school admissions and increasing pupil places.

“We recognise that there will be disappointed families within the small number who did not receive any of their top three choices and indeed within those that did not receive their top preference. This year saw a very high demand for some schools which means some reached their limit before all children could be offered a place.  We are pleased however that all children who applied for a school in the borough received an offer and there are a number of surplus places for any late applications. 
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“In addition, the Council is committed to supporting and continually improving all of our schools across the Borough which will help to ensure that there are sufficient places offering good quality and choice to local parents and carers.”

Commuters using c2c are to benefit from 13,000 extra seats at peak times every week, thanks to a new deal that will deliver 24 brand-new additional carriages in 2016 – three years earlier than previously planned.

c2c and the Department for Transport have reached agreement for the 24 new carriages, being built by Bombardier in Derby, to operate on the c2c route for the next three years. The new carriages will start entering passenger service from October, subject to the final signing of contracts, with all the new trains delivered by the end of the year.

The new trains will be leased until 2019, and will increase the total size of c2c’s fleet to 320 carriages.

The company says that there has been an unprecedented 8% increase in passengers travelling to London during the morning peak in the last six months.

Recent changes to the c2c timetable, however, have prompted fury from commuters. The new timetable, introduced in December, has increased some journey times and caused overcrowding by making more stops in East London. The introduction of more four-carriage services, instead of eight carriages, has also added to overcrowding, especially in the evenings.

From 2019, c2c has existing plans to introduce 68 new carriages to the route. The formal procurement process for the first tranche of these new trains started earlier this month, with the manufacturer expected to be appointed in the summer.

As a further part of these changes, in the short term c2c will be making amendments to the timetable from Sunday 15 May, including:

- Some evening services combined, to provide longer trains and reduce the number of four-carriage services at peak times

- Changes to the stopping pattern for a number of services, including:
o Additional services to West Horndon in the morning peak
o Additional services to Upminster in the evening peak
o Additional free seats at Basildon and Laindon on the most crowded service of the day, which will now no longer stop at Benfleet or Barking
o Limited other peak services no longer stopping at Barking. While this is a result of overcrowding, c2c is still providing Barking passengers with a significant increase in the total number of peak services over the past six months.

These timetable changes will be reviewed again in December once the additional carriages are in service.

The extra capacity provided by new carriages augment the existing extra capacity provided by c2c’s timetable changes in December and January, which increased the number of seats at peak times by 1,400 and provided room for 3,000 more passengers.

c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “Extra carriages are absolutely vital for c2c to meet the surge in demand from passengers who want to travel. This agreement is hugely important, as we will now get new carriages on c2c within six months when they normally take years to be delivered. Combined with the other changes we are making in both the short- and long-term, this is the most significant increase in capacity for c2c passengers for over a decade.

“Thank you to all our passengers for bearing with us while we have been working so hard on getting these new trains. We have heard loud and clear that a number of peak-time services are very busy, and now we will be able to address the issues that our passengers have raised.”

Rail Minister Claire Perry MP said: “I have asked c2c to speed up the process of getting new trains for their customers and it is great to see this happening. This confirms c2c’s well-deserved reputation for customer care.

“These extra carriages will make a huge difference, allowing passengers to benefit from longer trains, more seats and better journeys along the busy c2c routes.”

Jackie Doyle-Price, MP for Thurrock, said: “I am delighted that c2c have been able to secure more carriages and I am grateful to the Government for its support. I am pleased that c2c have been able to refine the timetable so that there are fewer stops at Barking. This will alleviate the congestion caused by one-stop passengers. I will maintain my dialogue with c2c and with Government to make sure that c2c delivers the best service it is able.”

James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, said: “I know that passengers will be delighted to learn that c2c have acquired additional carriages that will provide extra capacity on the trains. c2c have made a number of changes to improve the new timetable and this latest announcement is testament to their approach to deal with the increased passenger numbers and to improve the journey. I look forward to seeing these carriages in operation along the route and I am positive c2c will make further changes should they be required to address the challenges that have been faced since December.”

Stephen Metcalfe, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, said: “For months John Baron MP and I have been working with both c2c and the DfT to help find a way forward and I hope these changes will deliver the kind of change our constituents have been asking for.”
“I look forward to continuing to work with all parties to build on this very positive news.”

John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, said: “I welcome the announcement by c2c that new carriages have been obtained and trust this and the timetable changes will relieve overcrowding for commuters. Stephen Metcalfe and I have been working with both c2c and the Department for Transport to bring these changes about and I will be monitoring progress carefully.”
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Earlier this year c2c provided compensation to season ticket holders as a cash apology for the disruption they had faced following changes made to timetable in January.

Adventure Island is celebrating its 40th birthday in 2016 and would like people across Essex to join in the celebrations.

The theme park on Southend seafront has decided give away £40,000 to 40 Essex charities and good causes in its birthday year, and is now looking for them to apply for a donation.

Stockvale Executive Chairman Philip Miller said: “The people of Essex have been hugely supportive of us over the years and helped make Adventure Island the success that it is today, and being an Essex boy through and through it really is a genuine pleasure to help out so many good Essex based good causes.”

Each month from June until October 2016 (inclusive) there will be eight nominated charities and good causes – so 40 in total. And each month they’ll be giving away £8000 – £40,000 in total.

Everybody who comes to Adventure Island and purchases a rideband from June 1 to 31 October will be given a token.

They will then take this token along to a special ‘£40k to 40 charities for our 40th’ collecting box located in Adventure Inside and post it into the slot for the charity they most want to receive a donation that month. So similar to the charitable giving system operated in-store by Waitrose and Asda.

At the end of the month Adventure Island bosses will count up the tokens and then share out the £8000 between the 8 charities – the one with most tokens will get £3000, second place gets £2000, third is £1000, 4th, 5th & 6th get £500 each and 7th & 8th get £250 each.
Then on the 1st of the following month it starts all over again with eight new charities.

On November 19th – the last day of the Adventure Island season – all the charities involved will be invited along to a special VIP 40th Birthday Party in Feelgoods.

So if you are a charity or good cause based in Essex, how can you apply to take part? Operations Director Andrew Renton explains “It’s really simple – just fill in the form on our website www.adventureisland.co.uk – however do remember only charities / good causes based in the county of Essex are eligible to take part. And you do not need to be a registered charity to apply – however if you are not you must provide written evidence from a reliable source of your fundraising efforts, plus details of two referees."

Entries close on Friday 16 September 2016. For full terms and conditions see www.adventureisland.com.uk