News | Thurrock Council

Making holiday memories as a foster carer

25 April 2025

Claire and Danny have been fostering for nearly four years, but their dream of becoming foster carers has been many more years in the making.
As parents to a young family, they had always hoped to open their home to children in care, but they waited until their own children had grown up and moved out to free up the space and time they needed to foster. Since then, their home has become a place of love, laughter, and life-changing memories.

Hundreds register to play outdoor activity game in South Ockendon and Aveley

25 April 2025

Almost 800 players have already registered to play an innovative physical activity game that has been launched in South Ockendon and Aveley.
Beat the Street launched on Wednesday 23 April and is running until Wednesday 21 May, thanks to funding from a National Lottery Grant from Sport England.

Embrace the great outdoors in Thurrock

24 April 2025

Spring has arrived and it’s the perfect time to explore the unique and outstanding parks and open spaces in your borough.
Whether you’re hoping to get closer to the local wildlife, enjoy a picnic with friends and family or take a short stroll, there are many stunning parks across Thurrock, each with its own unique charm.
If you’re ready to explore Thurrock’s outdoor spaces but aren’t too sure where to start here are a few suggestions:

How fostering changed the lives of two of Thurrock's foster carers

17 April 2025

Every day foster carers across Thurrock provide safe, loving homes for children who cannot live with their birth families, whether for a few nights, several months or even years.
The decision to become a foster carer may come with plenty of questions about how it could affect your life, but often it will be one of the most fulfilling choices you could ever make.
We spoke to foster carers, Dave and Rachel, who started fostering in 2021, about how fostering had changed their family's life.

Over 91% of all primary pupils will attend their top preference school

16 April 2025

Almost all children in Thurrock will be starting their educational journey at one of their top-preference primary schools this September.
From a total of 2,221 applications, 91.63% have been offered their first preference of primary school. Over 98% of children have been offered a place at one of their top three preferences.

Easter recycling tips

11 April 2025

As many of us indulge ourselves with chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and other sweet and savoury treats over Easter we should keep in mind that it is becoming easier than ever to recycle packaging and leftovers.
Every Easter as well as buying around 80 million Easter eggs as a nation we throw away around 9,600 tonnes of cardboard waste, over 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste and 8,500 tonnes of food waste, including 8 million hot cross buns wasted, 19 million leftover potatoes and 8 million Easter eggs.

Thurrock Council's Planning Team nominated for award

11 April 2025

The Council’s Planning Team has been shortlisted for an award in the country’s leading planning awards show.
The team are in the running for the Use of Digital Technology in Planning Award at the annual Planning Awards, run by Haymarket Publishing.
The nomination recognises the ground-breaking Thurrock Planning Reference database, which uses data and digital tools to drive faster, more efficient decision making.

Easter fun at Thurrock libraries

11 April 2025

Libraries across Thurrock have kicked off the Easter holidays with a range of spring-themed activities, and there's still plenty of fun for families to enjoy.
The sessions started on Monday 7 April with children enjoying a range of entertaining activities including colouring, storytimes, and hands-on crafts like making their very own Easter basket.
For budding young artists, Grays Library is hosting colouring-in sessions on Monday 14 April, from 10am to 10:30am and again from 3pm to 3:30pm.

Join our 80th anniversary VE Day celebrations

10 April 2025

This May, we are marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, and we want you to join in.
Tuesday 8 May, 1945 was declared Victory in Europe day, after the Allies accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender and the war in Europe came to an end.
A special exhibition telling the personal stories of local people who lived through this time will be held at the Thameside Complex from 12 April to 15 May. See the link below.

Grays shop closed for selling counterfeit tobacco and vapes

8 April 2025

Magistrates have ordered a Grays tobacconist to close for three months and pay over £4,500 costs after they were prosecuted for selling counterfeit and illegal tobacco and vapes for the second time in less than six months.