With polling day fast approaching, residents in Southend-on-Sea are being reminded of the arrangements in place for the local elections taking place on Thursday 7 May 2026.
This week we speak with local author Darren Ryan about his brand new book "Lifeline". A life-changing event led Darren Ryan to join the police. Fifteen years later, another life-changing moment forced him to leave the service after developing PTSD.
Old leigh-on-sea Artists’ Market returns to Strand Wharf on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4th, for its 12th edition, once again showcasing the very best of local creative talent.
Southend Theatres and pantomime producer Crossroads Pantomimes have announced that television, recording, musical theatre and pantomime star Shane Richie and Steps singer and musical theatre star Faye Tozer will headline this year’s Cliffs Pavilion pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from Saturday 12 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
A vibrant day celebrating fresh, local, and handmade goodness right in the heart of the Leigh-on-sea community.
Thorpe Hall School’s next open morning on 30th April will give parents a chance to see why the school’s GCSE results have soared in recent years – and why they’ve been confirmed as the best performing non-selective school in south Essex.
After a successful first year, the community fundraising event Glow for Havens will return for its second year on Saturday 19th September, following its achievement of raising over £32,000 in vital funds for specialist care and support provided by Havens Hospices.
This is a fantastic summer holiday volunteering opportunity for all adults and young people (aged 14 and over) who would like to encourage children to read and give something back to their community.
Southend’s much‑loved Halloween Parade will return in 2026 for its sixth year, and for the first time ever it will take place on Halloween night itself - Saturday 31 October.
The road is close to a secondary school, and monitoring shows that around 85% of vehicles in Lane 2 travel at close to 50 mph in free‑flowing conditions, above the 40mph speed limit.
Leigh-on-sea Port is one of the most important working harbours on the Thames Estuary and a key part of Southend’s heritage. The Council is committed to securing its long-term future so that the site can continue supporting the fishing and cockling industry, local jobs and the wider community for many years to come.
In a joint operation, officers visited several shops in central Southend, seizing illegal items valued at nearly £25,000. The cigarettes were found to be either counterfeit or ‘cheap whites’ which are manufactured in Asia and the Middle East and have been proven to contain very poor-quality tobacco and toxic substances, such as rat poison and asbestos. All the hand rolling tobacco seized was found to be counterfeit versions of popular brands such as Golden Virginia.
Local rail operator c2c Railway will be providing free train travel for those taking part in this year’s London Marathon on Sunday 26 April 2026.
Leigh Folk Arts Association and Southend Theatres are pleased to announce that the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre will be the headline partner for the 2026 Leigh-on-sea Folk Festival, taking place from Friday 26 June to Sunday 28 June
FlyaSpitfire.com, the UK’s largest Spitfire operator, is thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to its nationwide Spitfire Away Days—flights from London Southend Airport.
The series begins on Saturday 11 April and runs through to 27 September. Across weekends and bank holidays, visitors can enjoy a wide range of performances on the iconic Bandstand, from brass and jazz bands to folk groups, choirs, duos, and singers/songwriters
Southend City Jam will return from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2026, bringing another vibrant weekend of large-scale street art, live painting and creative activity to Southend city centre and seafront
This spring, Southend’s Tree Wardens are hosting “Rackham Revisited,” a wonderful series of guided walks exploring the ancient woodlands of South-East Essex. Walks take place across several beautiful sites, and each session offers a gentle 2 to 3-hour wander led by knowledgeable volunteers.
The first flight to the largest of the Channel Islands took off on time and provides customers across Essex and the South East with even more choice at great value fares. The route continues to operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the summer.
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