News in Basildon and Billericay

A FAMILY who are still grieving over the death of a much-loved 21-year-old woman earlier this year have highlighted her story by way of a tribute to her bravery and memory and to highlight the work of Basildon's St Luke's Hospice that cared for her through her final months and gave support to them.

In December 2019, when she was just 20, Becca Ridley from Chadwell St Mary, where she lived with mum and dad Vicky and Jim, was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer.

"ATTITUDES are changing" says a woman police officer who has spoken about what life is like on the front line as a Romani Gypsy police officer.

It's currently Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month and Essex Police has shown its support by raising the community's flag at our Chelmsford headquarters.

THIS week is National Neighbourhood Watch Week and the county's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst, has praised to all its members in Essex and thanked them for their for their sterling work.

Mr Hirst said: "Neighbourhood Watch do a very important job in communities throughout Essex. Working with the police they help provide intelligence to officers, support the elderly and vulnerable and go out of their way to make their local area safer.

A YOUNG mum from Basildon has taken centre stage to highlight a new programme supported by Amazon that helps women break new ground in their careers.

Genna Holliss, now a first-year student at Ravensbourne University London, studying Creative Computing, has benefitted from a new bursary programme with the Royal Academy of Engineering to support young women.

With perfection of timing, occasional Nub News columnist Susa Yates, chair of Thurrock Historical Society has delivered her latest article:-

A MAN who 'ran away to join The Sooty Show' in 1974 is selling his original Harry Corbett Sooty puppet, a farewell gift from the man who created the children's favourite in Blackpool in 1948.

And this Sooty is incredibly well-travelled because, as well as touring the UK in 1974-75, he has lived in Australia, Oman, Wales, Norfolk, Stratford-on-Avon, Worcestershire and latterly in Farnborough, Hampshire.

THE air ambulance serving Basildon and the surrounding towns and district is celebrating after taking possession of its new purpose-built airfield.

Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) now has its new state-of-the-art airbase at North Weald Airfield which includes an interactive visitor centre which will allow the charity to welcome and engage with the local community.

A BASILDON firefighter has taken centre stage to mark National Apprenticeship week, which ends tomorrow (Sunday, 14 February).

Tariq Khan has been a firefighter for 15 years. He's part of Blue Watch at Basildon Fire Station and alongside his role as a firefighter, he's working towards a Personal Training Instructor apprenticeship.

In the latest of her features for Nub news, Thurrock Historical Society's Susan Yates takesa soaring view across the county.