Author: Blake Foster

Izaiah Smith was pulled from the lake in Beckenham Place Park, just after 10.40pm on April 4 more than seven hours after police began searching for him. A GoFundMe page has since been set up by the parents of children and staff at Kingsdale Foundation School in West Dulwich. On the page, his family said that Izaiah was a rising football talent who poured his passion into sports, striving daily to grow both on and off the field. They said: “It is with profound sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved Izaiah; cherished son, brother, cousin, nephew, classmate, and…

Toni Frostick is raising funds for a mental health charity that helped a close friend recover from psychosis. The 40-year-old, who grew up in Romford and used to go to Robert Clack School in Dagenham, takes on the London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge on May 24 for Mind in West Essex. “They acted quickly when my friend needed help,” she says. “The charity also guided me to be there for my friend — this is my way of giving back.” Toni is a seasoned distance runner who has already run the gruelling Race to the Stones along the ancient Ridgeway from Hertfordshire to the 5,000-year-old Avebury standing…

The Pantry, located at the Grand Union Community Hub in Alperton, is the brainchild of Taz Khan, founder of London’s Community Kitchen. The café, open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, is run by students from the College of North West London and City of Westminster College. College students serve up zero-waste dishes at new Alperton café (Image: TONY HUSSEY) The students transform daily deliveries of surplus food donated each day from companies including Marks & Spencer, Amazon and the recently opened Grand Union Co-Op store into meals for customers. Mr Khan said: “The Grand Union Community Hub in Alperton…

Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to Thurlow Street just after 12.30am today (April 8). Part of two flats and most of a corridor on the eighth floor of the ten-storey building were damaged. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus led nine people to safety using fire escape hoods. No injuries have been reported. Fire escape hoods give up to 15 minutes of protection from toxic smoke and gases, including carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. A 32-metre turntable ladder was used as an observation tower to give the Incident Commander an aerial view of the fire. Crews from Old…

Emma Lawton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 29-years-old, leading to issues with her mobility such as limb stiffness, unsteadiness and pain. The now 42-year-old also suffers from an unexplained spinal deterioration seven years ago, leading her to have major surgery to pin her spine with titanium rods.   Emma told the News Shopper: “Parkinson’s is a very difficult condition to live with because it is so changeable. “There are around 70 symptoms, you could line us all up in a row and we’d all present really differently. “You can literally go from being someone that can walk into a room,…

The authority, acting as the corporate trustee of a charitable trust tied to the property, intends to sell the freehold of the site. This decision comes after the council decided to invest in a new library on Bromley High Street, which it believes will better serve the community. The new library will replace the current one at the Churchill Theatre site, as the existing site no longer houses any statutory services. In September 2024, an offer was accepted to secure the future of Bromley’s much-loved theatre. However, according to the Public Notice Portal, the council believes that selling the site…

Chris Philp, Conservative MP for Croydon South, is leading a petition to protect small and family-owned businesses, which he said have been affected by the Government’s decision to increase business rates.  1,000 people have already signed the petition urging the Government to “rethink” its decision.  (Image: William Hallowell) Mr Philp said: “Labour is flagrantly breaking its election promises by imposing the biggest tax rises for a generation. “National Insurance is going up by £25 billion, causing job losses and lower wages.  “Small businesses like J D Motors and many others I visited in Purley are being hit with massive business rates increases too.…

Steven Hayward, 49, was last seen in Temple Hill at 3.30pm on Monday (April 7). He is described as 5ft 10in tall with a large build, grey beard, and short grey hair. He was last seen wearing a grey shirt, blue jeans, and a black peaked cap with a white ‘H’ design on the front. He was also carrying a rucksack. Police say he could also be wearing a black raincoat. Anyone who has seen Steven or has any information about where he could be, should call Kent Police on 999 quoting 07-1303. A spokesperson for Kent Police said: “Officers…

Grace Davidson, 36, from north London, received the organ from her older sister, Amy, in the UK’s first womb transplant in 2023. Following the success of the procedure, she has given birth to baby Amy Isabel, named after her aunt, a surgeon who helped perfect the technique. The birth makes history and gives hope to thousands of women born without a womb or whose womb fails to function. Baby Amy Isabel Davidson. (Image: Womb Transplant UK) Baby marks first birth from a womb transplant in the UK Grace, an NHS dietitian, and her husband, Angus, 37, who works in finance, are over the moon with their…

Easter weekend is set to fall between April 18 and April 21, and if you’re looking for an Easter egg hunt, Kidbrooke Village and Royal Arsenal Riverside will be hosting free easter egg hunts with a lineup of events. On April 12 both of these venues will feature character appearances as well as family crafts and a scavenger hunt for anyone looking for some free fun in south east London. In Kidbrooke Village, an easter egg hunt is set to take place between 11am and 3pm, where locals can hunt for eggs amongst 85 acres of land. Alongside the easter…