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Baby Mindful at Orleans House Gallery

This October the popular Baby Mindful programme returns to Orleans House Gallery set in the awe-inspiring beauty of the Octagon Room.

Sessions will provide parents with the opportunity to learn how to parent more mindfully, whist providing a calming experience for babies. Resources on the course will also include take away practices for your growing children and to support family life in general and going forward.

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Richmond and Kingston’s Director of Children’s Services moves on to pastures new

Robert Henderson, the Director of Children's Services for Richmond and Kingston councils and Deputy Chief Executive for Achieving for Children, will be taking up a new role as Executive Director of Children, Families and Education at Croydon Council from 14 December.

Rob joined Richmond Council over ten years ago as a social worker and then as the Youth Offending Service Manager. Following this, he progressed to the Assistant Director of Preventative Services.

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Hear from Cllr Wilson on Community Engagement

Councillor Michael Wilson, the Cabinet member for Equality, Communities and the Voluntary Sector will be talking to members and guests of The Rotary Club of Kew Gardens on Wednesday 17 October in the Library Room at the Coach and Horses Hotel.

All are welcome to join the informal evening commencing at 7.30pm where Cllr Wilson will discuss how he engages with the local community.

To book a place, please email Kew Rotary.

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Mayor marks Open House

The Mayor, Cllr Ben Khosa, visited Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance at Clifton Lodge, St Margarets over the weekend, where students put on a special performance to mark this year's Open House.

Open House is a London-wide celebration of buildings, places and spaces with more than 800 buildings opening their doors for free to tourist and locals alike.

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OKMT Music Marathon

Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT) are a UK registered charity providing music therapy for children and adults who have physical, psychological, learning or behavioural difficulties in the London Borough of Richmond and surrounding areas.

From 12 noon to 6pm this Sunday 30 September, OKMT will be raising funds at Margaret's Church Hall in Twickenham for a non-stop musical extravanganza. The day will be filled with all styles of music as well as stalls, games and refreshments. 

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Work Club at Twickenham Library

Work Club run sessions for people looking to get back in to the workplace, whether you are long term unemployed, seeking to update your CV or returning to work after a career break. Sessions run every Tuesday from 9.30 to 11.30am at Twickenham Library.

Knowledgeable volunteers with experience in careers guidance are available to help you with online job search skills, writing your CV and achieving work related goals.

Work Club is available to everybody and personalised one to one sessions can be arranged by referral. 

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Mayor welcomes Konstanz students

The Mayor, Cllr Ben Khosa, joined Richmond in Europe chair, Alan Mockford, at Teddington School last Friday afternoon to welcome visiting students from our twinned city, Konstanz.

The students were here for a week during which time they were planning to explore what the borough had to offer.

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Have your say on Clarion's affordable housing scheme

Clarion Housing Group plans to deliver much-needed affordable housing in the borough of Richmond. Under the proposals they will develop 180 new affordable homes on Egerton Road, the former Richmond College site. 154 will be for shared ownership and 26 will be for affordable rent.

Visit the exhibition and give your feedback on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 September from 3 to 8pm.

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New Community Kitchen on the way in East Twickenham

East Twickenham Neighbourhood Association (ETNA) has been awarded £12,000 through our Community Fund to help with their Community Kitchen project.

The project will allow the community centre to run a café in partnership with The Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP) who will use surplus food collected from local supermarkets, bakeries and other retailers. The project aims to tackle social isolation through sharing food while reducing landfill by using the collected food.

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Vote for Barnes High Street

Residents are being encouraged to show their support for Barnes High Street, following the annoucement that the high street has been shortlisted for the national Great British High Street Awards. 

If successful in the Rising Star category, Barnes High Street could win £5k towards a local community/technology project and be in with a chance of winning the overall £10k prize. Show your support for Barnes High Street using #MYHIGHSTREET and #GBHSBARNES on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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Registration now open for Full of Life Fair 2018

Registration is now open for the annual Full of Life Fair returning on Friday 26 October. The event is aimed for residents over 55 to promote healthy and independent living, tackle isolation and loneliness, and enhance digital skills.

Visit over 70 stalls run by local and regional organisations, get advice and learn about activities and opportunities available in the borough. Registration is essential if you are attending between 10am to 12.30pm, as well as for those wanting to have lunch. Lunch spaces are limited, so get in quick.

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ETNA Centre launches crowdfunding campaign

ETNA Community Centre has launched an online crowdfunding campaign to help raise funds to build a step-free accessible community cafe and kitchen.

Their community kitchen qualified to enter the Mayor's Crowdfund London 2018 programme hot on the heels of a successful application to our Community Fund.

ETNA are asking residents to get behind their campaign and pledge their support by visiting the Spacehive website.

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Richmond Literature Festival programme now available

Richmond’s iconic Literature Festival is back this November and book-lovers are now invited to check out the newly launched 2018 programme!

This year will see some of the country’s most interesting voices, who are sure to capture the borough’s imagination throughout the festival. The box office opens on 1 October so browse the brochure, find your favourites and book early to avoid missing out.

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Without a clear yes it’s a no

Understanding consent is the key focus that underpins this year’s national Sexual Health Week, and we are reminding residents to make sure that they understand signals.

This year the campaign is ‘Yes, Yes, Yes’, raising awareness of the fact that everyone has different ways to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to sex. We will be supporting the campaign to encourage people to make sure that they understand there is no grey area when it comes to sexual activity.

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Consultation on borough-wide 20mph limit

Residents are now able to have their say on plans to introduce a borough-wide 20mph speed limit in Richmond upon Thames. The speed limit would reduce vehicle speeds on our roads and should reduce the number and severity of road accidents. 

From 24 September, residents will be sent consultation materials to their home and are being invited to have their say online. In addition, residents can attend the new Community Conversation events across the borough.

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Richmond Open House events

This weekend see inside some of Richmond's best venues during London's Open House festival!

Enjoy free tours of York House, Ham House, Orleans House Gallery and more. Get your brochure at the Visit Richmond Information Kiosk at Richmond Station.

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Grand opening for new affordable homes in Twickenham

Twenty nine new shared ownership and sixteen affordable rented properties were officially opened yesterday in Twickenham town centre.

The affordable rent homes will be offered to those with an urgent priority for low cost rented housing including those needing to transfer from existing social housing.

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Cricket facilities in Teddington boosted by Community Fund

Teddington Cricket Club will be able to offer improved and more accessible facilities to local people after receiving a £52,500 Community Fund grant.

The grant will help with upgrade work on the club’s pavilion allowing for use by men’s, women’s, junior and disability teams.

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Mindfulness Monday walk in Kew Gardens

Richmond Borough Mind have teamed up with UK Active and Kew Gardens to host a free event on Monday 24 September, as part of the #BeActive European Week of Sport.

The Mindfulness walk will take place in the tranquility of Kew Gardens. Participants can enter the gardens through the Victoria Gate from 10am. The guided walk is open to everyone and will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

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Barnes Film Festival

Barnes Film Festival will be hosting its third annual celebration of young filmmakers, from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 September 2018. There will be an open air screening, a panel talk with prominent women in British film, and Q and A with Kevin Macdonald.

The festival will also be hosting its prestigious Filmmaking Competition, workshops, discussions, screenings and gatherings, all of which will be led by successful figures from the film, documentary and animation industries.

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