Sports has been at the heart of the borough’s primary schools over the last couple of weeks as a record number of schools took part in the Sportshall Athletics competition. 

Taking place at Sydney Russell School, 30 primary school teams mixed with boys and girls, competed in the multi-sports event. William Bellamy Primary School have been crowned the champions of the borough with an outstanding 518 points – 50 points ahead of the school placed in second.

The Dagenham school will now represent the borough at the London School Games later this year.

Last Thursday marked Young Carers Awareness Day and everyone at Eastbrook School in Dagenham came together to do something positive on the day.

All staff and students at the school wore a yellow ribbon to show their support and had to pay £1 to take part.

The young carers, who are students of the school, enjoyed a special lunch with Headteacher Mr Frith, Executive Headteacher Mr Gillard and the school governors.

Young people from Barking and Dagenham are counting down to the grand opening of Barking and Dagenham’s OnSide Youth Zone, ‘Future’.

Students from Robert Clack Upper School joined members of the Future Youth Zone team and Councillor Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, to celebrate there being just 100 days to go until the borough’s young people have access to world-class, inspiring facilities and activities for just 50p.

A shop owner in Barking and Dagenham has been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,375 costs for illegally selling a cigarette to an underage person.

 

Mr Rahil Raval, 46, director of Rose Lane Convenience Store, Rose Lane RM6 5NR sold a single cigarette, outside of its packaging, to a person under the age of 18.

 

The offence took place on 30 May 2018 during a routine test purchase exercise by Council Trading Standards officers. Cigarettes were stored in a visible tin container with “single cigarettes = £1” written on the side.

A secondary school in Dagenham welcomed Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, last Thursday. 

Mr Gibb visited All Saints Catholic School after being invited along last year and was impressed by their teacher training provision and the rich curriculum on offer. 

During the tour of the school, the Minister answered questions from Year 12 students who are studying Crime and Punishment in the UK, and also met other pupils at break time.

Students from Eastbury Community School have been looking towards the future as they attended a careers fair last week.

According to the school, the evening was a ‘huge’ success with over 400 young people from Years 10 to 13 and their parents attending the event. 

The fair provided a fantastic opportunity for Year 11 students to sign up for colleges while sixth form pupils were able to network with universities and employers to find out a little more about what career choices are available to them in the future.

The rainbow flag was flown over Barking Town Hall at 10am on Monday 4 February to mark LGBT History Month. 

The first time it was celebrated, was in 2005 to raise awareness of, and combat prejudice against the LGBT community while celebrating its achievement and diversity.

A letting agent in Barking and Dagenham has been fined £4,000 for failing to publish the correct fees they charge tenants and landlords. 

Atco Estates, of 704 Green Lane, Dagenham RM8 1YX also failed to provide information about their membership of a Client Money Protection and Redress scheme. 

Letting agents must display their fees and other relevant information online and in their branches so prospective tenants and landlords know exactly what they’re paying from the outset when entering into a rental agreement.  

Barking and Dagenham councillors voted unanimously at a full council Assembly meeting on Wednesday 30 January, to join councils across the country in adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.

The motion was put forward by the Cllr Saima Ashraf, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Leadership and Engagement.

The motion reads:

This council expresses alarm at the rise in antisemitism in recent years across the UK.

Eastbury Manor House is set to re-open its doors to the public after a short break for the winter, with a Valentine’s Day event on Thursday 14 February.

Barking’s picturesque Elizabethan gentry house will be hosting a romantic three course meal in the unique setting of the 16th century Grade I listed building.