Crawley goes for Britain in Bloom gold

It could be a blooming marvellous year for Crawley if the town gets lucky in its fourth year as Britain in Bloom finalists.

Crawley made the finals of the The Royal Horticultural Society’s 2014 competition

It’ll represent the South East in the Large Town / Small City category, a category it won in 2010.

Rivals include Bath, Derry City and Harrogate.

Councillor Duncan Crow commented how great the town looked all year round and was looking forward immensely to the finals.

The competition is set to be judged sometime between 28 July and 8 August.

Surrey Pensioner No Longer Being Conned

A Surrey pensioner fleeced out of £200,000 over 56 years by callous con artists has been saved from losing any further money  after a campaign by Surrey County Council.

Fake lottery and horoscope tricksters duped Sylvia Kneller, of Farnham, who sent money as deposits for fake prizes.

Her husband also left her, but still she believed in the scammers and continued giving them up to £100 a week.

The 76-year-old only stopped sending money after she was identified by Surrey County Council’s trading standards team. They have recently contacted hundreds of Surrey residents as part of a program to visit the most affected victims.

Sylvia is now hoping to raise awareness of scams such as this.

More on Surrey County Council’s website: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/

Redhill is set to receive a new multiplex cinema, restaurants, shops and flats.

This all comes after Reigate & Banstead Borough Council selected CoPlan Estates as its developer partner for the scheme.

The development will replace the Council’s Marketfield Way car park plus twelve retail units with offices above in the High Street. The site is opposite the main entrance to the Belfry Shopping Centre.

For more info, see http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/

A successful investigation in Crawley has resulted in a man being sentenced to 11 years in prison.

41 year old Thomas Mahasoh from Solihull was sentenced on the 9th of January for attacking two people with a large kitchen knife at a birthday party.

An 18-year-old man suffered a stab wound to his stomach and a 20 year old man was stabbed in the leg after a fight broke out at the party being held near the Crawley Lawn Tennis Club on 7 July last year.

More details on the Sussex Police Website at:

http://www.sussex.police.uk/whats-happening/latest/news-stories/2014/01/13/man-jailed-for-11-years-for-crawley-knife-attack

West Sussex County Council is looking for more people to come forward as foster carers this new year.

Foster homes offer children and young people a stable family environment while their own parents are unable to look after them.

Foster carers come from all walks of life and anyone is welcome to apply, regardless of their marital status or sexuality.

To find out more about fostering or for the 2014 fostering drop-in session dates, please visit the County Council’s website at www.westsussex.gov.uk (or phone 033 022 27775)