As we celebrate and commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, CDRA’s executive committee member Rob Robb shares some details about his family’s wartime experiences.
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80th anniversary of VE Day
467 bus route to Epsom hospital every trip – sign our petition
For many south of the borough residents, Epsom Hospital is their local hospital, yet there are no regular bus services to get to the hospital. We’re campaigning for the 467 bus route to run more frequently and go to Epsom hospital every trip.
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Ace Parade works – parking fines update
Councillor Lorraine Dunstone tells us that TfL stopped issuing Penalty Charge Notices from 28th March and that they are cancelling all PCNs from 22nd February 2025 to 28th March 2025 inclusive. This does not include PCNs issued for stopping on double red lines. Ace Parade customers who have received a relevant PCN for this period will be notified of the cancellation. If you have already paid a PCN it will be refunded.
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Kingston parking charges rise by 200%
Kingston Council has increased its parking charges in some areas by a whopping 200% from 11th April 2025. The Council says this is to cover the operating costs of the parking provision and for the safety of our road network. This increase will severely impact residents, small local businesses, and high street shops. Chessington resident, Gia Borg Darcy, has started a petition.
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Celebrate Chessington – volunteers wanted
The organisers are looking for volunteers to help with event marshalling, litter picking, helping out on the stalls, among other jobs. They are also in need of prizes for the tombola. Do you have any unwanted gifts you could donate or have some time to help out on the day?
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Tolworth Hospital’s £110m redevelopment starts
The two-year redevelopment of the old Tolworth Hospital is underway by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, working with developer McAlpine. A new five-ward hospital building with outpatient services is due to open late 2027.
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CDRA’s 50th anniversary – Chessington Memories
Do you remember the roadhouse at the Ace, or when Chessington World of Adventures was the Zoo? Perhaps you browsed through the records at Woollies on Hook Parade or remember the RAF camp? To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we want to hear your memories of Chessington past. We will share them on our website, social media and at our Annual General Meeting.
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Changing your phone line from analogue to digital technology
You may have been contacted by your landline provider about changing your phone line to something called VoIP – which stands for ‘Voice over Internet Protocol’. This means the old analogue copper telephone lines will soon become redundant, with all calls using your internet connection. If you are unsure what this means and how it could affect you, we have written what we hope is a user-friendly article about the switchover.
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Kingston 2025 festival
Marking the 1100th anniversary of the crowning of King Athelstan in Kingston in 925, Kingston 2025 is a six-month festival celebrating the communities of Kingston through a programme of arts and culture events right across the borough. The festival kicks off with a stomping event in the Market Place in Kingston on Saturday 3rd May 2025.
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Community award to Diane and Francis Brannan
Congratulations to Diane and Francis, the well-deserved recipients of a community award from the Mayor of Kingston. The award was presented to them by the Mayor, Councillor Liz Green, on 17th March at a ceremony at the Guildhall, Kingston. The awards honour individuals who devote their time to supporting communities across the borough. Diane and Francis have played crucial roles in the development of CDRA for over 30 years.
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