Firstly, I want to thank our public services for their response as Croydon experienced record temperatures this week. My particular thanks to our partners London Fire Brigade, who battled blazes in Addington Hills on Tuesday, while experiencing exceptional demand for their services across the capital. The grassfires were a powerful reminder of how important it is to dispose of our rubbish properly and not to have BBQs in our parks and green spaces – they can pose a real risk to safety. If you are enjoying our parks, please use the bins provided and if they’re full, take your rubbish with you. We have been making a real push to restore pride in our public spaces and together we can keep Croydon clean.
With school out, we are working in close partnership with communities to support our children and young people and make sure they have a great summer. I’ve announced more funding for local projects targeted to help young people to stay safe, in addition to the £1m we have distributed to community groups to deliver Holiday Activity and Food clubs – find your nearest activities here.
Finally, I’m pleased that The Queen’s Gardens has reopened after a refurbishment – if you’re in central Croydon, check out the new park and playground. Designed with hundreds of residents, this is a step towards listening to local people as we revitalise our town centre and make it a cleaner, greener place for everyone to enjoy.
Have a good weekend – I am wishing all our children, families and school staff a great break and a well-earned rest this summer.
Jason Perry
Executive Mayor of Croydon
