It was fantastic to visit Croydon’s new London South Bank University (LSBU) campus at Electric House today. Our partnership with LSBU is an important and exciting step in our regeneration, creating a wealth of learning, training and career opportunities for residents of all ages, particularly our young people. Located in the heart of our town centre, the new campus will bring a significant boost to our economy, as our businesses benefit from links with the university and we build local innovation, upskill our workforce and welcome more visitors to our town. This is central to our vision for the future of Croydon and it is especially important as we recover from Covid-19. I’m really delighted to welcome LSBU, and all their students, to Croydon. Find out more about LSBU Croydon here.
We are now officially in autumn and I would like to encourage everyone to start thinking about how they can stay safe and well this winter. Something we can all do to stay safe, not only from Covid but from winter flu, is to get ourselves vaccinated. Keeping our distance from others throughout the pandemic means we haven’t built up our usual immunity to viruses like flu, which can be a serious illness. Flu jabs are free for many children and adults and I would urge everyone to take this important step to protect themselves. If you have been offered a Covid booster jab as well, please do take this up – and if you haven’t yet had your first or second Covid vaccination, now is the time to think seriously about doing so. Information on the flu and Covid booster vaccines, including who is eligible, can be found here.
Finally, I would like to mention a member of our staff whose passion and dedication has made a real difference to Croydon. Our dog warden Tara Boswell has won the highest possible award from the RSPCA for three years in a row, and this year she has also been awarded a special accolade for her work during the pandemic. Tara finds rescue spaces, foster and forever homes for the stray dogs Croydon collects, and works hard to ensure stray and sick animals receive the best possible care. She also supports dog owners across the borough with training and welfare advice. Thank you Tara for everything you have done for the people and dogs of Croydon!
Have a great weekend
Councillor Hamida Ali, leader of the council