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2018 has been a year to remember for the Barking and Dagenham (BAD) Youth Forum and the Young Mayor as together, they have raised the highest ever amount for their chosen charity.

Over the last year, local young people hosted a number of fundraising events and have raised a record £4,340 for local homeless charity, the New Horizon Youth Centre. 

Some of the fundraising activities included a sponsored walk, a games night, non-uniform days, and bucket sharing at Summer of Festivals events.

Barking and Dagenham has experienced the highest increase in the number of young residents attending higher education over the last ten years according to a new report.

 According the ‘Higher Education Journey of Young London Residents’ report from London Councils, the east London borough has seen a 65% increase in young participation from 1030 in 2007/08 to 1700 students in 2016/17. 

The closest London borough to Barking and Dagenham was Ealing with a rise of 29%.

Barking and Dagenham Council's gritting vehicles have been officially given their new names: Bobby Moore Grit, Albus Dumblethaw and The Grounding Granny, at a special ceremony held at Gascoigne Primary School today.

After months of planning, hundreds of entries, tough deliberations and nail-biting head-to-heads, two of the final three names were chosen via a series of polls on the council's Facebook and Twitter pages, while the third was selected by a panel of judges from the suggestions sent in by our schools.

Barking and Dagenham's Future Youth Zone - the £6.5 million facility which is set to open next Spring - has launched its volunteer recruitment drive.

As well as a 50-strong team of staff, the Youth Zone are on the lookout for 100 volunteers, with positions available, ranging from administrative support to working with the Young People's Development Group.

There is still time for people to make their voice heard on Barking and Dagenham Council’s landlord licensing scheme – joining the hundreds of others who have already had their say.

The initiative requires all private landlords to purchase a licence if they intend to rent their home out, allowing the council to make sure all properties meet a certain standard and are safe for people to live in.

It’s the season of giving but this festive period, Barking and Dagenham Council wants to remind residents not to give too much to landfill and to stuff their recycling bins, as well as their turkeys.

From gift packaging to unwanted sprouts, the Christmas holidays lead to an inevitable increase in household waste, but the council is urging local people not to forget about recycling during the festivities. 

A scheme designed to get residents of Barking and Dagenham moving has now gone live in parks around the borough. After launching last year as a pilot in Mayesbrook Park, the game will now be available borough-wide. 

Players will now also be able to take part in two new routes; Parsloes Park and Chadwell Heath/Marks Gate (St Chads Park up towards Tantony Green). The two new routes join Mayesbrook Park, Central Park, Eastbrookend Country Park, Old Dagenham Park, Beam Valley Parklands and Barking Park through to Abbey Green.

Two east London councils have successfully secured thousands of pounds of government funding to tackle serious violence and exploitation among young people.

The joint bid by Barking and Dagenham Council and Redbridge Council will see £500,000 of Home Office cash being used to fund a 18-month initiative called ‘Your Voice – Your Future’, which will focus on working with primary and secondary school pupils.

Father Christmas is starting his journey early this year and will be making a flying visit to Barking in a couple of weeks.

The council supported by our sponsors Countryside and PartyBox are planning another fun filled, festive day in Barking Town Square on Saturday 1 December.

Next week marks National HIV Testing Week and Barking and Dagenham residents are being encouraged to take the opportunity to have a free, confidential HIV test.