As November draws near, red poppies begin to bloom across lapels, symbolising remembrance, gratitude, and unity. Each year, the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal brings communities together to honour those who have served and sacrificed in the Armed Forces. It’s a time to pause, reflect, and give back and thanks to the tireless RBL volunteers.

Living next to the woods, we expected to feel closer to nature, but we didn’t expect to make friends with it. We thought we would spend our mornings listening to the birds and admiring the trees. Instead, we find ourselves checking that Freda the fox, our uninvited but much-loved garden guest has returned safely from her nightly wandering!

Thundersley Village has once again been transformed by a breathtaking display of community spirit and creativity. This week, Colin MacLean from Amos Estates unveiled an incredible installation of over 5,000 knitted poppies, now proudly adorning the railings outside the shops on Hart Road.

A growing number of Londoners are swapping city chaos for the greener, calmer pastures of places like Hadleigh, Benfleet, Rayleigh & Hockley, where the air is fresher, the homes are bigger, and the coffee still hits the spot. So what’s the big appeal? And why are so many people heading east with a Rightmove tab permanently open? Let’s take a look.