Major advice sessions are being held across Southend to help residents and businesses copewith the difficulties of the current economic climate.
Southend Together Partnership is hosting a series of ‘Beat the Recession' community-focused events to help cushion the blow. These give residents and businesses direct access to keyagencies that can offer real support and guidance on topics such as:
Finance – advice ranges from saving money at home with energy efficiency measures,to maximising your income and savings. Click to continue reading...

One of the most successful British swimmers of all time, Mark Foster, will receive a honorary degree from the South East Essex College on Wednesday (23rd).
Mark - who was born and brought up in Southend - will join more than 300 students who will receive their certificates for passing various degrees in the summer. Click to continue reading...

Students at the South East Essex College in Southend have been celebrating after receiving their A Level results.
In a nerve-wracking morning, students gathered in the massive atrium to learn of their grades. The college enjoyed a 98% pass rate - a brilliant achievement as entries increased by over 100 this year. Click to continue reading...

Legendary Star Wars actor Dave Prowse M.B.E. will wrap up Southend Festival Seven with a two and a half hour chat on Tuesday (30th June) at the South East Essex College.
Prowse - who turns 74 on Wednesday - played Darth Vader in the original film, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Click to continue reading...

Southend's Fringe Festival kicks off on Saturday with a craft fair at Chalkwell Park. Â It gets going from 10am. Â The Fringe is "uncurated", which gives artists/groups the freedom to showcase their talents without being restricted. Â Check out their full month's schedule right here.
And one of the borough's biggest exports, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly, is hosting a free outdoor concert in Southend High Street on Saturday. Click to continue reading...

Over 2,000 copies of a new magazine for Southend are being distributed in shops, college and university campuses and coffee houses across the borough.
The all colour, 32 page offering from mature students from the South East Essex College's 'Access to Media' course is free and contains some great articles on local issues. Click to continue reading...

If you're looking for local talent in the arts, drama, film, music, fashion or literary scene then you're in for a real treat this month.
The South East Essex College's hugely inspiring and highly successful "Southend Festival" is back.
Last year Longpier.com covered the event here, here, here and here and witnessed the talent bursting out across so many different media/arts platforms. Click to continue reading...

This year's Southend Festival continues to impress as art, design and photography students parade their final degree/diploma pieces at the South East Essex College's Studio Spaces.
Over 250 pieces of work are available to view publicly from today (18th June) until Friday. The exhibition over two floors of the instution makes it the biggest gallery in Essex and gives students a chance to show off their hard work in a professional setting. Click to continue reading...

Southend Festival 2008 continued on Saturday with the town's Book Fair at the South East Essex College. Located on the ground floor, about 30 exhibitors turned up to display paperbacks with a local focus.
Non-fiction titles certainly outnumbered fiction - and there was a definite theme of achievement, charity and self-discovery at this year's Fair. Click to continue reading...

longpier took the opportunity to visit the South East Essex College earlier today. For those who have admired the £52m building from afar, I can assure you it's well worth a look inside. The fantastic 26,000m² campus has actually been operational for almost five years now, but tonight was the first time I had ventured inside. Click to continue reading...

It seems as if there's more events taking place in Southend this year than ever before. Perhaps it's just I haven't noticed them before, or perhaps there is a conscious effort to really galvanise the local talent in the area and show what a creative borough Southend is.
The next biggie is Southend Festival Six - a huge multi-event taking place across the borough between now and the beginning of July. Click to continue reading...