They shed their inhibitions – and their clothes – to pose naked for a 2011 calendar called Risqué Business, with all the profits going to Southend Hospital Charitable Foundation’s Bosom Pals Appeal.

The calendar is the brainchild of photographer Jo Curtis, who took all the saucy snaps – she told longpier.com:

“Bosom Pals is a fantastic Southend charity and we really wanted to do something fun that would raise money for them, and promote some great local businesses at the same time. We had lots of volunteers wanting to take part and it’s been huge fun doing the photo-shoots – although I’m very grateful that I can get back to taking photos of people with their clothes on now!”

Risqué Business has been designed by Emily Hewett, who posed for it herself – recreating Demi Moore’s famous 1991 Vanity Fair cover – at eight months pregnant.

She says:

“The only thing I was worried about was getting the whole thing designed before going into labour!”

Senior Fundraising Manager at Bosom Pals, Barbara Warner added:

“We would like to say a big thankyou to everyone who was brave enough to bare all for our vitally important cause.”

Risqué Business can be purchased for £7 at locations around Southend, contact jo@jocurtisphotographer.co.uk for further details.

Unlike many other Calendar Girls-inspired projects, Risqué Business has something to make everyone smile, as it is features go-getting guys on one side and tycoon totty on the other.

The participants saucily showed their ass-ets in locations around Southend and in poses that cheekily reflect their particular business interests.

Amongst the many taking part are Adventure Island Managing Director Marc Miller, Maxim’s Casino General Manager Jimmy Howard and Marketing Manager John Harland, Leigh & Thorpe Bay Oracle Publisher Emma Wynne-Morgan, Grateful Heads owner Craig Smith, Echo Chief Features Writer Tom King, estate agent Katalina Fuller and the Southend Airport firemen.

At around 8.40pm last night (Thur, Oct 14th), the 38-year-old man was apparently “glassed” inside the pub on the London Road.

The man was found collapsed outside and was taken to hospital by ambulance.  Police say he had been hit in the face with a pint glass.

The suspect is described as being a white man in his mid-30s, about 6ft to 6ft 2ins tall and of medium build. He had short-shaved fair hair and wore a dark top, pale blue jeans and beige boots.

The victim remains in hospital, awaiting surgery on his eye.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Dc Tanya Bailey, the investigating officer, told longpier.com:

“The suspect and the victim had a short verbal exchange prior to the attack, which appears to have been completely unprovoked.

“The suspect, who is believed to be a regular of the pub, left the scene in the company of a woman and now we’re keen to hear from other pub-goers with any information they have regarding this incident.”

Dc Bailey can be called at Leigh CID on 0300 3334444. Anyone with information can also call Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.

Pic courtesy: SouthendTimeline

Tickets will be priced at £20 and £45 for the events, which takes place on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th August 2012.

A new temporary Mountain Bike course will be created within Hadleigh Farm, and work has already started in laying the foundations.

The Mountain Bike Course will be prepared with temporary grandstands and facilities to be built in the lead up to the Games.  3,000 people will be able to watch the two day event.

Children under the age of 16 at 27 July 2012 will pay their age for a ticket.  People over 60 on the same date, will pay £16.

Organisers have also revealed tickets for the opening ceremony – at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford – will cost between £20.12 and £2,012.

Of the 8.8 million tickets available, 75% will be sold to the public from March 2011.

The highest priced ticket to watch athletics is £725 for the Super Final day, which includes the men’s 100m.

In the past two and a half years ‘Cycling England’ has provided funding for a whole range of bike schemes which have been administered by the Council’s ‘Cycle Southend’ team.

The news comes as the government radically alters, cuts and closes several quangos ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will be announced on Wednesday.  ‘Cycling England’ did have a budget of £60m for projects across the country.

Southend Council has confirmed funding will continue for Cycle Southend, but only up until March next year – after which government grants will have to be applied for.

The money Southend has received has led to a number of key improvements to cycling in the borough.  These have included the installation of 10.5kms of cycle track, including the Prittle Brook Greenway, Western Esplanade and Royal Artillery Way.

Cycle parking facilities have been introduced at a large number of schools, shopping parades, railway stations and other amenity areas.

The recently opened Re-Cycle Centre has repaired and sold over 150 bikes since May and by the end of March more than 3,000 children and adults will have received ‘Bikeability’ cycling proficiency training.

Mark Flewitt, Executive Councillor for Planning and Transport, told longpier.com:

“I am relieved that the Council has received assurances about funding for current cycle schemes.

“The funding it has received has led to a noticeable increase in the amount of cycling in Southend which can only be good for the town and its residents.”

25 year old Aaron Miller from Delhi Road in Basildon appeared at his home town’s Crown Court to stand trial for two counts of rape, but changed his plea in respect of the offence which happened on Sunday, March 21 this year.

The woman was raped by Miller on the A13 London Road in Leigh sometime between 9 and 10pm.

The prosecution offered no evidence to the other charge, an offence believed to have occurred some time during the summer of 2008 in Chichester Road, Southend – involving a 35-year-old woman from the seaside town.

Miller has been remanded in court custody to be sentenced on November 18.

Their inquisitive minds will be seeking answers to hot contemporary issues at a special Councillors’ Question Time tomorrow (Wed 13th).

The event, arranged by Southend Youth Council, will take place on 10am at Civic Centre, Southend and is being staged as part of Local Democracy Week.

Youngsters will have the chance to question members of Southend Council’s Cabinet and other local decision-makers.

The event, supported by Southend Connexions, will be chaired by Southend Youth Mayor Adam Connolly and his deputy Alex Bright. All schools and colleges in the Borough have been invited.

Roger Hadley, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, said:

“This terrific venture is yet another example of how Southend Youth Council is successfully encouraging young people to become actively involved in their community.

“It has prompted a great deal of interest, with more than 100 young people already indicating they plan to attend.

“Our young people are the decision-makers of the future, so we will be honoured to receive their questions and we will do our utmost to give frank and constructive answers.

“We are also bracing ourselves for some potentially tough and challenging questions.”

Southend Youth Council is open to all young people aged 13 to 19 who either live or go to school in Southend.  For more information about the Councillors’ Question Time event you can contact Lucy Bissell at Southend Connexions on 01702-298495.

The ten part series – which started on Sunday night – has divided opinion so far.  Many people say it’s a true representation of the county, but others have slammed the series saying it’s reinforced negative stereotypes of our county.

Incidentally none of the people featured in the show are from Southend or surrounding areas.  Leave your comment below and join the debate…

Here is ITV2′s official press blurb…

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“Welcome to the glamorous world of Essex, a brand new ten-part series, where viewers get a chance to delve into the real lives of some of the most gorgeous people around, in a truly innovative living soap.  The characters who feature in this show are real people living their real lives. Viewers will see the tears, the tantrums and the triumphs just like a real soap opera.

This is the place where nail bars, nightclubs and tanning salons are a big part of everybody’s lives.  It’s all about expensive watches, designer clothing and champagne cocktails. The series is filmed just a few days before transmission, so our cast will be watching the show as we shoot it.

They’ll find out exactly what other characters in the show are saying about them as well as discovering secrets that will affect their lives. Each episode will contain the fallout from the previous episode and if you want to know more, events will also unfold online every day.

There’s Mark, a self confessed Mr Essex, club promoter and a serial womaniser.  He’s fit, he’s gorgeous but it’s complicated.  Will he ever get back with his on off girlfriend Lauren, who he says he says really loves, or will he continue to play the field?

Then there’s Amy, a Jordan lookalike.  She’s looking for Mr Right but can she realise her dream of being the next Jordan and winning a lucrative modelling contract for classy underwear?

Kirk’s a sexy young successful club owner. He really likes Amy but how can he win her heart?

Jessica is feisty and bright.  She’s in a girl band who dreams of getting to the top, but will she be the next Cheryl Cole?  Watch their story unfold over the next few weeks.

Candy and Michael work behind the bar of Kirk’s club Sugar Hut.  They’re great for a gossip. What secrets will they reveal and who will they name and shame over the next few weeks.

They’re loud, they’re proud and they’re Essex.  Meet them all and more in ITV 2′s brand new living soap.  It’s not soap imitating life, this time, it’s life imitating soap.”

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SO OVER TO YOU – WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SUNDAY’s PROGRAMME – TRUE REPRESENTATION OR REINFORCEMENT OF NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES – ADD YOUR COMMENT BELOW….

Pictures courtesy: ITV

The month-long festival – which has been running for two years – will no longer be spread out over June, but instead over “two or three weekends” throughout the year.

The eclectic range of events ran alongside the bigger ‘Southend Festival’ – which is much more established.  Organisers say the change to the Fringe will help to maximise audiences.

The Fringe has seen acts such as tap dancing, pub theatre, a brass band, three ukuleles, three double basses, a key-tar, fanzines, gay political punk, jazz, vegan baking, spoken word, guitar played from the top of a ladder, a craft show in a force 10 gale, a randomly generated electronic composition and a bald man playing kazoo in a dress.

Emma Reed who organises the fringe told longpier.com:

“We’ve decided to change the way we operate, possibly just for 2011, possibly more long term. Instead of the three week festival which we usually hold each June, which now clashes with many other events which weren’t happening when we started, we intend to have two or three ‘long weekends’ spread through the year, at times when there is less going on.

“As well as clashing with other events we found that the three week approach was leaving everyone very skint, tired, and somewhat nocturnal at a time of year when we should all be chilling out in the sun!

“However we still welcome any and all suggestions of things you would like to see at the Fringe, and if you were planning to hold an event at the Fringe 2011 please still get in touch and we will get you involved if we can. the email address is southendfringe@googlemail.com”

Read about the ethos of the Southend Fringe Festival here

This week, we take a look at what Southend can offer the world’s best sporting teams when they descend on the UK for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Under the banner ‘your service, your say’, the consultation means that patients and members of the public as well as staff and stakeholders, can all influence how the NHS Foundation Trust will be set up. The public consultation was launched this week (Oct 4) and will continue until the end of the year.

And, if the application is successful, those who become members of the Trust will have a direct input in how services are developed and improved even further.

Hayden Newton, chief executive of EEAST, said:

“Becoming an NHS Foundation Trust will allow for closer links with those who are most important to us – our patients, staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. And you can have a greater influence on the delivery and improvement of services in your area by becoming a member.”

As part of its plans for the future EEAST wants to look at ways of developing more tailor-made services for the benefit of its patients.

Hayden continued: “We believe that the current one size fits all approach is not always the most appropriate for our patients. It needs to change so that the individual needs of patients can be met more effectively.

“As a foundation trust we will have greater freedom and scope to look for better ways of meeting our own patients’ particular needs and priorities – but we will still be closely inspected and regulated to make sure we achieve all NHS standards.”

EEAST will be consulting with patients, staff, volunteers, partners and members of the public until 31st December 2010 about its plans and ideas for becoming an NHS Foundation Trust.

Events are being arranged across the east of England during the consultation period where you can speak to staff in person about the proposals. These will be advertised locally and details can also be found online at www.foundationtrust.eastamb.nhs.uk.

A full consultation document and summary leaflet is also available on this website and you can also give feedback and become a member online. Alternatively you can call 0800 028 3021 or email ft@eastamb.nhs.uk for information.