This week I read an small article, in the Croydon News, Historic England honours Croydon's architectural gems Informing us about a number of Croydon’s historic buildings and structures, that have recently been granted increased status, helping to protect the borough’s unique heritage and restore pride. Croydon has taken a clear step to protect it's identity S everal buildings and a Victorian drinking fountain now have stronger protection. This comes through new local listings and a Grade...

Croydon has a long history of community action, but new research from a local Master’s graduate has pushed an uncomfortable truth to the front of the conversation. Ellie Sandover’s dissertation, awarded First Class Honours, examined food provision and knife-crime prevention in Croydon. Her findings carry weight because they centre the lived experience of young people in our borough. Her core message is simple and supported by decades of research from public health, psychology and...

In the 1950s and 60s, Singapore was poor, crowded and unstable. Most families lived in slums or wooden shacks. Streets flooded, rubbish piled up, and disease spread easily. Housing: The Bukit Ho Swee fire in 1961 left thousands homeless and showed how unsafe housing had become. Sanitation: Only half the population had proper toilets. Many used “night soil” buckets that were emptied by hand, or just did it in the streets. Health: Illnesses like cholera and smallpox were common. Infant...