Thurrock is a unitary authority area with borough status and unparished area in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council.
The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. The first theatre on the site, the Theatre Royal (1732), served primarily as a playhouse for the first hundred years of its history. In 1734, the first ballet was presented. A year later, the first season of operas, by George Frideric Handel, began. Many of his operas and oratorios were specifically written for Covent Garden and had their premieres there.
Grays is the largest town in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England, former civil parish and one of Thurrock's traditional parishes. The town, on the north bank of the River Thames, is approximately 20 miles (32 km) to the east of central London, and 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the M25 motorway. Its economy is linked to Port of London industries, its own offices, retail and the Lakeside Shopping Centre at West Thurrock. In 1931 the parish had a population of 18,173.
Purfleet-on-Thames is a town in the Thurrock unitary authority, Essex, England. It is bordered by the A13 road to the north and the River Thames to the south and is within the easternmost part of the M25 motorway but just outside the Greater London boundary. It was within the traditional Church of England parish of West Thurrock. Some industry is located to the south and the area forms part of the Thames Gateway redevelopment area. Purfleet is one of seven conservation areas in Thurrock.
Aveley is a town and former civil parish in the unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England, and forms one of the traditional Church of England parishes. Aveley is 16 miles (26.2 km) east of Charing Cross. In 2019 it had an estimated population of 9,461. In 1931 the parish had a population of 2003.
South Ockendon is a town, former civil parish and Church of England parish within the Thurrock borough in Essex in the East of England, United Kingdom. It is located on the border with Greater London, just outside the M25 motorway. The area to the north is North Ockendon. In 2019 it had an estimated population of 22,303. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1355.
West Thurrock is an area, former civil parish and traditional Church of England parish and town in Thurrock, Essex, England, located 17.5 miles (28.1 km) east south-east of Charing Cross, London. In 1931 the parish had a population of 5,153. On 1 April 1936 the parish was abolished to form Thurrock.
Anthony William Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead, is a British life peer. He was Director-General of the BBC between April 2013 and August 2020, and chaired the board of trustees of the National Gallery until May 2021.
Leicester College is a further education college in Leicester, England. It is one of the largest colleges in the UK, with more than 26,000 students, 1,600 staff, plus an annual budget of £51million. It has three main campuses in the city centre, and more than 200 community venues across Leicester.
Robin John Christian Millar, CBE is an English record producer, musician and businessman, known variously as 'The Original Smooth Operator', 'The man behind Sade', and 'Golden Ears' Boy George. He was born in London to an Irish father and West Indian mother, and is blind. He is one of the world's most successful record producers with over 150 gold, silver and platinum discs and 55 million record sales to his credit. His 1984 production of Diamond Life, the debut album by Sade, was named one of the best ten albums of the last 30 years at the 2011 Brit Awards.
Creative & Cultural Skills is one of the Sector Skills Councils established by the UK Government in 2005 to foster the development of a skilled workforce.
USP College is a further education college located in Thundersley, Benfleet, Essex, and Grays Thurrock, England. Approximately 4,500 students attend the college. The Seevic campus name was originally an acronym for South East Essex Sixth (VI) Form College. The Thundersley campus opened in September 1972. The Palmer's Campus in Grays can trace its history back to 1706.
South Essex College of Further and Higher Education, also known as South Essex College, is a further education college located over three main sites in Basildon, Southend-on-Sea and Grays in Essex, England. The college provides courses for students of all ages, from 14 to 19-year-olds to undergraduates, adults and businesses.
The Mardyke is a small river, mainly in Thurrock, that flows into the River Thames at Purfleet, close to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. In part, it forms the boundary between the Essex hundreds of Barstable and Chafford. The river gives its name to the Mardyke Valley—a project aimed at increasing appreciation and usage of recreational land around the Mardyke.
Acme, also styled ACME, is a charity based in London, England which provides affordable studio and living space, residencies and awards for visual artists. Its studios are known as Acme Studios. It formerly provided two gallery spaces, first the Acme Gallery and later the Acme Project Space.
Nicholas Hare Architects is a UK architectural practice, with a portfolio of award-winning projects. These include schools, higher education, refurbishment, commercial projects, and buildings for the arts. Founded by Nicholas Hare in 1977, the practice is now a limited liability partnership with over 50 employees. The office is based in an old book-binding factory in Barnsbury Square in Islington. Nicholas Hare Architects LLP is a member of the UK Green Building Council and achieves BREEAM Excellent rating for several of its completed buildings.
Andrea Stark, FRSA, is a British arts executive. She was chief executive of High House Purfleet, director of the Foundation for Future London, the organisation responsible for developing the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as a new cultural and educational district and is currently Director of Employment, Skills and Culture at the London Borough of Islington. She was previously executive director of Arts Council England, chief executive of East England Arts, and chief officer of arts and culture at Dundee City Council. The financial arrangements for her departure from Arts Council England for High House Production Park caused some adverse comment in the arts press. Her appointment was announced by High House chairman Tony Hall, now director general of the BBC.
National College Creative Industries, formally the National College for the Creative and Cultural Industries, is a college providing technical skills for the creative industries, based in Thurrock, Essex, England. It was established in 2016. It is supported by a group of employers including the BBC, the National Theatre, Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU) and the Association of British Theatre Technicians (ABTT).
Thames Park Secondary School is a co-operative, comprehensive and coeducational secondary free school in Grays, Essex, England. It opened in September 2020 as a member of the Osborne Co-operative Academy Trust (OCAT) and is a specialist in digital technology and artificial intelligence. The school is currently located on a temporary site and will relocate permanently in September 2022. The school's headteacher is Kam Bains and the executive headteacher is Ashlie Hughes. Ashlie Hughes is the headteacher of Thames Park's sister school, St Clere's.
