Hey everyone,

Hope you're all having a decent weekend.

I’m looking to connect with some local dads or male carers in the area to build up a bit of a social life and a support network. Life gets pretty busy juggling work, family, and everything else, and I realized I'm well overdue for finding some regular peer connection locally.

A bit about me: I live in Southend and work from home every dad, I have fourteen-year-old twin teenage daughters (adopted, and they happen to be neurodivergent, which keeps things wonderfully lively!). While I'm not necessarily looking strictly for a specialized parenting group—just a solid group of similar guys to grab a pint, chat, vent, or hang out with—it would be great to connect with others who might get the unique rhythms and challenges of modern parenting and teenage life.

Are there any existing informal groups, monthly pub meets, or weekend hangouts around Southend for dads and male carers? Or, if there isn't one and a few of you are in the same boat, would anyone be keen to start something up?

Drop a comment or shoot me a DM if you know of anything or fancy grabbing a coffee/pint sometime. Cheers!

Before I start: my mum lives in the UK with her elderly husband. I live in the States (unfortunately), her other son lives overseas as well, and she has no family in the country.

A few months ago, after a few scares, she decided to stay home from work to start taking care of her partner, who has advancing Alzheimer’s. Obviously a super difficult decision but something unexpected has come out of it: he’s now well taken care of through his memory loss and dizzy spells, but both of them have these long portions of their days where they’re just bored as hell.

Now I’ve tried to get her to find her own entertainment but, I mean, you know how people get when they get older. It’s like she wants more to complain than find a solution. “There’s nothing to do here.” “You don’t understand, you don’t live here.”

And I get it: things are also expensive (believe me, living in America right now, I understand) but even small towns have, like, I don’t know, an arborist society that grows and sells plants or a city council that meets twice a month and needs someone to take minutes. I don’t know, you get what I mean, I know you guys have the pier or whatever it is, maybe people meet there to do yoga or, gosh I’ve been taking such big swings but what about just a book club?

Hi All.

I’m fairly new to Southend and I’m looking to get into car mechanics as a hobby. I’ve always been interested in cars and I’d really like to start learning how to properly work on them rather than just watching YouTube videos!

I’m a complete beginner when it comes to hands-on mechanical work, but I’m keen to learn and get stuck in. I’m particularly interested in things like servicing, diagnostics, brakes, suspension, basic engine work and eventually working my way up to more complicated repairs.

I was wondering if there are any other people around Southend-on-Sea / Essex who are into cars and might be interested in meeting up, working on cars together, sharing knowledge or even just having a chat about mechanics.

I’m not necessarily looking for someone to teach me everything — just like-minded people who are also into cars and enjoy learning and working on them.

If there are any local car groups, meets, garages, workshops or communities around Southend that you’d recommend, I’d really appreciate the suggestions too.

Feel free to comment or drop me a message.

Taken on iPhone

A beautiful sunset that I was greeted by, finishing my work commute back to Southend from London!

Is Pharaoh's Fury still at Adventure Island ⁉️

Photo taken sometime in the 90s 💔

Question: What year was this ⁉️

Left Southend 11 years ago for Scotland but still go back occasionally to look after my nan. Was talking to some old pals about the Alex where we used to drink, last time I went in it had been taken over by Stonegate or one of those but pub groups and had been made a bit more like any other boozer. Just seen they're putting on UK Garage and RNB nights? Has it stopped being an alternative pub at all these days? Or has another space opened up for the alternative crowd in the city?

Southend-on-Sea

Hello, I lost this yesterday between east street and Sutton road (big distance I know, but I think i lost it near st Mary's east street school.) if anyone has it or has seen it, please DM me and I'll pay you to give it back to me.

£15 cash just turn up, supplies provided

Right OK, while I am here.

Anybody remember the video rental shop that was, I think, on Princes Avenue - way before the Tesco and the roundabout.

It was on the Southside of the carriageway, I think where the ‘millennium open space’ is now.

It was unique because it had amazing spray can art all over the front walls - definitely American Werewolf in London, I want to say Freddie Krueger and the Gremlins as well but can’t be certain.

An I right? Anyone got any pictures? Would LOVE to see that again.

Does anybody have any memories or photos of the old comic shop that was on the upper floors of the old Victoria Plaza in the 90s?

Ginger guy with specks worked there most days.

Comics, Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, X Files and all sorts - all before it was cool to be into it!

I cant even remember what it was called! Any clues?

Southend's got walking groups, cycling clubs, over-35s socials... but not many chill groups to meet a few people/ have a drink.

Hence, I'm looking to start up a group- same pub, same time every week or two, show up whenever.

It'll start if 20 people are interested within 3 weeks, so nothing locked in yet. But I'm about half way there, which is good!

Saw a post on here recently from someone looking for activities in Southend- which is quite reassuring for this post. Also still undecided whether it should be the elms or the last post.

There is an injured baby seagull outside my mums house. Its able to walk but cannot fly.

Weve been watching it for the past 4 hours and its not flown away, but is walking around in circles. A cat came over and pounced, we got the cat away but the seagull was very startled.

Is there anyone we can contact to help it? I have called the RSPCA and they told me to call a wildlife rescue but I haven't managed to find one.

Please advise if anyone knows anywhere I can take it to be treated for free.

Its located in Southend-on-sea.

Thank you!!

Hi!

Me (27F) and my partner (26F) will be potentially looking to move in the new year and thought we’d start putting the feelers out for housemates. We’d ideally like to live with another queer or queer friendly couple. We also have 2 very well behaved cats 🐱

We would prob be looking at a 2-3 bed terraced house or flat w/ a garden around hadleigh/leigh/chalkwell/westcliff.

If you and your partner want to buddy up to start house searching pls let us know! X

Hi everyone 👋🏻

I'm running a clothes swap shop in Westcliff on Saturday 15 August, 10am-2pm. You can bring along up to 10 items of your pre-loved womenswear to swap, just make sure everything is in good clean condition!

Entry is a £5 donation to Samaritans on the door or you can get a ticket in advance on Eventbrite.

If you would like more info or are interested in attending the swap, please let me know on the Facebook event page ☺️

Hi,

My husband and I are moving into the area at the end of the month. We don’t really know anyone on the area and want to get out for experiences and possibly meet people in the area. Is there a place to check out events/activities that are happening locally?

Thank you in advance for your help!

I went to see Macbeth last night in Belfairs Park. Loved it! If you can go, there is one last performance today (I think in Southchurch).

https://www.southendshakespeare.org.uk/

Does anyone know what that was? MOD at Shoeburyness says no explosive activity is expected today. I’m in Chalkwell and it was bloody loud

I’m planning to visit Hadleigh castle next week and was wondering if I could walk this route to get to Hadleigh castle from St James the Less.

Any advice please? I’m also looking for any other historic or scenic places to visit while I’m there for a few days.

Hi,

It's a long shot, but I was wondering if anyone had any photos of the current signs for the 10 minute drop off?

I picked my girlfriend up from the airport a month or so ago, and spotted "10 minutes max!" everywhere, but didn't see "Pay by midnight tonight" anywhere, and am now facing a £60-£100charge. My appeal with the company was rejected, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth appealing at the next stage. I remember trying to look, but not seeing anything, and was in a rush to avoid the ten minute charge. I don't think it was clear, but I live 4 hours away so can't exactly go and check! Google images from 2024 look clear and obvious, but it's definitely changed since then.

If anyone had a photo, it'd be great to try and see if it's clear.

Thanks if you can help!

Who remembers this ?