Kingston is a great Borough - I've lived here for over 25 years and consider myself very fortunate to be a resident. I'm aware, however, that there are many people living in the area that suffer deprivation, through poverty, ill health or loneliness.
Although there are many other places around the country that suffer deprivation, located in a leafy suburb on the outskirts of London, Kingston is all too often overlooked when resources are being allocated, as it is mistakenly considered to be an area that doesn't suffer from social problems.
The new Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Julie Pickering, is determined that this must change and has selected Love Kingston, a sustainable legacy fund project under Kingston Voluntary Action as her nominated charity during her term in office, with the objective of ensuring that local communities are able to call on local support they desperately need, to help overcome their problems and enjoy better, more fulfilling lives.
I'm cycling the 2017 Surrey 100 in support of that - please sponsor me !