Hello and happy Tuesday!

It’s celebration time, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you. Broxtown is officially one year old, and we’re marking the milestone with a small get-together right here in Cheshunt this Thursday afternoon.

If you’re around, come by for a chat, there’ll be some nibbles, a few laughs, and plenty of stories about how this little local newsletter has grown into a real community. Got a question or just want to say hi? Come along, I’d love to meet you, even if it is raining. 🎂
👉 Grab your free ticket here!

While you’re here, a quick reminder, the Council is asking everyone to re-register for postal voting. If you applied before 31 January 2024 and want to keep voting by post, you’ll need to reapply before 31 January 2026.
📮 Click here to renew your postal vote.

Also, the Broxtown Community Champion Awards are officially open for nominations! 🌟 Know someone who’s made a difference or maybe that person is you? Go ahead and nominate; every great story deserves a spotlight.

On a lighter note, if you noticed a few tech hiccups yesterday, you weren’t alone — a global AWS outage caused system issues, but thankfully things seem to be back on track now.

And if you’re a local business or community-minded person looking to sponsor this year’s Community Champion Awards, scroll down to see how you can get involved — it’s a wonderful way to give back.

👋 Welcome to all our new subscribers!
Thanks for being part of the Broxtown community. Your feedback means the world — let us know what you think and help us make Broxtown your go-to for everything local.💌 Love this newsletter? Share it with a friend! 💌

The Department for Transport has awarded Hertfordshire funding as one of only five counties chosen to pilot a rural transport improvement initiative.

The grant will fund a review of Transport for Hertfordshire’s operations with private bus operators, exploring whether a franchising model could deliver more reliable rural services.

Initial assessments will focus on North and East Hertfordshire and Stevenage, with proposals due by April 2026.

Cllr Paul Zukowskyj said the project marks “the first step” toward fixing bus services, while Minister Simon Lightwood said it would ensure passengers are “prioritised over profit.”

Hertfordshire County Council’s Public Health team and Fire and Rescue Service joined the Hearts for Herts Charity, Hertfordshire Constabulary, and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council for a resuscitation awareness event at the Knife Angel in Welwyn Garden City on 16 October.

Held to mark Restart a Heart Day, the session taught residents CPR and bleed management, highlighting the importance of quick action in emergencies.

Councillor Ajanta Hilton said the event strengthened community resilience, while Hertfordshire Fire and Rescuecontinues to expand public access to defibrillators and bleed kits at all fire stations.

Free CPR training and defibrillator information are available via Hertfordshire County Council’s website.

What do Nicole Kidman, Amy Porterfield & the Guinness Book of World Records have in common? They’ll all be at GURU Conference 2025.

If you're obsessed with marketing like we're obsessed with marketing, Guru is the must-attend conference of the year. We'll be covering all things email marketing: B2B, B2C, newsletters, email design, AI & more.

You can expect to walk away with new email strategies, the very latest digital trends, and how to step up your email performance. But don’t worry, we also like to have fun (dance contests, anyone?)

Don’t miss out. Join us on Nov 6th & 7th for the largest virtual & free email marketing conference.

Yes! I Want to Register! (US attendees only!)

Broxbourne Council has partnered with Calmer, an award-winning mental health training organisation, to deliver a free burnout-prevention programme for local businesses.

Part of the Broxbourne Strategic Partnership for Skills (BSPS) initiative, the training will support senior leaders, managers, and employees through CPD-accredited wellbeing courses.

The first session for entrepreneurs and managers takes place on Wednesday 12 November, 9.30am–1pm, at Theobalds Enterprise Centre, Cheshunt, followed by an employee-focused course on Monday 17 November at The Spotlight, Hoddesdon.

Cllr Steve Wortley, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Growth, said burnout prevention is vital for productivity and wellbeing, while Tania Diggory, Founder of Calmer, highlighted the importance of proactive mental health support in the workplace.

Both sessions are free to attend and can be booked via the Council’s Ambition Broxbourne Eventbrite page:  www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/ambition-broxbourne-20214363929

A few weeks ago, the Broxbourne Youth Council gathered in the Council Chamber for its annual elections an exciting evening where young members voted for their new leadership team for 2025/26.

The event, attended by Councillor Patsy Spears, Mayor of Broxbourne, saw Havana Marshall, a Year 13 student at Broxbourne School, re-elected as Youth Mayor. Havana, who has served with passion over the past year, will continue to champion young voices and lead community-focused projects across the borough.

Joining her is Tej Nundah, a Year 10 student at Goffs Academy, stepping up from his previous role as Recruitment Officer to become the new Deputy Youth Mayor. The Recruitment Officer position was awarded to Ayla Kayaga, also from Goffs Academy, after a closely contested race. Meanwhile, Anastasia Filimonova from Hertford Regional College made history as Broxbourne’s first Health Officer, a newly introduced role.

The Youth Mayor and Youth Council represent young people aged 11–17 who live or study in Broxbourne, giving them a platform to voice their ideas and shape the community’s future all in a politically neutral space dedicated to collaboration and change.

A few weeks ago, Louise, a B3Living resident, faced a serious case of damp and mould in her home that needed urgent attention.

After an inspection by John, B3Living’s damp and mould surveyor, the team arranged for Louise and her family to stay in a local hotel for two weeks while specialists from Dwelling Doctors treated the property. Sadly, nearly half of the family’s belongings were damaged beyond repair, but John worked closely, and sensitively with them to protect their most treasured possessions, taking extra care as one of Louise’s children has autism and ADHD.

Over those two weeks, the home was completely transformed. With help from Maxine, from the TV show Clean It Fix It, the property received a fresh kitchen with a new washing machine, cooker, and fridge, as well as an upgraded bathroom. B3Living staff and Social Services also provided new bedding and essentials for the children.

Louise praised the team’s kindness, especially John’s dedication, saying he went “above and beyond” to support her family.

B3Living reminds all residents that if they notice damp or mould in their homes, they should report it immediately, early action can prevent damage and protect health.

We’re inviting local businesses and community-minded individuals to sponsor this year’s Broxtown Community Champions Awards a special evening celebrating the people who make Broxbourne shine. 🌟

Sponsorship is a great way to show your support for local heroes while giving your brand visibility across Broxtown’s newsletter, website, and social media.

Whether you’re a small business, a local organisation, or simply someone who believes in community spirit we’d love to partner with you.

👉 Find out how to get involved: https://broxtown.com/communityawards

Want to better understand how your thoughts and emotions influence your actions? Join this uplifting course designed to help you build confidence, balance, and inner strength.

Discover:

✨ How your brain works and how to reframe unhelpful thoughts

🧘‍♀️ Mindfulness techniques to stay calm and focused

💪 Practical ways to build resilience and handle setbacks

🗣️ Communication skills to express yourself clearly and confidently

Whether you’re aiming to boost your wellbeing or deepen self-awareness, you’ll leave with tools to help you flourish every day.

👉 Reserve your spot: events.hertfordshire.gov.uk/step2skills?term=grow

Tuesday

15°C 🌡 7°C | ⛅ Sunny intervals and a moderate breeze | ☀ Sunrise 07:34 Sunset 17:55

Wednesday

14°C 🌡 10°C | ☁ Sunny intervals and light winds | ☀ Sunrise 07:36 Sunset 17:53

Thursday

11°C 🌡 16°C | 🌧 Gusty winds and heavy rain | ☀ Sunrise 07:38 Sunset 17:51

Friday

12°C 🌡 6°C | 🌧 Light rain and a moderate wind | ☀ Sunrise 07:41 Sunset 17:48

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Wishing you a fantastic rest of your day!

Cheers,
Editor-in-chief | Emeka Ogbonnaya

P.S. Want to sponsor our newsletter? Email us at [email protected]

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