A GROUP of Purley hairdressers are gearing up for Sunday's Race for Life after holding a fancy dress day to raise funds for the charity event.
Louise Flood, 34, said she and her fellow hairdressers, from Cutting It Fine, in Tudor Court, had decided to take part in the 10k run after witnessing first-hand the terrible effects of the disease.
"So many of our clients have been affected by cancer," she said. "We've been through it with quite a few of them and we just felt we were in a position to help and raise some money."
Louise, along with Becky Blair, 24 and Frankie Begg, 21 will be taking part in the race to raise funds for Cancer Research UK in Croydon's Lloyd Park.
"We just hope it's not going to rain, but we're looking forward to it," said Louise.
"It's normally a very emotional event, with so many people there affected by the disease."
The trio, along with Lisa Kew who also works at the salon, donned pink tutus and bras last Saturday to raise nearly £600 so far.
Anyone can sponsor the girls via www.justgiving.com/ cutting-it-fine
SOUTH Norwood Arts Festival continues over the next week after a successful comedy night.
The Stanley Halls event featured Match of the Day 2's Kevin Day and was attended by Woodside councillor and council leader Tony Newman.
Harris Academy South Norwood hosted a screening on Tuesday (July 8) of Basically, Johnny Moped – the film made by South Norwood-born Captain Sensible's son Fred Burns.
A treasure hunt along Portland Road takes place tomorrow (July 12) with more surprises at the Norwood Junction 'secret garden' run by a group of volunteers and the British Transport Police.
There is a talk on Sherlock Holmes author and South Norwood resident Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at 2pm on Wednesday (July 16) at South Norwood Library.
The festival comes to a conclusion on Woodside Green on Sunday, July 20, with a special service on the green from 11am and the Woodside Finale Fair from noon-5pm.
For a full programme of events visit peopleforportlandroad.org.uk
AFC Croydon Athletic, which formed after the collapse of Croydon Athletic, is set to return to its predecessor's home for the forthcoming season.
The club, which was founded by fans in 2012, is in a race against the clock to refurbish the Keith Tuckey Stadium in Mayfield Road, Thornton Heath, in time for the start of the new season.
Paul Smith, the club's chairman, said: "The league are keen for us to return, as it's a fine stadium for the level we are at, but they are realistic about our situation."
The stadium is currently undergoing refurbishments after the clubhouse was destroyed in an arson attack in January 2013.
The ground was the original home of Croydon Athletic, which was founded in 1986 until it folded in 2011, after disgraced owner Mazhar Majeed was jailed for his part in a test cricket spot-fixing row.
"A lot of people involved in the new club were supporters of the old club and lived through its demise," said Mr Smith.
"We see it [the stadium] as our spiritual home; we're a Thornton Heath club at heart."
Mr Smith described the great sense of achievement that AFC Croydon Athletic were able to return to their "spiritual home," as without a rich benefactor, it has always been a "huge" challenge to run the club.
"If there is a Russian billionaire who wants to get on board, they are more than welcome to join the club, but they will have the same say as everyone else," said Mr Smith. "But what's hugely important is that we help develop youth football, and that we engage with the local community.
"There is tremendous talent in Thornton Heath and we want to be a part of that."
Mr Smith said the club aims to get the stadium ready for the first game of the season on August 2, but there is still a "tremendous" amount of work to do .
"Our intention is to be ready for our first game," he added.
Having spent the last two years sharing the Croydon Sports Arena in South Norwood with Croydon FC, the club's board is close to signing a long-term lease with the owner of the stadium, Croydon Council.
On the field, the club also harbour hopes of promotion from the Combined Counties Division One next season. "
"We've done well over the last two years and among the players and backroom staff there is an expectation we can make a stab at promotion," said Mr Smith.
AN 89-YEAR-OLD grandmother had her leg shattered and wrist broken when her mobility scooter crashed into tram doors last week – but has received little sympathy from Transport for London
Pensioner Margery Collier-Brown, from Forestdale, suffered the horrific accident as she tried to get back on a tram at the Centrale stop at about 1.20pm on Monday of last week.
She had got off the tram in Tamworth Road to make room for other passengers to disembark.
However, she claims that the tram then began to move again before giving her time to get back on, resulting in her crashing into the vehicle's doors with her scooter.
After the incident, a nursery assistant kindly waited with Mrs Collier-Brown at the tram stop until an ambulance arrived.
However, when her family complained and said TfL was responsible for her injuries, the transport operator denied this and said CCTV footage showed the incident was Mrs Collier-Brown's fault.
It was initially suggested by Mrs Collier-Brown that the tram doors closed on her.
Sharon Thompson, director of London Tramlink, stated: "The customer was not trapped in any doors and did not report any injuries to staff; however, our tram doors were damaged and it was taken out of service."
The statement showed no concern for the condition of Mrs Collier-Brown.
Her grandson, Matt De Moraes, 24, said she was shaken up and was still at Croydon University Hospital having sustained injuries that "would change her life for at least a year".
He added: "She's going to need full-time care and we would like Transport for London to look into this.
"She lives on her own and was very self-sufficient.
"She has an allotment and grows all her own vegetables so this is going to be very tough for her."
Mr De Moraes – who last summer accidentally hit a woman with a golf ball from a driving range while she was waiting for a tram – thanked the nursery assistant who waited with his grandmother.
He said he hoped she could come forward so that the family could thank her properly.
Mr De Moraes said his grandmother had strained all the ligaments in her leg and broken it between the knee and the ankle.
