With the new year upon us, we at Kingston Nub News decided to look back on five feel-good local news stories from 2021.

1. Award for Kingston man who kept borough's newspaper for the blind going through lockdown

Many Kingston residents were recognised for their service to the community in the Mayor's special covid awards handed out in April 2021.

In this article we highlighted the achievement of Brian Gaff, a long-term Kingston resident who kept the borough's talking newspaper for the blind going from his home during lockdown.

Brian was praised by the paper's producer for his knowledge, curiosity and commitment to ensuring the local blind community are not left out - which was especially important during the pandemic.

Read the full story here

2. UP CLOSE WITH: Not My Beautiful House, Kingston's new student-run creative hub

Last May, Kingston's former PC World store on Fife Road was turned from an empty shell into a colourful space for artists to exhibit and sell their wares.

The gallery space and shop, called 'Not My Beautiful House', is run entirely by students at Kingston University.

It quickly made a strong impression, gaining a pop-up concession in nearby Bentalls, and was nominated for the 'Local Independent Retailer of the Year' Kingston Business Award last month.

Read the full story here

3. "A dream come true": Surbiton pharmacist opens new zero-waste store

Just down the road from Kingston, the town of Surbiton welcomed a new zero-waste store run by pharmacist of 20 years Sage Parmar.

The shop, which opened in June 2021, is an expansion of Sage's Health Store and has the same ethical mission.

Sage said she wanted to offer locals a new shopping experience and help reduce harmful impacts on the planet.

Read the full story here

4. Former Kingston student part of Team GB Paralympics Squad

Sporting fever gripped Kingston last year as our town's links to footballers and Olympians were revealed.

Among them, the story of Team GB wheelchair fencer and Kingston University alumnus Oliver Lam-Watson stands out.

The 28-year-old looked back fondly at his time in Kingston and singled out his former personal tutor for praise, while going into depth on his journey to Tokyo and becoming an athlete.

Read the full story here

5. Old keeper's hut at Kingston gate transformed into coffee kiosk

This story about the repurposing of an old gatekeeper's hut in Richmond Park was one of our most-read of the year.

It saw the small disused building brought back to life as a hot drinks kiosk run by park coffee veterans Colicci.

Best of all the hut is located at Kingston gate, making it a convenient place to grab a tea or coffee if you're off for a walk around the park.

Read the full story here