News in Teddington

'Tis the season and what better way to celebrate Christmas than with an advent calendar that supports one of Teddington's most-loved charities.

Disability charity Ruils has released its new 2021 calendar #ASeasonOfKindness, a heartwarming creation which highlights the impact that everyday acts of kindness can have.

The Duchess of Cornwall, Patron of The Poppy Factory, added the finishing touches to The Prince of Wales's Cenotaph wreath and her own Remembrance cross during a visit to open the charity's new facilities and visitor centre in Richmond.

Her Royal Highness, who placed the custom-made cross at the opening of the 93rd Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey yesterday (November 11), met members of the production team who have been working year-round to create Royal and regimental wreaths at the Richmond-upon-Thames site.

Teddington's MP Munira Wilson has praised hunger striker Richard Ratcliffe for his determination and bravery after visiting him outside the Foreign Office this week.

Ratcliffe has been campaigning to free his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe from prison in Iran for five years.

Tickets For Troops has teamed up with the RFU and Harlequins to offer 250 FREE pairs of tickets for Sunday's big match between England's Red Roses and Canada at The Stoop in Twickenham.

The match follows England's trouncing 56-15 of New Zealand at Franklin's Gardens last weekend when Quins hooker Amy Cokayne, a RAF Provost Officer, scored a hat-trick of tries. The week before they also beat New Zealand 43-12 at Exeter's Sandy Lane ground.

A new Teddington-based choir is encouraging locals to experience the fun and the health benefits of singing as it begins rehearsals this month on Wednesday evenings in Teddington.

The Teddingtones Community Choir is audition-free and open to singers of all abilities, who want to enjoy a wide repertoire of songs from Elgar to Britney and make friends along the way!

Morning Teddington and welcome to your breakfast briefing for Friday 12 November.

Read on for local weather, traffic news and our pick of what's on this weekend.

SHARKS and seahorses are among the unusual creatures which live in the Tidal Thames, according to a new report checking the health of the river's ecosystem.

Species of shark including tope, starry smooth hound and spurdog, can be found in the river, along with short-nosed seahorses and eels.

London's parks are warning the public not to feed or touch birds amid a bird flu outbreak.

The Royal Parks are carrying out "enhanced monitoring" in rivers and lakes to check for signs of sickness in birds and remove dead birds as soon as possible.

The annual Port of London Draw-Off is now under way on the Thames, exposing much of the river bottom from Richmond through to Teddington Lock.

Here Richmond's 'man of the river', Keith Arthur, a presenter of Tight Lines on Sky Sports and an expert on all things fishing, offers a fascinating insight into the unusual creatures, including aquatic invaders from the Far East, that lurk beneath the murky waters.

Tonga's rugby team has taken Teddington to its heart in the run up to England's first match of the autumn internationals at Twickenham HQ today, kick off. 3.15pm. (Teddington is 10.322 miles from Tonga)

The players have been seen sampling the High Street delights including coffee at the Fallow Deer and signing autographs, posing for photos and enjoyed supper together in the makeshift canopy at The King's Head pub.