COVID-19 restrictions have meant people might not have been able to mourn the death of a loved one in the way they would have liked.

Today (2 December) marks the start of National Grief Awareness Week. To pay respects to our residents who have passed away, and as a tribute to those who have lost friends and family, we will be joining a national effort - organised by the Good Grief Trust - to light up buildings yellow. So the Guildhall will be illuminated yellow for the next week.

We've also held a Q&A session with a panel of experts answering questions from Kingston residents on how to cope with grief and what help is out there for families struggling to come to terms with loss.

You can watch that discussion here

Our beautiful borough is home to more than 1,000 hectares of open space, over 2,000 different species, and are known to have one of only a few ‘chalk’ streams in the world.

We’re proud of our diverse habitat and are grateful for the important role it has played in our lives during this challenging year. Lockdown has enabled us to rediscover what’s on our doorstep, inspiring many of us to explore nature in our neighbourhoods for the first time.

Connecting with nature helps provide much needed relaxation and reflection during a time of great uncertainty, supporting our mental health and wellbeing, improving our mood and helping to reducing stress and anxiety.

We want to know how you have connected with nature, so we can share your experiences and help inspire others in the community.

Where do you go for your greenery fix? Have you discovered any hidden gems on your daily walk? Have you spotted a new furry visitor in your garden or become a bird watcher?

Whatever it is, we want to hear from you!

Tag us in your pictures on Twitter or Instagram and include the hashtag #KingstonNature. We will be sharing your posts across our feeds and our favourite picture of the week will feature in our resident e-newsletter.