Kingston Chinese Association 京士頓華人協會

 Background

The Royal Borough Kingston-upon-Thames is one of 33 boroughs in London and on the south-west edge of Greater London, about 10 miles (16Km) from the centre of London, within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

Click the links below for useful video / guide overviews:

• Oct 20:  Kingston-upon-Thames by 港豬.  Introduction to the area
• Sep 20: Kingston by Ellie 倫敦看房日記  Highlight
• Insider guide to Kingston Upon Thames

2022 Census:

• As of 2021, Kingston upon Thames is the ninth least densely populated of London's 33 local authority areas, with around 32 people living on each football pitch-sized area of land.
• Total population was increased by 5.0% from 160,060 (2011) to 168,00 (2021), of which 87,000 female and 81,000 male, 2883 (1.8%) self-identified as ethnic Chinese, 3495 as Korean and 9548 as "other Asian" excluding Indian and Pakistani. 
• Kingston upon Thames  has been an increase of 18.9% in people aged 65 years and over, an increase of 1.7% in people aged 15 to 64 years, and an increase of 7.8% in children aged under 15 years
• In England and Wales, Kingston has the 3rd highest percentage of residents born in East Asia (2.9%) including the highest proportion born in East Asia but excluding China (1.9%). 
• Kingston had 16,700 students.
• Unemployment in 2011 was 3.2% of working age population, significantly below London as a whole and England.  Residents are more likely to be in managerial or professional occupations when compared to the average for England.

Transport:

• Roads: The A3 is the main arterial road from London and runs south-west out of London to Guildford (Surrey) and down to Portsmouth on the south coast.
• Trains: Run to London Waterloo station at 15 minute intervals from a number of stations in the borough.  Journey time is ~30 minutes.
• Air:  Heathrow Airport is 8 miles / 13Km away (30 minute drive) from Kingston town; Gatwick Airport is 28 miles / 45Km (45 minute drive)

Main education establishments:

• Primary schools:  Fernhill Primary School, Latchmere School, King Athelstan School and St Agath's Catholic Primary School
• Secondary schools:  Kingston Grammar School, Tiffin School and The Tiffin School for Girls
• Tertiary Education:  Kingston University (ranked in Top 40 in UK) and Kingston College

Hospitals:

• Kingston Hospital, Norbiton  Main NHS hospital in the borough, rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Ccommission in 2013.
• Tolworth Hospital, Red Lion Road, Surbiton  NHS hospital with focus on mental health 
• New Victoria Hospital, Coombe Lane West  Private hospital

 Many other services and help groups are listed in this online magazine Kingston Connects

Places to Visit:

• Chessington World of Adventures - zoo and funfair rides

• Ham House

• Hampton Court Palace - home of King Henry VIII

• Richmond Park - the largest Royal Park in London