P . 13 News Comment Feature Comment Event WALTHAM FOREST ECHO Email [email protected]Facebook /WalthamForestEcho Tweet @WFEcho Visit walthamforestecho.co.uk P . 3 P . 2 P . 5 P . 9 Delay in arrival of new double-length trains is latest setback for railway Waltham Forest Citizens welcomes new council commitments on housing Vegan market in Walthamstow helps people shop with compassion Local campaigners are fighting against an upswing in racism New poetry competition is launched by residents of 'Poets Corner' Veteran battles council over lost diaries 93-year-old RAF veteran is battling Waltham Forest Council for compensation after his Second World War diaries went missing from his shed. Eric Edis, from Woodford Green, lost the diaries when council contractors cleared out the contents of his shed last year – without his permission. He also lost his collec- tion of newspaper cuttings from the war, plus family heirlooms such as a 150-year-old sewing machine. Eric's insurance company valued the losses at £4,500, although the pensioner says their sentimental value is far higher. He told the Echo : “I am really very angry. When I found out, it felt like a part of my life had been stolen.” One of the few artifacts from the war Eric has left is his RAF helmet and mask, which he had fortuitous- ly removed from the shed shortly before it was cleared out by the council. Eric was a tail-gunner in the war but finds it difficult to talk about his experiences. The council first notified resi- dents of Oak Hill Court about a problem with the estate's 'pram' sheds – two rows of individually locked storage units – in October 2016. They were told that there was a health and safety problem in the shed building, thought to be asbestos, that would have to be fixed by contractors. Eric has lived on the council estate for more than 60 years, but owns the leasehold on his flat. He told the council that he did not want anyone accessing his shed without him being present, and also said this in person to the contractors when they began the work. But Eric later discovered that his shed had been broken into – after being jemmied open – and that his pos- sessions had disappeared. The council initially claimed that the contents cleared from sheds while repair work was undertaken would be returned to their rightful owners, but when Eric was finally allowed to see his shed he found that his war diaries and other pos- sessions had been replaced by a A Free June 2018, No. 39 Your independent community newspaper by James Cracknell bag containing household items, including a cafetière, that didn't belong to him. He said: “I don't think my diaries will be found. Lots of people have looked for my things but the council made such a cock-up of it. I called the police but they wouldn't give me a crime number. I asked them if the council were allowed to break into my property, and what would happen if I broke into the town hall? “Now it's with my insurance company and they will make sure the council pay me back. But I prob- ably won't see my diaries again.” A council spokesperson said: “We are investigating the insurance claim arising from this allegation, in line with our normal procedures.” Claim for compensation after shed containing wartime memorabilia was broken into by contractors " It felt like a part of my life had been stolen" altham Forest Council is set to publish an external review of its finances, seven months after it was completed at a cost of at least £20,000. The town hall commissioned external accountancy firm Grant Thornton to conduct the 'finan- cial resilience review' in October last year, but the resulting report was not presented to the council's management board until 15th May. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by The Bureau Local, a reporting project run by the Bureau of Investigative Jour- nalism, found that the council was one of 10 local authorities in the country to commission such a review. The FOI response stated that it cost £18,225, not including VAT or expenses, and that it would not be made public until after it had been seen by the board. It is not clear why the report was not shown to the board earlier. In a statement, a council spokes- person said: “The financial resilience review shows that the council has managed its finances admirably in the face of unprece- dented cuts to government funding. We have put ourselves in a position to improve services for residents while at the same time being pre- pared for future pressures. “The report also helps us to un- derstand how our spending com- pares with that of other boroughs and informs our Creating Futures strategy, a new way of working to ensure residents have the best start in life.” Finance review to be published W Eric Edis with his RAF helmet and mask, one of his few remaining wartime artifacts after his diaries went missing Article written in collaboration with Gareth Davies from The Bureau Local
Delay in arrival of new double-length trains is latest setback for railway
Waltham Forest Citizens welcomes new council commitments on housing
Vegan market in Walthamstow helps people shop with compassion
Local campaigners are fighting against an upswing in racism
New poetry competition is launched by residents of 'Poets Corner'
Veteran battles council over lost diaries
93-year-old RAF veteran is battling Waltham Forest Council for compensation after his
Second World War diaries went missing from his shed. Eric Edis, from Woodford Green, lost the diaries when council contractors cleared out the contents of his shed last year – without his permission. He also lost his collec-tion of newspaper cuttings from the war, plus family heirlooms such as a 150-year-old sewing machine. Eric's insurance company valued the losses at £4,500, although the pensioner says their sentimental value is far higher. He told the Echo: “I am really very angry. When I found out, it felt like a part of my life had been stolen.” One of the few artifacts from the war Eric has left is his RAF helmet and mask, which he had fortuitous-ly removed from the shed shortly before it was cleared out by the council. Eric was a tail-gunner in the war but finds it difficult to talk about his experiences. The council first notified resi-dents of Oak Hill Court about a problem with the estate's 'pram' sheds – two rows of individually locked storage units – in October 2016. They were told that there was a health and safety problem in the shed building, thought to be asbestos, that would have to be fixed by contractors. Eric has lived on the council estate for more than 60 years, but owns the leasehold on his flat. He told the council that he did not want anyone accessing his shed without
him being present, and also said this in person to the contractors when they began the work. But Eric later discovered that his shed had been broken into – after being jemmied open – and that his pos-sessions had disappeared. The council initially claimed that the contents cleared from sheds while repair work was undertaken would be returned to their rightful owners, but when Eric was finally allowed to see his shed he found that his war diaries and other pos-sessions had been replaced by a
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FreeJune 2018, No. 39
Your independent community newspaper
by James Cracknell
bag containing household items, including a cafetière, that didn't belong to him. He said: “I don't think my diaries will be found. Lots of people have looked for my things but the council made such a cock-up of it. I called the police but they wouldn't give me a crime number. I asked them if the council were allowed to break into my property, and what would happen if I broke into the town hall? “Now it's with my insurance company and they will make sure
the council pay me back. But I prob-ably won't see my diaries again.” A council spokesperson said: “We are investigating the insurance claim arising from this allegation, in line with our normal procedures.”
Claim for compensation after shed containing wartime memorabilia was broken into by contractors
" It felt like a part of my life had been stolen"
altham Forest Council is set to publish an external review of its
finances, seven months after it was completed at a cost of at least £20,000. The town hall commissioned external accountancy firm Grant Thornton to conduct the 'finan-cial resilience review' in October last year, but the resulting report was not presented to the council's management board until 15th May. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by The Bureau Local, a reporting project run by the Bureau of Investigative Jour-nalism, found that the council was one of 10 local authorities in the country to commission such a review. The FOI response stated that it cost £18,225, not including VAT or expenses, and that it would not be made public until after it had been seen by the board. It is not clear why the report was not shown to the board earlier. In a statement, a council spokes-person said: “The financial resilience review shows that the council has managed its finances admirably in the face of unprece-dented cuts to government funding. We have put ourselves in a position to improve services for residents while at the same time being pre-pared for future pressures. “The report also helps us to un-derstand how our spending com-pares with that of other boroughs and informs our Creating Futures strategy, a new way of working to ensure residents have the best start in life.”
Finance review to be published
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Eric Edis with his RAF helmet and mask, one of his few remaining wartime artifacts after his diaries went missing
Article written in collaboration with Gareth Davies from The Bureau Local
2 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
JUNE 2018 – No. 39
Waltham Forest Echo is an independent community newspaper. We publish monthly and distribute 20,000 free copies of each issue to libraries, cafés, pubs, and other places around Waltham Forest.
MembersAdam Pike, Chris Lemin, Darrel Hunneybell, David Gardiner, David Hamilton, David O'Driscoll, Dexter Coles, Graham Millington, Jean Duggleby, Melanie Strickland, Michael Grimshaw, Roland Karthaus, Sanjoy Kumar, Sarah Jones, Keith Magnum, Renetta Neal, Graham Larkbey, Paul Schneider, Megan Lucero, Andrew Sharp, Deri Jones
The member organisations of WFWellComm CIC are:Community Transport Waltham Forest, Social Spider CIC, HEET.
Advertising EnquiriesContact Ben Cawthra:E [email protected] 020 3892 0061
The Echo began with Big Lottery funding.
As you were, Waltham Forest
COMMENT
FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE
An introduction from James Cracknell, editor of Waltham Forest Echo
Waltham Forest Citizens have secured council promises following a pre-election summit
ello and welcome to Issue 39 of Waltham Forest Echo. The local elections may
seem a long time ago now but it is worth reflecting on the results and what they might mean. Council leader Clare Coghill claimed the three seats gained by Labour was its best-ever result in Waltham Forest. While this could be disputed, and the per-formance still fell slightly below
ublic life is often domi-nated by slurs, egoism, and disrespect, as people who feel powerless attack
decision-makers. Yet the problems we face – youth violence, inequality, a lack of gen-uinely affordable homes, creating a decent and fair society – cannot be tackled by politicians and govern-ment alone. The only real way to make long-term change is to return to the root of the word 'democra-cy', from the Greek ‘demokratia’ (literally ‘rule by the people’), and start at the local level. It requires each of us, as citizens, to take re-sponsibility for our area and work in partnership with councillors and officers to achieve change. Waltham Forest Citizens is a society alliance of nine faith and
Labour's own high expectations, it is clear that any anger regard-ing contentious issues such as housing, planning, transport, and cuts to services, did not translate into anything meaningful at the ballot box. Essentially the elec-tion win gave the council a clean slate, and validation, after the ups and downs of the previous four years. In terms of policies we can expect more of the same from
education organisations; mosques,churches, colleges and schools; with 15,000 people in our membership. Together, we harness our collective power to find out what matters to our members and build account-able relationships with people in power to transform our commu-nities for the common good. In April, 603 local leaders from member organisations of Waltham Forest Citizens held the biggest local pre-election accountabili-ty assembly in London with Cllr Clare Coghill (Labour) and Cllr Alan Siggers (Conservative) dis-cussing the issues of genuinely affordable homes for local people and tackling youth violence and opportunities for young people. Specifically, we won commit-ments from them both to ensure
the town hall, although with Cllr Coghill just a year into her job there is scope for her to stamp more of her own authority on the council. So far she's placed huge emphasis on Waltham For-est's creative influence, and all eyes will now be on how the council makes the most of its London Borough of Culture award in 2019. On Page 3 you can find out about further opportunities for
young creative-minded folks in the borough, and if you want to read more about the election our report is on Page 4. Elsewhere in the paper; discover Walthamstow's new vegan market on Page 5, a model describes her battle with disease on Page 6, read about the campaigners fight-ing racism on Page 9, and get set for the From the Forest Festival on Page 13. I hope you enjoy the paper.
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Waltham Forest Echo is a member of IMPRESS: The Independent Monitor of The Press. For more information on the Echo’s complaints policy and how to make a complaint visit: walthamforestecho.co.uk/complaints
We welcome new housing commitmentsthat Waltham Forest Citizens has a seat around the table to participate in the disbursal of £4.35million of money from the London Borough of Culture award and 'integra-tion’ money, to ensure it is used to benefit the young people of our wonderful borough. We also secured commitments from Cllr Coghill to meet with her and her officers in advance of Waltham Forest Council's upcom-ing Life Chances Report to discuss its recommendations and then be involved in its implementation. In terms of genuinely affordable homes, we secured agreements to build 50 percent affordable housing across all developments on public land. Now we look forward to Cllr Coghill deliver-ing on her ambitious commit-ment by ensuring that half of the new homes set to be built on The Score site, opposite Leyton Orient's The Breyer Group Stadium, are designated affordable. This seems a fully achievable goal given the scale of the £48m deal the council has agreed with developers Taylor Wimpey. Spend-ing just half of this amount on affordable homes would ensure that The Score moves from the current agreement of 25 percent to 50 percent. In addition, over the next four years, councillors agreed to build an incredible 600 Community Land Trust (CLT) homes, where the price of the home is connected to the median local income, not the market price. They also agreed to build 1,200 social rent homes.
This article was written by Gill Burbridge (Principal, Leyton Sixth Form College), Vanessa Conant (Rector, Parish of Walthamstow), Averil Watan (Warden, St Barnabas Church), Andy Trenier (Rector, Parish of Chingford) and Saira Mir (Faizan-E-Islam).
If you would like to get involved with Waltham Forest Citizens, please contact the senior organiser for Waltham Forest, Daniel Mackintosh:
In April, 603 local leaders from member organisations of Waltham Forest Citizens attended an accountability assembly prior to the local election
" Change is only possible if we build respectful, reciprocal relationships" Finally, credit to Cllr Coghill on the new deal secured with the Mayor of London to build 525 social rent homes in the next few years. These are the victories that local communities can win if we are organised and powerful. However, we must remember that long-term change is only possible if we are able to build respectful, reciprocal relationships with the council and collectively raise the bar in public life.
3No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
New hub in Blackhorse Lane will help young people start creative careers
NEWSFeatureVegan market in Walthamstow helps people shop with compassion
altham Forest Coun-cil's cabinet member for economic growth
says the authority has “no current plans” to invest in property outside the borough, after deciding against buying a Brighton hotel. The hotel could have made money for spending back in Waltham Forest, but Cllr Simon Miller said: “The property team brought forward an investment opportunity of a hotel in Brighton in Septem-ber 2017. Government guidelines at the time encouraged councils to consider investments outside the borough, and our investment policy required a minimum return of two per cent. “After thorough due diligence, this opportunity was not progressed, as it was not certain to deliver real benefits for residents. There are no current plans to purchase out of the borough, in line with recently updated guidelines.”
altham Forest College has teamed up with charities Safer London
and Sparks4Life to deliver a series of workshops on youth violence.The workshops help students with managing conflict, online safety, healthy relationships, consent, and safety planning. They aim to help them avoid potential confron-tations and safeguard them in a wide variety of situations. Student president Teri said: “These workshops are really helpful as I plan to use what I learnt in my day-to-day life, even after I finish my studies. I am happy the college recognises these concerns by being responsive to what is happening in London.”
tart-up businesses that use open workspaces in Waltham Forest will not
need to pay tax for their first year of operation. Believed to be a first for London, the 100 percent tax discount offered by Waltham Forest Council should make it much easier for local entre-preneurs, as workspace operators can pass on savings by reducing rent. The tax relief is proposed to reduce over the first five years of a start-up's operation until it begins paying normal business rates. It's hoped the scheme will especially help creative industries.
Brighton beached
Youth workshops
100% tax discount
oung people from disadvantaged back-grounds will be given opportunities to help
ew electric trains that will double the capacity of a London Over-
ground line through Waltham Forest have been delayed. Transport for London (TfL) says the four-carriage trains have yet to be delivered by manufacturer Bombardier because of a “soft-ware” problem, but did not give a date for their arrival. The latest in a series of setbacks for the Gospel Oak to Barking line means passengers are still waiting for the long-awaited electrifica-tion upgrade to be completed –
start a career in creative industries at a new centre in Walthamstow. Opening in July, Creative Works will be a co-working space at
Gnome House for 100 industry professionals and employers. Those using the centre will then offer ap-prenticeships, training, mentor-
ing and practical support to local students aged between 16 and 24. It has been made possible by a £3.6million investment from the Greater London Authority, Charity Bank, and Big Issue Invest, and will form part of a new 'Big Cre-ative Village' run by Big Creative Education (BCE), a not-for-profit teaching hub in Blackhorse Lane. BCE has worked with more than 10,000 young people since it was established in 1999. Alexis Michaelides, managing direc-tor, said: “The investment is extremely significant in our mission to support young people into creative careers.” Trading surpluses from the letting of co-working space at Creative Works will be reinvested by BCE into subsidised rents and provid-ing further creative opportunities. James Salmon, investment director at Big Issue Invest, said: “We know Alexis and his team will bring in-domitable passion to the project, and provide young people who would ordinarily find it near impossible to enter the creative industries a vibrant space to learn and gather valuable on the job experience.”
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Creating opportunities
Another setback for railway as new trains delayed
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For more information on Creative Works:
Visit creativeworks.space
P . 5
Alexis Michaelides, founder of Big Creative Education Credit Paul Tucker
" Our customers have been very patient"
two years after it began. Jonathan Fox, TfL’s director for rail, said: “We are very keen to see our new London Over-ground trains in service on the Gospel Oak to Barking line as soon as possible, especially as our customers have been very patient while the electrification works by Network Rail have been taking place. “Network Rail is still finalising the necessary safety testing for the newly electrified line to allow the new trains to operate. The de-livery of the new trains has also been delayed slightly by Bombar-
dier due to the need for further software development. “We continue to work closely with Bombardier Transporta-tion and Network Rail with new trains expected to enter service later this summer.” Network Rail apologised last year after failing to complete its initial engineering works to adapt the line for electric trains within the original eight-month sched-ule, following a series of mishaps that included severed sewers and incorrectly designed power lines. Network Rail then apologised again this year after new lifts at
Blackhorse Road Station were delayed because of problems with the fire alarm system. The upgrade to the line, which serves four stations in the borough, was first announced in 2013 and was originally budgeted to cost taxpayers £133million – but is now expected to cost substantial-ly more than that.
4 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
abour retained control of Waltham Forest Council in a largely uneventful local election last month.
The ruling Labour administra-tion won 46 out of 60 seats, two more than they achieved at the last poll in 2014. Hale End and Highams Park ward provided the only drama of the night, where the opposition Conservatives lost their two seats. Labour also re-gained a seat in Higham Hill, where an independent candidate who had previously represented the party lost out. It means more of the same in Waltham Forest, with the result likely to have negligible impact on council policy. Councillor Clare Coghill, who
was fighting her first election as council leader, spoke to the Echo after the results were announced at Walthamstow Assembly Hall in the early hours of Friday 4th May. She said: “I’m delighted with the result. “I am very pleased and very proud of the team – everyone has worked hard. The reality is that we used to be scrapping around to win by small majorities but that is now what we have left the Tories to do. “[Chingford MP] Iain Duncan Smith should be very worried about his [parliamentary] seat in the next general election. We will be intent on taking it.” The election result represents another solid victory for Labour in Waltham Forest, but the Tories still maintain a foothold at the town hall, with 14 out of 60 seats. The share of the vote for both parties was also significant-ly boosted by the decision of UKIP
not to stand in any of the 20 wards. Councillor Alan Siggers, the Con-servative group leader, told the Echo: “I think it is important this council has an opposition. This is London and it is not like the rest of the country, where Conservatives have gained. But we are still here and we will still hold the council to account.” The smaller parties generally failed to make inroads, with the third-placed Liberal Democrats unable to mount a serious chal-lenge in any of the wards where they held seats as recently as 2014. Turnout for the election was 37.9%.
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Laszlo Kelemen, a British Red Cross volunteer Credit Rankin
Labour Party tightens grip on town hall
A full list of results from the local election is available on the Waltham Forest Council website:
Alan Siggers (Con), Jemma Hemsted (Con), Elizabeth Baptiste (Lab)
Umar Ali (Lab), Grace Williams (Lab), Joe Lacey-Holland (Lab)
Ros Flowers (Lab), Vicky te Velde (Lab), Richard Sweden (Lab)
(36.4%)
(32.0%)
(36.2%)
(36.4%)
(34.3%)
(44.6%)
(42.6%)
(37.0%)
(38.6%)
Election results by ward (turnout %) Kindness in a crisisLaszlo from Leytonstone helped terror and disaster victims
enowned photographer Rankin has captured the extraordinary kindness shown by British Red
Cross volunteers who helped victims of last year’s terror attacks and Grenfell Tower disaster. One of more than 1,000 British Red Cross volunteers who worked alongside the emergency services was Laszlo Kelemen from Leytonstone. The 33-year-old in-tensive care practitioner has been a Red Cross volunteer since he was 15, starting in his home country of Romania, before joining the British Red Cross two years ago. Laszlo was part of the charity’s response to the London Bridge attack on 3rd June 2017, Gren-fell Tower fire on 14th June 2017, and Finsbury Park attack on 19th June 2017; providing psychoso-cial support to those affected. “The Red Cross is part of who I am,” said Laszlo. “Like many other people who live in London, and across the UK, I couldn’t believe the horrific series of incidents that unfolded last year. “Before last summer I felt like someone who just lived in London but now I feel that I’m part of this city because I was able to help.
I’ve experienced its very worst but also its best. “When the devastation happened last year communities across London united. That’s the real feeling of London, and being able to help as part of the British Red Cross was the proudest moment of my life.” Following the emergencies last summer British Red Cross volun-teers provided first aid at the scene; emotional and practical support at rest centres; helped people who were bereaved or searching for missing loved ones; managed a 24-hour helpline; and sorted through 200 tonnes of donated items. Zoë Abrams, executive director, said: “For the British Red Cross, last year was unprecedented in our peacetime history in the UK. In the space of just a few weeks we de-ployed more than 1,000 volunteers to help those affected. It is through incredible kindness and compas-sion that we are able to continue supporting people whenever and wherever crises happen.”
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For more information on volunteering for British Red Cross:Visit redcross.org.uk/kindness
5No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
FEATURE
Shopping with compassion
ast month Walthamstow witnessed the launch of a community and fam-ily-friendly market,
where vegans and non-vegans alike enjoyed and discovered the richness and diversity of a compassionate lifestyle. Waltham Forest Vegans Market is a not-for-profit team effort which has grown out of a small local vegan support and discus-sion group. As veganism grows locally and nationally, it's no wonder that the creative cultur-al mixing pot of Walthamstow has produced some wonderful local traders. The positive energy of Waltham Forest Vegans, a group of passionate members now num-bering more than 600, brought the opportunity to support home-grown talent with the launch event on Sunday 13th May. The first market took place at the St James end of Walthamstow High Street and showcased a wide range of hot and cold food and
drink stalls, from raw and zesty to deliciously indulgent. Local businesses taking part included La Buenaventura, offering Spanish brunch; Renee’s Kitchen serving Caribbean dishes; burgers from The Green Grill; sweet treats such as ice cream and cakes; as well as animal-free clothing and skin-care products. Visitors were also entertained with live music from local musicians, face painting for kids, and even a man on stilts! Not only did the event attract vegans from Waltham Forest, people from other parts of London and outside of London travelled especially to visit the market. Passing non-vegans also took a keen interest in what the project had to offer. Many took particular notice of 'iAnimal' the immersive virtual reality headsets from Animal Equality which allowed the public to find out a little more about the life of a farmed animal in the UK. A raffle drew a crowd of people hoping to win some beautiful
products kindly donated by traders, with proceeds donated to animal protection charity Animal Defenders International. Traders and visitors alike remarked how the warm and friendly atmosphere fostered by organisers allowed conversation about a vegan lifestyle and food to flow freely. Traders Well-Bean Company and The Depressed Baker also encouraged discussion on mental wellbeing, with both businesses supporting work in the area of mental health. But the main point of discus-
sion and question on everyone's lips was when the next Waltham Forest Vegans Market would take place. An aspiration is for future Waltham Forest Vegans market days to promote more local businesses offering vegan suitable foods and goods, as well as entertainment and activities which reflect the diversity of the borough, so that the project is run to support the area and with the local community at its heart. The launch event was kindly supported by the street trading team of Waltham Forest Council, including a fantastic street clean-
ing team who commented just how clean and tidy the street was left at the end of the event. With the tremendous support shown by locals and all visitors so far, organisers are hopeful that further discussions with the council about ongoing, regular markets will have a positive outcome. Stay tuned!L
The launch of a new vegan market has offered a taste of things to come
CommentLocal campaigners are fighting against an upswing in racism
by Chrissie Dodkin
P . 7
For more information about Waltham Forest Vegans:
Email walthamforestvegan@ gmail.com
Colourful vegan burgers from The Green Grill Credit Chrissie Dodkin
Shopper takes interest in raw cakes Credit Chrissie Dodkin Awesome Vegan Snacks Credit Chrissie Dodkin
Shoppers at the inaugural Waltham Forest Vegans Market in Walthamstow High Street Credit Chrissie Dodkin
6 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
FEATURES
Don't suffer in silence
Fitter and happier
ollowing a recent traumat-ic experience my mission this year is to enlighten people about the dangers
of endometriosis, a condition spe-cifically affecting women. Endometriosis occurs from tissue outside the uterus causing pelvic pain, which is especially associat-ed with menstruation. In January I formed a partnership with Endometriosis UK, as an ad-vocate to create awareness about the disease. The sad thing about it is how long it takes to get diag-nosed and how destructive it can be to your reproductive system. The disease affects 176 million women worldwide and about 1.5 million in the UK. Around one in ten women is likely to have the disease – often without knowing.My main objective is to echo the demand by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecolo-gists for further research into
ana Joan was ahead of her time. At the age of 72, she would parade around in
faded joggings, showing up the 20-somethings at the local zumba class with her limber lunges. As one of eight siblings, she'd never had the opportunity to take part in ‘the arts’ – a fate not too far removed from many children in Waltham Forest today, of whom 35 percent are in living in poverty.To make do, my nana and her siblings would claim territory to the fields behind her house, turning them into outdoor amphitheatres. Here, they would dance around to their heart's content. Decades later, to make sure my opportunities went beyond grassy stages, Nana Joan worked three jobs to pay for my performing arts lessons. “Dance and be happy,” she’d say, outpacing modern researchers who are just begin-ning to unearth the link between exercise and wellbeing. In the dance studio, learning came to life. Having caught the dancing bug, I was a profession-al fidget in the classroom. As a kinetic learner forced to sit at a desk for hours, I felt claustro-phobic. I knew that movement and learning went hand in hand, but teachers didn’t seem to have cottoned on to this. In fact, they
better treatment of the disease and for local doctors to take the condition more seriously. The disease has no cure and perma-nent treatment is surgery, which has major consequences. Endometriosis has ruined my per-sonal life and my budding career as a model, but when I finally opened up about my journey on social media I realised I was not alone. I was contacted by many women and girls suffering with the disease in silence. In March I organised a charity event to create awareness in my local community, Highams Park, to reach out and educate women and young girls to get diagnosed and seek further assistance. The event was successful. It highlight-ed the stages of the disease and gave women confidence to get the right support from Endo-metriosis UK and the National Health Service. During the event I spoke about how schools need to teach men-strual wellbeing and stop treating
seemed to view physical education with a mixture of fear and dread. Years later when training to be a social worker, I was struck by two observations that really hit home.Firstly, children were in desperate need of a preventative approach to safeguarding and wellbeing. This is striking in Waltham Forest, where according to a recent safe-guarding report 59 percent of chil-dren are experiencing difficulties with social-emotional development. Secondly, many of the chil-dren I worked with just didn’t get along with traditional desk learning. For kinetic learners, or those with autism and addi-tional needs, learning was easier through physical activity. So-called 'gymtherapy' came about as an answer to the above. Our early intervention approach incorporates cognitive behavioural therapy, choreography, and narra-tive therapy. Gymtherapy has taken place in schools from Hull to Chile, and is now available here in Waltham Forest! We offer one-hour sessions, including; identity and self-esteem, mindfulness, anger expression, abuse awareness, and gender stereo-types. What’s more, the Gymtherapy book has just been released.
periods like a 'dirty secret'. Endo-metriosis affects young girls as well and it can sometimes go undiag-nosed for as long as 13 years. The symptoms aren't obvious – it can be more than just a painful period. Please do visit the websites listed below for more information on the disease, my campaign, and the work of Endometriosis UK.
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A model is helping to raise awareness of a common disease afflicting young women
A social enterprise that's still going strong
For more information on Endometriosis UK:Visit endometriosis-UK.org
For more information on Nana:Visit nanaafuaantwi.com
For more information on Gymtherapy in Waltham Forest:Email [email protected] gymtherapy.org
by Nana Afua Antwi
by Rebekah Pierre
Nana Afua Antwi, pictured centre, is a model and campaigner from Highams Park
" When I finally opened up on social media I realised I was not alone"
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ColumnThe joint venture helping small organisations establish their brand P . 11
alking, even a short distance, is not something I usually do – ask
anyone who knows me! So why did I sign up for the 'Big Walk' challenge? What made me want to spend nearly three weeks, minus a couple of (much needed!) rest days, walking 373 miles along country paths and canals from Morecambe all the way home to Waltham Forest? The answer lies in my own story. For more than twelve years I have been working with young people to provide them with positive activities, to promote social inclusion, and reduce offending and anti-social behaviour. I started this because in 2004 I lost my 16-year-old cousin to violent crime. His death was a catalyst and made me change the direc-tion of my life and do something to provide young people with a safe space to go as an alternative to the violence on the streets.
The Big Walk has been an oppor-tunity to meet like-minded people and shine a light on all the amazing things happening in our neighbour-hoods. I have a genuine interest in projects run by committed people for the benefit of their communi-ty, and every step of the walk has been worth it, just to be able to see the miracles people perform to keep going. From a centre in Newark that sup-ports adults and young people with learning difficulties, to a voluntary organisation in Morecambe – one of my first visits on this journey – that works as a collective to assist homeless and vulnerable people. Our own organisation, The Soul Project, engages young people in positive activities and is based on partnerships with other local groups, though unfortunately our centre was recently forced to close. Visiting other initiatives has been a chance to share ideas, thoughts,
and good practice, as well as be inspired by other amazing projects around the country – it has been a real privilege to hear about their ex-traordinary work. It has given me the strength and encouragement to overcome my own challenges and hopefully re-open our centre in Waltham Forest. While on the Big Walk, I am also working up an appetite for the 'Big Lunch' community event on Sunday 3rd June. Together we can all do our bit to create a stronger, happier community, and the easiest place to start is right where we live!
WWalking up an appetite
Steve Barnabis in Morecambe at the launch of The Big Walk
For more information on The Big Lunch:
Visit thebiglunch.com
For more information on The Soul Project:
Tweet @TSPYouthSpace
London’s only diamond structure school with single-sex teaching in a co-educational environment
for girls and boys aged 4-18.
We are a city school with 30 acres of grounds where north east London meets Epping Forest.
Steve Barnabis, founder of The Soul Project youth service, wants to bring communities together
FEATURES
8 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
PHOTOGRAPHY
Call us to book an appointment
Willow Brook Primary School & Nursery 190 Church Road, Leyton, London E10 7BH
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Something special is happening at Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery! All children flourish in our Early Years. They have excellent relationships with staff and it is normal for children to exceed their expected levels of progress. Willow Brook provides a happy and secure environment in which to learn, and our pupils enjoy their time at school so much they don’t want to leave!
Nursery places are available for September 2018 at Willow Brook Nursery rated Ofsted Outstanding. Come to our Nursery Open Day on Thursday 28th June 2018 from 9.30am until 11am and from 1.30pm until 3pm.
If you can’t make the Open Day, come to our stay and play sessions every Wednesday 8.30am to 9.30am or 12.30pm to 1.30pm.@WillowBrookGST
Sitting ducklings at Lloyd Park in Walthanstow Credit William Powell
9No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 9EventNew poetry competition is launched by residents of 'Poets Corner' P . 13COMMENT
altham Forest is incredibly diverse, with over half the population
from minority ethnic back-grounds, and a quarter of Muslim faith. This diversity is what makes the borough such a vibrant place to live and is one of the reasons cited for its success in winning the first London Borough of Culture award. Yet repeatedly Waltham Forest has been targeted by racists and fascists, and residents have suffered first-hand from the government’s cruel ‘hostile envi-ronment’ immigration policies. The borough’s anti-racist move-ment has a strong track record of uniting the majority of the com-munity against the politics of hate and division. The current climate offers us both challenges and op-portunities which we must address. In April, Waltham Forest res-idents were among those sent vile ‘punish a Muslim’ letters, which were part of a national-ly-coordinated Islamophobic campaign. Stand up to Racism Waltham Forest worked closely with the Waltham Forest Council
of Mosques, campaign group Muslim Engagement and Devel-opment (MEND), local council-lors, and residents, to organise a series of successful actions to give public expression to solidar-ity with the Muslim community. Residents joined local councillors, council leader Clare Coghill, and Mayor of Waltham Forest Yemisi Osho, at a gathering in Waltham-stow Town Square. Hundreds encircled Lea Bridge Road and Faizan-e-Islam mosques, joining the mosques’ special open days. Community leaders from across the faiths, including Canon Steven Saxby and Rabbi Richard Jacobi, signed a statement condemning the attacks and urging everyone to stand up to Islamophobia, anti-semitism, and racism in all its forms, declaring: “Every person should be able to practise their religion and live their lives free from hatred and persecution.” Parents also distributed ‘Stand Together against Islamophobia’ stickers at school gates to show Muslim children and parents solidarity and support. The Islamophobic letter cam-paign arose in a context of
intensifying racism following the EU membership referendum of 2016. The vicious anti-migrant rhetoric led by the UK Indepen-dence Party, supported by 'Brex-iteer' Tories and the right-wing media, has whipped up hatred and intolerance against mi-grants and refugees. It created the toxic climate in which MP Jo Cox was brutally murdered by Britain First supporter Thomas Mair. Homosexual people, as well as Muslims – particularly hijab-wearing women – have suf-fered an increase in hate crime. A large proportion of street attacks have been against Muslims, which have become more and more violent. For instance, in June last year Makram Ali was killed and nine others injured after Darren Osborne drove a van into Finsbury Park Mosque. In Sep-tember, Zaynab Hussein suffered life-changing injuries in an abso-lutely horrific attack in Leicester when Paul Moore deliberately and repeatedly drove his car into her. According to the Metropolitan Police there were 68 Islamophobic hate crimes recorded in Waltham Forest in the year from May 2017
to April 2018. The previous year had seen 48 such crimes, while there were 37 recorded in the year prior to the referendum. Waltham Forest MEND run an Islamophobic Response Unit, carrying out data monitoring on Islamophobia, as well as legal support, advice, and referral services. But they warn: “We are aware that these statistics are likely an under-estimate given a reluc-tance to report hate crimes.” The group urges anyone who has been a victim of a hate crime to report it. Waltham Forest was also target-ed by a chemical poisoning hoax when, in June 2016, letters con-taining white powder, with crude drawings of mosques crossed out and messages of racist abuse, were sent to mosques in the borough. In December 2016, when a Muslim woman was attacked and dragged along the street in Chingford, Stand up to Racism Waltham Forest helped organise a large vigil in order to give public expression to the local commu-nity’s outrage and solidarity with the young woman. The response to these repeated
W
Fighting racism in Waltham ForestSophie Bolt, chair of Stand up to Racism Waltham Forest, on how the borough has responded to a recent rise in hate crime
An anti-racism protest outside the Waltham Forest Islamic Association in Lea Bridge Road Credit Waltham Forest Islamic Association
To get in touch with with Stand up to Racism Waltham Forest:
" The response to repeated attacks has strengthened unity against racism across the borough"attacks has strengthened unity against racism across the borough. The challenge for us all now is to not only halt the rise of Islam-ophobia but to reverse it and all forms of racism. The inhumane treatment of the ‘Windrush’ generation and their children has revealed to millions of people the shocking reality of the government's racist immigra-tion policies. It is vital that the maximum pressure is now brought to bear on this government to end the ‘hostile environment’ policy. Shadow Home Secretary and President of Stand up to Racism, Diane Abbott, has announced that a Labour government would reverse it, including closing Yarl’s Wood and Brook House de-tention centres, and scrapping minimum income requirements for spouses to join partners in the UK. Friday 22nd June marks the 70th anniversary of SS Windrush ar-riving at Tilbury Docks from theCaribbean. Let’s make that an-niversary not only a celebration of the incredible contribution the Windrush generations have made to Britain, but also about restoring all their legal citizen rights and repealing the 2014 Im-migration Act.
10 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
LETTERS
Waltham Forest Save Our NHS is putting on a photographic exhibition about big corporations' gradual takeover of parts of the National Health Service. We think everyone should know the damage this is doing to the health service and ultimately patient care. Because once we know what's going on, we can do something about it. Since 2010 Virgin Care has won contracts valued at £2.5billion. Last year it ran 400 NHS services, but claimed it made no profit, so paid no tax. NHS hospitals get
Like many other areas now, Uni-versal Credit was introduced to Waltham Forest in May. Residents need to try and get independent advice, if they are pressured into claiming it. I attended meetings in 2010 and knew then that it would not work. It will wreak havoc on the council when debts build up. There will likely be evictions because of delays, claim failures, and difficulties for people who cannot access support to use computers. I am pretty sure MPs and council-lors will see an increase in demand for this as well, buts let's remem-ber that it was [Chingford MP] Iain Duncan Smith who introduced it.Local Stand Up for Your Rights activists have been campaigning on this for a very long time. There may be trouble ahead!
Gary MartinCarr Road, Walthamstow
The new plans for long-awaited housing and commercial prem-ises adjacent to Blackhorse Road Station are long overdue, but appear to lack an understanding of the local environs. The main station entrance is not suitable for the deluge of new commuters from the myriad of new developments within 250 metres, let alone the huge number of houses at Kim-
Now it's warmer it's wonderful to see people out enjoying Lloyd Park and all the other parks in the borough. Less uplifting is the sight of all the litter they leave behind. We have single-use packaging and now, apparently, a single-use park. There appears to be precious little understanding that this is a public space, to be enjoyed by other members of the public. If only there were some way we could get the message out, but in-variably large signs and letters such as this one are ignored. Could it be true that we may have to start speaking to one another? It's a scary thought, I know. What if the other person reacts badly to being asked to take their rubbish home with them? I find a gentle nudge in the right direction often suffices, but on the other occa-sions? Well, no harm ever came of doing the right thing. Furthermore, I regularly pick up litter. No, it's not my job, but I do it anyway. The council cleaners cannot be everywhere all the time, and neither should they be expect-ed to clean up after others. While we may not be able to clean up the whole world, we could start by keeping Lloyd Park and other parks tidy. Let's get to work.
Rob StuartChingford Road, Walthamstow
Highlighting NHS privatisation
I fear impact of Universal Credit
Expand public transport
Keep Lloyd Park tidy
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paid a standard rate for treatments, regardless of any complications. But private hospitals and treatment centres – such as Care UK in Ilford – can cherry-pick the NHS patients they treat. This leaves local hospi-tals providing care to patients with more complex needs, but with less overall income. Global consultancy companies have played a major role in deci-sions being made about the NHS. By March 2017 the government had spent £17.6m on private con-sultants hired to draw-up plans for £22bn-worth of NHS cuts. The first responsibility of private companies is to their sharehold-ers; what happened with Carillion is a chilling example of what can go wrong. We believe the primary duty of NHS providers should be to their patients, not making profits for shareholders. How Come We Didn't Know? A Photographic Exhibition of the Corporate Takeover of our NHS is on at the Winns Gallery in Lloyd Park from Monday 4th until Wednesday 6th June, 10am to 5pm each day. Please join us!
Mary BurnettWaltham Forest Save Our NHS
Advertisement
Citizens Advice Waltham Forest: Join Our Board
To express interest, please send a copy of your CV with a covering letter to: [email protected] date 30th June
• We are looking to recruit four skilled Trustees to join our Board over the coming months.
• We are looking for local people with strategic vision, who have an understanding of the local area, have independent judgement and a willingness to give their time and commitment to being a Trustee.
• The Board currently meets a minimum of four times a year for formal Board meetings. In addition, Trustees are actively encouraged to join a sub-committee, according to their particular area of expertise or experience.
• We are keen to achieve having a diverse Board which is representative of the local area. Therefore, we very much welcome applications from all sections of the local community.
Citizens Advice Waltham Forest is a charity created to serve the local community, providing advice, information and advocacy on a wide range of subjects. The Board of Trustees are the first and final decision making authority within Citizens Advice Waltham Forest. As a Trustee, you will fulfil an important role within the organisation and your contribution and involvement in the running of the organisation will be valued. The post of Trustee is unpaid but will provide you with a great deal of experience and satisfaction.
berley Road and Walthamstow Stadium. The access orientation has also shifted axis. The proposed scheme needs to have additional retail, restaurants and gym but most importantly provide a space between the blocks for a new London Overground gated entrance and ticket office. A cursory glance at the increase in passenger numbers for the Gospel Oak to Barking line, excluding the previously heavily disrupted last two years, shows station enlargement is inevitable. The Victoria Line foot-print is protected and will be needed very soon for a new third surface
platform; a reversing siding but also for a potential new service beyond Gospel Oak to Kensal Rise/Old Oak. It will mean less landscaped area, but hopefully Walthamstow Wetlands will benefit. An extension of the 397 bus to a new terminal via Billet Road, Priors Croft, Higham Hill and St Andrews Road would plug the glaring gap in public transport between Brettenham Road and Higham Hill. Planning is always reactionary and never prepa-ratory. Time to change philosophy?
Paul DonnellyWalthamstow
11No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
COLUMNS
ife without risk is life stuck in a rut. Some-times taking a gamble can stretch and help me grow.
On the flip side, fear of failure can be an obstacle that prevents me from taking that first step. I can worry about what will happen, if and when I fail. But failure is only failure to the extent that I see it that way. Instead I’m going to try and perceive it as a valuable learning curve. A recent enriching experience has been sitting on a roundtable judging panel for the Grow Your Idea project at The Mill. The aim of the competition is to enable local people to share their skills and experiences. It has the added advantage of connecting local people with each other, supporting development, and helping nurture friendships. The prize is the offer of support from The Mill; in the form of venue hire, resources, publicity, as well as mentoring and training. It was a difficult decision process. In an ideal world, everyone would be given the opportunity to develop their big idea and turn it into reality. The 20 entrants all inspired me to follow their lead and take risks. It's a risk to step out of your comfort zone to make the application rather than delay and let the deadline date pass by. Each candidate showed glowing
fter 20 years each working in top London design agencies, two Waltham Forest design-
ers are celebrating the eighth year of setting up their own business. Elbow Creative was founded in 2010 by Julian Van Loxton and Craig Bowman. The company helps organisations with their brand communications, which may mean helping to devise a brand identity, refine an exist-ing one, or help to communicate it either online or via traditional printed means. “It came to a point where we wanted to take full control of our creative work and set our own agenda,” explains Julian. “Over the years we have built a broad client base which ranges from the NHS to finance and fashion. “However, we have a strong focus on enterprise, charity, and not-for-profit organisations. We’ve been for-tunate to have long-standing clients, for example Teach First from the start and Healthwatch since its inception.” The Elbow Creative team has
merit; all had heart and passion. We debated long and hard on selecting the winning applicants. The ideas we chose are varied. One is a workshop for new immigrants to meet, share experiences, and develop their own photographic albums. Another is a herbalist and artist who have joined together to run a guided local walk with prac-tical creative sessions and develop 'herbal journals'. Other chosen ideas include a sto-rytelling and drama movement group for children with additional needs, an engagement project fo-cusing on the original Coppermill in Walthamstow from which The Mill gets its name, and an oral history workshop open to people from all walks of life. But our first supported project will be an introduction to bicycle mainte-nance and repair run by Marga-ret Gibbs from Sick Bike Repairs. For these chosen six the risk has paid off. But for applicants not selected I hope they don’t give up – The Mill's door remains open to them. Putting down on paper what they’ve been thinking in their head alone can outweigh the downside of not getting through. As Mark Twain once said: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.”
also managed to help 'cash poor' organisations with their brand communications, often pro bono, and has worked with several local Community Interest Companies. Says Craig: “From the start we agreed that we wanted to help small organisations in business or the third sector; we conscious-ly made out price point accessible for these groups.” The team started with limited funds, a loft space, a bank account, and a name. They’re both par-ticularly proud of the fact that they have never needed to borrow money to fuel the business and it’s been a positive decision to stay small. One of their biggest challenges so far has been to stay in Waltham Forest. Julian says: “Starting the busi-ness during an economic down-turn, making it to eight years in our own E17 studio and working with great clients, has been a great achievement for us both. However certainly one of our biggest chal-lenges has been workspace and to keep trading in E17.
“It’s great to see Waltham Forest Council now taking a lead on business development within the borough with a strategy; we’d really like to see a much better choice for business space.” Julian and Craig are looking ahead to the next phase of the successful creative business and aiming to move into new local premises this summer. They have some wise words for would-be entrepreneurs: “Be brave – making the decision to leave permanent employment took two years and looking back we should have done it ten years earlier!”
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A
Margaret Gibbs from Sick Bike Repairs, one of the six winning entrants to The Mill's launchpad competition, Grow Your Idea 2
Julian Van Loxton and Craig Bowman, of Elbow Creative
Who dares wins
A joint ventureIn her latest column, Waltham Forest Business Network's Jo Sealy meets the creative duo helping others discover their identity
In her regular column Helen Bigham from The Mill community centre is rewarding the risk-takers
Marlowe Road Estate resident Michelle Edwards struggles to find the truth
Column
P . 14
12 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
LISTINGS
Upcoming
Ongoing
St Mary's Music Hall 1st Birthday PartyThursday 28th June, 6.30pm–10.30pmSt Mary’s Music Hall, Church End, Walthamstow E17 9RL
Holy Family Summer FairSaturday 30th June, 12pm–4pmHoly Family Catholic School, 1 Shernhall Street E17 3EA
Best Before StallSaturdays, 10am–2pmNext to Matalan, 829-837 High Road Leytonstone E11 1HH
We're celebrating one year of hosting the best in folk, world and jazz music in Walthamstow. Big Ben Jorge will be bringing their 70s-style, good-time samba funk vibes with an explosive live perfor-mance. Locally based Muntu Valdo will also be showcasing his Sawa blues music, featuring a rhythmic and melodic sensi-bility that flows from the rich wellspring of timeless Cameroonian folk.
The Friends of Holy Family Catholic School and Sixth Form are holding an afternoon of family fun. Come and join us for games, food stalls, bouncy activi-ties, home made cakes and refreshments, penalty shoot-outs and Holy Family's Got Talent! If you wish to book a table for £10 please email us.
The Best Before Stall stocks an ever-chang-ing selection of packaged foods from spices to rices – via puddings, preserves, pasta, drinks, crisps, teas and chocolates. Transition Leytonstone sources these from local shops and individuals. All of these foods are past their ‘best before’ date. They are perfectly okay to eat and legal to be offered for sale. Pay us what you feel is right!
£8 entry – includes one drinkEmail [email protected] stmarysmusichall.co.uk
Unity: The Art of TogethernessSaturday 2nd June, 12pm–8pmLOW (Locus of Walthamstow), 1 Chingford Road E17 4PW
UK Premiere: Land of the FreeThursday 7th June, 7pm–9pm1 Church Hill, Walthamstow, E17 3AB
Walthamstow Wetlands WalkThursday 7th June, 10.15am–1pmWalthamstow Weltands, Forest Road (meet outside Tottenham Hale Station)
Chingford Village FestivalSaturday 9th June, 12pm–7pmThe Green, Station Road, Chingford E4 7EN
Unity: The Art of Togetherness is a unique pop-up exhibition exploring the concept of unity in modern society, fea-turing artists from across the UK and the world. An exclusive screening of the award-winning film The Staging Post, which follows two Afghan Hazara ref-ugees as they establish Cisarua Refugee Learning Centre in Indonesia, will be taking place in the evening. All tickets in aid of child.org, a charity halping chil-dren in Africa.
Life is tough for most people living in south Los Angeles. Gun fights and drug crimes are commonplace in this neigh-bourhood, and it’s hard to escape the vicious circle of poverty and crime. Land of the Free follows three ex-convicts and their loved ones, in the two years after their release from prison as they strive to find a new place in society. An inti-mate portrait of humanity.
Walthamstow Wetlands is a nature reserve, based around ten Thames Water reser-voirs and managed by London Wildlife Trust, where you can see flocks of mi-grating birds without even leaving the city! We shall gather at the meeting point at 10.30am and proceed to walk around this fantastic area. The walk is free but booking is required.
This community festival features a craft fair, food stalls, and outdoor stage with live music and dance displays. The church is hosting choirs and the church hall will have varied live music. Mornington Hall has acoustic music and in the garden there is free children's entertainment. There are also sports displays and bagpipes.
Our Story So Far art exhibition Starting 17th June, 9.30am–6pmThe Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA
Highams Park Live Thursday 21st June, 7.30pm–11pmUpstairs at The County Arms, 420 Hale End Road, Chingford E4 9PB
We are a writing group based in Waltham-stow and are welcoming people to visit us and see if they’d like to become a member. We read from our current projects and offer constructive criticism. It’s a great platform for testing your writing on a real audience, finding out what works and getting to the heart of what doesn’t. Please let us know via email if you want to join us.
The best hand-picked vintage traders from all over the UK and Europe sell their wares, ensuring visitors enjoy a fun and authentic vintage day out. This is part of Walthamstow Assembly Hall's new arts and music programme, called WAH17.
Visit our latest exhibition to celebrate The Mill! Take a step back to see how far we have come, where we are now and what the future could possibly bring. Become part of our story on our dedicated sharing wall. This is your chance to let us know what you love about The Mill.
Highams Park Live presents an acoustic evening of live music performance with an eclectic programme of local songwriters, poets and storytellers. Be inspired by the creative atmosphere! Please email us if you wish to perform at future events.
Shakespeare in the VillageWednesday 27th until Friday 30th June, 7.30pm-10.30pmThe Open Air Theatre, Woodbury Road, Walthamstow E17 9RZ
All are invited to jump on their bikes for Waltham Forest’s annual commu-nity cycle event, Le Tour De Waltham Forest. Participants can choose from one of three routes to suit their abilities. The routes include the beautiful nature spots of Leyton Marshes and Waltham-stow Wetlands. Please book in advance.
Come along to view our exhibition on the past, present and possible future of The Mill – and take part in our art in-stallation! The Mill’s Sociable Sewing Group will be exhibiting craft work and answering any sewing queries. There will also be refreshments and cake (supplied by The Mill Bakers) with all proceeds going to The Mill.
Forest Philharmonic has been perform-ing in Walthamstow Assembly Hall for more than 50 years. For their summer concert the orchestra will be performing Ravel’s Alborada del Gracioso, Beetho-ven’s Violin Concerto and Straus's Also Sprach Zarathustr.
If it's June, it must be Shakespeare in the Village. This year we present As You Like It, one of Shakespeare’s most-loved ro-mantic comedies; the one where brother is set against brother and girls pretend to be boys pretending to be girls. With four weddings and no funeral, two fights, one deer, and music and song aplenty.
Lloyd Park Green GymFridays, 10.45am–2pmLloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4PP
Legs, Bums and TumsSaturdays, 11.15am–12.15pmYMCA East London, 642 Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 3EF
Sunday Markets at The LimesEvery last Sunday, 12pmThe Limes, 6 Somers Road, Walthamstow E17 6RX
This Mum Runs WalthamstowSundays, 8am–9amLloyd Park, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4PP
OPA Netball Club host free junior sum- mer sessions. Open to all girls aged 11-16 years. OPA Netball Club is a com-petitive and sociable club based in Plais-tow in East London. We offer match play and Back to Netball training for all ages and abilities so get involved!
The Green Gym enables volunteers to get physically active while improving the environment and community. Each session provides a range of new and in-teresting outdoor practical conserva-tion experiences to improve strength and stamina, boost practical skills and give the opportunity to meet others with similar interests. Tasks include planting wildflowers and building paths.
This is a fantastic way to tone your entire body with special attention focused on your legs, glutes and abdominal muscles. It combines conditioning and aerobic ex-ercises to reduce fat while shaping and lifting your legs, bum and tum! Bring a bottle of water and wear clothes you’re comfortable to move in.
The Limes is a charity supporting disabled children and young people. Our monthly markets showcase high quality wares crafted by our young people, and local creatives. Each market offers a range of delicious food, freshly baked goods, hand-printed clothes and homewares. There's also live music and a children's playground.
We are an award-winning community inspiring thousands of women to run together every week. Join us for a 30-minute run at a speed suitable for chat. Your time. Your space. Your pace.
Since August photography exhibitionSaturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June, 1pm–5pm. 60 Pembroke Road, Walthamstow E17 9BB
Exhibition by Walthamstow photographer Kiera-Marie Desnoes. Since August is an ongoing compilation of autonomous pho-tography. Part of ‘Art Around the Village’.
Free entryVisit kmdesnoes.co.uk
13No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
EVENTS
his summer will see the launch of London’s newest theatre and arts festival – and it's going to
be taking place in Waltham Forest! Running from Thursday 21st June until Sunday 1st July, From The Forest Festival will see 36 different shows performed in venues across Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone. This is a festival that aims to cel-ebrate some of the best that the borough has to offer; three out of four of the organisations in the line-up feature local artists from Waltham Forest. Venues include Centre17, Mirth, Marvel & Maud, Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre Pub, Leyton Technical, The Birds, and Orford House. Among the performers and groups involved are Longsight Theatre (Young Hot Bloods), Rob Auton (The Talk Show), Willis and Vere (A Serious Play About World War II), Roland Saunders (Fake TV), Sarah Blanc (It Started With Jason), E17 Puppet Project (The Vote), and Nasi Voutsas (Palmyra). We wanted to create a festi-val that provides a platform for
local and visiting performers to share their work in some of the amazing venues we have on our doorstep. The response so far has been really great and it will be so exciting for audienc-es to see what all these talented artists have to offer. Following Waltham Forest’s crowning as the first-ever London Borough of Culture, From The Forest Theatre and Arts Festi-val will be the first major event in a summer of exciting cultur-al programming. Members of the From The Forest Festival team will be appearing at venues over the coming weeks to talk about the festival, so be sure to say hello!
eing a local parent and working locally as a volun-teer breastfeeding counsel-lor with La Leche League I
know just how many amazing things there are on offer to young and growing families in Waltham Forest. From a germ of an idea, to create a space to showcase the scope of activities and services, has grown The Pregnancy, Baby andToddler Event. There are opportunities for all kinds of groups to get together in the borough but this event is, to my knowledge, a unique and pioneering one. During pregnancy parents often first become aware of the things on offer in the new world they areentering. Once a baby is born, and with it a new family, activi-ties and classes on offer can some-times be overwhelming. The Pregnancy, Baby and Toddler Event aims to provide a space for folk to see the faces behind groups and organisations and to explore what is going on locally to support them along their parenting journey – away from social media. There is a trend nationally for baby shows; this will be very different in tone and definitely not as commer-cial! It’s a non-profit fundraiser for a really important local cause, La Leche League Waltham Forest, but
oets Corner is a small group of neighbouring streets in Walthamstow named after poets such
as Byron and Milton. As well as living in Poets Corner I belong to a group called Forest Poets and have been involved in the E17 Art Trail with two poetry-themed street installations; Poets For Sale and I Wanna Tell You A Story. Paul McGrane, who leads the group, was keen to run a poetry competition in Waltham Forest, while I was keen to do something 'arty'. Together we came up with the Poets Corner Poetry Competition. I’ve entered quite a few poetry com-petitions myself, without success.
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Diary of an Expat is a one-woman show performing at Ye Olde Rose and Crown on Thursday 28th June, as part of the From the Forest Festival
Elizabeth Owen is organising the Pregnancy, Baby and Toddler Event
Celebrating local performers
Baby comeback
Are you a poet but don't know it?
Tickets prices start at £5 with family tickets available and double-bill discount tickets also on offer. To find out more about the shows and to book tickets:
From the Forest Festival co-director Phil Poole introduces the event
A free event for parents of young children is coming to Walthamstowthat’s not to say there won’t be any special offers and deals on. Free tasters and talks aimed at parents in the antenatal and post-natal period, as well as babies andtoddlers, are bookable now – a won-derful chance to try things out and learn about new things in a safe, low-pressure environment. Also on offer in the main hall are stalls offering demonstrations and displays (cloth nappies, for example) and hands-on activities for children themselves to become immersed in activities such as forest school, craft, and music and song.
Although it would have been nice to win, just entering these competitions got me thinking about what and how I write. It also introduced me to a community of fellow writers. Our new poetry competition celebrates Waltham Forest as Lon-don’s first Borough of Culture in 2019. The theme is 'a bright future' and the entries will be judged by local poet Meryl Pugh. There’ll be a prize-giving and readings of the winning and shortlisted poems at Ye Old Rose and Crown, in late October. Paul, who works for The Poetry Society, is organising the administra-tion of the competition. There will be three categories; national, young poets, and a local prize for those living and working in the borough. The prizes for the national compe-tition are £300, £200 and £100 for
Look out for a flash mob, too! Delicious refreshments, feeding and nappy change area, slings to hire for the event, a local reflexolo-gist offering treatments and a raffle brim-full of local prizes donated by local businesses and groups.
the top three chosen poems. For the other categories the prizes are £50, £30 and £20. There’s an entry fee of £3 for the first poem and £1 for each subsequent poem, up to a maximum of four entries, although the young poets com-petition for children up to age eleven is free to enter. Poems can be submitted by post or online. With this new competition we are aiming to build on the vibrant poetry scene already in Waltham Forest. It seeks to be fun, celebratory, and attract a high standard of entries.
Local food blogger Katie Robinson launches new nutrition business
Food
P . 15
by Elizabeth Owen
by Barry Coidan
14 No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
s that the truth, or will I have to go digging? That's the ques-tion I repeat to myself every time a word is uttered by a
member of council staff these days. The same wariness applies to any emails. Have you ever heard two sep-arate accounts of the same thing and become agitated at the glaring dif-ferences? Or suspected someone is trying hard to mug you off? That's where I am at the moment. Take the local library 'improve-ment programme' discussed at April's steering group meeting. Having previously been briefed about a sneaky proposal to close the current Wood Street Library building and relocate it within the Marlowe Road Estate development, I had submitted six questions back in December 2016. The project manager for libraries responded the following month employing woolly words such as 'proposed' and 'estimated'. Nothing definitive. Successive questions submitted last October remain unanswered in defiance of multiple emails and tele-
phone calls placed to the business support team manager's mobile. More directly, I put the question to Countryside's design and build manager. Using the Development Management Update Report of November 2015, I queried what was referred to as 'D1 (library)' in paragraph 1.2. I don't know who died, but there was a deathly silence from the development partners. A second attempt triggered a straight answer by a council official, who said the current Wood Street Library site would close and that three out of the seven new commer-cial units for Marlowe Road had been acquired to house the new library. Across the meetings I have attend-ed since 2014, the only units ever mentioned were the post office and the Co-operative shop. There are several questions one might ask, but I only had one: Why was this detail on the library hidden? “We thought everybody knew,” was the unconvincing response. Meanwhile, the council continue to push the narrative that “there
I
COLUMN
In her latest opinion column, Marlowe Road Estate resident Michelle Edwards demands answers on the fate of Wood Street Library
A deafening silence
will be enough housing for every secure council tenant who wishes to remain on the estate”. So far 105 have been shunted elsewhere (Chingford, a favou-rite). Each 'decanting update' is delivered with glee. Disposing of residents like cattle is treated with phrases like “I've got some good news” or “we're on target” as if talking about commodities. I feel as outraged now as I did back in December 2016 when this column began.
Licensing Act 2003:Application for the Grant of a Premises Licence
Notice of application for the grant of a Premises Licence under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003. Notice is hereby given that Mrs Anna Pemaj has applied to the London Borough of Waltham Forest for the grant of a Premises Licence at 40 Alpha Road, E4 6TB London. The nature of the application is as follows:
To permit the sale of alcohol from Monday-Friday between the hours of 10:00–18:00.
The Licensing register listing full details of the application is kept by the Licensing Service, Sycamore House, Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, London E17 4SU. The application may be viewed Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am–5pm (except Bank Holidays).
Any person wishing to make a representation in respect of the above activities may do so in writing to the Licensing Service, Magistrates Building, 1 Farnan Avenue, London E17 4NX or via email: [email protected].
Representations must be received no later than 28th June 2018
It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with this application. A person is liable to an unlimited fine on conviction should such a false statement be made.
Notice of application for the grant of a Premises Licence under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.Notice is hereby given that INSU INN LTD has applied to the London Borough of Waltham Forest for the grant of a Premises Licence at 7 Cherrydown Avenue, Chingford, London E4 8DP
The application seeks to permit:1. SUPPLY/SALE OF ALCOHOL and2. PROVISION OF RECORDED MUSIC.
The proposed hours are Mon-Sunday: 17:30–23:00(For supply/Sale of Alcohol and provision of recorded music) The proposed opening hours are Mon-Sunday: 17:30–23:30 The Licensing register listing full details of the application is kept by the Licensing Service, Sycamore House, Walthamstow Town Hall, Forest Road, Walthamstow E17 4SU. The application may be viewed Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am–5pm (except Bank Holidays).
Any person wishing to make a representation in respect of the above activities may do so in writing to the Licensing Service, Sycamore House, Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, London E17 4SU.
Representations must be received no later than 23/6/2018.
It is an offence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003 to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person is liable to an unlimited fine on conviction should such a false statement be made.
Closing date for applications is 10 June 2018 at 6pm.
The Mill is recruiting a part time Administration Officer, 16 hours per week.
" Have you ever heard two seperate accounts of the same thing and become aggitated at the differences?"
15No. 39 JUNE 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO
FOOD
ust as I turn 40 this month I have finally found my niche – setting up my business Eat Well With Katie. I have always enjoyed
working with people and most of my stand-out memories involve food; whether it is my mum’s reliably brilliant scrambled eggs on toast, the amazing Indian sweets flavoured with cardamom I tried near my sister’s flat in Brad-ford, my parents’ acceptance of me giving up meat aged six, or the legendary brie, tomato and black pepper baguettes we had on holiday in France. When I was at university I mostly lived off pasta and cheese but later when I got my own flat I started collecting cookbooks and became more experimental. Then, when I met my boyfriend (a devoted carnivore), I was determined to prove to him that meat-free food could be tasty. I discovered that soy sauce, tomato purée, and anchovies, added a deep richness to sauces. It was then that I perfected my One-Pot Lentil Ragu and Vegetarian Lasagne recipe! Once our two high-energy boys
came along (now aged five and seven) it was all about surviving the day with quick, healthy family meals – and determinedly trying out fussy eating tips when they hit the toddler years. I started a food blog, documenting the meals that worked well, and realised there was nothing I would like more than a career sharing my passion and ideas with others. As a nutrition advisor I love working with individuals and families. I offer bespoke recipe and snack ideas and nutrition tips that fit around people’s daily demands, with the aim of making mealtimes exciting yet manage-able. This can be face-to-face or by email or phone. It’s great to get positive feedback and feel like I am making a difference – while of course spending most of the day thinking about food!
J
Local food blogger Katie Robinson is going into business
Good nutrition is my mission
Method
1. Fry the carrot, celery and onion in some oil together with the garlic for about eight minutes until tender
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, lentils and crumble over the stock cube. Stir well, and add some hot water so the lentils have enough liquid to cook in, but not too much (the liquid will reduce down as it cooks)
3. Add the dried herbs, tomato purée, and soy sauce.
4. Simmer on a moderate heat, stirring often, for around 20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked but not mushy. Add a little water every five minutes or so to help the lentils cook if necessary
5. Eat with pasta or a jacket potato, with grated cheese on top!
Ingredients
– Vegetable or olive oil– One large carrot, finely chopped– One large stick celery, finely chopped– One onion, chopped– Two cloves garlic, crushed/chopped
Katie’s One-Pot Lentil Ragu
Katie’s One-Pot Lentil Ragu
Wood burning oven available (RENT FREE) suitable for cooking pizzas and Caribbean
delights. In a quaint Victorian garden setting. Rent free to good cook.
– Tin chopped tomatoes (I use 'value' ones)– 200g red lentils– One reduced salt vegetable stock cube– Generous shake dried mixed herbs– Heaped tablespoon tomato purée– One tablespoon soy sauce
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Each month we will be giving this page over to a local community group, artist or event organiser, for free. If you have something you’d like to showcase or promote, please email us on [email protected] or call
us on 020 3397 9797 for details of how to submit your information to us.
