your independent community newspaper waltham ......p . 14 features news comment arts & culture...

P . 14

NewsFeatures Comment Arts & Culture History

WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

Email [email protected] /WalthamForestEchoTweet @WFEcho Visit walthamforestecho.co.uk

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Compensation offered to passengers as railway line runs out of trains

Walthamstow cemetery is brought to life by green-fingered residents

Calls for 'People's Vote' on Brexit get louder as political impasse continues

Chance for young creatives to get involved in free arts programme

Looking back at the family-run hardware shop that's closed after 70 years

FreeFebruary 2019, No. 47

Your independent community newspaper

e c yc l i n g r a t e s i n Waltham Forest have fallen for a third con-secutive year – despite

people's increasing awareness of the damage caused by plastic waste. New government data shows that less than one third of the waste thrown away by borough house-holds in 2017/18 was recycled. The 32.5% recycling rate for

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Recycling rate at lowest for five years

Become a member of Waltham Forest Echo and get the paper delivered each month – find out more on 6

"We need greater

education for residents on which items

of plastic waste can be recycled in

their borough"

Waltham Forest is below both the average for London (33.1%) and England (43.2%) – and is the lowest recorded locally since 2012/13. The news coincides with a survey by campaign group London Recycles revealing that nine out of ten Waltham Forest residents are “committed to reducing plastic waste”. Many local businesses have also stepped up to provide more alternatives to plastic pack-aging, as reported by the Echo in September last year.

by James Cracknell Ali Moore, campaign manager at London Recycles, said: “It’s fantastic to see Waltham Forest’s commitment to reducing plastic waste, but many are missing out on simple, free steps that can be taken at home. With 24% of Waltham Forest residents having checked which plastic items they can recycle, it’s clear we could do more.” Asked why growing awareness was not leading to higher recycling rates, a London Recycles spokes-person said: “We need greater

education for residents on which items of plastic waste can be recycled in their borough, so these good intentions convert to better outcomes for recycling.” The London Recycles survey also indicated that 48% of Waltham Forest residents regularly carry reusable coffee cups and water bottles to reduce plastic waste, but that at home around a third of people were mistakenly putting recyclable items such as spray cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, and clear plastic trays in their general waste bins. At the end of January Waltham Forest Recycling Rewards, a scheme offering recycling incentives to residents living in flats, was closed. Councillor Clyde Loakes, council cabinet member for the environ-ment, said: “We are committed to doing all we can to encourage our residents to reduce their waste. “There are a number of factors that could influence the reduction in recycling rates that we are seeing across the UK. A really good and current example is increased con-sumer awareness around the harm caused by single-use plastics. This awareness and subsequent market response means fewer items are sold in needless packaging. “To that end, we have started work in Leytonstone to help support businesses move away from single-use plastics, and we will replicate this across town centres in Waltham Forest. “Goods are also less likely to be sold in heavy packaging such as glass containers – as recycling rates are calculated by weight this will have a noticeable impact.

For help and advice about recycling:

Visit recycleforlondon.com

“We are continuing to roll out dual waste and recycling bins on our streets across the borough, making it even easier for people to recycle on the go. “Core to the circular economy is encouraging people to reuse, repair or re-imagine items they may instead throw out. To help we have run repair cafés over the past two years so residents can find ways to repair common appliances and reuse household items. We even have a sec-ond-hand store at our Kings Road Recycling Centre in Chingford.” North London Waste Authority (NLWA), which co-ordinates waste collection from Waltham Forest and six other boroughs, states its aim is for 50% of household waste to be recycled by 2020. Work on a new incinerator in Edmonton is due to begin later this year.

The amount of recyclable waste put into brown and green bins in Watham Forest is less than a third of the total waste collected Credit Penny Dampier

2 No. 47 FEBRUARY 2019 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

FEBRUARY 2019 – No. 47

Waltham Forest Echo is an independent community newspaper. We publish monthly and distribute 12,500 free copies of each issue to libraries, cafés, pubs, and other places around Waltham Forest.

PublisherDavid Floyd

EditorJames Cracknell

DesignerJonathan Duncan

ManagerPenny Dampier

ContributorsChristopher Stark, Alice Richardson, Tim Hewitt, Monwara Ali, Kate Tattersfield, Roger Barcroft, Helen Bigham, Judith Burnett, Barry Sutton, Michelle Edwards, James Burgess, Peter Mirow, Serina Apaloo, Jim Nichols, Jordan Foster

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, Renetta Neal, Graham Larkbey, Paul Schneider, Megan Lucero, Andrew Sharp, Deri Jones, Scott Davies, Abigail Woodman, Pat Stannard, Lee Mitchell, Ian Cadogan, Madeleine Munday, Irena Souroup, Paul Scaife, Roy Sutton, Jon Dalladay, David Kalloo, David McDade, Edward Clarke, Community Counts UK, Esther Neslen, Bright Stars Youth FC, Laura Bawcutt, Saradadevii Hull-Jurkovic

The member organisations of WFWellComm CIC are:Community Transport Waltham Forest, Social Spider CIC, HEET.

WFWellComm CIC Board:David Floyd (Social Spider CIC)Tom Ruxton (HEET)Helen Tredoux (Community Transport WF)

Waltham Forest EchoThe Mill, 7 - 11 Coppermill Lane, E17 7HAE [email protected] 020 8521 7956

Advertising EnquiriesContact Ben Cawthra:E [email protected] 020 3892 0061

The Echo began with Big Lottery funding.

We must do more to boost recycling

COMMENT

FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE

An introduction from Waltham Forest Echo editor James Cracknell

A proposed new 'free school' is being opposed by Waltham Forest Council – here the director of the academy trust that wants to build it makes his case

ello and welcome to Issue 47 of Waltham Forest Echo. Our front page story this

month probably comes as a sur-prise to most of you, as it did to me. How can it be that recy-cling rates have fallen for so many years when at the same time peo-ple's awareness of the problem is growing? Recent TV shows, in particular Sir David Attenbor-ough's Blue Planet 2, have starkly highlighted how plastic pollu-tion is trashing the oceans and killing wildlife. A study in 2015 found that as many as nine out of ten of the world’s seabirds were likely to have pieces of plastic in their guts.

arclay Secondary Free School is the right way forward to resolve a range of issues in

Waltham Forest. Not only does it meet the demand for much-needed secondary places locally, but equally it drives forward the regeneration of Lea Bridge Road by transforming an indus-trial storage yard into a multi- purpose learning campus. The free school is a critical route for further investment in the children and communities of the borough.

Waltham Forest Council hasn't been able to give an adequate ex-planation for the decline in recy-cling, only speculating on possi-ble causes. Whatever the reason, it's clear that we are still a long way from solving this problem. Supermarkets need to be shown that we as customers do not want to have to buy products needless-ly wrapped in plastic – much of it non-recyclable. In my spare time I campaign with Greenpeace, which has a local group in Waltham Forest. Last month we visited Sainsbury's in Walthamstow and encouraged shoppers to unwrap any plastic packaging that came with items they'd bought and leave it with us.

The Echo article from January (Warning over lack of classrooms, Page 1, Issue 46) set out the need for additional school places but failed to articulate how our fully-funded free school project will deliver on this. The Lion Academy Trust sub-mitted its application in October 2014 and, after exhaustive scru-tiny of the trust’s capacity and ability to deliver an excep-tional secondary offer by the Department for Education (DfE), the move to address the site and delivery of the new school com-menced. Since then, DfE’s tech-nical and property teams have

Activists from across the country have organised similar days – #ShoppersRevolt – and later this month we'll be handing back all the plastic we've collected in a symbolic gesture to show how much pointless plastic is sold from supermarkets every day. If you'd like to get involved with Green-peace Waltham Forest, our next meeting is on Wednesday 13th February from 7.30pm at Ye Olde Rose and Crown in Hoe Street. Elsewhere in the paper this month, on Page 5 you can read about the cemetery that's being brought to life by green-fingered residents; on Page 7 you can find out why a railway is running out of trains; and on Page 13 you can

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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

New school can solve class crisisworked diligently with Waltham Forest Council and neighbouring councils to explore what, if any, site options were viable to support the new and much needed sec-ondary school. As a local school provider of choice and the trusted partner to more than 2,000 parents and pupils in Waltham Forest, the Lion Academy Trust will deliver a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathemat-ics)-focussed, highly-tailored secondary school experience which will provide much-needed capacity and choice for local fam-ilies. The trust has a proven track record in recruiting and growing the best educators and the move to the secondary phase has been embraced as the logical progres-sion to meeting parental demand for the trust to cater for the educational needs of pupils and students locally, from age two to 19. In terms of where to locate the school – simply put – there are no other sites in the area which meet the needs of a new secondary school, despite many inaccurate reports to the contrary. The Lea Bridge Road site, used by Thames Water as a staging depot and barred to public access for more than 100 years, is a complex but unrivalled space for the delivery

of a learning campus. Once ap-proved and built for the planned opening in September 2021, the site will support a 1,400-place secondary school and sixth form with fabulous sporting and cultural facilities for the benefit of the wider community. With significant existing pres-sure on high-performing second-ary schools for places and the council’s own master-plan for the south of the borough seeking to create an additional 4,000 homes by 2027, it is difficult to conceive a development which could be more necessary and beneficial to the area – one which, on paper at least, should be embraced by those who have a passion for enhancing the life chances and learning opportunities for all.

Plans for Barclay Secondary School, which would be built on land currently occupied by a Thames Water depot Credit Lion Academy Trust

discover a free programme for young creative people. I hope you enjoy the paper!

by Christopher Stark

"It is difficult to conceive a development which could be more necessary and beneficial to the area"

Greenpeace Waltham Forest campaigners held a 'Shoppers Revolt' outside Sainsbury's in January

3No. 47 FEBRUARY 2019 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

Death of Jaden Moodie, 14, leads to calls for public inquiry

Expectant mothers who planned homebirths left to find alternative midwifery provision

he family of a 14-year-old found dead in Ley- ton watched on as three local MPs headed a

debate on knife crime in parliament. Jaden Moodie was fatally stabbed in Bickley Road, Leyton, on Tuesday 8th January. His family came to the House of Commons two weeks later to listen while MPs discussed solutions to violent crime.

xpectant mothers were given just one week's notice that an NHS-run midwifery service would

close – leaving them to make alternative plans for giving birth. The Neighbourhood Mid-wives service was established in Waltham Forest two years ago to provide the “continuity of care” that research had shown improved chances of uncompli-cated homebirths, quicker recov-eries, and healthier birth weights for babies. But around 300 preg-

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NEWSFeatureWalthamstow cemetery is brought to life by green-fingered residents

Victim's family watch MPs debate knife crime

Pregnant women 'devastated' by service closure

P . 5

Tributes laid at the scene of Jaden's death in Bickley Road, near Bakers Arms

Fourteen-year-old Jaden Moodie was stabbed to death in Leyton last month

by Alice Richardson, Local Democracy Reporter

by James Cracknell

Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer called for a public inquiry into rising knife crime rates. He said: “We have seen a wave of violent crime across London and beyond but particularly knife crime. It appears that some teenagers don’t feel safe without knives, and it is killing them.” The Labour MP suggested cuts to youth services could be to blame for increases in knife crime, saying without them young people are left “exposed to dangerous environ-ments”. He also called for early intervention to keep youngsters away from gangs and weapons but also blamed “excessive” cuts to police and local councils for rises in violence between young people. John said: “Police, social workers, voluntary organisations, are all a shadow of what they were. Resources matter and London is now dealing with a desperate situation to which there will not be an easy solution.” Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, in whose constituency Jaden was killed, said: “First and foremost, I pay tribute to the family of Jaden Moodie. They have shown incred-ible courage and strength at such a difficult time by being here and being so determined about the future.

“In the last 18 months, we have buried six children in our com-munity – children killed by other children. The others were Elijah Dornelly, Kacem Mokrane, Joseph William-Torres, Amaan Shakoor, and Guled Farah. Each of their families, like Jaden’s family, is grieving for the life they have lost.“They are now asking for our help so that no other family will go through this horror. They need a government who join the dots and recognise that too many of our young people are struggling in education, are vulnerable to exploitation and are therefore vulnerable to such challenges. “We must ensure that young people receive alternative provi-sion and that we see those young people as worthy of fighting for. “Please, I do not want another child in our community to be buried because of knife crime ever again. It is preventable, and if we work together, we can stop it.” Chingford and Woodford Green MP Iain Duncan Smith said: “The issue of knife crime tends to be shovelled away because the media too often see it as a spat between members of different gangs; it only ever breaks the surface when some-body they cannot pigeon-hole is

abused, as in the terrible event that happened recently. “In Waltham Forest the number of knife offences was 27.34% higher than in the previous year. This is a growing problem. It is high time we did more to support families and parents so that gov-ernments, police, and schools, see no violent crime at all. “London’s murder rate has reached the highest level for a decade, with stabbings and shoot-ings very often linked to gangs and the supply of drugs. “The point of challenging knife crime is not just that we are worried about violence and crime, but that we are worried about our commu-nities not thriving as they could. “Many organisations and much invaluable activity is already underway, such as London Gang Exit, Gangs Unite, Key4Life, and Growing Against Violence, to name

a few. We must draw upon their successes to suggest a co-ordinated response to the epidemic.” In a report, the Commons Home Affairs Committee said the “worrying” prevalence of young people carrying knives is “mostly motivated by fear and a lack of faith” in the ability of “natural protectors” like police and parents to keep them safe. An 18-year-old man from Wembley has been charged with Jaden’s murder and remains in custody.

"In the last 18 months, we

have buried six children in

our community"

nant women, some already past their due date, were told via email that the service was closing at the end of January. Leila Reyburn, who is 32 weeks pregnant, said: “I was devastated to receive the email. Just the day before I’d confirmed my home-birth. Now I have to start again, with only weeks to go. “The scheme was brilliant, and I’m sad for all the women, but also for the wonderful, commit-ted midwives who are suddenly out of a job. We deserve answers as to why we’ve been left in this vulnerable position.” Launched in November 2016 as a

two-year pilot scheme by Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Neighbourhood Midwives received positive feed- back during the time that it ran, but – according to the CCG – had proven difficult to co-ordinate and commission. Gemma Rickets, who is 29 weeks pregnant, said: “I feel complete-ly let down. I’ve been denied continuity of care, and it looks extremely unlikely I will be able to have a homebirth now. I’m nervous my birth experience will be so much worse than anticipat-ed after being promised so much.” In a statement on its website,

Waltham Forest CCG claimed there would be a “smooth trans-fer” for women using the service to alternative providers within the NHS. The organisation stated: “Neighbourhood Mid-wives is no longer able to accept new women into the borough’s pilot maternity care programme. Women and families currently supported by the service are being contacted by the midwives provid-ing their care to work with them to enable a smooth transfer of care to another provider within the local NHS maternity system. “Waltham Forest CCG and local maternity care providers

are working together with Neigh-bourhood Midwives to ensure that the women and their fami-lies affected continue to receive personal and safe maternity care in the local area. “Women currently being supported through their pregnancy by Neigh-bourhood Midwives are being contacted directly and can also call the Neighbourhood Midwives help-line on 07584 416 096 if they have any queries about their care.”

To sign a petition to reinstate Neighbourhood Midwives:

Visit change.org


FEATURES4

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Space to create

Falling into the Suntrap

A tame fox entertains schoolchildren at Suntrap Forest Centre in the 1960s Credit Jack Curtis

Freelancers and entrepreneurs are sharing ideas, as well as a workspace, in Blackhorse Lane

An environmental centre has been educating local schoolchildren for decades

For more information about Suntrap Forest Centre:

Visit suntrapcentre.co.uk

For a free desk trial at Creative Works:

Visit creativeworks.space

For apprenticeship opportunities:

Visit bigcreative.education

ot all classrooms have four walls. Visiting Suntrap Forest Centre reminds me of this.

Similar to many residents who’ve grown up in Waltham Forest, I nostalgically remember being taken on school trips into the depths of Epping Forest to visit the imposing Victorian Suntrap House, now an environmental education centre. When mentioning this to a friend new to the area, however, she was under the impression that I was referring to a tanning salon! Memories of Suntrap include the large winding wooden stair-case leading up to a long corri-dor with rooms full of weird and wonderful artefacts discovered in the forest; display cabinets holding stuffed animals, such as a grizzly badger and an indignant squirrel, but also a menagerie of live ones

s a freelancer, working from home can be a lonely business, so I was excited to hear about the

such as Sammy the owl with the broken wing who had to be hand-fed. Admittedly I don’t remember the fox so tame it could be walked on a lead! I associate Suntrap with having the adventure and freedom to escape the confines of a routine learn-ing day. As an adult I appreciate the privilege of being so near to a green space that is free to visit and can be enjoyed by everyone. From these early days I’ve developed a love and respect for Epping Forest with everything that it has to offer. As well as the enjoyment of eating a packed lunch while being out in the open, whatever the weather! Through outdoor learning I can still recount that the four main trees native to Epping Forest are oak, hornbeam, ash, and silver birch. To be found on the forest floor is one of the widest variety of fungi in Europe. The mantra “take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill nothing but time”

by Helen Bigham

by Kate Tattersfieldopening last year of Creative Works in Blackhorse Lane. The community-focused co- working space contains more than 100 desks for creatives; event space; and a dedicated training and talent incubator programme.

I had a sneaking suspicion working there might make me more productive, and I was right – within two days I’d met a handful of like-minded people and even a potential new client. What intrigues me most about

remains with me to this day. Suntrap prides itself on its hands-on teaching and this is not just restricted to the building, out-reach visits to schools are also pro-vided. These will be increasing during the time the centre is closed for a massive refurbishment in July this year, with a reopening planned in 2020. If you remember the ‘Suntrap Line’ or just want to experience something very special, now is the time to visit. Easy to get to by car or cycle, alternatively only 30 minutes bracing walk along a bridle path through Epping Forest from Chingford Station. Or why not join me as a ‘Friend of Suntrap’? The charity supports the centre and always welcomes new volunteers.

the workspace though is its focus on forging creative career oppor-tunities for local young people. Creative Works is part of Big Creative Education (BCE), a further education academy and skills train-ing provider at the heart of the Blackhorse Lane regeneration area. Members of the workspace have the option to work alongside a BCE apprentice from the college – an initiative that is designed to enable local creative businesses to grow while supporting the ambitions of students. Alexis Michaelides, BCE’s manag-ing director, explains: “The journey began back in 1999 when I first started teaching event promotions to a small group of young people on a housing estate in Waltham Forest. For nearly 20 years we’ve been chang-ing lives through BCE, and we can now extend our vision through the launch of Creative Works, a shared workspace and community for the 21st Century, in the heart of E17.” Unlike other co-working spaces, Creative Works is a community in-terest company, so any trading sur-pluses from the letting of desk space in the building will be reinvested into

subsidised rents and furthering the educational mission of BCE. This year they will also be hosting weekly social media master-classes and em-ployability programmes to support young people into creative careers, as well as training in digital market-ing, media, events and visual effects. It’s reassuring to know that everything about this new project is geared towards supporting the local economy. I was particular-ly interested to discover that the furniture was designed and built by local makers using 50% reclaimed wood, and wherever possible, sustainable materials have been used. The rugs are made from recycled plastic bottles, for instance. Members can even enjoy a free locally-sourced breakfast. Thanks for my morning caffeine fix, Wood St Coffee!From left; Ethan Edwards, Tom Pearce, Daria Rizzott and Alexis Michaelides


FEATURES

ave you ever felt that you need a bit of help? Faced with a very overgrown

churchyard to maintain in 2016, I certainly did. When I first started to look after St Mary’s Church graveyards in Walthamstow Village, mowing the paths and clearing away brambles, nettles and weeds end-lessly, it made me feel that I was not really getting anywhere. Lots of graves were overgrown and I had no hope of getting them back in order. Then I had a brainwave. What if I could persuade lots of other people to come and look after a grave each? So I started Burials in Bloom 2018. With the huge help and en-couragement of Helen Lerner and Walthamstow Village Residents' Association, it ran alongside the RHS Village in Bloom competition, with judging and prizes awarded for the best kept grave. Last year 19 graves were adopted and improved. It was a small step in the right direction, but there are hundreds more graves to go. The idea is a simple one. Have a look in the main churchyard, find a grave you want to look after, register your interest and start looking after it. It can be any time you want, as much or as little as you are able to do. Like Tesco, every little helps. So what is in it for you? Well, firstly you have an excuse to visit

a lovely part of Walthamstow, the largest green space in The Village. I really love working there. You get a small and manageable plot of land to experiment on. You might be experienced or have never gar-dened before, but that doesn’t matter, you can try things out. You might have a name, a date or a person you can connect to through your choice of grave. Some of the participants last year did some amazing historical re-search into the graves they were tending. You might want to go as a family to work together on some-thing or you might like the chance to get away from your family! The benefits to mental health and well-being are proven. Some gentle exercise is always good for you. You might want to make your plot into a wildlife friendly area, as several participants did last year. You might be fiercely com-petitive and want to win one of the (very small) prizes. Whatever your motivation, if you have any time from five minutes a month to two hours a day, I would love you to get involved with the new, improved Burials in Bloom 2019, and make a difference to your local community.

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SBringing a cemetery to life

Gratitude for grant

Flowers in bloom at St Mary's Church, Walthamstow Village Credit Tim Hewitt

Gardener Tim Hewitt is helping to brighten up a Walthamstow graveyard

Monwara Ali on why a little money can go a long way

If you would like to take part in Burials in Bloom 2019: Email timhewittgardener@ gmail.com

NewsCompensation offered to passengers as railway line runs out of trains P . 7

mall charities can make the biggest difference. Our charity, Waltham Forest Community Hub,

is committed to making a differ-ence by empowering local people. We engage older people through a befriending service and a weekly social club and we engage young people through youth clubs. The hub has adopted an inno-vative approach to bridge the gap between the two generations. Our recent Christmas lunch was a great example of inter-gener-ational working; 102 older resi-dents of Waltham Forest attended and had a memorable experience, including entertainment by our youth club members. Suspense had been built up as we had informed everyone during the Christmas lunch to expect a surprise visit later in the after-noon. So, while some people were expecting an appearance by Santa Claus, a lovely surprise visit was made instead by representatives of Asda who presented our charity

with a cheque for £10,500. We are really overwhelmed by their fantastic support!

About six months ago we applied to the Asda Foundation for a grant to fund the tarmacking of our fore-court to improve disability access and buy some much-needed equip-ment for our kitchen. However, as it is very rare for a big company to support a small charity with a grant of a significant size, we were expecting Asda to only par-tially fund us. We also contacted Waltham Forest Council to ascer-tain the borough's responsibility towards disability access in commu-nity buildings, but were informed

that the borough had no respon-sibility for this. So, as you can imagine, it came as a huge relief when we got the news that Asda Foundation had decided to fully fund us. The money will benefit local older people who are currently having problems getting their scooters, wheelchairs and frames into our building as the forecourt and the main entrance are uneven, with dips in the ground. We started a weekly luncheon club a month ago and the numbers attending each week have been increasing. It is great that we can now buy an industrial microwave, cooker, freezer, crockery and cutlery for our kitchen. The work that the grant will fund is absolutely vital because our venue is central to many sheltered ac-commodation schemes and care homes, which is where most of our service users come from. We are very grateful to Asda Founda-tion for supporting our charity's mission, enabling us to engage the most vulnerable of our community.

"The work that the grant

will fund is absolutely

vital"

Leyton great hall

Leyton Great Hall is the jewel in the crown of the Legacy Business Centre in Leyton, E10; a Grade II listed building, fully restored. Leyton Great Hall is arguably one of (if not) the finest venues in east London and stands as a testament to the glamour of the era of Art Nouveau.

For all Leyton Great Hall hire enquiries please contact Maria on 07484 916080 or visit our website on www.leytongreathall.com.

Leyton Great Hall is suitable for all kinds of celebrations and occasions. It is suitable for weddings, birthdays, christenings, bar mitzvah, anniversaries, theatre and concerts and many more events! Charitable organizations, leisure and corporate clients will be able to cater for any of their requirements for their event in Leyton Great Hall.

Advertisement


NEWS

World of troubleFormer CEO at Five Pound World tells of chaos at Walthamstow bargain shop

Government wants locals to be consulted on tree-chopping by council

by James Cracknell

Current plans include chopping down 81 trees in Walthamstow Town Square to allow the Mall to be expanded

Waltham Forest Council has re-jected pleas by campaigners to

reconsider felling dozens of mature trees in Walthamstow Town Square and Gardens. The Save Our Square campaign called on the council to consult local people on their decision to fell 81 trees in the square, including two rows of mature lime trees, after the

government announced last month that local authorities would in future be forced to seek approval from res-idents before chopping them down. However, the trees set to be felled in Walthamstow Town Square are part of a wider plan for the rede-velopment of the Mall, which was consulted on in 2017 prior to being granted permission. More than 500 homes are due to be built in towers up to 29 storeys tall, with the town

A bargain shop in Wal- thamstow run by a con-victed fraudster has been selling too many toilet

brush holders, according to its former chief executive. Five Pound World was opened in Walthamstow High Street last autumn by businessman Dev Singh, who hoped to take advan-tage of a gap in the market left by the closure of Poundworld the previous June. Several other branch-es of Five Pound World have also opened around the country. But Dev sacked his senior man-agement team at the Waltham-stow shop after they discovered in October that he was a convicted fraudster previously jailed for not paying half-a-million pounds in tax on one of his previous businesses. David Cox, Five Pound World's former chief executive officer, told the Echo that before the discov-ery he had voiced his concerns to Dev about the way the shop was being run. He said: “There are certain things in retail that are obvious, such as getting in a good range of stock, and I told him we needed 4,000 lines of products, but instead he only got in 300. There was a whole aisle of just toilet brush holders. “He [Dev] didn't seem to know what he was talking about. Then I found out he had just come out

of prison for fraud and had pre-tended to be a friend of Michael Jackson. When we confronted him about this he just threw us all out – and he hasn't paid any of us since. He's been ignoring us. “For someone to be running a high street retailer and not be paying people – I'm suing him over it.” Dev was convicted in May 2016, under the name Gurkirpal Singh Bance, on three counts of cheating the public revenue. David said: “There's 20 people he got rid of [at Five Pound World]. One of them has three kids and has now been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I'm worried what will happen now with the people taking jobs with him. When I was there they were taking about £300 a day in sales. “It [Five Pound World] is not a bad idea for a business but he hasn't got the right stock – they're selling the same sort of stuff they sold at Poundworld. He has got five or six loss-making shops and his answer to that is opening five or six more loss-making shops.” Dev Singh was approached by the Echo for a comment but had not responded at time of going to press.

"He pretended to be a friend

of Michael Jackson"

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Residents help shape future of Highams Park

ighams Park resi-dents have pub-lished a plan – more than four years in the

making – to help improve their local area. The Highams Park Neighbour-hood Plan has been drawn up by Highams Park Planning Group (HPPG) and is now open for public consultation. If agreed, it will be adopted by Waltham Forest Council. Setting out the group's vision, the plan states Highams Park should “continue to be an area of beautiful, well-maintained green spaces, char-acterful high-quality homes with a thriving commercial centre and a vibrant community at its heart”. Gordon Turpin, chair of HPPG, said: “There could be some [other] good ideas which could improve the draft plan. We don’t have closed minds.” HPPG has 1,200 members and

by Judith Burnettis the largest group of its kind in London. A launch meeting held at All Saints Hall in Novem-ber 2014 brought together the Highams Park Forum, Highams Park Society, and other interest-ed people from the communi-ty. Ten working groups, covering everything from art, cafés, and the local street scene, got to work in drawing up the plan. Gordon attributes the success of the group to Highams Park's strong community spirit. He said: “People are more important than property.” As well as the neighbourhood plan, there have been a number of other successful projects launched by HPPG. They include opening a café; securing a City Hall grant of £100,000 for investment in Win-chester Road's shops; setting up the Little Free Library Project, which allows local people to donate and exchange books; and erecting a sculpture by acclaimed artist Barnaby Barford on the site of a

former factory in Signal Walk – said to have been the world’s biggest supplier of ping-pong balls. A sub-group called 'The Sned-ders' – named after a tree main-tenance technique – also worked with the Corporation of the City of London to improve footpaths and wildlife habitats around the Highams Park forest and lake area. Last year HPPG launched Hum-phry's, a vibrant park café named after Humphry Repton, whose Highams House is now occu-pied by Woodford County High School. Volunteers gave thousands of hours of their time while local firms donated building supplies, fixtures and fittings.

A consultation on the Highams Park Neighbourhood Plan runs until Monday 18th February. To take part:

Visit walthamforest.limehouse.co.uk/portal

Tree felling 'final'

square reduced in size by one third to accommodate them, although work has yet to begin. Councillor Simon Miller, cabinet member for economic growth and high streets, said: “Consent has been granted for the redevelop-ment of the Mall following public consultation. It would not be sensible or prudent to jeopardise the huge economic boost the redevelopment will bring while we wait several years for the results of this government consultation. “The final plans for the Mall include an increase in the number of trees in the town square, and for each tree removed we will plant five new ones across the borough. We have more trees than ever before in our history – last winter saw 1,600 trees planted in Waltham Forest.” Linda Green, a local artist and Save Our Square campaigner, said the council should provide evidence of why 30 of the 49 lime trees need to be felled. “Lime trees are one of the top five species for having a ben-eficial effect on the environment in terms of combating pollution. For every mature tree felled 100 need to be planted to reach the equivalent environmental benefit. To fell even part of Lime Tree Walk would be an act of vandalism.”

When the Echo visited Five Pound World in Walthamstow High Street there were only two customers in the shop, which was selling items including a twin-pack of mint sauce for £5


NEWSCommentCalls for 'People's Vote' on Brexit get louder as political impasse continues P . 11

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Free travel offer as railway runs out of trains

Big lift for tube station

New trains still not ready for Barking to Gospel Oak line

Plans for £18m upgrade of Central Line station

eyton Underground Station is set to get step-free access. Waltham Forest Council

has pledged to invest in the sta-tion’s renovation to make it a “fit for purpose” transport hub and boost its capacity. In a deal with Transport for London (TfL), both authorities will spend £9million on creating a new entrance for the tube station. At a cabinet meeting last month deputy leader Clyde Loakes said the station was “essentially made of wood” which made it difficult to renovate. The challenge of how people will access the station while work is carried out was raised, but Cllr Loakes said all efforts would be made to minimise disruption. Simon Miller, cabinet member for high streets, said the pro-posals would allow the council to take advantage of the “huge potential for housing” around the tube station, ensuring the area

by James Cracknell

by Alice Richardson, Local Democracy Reporter

ondon Overground passengers in Waltham Forest have been prom-ised a month's free travel

after it emerged that their railway line is running out of trains. Transport for London made the pledge to regular users of the Gospel Oak to Barking line – affectionately dubbed the 'Goblin' – after announcing that trains from other lines would be brought in to help keep the service operational. The Goblin route has been beset by closures, cancellations and over-crowded services for nearly three years. Work to electrify the line was belatedly completed last spring after a series of gaffes by Network Rail, but TfL is now being blamed for the year-long delay in the in-troduction of new electric trains. The existing diesel trains are being transferred to a railway company in the West Midlands as part of a pre-existing deal, with

The diesel trains serving stations such as Walthamstow Queen’s Road will soon be removed for use by West Midlands Trains, despite their electric replacements not being ready

all eight due to leave London by the middle of March. However, soft-ware problems mean their electric replacements are not ready to run. A rail users' group warned in January that the Goblin – which stops at four stations in Waltham Forest – was “on the brink of collapse”. TfL subsequently an-nounced that “modified” trains would be brought in from other lines in London to plug the gap, but that service frequency would be reduced when this happens. Compensation to passengers will only be offered once the new elec-tric trains are operational. Bom-bardier, which has built the new trains, has agreed to pay the cost of covering the month's free travel. Jon Fox, TfL’s director of rail and sponsored services, said: “We are very sorry for the continuing delay to the introduction of the new fleet of electric trains on the Gospel Oak to Barking line. We

share our customers’ frustration and continue to push Bombar-dier to do everything they can to allow us to bring the new trains into service as soon as possible. “We had expected the new trains to be in service well before now and are doing all we can to mi-nimise impact on our customers who have been waiting for way too long for the trains they have been promised. Given the ongoing delays we are modifying three electric trains normally used else-where on the network and will put them into use on the Gospel Oak to Barking line until the new elec-tric trains are here. “Customers have shown great patience and to show our appre-ciation the Mayor of London has secured funding from Bombardier to support a month’s free travel on the line once the new trains are fully introduced. More detail will be available closer to the time.”

Saturday 6th April

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is maximised. The station currently has 14 million passengers per year and TfL expects this to increase to 17 million by 2041 – although this estimate does not account for thousands of new homes planned.Council leader Clare Coghill described the current tube station at Leyton and said: “It is like a well-loved teddy bear with its eyes fallen out.” Currently, none of Waltham Forest 's four underground stations provide step-free access from street to platform. Cllr Miller said making Leyton Station step-free was something everyone at the council could be “hugely proud of”. The exact start date of work on the station is yet to be confirmed.

"It's a well-loved teddy bear with its

eyes fallen out"

PHOTOGRAPHY8 No. 47 FEBRUARY 2019 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO


These pictures were taken last month on a walk along the River Ching between South Chingford and Highams Park. According to the London Encyclopaedia: "Chingford was the Saxon ‘ford of the dwellers by the stumps’ where pile dwellings were built on marshland by the River Lea. The River Bourne, renamed as the Ching, flows down the eastern boundary, through Highams Park and Walthamstow, towards the Lea. The original settlement was probably in this region but by the 12th and 13th centuries settlement had occurred in forest clearings on higher ground."

To submit your photos for consideration: Email [email protected]

Photographs by Barry Sutton

Send us your photos


LETTERS

I write in support of Melanie Strickland and the other members of the Stansted 15 recently convict-ed under the 1990 Aviation and Maritime Security Act. Melanie is a former member and trustee of Walthamstow Migrants’ Action Group (WMAG). In March 2017, the Stanst-ed 15 conducted an act of

Negative attitudes towards disabled children and their fam-ilies are a blight on our society that need to be challenged. As a local resident, and husband of an overworked and stressed special needs teacher, I’m encouraging my neighbours to sign up to charity Scope’s campaign on this issue. Three quarters of parents of dis-abled children across the country say they have experienced nega-tive comments from the public when they go out with their child. Negative attitudes and inadequate support leaves families feeling judged and isolated. Now is the time for a new minis-ter for disabled children and their families, who can lead government thinking in how to tackle negative attitudes. People can support the campaign by signing a petition or donating on Scope’s website.

John MoppettChingford

It is a scandal that air pollution is causing thousands of premature deaths each year in our capital and stunting the lung development of our children. This is why I am supporting the roll-out of the Mayor of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). The ULEZ will have a hugely positive impact on our ability to tackle air pollution when it is

At 6pm on Thursday 17th Jan-uary as I was walking home from Blackhorse Road to Low Hall Lane, I crossed Harting-ton Road, along Station Road. A white Toyota pick up truck was turning down it, the driver then saw me crossing, and stared at me enough for me to notice and feel uncomfortable. I took my headphones out and kept walking along Station Road, crossing right into Markhouse Avenue. I then turned around and saw him at the junction of Station Road and Markhouse Avenue. He spotted me and started driving really slowly up towards me until he caught up. He then just drove alongside me, staring at me trying to edge towards the curb. I stopped a passer-by (luckily – thank you to whoever you are) and told him to wait with me as I was being followed. The pick-up truck then sped off and turned

Waltham Forest is the first London Borough of Culture

and Meow and I couldn’t wait to watch the light show.

We didn’t need to go to Lloyd Park

as the laser beams shone right above our garden

like stars and an alien spaceship landing.

Last night Meow and I watched them from our bed

(Meow napped through the celebrations)

but tonight – the grand finale – he followed me outside

and in the January night we cuddled up to wonder

at the most fabulous night show in Walthamstow

the lights dancing for us alone.

Lulu JamesWalthamstow

Regarding the article by Wendy Davis (Unanswered questions about road closures, Page 2, Issue 45), I am a resident of Palmer-ston Road and witness daily the appalling traffic queues and pollution. Waltham Forest Council has spent our money on a theoret-ical study by researchers at King’s College and chosen to ignore huge increases in traffic pollution on roads made to compensate for 'Mini Holland' road closures. I wish these researchers would come to Palmerston Road and witness the traffic chaos; parking on either side of the road, stationary buses, and the inevitable queues of big lorries and cars, accompanied by drivers shouting and hooting their

This year is the 50th since my first visit to Leyton Orient – or Orient FC as they were called then! The first professional football I saw was when my dad took me to West Ham in 1965. I became a fervent Hammers fan, but one day he suggested we see Orient instead, as West Ham were playing in some far-flung place. I found the contrasts interesting; a smaller crowd and dilapidated stadium, but one you could walk round to pick your spot from where to watch the game. The 1969/70 season was a great time to start watching the O's; they won the third division title. I saw many home games but it was not enough for me to change loyalties to Orient. It wasn’t until 1977/78 when the O's were still playing in the second tier that I fully converted. That was the season that Orient got all the way to the semi-final of the FA Cup, with great wins over top-flight Norwich, Chelsea and Middlesbrough! More recently, Orient were relegated from the Football League after 112 years and nearly went out of business, but this season the new management has halted the slide and, at last, there is real optimism with the club top of the National League and fans daring to dream. One of the biggest surprises for me is how, despite our lowly posi-tion, many young fans are making Leyton Orient their club. We are selling record numbers of season tickets and have had two sell-out crowds. I like to think we are the friendliest club in London.

Phil LightfootBarking

I support the Stansted 15

Disabled children need more support

Air pollution measures welcome

Women should be able to feel safe

Meow Culture

Mini Holland has clogged Palmerston Road

Up the O's!

Dear Waltham Forest Echo







Send your lettersGot an opinion on something related to Waltham Forest?

Send us letters of up to 250 words before the deadline on Tuesday 19th March :

political protest by chaining themselves to an aircraft engaged in the forced deportation of 60 individuals to West Africa. By so doing they prevented the flight taking off. Since then eleven of those due to be deported have been allowed to remain in the UK, after being allowed time for their applications to be heard. WMAG deplores both the arrest and nature of the charges brought against the Stansted 15. It is against the public interest to criminalise peaceful political protest. It is par-ticularly heinous that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided to charge the Stansted 15 under a terror-related law. Essentially the CPS is treating upstanding citizens like terrorists for seeking to ensure respect for the refugee convention. We believe there are good reasons the Stansted 15 have been dealt with so severely. The use of this legislation, coupled with the judge giving the jury what amounted to a direction to convict, is indica-tive of the state bearing down on domestic opposition to its policies under the guise of 'anti-terrorism'. We encourage those who share our indignation against this traves-ty of justice to write to their MPs, the Home Secretary, and to sign our petition on change.org

Douglas SaltmarsheWalthamstow Migrants' Action Group

horns – all vying for space. Of course the council will never admit that there’s a problem. I lived for many years on Fulham Road, but I moved to Waltham-stow because I thought, at the time (1999) that the roads were much calmer and there was no air pollution and heavy traffic. How wrong I was!

Adele TinmanPalmerston Road, Walthamstow

introduced on 8th April. In prepa-ration for the ULEZ, it’s important local residents check their vehicle’s compliance with new emissions standards as this will determine whether they will be charged for driving in the Zone. Diesel cars manufactured before 2015, alongside most pre-2006 petrol cars, will be charged £12.50 to come into central London at any time. This will be in addition to the existing £11.50 congestion charge, which oper-ates from Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm. Buses, coaches, lorries and motorbikes will also need to comply with European emis-sions standards or face charges. The implementation of the world’s first ULEZ is a signifi-cant facet of a package of mea-sures that City Hall is taking to clean up London’s toxic air. In taking drastic action now, the mayor can ensure that London is firmly on the path to achiev-ing zero emissions from road transport by 2050. You can access the ULEZ vehicle checker on the website tfl.gov.uk

Jennette ArnoldLondon Assembly Member for Waltham Forest

Email [email protected]

into Low Hall Lane. The registration of the truck is HG10 UXV and I have reported this to the police. I can’t believe I’m having to write this, let alone in 2019 in a place I thought I felt safe. Please be careful and if you see this truck again please call it in. Women, be extra vigilant – I think we need to get together to stop this and I think this is the best place to start.

Emily DaveyWalthamstow


COMMENT

A prepayment meter at a flat in Hopson House

Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer voted to leave the EU in 2016 Credit parliment.uk

Give us a People's Vote!

Trying to find the energyMarlowe Road Estate resident Michelle Edwards questions the heating arrangements for new tenants

he Brexit deadlock in parliament shows that the government is failing. It’s time

for MPs, including Leyton and Wanstead’s John Cryer, to get behind a People’s Vote. Just before Christmas, John wrote to constituents – includ-ing me – who had contacted him about Brexit. Since then, Theresa May has suffered a humiliating defeat of her flagship deal and then narrowly won a vote of confidence. Now, the prime minister is in talks to try and get the deal through again, despite offering few concessions. John has stated his opposi-tion to the European Union, in a level-headed and balanced way, ever since the 2016 EU Referen-dum. In his letter he expressed his opposition to a second referendum, or 'People’s Vote'. But

n last month's paper I wrote about my visit to Hopson House, the newly completed affordable housing block on

Marlowe Road Estate. Through-out January, I was inundated with complaints about how the process of moving social tenants there is being managed by Waltham Forest Council. Prior to the moves, the coun-cil’s regeneration team contacted existing residents on the estate and invited them to view the new units. On arrival they were given a short viewing slot, before being told to sign a tenancy agreement on the spot or render themselves 'intentionally homeless'. The new tenants were then handed an A4 see-through plastic wallet with 15 documents enclosed. One, which I've read, is an eleven-page 'residential heat supply agreement' for heating and hot water. Of many disagreeable contract terms, three scream loudly. Firstly, dictated terms on method of payment; a pay-as-you-go pre-payment meter. Having a prepay-

given the stalemate in parliament, the intransigence of the govern-ment, and incoherence of the opposition, a People’s Vote offers a clear way forward. Not only that, but a People's Vote is the ultimate way to respect the 'will of the people' because it demonstrates that politicians trust the electorate enough to take a sensible, considered view of the situation again, in full view of the facts. Some say that a People’s Vote betrays the will of the people, asking those who voted to leave the EU to have another go until they get it right. This is childish and disingenuous, and trivialises what we as a nation are considering. Firstly, we are better informed now. We have had more than two years of debate over Brexit, and know more about what leaving the EU might look like. Before the referendum very little was said beyond wild promises. Second, both the government and parlia-

ment are stuck. Giving the choice back to the people offers a way out of the deadlock and would stop politicians blithely claiming to represent what they think people really want. And third, if people still want out in light of what we now know, they can still vote to leave. This, surely, would head off criticism from pro-EU remainers that people were lied to in the first referendum. John Cryer should trust the British people and back a People’s Vote – the only way to respect the will of the people.

ment meter almost always means paying more than you need to for energy bills. Not only is the unit price for energy more expensive with a prepayment meter, but the cheapest tariffs offered by energy suppliers are usually not made available to prepayment customers. Secondly, the contract states “the council does not undertake” that the central heating “will be constantly available at a particu-lar temperature or pressure”. How so? Both Public Health England (PHE) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend 18°C as a basic level of warmth required for a healthy person. And finally, payments for the prepayment meter are managed by a third party called EEMoni-tor, based in Nottingham. Of the residents I spoke with, each has reported problems with the meter. Apparently, the top-ups disappear at an astonishing rate. One tenant told me he moved in on 12th December to find his meter was already showing a reading of minus £5. Apparently, construction

workers had left the heating on. Up to 20th January, the tenant had put £60 on the meter. As a disabled occupant, he can only afford to turn his heating on for one hour per day. In another example, a household had spent £70. The children were told to cut down their showers and only turn the heating on if absolutely necessary. A third resident I met required consoling in the foyer. His mother has a medical condition that affects her bones. In order to keep warm, she stands up against the radiator. Given there was a government grant of about £1million spent on the provision of an energy efficient network for the new Marlowe Road Estate, none of these stories make any sense. Pretty buildings hiding draconian living conditions for vulnerable communities that even Charles Dickens might scoff at? I submitted some questions to the council for this article, hoping to clarify some basic stuff such as who the energy supplier actually is. At the time of going to press, there was no reply.

Arts & CultureChance for young creatives to get involved in free arts programme P . 13

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One more point. In a letter, tenants have been offered the services of a removal company “free of cost”. Er, not quite. Steels Removals provides a quote to the council for each job, and the amount is then deducted from the 'disturbance allowance' element of the compensation paid to all residents. The wording seems

deliberately ambiguous. Despite all these misgivings, the council unexpectedly announced a plan in January to buy back 66 of the new homes on Marlowe Road Estate from developer Countryside Properties so they can be provid-ed as social homes. One minute they can’t wait to get rid of us – the next they want us back?

by James Burgess "Giving the choice back

to the people offers a way

out of the deadlock"


LISTINGS

Upcoming

Ongoing

Mental Health Mates Chingford WalkSunday 10th and Sunday 24th February, 11am – 12pmMeet at Chingford Station, Station Road, Chingford E4 6AL

Build Your Family AlbumSaturday 9th and Sunday 10th February, 12pm – 2pmThe Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA

The Limes Sunday MarketSunday 10th February, 12pm – 3pmThe Limes Community and Children’s Charity, William Morris Hall, Walthamstow E17 6RX

Blazin' FiddlesFriday 22nd February 2019, 6.30pmSt Mary’s Music Hall, St Mary's Church, Church End, Walthamstow E17 9RJ

Creative Movers Toddlers ClubWednesdays and Thursdays, 10.15am – 11.15amLe Petit Corner Cafe, 734 High Road Leytonstone E11 3AW

Kindred MeetsEvery Thursday, 10am – 11.30amWaltham Forest Community Hub, 18a Orford Road, Walthamstow E17 9LN

Women's BoxerciseThursdays, 7.30pm – 8.30pmSt Andrew's Church, St Andrew's Road, Walthamstow E17 6AR

'Best in Show' exhibitionEvery day until 6th April, 9.30am – 6pmThe Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA

Club Neapolitan: Silent Disco23rd February, 8pm – 12amOrford House Social Club, 73 Orford Road, Walthamstow E17 9QZ

Young Lawyers AssociationEvery first Tuesday, 6.30pm – 8.30pmWaltham Forest Community Hub, 18a Orford Road E17 9LN

Waltham Forest Reiki NightEvery first Tuesday, 7pm – 9pmWaltham Forest Community Hub, 18a Orford Road E17 9LN

A place to walk and talk without fear of judgement.

Laura and Uzma invite you to explore your history through your photos to create a unique family album. The workshop has two sessions. The first you will learn more about your own photos. The second you build the photo album. Material for the book included – but bring your photos!

Come along to our lovely Valen-tine's-themed community market and bag yourself a thoughtful gift for your loved ones, all handmade by our lovely young people with disabilities.

A fiddle-tastic evening from one of the world’s most prolific and exciting fiddle groups! Described as “the Led Zeppelin of the folk world” the legendary award- winning act never fail to set the audi-ence alight. Celebrating their 21st year in 2019, no other band has quite managed to capture the excitement, passion and sensitivity of Scottish music all at once.

Professional performing artist Andrea Pelaez leads this fun and artistic club for boys and girls, exploring the imagination through roleplay and dancing! Aimed for children between three and four years old. Younger and older siblings welcome to tag along with carer input.

Our eight-week programme for new parents features classes and workshops with local postnatal specialists, includ-ing mindfulness and parental self-care, paediatric first aid, baby-wearing and dance, sleep support, return-to-work coaching, creative play, music sensory, baby massage, yoga, plus much more!

A 'boxercise' class can incorporate many components, so every class is different and exciting. One of the favourite class formats is a circuit-style class including boxing stations, such as the focus pads, skipping ropes, medicine ball, and other more general exercises found in a good circuit class. Make sure you bring a mat, towel, water and gloves if you have them.

Best in Show is The Mill’s new exhibi-tion. This exhibition is of photographs, paintings and collages from artists of all ages to celebrate our furry cats and dogs. Will Fido or Felix be best in show?

Orford House is delighted to present the third Club Neapolitan, a silent disco with three delicious flavour channels: choco-late (90s/00s indie); vanilla (party classics); and strawberry (wheel of fortune). You’ll be treated to four hours of tunes through top quality headsets. Got an idea for a theme? Submit it on our Facebook page.

We offer free legal advice on immigra-tion, family, and criminal law, to members of the community. Our services include walk-in sessions, telephone advice, assistance with filling in court documents, and 45-minute sessions.

Reiki is a form of therapy that works with the life-force energy that flows through all living things. When one’s energy is free flowing without blocks one is in a positive state of health both physically and emotionally.

FreeEmail [email protected] mentalhealthmates.co.uk

Free entryEmail [email protected] ticketlab.co.uk/event/id/2437/Build-Your-Family-Album

Call 020 8509 8985Email [email protected] thelimes.org.uk

Tickets £13-£18.50Email [email protected] Visit musichalls.org/events

First session freeEmail [email protected]

£16.25 per sessionVisit ticketlab.co.uk/event/id/ 2413/Kindred-Meets-Community- for-New-Parents

£8 entry (discounts available)Email [email protected] Visit app.gymcatch.com/provider/314

Free entryEmail [email protected] themille17.org

Tickets £7 (£3 for Orford House members)Visit ticketlab.co.uk/event/id/2438/Club-Neapolitan-Silent-Disco

Email [email protected]

Donations welcomeEmail [email protected]

Fill in the online form available at walthamstuff.com/echo before Friday 15th February.

Submit your listing

Launch of Plastic Free LeytonstoneTuesday 12th February, 7.30pm – 9pmLuna Bar, 7 Church Lane, Leytonstone E11 1HG

Worried about plastic polluting the oceans? Want to use less plastic in your life? Find out how to make Leytonstone plastic free! Hosted by Waltham Forest Friends of the Earth.

Email [email protected] @Wffoe

Kids' Fancy Dress DiscoFriday 22nd February, 2pm–4.30pm and 5.15pm – 7.45pmChingford Assembly Hall, Station Road, Chingford E4 7EN

Come as a super hero, pirate, or princess! Musical games and children's entertain-er. To avoid disappointment, book your tickets in advance.

Ticket £5-£7Email [email protected] chingfordvillagefestival.info

Church Lane Community Garden Open DayTuesdays and Saturdays, 10am – 4pmChurch Lane Community Garden, Harold Road, Leytonstone E11 4QX

Come along to Transition Leytonstone’s award-winning community garden. Organic fruit and veg, plants to buy, garden-ing tools to borrow, growing tips, regular workshops, volunteering opportunities.

Call 07450 474 538Email [email protected] transitionleytonstone.org.uk

Royal British Legion in LeytonstoneEvery third Wednesday, 8pm–9.30pmLeytonstone Fire Station, 466 High Road E11 3HN

The Leytonstone branch of Royal British Legion meet at Leytonstone Fire Station on the third Wednesday of each month at 8pm. We welcome men and women of all ages, whether they have served in the armed forces or not.

Free entryEmail [email protected]


ARTS & CULTURE

Peter Mirow is a Time to Change champion

Money for local groups We are the champions

Join our young creatives

Borough of Culture awards £135,000 to twelve community arts groups

suffer from paranoid schizo-phrenia. I take medication to alleviate some of the symp-toms, such as hearing voices

and paranoia. I’ve been affected by stigma and discrimination from those I thought would be able to deal with an issue such as mental health. I faced people who stopped talking to me and to my frustration the classic “have you been taking your medication?” phrase would appear. I do not believe anyone living with a mental health problem should be made to feel isolated in any way. Time to Change is a growing move-ment formed by mental health char-ities Mind and Rethink, to stop this stigma towards people with a mental health problem. I’ve become a part of this movement myself by becom-ing a Time to Change champion and have created a photographic exhibition called Who are 1 in 4? As you might not know, at least one in four of us will experience a mental health problem in our lifetime. The exhibition features Time To Change champions who have been photographed in a way that celebrates and shows off their skills and inner qualities. It shows that someone who has experienced a mental health problem is much more than a diagnosis. We know the stigma and dis-crimination around mental health can be worse than the mental health problem itself. My aim is to capture perceptions and show the obstacles we need to overcome but also beautifully demonstrate that a mental health problem does not stop us from having skills, quali-ties and personalities.

XT Creatives is a free creative pro-gramme for children in Waltham Forest.

This February half-term we're offering two exciting projects for children between ten and 18 years in partnership with Apple, William Morris Big Local, and Yonder. These projects will be jam-packed full of physical, fun and creative activities with a healthy breakfast provided on arrival. Activities for the younger children will include climbing and team-building at Yonder in Blackhorse Lane, creative design sessions at Apple in Westfield

welve local art and culture projects will share £135,000 between them as part of Waltham

Forest Borough of Culture 2019. The projects chosen by a panel of community ambassadors include a puppet dog that will deliver drama workshops in care homes, a New York-style street band, and a series of life-size monsters created by

The successful Make it Happen projects pictured in Leytonstone with council leader Clare Coghill and Shonagh Manson from the Greater London Authority Credit David Levene

by Peter Mirow

The exhibition will be open from Thurs 7th until Sun 10th February at One Hoe Street, Walthamstow, with a special event on Saturday 9th February:Visit https://bit.ly/2G2KFLQ

To book a free place text 'NXT CREATIVES' to 07575 053 994 with the name and age of the young person taking part. For more information:Visit bigcreative/nxt

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by Serina ApalooStratford, and the curation of a live public event. The group is being commissioned by William Morris Big Local to create a newsletter for young people that will be circulated to 4,000 homes in Walthamstow. The project for older children will be a competition to win £500, with young people supported to develop their own social enter-prise idea – anything creative that will benefit the local community or environment. Both projects will take place at Big Creative Academy, Clifton Avenue, Walthamstow (near Blackhorse Lane). Places are limited and are filling up already. In addition to the February half-term holiday project, we currently

have places available on our other projects, including coding, gaming, employability, and performing arts. NXT Creatives is funded by Big Lottery until April 2020.

NXT Creatives is a programme for young creative people in Walthamstow

pupils from ten local schools. The initial round of the Make it Happen grants programme saw 165 applications submitted. A second round is now open for bids of between £100 to £30,000, with a deadline of Monday 4th March. Justine Simons, deputy mayor for culture and creative industries, said: “Waltham Forest’s programme has got off to a spectacular start,

and these grants will enable even more local performers, writers and musicians to bring their bril-liant and varied ideas to life and to participate in the very first London Borough of Culture.” The twelve Make it Happen proj-ects are: Carnivalista, “a vibrant carnival parade of costumes, music and dance” at summer festivals in Leyton and Chingford; theatre

workshops run by Libby Liburd to celebrate International Women’s Day; Wild About Highams Park, an art trail featuring animal wood carvings run by Highams Park Com-munity CIC; The Human Library, “where books become people”; Think Globally Create Locally, a partnership between Organiclea growers and African performing arts organisation Mbilla Arts; Mon-strous Assembly, which sees young people from ten schools create life-sized monsters; Pride in the Borough, highlighting the impor-tance of LGBT inclusion in public transport; The Big Bagaga Show, an “absurdist, skillful and intimate circus show”; The Rebel Brass Band, bringing together 50 young people to co-create Waltham Forest’s “first ever high-energy New York-style street band”; Tell Tails, featuring a puppet dog who will help deliver drama workshops at residential care homes in Waltham Forest; We Are Extraordinary, a hardback book featuring local inspiring people; and DashDot/YouthDance, provid-ing young people with physical and learning disabilities a chance to take part in creative dance workshops.

For more information on how to apply for a Make it Happen grant:

Visit wfculture19.co.uk/fellowshipfunding

HistoryLooking back at the family-run hardware shop that's closed after 70 years P . 14


HISTORY

f you live near Wood Street in Walthamstow and have a penchant for DIY, chances are you've been to Colvins.

The family-run ironmongers and hardware shop has been a mainstay

I

A cut above the restFamily-run hardware shop closes after seven decades

of the area's retail scene since the late 1940s, offering a personalised service that the big chains could never match. Timber and wood could by cut to order, paint could be mixed, and all manner of tools

by James Cracknell

"I have had people walking out of here in tears. We are amazed at the

response"

Susan Aley standing in the doorway of Colvins in the early 1980s

and bits and bobs could be found on demand. Selling locks, hinges, screws, nails, hooks, varnish, brushes, mouldings and more, Colvins had it all. Sadly, this stalwart of Waltham-stow is no more. At the end of January, owners Peter and Susan Aley shut up shop for the last time. “It would have been 70 years in June,” Susan told the Echo. “We're closing down because we haven't had the trade over the last year. We are down on our takings and the footfall is down – most people come here in a vehicle and there is nowhere to park – it was the final nail in the coffin.” Peter was born above the shop, shortly before it was opened by William Colvin in 1949. He and his mother later started working there in the 1960s. Susan moved in with Peter – who was still living above the shop – after the pair got married in 1973. The Aley family then bought Colvins after William moved to Australia and decided to

sell up in 1982, but they decided to keep the shop's name. “There have been dads who shop here with their children, and then when they've grown up they've come in with their children,” said Susan. “We are a small business, every-thing is loose, so people spend half-an-hour picking up a few screws. It is lovely, but we only take 50p off them! Most of our customers we're on first name terms with.” How has Colvins survived this long, when so many people now shop at the large DIY stores? “Homebase opened in 1986 on the corner with Wood Street and obviously it had an impact, but we managed to keep going because we have got good service here, we do wood cutting and things like that. “It's the parking that's done us. There used to be three car parks behind the shops but now there's just one and it's full with the people working at the medical centre. They did away with the parking in side streets, you need a permit now.

The council should be ashamed – they've ruined Wood Street.” As well as Peter and Susan, loyal Colvins customers will also know Stephen Knowles and Joanne Berry, Susan's brother and niece respec-tively, who have also worked there for many years and have always offered a friendly service. So how has everyone reacted to the news that the shop is finally closing? “We are devastated,” said Susan. “I have had people walking out of here in tears. We are amazed at the response. It is overwhelming.”

LICENSING ACT 2003: Notice of application for the grant of a

Premises Licence under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003

Notice is hereby given that Four Pillars Brewery Limited has applied to the London Borough of Waltham Forest for the grant of a Premises Licence a CRATE 18, CRATE St James Street, St James Street, London, E17 7PJ.

The application seeks to permit the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, live music and recorded music. The proposed hours are 10:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday and 10:00 to 22:00 on Sundays.

The Licensing register listing full details of the application is kept by the Licensing Service, The Magistrates, 1 Farnan Avenue, Walthamstow, London, E17 4NX. 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, The Magistrates, 1 Farnan Avenue, Walthamstow, London, E17 4NX.

Representations must be received no later than: 19th February 2019.

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.

We are looking for people who enjoy cleaning to come join our lovely housekeeping team here at The Dorchester.

The role is based in a gorgeous 5* hotel, looking after our guests to the highest standard and creating beautiful

memories for anyone who comes through our doors.

No previous experience necessary! If you enjoy cleaning and would like to work in a beautiful environment then

this is the role for you.

Please contact us on 020 7319 7019, or alternatively via email on

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Cleaner vacancy in luxury 5* hotel in Mayfair

We look forward to hearing from you


SPORT15

hat a difference a month makes. The impressive 3-1 home victory over

Chesterfield on 22nd December meant Leyton Orient sat at the summit of the National League table on Christmas Day with a handsome four-point lead over

W

ndefeated Waltham-stow boxer Sam Gilley has spoken of his pride at representing his local

community – as he sets his sights on a first British championship. The 24-year-old put on his first pair of gloves at Waltham Forest ABC in Highams Park before fight-ing twice in Walthamstow Town Hall as a successful amateur. Gilley has been well-backed by local support in his seven fights to

UReady to rumble

Battle is on for promotion

Jordan Foster talks to an up-and-coming boxer from Walthamstow

In his regular O's column, Jim Nichols sees reasons to be positive after a tough run of games

date, all of which have resulted in victories for the prospect. And this hasn't gone unnoticed with the welterweight, who admits he feels proud to represent the local area. “I am so lucky to have the support I do from the Waltham Forest community,” he said. “I have lived in Walthamstow my whole life, I was born at Whipps Cross Hospital and my mum and dad took me from there to my nan

their closest rivals. However, the late capitulation on Boxing Day at Dagenham and Redbridge started a run of just four points from five games. This has comfortably been Orient's worst run of the season and has resulted not only in that lead being extinguished, but also the teams

and grandad's in Wood Street. “One of the downsides to being a professional boxer is the dreaded ticket sales, but thankfully I have quite a big family all living around here. “Once you add up all them, plus all my mates that live locally, then everyone that my mum and dad know from round here, we get a massive crowd going down. “Despite just being over 12 months into my career, I have had some great nights already, I have

below bunching up to form a hungry and growing pack of challengers for the title. There have been two main reasons for the downturn in form. Firstly, injuries to key players have occurred in a short space of time. Looking at the line-up for that Chesterfield game, Coulson, Ekpiteta, Clay

and McAnuff have all since been sidelined with medium-term injuries. That is a lot of experience to be without at a crucial period of the season and consistency of selection has been a key factor in the club's fortunes to date. The second reason has been the opponents. The O's have had to visit

Dagenham, Dover and Ebbsfleet sides when they were all having their best run of results of the season – the solitary point gained was therefore not a surprise. The same cannot be said of Salford City's form, but the big-spending club showed enough quality at both ends of the pitch in their 3-0 win at Brisbane Road in early January to indicate that they surely remain Orient's main rivals for promotion. There are still reasons for cautious optimism, however. The injuries are now starting to clear, with Clay and McAnuff close to returns, while the club entered the transfer market to acquire Jordan Maguire-Drew and Jamie Turley. Both additions have proven recent quality at this level, and plug further gaps in the team. The forthcoming run of fixtures also looks relatively kind, so it is hoped this has merely been a blip rather than an irreversible decline. That said, the O's never do things smoothly and there are sure to be further twists and turns as the season winds towards its conclusion. The fans have continued to show their support in large numbers both home and away and the players and staff seem confident and up for the challenges ahead. It promises to be exciting, not least because the chance remains of not one but two trips to Wembley in May, with an FA Trophy final appearance still a possibility along with the play-offs, but the club would trade both for the main goal of the title and a return to the Football League.

Leyton Orient lost 3-0 to fellow promotion hopefuls Salford City in January but continue to top the table Credit Simon O'Connor

fought at the O2 and on a David Haye show. “Now we are starting to move up the levels.” Sponsorship is paramount to a boxer's career if they are looking to be successful and Gilley, who hopes to fight for a British title soon, is aiming to partner up with local businesses. “I get a lot of support from individuals but it would be really something to be able to have spon-sors that are locally based. “I have fought on BT Sport and Channel 5, so there is great expo-sure, and then on top of that I have the logos on all my training kit. “That's the dream, I want to

be able to give back to the local community, both youngsters and businesses, winning titles I can show off in the local area!” Sam's next fight takes place on 16th March at York Hall in Bethnal Green.

Sam Gilley (purple shorts) has won all seven of his fights since making his debut in September 2017


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