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WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

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FreeJuly 2020, No. 64

Your independent community newspaper

ears are growing over the fate of vulnerable rough sleepers in the borough after Waltham Forest

Council decided to shut down a “safe village” for homeless people.

In April volunteers helped set up 'Project Parker' for rough sleepers at the former Parker Dairies ware-house in Wood Street, which closed in 2017. With help from the owners of Eggs & Bread, a nearby non-profit cafe, and after obtaining per-mission from the landlord, twelve

skips of rubbish were cleared from the disused industrial site to estab-lish the camp. A crowdfunder raised nearly £10,000 to fund the project and at the peak of the pandemic around 40 people were staying there – being served hot meals every day.

But in May the council warned that the operators of the camp were breaching planning laws and ordered the occupants to leave. The authority later delayed enforcement action and started working with Project Parker to help find residents temporary accommodation. Place-ments were found for 17 people,

Fbut up to 24 still remained at the end of June as a second planning enforcement deadline loomed.

Government funding to support the placement of rough sleepers in hotels during the pandemic has been extended into July, but may not last beyond the summer. The government has so far rejected calls from campaigners to remove its 'no recourse to public funds' policy which restricts access to public ser-vices and welfare benefits for people with uncertain immigration status.

Tommy Anderson, who runs homeless charity Tommy's Kitchen

and has been serving meals at Proj-ect Parker, told the Echo: “There are six people at Project Parker with no recourse to public funds. They could end up back on the streets, but they will run the risk of being reported to the Home Office.

“If there is no more government funding for putting homeless peo-ple in hotels it will be down to the council – and they've got no money.”

Tommy is a health and safety officer for Unite the Union and disputes the council's claims that Project Parker has been an unsafe place for homeless people to stay. He added: “We wanted to give these people a roof over their heads and prevent anti-social behaviour. The council claimed it was unsafe but we got a fire safety certificate, the volunteers have been DBS [Disclo-sure and Barring Service] checked and they've had first aid training.”

A petition to save Project Parker was signed by more than 2,700 people, but the camp was due to be shut down by the council as the Echo went to press.

Councillor Louise Mitchell, cabi-net member for housing and home-lessness prevention, said: “Since April, Waltham Forest Council has offered all rough sleepers with ties to the borough temporary accom-modation. We are now working with these 58 individuals to ensure they can move to more permanent accommodation. This not only includes support around housing but access to medical services.

“We have been in contact with the owners and managers of the old dairy site in Wood Street fol-lowing concerns from residents around a homeless camp set up in the yard. Officers have been talking with people on site offer-ing alternative accommodation to those with ties to Waltham Forest.

“We have serious concerns about the safety and suitability of this encampment.”

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FeaturesComment News Arts & Culture History

P . 4 P . 2 P . 6 P . 12

A local project could lay the groundwork for a new type of housing

How racism remains a big problem in Waltham Forest

Market traders struggle as the council bids to revive local economy

Go-ahead granted for long-awaited revamp of the Granada/EMD theatre

Exploring local postboxes and why some are more notable than others

by James Cracknell

former staff member at William Morris Gal-lery has accused the

Walthamstow arts venue of “systemic racism” in a blog post shared widely online.

Teanne Andrews said she was given a prominent role during the Waltham Forest Borough of Culture 2019 celebrations as a “poster child for diversity” but, a year later, “they got rid of me at their earliest opportunity”. She said she'd never been given a permanent contract in four years working for the Waltham Forest Council-run art gallery.

A William Morris Gallery spokesperson said they were “sad-dened by the serious allegations” but that Teanne's role was grant funded and this funding had run out. They confirmed a formal complaint had been received in relation to the allegations “which will be investigated in full”. Read more at walthamforestecho.co.uk.

n awa r d - w i n n i n g Walthamstow pub at risk of closure raised

£34,000 – in just one week.Ye Olde Rose and Crown hosts

regular live music, comedy and theatre events but had, like all pubs, been forced to close for three months during the lockdown. In addition the pub's owners said they had to continue paying rent.

A crowdfunder launched in June set out to raise £20,000, but in one week raised £34,000 following a wave of support through social media. Co-owner Joanna Simmonett said: “The love and support you have all shown us is just so utterly overwhelming.” Read more at walthamforestecho.co.uk.

Racism row

Help for pub

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AConcern over fate of rough sleepers

Wayne Walton (left) and Tommy Anderson (right) have been volunteering at Project Parker to serve food to homeless people staying there

No. 64 JULY 2020 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO2

JULY 2020 – No. 64Waltham Forest Echo is

the borough's free community newspaper.

We publish monthly and distribute 10,000 free copies

of each issue – and we will continue to do so

during the ongoing public health crisis

PublisherDavid Floyd

EditorJames Cracknell

DesignerJonathan Duncan

Head of AdvertisingKlaudia Kiss

Head of OperationsPaige Ballmi

Engagement ManagerPenny Dampier

ContributorsMel Strickland, Victoria Munro,

Sue Wheat, Helen Bigham, Judith Burnett, Ben Thompson, Pari Faramarzi, Jo Sealy, Melissa

Quinn, Anna Alcock, Mark Burton, Deborah Nash,

Tom Quigley, Dr Leo Cheng, Michelle Edwards

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)

COMMENT

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Mel Strickland from Waltham Forest Migrant Action on how the borough has responded to recent global events

he shocking racist murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the United

States sparked off waves of pro-test around the world. Despite laws against racial discrimina-tion, racism is entrenched in our society – its roots lie in slavery and colonialism.

There have been numerous pro-tests across Waltham Forest in support of the Black Lives Mat-ter movement, demonstrating the depth of support residents feel for the cause of racial justice. Waltham Forest Stand up to Rac-ism has organised several large, socially-distanced protests in places such as the town square and outside the town hall. Now a new group has been set up, Waltham Forest Black Lives Matter.

At the protests we chanted the names of black people who have died in police custody, in prison, and in detention centres. We heard from NHS workers about the risks of working with-out adequate personal protective equipment, and from teachers about the need to decolonise education and teach the shame-ful history of British imperial-ism and African enslavement. We were reminded of Grenfell and Windrush – both disgrace-ful episodes in British history.

We also heard how black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities are over-represented in poorly paid and dangerous jobs. The message was that the white community must speak out. “White silence is violence,” read one placard.

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Fighting racial injustice in Waltham Forest

Covid-19 has also highlighted racial inequalities, as dispro-portionately more BAME peo-ple have died. A Public Health England report concluded that racism may have been a factor in BAME deaths.

Waltham Forest Council has issued a statement in support of Black Lives Matter. This is welcome, but if statements like this are to be meaningful, action must follow. There is a campaign specifically targeting the council, as well as Waltham Forest Clin-ical Commissioning Group and Barts NHS Health Trust [which runs Whipps Cross Hospital], which demands they stop enforc-ing charges for migrants to access healthcare. The campaign also calls on these bodies to stop shar-ing information with the Home

Office for the purposes of immi-gration enforcement. Charging migrants for healthcare is one of the government’s racist 'hostile environment' measures and puts people off seeking treatment. Such a policy is morally unjus-tifiable in normal times – in a pandemic it is beyond the pale.

The hostile environment is hostile to all black and ethnic minority groups, since race is

used as a proxy for regular immi-gration status. Our experience at Waltham Forest Migrant Centre is that people are increasingly marginalised and subject to racist abuse as the government’s rheto-ric on immigration has become more extreme.

The Black Lives Matter pro-tests have been a seed of hope in a world recalibrating from the converging crises of Covid-19, climate change, economic inequality and political inac-tion. Oppression can best be challenged through organised resistance by a mass movement with clear demands and a coher-ent vision of a better future. Help us and get involved!

Local businesses need your helpello and welcome to Issue 64 of Waltham Forest Echo.

As we tentatively ease out of lockdown, we wait to find out if life can return to some kind of semi-normality, or whether a second wave of coronavirus will stop us in our tracks. At the time of writing at the end of June, signs

An introduction from editor James Cracknell

were positive, with most local busi-nesses able to open for trade from Saturday 4th July – yes, even pubs! We can all play a role by choosing to spend our money with indepen-dent traders as much as possible.

Sadly, it is already too late for family-run East London busi-ness Percy Ingles Bakery, which announced in June that all its branches would close, includ-ing seven in Waltham Forest. Hundreds of you said on social

media how much you would miss their tasty treats.

We have covered previously the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people of minority ethnic backgrounds. Now the racist killing of George Floyd by police in the United States has sparked global protests, includ-ing here in the UK and our bor-ough, where the colour of your skin significantly affects your chances of being born into poverty,

Hyour life expectancy, your mental health, your educational attain-ment, your career prospects, and how likely you are to be stopped and searched, among other things.

Elsewhere in the paper this month, on Page 4 a resident-led project seeks an alternative solu-tion to the housing crisis, on Page 12 the revamp of the Granada wins planning permission, and on Page 14 discover the history of Waltham Forest's postboxes!

"We were reminded of Grenfell and Windrush –

both disgraceful episodes in

British history"

For more information and to get involved with Waltham Forest Black Lives Matter:Visit facebook.com/wfblm

A Black Lives Matter protest held outside Northcote Arms in Leyton last month Credit Sally Rose (weddingsbysallyrose.com)

No. 64 JULY 2020 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 3

NEWS

arents fighting cuts to special needs provision in the borough say they will go ahead with a judicial review chal-lenge against Waltham Forest Council

after being told they could obtain legal aid.The council voted through its cuts to funding

for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in March, after saying it needed to plug a £5.3million budget deficit. It meant reducing ‘top-up funding’ for pupils in the lowest two bands of need by 10%.

The decision came despite a series of long-run-ning appeals and protests staged by local parents and teachers. Waltham Forest SEND Crisis, a local campaign group, raised £3,000 to help fund a court challenge. Two parents are personally bringing a joint case on behalf of the campaign and have been granted legal aid. Lawyers Irwin Mitchell sent a letter to the council in May, ahead of a proposed bid to have a judicial review case heard at the High Court.

In the letter, lawyers argue the council's decision was unlawful on the basis of being “irrational” and because its consultation was “insufficient and unfair”. Irwin Mitchell state: “The council does not appear to understand what the 'needs' of the relevant children in question are, or what resources are required to meet those needs.

“It is unclear how the council could rationally conclude that – if the cuts went ahead – schools

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he number of people claiming unemployment benefits in Waltham Forest

has risen three-fold since the start of the pandemic – with the borough now having the joint third-highest jobless rate in London.

In February, 3.4% of working age people in Waltham Forest were claiming unemployment benefits, but by mid-May this had risen to 9.4%, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics. This places the bor-ough behind only Haringey and Barking and Dagenham (both on 10.1%) in London, while the national average is now 6.4%.

Nicolas Bosetti, from Centre for London, said: “London’s job market has already been hard hit by coronavirus, with every single borough seeing a sudden increase in people claiming unemployment-related benef i t s . Thi s i s fur ther entrenching existing inequali-ties; boroughs that already had higher unemployment rates are experiencing the steepest rises.

“Outer East London boroughs seem to have been particularly affected so far. This could be because their residents are more likely to work in occupations affected by physical distancing.”

ouncillors have backed plans to add 40 homes to a library site despite

warnings it could harm the local area.

Waltham Forest Council hopes to use profits from the new homes at Chingford Library in Ching-ford Green to almost entirely fund the revamp of the library and adjoining assembly hall.

Councillor Simon Miller, cabi-net member for economic growth and housing development, told a cabinet meeting that concerns the project would be high-rise were “a nonsense” and it would probably be four storeys tall. Objections from residents and Conservative councillor Emma Best were heard before the project won unanimous cabinet approval.

Building of the new ‘Chingford Hub’ is due to start next year and finish in 2023. The library will remain open, in a temporary location, throughout. Cllr Miller added: “The redevelopment of Chingford Library, which is tired and outdated, will create a fully accessible modern library with learning space for adult learning service courses.”

Jobless riseLibrary plans

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Parents push ahead with SEND cuts legal bidby James Cracknell

Features

P . 4

Advertisement

by Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter

Parents against cuts to SEND provision protest outside Waltham Forest Town Hall before a council meeting in March

A local project could lay the groundwork for a new type of housing

would be able to make up any shortfall and continue to secure the provision.”

On the matter of the consultation held last win-ter, the lawyers add: “The consultation document did not contain sufficient information to enable individuals to fully consider the proposals.”

Shortly before the council's ruling cabinet voted through the SEND cuts, the council's children and young people’s committee recommended that any decision be deferred while other solutions could be explored and further lobbying of government could take place. This recommendation was dis-missed by cabinet members.

Separately, another consultation has been launched for a new banding system that will apply to any child in the borough that receives an educational, health and care plan (EHCP) from September this year. However, the consultation carried the wrong dates, asking parents to submit responses “between 4th November 2019 and 2nd December 2019”.

Ken Barlow, a parent of an autistic son and campaigner with Waltham Forest SEND Crisis, said: “The fact no-one involved has noticed this shows how little real interest they have in engaging [with us] and how inept they are.”

A council spokesperson said: “The council has responded to Irwin Mitchell, setting out why the decision taken has been lawful, and is defending the judicial proceedings that have been issued.

“We apologise for the incorrect dates being set out on the consultation questionnaire document. The error has been corrected and the consultation period extended until Monday 6th July.”


FEATURES

Land of community

Helen Bigham from Suntrap Forest Centre on the benefits of outdoor learning

Sue Wheat on how a resident-led project could lay the groundwork for a new type of housing development

ir David Attenborough once said: “In moments of great grief, that's where you look and immerse

yourself. You realise you are not immortal; you are not a god; you are part of the natural world and you come to accept that.”

This is a vulnerable time for everyone and I’m sure I'm not alone in appreciating the benefit of fresh air and enjoying nature every day. Walking in Epping Forest, I’m fortunate that I can socially distance myself. Even on some narrow paths I’ve scram-bled in brambles to get away from other walkers. Families are also taking advantage of the forest, I’ve lost count of the many imagi-native dens, swings and scavenger trails that have been created.

t’s not a controversial view to think that the state of British housing is in crisis – in terms of affordability, quality, and

its massive carbon footprint.So when I found a group of

people working on building truly affordable homes in the borough and which holds both

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We need to promote nature in global decision-making and the important role environmental education has in helping young people to understand the impact of the climate emergency. Outdoor experiences can be a catalyst for powerful and memorable learning.

When teachers take learning outside, they report some power-ful impacts. Children’s behaviour improves, whole classes are excited to learn, and kids who feel inhibited by the curricu-lum often thrive away from the confines of school. This way of teaching has been identified by Scottish local authorities as an important way to support chil-dren returning to school and pro-tect them from infection.

Suntrap Forest Centre in

Outdoor education is said to have many benefits for young people Credit @yiodawoo

The great outdoors

a community ethos and envi-ronmental commitment, I was delighted. This is the style of living that increasingly makes sense to people, especially having had the experience of lockdown, where knowing and supporting our neighbours has been key to our health, safety

and happiness.Forest Community Land Trust

is one of hundreds of inspiring community land trusts (CLTs) around the world. Chris Carthy, a founding member of Forest CLT and an architect special-ising in community housing, explains: “When people live in

a community where they know each other and help each other, life is so much easier, cheaper and more enjoyable. The housing group will decide how they want to live but they might decide to grow food together or share com-mon things like tools, communal space, or electric cars.”

Hannah, a single mum whose current rented accommodation is cripplingly expensive and not secure in the long term, is another member. She said: “Our vision is that we will build a range of homes to buy or rent.

“The homes will remain afford-able forever – so when someone leaves a property it returns to the CLT, to be re-allocated to another family for rent or sale. How great is that?”

Waltham Forest Council awarded Forest CLT a grant to develop its business proposal, while the mayor of London’s community-led housing hub also supports the project through grants and training. Forest CLT is about to bid for a small site in Leyton and is also pushing for 75 truly affordable homes and a new community hub as part of the council’s Low Hall Depot redevelopment.

“The council is about to do a public engagement exercise about the Low Hall site, so we really hope people will join us

and add to our people power for our proposal,” says Chris.

“We are shouting about our amaz-ing project from the rooftops,” Hannah adds. “We are open to all – and definitely want to reflect the diversity within the borough.”

Anyone involved in a commu-nity group, particularly BAME groups, is encouraged to con-tact Forest CLT in order to share information and join the proj-ect. To help spread the word, a #StrongerHomesTogether campaign seeks to reach out to those interested in living in or supporting community housing.

There will be Zoom webinars and film nights to find out more, and as the lockdown lifts, oppor-tunities to attend meetings and request speakers for community groups to hear about plans.

Chris says: “One thing we’ve learned from the Covid-19 expe-rience is the value of community in helping us get through a tough time. Having a safe, supportive community that brings people together will be the most valu-able thing about this project.

“And that’s what we want to continue.”

Epping Forest has been a cen-tre for outdoor learning locally for half-a-century and is now offering a free consultancy and training service for all Waltham Forest schools. Kerry Rollins, the head of Suntrap, said: “Thanks to funding from Waltham Forest Council, we’ll be able to support schools across the borough with free training and ideas to pro-vide curriculum based outdoor learning in their own grounds.”

Some local schools and nurser-ies already have outdoor learning in place. Yardley Primary School in Chingford has a vegetable plot, composting and hedgehog homes on site. Lloyd Park Centre in Walthamstow provides a play area with a climbing ship, and mud kitchen. Curious Wilds, a

'Forest School' in Walthamstow, has received funding from St James Street Big Local to run a one-to-one family project in local woodland – with funded places for lower income families.

The lockdown has been the

chance take a step back, to look at what’s working and what needs changing. Outdoor learn-ing can be a useful solution to a very difficult problem and could potentially help develop fierce gatekeepers of a green future.

A meeting of Forest Community Land Trust

A special ‘Meet Forest CLT’ Zoom webinar will be held on Thursday 9th July and then monthly on the first day of every month.Email [email protected] forestclt.org


FEATURESNewsMarket traders struggle as the council bids to revive local economy P . 6

efore the pandemic, in February, I was serving the people of Sen-egal onboard Africa Mercy, part of the fleet run by international

health charity Mercy Ships. I am a maxillofacial, thyroid and recon-

structive surgeon. Within a few weeks of arriving back in the UK, I found myself working overtime in the fight against coronavirus at several London hospitals. I congratulate everyone for saving the NHS by adhering to social distancing, staying at home, following rigorous per-sonal hygiene, and not taking the gift of our NHS for granted.

Now the lockdown is being eased. But at the same time, Africa is bracing itself for Covid-19. I heard someone say this: “When the global north catches a cold, Africa gets pneumonia.”

Africa suffers from poor healthcare infrastructure, high levels of poverty, and lack of education. There are only 60 venti-lators for some 80 million people in parts of west Africa. In the UK, with under 70 million people, our NHS has 8,000 ventilators and is working on increasing this to 18,000. So you can see the unbe-lievable and huge inequality of health care

resources and capabilities between the developed and developing world.

The majority of people living in west Africa are part of the 'informal economy' because their earnings are not fixed, taxed, monitored, or protected. Many do not have access to sanitation, clean water supplies, or electricity. Social distancing does not mean anything in these poor countries because many people share crowded accommodation.

Mercy Ships operates the largest charity- run hospital ship in the world. This floating hospital is staffed by selfless volunteers, who give their expertise for free to help patients with dental and eye problems; facial deformities such as cleft lip and palate; gigantic tumours of the head, face, neck, limbs and body; club feet; child-birth injuries; burns and many other deformities and conditions.

For 20 years I have used my annual leave to serve with Mercy Ships to help the poorest of the poor in west Africa, providing free specialist surgery. Some of my outreach trips have been accom-panied by my wife Hilary, a Methodist minister, and our two daughters Zoe and Kat, serving desperate patients together

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Chingford doctor Leo Cheng discusses his charity work with Mercy Ships and returning to the NHS to fight coronavirus

as a family. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has visited 56 countries, providing services worth more than £1.2billion that have directly helped 2.8 million people. We have also trained 45,000 local profes-sionals to leave a lasting legacy.

Mercy Ships UK executive director, Lea Milligan, believes that as the Covid-19 epicentre has moved from China to Europe and then to America, it won’t be long until the continent of Africa becomes the epi-centre. Dr Odry Agvessi, a surgeon from Benin and a trainer with Mercy Ships, said: “When you face some danger and you do not have anything to fight with, you just put yourself in the hands of God. So, we are just praying and educating our popu-lation the importance of lockdown.”

When Covid-19 started to spread around the world, it became impossible for Mercy Ships to continue running our field ser-vice in Senegal. In line with the measures taken by the Senegalese government, Mercy Ships made the difficult decision to bring the Africa Mercy into dry dock in Tenerife for early annual maintenance. The ship is a specialist surgical unit and is not equipped to deal with a highly con-tagious respiratory infection.

Once the maintenance work is carried out and the global situation allows, we will return to Africa and help strengthen healthcare systems emerging from the pandemic. The Africa Mercy was there for Guinea in 2016 after Ebola swept across west Africa and we will be there for west Africa again after Covid-19.

Before setting sail in March, Mercy Ships donated £120,000 to Senegal for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19. We also donated vital equipment and sterilising kits to hospitals in Dakar, Senegal. The healthcare professionals we have helped and trained in the past are now the frontline workers in the battle against Covid-19 in their own respective countries. As they face these challeng-ing events, Mercy Ships will continue to stand with them.

My work with the NHS during the pandemic has not only been challeng-ing but also strangely satisfying, to see colleagues working together selflessly to keep the death toll down. My team and I are providing surgical airway support for seriously ill patients, by making holes in their windpipes (a tracheotomy) in order to facilitate their lung ventilation. At the same time, I continue to conduct cancer surgeries.

Donning personal protective equip-ment (PPE) has been a learning process as we have to ensure adequate hydration,

minimise toilet breaks, give clear artic-ulations to avoid miscommunication with a muffled voice under our masks and visors, alter surgical procedures to reduce unnecessary generation of aero-sol, conduct extra checks, and extend personal hygiene.

Although coronavirus has caused extraordinary disruption in all levels of society, it has sped up inevitable changes to our use of technology and the internet, especially in healthcare. Telephone and virtual clinics have become the ‘new norm’. Teleconferencing has become a major part of my clinical time. As we have passed the peak of the pandemic, the NHS is working hard to reinstate other urgent surgical and medical services.

I am extremely grateful and thankful for the resources and provision of our nation’s free world-class NHS, the avail-ability of all basic essential utilities, food and consumables on supermarket shelves, and sensible expert advice from public health professionals to combat the spread of this invisible enemy. Together we will come through this extraordinary global health emergency stronger and wiser.

Find out more about Mercy Ships and make a donation:Visit mercyships.org.uk

On the frontlineDr Leo Cheng operates on a patient aboad the Africa Mercy

Advertisement

LICENSING ACT 2003

Notice is hereby given that Déjà vu 3 Limited has applied to the London Borough of Waltham Forest to vary the premises licence for the premises situated at 52A-B-C High Street, Walthamstow, E17 7LD.

The nature of the application is as follows:Recorded Music: Monday–Wednesday 08:00–01:00 / Thursday–Saturday 08:00–02:00 / Sunday 08:00 –00:30.Late Night Refreshment: Monday – Wednesday 23:00 – 01:00 / Thursday–Saturday 23:00–02:00 / Sunday 23:00–00:30.Supply of Alcohol (both on and off the premises): Monday–Wednesday 10:00–01:00 / Thursday–Saturday 10:00–02:00 / Sunday 10:00–00:30.Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday 08:00 – 01:30 / Thursday–Saturday 08:00–02:30 / Sunday 08:00 – 01:00.

The Licensing register listing full details of the application is kept by the Licensing Service, 3 The Square, Leyton, London, E10 5NR. 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, Licensing Section, 3 The Square, Leyton, London, E10 5NR. Representations must be received no later than 22 July 2020.

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.

This application has been prepared and submitted by ESI Licensing and Legal Consultancy, 84 Hayes Lane, Bromley, BR2 9EE,[email protected]

Notice of application for the Variation of a Premises Licence under section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003.


Attempted break-in

at foodbankby Judith Burnett

NEWS

olice are appealing for infor-mation about an attempted raid at a local foodbank setup in response to the pandemic.

On Friday 29th May volunteers arrived for work at Mallinson Scout Centre in Charter Road, currently being used by Highams Park Food Aid, to find an attempted break-in had taken place overnight.

The would-be thieves cut through padlocked gates, drove a vehicle on to the site, and tried to break into the building. Fortunately, nothing was stolen.

Set up in response to the coronavi-rus emergency by husband and wife team Peter and Jane Rogers, the food-bank has been providing pre-prepared meals to hard-pressed locals and those in self-isolation. The building is cur-rently used as a supplies store.

Peter said: “Trying to steal from the poorest and the most vulnerable people at the hardest possible time – how hard-hearted is that?”

Highams Park Food Aid is staffed by volunteers and has been supported by generous donations of food and money. It has been a lifeline for 80 local families and more than 200 people through the Covid-19 crisis.

A Metropolitan Police spokesper-son said: “Police were contacted on Friday 29th May about an attempted break-in at a building in Charter Road.

“The incident happened at some point overnight. A door was dam-aged at the building but nothing was reported stolen.

“Officers carried out an assessment of the evidence available and at this time there will be no further investigation.”

Anyone who has information that could assist police is asked to contact officers via 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote 'CAD2242/29M'.

Highams Park Food Aid is still operating. Anyone who needs assistance with food supplies can complete a request form at tinyurl.com/HPFoodAid-RequestForm. Donations can be made every Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday 11am–1pm at Mallinson Scout Centre, opposite Highams Park Lake.

Peter added: “We’ve just delivered our 5,000th meal and can only give a big 'thank you' to the local com-munity, and Morrisons, who have been fantastic.”

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Leyton resident wins prestigious award to develop new system of water decontamination

biochemical engineer from Leyton has been awarded a grant to help develop her innovative idea for decon-

taminating polluted water.Heavy metal pollution from old industrial

sites is a significant issue worldwide, with

raders returning to Walthamstow Market last month criticised Waltham Forest Council for its handling of the re-opening.

Europe’s longest street market re-opened at the start of June, but many stallholders found themselves placed in a different part of Walthamstow High Street, making it harder for their usual customers to find them. The council said it was only able to accommodate half the normal number of pitches, but had waived pitch fees for three months and offered grants to stallholders to support them.

Philip Prince, who has had a clothing stall for around 40 years, said that although he was happy to return he was upset with the council's decision to move his stall to a quieter spot. He said: “I think they have rushed it without concentrating, because they did it so quickly. Others who have not been here so long got their usual spots.

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Engineering pollution solution

Trade slow as market re-opens

1,500km of rivers affected by it in the UK. These metals, if untreated, can accumu-late in the food chain. But bioremediation systems use micro-organisms to convert contaminants into less toxic forms.

Brenda Parker wants to create a pro-totype of a sustainable bioremediation system that will decontaminate water using micro-organisms. It will use ceramic tiles inlaid with algae, which can help capture contaminants in water. Additionally, by collaborating with architects, Brenda hopes to show that these ceramic tile-based systems can be “beautiful as well as functional”.

The Leyton engineer is one of seven people nationwide to win a share of a £101,000 pot of money provided by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to

I asked them [the council] for their criteria and they have not come back to me yet.

“This is my life, my living, when a lot of other people have got other jobs, and I think they should take that into consideration.”

Another market trader who had been relocated said he had not sold anything on his first day back. Sunny Mahmoud said: “The traders are not happy at all. They are changing the plan and then after people lose their trade, there is still no social distancing. What is the point?

Mirwais Rahmaly also said his business had been unusually quiet. He said: “If it's still [continuing] like this, we will have to relax some days because there’s no point.”

Other stall owners, such as Joseph Ben-jamin, were more optimistic. He said: “We’re hoping the weeks ahead will be a bit brighter. People are fed up staying at home so they are coming out. It’s not a bad start.”

Margaret Nadeem, who met her hus-band after buying bed sheets from the stall they now run together, said it was nice to see familiar faces after so long away. She

boost research and development in the UK. Brenda is a lecturer in biochemi-cal engineering at University College London. In 2014 she was awarded a Churchill fellowship to explore bio-logical approaches to land and water restoration. She spent ten weeks in Mongolia, China and India, visiting contaminated sites and exploring biore-mediation. Since her fellowship, she has been researching algal bioremediation. Brenda said: “I’m really grateful to the trust, as my Churchill fellowship has been a huge catalyst for my inter-disciplinary work that bridges biology and design. The award will enable me to work with a team to develop our pro-totype system and begin to test how this might perform in the field.”

said: “The customers that know me have been asking how I am, which they don’t normally do. It’s nice to know they’ve got your welfare at heart, it’s lovely.

“There’s plenty of people about but right now people have not got a lot of money.”

Councillor Simon Miller, cabinet mem-ber for economic growth and high streets, said the council had “worked extremely hard” to get the market open again. He said: “My priority has been to ensure shoppers and traders alike can operate safely. Throughout Covid-19 officers have been considering ways to introduce social distancing at Walthamstow Market to allow traders to resume operations.

“This meant reducing the number of pitches by 50%, being mindful of the impact of socially-distanced queuing on nearby shops. The new layout has space for 150 permanent traders.

“All traders’ pitch fees have been waived for three months, including this month [June]. Traders can also apply for discretionary grants.

“On the first day trading, the market oper-ated at 61% of the pre-lockdown average.”

The re-opening came as the council launched an 'economic recovery plan' for the borough that sets out how it “intends to boost the local fortunes of residents, businesses, town centres and high streets” with a commitment “to rebuilding the economy around a green agenda, with the aim of a carbon neutral future”.

The council is also introducing a 'rapid jobs brokerage' service to help connect employers to local residents and provide practical support for those who may have recently lost their jobs or who are struggling, such as increasing access to adult education.

by Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter, and James Cracknell

Brenda Parker is one of seven

people to win a share of a

£101,000 grant

Stallholder Joseph Benjamin was hopeful the coming days and weeks would be brighter


P . 12INTERVIEWArts & CultureGo-ahead granted for long-awaited revamp of the Granada/EMD theatre

his place has been my sanctuary during lock-down,” Gavin Coyle tells me. The office where

we are sitting is a little cubicle in one corner of his spacious, high-ceilinged workshop. The shelves are full of his creations – a small, circular mirror that rotates on its base like a satellite dish, a stylised wooden bird that would fit snugly into the palm of your hand.

“I've been coming in every day. I hav-en't always wanted to but I've pushed myself because I know the routine will be good for me.”

Gavin is a furniture designer and maker who works out of a workshop in Boundary Road, Walthamstow. Like many others, Gavin has had to work on his own during lockdown and has missed the camaraderie of working with his regular team. But he has been able to keep his current projects ticking over and commissions for new work are still coming in. I suspect, though, that he would be here regardless, for the love of making.

“I've been making things since I was little. I used to love watching my dad work on little projects in his shed. It blew my mind that you could have

an idea for something and then turn it into a physical reality.”

The first thing Gavin created on his own was a golf putter – “a stick with a block of wood nailed to the end” – but it wasn't until he tried his hand at making a bird box many years later that he created something he was truly happy with. A compact box of pale blonde wood with a naturally occur-ring knothole, pushed out to the allow the bird to get in, Gavin says of his creation: “I was trying to create some-thing with nothing extraneous about it. To me this piece is an expression of the way I like to work.”

Lockdown has provided Gavin with an opportunity to reflect on his work-ing practises and the nature of his business. “It's been a useful period of reflection.” he says. “I keep getting phone calls from people telling me how I could grow my business but the truth is I don't really want to.”

It would mean accepting more com-missions and taking on more staff but, says Gavin: “I found I was spending all my time in here answering emails when I wanted to be out there in the workshop making things.” He pared things back, focusing on a few

"T

Ben Thompson meets a Walthamstow furniture designercarefully chosen projects and working with a smaller team. “The conclusion that I came to during lockdown was that I am definitely on the right course. I'm happier in my working life than I've ever been.”

Before I go, Gavin takes down the wooden bird I saw earlier and lets me have a look. I notice that it has a brass screw where the tail feathers would be. When I turn the screw, the bird sings like it has burst into life. The song is produced purely from the friction of brass on wood and although it doesn't emulate any particular bird call, Gavin has found that other birds do respond to it. “When I tried it outside, I got mobbed by seagulls!” he laughs.

Like the knothole birdhouse – in fact like everything that Gavin makes – the bird whis-tle is an elegant idea, carefully thought through and beauti-fully realised.

Find out more about Gavin Coyle's handmade furniture:Visit gavincoyle.co.uk

Handmade with love

Gavin Coyle is a furniture maker based at a workshop in Boundary Road

Book a viewing at www.creativeworks.space

E17 Blackhorse Road Station (50m)

Newly refurbishedDesks, Offices and Bays

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NEWS

Highams Park plans slammed

Pby Judith Burnett

roposals for a major redevelop-ment in Highams Park town cen-tre is sparking controversy – and opposition from the local MP.

The nine-storey scheme proposed for James Yard in Larkshall Road abuts Highams Park Station and would contain around 90 homes, shops, community facilities, and a new station entrance. Low-rise office build-

ings would be demolished to make way for the scheme, should it go ahead.

Chingford and Woodford Green MP Iain Duncan Smith wrote to local resi-dents to express his concerns after he said discussions with development company Atlantis Real Estate didn’t reassure him of the scheme's impact on the area.

The Conservative MP wrote: “I am even more concerned that the current propos-als will fundamentally change the very

How the nine-storey scheme in Highams Park town centre could look if builtCredit Stephen Davy Peter Smith Architects

Advertisement

nature of Highams Park. I am opposed to this development.

“What was also made clear to me during the meeting was that the developers were encour-aged to build larger buildings than their initial design by the local planning department.”

Highams Park Planning Group has also slammed the proposals, after they were revealed at a public consultation held online in May. In a statement the group said: “We believe these proposals are a huge over-devel-opment of the site. Nine storeys is too high and will completely dominate the town centre and the existing characterful station building.

“The other buildings in the immediate vicinity of the site are a maximum of four storeys. The development does not respect the scale, height, mass or design of the surrounding streets or spaces and does not complement the distinct character and appearance of the area.”

Waltham Forest Council has denied the claim from Iain Duncan Smith that developer Atlantis has been encouraged to submit plans for a taller building. Coun-cillor Simon Miller, cabinet member for economic growth and housing delivery, said: “The council has not been involved in pre-application meetings about this devel-opment and has certainly not suggested the building should be taller.”

On its promotional website for the scheme, Atlantis say: “We are excited by the opportu-nity to provide brand new and much needed housing on Larkshall Road. Our proposals would demolish the existing building and replace it with 90 purpose-built new homes. There will be shops on the ground floor.

“We explored the potential to redevelop the existing building, but this would mean losing an opportunity to create a new pub-lic link to Highams Park Station. It also meant we wouldn’t be able to provide as much public space as we would like.”

A spokesperson for BECG, a consultancy firm which ran the consultation, said there have been 5,000 visits to the website. They added: “Feedback demonstrates a recog-nition of the need for more homes in the area. We are now reviewing all of the feed-back received and this will help us develop the proposals as they move forwards.”

Cllr Miller added: “There has been con-sultation with residents on this site run by the developer. The council is not involved in that consultation. We have a legal duty to consider any planning application we receive and if one for this site is received, we will run our statutory consultation when residents will be able to make their views known.”For more information about the James Yard plans:Visit 480-510larkshallroad.co.uk


PHOTOGRAPHY

Since moving to Ruby Road in Walthamstow a year ago, I have been amazed by the unique community spirit, kindness and support of the neighbours living in the area. The Covid-19 crisis has magnified this, so I decided to document our time in lockdown through portrait photography and poems. My project ‘Two Feet Together’ will follow the happenings of the street over a year and document how the community works through a global pandemic on a local scale. The first chapter depicts people from two metres away, in and out of focus, to communicate how with distance we have all been able to understand and see each other better. I have also taken pictures of a socially-distanced street party for VE Day and the weekly 'clap for careers'. Next I plan to document how people have made light of lockdown, some secret happenings of the street, and how people are planning to shift perspective now lockdown is loosening.

Got any turmeric?Got any any turmeric?Or perhaps some porridge oats?Does anyone have some ice for my rum and coke?What about a couple of beers over the garden fence?Or a singalong at sundown, and a WhatsApp chat until bed?Anyone for a baguette?I bought one too manyMy fridge is full of kindnessMy heart as full as my bellyIt's not just the rainbows, it’s bigger than thatIt’s about stopping for chatsListening to each other’s ramblesOffering a look when someone seems scrambledBanging our drums for those that keep us safe, well, protectedBelieving we can overcome a lockdown,A global crisisRuby Roaders, of WalthamstowLook around you, we survived lockdownNow pleaseTake socially distanced, bow

Top Conor, Tatako and Seren clap for the NHSMiddle Sooze toasts VE DayBottom VE Day celebrations in Ruby Road

By Pari Faramarzi

Poetry and pics

Instagram @om.mama.yoga

HistoryExploring local postboxes and why some are more notable than others P . 14


LETTERS

Last month the government bowed to pressure and released Public Health England’s report on coronavirus health inequalities. The report confirmed that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people are more likely to contract and die from Covid-19. This tragic and unjust situation demands action. So, I was disappointed the report made no recommendations to the government.

It is also concerning that evidence from BAME organisations and experts was not published with the report. In January this year, professor Michael Marmot’s landmark review of health inequalities revealed that a decade on from his first study, divides have got wider. Coronavirus has tragically illustrated this. It is a shame the government ignored the report at the time, and the new minister for equalities admitted she had never heard of it.

The mayor of London is right to call for a public inquiry into the disproportionate impact that Covid-19 has had upon BAME communities, and it is positive that the Equality and Human Rights Commission have now decided to launch one. In the meantime we know that poverty, overcrowding and key-worker job roles are all linked to the higher infection and death rates for BAME people. The government must now act upon these factors and the stark health inequalities in our society.

Jennette ArnoldLondon Assembly member

for Waltham Forest

In your June edition, council leader Clare Coghill bangs the begging bowl for state aid and accuses the government of bad faith [Leader slams broken pandemic promises, Page 1, Issue 63]. But why should anyone believe that this is anything more than political posturing? Waltham Forest pays its chief executive an absurd £211,013 yearly, way

Racism is the exertion of power and control on the basis of eth-nicity and colour. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the treatment of the Windrush generation. Three years after this government’s malfeasance became public knowledge, many have not had their cases resolved or been properly com-pensated. There are thought to be 150,000 undocumented Win-drush children in the UK. It is indicative that no-one knows precisely how many there are. Windrush is a particular outrage but black and ethnic minorities have been unreasonably tar-geted under the stop and search regime. They have been subject to disproportionate violence and deaths in police custody. Life outcomes are diminished by inadequate housing and poor access to health and education.

The 'hostile environment' has been designed to frustrate not just the rights of Windrush peo-ple, but all immigrants to these shores. Last year at our weekly Waltham Forest Migrant Action drop-in centre we saw people from 47 countries. Insurmount-able hurdles and unreasonable burdens of proof are asked of

As the world recalibrates after the lockdown necessitated by Covid-19, it is important not to forget that we are still in a climate and ecological emergency. I'm a supporter of ScientistsWarning.org, a global movement repre-senting tens of thousands of scientists that have signed three scientists' warning papers.

World Scientists' Warning to Humanity was published in 1992, covered seven critical environmental issues, and was almost completely ignored. World Scientists' Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice was published in 2017, reported on the worsening of eight critical environmental issues, but again little attention was paid to this.

In 2019, World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emer-gency was published, making headline news globally and downloaded more than 500,000 times, indicating widespread concern about climate crisis. Endorsed by 11,000 signatories from the scientific community, the paper stated: “Scientists have a moral obligation to clearly warn humanity of any catastrophic threat and to 'tell it like it is'. On the basis of this obligation… we declare clearly

Being 80 years old with diabe-tes, an immune deficiency dis-ease, I am self-isolating with my daughter. I had to scale down my charity work, providing art to seniors and after-hours free meals for schools. Since we don't get food parcels or personal help with shopping we have to go down to the The Mall to purchase grocer-ies and veggies on a bi-weekly basis. I have noticed that the pavements are filthy with spilt drinks, urine and traces of spit. In High Street and Hoe Street I note the council's steam-clean-ing vehicles have not come for some time. This will surely mean additional infections and

I’ve just seen a new report from Best for Britain and the Social Market Foundation on the double impact of Brexit and coronavirus, and I feel like I’ve spotted an iceberg on the hori-zon. The report shows that any change to our trade relation-ship with Europe during the Covid-19 recession will hurt the UK economy. Brexit is done and we cannot stop it, but we can protect our jobs, our ser-vices and our local businesses. Our communities are already stretched to breaking point by the coronavirus pandemic and we desperately need time to deal with that before we can turn our focus to our changing relationship with the EU.

Dario FigueiraMontague Road,

Leytonstone

Health inequalities

Wasting money

Black lives matter

Don't forget the

climate

Clean up the streets

Delay Brexit talks

Dear Waltham Forest Echo


Dear Waltham Forest EchoDear Waltham Forest Echo



Advertisement

LICENSING ACT 2003

Notice is hereby given that The Home Cellar Ltd has applied to the London Borough of Waltham Forest, for the grant of a Premises Licence at Safestore Chingford (Unit 1019), Shadbolt Avenue, London E4 8PZ.

The nature of the application is as follows:To permit the sale of alcohol, from 08:00–18:00, Monday to Saturday (inclusive) and 10:00–16:00, Sunday.

The Licensing Register, listing full details of the application, is kept by The Licensing Service, 3 The Square, Leyton, London E10 5NR. The application may be viewed Monday-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 at the above address, or via email: [email protected]

Representations must be received no later than Friday 17th July 2020.

It is an offence to knowingly, or recklessly, make a false statement in relation to this application. A person is liable to an unlimited fine, on conviction, should a false statement be made.

Notice of application for the grant of a Premises Licence, under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003

more than the prime minister. Moreover, it’s also a council that has a poor record of spending public money, repeatedly paying over large sums to a procession of outside organisations which then fail to deliver (East London Credit Union is the latest example). And of course, there are also the embarrassing one-off expenditures, like the £66,000 that the council was fined in 2015 after failing to protect staff and members of the public from deadly asbestos at the town hall – deadly asbestos that it had known was in place since 1994. Throw in recent 'wiggings' from the Information Commissioner for obstructing Freedom of Information requests, and it’s a discreditable record.

If Cllr Coghill wants to impress, she should show a bit of humility and get her own house in order, and then she might be taken more seriously.

Nick TiratsooWaltham Forest Matters

those seeking to assert their rights of abode or access to services. This toxic policy has been designed to deter anyone wishing to come here and to incentivise those that do to self-deport. The system is underpinned by detentions and large numbers of forced removals, often brutally con-ducted, and many of which we know nothing about. Where structural discrimination per-sists and rights of redress are constrained, it is inevitable that people will resort to protest. Our sympathies are with those in the US, however we must not forget that the treatment of black and ethnic minorities in this country is disgraceful and brings shame on us.

Douglas SaltmarsheWaltham Forest Migrant Action

and unequivocally that Earth is facing a climate emergency.”

Despite numerous warnings and scientific evidence spanning decades, greenhouse gas emis-sions continue to rise. We must ensure that the necessary invest-ments are made now as part of any recovery package. During the lockdown we have benefit-ted from traffic-free streets, less noise, cleaner air, reduced pollu-tion, nature recovery, and a con-siderable increase in ‘community spirit’ – let us build on this. It is vital that we refocus towards a life-sustaining economy.

Melanie StricklandWalthamstow

prolong the return to normality. I am told the council is short on funds even for critical essen-tial maintenance, like keeping streets clean. It would therefore be good and very appreciated if contractor JB Riney utilised its mechanical road equipment to clean the streets until coun-cil services are granted central funds to return to normality. I am sure it will good publicity for the company.

Dr Sev MudalyWalthamstow


COLUMNS

weet Paper Creations is a not-for-profit E17 fam-ily business established in 2018.

ith depressing predictability, the Information Commissioner's

Office (ICO) issued a statement in March announcing a relaxation of their regulatory approach to enforcing Freedom of Informa-tion (FOI) legislation during the coronavirus pandemic.

The ICO declared: “We under-stand that resources, whether they are finances or people, may be diverted away from usual compliance or information rights work. While we can’t extend stat-utory timescales, we will not be penalising public authorities for prioritising other areas or adapt-ing their usual approach during this extraordinary period.”

S

W

Make or break

Information frustration

For more information about Sweet Paper Creations:Visit sweetpapercreations.com

Do you know a great small business in Waltham Forest with a story to tell?Email [email protected] walthamforestbusiness.co.uk

Jo Sealy from Waltham Forest Business Network discovers a business based around a Latin American tradition

Marlowe Road Estate resident Michelle Edwards on her frustrating attempts to obtain public interest disclosures from the council

Patty Gurman (left) is the founder of Sweet Paper Creations

Uniquely, it uses the sale of bespoke piñatas – a decorated container, filled with small toys or sweets, broken open to cel-

The ICO’s 'no penalisation' announcement was seized on by Waltham Forest Council, which has a record of frequent and per-sistent delays and unhelpfulness in their handling of FOI requests – often preventing me and others from publishing information in the public interest.

One recent request that has been delayed concerns water leaks on Marlowe Road Estate. Claiming to be “dealing with emergency requests first” a council official wrote to inform me that they were extending their already overdue response by a further ten working days. Two weeks later, she wrote to advise of another delay. On it dragged until June.

ebrate a special occasion – to realise its vision of improving people's mental health.

Founder Patty Gurman moved

to Walthamstow from Guate-mala 27 years ago. She says: “Piñatas are a part of life in Latin America so, while my chil-dren were growing up, I used to make piñatas as a fun activity for their birthday parties.

“When my eldest child was severely affected by depression and anxiety, I didn’t know how to help or motivate her, so I reverted back to making piñatas as a relief strat-egy – with life-changing results.

“We were both able to experience the positive effects that this cre-ative outlet can have on individuals suffering poor mental health.”

For the past 12 months Sweet Paper Creations has made and sold bespoke piñatas through its online shop. It has used the prof-its from the business, supported by a fundraising campaign, to establish and deliver 'Make It and Break It' piñata workshops, specifically to provide community support to those suffering from poor mental health. The company has now successfully run two pilot workshops in Waltham Forest.

Patty continued: “Our work-shop approach is unique as we provide both a creative and cul-tural experience. Furthermore, we are passionate about the environ-ment, which is why we only use recycled everyday objects for our piñatas that are made with recy-clable materials and can continue to be recycled after being broken.

“When we started the business

we were complete novices – start-ing up is exciting but it can be overwhelming and isolating. We were lucky enough to be able to get local business support, including one-to-one support and guidance.”

Patty is working hard to grow Sweet Paper Creations so that it can sustainably support a full programme of workshops. Her ambition is to deliver workshops in local schools, focusing on chil-dren and adolescents who have been affected directly or indi-rectly by mental health issues.

“Longer-term the plan is secure a permanent venue with a café,” adds Patty. “It will reflect the true beauty of the piñata tra-dition, which is in the smiles it brings to the faces of all who participate, both in making and breaking their own piñatas!”

In the March edition of the Echo I wrote about my entire property being flooded through my concrete floor – it remains in a state of dis-repair. So it serves the council to halt any disclosure about other incidents of water leaks on the estate for the first three months of the year and the costs borne by the taxpayer to remedy them.

The council contacted the ICO to advise them they are “unable to deal” with six more of my FOI requests at present. One of these was a request for copies of the original colour photos contained in a Fire Risk Assess-ment (FRA) for Northwood Tower, showing the appalling state of disrepair there. While it is understandable that a new

enforcement approach should be introduced at the height of the pandemic, the ICO merely accepted the council's account that it had redeployed staff to deal with issues relating to the Covid-19 pandemic. Comply-ing would not interfere with the authority's crisis response. I even have email evidence that the council continued to provide FOI responses to cases submit-ted by another local resident.

Of course the leniency by the ICO towards the council is part of a long-running issue that shows no form of easing. I quizzed Elizabeth Denham, the UK’s information commissioner, at a journalism conference last year, and was hopeful of some

incremental changes on enforce-ment action and accountability. But when a roomful of journal-ists and editors from across the UK are watching your every move, you just need to be seen to have understood the concerns and frustrations of exhausted journalists – not act on them.

Belatedly, I look forward to sharing more details about the campaign I have now launched via the National Union of Jour-nalists to reform the FOI Act to ensure greater compliance by local authorities and other pub-lic bodies. And will also reveal the outcome of a proposed meeting between the ICO and Waltham Forest Council initi-ated on my behalf.

"I reverted to making piñatas

as a relief strategy "

SportHow ongoing restrictions on grassroots sport are affecting local sports clubs P . 15


ARTS & CULTURE

t the start of the pandemic Gnome House, a community arts centre in Blackhorse Lane, faced the same stark scenario

as thousands of other organisations across the country that were suffering a sudden loss of income.

The lockdown was a crisis for Gnome House, but also for the many small char-ities and micro businesses that hire the building. They were also losing income, as well as the opportunity to engage with the hundreds of people that come to Gnome House every week.

It was at this point that Jane and Melissa, who run the Gnome House office, suggested we create a 'virtual community centre' and move our user group’s activities online. They envisaged building a new, online platform that would re-establish the many relation-ships and friendships that Gnome House has fostered since it opened five years ago. “There are a lot of people now isolated and lonely,” Jane and Melissa explained.

he redevelopment of the former Granada/EMD cinema in Hoe Street has been granted unani-mous planning permission.

Waltham Forest Council plans to spend £25million transforming the derelict Grade 2-listed theatre into a 1,050-seat comedy and entertainment venue run by Soho Theatre. The main auditorium has been derelict for well over a decade, although the foyer was recently used as a pub.

At the planning committee three neighbouring residents spoke about

ho says drama isn’t rel-evant to real life?

Before the pandemic in February, Drama

Workshop, a Walthamstow commu-nity drama group, performed a 1970 play Roses of Eyam by Don Taylor. It tells the true story of a 17th Cen-tury Derbyshire village isolating itself to prevent the plague spreading to other villages. The cast had spent four months rehearsing what it was like for a community to live with a contagious disease, never dreaming that they would have to live out these events for real just days later.

In the play, the village of Eyam was deeply divided because of earlier civil wars about how the country should be governed. The disease was brought to the village by clothes from plague-ridden London. As the deaths started, the rich left for other homes elsewhere, not caring about spreading the disease. The rest of the village shut themselves away in their houses where, not knowing about self-iso-lating, the plague spread like wildfire through families. Bizarre remedies abounded, such as theories that pin-ning flowers to your clothes or drink-ing lots of alcohol or hot fat would stave off the plague.

In Eyam, however, the village had strong leaders, Mompesson and Stan-ley, clergymen of opposing religious views who united to tell people that to prevent more deaths they could not leave the village. After a heated debate, the community agreed to the sacrifice. Mompesson’s wife nursed the sick devotedly but caught the plague and died. When, however, Mompesson broke his own rules by sending his children away to save them he was forgiven by the villagers.

Eyam community’s sacrifice worked, as the plague did not spread, but the price was very high – only 83 people out of 350 survived. Stanley summed up the situation when he said that for once peo-ple’s acts “matched their imagination”.

You can see in the events of this play there are echoes of many of the stories that have dominated the media for months. As a group, we learnt from the play what to expect from a pandemic. This is what is so important and interesting about drama, that it allows us to reflect on our lives through the prism of art. In this case, the importance and power of the community to work together for the greater good.

A

T

W

In the Gnome

Granada go-ahead

Life imitating art

Anna Alcock and Mark Burton from Gnome House invite people to take part in a new online project

Join the 'virtual community centre' at Gnome House:Visit gnomehouse.org.uk/whatson

For more information about Drama Workshop:Visit facebook.com/groups/7021955089

how their properties would be over-shadowed by the new building, which will be five metres taller after the addi-tion of a rigging system for the stage.

Resident David White said he and his neighbours would “miss the morn-ing sunlight keenly” and were “disap-pointed with the council’s process” having found it difficult to navigate the website and planning documents.

He said: “We really want to be able to support the plans, I have campaigned for this since 2010, I want this building to be brought back into life.

“But the current back of house exten-sion is a great detriment to the home life

of the building’s immediate neighbours.“I still believe that you can improve

the plans and make this a building we will all welcome wholeheartedly.”

On behalf of the applicant, Michael Rush insisted the added height was vital to make the theatre commercially via-ble by allowing it to host “mid-scale touring productions” like pantomimes, which have “very broad appeal and the capacity to attract up to 60,000 people”.

The ability to quickly alter the stage through the rigging system will also, he said, make it “possible to programme community events on the same days as public performances”.

He added: “It future-proofs the coun-cil’s investment and provides flexibility for its future use as a theatre. Without the [rigging system], Soho Theatre’s business case would be severely compromised.”

Councillor Alan Siggers (Conservative), who ultimately voted for the proposal, said the council was “affecting people’s lives by doing this and not in a good way”.

He added: “I wish we could do this type of thing and actually follow our policies and not affect anybody.”

Councillor Marie Pye (Labour) praised the development for a variety of mea-sures to make it more inclusive, which include ten wheelchair-accessible seats.

Bought for £17m by the council in 2018, the theatre is now set to become a com-edy hub for Soho Theatre. Plans for the venue’s revival have been developed in discussion with Historic England and also include a “stalls parterre” to be introduced “to enhance the intimacy of the space, without detracting from its heritage”.

by Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter, and James Cracknell

by Melissa Quinn

How the revamped Granada Theatre will look once finished Credit Pilbrow and Partners

Printmaking with Inky Cuttlefish is one of the virtual classes residents can enjoy

“We can bring them back together by doing the activities they love.”

To kick-start the virtual community centre project, local councillors Grace Williams and Joe Lacey-Holland helped Gnome House win a ward forum grant from Waltham Forest Council. This was then followed by grants from Arts Council England and the National Lottery.

The virtual community centre has now been up and running since June. Each week residents can access a wide range of activities via the Gnome House website. Highlights include live cooking courses from The Fermentarium, African drum-ming classes from Mbilla Arts, art chal-lenges created by Inky Cuttlefish Studios, exercise classes by HIIT E17, workshops from Stories and Supper, tots ballet from Mulberry School of Dance, Pilates with Meghan, yoga sessions from Waltham-stow Youth Circus, concerts from E17 Jazz, and dance classes from Clare. There are also film screenings and art exhibitions

to explore online.This technological transition is exciting,

but most importantly, Gnome House is ensuring local residents remain connected to their community.

FROM 1 JULY ONLINE • FREE

Get creative in the comfort of your own home with Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air.

Celebrate the creativity and culture of the borough through free arts and crafts, dance and music activities from Blackhorse Workshop, Muslim Cultural Forum, Artillery, William Morris Gallery and many more at www.walthamstowgardenparty.com. Also, tune into East London radio on 18 & 19 July to listen to music from around the world and discussions with a range of creatives and residents.

Join the conversation and share your creations on social media using #WGPInTheAir

Walthamstow Garden Party In The Air is produced by the Barbican in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest, and with the support of Arts Council England.

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HISTORY

ur borough has an incredible wealth of postboxes, from the hexagonal Victorian

'Penfold' with an acanthus bud on its cap in Walthamstow Village, through to an Edwardian double postbox at Chingford Mount.

There are postboxes badged with contrasting cyphers (a monogram with initials and title) of King George V and King George VI, to a 1980s cigar-shaped model situ-ated in Coppermill Lane. These cheerful examples of street furni-ture show the evolution of postbox design and manufacture; they are also icons of our cultural heritage, recognisable the world over.

It’s difficult to imagine these days how important the invention of something as small as a postage stamp was to improving literacy levels and democratising commu-nications in this country, but such was the case with the Penny Black, the world’s first postage stamp and a brainchild of Sir Rowland Hill, an English school teacher. He real-ised that if a stamp was created that was affordable to everyone and not

O

From pillar to postboxDeborah Nash explores the history of the humble postbox and picks out some notable examples from Waltham Forest

For more information on the history of postboxes:Visit postalmuseum.org

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just the wealthy, it would increase revenue for the postal service and encourage more people to read and write letters. In 1840, the Penny Black appeared and, by 1852, the first roadside postbox was installed.

We have Anthony Trollope, a General Post Office official and a writer, to thank for the introduction of the postbox. In between working on novels such

as Barchester Towers, he was com-missioned to find a solution for the collection of letters which, before the arrival of the postbox, had to be taken to a letter-receiving office, often many miles away.

The first postboxes were hexag-onal, painted red, and appeared in Jersey. It took a while for people to get used to them and Trollope sati-rised such attitudes in his novel, He

Knew He Was Right, in which one character, Miss Stanbury, criticises the “hateful” pillar box.

In 1859, the colour of all British letter boxes was standardised to green, and you will find an exam-ple of one of these at Waltham-stow Pumphouse Museum. This green letter box from Leyton is also described as ‘anonymous’ because it is without the royal

cypher of Queen Victoria on its door. However, the green post-boxes were not popular, as peo-ple didn’t see them and bumped into them, or couldn’t find one as they blended too much with the natural environment. In 1874 the red postbox, with which we are all now familiar, was relaunched.

The Letter Box Study Group has catalogued some 800 different designs of letter box. Most have the royal cypher of the reigning mon-arch on the front. If you look at the Penfold post box in Walthamstow Village, you’ll see the entwined ini-tials of V and R – Victoria Regina. When King George VI’s daughter Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne, the Imperial State Crown that had previously appeared on postboxes was replaced by St Edward’s Crown, with the excep-tion of Scotland where the Crown of Scotland is used.

So, as you take your exercise around Waltham Forest, keep an eye out for those bright red sentinels of our streets and perhaps pause to post a letter!

An 'anonymous' green postbox from 1878-87, located in High Leyton Road until 1977 and now part of the collection of Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum

A hexagonal Victorian 'Penfold' postbox in Walthamstow Village carrying the royal cypher of Queen Victoria

A traditional King George VI postbox (1936–1952) in Walthamstow


ll sports fans are excited in anticipation of when the pro-fessional sports calendar will make a return to somewhere

near normal, but what will happen to all our local amateur sports clubs in Waltham Forest?

While Premier League football is now back, along with other major sports returning to our screens – albeit without spectators – the grassroots level has been decimated. Clubs have been left with major financial losses, from which some probably will not be able to recover.

In cricket, the Essex League has lost its main sponsor Shepherd Neame. The long-term effects of this on league clubs such as West Essex (who play in Highams Park) and Chingford will be a major concern. The cricket season has not been able to start and this has caused a drop in membership and lack of subscription revenue. Bars not being able to open through the lucrative sum-mer months, not only on match days but

A

SPORT

during training sessions, alongside the loss of revenue from private functions, will also hit clubs hard.

Similarly in football, Greene King has terminated its sponsorship of the Essex Veterans Football League, one of the larg-est of its kind in the country. It includes many clubs from Waltham Forest. With the season incomplete at the time of the pandemic lockdown, most local leagues opted to end early, without a conclusion. West Essex Colts, a club in Highams Park that donated £3,000 to Haven House Chil-dren's Hospice in March, is now facing its own financial struggles. Chair Mark Penfold told me that through a lack of subscriptions, bar income and sum-mer tournaments, they are looking at a loss of around £10,000. AFC Leyton, a dedicated ladies football club, could be even worse hit. Secretary Louise McGing

Amateur sport clubs fear for futureTom Quigley finds out how ongoing restrictions

on grassroots sport are affecting local clubstold me they will probably lose around £20,000, with no certainty around when the next season could start.

In what was to be an Olympic year until the postponement of Tokyo 2020, there will be a missed opportunity for smaller local clubs in sports such as boxing, judo and badminton to boost participation, with their sports no longer gaining

exposure through television coverage. Indoor and ful l - contact sports such as boxing have been h i t p a r t i c u l a rl y hard. Ian Cuddy, secretary of Ching-

ford-based Waltham Forest Amateur Boxing Club, says they are in “in a state of limbo” and will remain fully closed until they get permission from their governing body to restart training. Over the last few months the club has not had any income, but Ian says that fortunately they have a good relation-

ship with their landlord and they are not facing eviction. How long this remains the case is another matter, with boxing being possibly one of the last sports to be allowed to resume.

Grassroots sport is an industry which generates a lot of money in the local econ-omy through sponsorships, buying kits and equipment, hiring and leasing pitches and sports halls, membership payments to leagues and associations, plus fees paid to referees. They rely heavily on the time and commitment of all their members, who are mostly unpaid volunteers. Most importantly, amateur sports clubs give our community – especially young people – a source of enjoyment and physical exercise which can lead to long-term friendships, sporting dreams being fulfilled, and pro-viding inspiration for the next generation. It would be a tragedy to lose this part of our community.Is your local sports club struggling to survive? Let us know and we could feature it in our next edition:Email [email protected]

"We are in a state

of limbo"

Waltham Forest Amateur Boxing Club was established

in 1948 in ChingfordCredit WFABC


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