March 2016 by LoveEast Magazine

LOVEEAST M

March 2016

your

FREE award-winning magazine

ISSUE 25

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Style & Substance

Photographing East Enders with Lady Ray Model boating in Victoria Park The women in woodwork

Your East London – What's on – Food – People

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Welcome to your local magazine Dear neighbours This time two years ago E9 Magazine was born. Time has flown by and there have been some changes to the content and style of the magazine, but the relaunched and redesigned LoveEast has found its feet and grown into a well received and useful local resource. Twenty five issues and one award later, the magazine is continuing to evolve, with lots of great new content each month. This issue, I'm happy to introduce you to Lady Ray, a very talented local photographer who is producing the new Style & Substance page (see cover and p10). Every month, she'll be producing beautiful portraits of people who live and work here and who are part of what makes East London great. Emily Hollands has fun in the pub with Norman Lara, the chairman of the oldest model steam boat club in the world (p4). Our East London makers series continues with Christine Preisig's visit to an all-female furniture-making studio in Stratford (p8), and I meet the women behind Echo, the skills trading platform where time, not money, changes hands (p16). There are also our great advice columns, including fitness, legal, gardening and health and wellbeing, and we say hello this month to our new accountancy experts, Alan Patient & Co (p18). Have a very happy Easter.

Julie

CONTENTS

Local model boating going back a 100 years

Lady Ray photographs the East Enders with Style & Substance

Easter eating with Hackney Pearl's James Morgan

Eating out at Ellory, another fine East London restaurant

Julie Daniels T: 07752 288405 E: julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk www.nutshellpublications.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag Twitter: @LoveEastMag

The history of the ancient mounds of London Cover portrait by Lady Ray

To advertise in LoveEast please call 07752 288405 or email julie@nutshellpublications. co.uk for further information. Deadline for April edition is 5 March (please allow an extra two days if design is required). Nutshell Publications cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. ©LoveEast all rights reserved. Magazine design, www.ilkadickens.com. No reproduction can be made without permission. Please recycle.

LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 3

Photos courtesy of Travis Elborough

East life

Clockwise from top left: Norman Lara; members taking time out; a model boat and her owner; behatted at the regatta

Emily Hollands chats to Norman Lara, chairman of Victoria Park's model steam boat club Sitting down with Norman Lara for a pint in The Little Driver pub in Bow is a complete treat for anyone with an interest in the East End. Norman is chairman of the Victoria Model Steam Boat Club, a position he has held for more than 30 years, and a club that people travel to from across the globe. Besides being a member there for 52 years, he has, for decades, owned a large chain of East London shops, is treasurer of his local model planes club and works full time as community access worker at the Blue Skies Project care centre in Arnold Road, Bow. 4 LOVEEAST

There’s not much he doesn’t know about the area. Thankfully he doesn’t put my historical knowledge to the test. The steam boat club is officially the oldest of its kind in the world, celebrating its 112th birthday this year. Launched in 1904, the concept remains very much the same – turn up on a Sunday morning at the Boating Hut beside the running track in Victoria Park, have a chat and a cuppa and sail a boat (either your own or the club’s) on the lake. And there’s a wide selection of boats on view from traditional steam to modern power boats, some of which are built by Norman himself.

East life There is an eclectic mix of members at the club. Pitching in at over 60 people, the club’s oldest surviving member is 80 years old and has plenty of stories and photos to prove it. The club's history was explored in depth last year as part of writer Travis Elborough’s Chisenhale Gallery Victoria Park Residency. Elborough collaborated with director Paul Kelly on a short film The Ace of Clubs, which investigated the importance of the park as a recreational space for leisure clubs. This prompted a lot of interest in the club, especially among youths and families living in East London. Besides fulfilling a hobby, the club is tremendously social. There are regattas and events with other clubs and some group members are serious competitors. Norman himself has travelled the world as a top speed world and European champion on several occasions; his own hydroplane reaching a record speed of 135mph. He is currently second fastest in the world and British champion for tethered hydroplane racing.

To apply for a place at the club, simply turn up on a Sunday at the Boating Hut (East side of the park) between 8.30am and 9am. There’s a small annual charge of £12 to cover club costs and boat insurance. The club starts again, hopefully with the sunshine, on Easter Sunday and will go through to October. What's your favourite place to drink? It’s been knocked down! It was The Moulders Arms pub in Bow. The locals called it the Rocks and Boulder, slang for the Moulders. I’m sure there’ll be bars under the nearby railway arches soon, though. East London’s best-kept secret? The few East End pubs like this one (The Little Driver) that are still standing in this area and play sports. And the chicken shop across the road. You can’t miss the chicken shops round here.

Continued overleaf...

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LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 5

Photo courtesy of Keith Reynolds

East life

Victoria Model Steam Boat Club as it was in 1937

Is East London a big part of your life? As far back as I can remember. I’m a born and bred East Londoner and was practically brought up in Vicky Park. I went to the boating club as a 10-year-old child with my mother, father and sister. I was born with no ankle bones so was in hospital for a long while. My mum and dad used to take me in my wheelchair to the park every Sunday and it was great. My dad would race boats and my mum would knit with the other mums. All the men would be in bowler hats on the boating lake. Back then the Boating Hut was an adventure playground. What was a chore soon became a regular family day out and it’s stayed that way for 52 years. We stayed in the area to raise our son and daughter and run a successful chain of shops, one of which was based in Chrisp Street market, which has changed a lot over the years. Now I spend time taking the people I care for at Blue Skies out to local cinemas, cafés and parks. Does the area influence the group? The area is all about families and that’s what the club is about, too. We have lots of generations spending time together. A lot of curious locals stop by in the park on a Sunday to ask what we are up to, especially on days where we run the tethered hydroplanes. And of course we are tied 6 LOVEEAST

in with the history of Victoria Park and the lake itself is famous, and listed. I’d always help out anyone in the area should they want to build or hire a boat for the lake. Any other hobbies? I travel the country throughout the year, going to a lot of boat and engineering shows in Kingsbury and Birmingham. The club visit a lot of shows such as Sandown. I also fly both real planes and model ones with the Two Tree Island club in Essex. I also try and attend as many of the Victoria Park events as possible – I thought Winterville was brilliant. The club occasionally get asked to help out productions with boating props, most memorably on Run, Fatboy, Run with Simon Pegg in 2007. Most memorable East London moment? With the boat club, it would be reaching our centenary year in 2004. We had a fantastic twoday party at the boat house. But for me, it was winning a club raffle prize of a pair of tickets to copilot a plane. I gave my spare ticket to one of the men with special needs I care for at the Blue Skies Project, knowing he loved aeroplanes and had always wanted to fly. As we flew over the Thames, I felt very happy watching someone achieving a long-term goal like that.

Photo courtesy of Keith Reynolds

Photos courtesy of Travis Elborough

East life

Clockwise from top left: 21st-century model boat; a family affair; club members from a bygone age (date unknown)

And there was the time I met Frank Sinatra at one of my Poplar stores after he’d done a gig in the Isle of Dogs.

For more information on the Victoria Park Model Steam Boat Club visit the website, below.

East London in a word? Changing.

onthewire.co.uk/vmsc1.htm

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East London makers They also makes smaller objects like candlesticks and wooden bowls, which they turn on the lathe and bring into form by hand with a chisel. Emma and Rhiannon met in 2012 when they signed up for a two-year Fine Woodwork course at the Building Crafts College in Stratford. They were both a world away from furnituremaking – Emma had worked in the film industry and Rhiannon had studied to be a psychologist – but they quickly found a common passion for beautifully made things and an urge to work with their hands. Rhiannon Wilkey, left, and Emma Leslie, right, at work

Christine Preisig meets Emma Leslie and Rhiannon Wilkey, the duo behind furniture makers Studio LW “I wanted to work with wood because it felt quiet – sort of Zen,” Emma says and Rhiannon nods in agreement. You wouldn’t believe that when you first enter the massive workspace full of enormous, noisy machines. They share this space in a converted shed on Stratford High Street with Turner Prize-winning architect collective "Assemble”. Studio LW have their own workshop located in a separate little room and it actually does feel serene and peaceful there. 8 LOVEEAST

Keen to pass on their skills, Emma and Rhiannon have started The East London School of Furniture Making, where they teach courses at all levels. Home tutoring courses are also on offer and it's hoped that people will be encouraged to make things at home with a few simple tools and without the need for a fully equipped

So are the furniture pieces they make. Clean, elegant lines are mixed with subtle details such as a different colour for a drawer-front or an unexpected way of strutting the legs of a chair. It’s the quality of the craftsmanship combined with simple yet original and functional design that makes each piece stand out. Studio LW produce all kinds of furniture – from individual bespoke commissions, to their own design collection (see their webshop), as well as artist collaborations.

Tools of the trade

East London makers workshop. Being able to help other women learn the craft is something that is particularly important to them. Even though the number of females in the profession has gone up, the ratio is still very small. To make woodworking more accessible, Studio LW have set up a free workshop for women on low or no income. If you're interested in learning more, head to the website, below. East London School of Furniture courses: 2-day stool-making class, 10-13 March; Evening classes, 6-week book rack class, 9 March to 13 April; 10-week box-making course starting 19 and 20 April. studiolw.co.uk

Clockwise from top: at the lathe; three-legged stool (which can be made in the stool-making workshop), and curved cabinet

LOVEEAST MARCH 2016â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;9

Style & Substance Tinsel Edwards is an artist &

co-founder of A-side B-side gallery. She was recently handpicked by Banksy to showcase her work at Dismaland.

What's important to you?

Equality, fairness & justice, family, friends and painting.

What do you love about the East End? The people, the diversity and the creativity. I love cycling along the canal tow path, past lovely narrow boats & the big trees in Victoria Park. Also riding past the gasometers near to Broadway Market.

Dom Cools-Lartigue the founder of Street Feast & all-round visionary is looking forward to opening a new venue he's been dreaming of for 10 years.

What's important to you?

Honouring the opportunity I have to push things forward by helping people, local businesses or areas raise their potential.

What do you love about the East End?

Openness to new ideas, which takes bravery in a community and shows its strength. It's why I've made it my home and chosen to raise my son here.

Interviews & portraits by Lady Ray

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What's on in March MON

TUES

WEDS

THURS

Weekly 8.10pm: Hatha yoga, Victoria Park Community Centre, 5 Gore Road, E9. (No class 28 March). Nadia missbocheva@gmail. com

Weekly Ballet for children at Hackney Forge. Call Mafalda on 07550 722 693 for details.

Weekly 6.30-7.30pm. Beginners Iyengar. £8.50 yogabodycentre. co.uk

Weekly 1pm-3pm. FREE. Knitting at Victoria Park Comm Centre, Gore Road, E9.

10.30-11.30. Mums and babies yoga at Hackney Forge.

6.30-8.30pm: Life drawing classes. at Vout-O-Reenee's, 30 Prescot St, E1 8BB. £7. vout-o-reenees.com

10-11.30am. Rollers and Crawlers Drop-Ins for under ones at the Ann Tayler Children's Centre, Triangle Road, E8. learningtrust.co.uk

6pm. FREE Hula Hoop Fitness for all ages at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Meet at the Timber Lodge entrance (North of the park). Sign up at ourparks.org.uk

10am-11.30am. FREE. Storytime for under 5s at Victoria Park Community Centre, 5 Gore Road, E9. (No class 22, 29 March.)

8-11pm. FREE entry. Thomas Cohen plays at The Moth Club. mothclub.co.uk

7.30pm. New comedy I Am Not Myself These Days. Love in 90s New York. Shoreditch Town Hall. £15. shoreditchtownhall.com

10am-4pm. £5 for a Wellbeing treatment: manis, pedis, massage, reflexology. Victoria Park Community Centre, Gore Rd, E9. Sylvia 020 8985 6571, masonsylvia@hotmail. com to book.

8pm. FREE. James And The Ultrasounds play at The Shacklewell Arms Shacklewell Lane, E8. 12 LOVEEAST

6.30pm. FREE. Drama In The Mix, celebrating the creativity of East London school pupils Live showcase of 8 fantastic radio plays. richmix.org.uk

8pm. Launch of The Yard Theatres new play Made Visible. £12.50, £10 conc. theyardtheatre.co.uk

6-9pm. FREE. Grafik Bites workshops, St Margaret's House. Photoshop/Illustrator. stmargaretshouse. org.uk

6-7pm. World Book Day Teenfest, Stratford East Picturehouse, hosted by author Lemn Sissay. £3. picturehouses.com

10.30am-12.30pm. Coffee morning, Vic Park Community Centre, Gore Road, E9

Be a trailblazer in St Joseph’s Hospice's first ever firewalk. Full training on the night. Register at stjh.org.uk/ fundraisingevents

7.30pm. Check out Real Lies at Oslo. Tickets £11, oslohackney.com

10-11am. Vortex in Dalston hosts Tots Tunes, a popular music session for 0-5 yr olds. vortexjazz.co.uk

6-7.30pm. World War One exhibition in Tower Hamlets Local History Library ideastore.co.uk

4-5pm. FREE. Chatterbooks Reading Dragons, reading group for 8-12yr-old boys, Hackney Central Library

Letting In The Light exhibition, centre of Stratford. How art can illuminate understanding mental distress

12pm to 3pm. Easter Eggstravaganza. Egg Hunt and arts and crafts. Meet at V&A Building. Victoria Park.

7.30pm. Americana in concert at Stratford East theatre. £10-22.50. stratfordeast.com Continued on page 31

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Sophie's world Photo: Claire Lawrie

There's hidden vitality and inventiveness going on behind every dilapidated ancient facade. I'm not talking about the City, though there is undoubtedly all sorts of creativity in accounting going on behind those glass doors, but to what end? I suppose it enables the people of younger Chelsea to exist another day to argue with their neighbours over their much-needed basement pool extensions, thus making them feel busy. The idle rich from Russia to Paris (see War and Peace) have always been good at appearing occupied. But when will they understand that going to the hairdressers or telling someone else to cook their dinner Is Not Work, however exhausting it is having a personal trainer? Real work is what people do in the courtyards and old warehouses along the canals of Hackney Wick and Bethnal Green. There are the craft beer brewers and gin distillers with matching bars crammed with people loving the real thing. There's the Yard Theatre, ice cube producers, engineering works, salmon smokeries, couturiers – small businesses old and young beavering away to a waiting audience. The life-drawing classes for professional artists or ogling amateurs, or the supper clubs serving dinner to half-naked bathers in hot tubs might be hilarious to watch, but somebody loves these mad ideas.

Sophie at her East End club, Vout-O-Reenee's

The inventiveness and vitality of the East End is something we must hold on to, says Sophie Parkin I love throwing a great birthday party. We do a lot at Vout-O-Reenees. My mum's 84th will be a great bash of fun. One thing I've learnt from parties is that youth is nothing to do with appearance, and that's what I love about old East London, too.

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Walking through this hive of industry last week in the sunshine reminded me that the Chelsea I knew when I was growing up was like this, too. It's now drained of energy and full of gated communities. Poverty might be the mother of invention, but keeping the inventions coming and keeping the poverty away is the answer to securing the energetic hub. Remember, it's the things you don't start-up that you regret. Be careful what you wish for. Like all things for sale, Made in Chelsea comes with an expensive price tag.

Sophie Parkin is an author and owner of vout-o-reenees.com

JAMES’ STORY

“I am the LAST person you will ever find in a gym. I’m fat, drink very

heavily, sometimes smoke, eat awful unhealthy food, sit on my backside most days and lean on the bar counter in the boozer. But London Fields Fitness is not a gym; it’s a social club with exercise. I started coming here last January when my wife threatened to install a gastric band or, much worse: ban me from the pub. to be continued...

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LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 15

Local heroes them identify that," explains Sarah. "Whether it's help to grow their business or to learn a new skill – or whether they just want to meet people in their local community." So whether you're a dog-walker or web designer, a van driver or a videorapher, you can trade your time and skills with others. Each service is valued at the same price, so trading doesn't have to be like for like, and the possibilities are endless.

Networking at one of Echo's social events

Sarah Henderson and Alex Gilbert talk to Julie Daniels about Echo, a skills trading platform where time, not money, changes hands Being a Hackney resident, I tend to look at things from a local perspective and there's no doubt that Echo (short for economy of hours) definitely has that creative, left-field East End vibe.

The cynical among us may ask how members know they'll get proper value from the system. "It's all based on trust," says Sarah. "Every time they do a trade they give each other feedback, which is stored on the online platform. We trust members to be honest and deliver good quality work and because they buy into the ethos of Echo, the community-mindedness of it, they have a positive experience." That certainly seems to be true for the members whose stories can been seen on the newly designed and very easy to navigate website. "When trading with Echoes it just feels more fair, all help is help, at one price," says one Echo member Rustic Roots. "No one claims to be worth more than anyone else." Research from Echo shows that around 10 per cent of members have also gone on to receive paid work or employment from being part of platform, so there is proof that it can bring benefits of the monetary kind, too. If you're looking to give a bigger boost to your business, there's Echo++, the business accelerator

It's a locally-based enterprise – mostly funded by the London Legacy Development Corporation – and an online marketplace for skills and services. A place where no money changes hands at all. Rather than using old-fashioned hard currency, its 2500 members trade in "Echoes", where one Echo equals one hour of work. So far, so East End, and I find it hard to imagine that it could have been created anywhere else. It's the job of Sarah Henderson and Alex Gilbert, two of the team behind Echo, to find out what it is that members can offer each other. "We help 16 LOVEEAST

Sarah Henderson, Echo's director of operations

Local heroes programme – a specific support system for sole traders, start-ups or micro-businesses. It brings the benefits of a business development programme to those who want to grow at their own pace and in their own way – a networked approach, connecting local businesses and experts through masterclass workshops, mentoring, and networking. Again, no money is involved; members pay in Echoes. "I've worked in man jobs working with startups," says Alex Gilbert, the Echo++ programme manager. "This is the one programme where everyone has been so genuine and sincere and always willing to help and support other people where they can, and that's something I haven't really seen anywhere else." There are regular events for Echo++ members, as well as social events which are open to everyone. They also encourage members to create their own events. "Our focus is to make Echo as collaborative as possible and as owned by our members as possible," says Sarah.

Alex Gilbert, Echo++ programme manager

The best thing about Echo? "I just like the people. You're getting to meet the network, talk to them, find out what they're doing on the platform, says Alex. "That's what I enjoy about it." Sarah agrees. "Seeing how people are able to develop their skills, especially where they have lacked confidence... they're the really satisfying stories." To find out more about joining the Echo platform, head to economyofhours.com

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We do of course deal with all aspects of audit and accountancy, and our clients range from individuals and small fledgling businesses, through to larger well-established firms. As well as helping businesses, it's also important to us to help the community, and we have taken part in a number of charitable events, from cake baking for Macmillan Cancer Support, to running with superheroes for Run4Cancer. These were very successful and well supported by the local community. Finally, and most importantly, the first consultation is free – plus we make a lovely cup of tea and have a great new drinks and nibbles menu.

Alan Patient

Alan Patient & Co offer a friendly solution to your accountancy worries

Alan Patient & Co 9 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1BD 020 8532 9843

Alan Patient & Co are a local firm of chartered accountants who have been based in South Woodford for the past 22 years. We're opposite M&S and because of our handy location we often find that people will ring the bell on impulse and take the first steps towards sorting out their financial worries – which usually involve tax in one way or another.

alanpatient.com

We are a friendly firm and once through the door you will be made very welcome. The staff realise that for many people tax can be a major source of concern and anxiety.

18 LOVEEAST

As Alan Patient says, "simply doing something rather than just worrying about it can be extremely liberating in itself, and speaking with an expert can really lift the weight from your shoulders." Alan is always happy to meet new clients, and glad to count amongst the team his tax manager, who used to work for HMRC, and is perfectly placed to understand the workings of the tax inspector’s mind. He firmly believes that it's not what you earn, it's what you keep that counts – and we think any business owner would agree with that.

The team, from left: Chris James, Svitlana Matviychuk and Alan Patient

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Culture corner Museum of Childhood Opening Saturday, 19 March – explore the magical worlds of The Clangers and Bagpuss in a new exhibition. Created by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, and filmed in a barn in rural Kent, these characters brought new life to children’s television. Clangers, Bagpuss & Co will be the first major retrospective of Smallfilms – Firmin and Postgate’s influential and muchloved production company – and include films not seen for decades. Postgate’s voice and Firmin’s puppets and artwork are cornerstones of 20th century British culture and their quirky and inventive

Bagpuss © Smallfilms image © V&A Museum, London

programmes shaped the childhood memories of millions. As well as telling the story of Bagpuss and The Clangers, the exhibition goes behind the scenes of some of their other creations, such as Pogles Wood, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine. Friday 25 to Sunday 27 March, 2pm–4pm Easter is early this year and showing alongside the exhibition will be a Small Films Marathon, when visitors can see back-to-back screenings of Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate’s animated classics including The Clangers, Bagpuss, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine. Drop-in. All ages. Workshops and drop-in activities will run throughout the spring holidays. V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, E2. For details: vam.ac.uk/moc/whatson

A mini literature festival Inspired by the success of our annual Town Hall Tales children's literature festival, Story Habit kicked off 2016 with valuable enrichment activities at Daubeney Primary School in Hackney. Over a week, six children's authors took part in a wholeschool reading-for-pleasure festival. Author Alex Milway explored the magical world of Operation Robot Storm with Year 4, where secret Yeti agents are the last hope to communities in the Welsh Mountains, besieged by mysterious blizzards and ice storms. There was also, author and illustrator Hilda Offen with her book Rita and the Romans, perfect for Year 2 kids. Through her adventurous and brave character Rita, the kids learned about the power of their imagination. Andrew Weale’s books are ideal for Nursery and Reception, in particular his rebellious and greedy character Nora, where the children laughed about a little girl who bit off more than she could chew. Writer of novels and scripts for the BBC Catherine Johnson introduced Year 5 students to Nest of Vipers, through which the children learned about the power of transformation and belief. Roland Chambers explored his nautical world of Nelly and the search for Captain Peabody with Year 3 students. And for the older children Philip Womack's The King's Shadow explored the possibilities of creating worlds beyond our own. You might want to try these wonderful stories with your own kids. Jo de Guia, storyhabit.co.uk LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 19

MON

TUES

WEDS

THURS

Ballet for kids p12 Storytime, under 5s p12 Baby yoga p12 Comedy p12

Beginners Iyengar p12 Grafik bites w/shop p12 World book day p12

Hatha yoga, p12 Hoola Hoop fit, p12 Life drawing p12 Thomas Cohen p12

Ballet for kids, p12 Storytime, under 5s p12

Beginners Iyengar p12

Hatha yoga, p12

Ballet for kids, p12 Storytime, under 5s p12

20 LOVEEAST

10 Knitting/natter, p12

Baby yoga p12

Beginners Iyengar p12 Coffee morning p12 Fancy firewalking? p12

Knitting/natter, p12

Beginners Iyengar p12 Real Lies, Oslo p12

Rollers & crawlers p12

Easter Monday

WW1 exhib p12

Rollers & crawlers p12

Ballet for kids, p12 Storytime, under 5s p12 New drama at Yard p12 Baby yoga p12 Rollers & crawlers p12 Drama at Rich Mix p12

Tots' Tunes p12

Baby yoga p12

Hatha yoga, p12 James & The Ultrasounds, p12 £5 beauty p12 Life drawing p12

Life drawing p12

Knitting/natter, p12

Rollers & crawlers p12 Storytime, under 5s p12 Ballet for kids p12 Baby yoga p12

Chatterbooks p12

Letting in the Light, p12 Knitting/natter, p12 Eggstravaganza p12

Beginners Iyengar p12

Americana in concert p12 Knitting/natter, p12

FRI

SAT

SUN

Networx computer skills at Vicky Park Comm Centre, p31

Evening of song & improv, p31 Dance classes 2-11yrs, p31

Mother's Day

Thomas Mailaender exhib, p31

DJs host Mister Saturday, p31

Live music, Marksman, p31

Toy Library & Play drop-in, p31

Baroque singing workshop, p31

Mother's Day bubbles, p31

Fairtrade breakfast, p31

Dance classes 2-11yrs, p31 Hackney Museum's 'Our Stories', p31

Midcentury Modern show, p31

Networx computer skills, p31

Dance classes 2-11yrs, p31

Thomas Mailaender exhib, p31

Clangers, Bagpuss & co, p31

Toy Library & Play drop-in, p31

Beauty for a fiver, p31

Dance classes 2-11yrs, p31 Kids' film club, p31

Model boat regatta p31

11 Indie pop band Flowers, p31 Toy Library & Play drop-in, p31 Networx computer skills, p31 Thomas Mailaender exhib, p31

The Crucible, Arcola, p31

Good Friday Networx computer skills, p31 Toy Library & Play drop-in, p31 Thomas Mailaender exhib, p31 Make your own clothes, p31

Art events General events Outdoor events

Live music, Marksman, p31

Live music, Marksman, p31 Sport Relieve Games, p31

Easter Sunday

Ink hand-lettering workshop, p31

Live music, Marksman, p31

Richard Blackwood & Danny 'Slim' Gray, Hackney Empre, p31

Go see a Goat Race, p31 50 children 50 artists, p31

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Eating in Method 1. Put the stock, vermouth and shallot into a medium saucepan and cook at a simmer until the liquid has reduced by one third. 2. Strain out the shallot. 3. Meanwhile make the relish: Add sugar to vinegar and stir until sugar has dissolved then whisk in the oil. 4. Chop mint leaves and spring onions,

Illustration: rachelgale.com

then combine along with lemon zest. 5. Dress the herb mixture with just enough of the sweetened vinegar dressing to cover then stir and allow to steep for 5 minutes. 6. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside. 7. Now to assemble the dish: Arrange the vegetables in warmed serving plates (large pasta bowls work well)

When planning an Easter menu the first thing that comes to mind is usually lamb. But Easter also marks the beginning of spring, and for me the most exciting thing about spring is the arrival of the new season's vegetables: radishes, pea-shoots, samphire, spinach, watercress and eventually, Jersey Royals & asparagus. That said, Easter is early this year so the best of British spring may not quite have broken through the soil, but with all this crazy weather, who knows? This delicate fishy broth is a lovely way to honour their arrival. It takes a little bit of time, but rewards the effort.

8 medium English asparagus spears, tough ends removed and cut into 5cm pieces, then blanched in salted boiling water until just tender and refreshed in icewater OR 8 stems of tenderstem broccoli or sprouting broccoli trimmed to a similar size OR 12 small florets of broccoli. 50g samphire (available from Jonathan Norris when in season) blanched and refreshed as above. 4 small Jersey Royal or Cornish Early potatoes scrubbed (not peeled) and quartered, gently boiled until tender then refreshed.

The fish 12-16 palourde clams OR mussels OR 16-20 cockles (they’re smaller), shells cleaned and in the case of mussels, beards removed.

Ingredients (serves 4) The broth 2 cups good quality fish stock ½ cup white vermouth 1 shallot, sliced A small selection of spring vegetables (3-4 different varieties is about right), such as:. 4 radishes and their leaves, washed & quartered. If radish leaves are unavailable or too bruised, substitute for another leafy green such as sorrel, rocket or pea shoots.

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4 boneless fillets of lemon/dover sole OR any other seasonal fish (gurnard, salmon or dab)

The relish 20 mint leaves 2 small or one large spring onions Zest of half a lemon

8. Return the broth to the stove and bring back up to a simmer then throw in the clams. Cover with a lid and cook until the shells have opened, then transfer clams to the plates, leaving the broth in the pan to stay warm. 9. Meanwhile, line a frying pan with baking parchment (this will prevent the fish from sticking), then place over a high heat and add a little cooking oil. 10. Season the fish fillets then press them into the pan skin side down (if there is any skin) and hold the fillets down for about 10 seconds to prevent the fish from curling. Turn the heat down to medium. 11. As soon as you can see that the fillets are cooked 2 thirds of the way through flip them over to cook the other side. Then rest for a moment on kitchen towel to remove excess oil. 12. Pour some of the hot broth carefully over the vegetables and clams then top with the fish fillets. 13. Finish off with a dressing of the mint and spring onion relish.

2 tbsp white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp Sunflower, Canola or another light salad oil. Salt & Pepper

James Morgan thehackneypearl.com

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LOVEEAST FEBRUARY 2016 23

Eating out

Ellory and for those of you who know me well, you’ll understand that I needed a wee snack when I got home. I like to eat. A lot. Generous portions are my thing. Before my late night snack I had an extremely delicious octopus salad, followed by brill served with bergamot butter and January King cabbage. Again, beautiful and totally delicious. Each item on the plate was a matching Kelly Hoppen beige colour.

I was looking forward to meeting up with a couple of friends who I hadn’t seen for a while. They picked Ellory, a great choice. I know Netil House from my pilates classes and could walk there – always a bonus. This used to be a nightclub and it was a big night out for me, having been swamped since January in a new job. I was looking forward to letting my hair down and put on my silver lamé top. Clearly, I was in the nightclub vibe, but here the sartorial code is a little more plain. A black polo neck would match the décor, which is dark and all a bit spare with concrete floors, bare bulb lighting, bench seats and some rather nice bentwood chairs. Here, it’s a man’s world; 24 LOVEEAST

we were the only women there and it felt slightly humourless. They describe this place as an informal, convivial modern neighbourhood bistro. Well, it’s a bit more très sérieux than that. For a start they have a tasting menu (I’m no fan of those), but you can go à la carte – our choice. Want even less than that? Then sit at the bar.

Those of us not on a regime ended with the sorrel ice cream with honeycomb. An acquired taste and not universally loved. Personally I’m a big fan of sorrel – as well as the lamé. Menu from £7 to £16 per dish.

Susan Birtwistle Ellory, Netil House, 1 Westgate Street, E8 3RL. ellorylondon.com

Chef Matthew Young was previously at Mayfields in Wilton Way and the sadly deceased Wapping Project, and works alongside sommelier Jack Lewens, (the River Café and Spring). All service here is charming and handsome. The food is very good. The portion size is somewhere between a starter and a main.

Ellory's sommelier Jack Lewens, left, and head chef Matthew Young

Easter plants or Mother's Day bouquets, only the best will do www.agpriceflowers.co.uk 217-219 Well Street, E9 6QU 020 8986 0250

From Anatolya . . . . . . to hackney

Delicious chargrilled Turkish food /scoffs grill

020 3489 3359

scoffscafe

Fully licensed restaurant. LoveEast readers will receive 10% off the bill. Scoffs Grill,355-357 Wick Road, E9 5DH LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 25

The owners requested a formal arrangement of Yorkstone flags to match the existing path. We laid reclaimed pavers to frame a central bed featuring floriferous white rose "Winchester Cathedral" with white foxgloves, all snugly bordered with box hedging. The box border repeats elsewhere to add structure, whilst along the front railings glossy winter box sweetly scents the spring air.

The Middleton Road garden after its makeover

London Fields and Gardens can transform your outdoor space, as well as lifting your spirits, says Izi Glover Whether you are wearily heading home after a long day, or gingerly stepping out on a Monday morning, your front garden or doorstep can do much to lift your mood. Sturdy evergreens, curling ferns, wafting grasses and, of course, flowers will soothe a troubled brow. Combined with a smart pot or a neatly edged border, you have a thing of beauty that’ll really lift your spirits. Help is at hand with London Fields and Gardens. We're a small and local garden and landscape team. We transform forlorn and neglected gardens – front and back, large and small, big and little budgets – into cheery and welcoming places. We worked closely with the owners of a local garden, pictured here, on a design sympathetic to their early Victorian house on Middleton Road. The garden was overgrown and lacking purpose, so we removed old pebbles and concrete paving, but retained the fig tree for its good height and volume, as well as a jolly Salvia x jamensis "Hot Lips" shrub. 26 LOVEEAST

Outside the lower window, plants give year-round interest, from velvet purple hellebore flowers in winter, to zingy acid green euphorbias and fringed parrot tulips in spring, to mauve thistle flowers of perennial cornflowers, lofty yellow umbels of golden lace and crimson bobbles of bistort in summer. Starry white wood asters will lead the garden back to autumn, then the evergreen hellebores and euphorbias, box and winter box will quietly resume their sculptural lead roles. Izi Glover is a Hackney gardener at London Fields and Gardens: londonfieldsandgardens.com March things to do and see Anticipate summer by adding perennials to borders, pots and window boxes. Plants like bistort Persicaria amplexicaulis "Inverleith", pheasant’s tail grass Anemanthele lessoniana, and Mexican fleabane Erigeron karvinskianus are longflowering and, once established, relatively tolerant of neglect if you treat them right in the beginning, so use good compost and water in well. Visit gardens for inspiration. There's great planting to see for free on our doorstep at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

The garden before its transformation

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Local heroes St Joseph's Hospice makes a real difference to people with lifelimiting illnesses. You can, too, by signing up to Run Hackney Judith Cam with her son, Ian

Judith Cam was 62 when she was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. She wanted to be cared for at home so her husband, Ian Senior, gave up his job to look after her, and her daughter, Molly, took a year out of university to be at home. Her son Ian, a PE teacher, worked round the corner at Stoke Newington School so he was also on hand to help out. The family were happy to ensure that Judith remained comfortable at home but they also realised they needed some help. They were put in touch with St Joseph’s Hospice, where Judith received complementary therapies, massage and emotional support, while still being able to stay at home as she wanted. They knew that someone was always on the end of the phone if they needed help or a visit from one of the Community Palliative Care Team. They regularly called the 24/7 line for advice and they knew if they needed help they only had to ask.

Ian would bring his mum to St Joseph’s for her complementary therapy appointments, and on one visit he saw an advert for Run Hackney. He decided to run it for the hospice as he was really happy with the care his mum was getting. He did lots of training and finished in less than two hours, raising almost £2,000. Judith sadly passed away a year later but Ian said they were able to make the last year of her life special, although they couldn’t have done it without the support of St Joseph’s Hospice. He ran again last year, raising another £2,000 and with St Joseph’s Hospice being a local partner for Run Hackney in 2016, Ian decided to challenge himself and run it a third time in Judith’s memory. "St Joseph’s Hospice is a magical place," Ian said. "I only visited a handful of times with my mum, but each time I felt such lovely energy there. When you step through the main doors, wherever you are going in the

hospice, it is so accommodating. It really is a special place. “I know that there are families who will need help and support like we did and I will continue to do Run Hackney, I reckon for another 40 years, until my legs give up.” If you would like to take part in Run Hackney, contact Anna Lee at a.lee@stjh.org.uk Visit Ian's Just Giving page, here: justgiving.com/Ian-Bruce9

Ian, running for St Joseph's Hospice

LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 27

What to do with the kids Stories Storytime for the under 5s at Victoria Park Community Centre every Tuesday from 10am to 11.30am. 5 Gore Road, E9. FREE. Fourth Tuesday of each month, Chatterbooks reading group for 8-12yrs, quizzes, competitions, prizes. Dalston CLR James Library. Music Piccolo music for babies and toddlers, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the V&A building in Victoria Park. Toddler class 10am, baby class 11am. Just drop in. Stefanie, 07708 451 314. Museums Free drop-in activities every day at The Museum of Childhood, including arts and crafts, tours, trails and storytelling. For ages 3-12 years. Cambridge

Heath Road, E2. Plus: check out p19 for this month's extra activities. Want to be a Geffrye Explorer? There is lots of fun to be had between 12.30pm and 4.30pm every Saturday at geffrye-museum.org.uk Cinema Hackney Picturehouse Kids’ Club is for ages 3-12 years. picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Hackney_ Picturehouse Swimming London Fields Lido offer swimming lessons and they’ve started giving stages 3-8 swimming classes again. Go to betterlessons.org.uk for details and booking. Plus of course, there's Mile End Leisure Centre, York Hall in Bethnal Green and the gorgeous Aquatics Centre, QE Olympic Park. Farms At city farms in Hackney, Stepney, Spitalfields and Mudchute. stepneycityfarm.org, hackneycityfarm. co.uk, spitalfieldscityfarm.org, mudchute.org

Award winning classes for 0-5 yrs

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28 LOVEEAST

Children's Centres Wentworth on Cassland Road (wentworth. hackney.sch.uk), Gainsborough on Berkshire Road (gainsborough.hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre), and Morningside on Chatham Place (morningside. hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre). Meath Gardens Children's Centre, 1 Smart Street, E2; Mile End Leisure Centre, The One O'Clock Club (Vicky Park); Overland Children's Centre, 60 Parnell Road, E3. Yoga for babies... and their mums Yoga for Mums and Babies, every Tuesday at 10.15am with tea and biscuits afterwards. Hackney Forge, E9. 07958 645 978 or email clare@clareday-yoga.co.uk Dancing Wiggly Jigglers at Rich Mix. Creative movement for 0-2yrs. Call 020 7613 7498 to book. Ballet, Street Dance and Musical Theatre classes. at the Hackney Forge. hackneyforge.com Activity times may change, so please check on times/ availability via the websites or phone numbers

A New Nursery In London Fields Elena Mackey and Rachel Munro-Peebles are both mums who understand choosing childcare for your child can be an anxious time… which is why they designed this unique bespoke environment, to feel like a home from home. Part of Fount London, which is the Family Lifestyle Concept Space. Eat, Shop & Play, Fount Nursery is seen as the heart of the concept. They have been careful not to use over-bright colours. The result is a calm relaxing space, with a warm natural palette mixed with an eclectic vintage feel. Furniture and resources have been sourced to match their ethics on reuse, reclaim and recycle. Elena and Rachel have created a truly unique nursery that will make your little one's journey a special one. If you would like to find out more about enrolling at Fount Nursery, please do get in touch

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History hangout Whitechapel mound, to make way for new buildings. Possible uses could have been sighting points for cutting new roads across the vast forests surrounding London. It is possible, too, that they were used as defence look-out posts.

Stephen Selby investigates the ancient mounds of London The first sight of the print, above, usually comes as a great surprise. Published before 1850 in the Illustrated London News, on the left is the façade of the present Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. When I first moved into the area in 1973, to "see you up the mount" was still in common use as a meeting point for local people. Whitechapel Mount is sadly only remembered by a little backstreet called Mount Terrace. These mounds were also called Tots, as in Tottenham, and Toots as in Tooting. Many were great rubbish tips and not to be associated with those built from topsoil. In particular, some like those at Whitechapel Mount, Mount Pleasant, Holywell Mount in Shoreditch and Kings Cross had been built from rich earth. Indeed, the King’s Cross mound was shipped to St Petersburg 30 LOVEEAST

in the 18th century to help grow the roses in Catherine the Great’s Hermitage palace. Next to the southern border of Hackney was Holywell Mount, directly opposite Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre. Holywell’s vast mound of earth towered above the cityscape and could have been more than 100ft high, topped with trees, while being used as a plague pit. It was eventually removed, like the

An extract from a 16th-century manuscript republished by the London Topographical Society describes Brutus the Trojan as the founder of London around 1,130BC. The information comes from various sources, including the histories of Gildas, Nennius and Geoffrey of Monmouth’s The History of the British Kings. In these legends, it was mentioned that the mounds or tots were first witnessed by Brutus after arriving in Britain at Totnes. Were most of us aware of the many stories behind these legends, some of which appear in our literature – Shakespeare’s King Lear and Mallory’s King Arthur – collective interest in British history would be considerably enhanced. Next month: Anne Boleyn and Hackney

John Rocque’s 1746 Map showing the circular Holywell Mount, Shoreditch

What's on in March FRI

SAT

SUN

Weekly 10-12pm. Toy Library and Play Drop-in for 0-5 yr-olds at the Ann Tayler Children's Centre on Triangle Road, E8 learningtrust.co.uk

Weekly 9.45-1pm. Dance classes,, 2-11yrs. £5-6. chisendaledancespace. co.uk

Weekly 7-10pm. Marksman, Hackney Rd Sunday night music sessions

1-3pm. Networx computer classes, VP Community Centre, 5 Gore Road, E9

10am-1pm. Join a professional choir for a Baroque singing workshop, Geffrye museum. Tickets £25 geffrye-museum.org.uk

11am-7pm. Thomas Mailaender: Gone Fishing on display at Roman Road art gallery. romanroad.com

Hoxton Hotel can't wait for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Pop-up sake bar while screening original footage from the '64 Tokyo Olympics

7.30pm. Indiepop band Flowers play at The Sebright Arms. £6 adv tickets sebrightarms. co.uk

7.30pm. Arcola Theatre, Dalston The Crucible. Tickets £12, conc £8. arcolatheatre.com

4pm. Make Your Own Clothes, for ages 50+ at the Wayside Community Centre in Lower Clapton. £3 a session. destinationhackney.co.uk

8pm: Jane by Dufy, with Kate Westbrook. An evening of song, theatre music, improv. vout-o-reenees.com

5-11pm. DJs Eamon Harkin & Justin Carter host Mister Saturday at St John at Hackney church. £16.50 tickets online at ents24.com

7.30am-11.30am. Enjoy a leisurely, light and Fairtrade breakfast at the Victoria Park Community Centre. Suggested £3 donation to Fairtrade

10am-5pm. FREE Hackney Museum's Our Stories, culmination of 6 weeks of creative museum workshops

10am -5.45pm. FREE. Show your little ones the programmes you watched as a child. The Museum of Childhood puts on The Clangers, Bagpuss and Co. from today until 9 Oct. vam.ac.uk/moc

Mother's Day bubbles at Brooksby's Walk, Homerton

11am- 5pm. £5 for a Wellbeing treatment: manis, pedis, massage, reflexology. Victoria Park Community Centre, Gore Rd, E9. Call or email Brigette, 0208 985 6012, bmts2@tiscali.co.uk

7.30pm. Richard Blackwood and Danny 'Slim' Gray are Bad Boys from today at Hackney Empire. Tickets £15-27.50

2.30-4pm. FREE. Children's Film Club at Dalston CLR James Library. Classic and new children's films for all the family. With free popcorn.

10-4pm: Midcentury Modern Show at Haggerston School. 60 top dealers for the home under one roof. modernshows.com/ the-shows/haggerstonmar-2016

Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games in The Olympic Park. sportrelief.com

1pm: It's the Boat Race – and the Goat Race. Spitalfields farm. £10, book: thegoatrace.org

Miracles UK: 50 Children 50 Artists exhib in Whitechapel. ideastore.co.uk

10.30am-1pm or 2.305pm. The Ace Hotel in Shoreditch is having a Meticulous Ink Hand Lettering Workshop. £46.93.acehotel.com

10.30am. Victoria Park Model Steamboat Club Easter Regatta on the boating lake

LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 31

Fitness biceps. You need to build your energy systems – your brain’s ability to know what muscle fibres it needs to recruit for a job – and your connective tissue, such as ligaments (that link bone to bone) and tendons (muscle to bone). You can do this by lifting weights lower than your maximum with perfect form to build strength (and an athletic body). The Strong Lifts 5x5 system (stronglifts.com) works this way. You do 5 reps for 5 sets (with 90 secs between sets) in big compound exercises that work more than one major muscle group at a time. You take the weight up a little each session.

Roger Love, a local personal trainer, continues our A-Z of fitness with... L Lats – The latissimi dorsi (to give them their full name) are like wings on both sides of your back. They are vital for posture, strength, calorie-burning and, generally, looking good, but are often neglected by gym rats who concentrate more on arms and chest. Great exercises to develop the lats (and lots more besides) are pull-ups (hands away from you) and chin-ups (hands towards you) on a bar, such as the ones to be found in London Fields, Well Street Common and Victoria Park. 32 LOVEEAST

To get started at home, you could use methods recommended by Mark Lauren, the American bodyweight guru (marklauren.com). He suggests using anything stable enough to pull yourself up from lying flat on floor, such as a table or a pole between two raised surfaces. Alternatively, hang from the doorknobs with your feet either side of the door. Check those hinges first! Ligaments – When building strength, we often concentrate just on muscle. But there is more to power than just bulging

Long Runs – This is a specific term used in training for events, particularly half-marathons and marathons. As the name suggests, it should be your longest run of the week. It should be at a steady pace (so you can hold a conversation) and is to build up your aerobic fitness, efficiency and endurance. You will also do Easy Runs (no longer than 40 minutes to help your legs recover from hard training and which should be enjoyable); Tempo Runs (harder than long runs and for 20mins or 30mins), and Speed Work, when you run fast (but not sprint) for bursts mixed in with slower intervals.

Roger Love is a personal trainer based in Netil House, Hackney. hackneypt.com

Drama and story-telling classes for under 5s Has your little one got the acting bug? Join Sam Seager (Bobby from Cbeebies Me Too!) and her team First class is FREE Come explore one of Hackney’s last independent high streets Market every Sunday 11-4 Shops, bars and restaurants 7 days chatsworthroade5.co.uk Homerton overground | E5 0LS

Every Wednesday morning at Hackney Forge, 243a Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD

Email Sam at info@actingbugs.co.uk and get your child's imagination buzzing www.actingbugs.co.uk

Your safety is our concern The most comprehensive lock-based service available

www.empiresecuritylondon.com 020 8986 7921 8-20 Well Street, London, E9 7PX LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 33

○○ Enjoy the hunts, find the Easter eggs, but restrict eating them to mealtimes. ○○ Reduce the temptation for children to keep snacking on chocolate snacks, distract them with games. ○○ Slip green, orange, and yellow vegetables and fruits into fillable plastic Easter eggs (available from shops such as Hobbycraft) to help children get their vitamins. ○○ Use a family fluoride toothpaste to brush at least twice a day. ○○ Night-time brushing is especially important. If you spit without rinsing last thing at night, the fluoride toothpaste works on repairing the damage done to enamel by sugars through the day. We are giving away free mini tubes of fluoride toothpaste to all children who come in during the Easter holidays, so do schedule an appointment and make sure you pick up some of our toothfriendly Easter treats. Children up to the age of 18 are entitled to free dental care on the NHS.

A happy, tooth-friendly Easter, from the team at William Place Dental & Cosmetic Practice It’s nearly Easter and we are sure you are looking forward to all those fantastic Easter fairs, egg hunts, and a never-ending supply of chocolate. It's a time of great fun for all the family, but we know that many parents worry about the sugar intake and, of course, the increased risk of tooth decay is a dentist’s nightmare. Here are some helpful hints to get you and your family smiling healthily through the Easter period. 34 LOVEEAST

Wishing you a happy Easter from all of us at William Place Dental & Cosmetic Practice. You can find us at William Place, London, E3 5ED. williamplacedental.co.uk

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The glass is half full When we are joyful, energised and in a good space, everything else in our life improves. We think better, we communicate better, we can manage our time better and we deal with difficulties better. We are better parents, partners, children, carers, friends, colleagues, leaders. Did you know that examination of our average daily lives shows that for every negative experience, we encounter three or more moments of joy? The secret is to notice them more and to dwell in them.

Many of us have lost the ability to see the positive side of life, writes life coach Karen Liebenguth We often struggle to see the joyful things in our day. The stuff that tends to drag us down often gets all our attention. This way of thinking can be attributed to the "negativity bias" (a brain which focuses by default on negative information). Our brains evolved from our hunter-gathering days, when life was all about anticipating and avoiding danger. Although it seems we’ve evolved a brain that routinely tricks us into overestimating threats and underestimating rewards and opportunities, the brain is highly plastic. It can change and adapt; it can be rewired. By focusing on pleasure, we can encourage the parts of our brain that notice and create sensations of joy, happiness, appreciation, to grow and to become stronger. We can rewire it.

I’ve heard parents advise kids to look for the simple joy in things, and yet they often don’t follow this advice themselves. To recognise those simple joys, we need to slow down. Savour that first cup of tea or coffee in the morning, look out for things to appreciate on our way to work (a smile from a neighbour, blossom on the tree or a warm greeting from a colleague), and take a proper lunch break to help keep perspective of your day. I also advise clients to keep in touch with their passions, and not to put off the simple things they enjoy so much. Once you practise noticing and appreciating the good things, pause for a moment, dwell on the pleasure, and really let the experience in. You will not only register it in your brain but also sense it in your body. The body then sends a signal of wellbeing back to your brain, and the more we work that "brain muscle" the greater the sense of wellbeing we will feel. So the next time you feel that life’s a drag, it’s really only half of your experience. Karen Liebenguth offers 1:1 coaching while walking in Victoria Park, 1:1 mindfulness training & courses for the workplace & mindfulness for stress and chronic pain. To book a free taster coaching session email karen@greenspacecoaching.com or call 07815 591279. For more information visit greenspacecoaching.com LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 35

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relationship, and professional advice will provide you with options and understanding. A living together agreement can record what you both intend to put in financially, how you live together, who is responsible for what and ultimately who takes out what in the event of separation. Getting Married People continue to get married and to many it remains the ultimate promise to make. Couples are marrying later in life; in some cases more than once, and it can often mean that they bring "baggage" with them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the physical results of what can be years of hard work.

Whether you are living together or married, a financial agreement is essential, says Sarah Stace It's a fact of life that most decisions have financial implications. The decision to share your life with someone, whether you marry or not, can carry some of the biggest. Living Together The popularity of couples living together without marrying continues to rise and, in a world of ever increasing living costs, has become a normal and almost necessary step. Despite this, it comes as a surprise to many that living together, regardless of how long, does not automatically give you rights over the assets of your partner. Nor will it provide you with financial protection in the event of a separation. There are, however, steps you can take to ensure that you get what you intended from the 36â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192;LOVEEAST

People are unsurprisingly nervous. Not just about entrusting their hearts, but also their valued possessions, with one another. Prenuptial agreements, which document how assets are to be divided in the event of separation, are becoming the tonic to premarital nerves. Once approached with caution, nuptial agreements are becoming increasingly popular. Recent case law continues to support the trend to allow people autonomy in how financial affairs are dealt with if happily ever after does not work out as intended. A prenuptial agreement can legitimately and responsibly protect a family business or property acquired prior to the marriage. It's never too late, however, and those who are already married can enter into a postnuptial agreement at any time. Far from being romance killers, financial agreements encourage couples to be frank and honest with each other from the start. They provide a building block for your lives together and result in a shared understanding of what each expects of the other.

Sarah Stace is a family lawyer at TV Edwards. For further information contact her on 020 3440 8048, or at Sarah.Stace@tvedwards.com tvedwards.com, 35-37 Mile End Road London, E1 4TP

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Letterbox Listings UU I LI D THE EH HA ACCKKNNEEYYB B LE D RE R property refurbishment & renovation property refurbishment & renovation E: thehackneybuilder@icloud.com E: thehackneybuilder@icloud.com

If you would like to take out a small ad on the Letterbox Listings page, prices from just £17.50 per month

Beauty POP UPtreatments TEA STOP for – 10.30am-noon a fiver! Victoria every Park Community 9 Gore Road. Sylvia Wednesday Centre, at Prideaux House, 10Call Church 020 8985 6571 or welcome. masonsylvia@hotmail.com Crescent, E9. All 020 8986 6000

Experienced, reliable dogdog walker. FullyFully Experienced, reliable walker. insured, references supplied. For more insured, references supplied. For more details details call Annabel on 07960 483570 call Annabel on 07960 483570

Travelling abroad and want to see some art? I can advise you on how to see the very best. www.douglas@darkstream32.fsnet.co.uk

MINDFULNESS FOR HEALTH 8-week Breathworks course starts 25 Oct E8 £65 facebook/anasamindfulness

If you would like to take out a small ad on the Letterbox Listings page, prices from just £17.50 per month

makes beautiful screenI’m an anillustrator illustratorwho who makes beautiful screen-printed bags, postcards, printed bags, postcards, T-shirts, etc. T-shirts, Take a etc. a look: www.rachelgale.com look:Take www.rachelgale.com

THE EVOLUTION LAB

WWW.THEEVOLUTIONLAB.CO.UK INFO@THEEVOLUTIONLAB.CO.UK | 07765 525655

LOVEEAST MARCH 2016 37

Useful numbers Police Emergency 999 Non-emergency 101 Safer Neighbourhood 020 8721 2937 Utilities Gas - emergency Electrical - power loss Thames Water

0800 111 999 0800 404090 0872 435 5973

Health NHS Direct 111 Homerton Hospital 020 8510 5555 Royal London Hospital 020 7377 7000 Clockwork Pharmacy 020 8985 1717 Borno Pharmacy 020 8981 0600 Hackney Council numbers General number Council tax enquiries Parking enquiries Waste removal

020 8356 3000 020 8356 3154 020 8356 8877 020 8356 6688

Tower Hamlets Council numbers General number 020 7364 5020 Council tax enquiries 020 7364 5002 Parking enquiries 020 7364 5003 Waste removal 020 7364 5004 Local councillors/MP Local councillors (Victoria) MP (Meg Hillier)

020 8356 3373 020 7219 5325

Library Hackney Central Library Bethnal Green Library

020 8356 4358 020 7364 3492

Victoria Park Park Services (24/7) Victoria Park rangers

020 8985 5699 020 7364 4172

Travel National Rail Enquiries Congestion Charge Transport for London

08457 484950 0343 222 2222 0343 222 1234

Vet Goddard's, Well Street PDSA, Bow Wanstead Veterinary Hospital The Hackney Vet 38 LOVEEAST

020 8986 3918 020 8980 5011 020 8989 7744 020 8533 6554

LoveEast is proud to support local businesses. If you do contact someone after seeing their advertisement on these pages, please mention it to them when you call.

Why advertise with us? Every month the magazine is delivered to 10,000 households in E9, E8, E2 and E3, as well as to local shops, restaurants and cafés in Victoria Park, Hackney Wick, Broadway Market and Roman Road. Readership runs into many thousands more (between 25,000-30,000). The magazine is full of great articles and essential information and is a handy guide to local businesses and services, as well as giving details about what’s on in the area. It’s something to keep through the month and is unlikely to go in the recyle bin along with doordrop leaflets. It's therefore a very effective way to promote your business to a targeted, local audience. If you would like to advertise, please contact us at:

07752 288 405 sales@nutshellpublications.co.uk

Twitter: @LoveEastMag Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag

Next issue – April Copy deadline – 5 March

VITALITY RUN HACKNEY

8TH MAY 2016

@STJOHOSPICE TEL: 020 8525 3200

WWW.STJH.ORG.UK

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