Camden Camden this month
Your guide to council services | April 2018 | camden.gov.uk
Young people make music Camden pupils perform at the Royal Albert Hall @camdentalking
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Pictured at the Camden Youth Awards on 23 March with her Personal Journey Award is Hanifa Mohammed, who volunteers with our annual holiday youth activities programme, Camden Summer University. See story on page nine.
camden.gov.uk
camdenmagazine@camden.gov.uk
The Camden magazine is distributed free to all homes in Camden to give you information about our services. It costs 15 pence a copy to produce, and is printed on paper that is 50% recycled and 50% from sustainable sources. Cover image: Slater King
@camdentalking
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Published by Camden Council Editorial, advertising and distribution: Communications team, Camden Council, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, WC1H 9JE 020 7974 5717 Distribution from 6 April 2018
You can request your copy of the Camden magazine in large print, audio format or in another language by phoning 020 7974 5717. 2
Camden this month Find out more about the forthcoming local elections. See page six.
Could you volunteer to host a tea party for Camden’s older people? See page 26.
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Young women enjoyed a ‘speed networking’ event to celebrate International Women’s Day. See page 13.
Around 500 students performed in the Camden Schools Dance Festival last month. See page 14.
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Welcome 5
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News Camden Elections Registering to vote Camden Youth Awards London Borough of Culture update Camden Music Festival Camden Apprenticeships Awards Celebrating International Women’s Day Camden Schools Dance Festival
Help prevent food waste with a visit to Abbey’s Community Café. See page 27.
Features
Cover story Schools Music Festival
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Introduction to the April edition
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Camden Dementia Alliance Getting married in Camden Waste and recycling information Spring into a new you Homelessness Reduction Act Mental health support Report it to stop it Breast cancer screening Learning Disabilities Network Contact the Elderly Abbey’s Community Cafe Highgate Harriers 10k My Camden – Adam Shaffer, Camden Green Gym
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Listings Free and low-cost events
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Camden’s Careline Telecare is a local emergency response service that connects you to our trained staff, round-the-clock, so you are always just a push of a button away from getting help.
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Careline gives me the confidence to stay in my own home. Kathy, 92
Helping you keep your independence camden.gov.uk/careline 020 7974 1491 (option 4)
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Welcome
to the April edition of Camden magazine
11 | Camden Music Festival
All 54 seats on Camden Council will be contested, with three councillors to be elected in each of Camden’s 18 wards. There’s more information on how to cast your vote on Thursday 3 May – including a map showing the location of polling stations – on page six. All British, Commonwealth and European Citizens aged 18 and over can vote. You can also find out how you can register to vote, if you haven’t done so already, and the different types of vote available – including postal votes and proxy votes – on page eight.
16 | Tie the knot
26 | Time for tea? In this edition of Camden magazine we’re bringing you up to speed about some of the things that happened in March and alerting you to events taking place this month, and beyond. One important piece of news is that local government elections will take place in all London boroughs, as well as several other parts of the country, on Thursday 3 May.
If you’re a music fan, you’ll be pleased to read about the 20th Camden Music Festival, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall in March.
intention to marry. Turn to pages 16 and 17 to find out more. If March’s unseasonably cold weather kept you safely tucked up indoors, spring offers the perfect chance to get out and about and explore what’s on offer to improve your health and fitness in time for summer. If you’re interested in keeping an eye on the amount of alcohol you drink, would like support to try to stop smoking or want to find out what activities are available at Camden’s five leisure centres, we’ve put together some advice to get you started. Turn to page 20 and 21 to find out more.
Organised by the Camden Music Trust, the event included more than 2,000 pupils from the borough’s primary, secondary and special schools and included all types of music, singing and British Sign Language performances. There’s more information, and some fantastic photos from the festival, on pages 10 and 11.
Another way you can improve your wellbeing this spring is by doing your bit to help others. National charity, Contact the Elderly, is looking for Camden residents who can volunteer their time to host tea parties for older residents, or help drive guests to the venue. You’ll only be asked to assist once or twice a year, and it’s a great way of helping an older person to stay active in their community. Turn to page 26 to find out more.
With ‘wedding season’ rapidly approaching, newly-engaged couples may have been inspired to find out how to ‘tie the knot’ in Camden. Our registrar’s feature gives advice on everything from choosing a venue and booking a ceremony to giving notice of your
Finally, the May edition of Camden magazine, which will include all the results from the local government election, will be distributed a little later than usual. But you can still expect to see it hitting your doormats from Tuesday 15 May onwards.
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News
Make your vote count On Thursday 3 May, local elections will take place in Camden. All British, Commonwealth and European Citizens aged 18 and over can vote, so make sure you register before the deadline on 17 April. The London Borough of Camden is split into 18 different areas called wards. Each ward has three elected representatives called councillors. On Thursday 3 May, registered voters will go to the polls to decide who they would like as their local councillors to represent their community at the local council. As three councillors will be elected in each ward, registered voters will be able to cast three votes. You can vote for a single party, a mix of parties or independent councillors not linked to any political party. Location of your polling station When you receive your poll card, it will tell you where you need to go to cast your vote. It will give the name and address of your polling station, as well as a two-letter code. For a handy visual guide, see the map and table opposite. Please note, you must vote at the polling station listed on your poll card. Turn the page for information on postal and proxy votes.
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AA Burgh House AB Fitzjohn’s Primary School AC Ten Keats Grove (former Heath Branch Library) BA Holly Lodge Community Centre BB Highgate Road Chapel BC Highgate Library Civic and Cultural Childrens Centre CA St Luke’s C of E Church CB St Johns at Hampstead Parish Church CC Holy Trinity Church DA Templar House Social Hall DB Beckford Primary School DC Emmanuel C of E Church EA West Hampstead Branch Library EB Lymington Road Residents Association Hall EC Brondesbury Christian Centre ED St James Church Hall FA Kingsgate Community Centre FB Abbey Community Centre FC Shell 2 Centre, Fielding House FD Mortimer Crescent Tenants and Residents Association Hall GA St Mary’s (Priory) Community Hall GB Crossfield Day Centre GC Swiss Cottage Library HA Belsize Square Synagogue HB Former Belsize Branch Library HC Bray Tenants Association Hall IA Gospel Oak Methodist Church IB Kiln Place Tenants Association Hall IC Queen’s Crescent Community Centre JA Rainbow Nursery
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JB JC KA KB KC LA LB LC LD MA MB MC
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MD NA NB NC OA OB OC
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OE PA PB PC QA QB
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QC RA RB RC
Kentish Town Congregational Church Kentish Town C of E School The Sun Room The London Irish Centre Maiden Lane Community Centre Maitland Park Gymnasium Rhyl Primary School St Saviour’s Church Hall Salvation Army Hall Primrose Hill Community Centre The Pirate Castle The Haven, Castlehaven Community Centre Choices, The Camden Society Christ Church C of E Primary School Samuel Lithgow Youth Centre Unit 13, Crowndale Centre Agar Grove TA Meeting Room St Pancras Community Centre Godwin and Crowndale Community Hall Ossulston Tenants and Residents Association Hall Saxon Court Offices Chinese Community Centre Camden Centre Calthorpe Project Ramsay Hall RADA studios, (former Drill Hall Theatre) Marchmont Street Community Centre Dragon Hall Community Centre St George the Martyr Church St Alban’s Centre
News
Highgate Hampstead Town
Frognal and Fitzjohns
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Kilburn
Gospel Oak
14 Belsize
Swiss Cottage
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Kentish Town
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West Hampstead
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Fortune Green
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Haverstock
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Cantelowes Cantelowes
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Camden Town with Primrose Hill
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St. Pancras and Somers Town
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Regent’s Park
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King’s King’s Cross Cross
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Bloomsbury Holborn and Covent Garden
Turn the page for more information on how you can register to vote before the deadline on Tuesday 17 April.
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News
Registering to vote There is still time to register to vote in the local election, and you can also still apply for a postal vote or proxy vote. If you are not registered to vote, you can do so online at gov.uk/ register-to-vote.
camden.gov.uk/elections or request one by phoning 020 7974 4444.
All British, Commonwealth and European Citizens aged 18 and over can vote. If you have moved into the borough or moved to a different place within the borough over the last few months and would like to vote in the upcoming local elections you will need to re-register. The deadline for registering is Tuesday 17 April.
If you would like to apply for a postal vote, make changes to an existing postal vote or changes to an existing proxy vote, your completed application form must arrive at the Elections Office by 5pm on Wednesday 18 April.
If you received a household notification letter or a household enquiry form in August or September last year with your name pre-printed on it then you are already on the Electoral Register.
If you would like to apply for a proxy vote for the first time, your application will need to reach us by 5pm on Wednesday 25 April. If you need any advice on postal voting or proxy voting, or information on when your postal vote packs will arrive, you can phone 020 7974 4444 for help.
An accessible election All polling stations in Camden have disabled access. However, due to the nature of some of the buildings used, some have more suitable access than others. If you require extra help, there are staff at all of our polling stations who are ready to assist you. This could be help accessing the polling station or the use of specially designed tools to help you cast your vote. Alternatively, you can choose a ‘companion’ to come along to the polling station with you to help you cast your vote. The presiding officer at the station will also be able to help you with this on polling day.
Voters registered by Thursday 1 March will receive poll cards by the end of March. However, you can still vote on Polling Day, even if you do not have a poll card, so long as your name is on the Electoral Register. Postal and proxy voting If you’re going to be away from home, or are concerned that you won’t be able to make it to a polling station, you can apply for a postal or proxy vote. To vote by proxy or post you will need to fill out an application form, you can access this online at Find out more 8
Make sure you’re ready to vote on 3 May
gov.uk/register-to-vote
020 7974 4444.
News
Exceptional young people recognised at youth awards Young people who have excelled, overcome obstacles or made sacrifices to help others had their achievements recognised at the Camden Youth Awards. The event at the Town Hall on 23 March also celebrated the youth services and youth workers that support young people, both within the council and the local voluntary sector. A Personal Journey Award went to Hanifa Mohammed (pictured on page two), a volunteer with Camden Summer University, who has also gained a place to study art and design on the Central Find out more
Kacey Philpot, Kelsey Clark and Elizabeth Philpot won a Healthy Futures Award
Saint Martins Insights further education programme. Other young people received awards for being a Positive Role Model, a Young Carer, a Young Entrepreneur, a Young Volunteer, a Champion for Art and Culture, a successful Apprentice and an Outstanding Young Woman of the Year. Healthy Futures Awards were given to the council’s three main
camden.gov.uk/youthservices
youth centres for focusing on all areas of young people’s health and a Supporting Vulnerable Young People Award was given to our Youth Disability Project. Among the local voluntary youth organisations being recognised for outstanding work were Fitzrovia Youth in Action, King’s Cross and Brunswick Neighbourhood Association and Coram’s Fields.
flickr.com/photos/camdencouncil
Camden wins cultural award The award came as part of our bid to be named London’s first-ever Borough of Culture. Camden has been awarded the Mayor of London’s Cultural Impact Award for ‘Camden Alive’ - an exciting project which will involve our communities and cultural institutions.
trails and augmented reality to bring stories from Camden to life. It will take place on housing estates across the borough, drawing on resident stories and their tales and experiences of living in Camden.
The project will use cutting edge technology including animated
Camden Alive will have a strong focus on working with communities and residents who are rarely able to access mainstream cultural activities in Camden and London. We’ll be
Find out more
@LoveCamden
lovecamden.org
releasing more information about the project shortly, so keep an eye out in future editions of Camden magazine and on our social media channels. While we were disappointed to miss out on the overall title, Camden Council would like to congratulate the boroughs of Waltham Forest and Brent, who were named London Borough of Culture for 2019 and 2020, respectively.
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News
Schools raise the roof of Royal Albert Hall at joyful concert More than 2,000 young singers and musicians from our schools and youth orchestras raised the roof of the Royal Albert Hall with a stunning concert.
Massed school choirs and young musicians in the round at the Royal Albert Hall
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News
Jon Snow, Channel 4 news anchor and compere on stage at the event
Primary schools massed choir
The Camden Music Festival, held every two years and now in its 20th year, featured performances of classical, pop, world music and jazz for an audience of proud parents, friends and school staff. Participants and audience members described it as an ‘unforgettable’ and ‘joyful’ experience. The concert on 12 March was organised by the council’s music service and participating schools, including our primary, secondary and special schools, with support from the Camden Music Trust and sponsors. Compere Jon Snow, Channel 4 newsreader and ‘proud Camden resident’, said: “It is not every day children as young as seven get to sing in the Royal Albert Hall – what an amazing experience.” Highlights this year included an original composition, Find out more
called ‘Wondrous Machine’ by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment composer James Redwood, working with children from Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children, Swiss Cottage School, Gospel Oak Primary School and St Patrick’s Primary School. Based on a piece by Purcell, it involved every musician in the venue. Among the other stand-out pieces was ‘On Mass’ a powerful drum and brass composition performed by students from William Ellis School, UCL Academy and Regent High School with musicians from Kinetika Bloco, as part of a collaboration with the Roundhouse. Another world premiere was ‘Mind the Gap’ written by primary pupils using music sequencing software at the Camden City Learning Centre and taking
camdenmusictrust.org
inspiration from automated announcements on the London Underground. The Camden Music Festival was fully inclusive, with children from Frank Barnes School performing songs in British Sign Language and playing instruments, while Swiss Cottage School’s students were heavily involved in Wondrous Machine and other pieces. There were outstanding performances from the Camden Youth Orchestra, Camden Youth Jazz Band, Camden Concert Band and massed choirs of primary and secondary pupils. Funding to support the Camden Music Festival this year came from Arts Council England, Camden Council, Camden Learning and the Camden Music Trust, which is continuing to fundraise in support of the work of our music service.
flickr.com/photos/camdencouncil 11
News
A ‘Big Thank You’ to our apprentices and employers We held our annual Big Thank You event on 9 March, as part of National Apprenticeship Week, at the Warner Bros. offices in Holborn.
Joseph Mackulin was named Most Reliable Apprentice.
Employers and apprentices came together to celebrate the success of trainees recruited through the council’s Camden Apprenticeships service and King’s Cross Construction Skills Centre. Our free service supports employers to make the most of apprenticeships and recruit the best talent. It also opens up new career opportunities to residents of all ages, with qualifications now available to anyone over 16, ranging from entry level to degree and masters. The Apprentice of the Year was 17-year-old Sinade Ferrell Daniels, a former student at Acland Burghley School in Tufnell Park, who is an apprentice in the council’s registrars department. Find out more 12
Best Team Player was Kayleigh McDonald, who is an early years apprentice at Brookfield Primary School.
Sinade Ferrell Daniels, who works in Camden’s registrars service, is our Apprentice of the Year.
This year’s winners Most Improved Apprentice: Kai McDermott, business support apprentice, Camden Council
Best Apprentice Progression: Shiraj Ali, apprentice data entry officer, Camden Council
Most Reliable Apprentice: Joseph Mackulin, general administration apprentice, UCL Academy
Supervisor of the Year: Adam Dray, economic development officer, Camden Council
Best Team Player: Kayleigh McDonald, early years apprentice, Brookfield Primary School
Apprentice of the Year: Sinade Ferrell Daniels, apprentice registrar, Camden Council.
Thanks to all of our apprentices and supervisors, who continue to demonstrate the positive role of apprenticeships, and the value they add to organisations. We want local residents to
camden.gov.uk/apprenticeships
benefit from Camden’s vibrant and growing economy, and we’re committed to providing training and career development opportunities both directly and in partnership with local businesses.
apprenticeships@camden.gov.uk
News
Camden celebrates International Women’s Day Celebrations for International Women’s Day in Camden began with a ‘speed networking’ event, enabling 50 students to meet inspirational local women. Camden VOX - cultural programme Camden Council’s annual arts programme will this year celebrate and explore themes of equality, place, history and power, taking inspiration from 2018 being the 100th anniversary of women in the UK being given the vote. The programme, called Camden VOX (based on the Latin for ‘voice’), will offer free and low-cost arts and cultural events for those who live, work in and visit the borough.
Ambre Gangneux, 15, of La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School (left), with Jennifer Ponting, of King’s Cross developers Argent
The event, in collaboration with local charity Camden Giving, gave young women aged 14 to 16 the chance to meet 35 successful women from businesses, cultural and academic organisations, hospitality and catering, local charities, the NHS and the council. International Women’s Day is held on 8 March and is a chance to reflect on progress made towards equality between the sexes, while also highlighting where more still needs to happen. Find out more
The 50 young women who came to our speed networking event at Camden Collective showed their determination to make the most of the amazing opportunities on their doorsteps and beyond.
Camden VOX will feature theatre, pop-up performances, song, spoken word, exhibitions, commissions and artist-led, drop-in family friendly workshops across the borough. Keep an eye out for further information in the coming weeks. For other free and low cost activities in the borough, see our ‘what’s on’ listings on pages 28 to 29.
They had the chance to ask women from leading businesses and organisations, including Google, the British Library and the Francis Crick Institute, how they got started in their careers.
lovecamden.org/camdenvox
flickr.com/photos/camdencouncil 13
Feature Brookfield Primary School perform Dance With Me, choreographed by Damien Anyasi of B-Better hip hop and street dance company
Camden schools dance to the beat Fourteen schools and four youth groups performed at top dance venue The Place as part of the Camden Schools Dance Festival. The 24 new dances performed on a professional stage from 13 to 14 March were the culmination of several months’ work by about 500 pupils aged eight to 18.
Clare Connor, Chief Executive of The Place, said: “For many children the Camden Schools Dance Festival will be the first taught dance experience they have ever had – and for some it will build a life-long love of dance and they may even develop their talents into becoming professional dancers.”
The schools’ performances covered contemporary, folk, South Asian and street dance styles. The project was led by The Place, in King’s Cross, with schools being supported by choreographers from the Camden Dance Development Group comprising Akademi, B-Better, the English Folk Dance and Song Society, icandance and the Surma Centre. Find out more 14
theplace.org.uk
Pupils from Torriano Primary School perform at The Place
The Camden Schools Dance Festival was part-funded by John Lyon’s Charity. Five of the schools taking part this year are part of The Place’s partner schools programme.
Feature
Working together for a dementia-friendly Camden Find out how members of the Camden Dementia Action Alliance are making a real difference to those living with dementia.
The Camden Dementia Action Alliance (DAA) was launched in May 2016, with the aim of helping to make Camden a dementiafriendly borough. It is part of a nationwide network of local alliances, all working towards improving the quality of life for people living with dementia, as well as their friends and family. Its membership is made up of over 30 organisations across Camden, including everything from museums and banks to care homes and the Coop. And there’s some you might not expect, such as Kentish Town City Farm. The variety of organisations in the alliance shows how many people from across the borough are committed to making Camden a safe, friendly place for those living with dementia. Kentish Town City Farm The community-based charity helps people connect with animals, nature and the environment. The farm is situated on a four-acre site and has over 40 animals alongside pasture areas, a riding arena, a wildlife pond and community gardens.
Find out more
Mezzo soprano, Vivien Conacher, and pianist, Berrak Dyer, appeared at the ‘Songhaven’ concert at Kentish Town City Farm in February
Through various activities including dementia awareness training, holding regular dementia-friendly concerts with professional artists, working with partners to deliver chair based exercise classes and making the farm itself dementia friendly, they are making a real difference to the people they work with.
Interested in joining the Alliance? Membership of the DAA is open to any group, organisation or business in the borough of Camden that is committed to making a real difference to the lives of people affected by dementia. Contact priya. satish@alzheimers.org.uk to find out how to join.
dementiaaction.org.uk 15
Feature
A closer look at tying the knot in Camden With ‘wedding season’ just around the corner, newly-engaged couples might have been inspired to find out about getting married in Camden.
Camden residents Amita Sharma-Ramanathan and Ramanathan Subramani married at Camden Town Hall in January. Photo © Nik Thakar Photography
The good news is whether you want to book a wedding, a civil ceremony or a vow renewal, our dedicated wedding team will be with you every step of the way. They will be on hand to give advice about your notice to marry and will help plan the details of your ceremony. Choosing your venue The first step in planning your wedding or civil ceremony is to 16
decide where you want to get married.
We also have a brand new flagship venue, Tavistock House.
As one of London’s most vibrant boroughs, Camden is full of character, culture and history, making it the perfect place for your special day. On our website and in our brochure, you will find over 40 licensed wedding venues to choose from, including historical museums, grand hotels and restaurants.
Tavistock House While our ceremony suite and committee rooms at Camden Town Hall undergo refurbishment from this summer onwards, we’ll be holding weddings, civil partnerships and vow renewal ceremonies at our new venue in Bloomsbury.
Feature at no extra cost. Once you have secured your venue, you can book a registrar online. Giving notice To get married or form a civil partnership in England and Wales you need to give notice. This is a legal declaration you must make in person to one of our registrars by appointment. You can find out more on our website. Open days and open evenings We will be holding monthly open days and open evenings at Camden Town Hall until June.
Tavistock House was once home to Charles Dickens and is located opposite Tavistock Square Gardens - an ideal location for capturing memories of your beautiful day. The space is currently being redesigned and will be fitted with new furniture and decor, making the best use of its traditional features and layout while creating a clean contemporary look, suitable for all ceremonies.
40 and 70 guests, if opened into the ceremony room. Bookings will be available on an hourly basis.
There will be two ceremony suites catering for wedding parties of different sizes.
Find out more about this venue by visiting camden.gov.uk/ tavistockhouse or by contacting our registration team.
The Tavistock Suite will be a modern room with art deco furniture and oak panelling, complete with sash windows. Couples will have the option to create bespoke ceremonies and the room can cater for between Find out more
The Ceremony Room will bring a modern and intimate feel to your day, holding up to 20 seated guests. Bookings will be available every 30 minutes. We are taking bookings for Tavistock House for ceremonies that will be held after Wednesday 1 August 2018.
Booking a ceremony Our ceremony booking fee not only includes registrars to officiate at your ceremony, you will also receive two marriage certificates
camden.gov.uk/marriages
Amita, who has lived in Camden for 10 years, and her husband Ramanathan, chose to get married in Camden. Amita said: “We got married in the Ceremony Suite at Camden Town Hall. We felt that it was the perfect venue for the small personal ceremony that we had envisioned. The service was excellent and the registrar conducting the ceremony was extremely friendly and warm.
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Camden is the place I am proud to call my home. Getting married here meant a lot to both of us as this is where we had our very first date. So when we decided to get married, we were pretty certain we would choose Camden. Amita Sharma-Ramanathan
“
An artists’ impression of the new ceremony room at Tavistock House
You can speak to registrars and wedding service providers and take a tour of the committee rooms, Council Chamber and ceremony suite.
crs@camden.gov.uk 17
Feature
Our food waste recycling service Recycling your food waste helps to reduce the amount of rubbish you generate and it’s also better for the environment. Food waste collection service: a handy guide
Food waste includes all non-edible parts of food - even food which has gone bad. Start sorting your food waste today:
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Phone 020 3567 8105 or visit our website to get your containers delivered (small indoor seven litre caddy, larger outdoor 23 litre caddy and rolls of compostable bags) Keep the small caddy in your kitchen and the large one in your outdoor waste storage area. Use a compostable bag to line the small caddy.
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Fill it with your food waste and once full, seal it with a knot.
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Put it in your large caddy and we’ll empty it on your collection day.
Food caddy top tips: •M ake sure you keep your caddy lid closed. Lock your caddies by pulling the handle forwards and up. •C hange your liner once or twice a week to prevent food from leaking. • Regularly rinse and dry your kitchen caddy. 18
Use a compostable bag to line your caddy.
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Food waste you should recycle:
Leftovers and plate scrapings
Teabags and coffee grounds
Fruit and vegetable peelings
Meat and bones
Don’t put these things in your food waste
Food packaging
Liquids and oils
• Phone 020 3567 8105 or visit our website to order more bags before you run out. Food waste recycling if you live on an estate: • Communal outdoor food waste containers are provided on blocks and estates. Once your indoor food waste caddy is full, you can remove the bag and place it here.
Plastic bags
Garden waste
•T he outdoor food waste container has a sealable lid to help stop unpleasant odours and discourage rats, foxes or other animals from getting in. You can save money and earn ‘green points’ by wasting less food. Visit www.camden.gov.uk/ recyclingrewards to find out how.
Feature
What goes where? Read on for some handy advice about what can go in your recycling bins and food waste caddies, and what you should leave out. Avoid contaminating your food waste
Why do I need to separate my waste and recycling?
Garden waste, food packaging and liquids are not compostable. Putting them in with your food waste means it will spoil or contaminate the rest of the load.
Whenever a recycling bin, box or bag contains materials that are not recyclable, it contaminates the waste, which means it can’t be recycled.
If you put your food scraps in your food waste caddy, your rubbish won’t smell!
Collecting a contaminated recycling bin could spoil the whole truck’s load, which would be rejected at the sorting facility and eventually sent to incineration or landfill.
Top tips to help reduce recycling contamination: If you’re not sure about what you can or can’t recycle, check our list of items at camden.gov. uk/rubbishandrecycling
Don’t forget to recycle items from all rooms in the house – for example, shampoo bottles from the bathroom and bleach bottles from the kitchen.
Make sure that you empty and rinse all containers. If your food containers are very dirty or oily, they may be rejected by the recycling facility.
Find out more about the recycling labels on everyday items at recyclenow.com
When recycling food tins, pop the lids inside the tin.
Real Nappies for
London Find out more
Real Nappy Week - 23 to 29 April Visit camden.gov.uk/recyclingandrubbish to apply online for a free £54 voucher and start using Real Nappies today. For more information visit realnappiesforlondon.org.uk
camden.gov.uk/recyclingandrubbish 19
Feature
Spring into health! With the warmer weather (finally) on its way, you might have been inspired to take a look at your health and fitness as summertime approaches. Here’s a flavour of some of the things on offer to improve your health and wellbeing this spring. dontbottleitup.org.uk nhs.uk/oneyou/drinking
Be alcohol aware When the sun comes out, having a relaxing drink in your favourite pub garden or at a barbecue can be one of life’s pleasures. But it’s always a good idea to keep tabs on your relationship with alcohol to make sure you’re not harming your health. The UK Chief Medical Officer advises that men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, and spread them throughout the week, rather than ‘saving up’ for the weekend. You can take Camden’s ‘Don’t Bottle It Up’ alcohol selfassessment test to understand the impact your drinking habits have on your body and find out if your relationship with alcohol is about right or whether you’re overdoing it a little and need to take action. Why not download the free NHS ‘Days Off’ app to track the days you drink alcohol and the days you don’t. It also gives practical advice and shows you how much money and calories you can save each month by cutting back. 20
If you’re worried about the amount that you or someone else is drinking, help is available from the Integrated Camden Alcohol Service (iCAS). The service offers everything from advice, information and group work programmes to alcohol reduction plans, detoxification and assessment for residential rehabilitation. If you find it hard to stop drinking once you start, or are regularly unable to remember what happened the night before because of drinking, or have injured yourself or someone else while drinking, or regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, then iCAS may be able to assist you. icascamden.org.uk or phone the 24-hour Freephone Advice and Referral line
‘Breathe’ is our free and flexible stop smoking service for people who live, work or study in Camden. You can get free support individually, in a group or by telephone and free nicotine replacement therapy. We also offer home visits for people with mobility problems. Getting support from a stop smoking advisor means you are up to four times more likely to stop smoking for good. The Breathe website offers lots of advice to stop smoking, and there’s also a cost saving calculator that helps you tot up the amount you’ve been spending on cigarettes. You can also download the NHS NHS Smokefree app for daily support and motivation. hone our advisors on P 020 3633 2609, text Quit visit to 66777 or breathestopsmoking.org
0300 303 2420 Breathe easier If you’re saving up for a summer holiday, stopping smoking could save you money and improve your health at the same time. Everyone knows that stopping smoking isn’t easy, but it improves your health and reduces your risk of developing certain diseases.
Bowel Cancer Awareness April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month. Being aware of the key symptoms and visiting your GP if things don’t feel right can help
News increase chances of an early diagnosis. The symptoms of bowel cancer can include: • Bleeding from your bottom and/ or blood in your poo. • A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit. • Unexplained weight loss. • Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason. • A pain or lump in your tummy. It’s important to remember that most people with these symptoms don’t have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. But if you have one or more of these, or if things just don’t feel right, see your GP. bowelcanceruk.org.uk or beatingbowelcancer.org
Health checks for ages 40 to 74 If you suffered from more than your fair share of coughs and sneezes over winter, you may want to take advantage of a free NHS Health Check. Anyone aged between 40 and 74 without a pre-existing health condition is eligible. It will assess your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and certain types of dementia.
You’ll be asked about your family’s medical history and we’ll measure your height, weight and blood pressure and take a blood test to check your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. You’ll leave the appointment with personalised health advice. camden-islington. nhshealthchecks.com 020 3282 7886
certain benefits can apply for concessionary memberships. There’s some fantastic Easter activities taking place at Talacre Community Sports Centre up until Friday 13 April. And parents will be pleased to hear that kids can swim for as little as £1 during certain public swimming sessions over the school holidays, while over 60s can swim for free on weekdays between 7am and 12noon. Check your local centre programme for terms and conditions. camden.gov.uk/active better.org.uk/camden
At your leisure If you want to start exercising more frequently, your nearest leisure centre offers activities you and your family will enjoy. Camden has five leisure centres; run and maintained by leisure services provider, ‘Better’. Each centre has different facilities, with everything on offer from badminton and spinning to swimming, climbing and steam rooms. Check the website to find out what facilities and classes your nearest centre provides. There’s also a variety of membership packages to suit all budgets, including flexible payas-you-go options and monthly or annual pre-paid memberships for those who plan to visit frequently. Under 18s, full time students, over 55s, people who are registered disabled and those in receipt of
One You Camden The One You Camden website is a great resource for all kinds of health advice. There’s information on everything from pregnancy and sexual health to losing weight and dealing with stress. There’s even a section that lists all of the free health-related smartphone apps you can download to help keep you happier and healthier. Remember to take the ‘How are you?’ quiz, which asks basic questions about your lifestyle, eating and drinking habits and existing health conditions, and gives tips and suggestions to help keep you on the right track. oneyoucamden.org
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Feature
Working to reduce homelessness Camden has the lowest number of homeless families in temporary accommodation in Inner London. Changes to the law around homelessness came into effect on Tuesday 3 April. However, Camden is already delivering many of the requirements of this act, demonstrated by the fact we have the lowest number of homeless families in temporary accommodation in Inner London. We work with people at risk of becoming homeless at very early stages to prevent them from becoming homeless. This includes providing support on getting into employment, benefits advice and many more services, besides.
The Council also works closely with housing associations and other landlords so that people at risk of becoming homeless are supported by all of our partners. This new government legislation has been introduced to make sure all local authorities intervene early to prevent homelessness and provide full support and advice to all people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. The Act will require all local authorities to: • Intervene early when people are at risk of losing their
The Homelessness Reduction Act places new legal duties on councils
Find out more 22
camden.gov.uk/homelessness
020 7974 5801
home in order to prevent homelessness. • Prevent homelessness for all eligible people threatened with homelessness by either supporting them to stay in their accommodation or helping them find somewhere to live. • Provide help to secure accommodation when we cannot prevent someone from becoming homeless. This can include providing benefit advice or debt advice. Help for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness If you are homeless or threatened by homelessness and need help and advice, you can contact our homelessness prevention advisers online, by telephone or in person. How you can help rough sleepers In Camden, you can download the StreetSafe app, where you can report any concerns you may have about someone sleeping on the street directly to the Safer Streets Team, or you can phone them on 020 7833 7970.
Feature
An easier way to find mental health advice and support Almost one in six adults in Camden live with common mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. While this figure is high, the borough has a wide range of services and support on offer to residents. To help you find the advice and information you need, there’s a really easy-to-use and comprehensive website, mentalhealthcamden.co.uk, which brings together a wealth of resources and information about local services in one place. Launched last spring by NHS Camden Clinical Commissioning Group, the website is an ‘A to Z’ of mental health topics for anyone concerned about their own, or others’, mental health. In the first year, the site has received almost 4,000 users, with some 80% of people visiting for the first time. Current rates show around 100 people a month are turning to the website for information and support. There is so much more we can all do to help us cope with life’s Find out more
ups and downs and improve our mental wellbeing, including connecting with others, taking a bit more exercise, stimulating the brain, giving and paying more attention to the present moment. For those of us who aren’t sure where to turn, the website lists more than 100 service providers, such as clubs, community centres, drop-in groups and talking therapy providers. Many of these offer free and lowcost activities. The website also includes content from national
organisations including Mind, plus a range of NHS guides and videos. Feedback from local people has been positive, with one resident saying that the website “deals with each person’s individual type of mental health need, from just needing company or something to do to depression and everything else in between.” Another said: “There are a lot more services available than I realised.”
mentalhealthcamden.co.uk 23
Feature
Report it to stop it Reporting unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport can help catch the culprits. If you’ve experienced unwanted sexual behaviour while using public transport, you’re being urged to report it and help catch the culprits. Report it to stop it is part of a joint campaign by Transport for London (TfL), British Transport Police (BTP), Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and City of London Police (CoLP) to eradicate unwanted Find out more
sexual behaviour on London’s transport network. You can report rubbing, groping, masturbation, leering, sexual comments, indecent acts, or someone taking photos of you of a sexual nature without your consent. You don’t have to prove that it was a criminal offence, or an intentional act, to report it.
Text 6106 or phone 101
Report unwanted sexual behaviour
Text what, where and when to 61016 or phone 101. You’ll get a reply within 24 hours and an assigned officer will help you through the process.
tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/safety
Breast cancer screening for women aged 70 plus You can get breast cancer at any age, but as you get older, your risk of developing it increases.
and feel like so they can spot any changes.”
That’s why breast cancer screening for women aged 70 or over is important.
• Any changes to the skin on any part of your breast.
Christine Harding, Cancer Research UK facilitator in Camden, said: “One in three women who get breast cancer are aged 70 or over. Older women need to know what their breasts normally look Find out more 24
Signs of breast cancer to look out for include: • A lump or thickening in your breast or armpit.
• Any changes in the shape, size or feel of your breast. • Any changes to your nipples, such as liquid leaking out. • Any pain in your breast or armpit.
nhs.uk/breastcancer70
Christine said: “If anything looks or feels different, tell your doctor straight away. It may not be serious, but it is always best to get it checked out. If found early, breast cancer is more treatable. “And if you know any women aged 50 to 70, remind them to get screened too. They should be invited for breast cancer screening every three years.”
Feature
How Planning Together works Residents who have learning disabilities are being encouraged to join Camden’s Adult Learning Disability Partnership Board and attend the next meeting. In Camden, our Adult Learning Disability Partnership Board is called Planning Together. Its membership is made up of council officers from different areas; including health, social care and commissioning, voluntary and community organisations, family carers and ‘Experts by Experience’. Our Experts by Experience are the people with learning disabilities who use our services, and they bring a unique voice to the group, helping to shape the way we support our residents with additional needs. Planning Together brings people together to improve the services
and support we provide, share information and meet with organisations who share our goals. There are some rules… To make it easy for everyone to take an active role, whatever their abilities, we have a few rules: • Everyone needs to speak clearly to make all conversations accessible for everybody. • If we share confidential information, it can’t be talked about outside the meeting – so people can speak freely. • Everyone must respect what others have to say.
Decision making at Planning Together
Find out more
How decisions are made To make sure that everyone’s views are listened to, representatives from adult social care, health and commissioning, along with Experts by Experience and family carers, must be in attendance for a decision to be made. Who chairs the board and who can attend? The board meets every three months and is co-chaired by Sarah McClinton, Camden Council’s Director of Adult Social Care, and one Expert by Experience, the latter rotating every meeting. The meeting is usually held on a Wednesday from 10am and lasts two to three hours. The dates of the meetings can be found on the Planning Together website. The topic for the next meeting is agreed at the end of the previous meeting and always includes an external speaker. For example, we have had speakers from the Job Centre and Department of Work and Pensions. So, if you are an Expert by Experience, a family carer, or work with people with a learning disability why not come along to our next meeting?
camden.gov.uk/planningtogether 25
Feature
It’s (tea) party time!
Can you help older residents enjoy a Sunday tea party?
Have you got a driving licence, a car and a couple of spare hours each month? If you have all these, plus a capacity for drinking tea, you are the sort of person that charity Contact the Elderly is looking for. Contact the Elderly tackles isolation among older people by organising Sunday afternoon tea parties. It’s on the look-out for more Camden volunteers to help with outings. Volunteer drivers collect guests from their homes and take them to volunteer hosts’ homes, where they join a small group of other guests for tea and a chat. As a volunteer, you could be a party chauffeur, getting older Camden residents to and from parties or a party host, which takes just a couple of hours of your time once or twice a year. You could even become a party coordinator, Find out more 26
spending a little more time throughout the year, organising the parties. Volunteers and guests alike get a lot out of the parties, which offer contact with other people, friendship and a change of scene for the oldest and loneliest people. “I really like getting dressed up and having my hair done; it’s so nice to have somewhere to go. I always have such a lovely time and have made lots of new friends,” says Vivienne, a guest. Jason, who’s one of the drivers, added: “I think that I look forward to the tea parties as much as the
contact-the-elderly.org.uk
older guests. You develop great relationships with each other and we have all become such good friends. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, laughing and eating cakes!” There are parties taking place in Camden already, but there’s a waiting list of older people in the West Hampstead area who’d like to go out for tea – but not enough volunteers. Can you help? Whether you live in the area or another part of Camden if you’d like to help take some older residents out for tea, please phone Christina Jackson on 07377 059 749 or email christina. jackson@contact-the-elderly.org.uk
Feature Special offer: Bring a copy of the Camden Magazine with you to the cafe in April and get a free tea or coffee!
Grub’s up
The community hub is the result of the centre’s dream of creating a friendly, welcoming space for people who might otherwise be eating lunch alone at home.
Lunches are whipped up each week from perfectly good food that hasn’t made it off the supermarket shelves
Abbey Community Centre is putting food waste on the menu at its Saturday cafe, turning supermarket leftovers into delicious hot meals for the community to enjoy. Every Saturday, around 100 people turn up to Abbey’s Community Cafe to enjoy a healthy meal, made from the unsold food of local supermarkets, redistributed by food waste charity, The Felix Project. Since opening last year, the cafe has treated visitors to a host of tasty dishes including bean and feta frittatas, squash and chickpea curry and banoffee pie. Described as “restaurant standard” by happy customers, meals are offered at just £2 each for adults, £1 for children. Find out more
It’s important to Abbey to keep meals affordable, and a kitchen full of volunteers, as well as cooking with ingredients that are otherwise going to landfill, allows them to do this. Any extra money is put back into ingredients, equipment and energy costs. One customer said: “What a great idea for a cafe. I had heard of similar projects in east London and am so pleased to find one by my doorstep.”
“Weekends can be a notoriously lonely time,” says Cafe coordinator, Laura Wigzell. “Abbey’s Cafe is a great way for people to get their fill of good food and company and make the weekend something to really look forward to.” As well as delighting visitors with tasty treats, the cafe has provided valuable work experience opportunities for its 60 volunteers, equipping them with skills in catering, customer service and administration. Get in touch with the centre if you’d like to volunteer.
And food’s not the only thing on the menu. Alongside the cafe, Saturday visitors can take part in Tech Buddies technology help sessions for older people between 10am and 12pm, and all-age Arts ‘n’ Crafts sessions from 11am to 1pm, £1 by donation. Check out the Listings on pages 28 and 29 for more activities coming up at the centre this month.
abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk
ctc@abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk
Abbey’s Community Cafe Saturdays, 11am to 2pm Abbey Community Centre 222C Belsize Road Kilburn NW6 4DJ 020 7624 8378 27
Listings Family Library Legends Thursday 12 April 11am to 12.30pm and 1.30 to 3pm Join Kevin Graal for a fun storytelling session Age 5 to 11 Harry M Weinrebe Learning Centre The British Library 96 Euston Road NW1 2DB bl.uk boxoffice@bl.uk 019 3754 6546 Animal Sculptures Wednesday 11 April 11am to 1pm and 2 to 4.30pm Build a 3D model of one of the Lost Words animals. Age 5+ Ink Stamped Poems Friday 13 April 10.30 to 12pm, 1 to 2.30pm and 3 to 4.30pm Create rubber letter stamps and make an acrostic poem. Age 5+ Book on the day. Free for children and two adults Foundling Museum 40 Brunswick Square WC1N 1AZ foundlingmuseum.org.uk 020 7841 3600 enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk Family Day: Wondrous Words Sunday 15 April, 2 to 4pm Experiment with words with storyteller Emily Hannah. Age 5+ Keats House 10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR cityoflondon.gov.uk/keats keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk 020 7332 3868
Under 5s Little feet: animal patterns Saturday 14 April, 11am to 4pm Spot different animal patterns and make a 3D animal model to take home. Drop in Samsung Centre, British Museum
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All activities are free unless otherwise specified Little feet: go disco dancing Friday 20 April, 10.30am to 12pm Music and movement morning Drop in Studio, British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181 info@britishmuseum.org
Get active
Parent and Toddler Mindful Movement Yoga Mondays, 10 to 11am Belsize Community Library, Antrim Grove Belsize Park NW3 4XN camden.gov.uk/active
Boxercise Wednesdays, 9.40 to 10.40am St Pancras Community Association 67 Plender Street NW1 0LG
Children and young people Exploring China Sunday 15 April, 11am to 4pm Be inspired by the Museum’s objects from China. Age 5+ Samsung Centre, British Museum The stories of Krishna Sunday 22 April 11am to 12pm, 1 to 2pm and 3 to 4pm Discover the avatars of Krishna and develop coding skills to make characters move. Age 7+ Sign up on the day at the Samsung Centre British Museum Exploring Egyptian mummies Saturday 28 April, 11am to 4pm Collect evidence and uncover secrets like a British Museum scientist. Age 5+ Samsung Centre, British Museum Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8181 info@britishmuseum.org Football ages 14 to 18 Thursdays, 6.30 to 7.30pm Maitland Park Gym, Maitland Park Villas Gospel Oak NW3 2EH camden.gov.uk/active andrew.gilbert@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 6595
Learn to Run with Gospel Oak Striders Wednesdays, 6.30 to 7.30pm Meet outside Gospel Oak Overground Station Gordon House Road NW5 1LT groups.runtogether.co.uk
Boccia Fridays, 12.15 to 1.15pm Abbey Community Centre Belsize Road, Kilburn NW6 4DJ camden.gov.uk/active andrew.gilbert@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 6595
Walks Walks for older people Local walks with Kilburn Older Voices Exchange (KOVE) Wednesday 14 February, 1.30pm Meet at Belsize Park station Haverstock Hill NW3 2AL Wednesday 28 February, 1.30pm Meet at entrance to Kenwood House Hampstead Lane NW3 7JR kove.org.uk mel.wright@kove.org.uk 07539 390 786 Camden health walks Friendly walks led by qualified walk leaders See website for more available walks Hampstead Heath Short amble or longer walk Mondays, 9.50am to 12pm Meet at Hampstead Heath Overground South End Road NW3 Parliament Hill: leisurely Mondays, 9.50 to 11am Meet at Parliament Hill Cafe walkingforhealth.org.uk
Listings Green gym Meadow Management Tuesday 10 April, 10.45am to 2pm Camden Green Gym Waterlow Park N19 5JF tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 710 359 Woodland Wildflower Seeding Thursday 12 April, 10.45am to 2pm Camden Green Gym Spedan Close, NW3 7XL (meet at Hampstead tube station) tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 421 881 Wildlife Habitat Workshop Thursday 19 April, 10.45am to 2pm Camden Green Gym Regent’s Park NW1 4NR tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 421 811 Woodland Habitat Management Tuesday 24 April, 10.45am to 2pm Camden Green Gym Ingestre Wood, NW5 1UX tcv.org.uk/camden gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 07768 710 359
Over 50s Silver surfers digital drop-in Help for beginners and more advanced help with mobiles and computers First Friday of every month, 3.30 to 4.30pm Henderson Court day centre 102 Fitzjohn’s Ave NW3 6NS ageuk.org.uk/camden hcourt@ageukcamden.org.uk 020 7239 0400
Monthly bingo for over 60s Meet up with friends, make new ones and get to know young volunteers. £2 includes six games, refreshments and tickets Saturday 14 April, 2 to 4pm Haverstock School 24 Haverstock Hill NW3 2BQ 07377 653 252 Camden’s getting older and bolder For over 55s: taster sessions, keeping active in Camden, what’s on at Swiss Cottage Community Centre, tours of the leisure centre, the Better Club for over 55s Tuesday 10 April, 10am to 1.30pm Swiss Cottage Library 88 Avenue Road NW3 3HA 020 7974 6531
Community events Women’s cancer support group Peer-led support group with outside speakers All patients, relatives and friends welcome First and third Tuesday of the month Irish women’s social support group Open to all Irish women of birth and descent Every Thursday, 10am to 12pm Women’s gardening group Learn gardening skills and make new friends Every Tuesday, 10am to 12pm West Hampstead Women’s Centre 26-30 Cotleigh Road NW6 2NP whwc.org.uk info@whwc.org.uk 020 7328 7389
Jobs and Training Fair Wednesday 18 April, 12.30 to 4.30pm Maiden Lane Community Centre 156 St Pauls Crescent NW1 9XZ maidenlanecommunitycentre.org nazrul@maidenlanecommunitycentre. org 020 7267 9586
Exhibitions and performances The Purity of Punk: Fear & Loathing at the ROXY Tuesday 10 April, 7.15pm (doors at 6.45pm) Illustrated talk exploring the first Punk club in London Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre 2nd Floor, Holborn Library 32-38 Theobalds Road WC1X 8PA camden.gov.uk/history Dangerous Liaisons Thursday 26 April, 6 to 7pm Hear a vivid exploration of the dangerous art of make-up Wellcome Collection 183 Euston Road NW1 2BE wellcomecollection.org info@wellcomecollection.org 020 7611 2222 Templar Poetry Live: Damian Smyth and Special Guest Thursday 26 April, 7 to 8.30pm Free, booking recommended Keats House 10 Keats Grove NW3 2RR cityoflondon.gov.uk/keats keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk 020 7332 3868
Event details may change. Check with the organiser before you attend.
Want to have your event listed here? Email camdenmagazine@camden.gov.uk to make a request. Space is limited and we prioritise free and low-cost community events. 29
Feature
Show your support for Team GB
You can see elite athletes compete this May. Photo © Steve O’Sullivan
The Night of the 10,000k Personal Bests (PBs) and European Cup takes place on Parliament Hill this May, and entrance is free for spectators. You can come and support Team GB athletes as they compete against the very best in Europe, as Highgate Harriers Athletics Club hosts its annual ‘Night of the 10,000k PBs’ on Saturday 19 May. This annual event is a great chance for you to watch international athletics for free and get uniquely close to the action, as spectators stand just inches away from professional athletes on the track. As well as hosting the British 10,000m Championships, this year’s event will see 27 nations battle in the European Cup team competition. The fun starts from 1pm with the junior competition and the excitement increases through the afternoon culminating with Find out more 30
the men’s and women’s elite events – the European Cup, British Championships and European Championship trials. Cherry Alexander, British Athletics Major Event Director, said: “We’re delighted that the 2018 European 10,000m Cup will be held as part of the Night of the 10,000k PBs. Creating a great atmosphere for spectators always helps athletes to perform at their very best and we can be proud that, yet again, the UK is going to host an international championship.” Volunteer Race Director, Ben Pochee, added: “I’m over the moon that our 25 lap event – which is managed by volunteers – will now welcome the European Cup to our 2018 event.
highgateharriers.org.uk
“Night of the 10,000k PBs was conceived with the goal of helping improve 10,000m racing standards and showcasing the true excitement of our sport. Integrating the European Cup will offer competitors unprecedented racing quality and provide Camden residents with free access to an international event. “The atmosphere is pivotal to racing standards and crowd enjoyment. My aim was to attract more fans and get them closer to the athletes in a bid to improve the ‘goosebump factor’. We therefore welcome fans to cheer from lane 3 of the running track and work with over 150 volunteer marshals to create a ‘mobile safety barrier”.
My Camden Adam Shaffer tells us about his experience with Camden Green Gym, the conservation project that gives volunteers the chance to improve their health and the environment at the same time.
What’s your Camden connection?
job with a conservation charity.
I was born in neighbouring Brent, but went to secondary school in Camden and spent a lot of time there as a teenager.
Tell us about your work or volunteering in Camden I started volunteering with Camden Green Gym – which is run by national community volunteering charity, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) – after I graduated from university. I helped run their free outdoor nature conservation sessions. I loved every moment, working alongside fantastic individuals and conservation professionals. I most enjoyed being close to nature and getting to exercise while making a positive difference and transforming green spaces. My experience helped me secure a
Favourite place(s) in Camden and why?
above the neighbouring boroughs. There is so much to do, day and night. It’s home to some of the best museums, parks and open spaces in the country.
If I had to pick it would be ZSL London Zoo and Regents Park. It is a fun day out particularly if it is warm and sunny.
Most memorable thing to happen to you in Camden?
Best park or open space? My personal favourite is the little-known Westbere Copse Local Nature Reserve, in West Hampstead. At school I walked past the nature reserve every day without knowing what was beyond the fence. With Green Gym I finally got to go inside and experience the peaceful woodland surroundings. When you’re engulfed by the canopy of trees you don’t feel like you’re in London.
I crashed into Matt Lucas on West End Lane in a homemade soapbox car made of pallets
and plastic crates. As I looked up I asked him: “Are you that guy on TV?” to which he replied “no, I’m the guy on this pavement!” He was very nice about me crashing into his legs.
If you could change one thing about the borough, what would it be? Nothing!
What makes Camden special? I think Camden’s culture has always been a cut
Do you know someone who has strong community connections in Camden that we should profile? Email camdenmagazine@camden.gov.uk to tell us more. Find out more
tcv.org.uk/camden
07768 710 359
gg-camden@tcv.org.uk 31
On Thursday 3 May, there will be local elections in Camden. All British, Commonwealth and European Citizens aged 18 and over can vote, so make sure you register. If you are not registered to vote, you can do so online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline for registering is Tuesday 17 April.
CAMDEN ELECTIONS
camden.gov.uk/elections