Camden magazine September 2018

Camden Camden this month

Your guide to council services | September 2018 | camden.gov.uk

Exam success Camden students celebrate A-level and GCSE results @CamdenCouncil

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Young people on Camden Summer University’s film-making course interviewed the Queen’s Chaplain, Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, for their ‘Women in Power’ film. See more photos from Camden’s summer events on pages 16 and 17

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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: Justin Thomas

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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 September 2018

You can request your copy of the Camden magazine in large print, audio format or in another language by phoning 020 7974 5717.

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Camden this month Camden’s Clean Air Partnership met for the first time.

Tackling rough sleeping in Camden.

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Creating new green spaces in the heart of Camden’s West End.

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27 Welcome

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Celebrating the summer in Camden.

The first residents have moved into their Camden Living homes.

Features

Introduction to the September edition 5 Fire Safety Advisory Panel 14

Summer highlights 16 Cover story Agar Grove fun day 18 Camden’s financial challenge 19 A-level and GCSE results 6 Rubbish and recycling information 20 Camden Community Impacts update 22 News Tackling rough sleeping 23 New Healthy School Street 8 Camden Living homes 24 Clean Air Partnership 8 Camden Music Trust 26 Youth Safety Taskforce next steps 9 West End Project: new green spaces 27 HS2: new green spaces 10 Residents inspiring people to get active 30 Town hall exhibition 10 My Camden – West Euston Partnership 31 St Pancras Hospital consultation 11 National Dementia Carers’ Day 11 Listings Touring the Greenwood Centre 12 28 Camden Alive arts and culture programme 13 Free and low-cost events Houses in Multiple Occupation licensing 13 3

Childcare places for

,

and

year olds

Ask at your child’s nursery or visit the Childcare Choices website

childcarechoices.gov.uk • Free 15 hour places for all 3 and 4 year olds • Eligibility criteria applies to 2 year old places and extra hours for 3 and 4 year olds To find out more, visit your local Camden Sure Start Children’s Centre, call 020 7974 1679, email freeearlyeducation@camden.gov.uk or visit camden.gov.uk/camdensurestart

Managing your money Visit camden.gov.uk/moneyadvice to find out about:  claiming benefits you may be entitled to  extra help you may be able to get with rent and energy bills  local and national advice on benefits, and help if you have debts.

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Welcome

to the September edition of Camden magazine

6|A -level and GCSE results

9|Y outh Safety Taskforce

14 | Fire Safety Advisory Panel This month, as a new school year begins, I want to start by congratulating our students celebrating successes in their GCSE and A-level exams.

Your results reflect years of hard work, as well as the support of parents and carers, and the high-quality of the family of schools we have in Camden.

Camden gave me a great comprehensive education and I am proud that our schools continue to be rooted in our

communities, helping all our young people to achieve academic excellence and grow up to be active and engaged citizens. I wish our young people the best of luck as you head on to further study, training or employment. Read some of our students’ success stories on pages six and seven.

Summer is always a special time in Camden. We see the creativity, vibrancy and heart of our communities represented in festivals, picnics and summer events in streets, parks and estates across our borough.

This summer we have enjoyed the unexpected hot weather and even more unexpected England success in the World Cup together. Our summer programme offered lots of opportunities for people of all ages to try new activities, get active and enjoy what the borough has to offer. Take a look at some of the highlights in the magazine’s centre pages.

As you may already be aware, local government continues to face financial pressures and the council is no exception. As we continue to face central government cuts and growing cost pressures, we are currently reviewing our budget to look at how we can make every pound work harder.

We are determined to work with our residents to protect our public services and community spirit despite the austerity we face.

You can find out more on page 19.

I know that the safety of our young people continues to be a big concern. Our Youth Safety Taskforce was set up last year, against a background of rising knife crime, to look at how we can address the issue as a community in Camden. I am pleased to announce that this month it is due to publish a report of its findings. This will make clear recommendations and will ask our communities to help us put this into action. Read some of the initial findings on page nine.

We know that a complex issue like youth violence can’t be solved by any one organisation alone. That’s why we’re investing £1.6 million in our voluntary and community sector to develop new ways to tackle longstanding social issues.

We are also working with lots of organisations to address air pollution in Camden, and our new Camden Clean Air Partnership met for the first time in the summer.

Read more about how we can address this together on pages eight and 22.

On a final note, we are continuing to improve fire safety across the borough. You can read about the resident members of the Fire Safety Advisory Panel and why they are working with us to make our borough safer on pages 14 and 15.

Councillor Georgia Gould Leader of the Council 5

News

Camden’s class of 2018 celebrate exam results Students across Camden’s secondary schools achieved a strong set of results in their A-levels and GCSEs this year.

LaSWAP Sixth Form student Eve Dickie

literature. Eve said: “I’m very happy and mainly relieved.”

Councillor Angela Mason, Cabinet Member for Best Start in Life (centre), congratulates LaSWAP students on their A-level results

Provisional figures showed that the average points score per A-level entry in Camden was 4.5 points higher than last year – up from 30.4 to 34.9, despite significant changes to the exams.

The percentage of Camden A-level exam entries awarded A* to C grades this year was 78.6%, which was 1.8 percentage points higher than the national average (76.8%).

In the sixth form of Camden School for Girls, which has both boys and girls, an amazing 20% of all A-level grades achieved by students were A*s.

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A record 17 students at Camden School for Girls gained places at Cambridge University or Oxford University this year.

LaSWAP, which is the joint sixth form for four Camden secondary schools – Acland Burghley, William Ellis, Parliament Hill and La Sainte Union – also has two A-level students heading off to Oxford University.

One of them is LaSWAP student Eve Dickie, who got A*s in English literature and history and an A in psychology, and is off to Oxford University’s Hertford College to study English language and

Another LaSWAP student, Felix Forrest, is off to study aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Southampton University after getting As in physics and maths and a C in geography. Felix hopes to work for a major jet airline manufacturer when he finishes his degree.

GCSE success Meanwhile, at GCSE level, students across Camden achieved a strong set of results in the new-style exams, which meant they received numbered grades from 1 to 9 in most of their GCSE subjects for the first time, with 9 being the highest.

Provisional results show that the percentage of students achieving a ‘standard pass’ in English and maths – grade 4 and above in both subjects – across Camden was 66%, which is expected to be above the national result when the final performance tables are published later this year.

News

The percentage of students achieving a ‘strong pass’ in English and maths – grade 5 and above in both subjects – across Camden was 47%, also expected to be above the national result.

Students from Parliament Hill School and William Ellis School picked up their GCSEs from the brand new LaSWAP Sixth Form building.

with three grade 9s, three 8s, one 7, two A*s and one A. GCSE and A-level students were reminded that, in addition to university, apprenticeships offer opportunities to earn while you learn and get a foot on the career ladder. Some apprentice posts can also lead to a degree. Find out more on our apprenticeships webpages below.

Jamil Hasan, William Ellis School student

Funded through the Community Investment Programme, the new £4.5 million LaSWAP building is the first to be finished in the Parliament Hill and William Ellis redevelopment, which will deliver further new school facilities over the next year.

Among the top students at William Ellis School was Jamil Hasan, whose nine GCSE passes included five at the highest grade 9 and two 8s.

Parliament Hill School student Katy Gimson was one of the school’s top performers with seven grade 9s and three grade 8s in her GCSEs. At Haverstock School, 66% of students achieved the ‘standard pass’ in English and maths – grade 4 and above in both subjects – and more than half of grades in all subjects were awarded grade 5 or better.

Top performers at Haverstock School included Derome Robinson, Find out more

Parliament Hill School students celebrate their GCSE results in the new LaSWAP building

camden.gov.uk/schools

camden.gov.uk/apprenticeships 7

News

Making school streets safer We have introduced a second Healthy School Street to help make students’ journeys safer.

The scheme aims to reduce the risk of collisions, improve air quality and encourage people to travel by foot, bike or scooter.

We know children and young people are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution, and vehicles are one of the biggest causes of this.

A section of Burghley Road, outside Acland Burghley School, is closing for an hour at the beginning and end of the school day as part of Camden’s Healthy School Streets scheme.

The opening of our second Healthy School Street follows a successful trial at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. Parents say the street feels much safer since the trial began in 2016 and school trips being made by car have been more or less cut in half.

Redirecting traffic at times when students are using the roads most reduces their exposure to harmful pollutants and makes it safer for them to travel in other ways.

Find out more

camden.gov.uk/healthyschoolstreets

Community comes together to tackle pollution Camden’s new Clean Air Partnership met for the first time this summer to discuss how we can clean up our air.

Our Clean Air Partnership is made up of Camden residents and organisations who are working together to tackle air quality across the borough.

At the meeting, representatives from organisations including Transport for London and Network Rail worked with residents and community groups to discuss a list of actions that will help to form our new Clean Air Action Plan.

Find out more 8

Local organisations, community groups and residents met to develop a new Clean Air Action Plan

Suggestions included introducing measures to reduce pollution from construction sites and partnering with schools to develop guidance for taking less polluted journeys.

Organisations also said it was important to work with residents to reduce wood burning and support the community to take more action to stop engine idling.

cleanaircamden.commonplace.is

We’ve now widened the discussion with a new website where you can have your say.

We’re keen to capture as many of your voices as possible to help us develop our Clean Air Action Plan, which will launch next year.

Read the full details of actions and join the conversation by Sunday 30 September on our website below.

@CamdenCouncil #CleanAirCamden

News

Helping to keep young people safe Last December, against a background of rising knife crime across London, the council launched a Camden Youth Safety Taskforce to look at this growing issue of concern.

Then, in February this year, came the tragic events in Kentish Town, when two young men lost their lives less than a mile apart in a single night. This caused profound shock across our community.

The work of the Youth Safety Taskforce gained tremendous momentum in the wake of these awful incidents. The taskforce is this month due to report its findings, which are based on in-depth conversations, research and feedback from: • young people, including those most at risk • parents, including the families of knife crime victims • residents from across the borough • community leaders and politicians • professionals who work with young people, ranging from psychologists and youth workers to police officers and headteachers.

The taskforce found that: • although relatively few people carry knives, many young people report feeling unsafe and are concerned about the issue • there is a link, particularly in Camden and other areas of London, between youth violence and the drugs trade, Find out more

where gangs are becoming sophisticated at ‘grooming’ vulnerable young people and exploiting them to maximise profits • poor attendance, disengagement from, and exclusion from school are associated with increased risk.

The taskforce will make clear recommendations, which the council and other partners will respond to with a plan of action, based on five key themes: prevent, identify, support, disrupt and enforce.

We plan to share much more about the findings and our clear ideas to make young people safer,

so please watch this space. You can also read on page 22 about how our Community Impacts scheme is supporting projects to improve youth safety.

The taskforce was jointly chaired

by Holborn and St Pancras MP Keir Starmer and the council’s Cabinet Member for Young People and Cohesion, Councillor Abdul Hai. Councillor Hai said: “The willingness of local people and other professionals to support the work of the taskforce and to share their sometimes painful experiences to help us find solutions has been an inspiration to us all.”

Youth Safety Taskforce co-chair Keir Starmer, MP, with young people Rosa (centre) and Saba at a Safeguarding Adolescents Conference

camden.gov.uk/youthsafetytaskforce 9

Feature

Visit the town hall exhibition Come along to an exhibition this month to learn more about the plans for the town hall refurbishment.

The town hall closed for three years in August as part of a refurbishment project to modernise the building. The major refit will improve the building’s sustainability and environmental performance, reduce long-term running costs and transform the way some of the space is used.

The exhibition is being held on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 from 4 to 8pm, and Saturday 22 September from 10am to 2pm, at the town hall: Judd Street, WC1H 9JE. To find out more, visit the webpage below.

As part of the town hall refurbishment, all services from the town hall have now been relocated. For more information on where to find services, turn to the back page of the magazine.

The exhibition is a chance to see the proposals for the refurbishment before the planning application is submitted this autumn. You will also have an opportunity to share your thoughts on the plans.

Find out more

camden.gov.uk/townhall

Greening HS2 in Camden We are working together with HS2 Ltd to replace and improve as much green space as possible, to offset the impacts of HS2 construction work.

Camden streets are starting to see the first benefits of the greening initiatives. Regent’s Park Estate, North Gower Street and George Mews now have temporary planters, which have been filled with plants with specific qualities that improve air quality.

The planters are the first part of a programme of greening improvements. If you want to get involved in our future Find out more 10

plans, please email us at greenspaceimprovements@ camden.gov.uk HS2 Ltd’s new temporary community garden on Hampstead Road is also proving to be a welcome addition to the area.

The garden provides muchneeded greenery and seating, and has become a place for the community to gather and enjoy

camden.gov.uk/hs2

Skip garden on Hampstead Road

what was a scorching summer period. HS2 Ltd asks anyone interested in being involved in developing the garden to get in touch at hs2incamden@hs2.org.uk The council continues to hold HS2 Ltd to account on the commitments made to Camden residents, which aim to reduce the impacts of HS2 construction in the community.

News

Transforming mental health services Give your views on proposals to move inpatient beds from St Pancras Hospital to a new site, and create new community mental health hubs.

Under the proposed plans, residents would benefit from a brand new inpatient facility at a site by the Whittington Hospital, as well as having early access to modern, mental health facilities in the community.

No beds or services would be cut under the proposals from Camden and Islington Clinical Commissioning Groups.

The aim is to make community services more accessible by bringing them closer to where people live and work. If people Find out more

access services earlier, outcomes are better and hospital admissions can be avoided.

from 6 to 8pm at the Conference Hall at St Pancras Hospital, 4 St Pancras Way, NW1 0PE.

The two new community mental health hubs, one in each borough, would offer joined-up mental health and wellbeing services, run with other health and voluntary sector partners.

If you have any comments on the proposals, complete the consultation survey on the website below by Friday 12 October, or come along to a public event on Wednesday 26 September,

islingtonccg.nhs.uk/stpancras

The St Pancras Hospital site

islington.ccg@nhs.net

020 3688 2900

Celebrating carers in Camden In Camden and across the country, many people living with dementia rely on the day-to-day love, care and support from their family and friends to help them lead active lives.

On Sunday 9 September, we will be marking the fourth National Dementia Carers’ Day. Founded by the Alzheimer’s Society and Dementia UK, the day recognises the valuable Find out more

contribution that unpaid carers make across the UK. We’ll be celebrating our dementia carers in Camden.

Working alongside our partners in the Camden Dementia Action Alliance, we will be raising awareness of the support available for carers in Camden, from help with their own health and wellbeing to trying out new hobbies, as well as sharing stories from across Camden. Keep an eye out on our social media, and share your story using #NDCD18.

camdencs.org.uk

@CamdenCouncil

The Camden Carers Service provides support and advice to families and unpaid carers across the borough. To find out more, visit their website below.

/lbcamden 11

News

First glimpses of Greenwood Residents recently took a tour of the new Greenwood Centre in Kentish Town, funded through our Community Investment Programme.

This autumn, residents who currently attend Highgate, Mayfield, Peperfield and New Shoots day centre services will move into their new facilities at the Greenwood Centre. To help those who will be moving familiarise themselves with their new surroundings, we invited them on a series of special summer tours to see the building as it nears completion.

Preetibala Patel, who will be making use of the centre as part of Camden Borough User Group, said: “From a user of the centre’s perspective it’s lovely. It’s nicely constructed and very light, with lots of open space where service

users could come together for special occasions.”

The new facilities include art rooms and music rooms where everyone can get creative and feel empowered to express themselves. In addition, there are balcony spaces and a roof top garden with plenty of sunshine to start growing a vibrant array of flowers and vegetables.

When it opens, the Greenwood Centre will be a vital resource for residents living with learning difficulties or mental health issues.

It will also be home to Camden’s first Centre for Independent Living, which will be run by a group of voluntary sector disability

Residents looked around the new Greenwood Centre

Find out more 12

camden.gov.uk/cip

organisations that look to offer activities and services that support independence.

Each service moving into the centre will also retain their own dedicated space, as well as benefitting from shared areas where residents can get together and make connections crucial to independent living.

The new facilities at Greenwood have only been possible through our Community Investment Programme. A unique project in the programme, Greenwood will offer empowering opportunities to some of Camden’s most vulnerable residents, as well as eight wheelchair-accessible homes close to the centre, which will be built in the coming year.

Spaces in Greenwood are also open to the rest of the local community, with rooms available to hire to local residents and community groups.

The Greenwood Centre will also help us to support people and communities in Camden, giving service users more independence and control over their lives.

Through our care services, we plan to focus on what is most important to them, to recognise their strengths and their networks and to help people to stay connected in their communities.

News

Bringing ‘Camden Alive’ to life Earlier this year, we were delighted to be awarded the Mayor of London’s Cultural Impact Award as part of the London Borough of Culture competition.

The award was given for our project ‘Camden Alive’, a celebration of Camden’s history and diversity that will bring residents’ stories to life through cutting-edge technology.

Camden Alive will be created and led by residents on 12 estates across the borough.

The project will invite our communities to share their personal experiences of Camden, creating a collective history that people will be able to explore through the innovative use of virtual reality technology.

Camden Alive will also include events with local artists and culminate in an online Camden People’s Museum to capture stories for years to come.

The project aims to bring neighbours together and strengthen our communities.

It will give residents opportunities to engage with culture in new ways, as well as to develop creative and digital skills.

Over the past few months we’ve been developing ideas with partners. Our next step is to work with residents to identify the stories that they want to bring to life. We’ll share more information as Camden Alive progresses.

Landlords need a licence – give us your views If you’re a private tenant living in a rented shared property, a private landlord, or managing or letting agent, we want to hear from you.

We are reviewing our Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) additional licensing scheme, and we are keen to hear your views on what has worked well and what you think we can improve.

HMOs are shared homes, including house and flat shares, student homes, bedsits and some buildings converted into flats, which are occupied by three or more people who are not part of the same family. In 2015, we introduced the additional licensing scheme, which goes further than national mandatory licensing, to help improve poor conditions in the private sector.

The scheme requires landlords Find out more

to be licensed to rent out shared properties.

We want tenants to have safe and decent homes and to know that the support is there to assert their rights when things aren’t up to standard. At the same time, we want to help landlords to provide a quality service and run successful businesses.

Private tenants Let us know if the additional licensing scheme has helped improve how your home is managed and maintained, or if you have had problems with your landlord since the introduction of the scheme.

Private landlords and managing or letting agents Tell us about your knowledge of and experience with the additional licensing scheme. What you tell us will help us to improve our service and how we communicate with you.

To give your views, complete the survey on our website, below.

camden.gov.uk/hmolicensing 13

Feature

Working together to improve fire safety in Camden Meet the residents who are working with the council and fire brigade to make our borough safer as part of Camden’s Fire Safety Advisory Panel.

Camden’s Fire Safety Advisory Panel was set up in January to help reduce the risk of fire in the borough. It is one of the first fire safety panels in the country to involve residents and meets every three months in public.

The panel brings together council staff, councillors, the fire brigade, and most importantly residents, to trial innovative ways to give Camden the highest standard of fire safety. Meet our panel and find out why they wanted to take part.

Oliver Greene, West Hampstead

Sarah Friday, King’s Cross

Resident for 52 years

Resident for 16 years

I

“I got involved with the Fire Safety Advisory Panel because as well as having a background in construction, I am disabled and I felt that the disabled community would be best served if I was on the panel.

“I would like to see the panel getting across to tenants that they also have a responsibility to act properly and to help others behave safely.

There are no sides, there is no them and us – together, the council and residents have to make sure that what happened at Grenfell doesn’t happen in Camden.”

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“I am very interested in health and safety, having been a workplace trade union safety representative for over 20 years, a community campaigner and co-chair of the Medway Court Tenants’ and Residents’ Association.

“The most important aspect of the panel’s work to me is to ensure that the recommendations from Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety are implemented, particularly including residents in improving fire safety – for example ensuring that residents are always engaged, even in areas without a tenants’ and residents’ association.”

Feature Ryan Heng, Holborn

Bob O’Toole, Swiss Cottage

Resident for 6 years

Co-chair, resident for 28 years

“Having worked on oil rigs as an oil and gas engineer I knew I had skills to share with the panel, and as the new father of a 12-week-old baby, I want to help shape policies and standards that will make the next generation safer.

“There is a lot of work that Camden are doing in the background that residents don’t see. The Fire Safety Advisory Panel will help to promote transparency, tell residents exactly what the council is doing to improve fire safety, give them a better understanding of what their responsibilities are, and most importantly give residents a voice in decisions about their own safety.”

Lola Soanes, Camden Town

“I’ve worked for tenants’ and residents’ associations for six years and I really enjoy it.

I want to be there for people.

I’m on the panel to improve the safety of the residents of Camden.

“It’s important for residents to know what’s going on in their borough, and our role is to get answers for residents and to make sure that lessons are learned from past mistakes. I want residents to get more involved – safety isn’t all down to the council.

“The Fire Safety Advisory Panel was a good idea for Camden to come up with. We’re one of the first resident-led fire safety panels in the country and now people are looking to Camden as an example to other boroughs and seeing that we’re doing it right.”

Resident for 55 years “I am an active volunteer and I applied to be on the panel to use my understanding of local issues to gain the trust of the community, and make a positive difference.

“I now want to build the community’s confidence in the Fire Safety Advisory Panel by getting them involved in its work, and showing them that the panel is transparent and committed to working effectively with residents to improve fire safety in our borough.”

Find out more

Simon Tuhill Borough Commander, London Fire Brigade “Residents were telling us that they felt like things were happening to them rather than being involved in decision making.

“Unique to Camden, the Fire Safety Advisory Panel is a chance to change that and shape fire safety in our borough, led by residents, and ultimately reduce the number of fires in Camden.”

camden.gov.uk/firesafetyadvisorypanel 15

Feature

Camden Summer Camden families watched the World Cup at two outdoor screens

It’s been a record-breaking summer.

Camden communities came together to bask in one of the longest heatwaves in decades and cheer on England throughout their historic World Cup performance.

Our summer programme, full of free and low-cost activities, helped people of all ages make the most of everything the borough has to offer and we’re sharing some pictures of what you’ve been up to.

Kids got creative at free artist-led workshops at the Zabludowicz Collection

Camden Mayor, Councillor Jenny Headlam-Wells (right), launched the Summer Reading Challenge

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There was lots on to keep kids busy throughout the holidays. Children raced to get through six books to complete the Summer Reading Challenge, got stuck into lots of arts and crafts activities, and kept active with a range of sports courses and drop-in sessions.

Camden talking

Community comments on social media.

Camden Summer University students on a documentary film-making course: (left to right) Alessio, 14, Yusra, 14, Amir, 16, Malika, 16, and Shazia, 16

Camden’s Summer University, with over 70 free courses, helped young people have fun, learn new things, make new friends and boost their CV.

Camden teenagers spent the summer learning things like animation, calligraphy, drama, music, baking, trampolining, motorcycle mechanics and much more.

@britishmuseum galleries have been inspiring @CamdenSummeruni #drawing students to respond creatively to #museum #objects using #sketching & #shading skills as part of #camdensummer w/ @BM_Schools @katharinehoare via Twitter

Many thanks to all of our supporters and everyone who helped with this year’s Jester Festival. @JesterFestival via Twitter

#KentishTown #Festival is well underway. Everything from #chess to #circussskills @ RoundhouseLDN @citylit @KentishTownCC via Twitter

Young people worked on fashion business ideas in the Ted Baker Camden Challenge as part of Camden Summer University

FINAL CHEESY THING ABOUT THE WORLD CUP: thank you to all at @CamdenCouncil for putting on the screen at Talacre. We had such a lovely time and the blankets were a treat. The whole crowd was behind the team and proud of our boys no matter the result #ENGCRO #worldcup @KateKateMate via Twitter

#BigButterflyCount today at @HampsteadCemetery with @GreenGymCamden #volunteers!

Great turnout and thank you all! @euromoney @sagittertraining @VCCamden @camden_ccg @CamdenCouncil @TCVtweets Families enjoyed music, food and activities at the Bourne Estate fun day

@GreenGymCamden via Twitter

Join the conversation: facebook.com/lbcamden

Find out more

@CamdenCouncil #CamdenSummer

@CamdenCouncil 17

Feature

Summer celebrations at Agar Grove We marked the completion of the first 38 new council homes at Agar Grove with music, dancing and activities for all ages.

Starting the summer holidays on the perfect note, families from Agar Grove shared in food, fun and friendship, making the most of the sunshine as a community.

World Cup fever was still gripping the estate as residents took part in an inflatable penalty shootout, bringing the game home to Agar Grove – even if Russia 2018 wasn’t to be. Children also got the chance to get messy, painting murals and getting creative with crafts between BBQs and ice cream.

homes and 37 at affordable Camden Living rents. The homes at Agar Grove have been built to the highest standards and are some of the most energy efficient in Camden.

As well as new homes on the estate, we will create new communal gardens and play areas, each of which has been designed with the help of residents. Starting in the autumn, we will be sharing options for artworks and asking

residents to tell us which best reflects the character and feel of their community.

The Community Investment Programme is our plan to sell newly built homes and underused assets to deliver new council homes, schools and community facilities. We are delivering projects all over the borough, investing in the future of local people so that they can continue living in and making the most out of Camden.

The fun day, organised in collaboration with contractors Hill, celebrated the completion of the first homes in the Agar Grove Estate redevelopment.

Mrs Qorri has lived on Agar Grove with her family of seven since 2002. Her family recently moved from their three-bed flat to a newly built four-bed home. She said: “It’s perfect for me and perfect for my family. Never did we expect we’d ever be anywhere so good, it’s like a dream come true.”

Her son Isuf added: “Our new place is much better than where we were before. It’s so nice it makes leaving difficult in the morning, of course it’s great being able to look forward to coming home as well.”

Agar Grove is the largest project in Camden’s Community Investment Programme, delivering 216 council Find out more 18

camden.gov.uk/cip

Agar Grove families enjoyed the fun day

Feature

Camden’s financial challenge Earlier this year we gave you an update on the financial pressures we are facing as a council.

It’s not just Camden facing a financial challenge – nationally, local government, as well as the NHS and other public services, continues to be stretched, with less money and fewer resources to deliver valued public services.

To address the challenge, we’ve looked for new ways of working, while keeping residents at the heart of everything we do.

Since 2010, central government has cut our funding for services by 49%. This is incredibly difficult and means we have to do things differently. As a direct result of these cuts and growing cost pressures, we have had to reduce our budget by £169 million over the past eight years.

Find out more

Despite this, we’ve continued to invest in the public services you value and have led the way in building new schools and council homes. We’ve made use of modern technology, and worked closely with other organisations to make services more efficient. But the challenges continue.

Looking ahead We do not yet know the impact of the government’s future plans for public finances, including the funding of local services.

Uncertainties around funding, rules about how funding can be spent, and income sources like business tax, make it hard to plan ahead. We’re also facing more spending pressures as our population grows and ages, the demand for services increases, and the cost of living continues to rise.

We need to find new ways of doing things to keep our services

high quality, while making every pound work harder. Due to so many uncertainties, we can only estimate the savings we need to make over the next three years to be around £35 million to £40 million. To make these savings, we are reviewing our finances and looking for ways to work even more closely with our communities.

All this will help us with long-term decisions about where to invest money. Our focus will be on intervening early to prevent problems, supporting our most vulnerable residents and developing innovative solutions to make the biggest impact.

This is the longest period of continued cuts we’ve faced. We have to work together and all do what we can to protect what makes Camden special – our mixed communities and public services. We will keep you updated as work progresses.

camden.gov.uk/financialchallenge 19

Feature

Recycling – let’s sort it out It’s Recycle Week from 24 to 30 September, a great time to get everyone thinking about recycling. To get you started, we’ve put together some top tips to help you recycle more and waste less.

Recycling hacks Over a third of Londoners say they’d recycle more if they had more than one recycling bin. But a lack of space doesn’t have to stop you from recycling at home. ut a bucket under the P sink for a great place to store cans, glass and plastic after you’ve rinsed them out.

Use an old cardboard wine carrier to store used glass bottles ready for recycling.

ags for life are a good place B to keep plastic and cans.

Hang the bag on a hook inside a kitchen cupboard. ry putting your recycling in T an old laundry bag. You can carry it out the door when you leave, and fold it up to put away in your bag.

Recycling around the house There’s plenty to recycle in every room in the house. You can place the following items in your mixed recycling, which we collect weekly: Bedroom

Bathroom Toilet roll tubes Toothpaste boxes Shampoo, bleach

and multi-surface cleaner bottles Deodorant and hairspray bottles

Soap and moisturiser bottles

Fun facts 20

Lounge

Old magazines

Old newspapers

Tissue boxes

ld envelopes, O letters, leaflets

mall electrical S items such as hair driers and straighteners can be recycled along with batteries. Get in touch with us to order special bags to recycle these items.

ardboard C packaging

2,000 fridges

Seven days

If everyone in the UK recycled their toothpaste boxes, it would save enough energy to run fridges in 2,000 homes for a year.

It only takes seven days to recycle an old newspaper into a new one.

Feature Reduce and recycle your food waste Around 30% of the food we buy goes to waste. That’s £60 worth of food thrown away by the average UK household every month. Food has a big carbon footprint, so cutting down on the amount we waste not only helps the environment but saves you money.

You can help to reduce your food waste: Make sure sure you only buy and cook what you need.

Reuse your leftovers instead of throwing them away.

Be sure to store your food correctly (and freeze where possible) for a longer shelf life. ven the best recyclers have unavoidable food waste sometimes. Luckily these E things don’t need to end up in your rubbish bin and can be recycled using your kitchen caddy and food waste bin.

The following items can be placed inside your food waste caddy or bin: Fruit and vegetables Meat and fish Tea bags and coffee grounds Bread and pastries

Dairy products Rice, pasta and beans Eggs and eggshells Cooked and leftover food, and small bones

We collect your food waste weekly Visit our website below to order a food waste bin and caddy, and to find out more about what you can and can’t recycle.

Earn rewards for your recycling Camden Recycling Rewards gives you a chance to win vouchers for yourself and donations for local charities. Earn points for activities such as cutting down on your food waste.

Find out more and activate your account at camden.gov.uk/recyclingrewards

Find out more

camden.gov.uk/recyclingandrubbish

020 3567 8105 21

Feature

Tackling social issues as a community We’re investing £1.6 million and bringing organisations together in new ways to tackle key complex social issues facing the borough.

We’re investing in our voluntary and community sector through our Camden Community Impacts scheme so we can bring together local skills and knowledge to make a real and lasting impact.

The projects and organisations working on them are: Youth offending New Horizon Youth Centre and Project 10/10, along with Kent University, aims to curb rates of reoffending by working intensively with young people who commit the most offences in Camden, both in the community and while they are in custody. The Young Camden Foundation will also partner with organisations such as the Roundhouse, working with our communities to develop innovative ideas to prevent youth crime in Camden through early intervention.

This work will feed into the Youth Safety Taskforce – find out more on page nine.

Find out more 22

Local organisations are coming together in new ways to tackle complex social issues

Rough sleeping Somers Town Community Association, the St Pancras and Somers Town Living Centre, C4WS Homeless Project and Central Saint Martins will carry out research to better understand the experiences of rough sleepers, giving them a voice and finding new ways to support people off the streets. Find out about the council’s work to tackle rough sleeping on page 23.

Emotional health and wellbeing Mind in Camden, Rethink Mental Illness, Holy Cross Centre Trust, C4 (Camden Community Centres Consortium) and Voluntary Action Camden will work with our communities to improve understanding of mental health needs in local areas, and develop community-led action plans.

camden.gov.uk/vcs

camden.gov.uk/camden2025

Supporting people in the community The Centre for Independent Living, a collection of voluntary sector organisations based at the new Greenwood Centre, will help local organisations to access £100,000 funding available for projects that break down barriers older and disabled people face in accessing community facilities.

Organisations coming together to develop new solutions to complex issues is key to making Camden a better borough for everyone.

We will continue to involve our communities in conversations about how we can do things differently as we work towards achieving the ambitions of the Camden 2025 community vision.

Feature

Tackling rough sleeping in Camden We are committed to working to support rough sleepers in Camden.

We recently secured £870,000 from the government to support our work to tackle rough sleeping in the borough. This will help us to continue and expand our vital work in supporting people off the streets.

Our new reconnection team will work alongside the Hotspot Teams to provide support for rough sleepers with no connection to Camden, to help them return home and build a life away from the streets.

We are expanding our dedicated Camden Hotspot Teams. These include outreach workers, community presence officers and police officers, who work directly with rough sleepers in Camden Town and nearby estates, the Euston corridor, Warren Street, Regent’s Park Estate and the West End.

We are investing more money in our Housing First service, provided by St Mungo’s, delivering housing and tailored support to long-term rough sleepers with complex needs.

We are also providing more support for female rough sleepers who have complex needs, who

are active on the streets, or are at risk of returning to the street.

Addressing rough sleeping is a priority for the council. Our ‘Routes off the Street’ strategy looks at how we can work together with other organisations to improve access to specialist services for rough sleepers, including women and girls, and people who identify as LGBT. We are investing in our voluntary and community sector to better understand the experiences of rough sleepers – read page 22.

Work is underway to get our new teams and people in place, ahead of the drop in temperature over the winter.

How you can help Borough Commander, Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Raphael (centre) with Councillor Georgia Gould, Leader of the Council (third from right); Councillor Nadia Shah, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities (third from left); and members of the Camden Hotspot Team

Find out more

Download the StreetSafe app to report any concerns you have about someone sleeping on the street at camdensst.com

camden.gov.uk/camdenhotspotteam 23

Feature

Affordable homes for people who live and work in Camden Our Camden Living homes allow teachers, nurses and other middle earners to afford to rent in Camden.

With house prices on the rise, we know that many people in Camden struggle to afford to rent but may also not qualify

for a council home. We also recognise that shared ownership is not an option for many residents.

Our new housing company, Camden Living, aims to fill that gap. 65 homes, originally earmarked for shared ownership through our Community Investment Programme, have been let to people who live and work in Camden at Camden Living rent, significantly below the market rate. Two thirds of the new tenants work in public sector jobs, playing a vital role in our communities.

Over the last few months tenants have been moving into their new Camden Living homes at Maiden Lane, Chester Balmore and Bourne Estate.

Harriet Hat, NHS nurse Harriet, a nurse at St Pancras Hospital, recently moved into one of the new homes at Maiden Lane. She said: “I feel like I’ve actually got a home now, it’s just amazing to have my own space.

The rent is really reasonable and we’ve actually got money that we can spend on other things. I feel secure and don’t feel like I will need to move again anytime soon.”

Harriet Hat

24

Harriet had been on the verge of leaving London due to bad experiences renting, but thanks to Camden Living she has been able to stay in Camden.

Image courtesy PRP © Richard Chivers

Feature

49 new homes at Maiden Lane have been let at Camden Living rent to people who live and work in Camden

Working with housing associations As well as providing new homes through Camden Living, we also work with housing associations, including Newlon, Origin Housing and Octavia, to provide similar low-cost rented housing.

Sylvia Morrison moved into her new home with Newlon in the Camden Courtyards scheme, Camden Town, in March.

She is delighted to be finally settled with her daughter, after previously living in private rented accommodation and most recently a hostel.

Find out more

Sylvia said: “My daughter attends Camden School for Girls, which is close by. Since we have moved I have seen a positive change in my daughter, which I am so pleased about. I feel part of the community here. Everyone is lovely and nice.”

“Our home is really lovely. We have a brand new home with two bedrooms and a gorgeous brand new bathroom – we couldn’t ask for more.”

Building more homes In total, Camden Living will deliver at least 300 new homes. With over 1,000 people registering

camdenliving.co.uk

their interest, it’s clear we need to build more homes to meet the demand. We are continuing to call on the government to give us the means to build more housing for the benefit of our borough.

All current Camden Living properties have been let, but you can find out more about the homes and how to apply for those that are coming up in future on the Camden Living website, below.

For more information on the different housing options and the homes available to rent through housing associations, visit our intermediate housing webpages below.

camden.gov.uk/intermediatehousing 25

Feature

It’s more than music Our music service makes sure every Camden child has the chance to shine.

Is your child thinking of taking up a musical instrument for the new school year?

Camden Music Service offers instrument lessons to pupils at Camden schools, plus a range of activities at weekends and holidays. Children can take part in orchestras, jazz bands and guitar groups, and sing in choirs.

Camden Music Service also works with organisations, including Young Music Makers, the Roundhouse, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and English Folk Dance and Song Society, to offer unique opportunities to children and young people in Camden through the Camden Music Hub.

has played a pivotal part in my career.

“The help, knowledge and support they gave me was unconditional and I truly believe their service is world class. [They] go the extra mile and make music fun to learn.”

Nikki Yeoh (right) with the Mayor of Camden, Councillor Jenny Headlam-Wells

British Jazz Award nominee Nikki Yeoh set up a jazz course for the service in 1995. “I’ve watched so many young musicians pass through our doors and directly onto the professional world stage,” she said. “Excellent tuition has won the Camden Music Service its reputation as one of the best in the country, and it truly is, from the inside out.”

Learning with Camden Music Service

Mark Crown, Rudimental

Mark Crown, trumpeter with drum and bass band Rudimental, said he owes his success to the music service: “Camden Music Service Find out more 26

If your child lives in Camden or goes to school here, get in touch with Camden Music Service for advice about available opportunities.

Camden Music Trust, the Mayor

camden.gov.uk/musicservice

of Camden’s chosen charity this year, is dedicated to making sure every Camden child has the chance to enjoy music, whether or not they can afford to pay.

The Mayor with Camden Music Trust students Laurie Milton (left) and Cole Ostrin

The trust helps to fund the music programmes delivered by the music service, including Saturday music centres, holiday courses, youth ensembles, instruments for loan, and concerts including the Camden Schools Music Festival at the Royal Albert Hall.

It also provides four-year scholarships to 34 musically-talented children who might not otherwise be able to afford higher education.

If you would like to donate to Camden Music Trust, please visit camden.gov.uk/mayor

camdenmusictrust.org

020 7974 7239

Feature

New green spaces for Camden’s West End We’re creating three new and improved green spaces in the heart of London as part of the West End Project, Camden’s transformation of the area.

As well as these key green spaces, we are also creating pocket parks along Tottenham Court Road at Capper Street, Bedford Avenue and Bailey Street, and planting new trees.

A new public space will be created at Princes Circus

tranquil oasis. There will be lawns to relax on, areas for young children to play and new planting designed to attract wildlife.

The much-loved Whitfield Gardens will be rejuvenated in addition to being made fully accessible.

Both the Fitzrovia Mural and war memorial will be restored, while all the mature trees will be kept and incorporated into the new design.

Next steps During July and August, we held a series of evening events and roadshows asking you for your

views on the schemes, which were designed in partnership with LDA Design. Over 300 people talked to us during the week of events and we received many additional comments from local residents and businesses.

Having received really useful feedback, we will now work with LDA Design to explore the comments received and plan the construction of the schemes. All the designs for the green spaces can be found on our website, below, where you can also sign up to our newsletter for the latest news.

Princes Circus in Holborn will be dramatically redesigned into a new public space linking Covent Garden and the British Museum.

New planting will sit alongside widened pavements with new, safer crossings. The dramatic removal of some of the road space of Shaftesbury Avenue and Bloomsbury Street will create a traffic-free public space.

Alfred Place, just off Tottenham Court Road, will be a brand new park transformed from a road into a Find out more

Alfred Place will be a brand new park in the West End

camden.gov.uk/westendproject

westendproject@camden.gov.uk

0845 3308 743 (24 hours) 27

Listings Arts and culture Comic Book Artists in Residence – Lucie Arnoux Saturday 8 September 2018, 1 to 4pm Watch a comic book artist creating her own cartoons and maybe end up as a work of art yourself.

Jewish Museum London, 191 to 131 Albert Street, NW1 7NB jewishmuseum.org.uk 020 7284 7384 The Art Car Boot Fair Sunday 16 September 2018, 12 noon to 6pm Art, frivolity and bargains at this informal cross between an art fair and a car boot sale. Tickets £10, under 16s free with paying adult.

Granary Square, N1C 4AA artcarbootfair.com Lunchtime recital – Felicity Vincent and Catherine Dubois Thursday 20 September, 1.15 to 2pm Cello and piano music by Schumann and Mendelssohn. See website for other weekly recitals. Free, donations welcome.

St Pancras Church, Euston Road, NW1 2BA stpancraschurch.org 020 7388 1461 Kyffin Williams: paper to palette knife at Highgate Gallery Friday 21 September 2018, 8pm A discussion of the work of artist Kyffin Williams. £5.

Highgate Gallery, 11 South Grove, N6 6BS hlsi.net 020 8340 3343 Open House London 2018 Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 September More than 800 buildings of all types and periods have free entry over two days. See website for locations and opening hours. openhouselondon.org.uk 020 7383 2131

28

All activities are free unless otherwise specified.

Keats and Milton: Paradise Lost Until Friday 30 November, Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm See sections of Keats’s copy of Milton’s Paradise Lost, showing how one visionary poet was influenced by another. Free with admission: adults £6.50, 17 and under free.

Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, NW3 2RR cityoflondon.gov.uk/keats 020 7332 3868 Living with buildings Thursday 4 October to Sunday 3 March, Tuesday to Sunday – see website for opening times Exhibition exploring how our built environment contributes to our physical and mental health in positive and negative ways.

Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, NW1 2BE wellcomecollection.org

Community Camden family fun day – celebrating 100 years of women’s votes Saturday 8 September, 1 to 5pm Join us for a fun-packed day of games, sport, face painting, zine-making workshops, pop-up suffragette plays, rosette-making and more.

Talacre Gardens, Talacre Road, NW5 3PH lovecamden.org/camdenvox Abbey Community Centre festival Saturday 15 September, 12 noon to 3pm Affordable delicious food, henna, stalls from local makers, activities for kids, cultural food-tasting and music.

Abbey Community Centre, 222c Belsize Road, NW6 4DJ abbeycc-kilburn.org.uk Cloud Nine Festival Saturday 15 September, 12 noon to 4pm Outdoor festival for all the family, celebrating community life in Euston

and King’s Cross, with interactive arts stalls, a performance stage and creative workshops.

Cumberland Market, NW1 3RH westeustonpartnership.org Volunteer open day at The Hive Monday 17 September 2018, 11am to 3pm Discover opportunities to support 16 to 24-year-olds. Refreshments provided.

The Hive, 18 Harben Parade, Finchley Road, NW3 6JP catch22.org.uk/services/the-hive 020 3198 0521 Volunteering fair Friday 21 September, 12 noon to 2pm Drop in to meet organisations recruiting volunteers in Camden and Islington.

West Handyside Canopy, just off Granary Square, N1C 4BZ volunteercentrecamden.org.uk 020 7424 9990 Marchmont Street Party Saturday 22 September, 12 noon to 5pm Dance to live bands, enjoy children’s entertainers and funfair rides, and browse 50 stalls at this annual community event.

Marchmont Street, WC1N 1AP marchmontassociation.org.uk Asian women’s health calendar Last Wednesday of each month, 1 to 3pm Health awareness sessions on a variety of topics, led by a health professional. Sessions include chair-based exercises.

West Hampstead Women’s Centre, 26 to 30 Cotleigh Road, NW6 2NP whwc.org.uk

Get active Sports activities for young people Various dates and times, term-time only A range of sports programmes for young people aged three to 16.

Activities including football, trampolining,

Listings gymnastics, street dance, ballet, table tennis and basketball. £3 to £9.60 depending on session.

Booking essential – visit the Talacre Community Sports Centre reception to book.

Talacre Sports Community Centre, Dalby Street, NW5 3AF better.org.uk/talacre sportsdevelopment@camden.gov.uk 020 7974 8765 Football training for young people Every Sunday during term-time, 9.30am to 10.30am for 6 to 10-year-olds and 10.30 to 12 noon for 11 to 13-year-olds.

Professional football training sessions led by UEFA-qualified coaches. £1 to £10 depending on financial background – booking essential.

Coram’s Fields Pitches, 93 Guilford Street, WC1N 1DN bloomsburyfa.com charlie@bloomsburyfa.com 07561 705 232 Hampstead Heath walk Saturday 15 September 2018, 2 to 3.30pm Visit interesting places off the beaten track on Hampstead Heath on this guided walk.

Parliament Hill bandstand, Hampstead Heath, NW5 1QR. £5 – book online cityoflondon.gov.uk/ hampsteadheath 020 7332 3322 Dance taster week Monday 17 to Friday 21 September, various times Learn to dance at The Place – book a taster session and try out introduction to ballet or contemporary dance classes. £12/£14 – booking essential.

The Place, 16 Flaxman Terrace, WC1H 9AT theplace.org.uk/taster 020 7121 1000

Earthworm surveying Thursday 20 September 10.45am to 2pm Join Camden Green Gym to get stuck in with their earthworm survey.

Register on the website.

St Martin’s Gardens, NW1 0DX camdengreengym.eventbrite.com 07768 421881

Older people Songhaven: dementia-friendly concert Saturday 8 September 2018, 3.30pm Forty-minute professional music concert in a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere, followed by afternoon tea.

Suggested donation £5 – booking essential.

Lumen church and cafe, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1H 9RS songhaven.co.uk songhaven@songhaven.co.uk 020 7278 1887 Regent’s Park: the secret garden walk Wednesday 12 September, 1.30pm Gentle walk for older people, organised by Kilburn Older Voices Exchange.

Meet at the bus stop in Park Road, NW1, near the Central London Mosque. kove.org.uk 07539 390786 Visit to St Augustine’s Church, south Kilburn Wednesday 26 September, 1.30pm Kilburn Older Voices Exchange trip to the ‘North London Cathedral’.

Meet at bench by Kilburn High Road station, NW6 5UA. kove.org.uk 07539 390786

Families Starting solids and starting solids: next steps Various dates in September 10am to 11.30am or 1pm to 2.30pm 90-minute separate sessions supporting parents of babies who have not yet started solid foods, and giving advice to parents of babies under 12 months who have already started solid food. Booking essential.

At various children’s centres in Camden camden.gov.uk/surestart Family garden club Saturdays during term time, 1 to 3pm Seasonal gardening and creative activities for children and families. £2 per person.

Kentish Town City Farm, 1 Cressfield Close, off Grafton Road, NW5 4BN ktcityfarm.org.uk 020 7916 5421 Digital workshop – shadow puppets Sunday 16 September 11am to 12 noon, 1 to 2pm and 3 to 4pm Bring your own characters to life using the ancient traditions of shadow puppetry.

Limited places – sign up on the day.

British Museum (Samsung Centre), Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG britishmuseum.org 020 7323 8000 Festival of Treasures Saturday 22 September, 12 noon to 4pm Fun and creative family day inspired by the British Library Treasures Gallery.

The British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB bl.uk/events 01937 546546

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.

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Feature

Could you inspire people in Camden to get more active?

This month we’re shining a light on residents who are leading our communities to be more active, and encouraging you to share your passion for sport and physical activity with others.

Naomi trained to become qualified as a Boxfit instructor, and first set up classes 10 years ago. She was supported by her local community centre, which offered her a hall for free.

Women in the local area come to Naomi to try Boxfit. She said: “I see people on the nursery run and people say, ‘Hi boxing lady’. I’m just a normal person, and people relate to that.”

Naomi’s advice for anyone wanting to start their own sessions is: “Just do it, learn as you go and meet as many people and organisations as you can. The rest will follow.”

Naomi Davidson

Naomi’s story Naomi Davidson runs Boxfit sessions, which are boxingbased workouts, at St Pancras Community Association.

Naomi, from Kentish Town, started exercising in her early 30s and was amazed by the benefits she felt.

She said: “I knew that I wanted to help other women, especially mothers, and show it was never too late to start.”

Find out more 30

Kathy and Frank’s story Kathy and Frank Whyman, from Somers Town, volunteer at a local weekly boccia session.

Kathy said: “We heard about boccia at our local hall. We didn’t have a clue what it was but decided to go along anyway.”

Kathy and Frank soon discovered a love for boccia, a ball sport similar to bowls.

Now three years on, Kathy volunteers by supporting residents to get to the sessions, and Frank

camden.gov.uk/active

active@camden.gov.uk

officiates the Camden boccia league, where community centres across the borough come together to play.

Frank said: “People don’t realise how fun it is to help out other people, and just ten minutes of your time can make a real difference.”

Inspire your community Are you interested in starting or developing a sport or physical activity session in your local area?

We’re here to help. Get in touch with your ideas and what you need to get them off the ground.

Kathy and Frank Whyman

020 7974 3206

My Camden Billy Magner is a Volunteer Co-ordinator at West Euston Partnership

Best park or open space?

The waterside in Regent’s Park.

You would not think you were in central London with herons, ducks and geese. A nice place to chill out.

What’s your Camden connection?

My parents moved to Camden from Ireland. Camden was the place to go as it had a large Irish community. I was born in Camden High Street. I’ve lived abroad at times, but always feel the pull of my roots.

Tell us about your work in Camden I am a Volunteer Co-ordinator for West Euston Partnership (WEP), an alliance of community, private, public sector and voluntary organisations. We were set up by local people to help make the area a better place to live and work.

WEP is a fantastic place to work and volunteer.

We are a free community resource, offering careers advice, job searching, training, internet access and health-based activities for everyone and anyone, in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds living in Camden who need a helping hand. I also volunteer for Camden Council’s Adult Community Learning Service as a Study Support Assistant.

Favourite place in Camden and why?

The Working Men’s College in Crowndale Road, a real people’s college. The staff really go out of their way to provide an excellent service to local residents. I have studied computer skills, French, ceramics and stained glass art there for a minimal cost.

Regent’s Park

What makes Camden special?

The vibrancy, the sense of community, feeling proud to live in Camden. The chance to meet people from diverse cultural backgrounds. The music scene is very special.

Most memorable thing to happen to you in Camden?

Lots of memorable things have happened to me in Camden, I could not single one out. Being born in Camden was nice.

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

westeustonpartnership.org 31

a death

and civil rships

© Paul Fletcher

CAMDEN TOWN HALL

IS CLOSED Our services have now moved while our 80-year-old Electoral Register a death Register a birth Services town hall gets a much needed refurbishment.

Register a death

Register a birth Register a birth

Marriage and civil partnerships

Electoral Marriage and civil Services partnerships

Register a death

Electoral Services

Register a birth

Nationality, Citizenship

Marriage and civil Nationallity, Nationallity,Register Register Register apartnerships death a death RegisterCitizenship a birth a birth Citizenship

Register to vote

ElectoralElectoral Services Services

Make sure you know where to find us: Tavistock House Tavistock Square, WC1H 9JB

Nationallity, Citizenship

Crowndale Centre 218 Eversholt St, NW1 1BD

Nationallity, MarriageMarriage and civil and civil Nationallity, partnerships Citizenship partnerships Citizenship

• Nationality checking service

• Birth registrations

• Settlement checking service

• Death registrations

• Nationality document return service

• Duplicate certificate applications

• European passport return service

• Citizenship ceremonies

• Taking notices for marriages and civil partnerships

• Electoral services

Get married at Tavistock House

• Mayor’s office and parlour

Our new wedding venue is now open and available to book.

Find out more:

camden.gov.uk/tavistockhouse

camden.gov.uk/townhall

• Council chamber and committee rooms • Councillors’ offices • Committee services