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IN OCTOBER 2010 THE PEOPLE SPOKE I spoke for justice: “there is no denying that Lutfur Rahman was treated unjustly in 2010 or that he is delivering good Labour policies and showing that there is an alternative to austerity.”

Ken Livingstone former Mayor of London

Issue: 01/25, Friday 16 May 2014 Email: info@eastlondonnews.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/eastlondonnews Twitter: twitter.com/elondonnews Youtube: youtube.com/eastlondonnews Web: www.eastlondonnews.co.uk

I spoke for Lutfur:

We spoke for Lutfur:

WE SPOKE FOR JUSTICE:

“We have found Mayor Rahman to be fair, accessible and accountable.”

Rev Adam Atkinson,

“Enough is enough. Tower Hamlets is a high-performing council, winning numerous national awards and accolades in recent years.

“The upcoming mayoral election should be fought on policy and not muckraking that threatens to do lasting damage to the community spirit on which this diverse borough prides itself.”

Captain Nick Coke,

Ken Livingstone Simon Woolley Director, Operation Black Vote

Mohammad Taj President, TUC

Christine Shawcroft Labour Party National Executive

Steve Turner, Assistant General Secretary, Unite

Leon Silver, President, East London Central Synagogue

“Good for Lutfur Rahman, the Mayor of Tower Hamlets. It’s time to let him get on with the business of trying to run Tower Hamlets.”

Rev Giles Fraser

St Peter’s Church in Bethnal Green

Father Tom O’Brien, Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Bethnal Green the Salvation Army

Dilowar Khan, the East London Mosque

Nurul Ullah, the Darul Ummah Centre.

TELCO, the largest network of community groups and activists in the East End

On Thursday 22nd May, the people must speak again

AND PUT TOWER HAMLETS FIRST

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

EDITORIAL

WHY WE MUST ALL PUT TOWER HAMLETS FIRST

W

ell, here we are; three and a half years later, and it doesn’t seem like five minutes since 300 people stood on a frosty Old Ford Road at gone 2am one Friday morning in October 2010 and cheered their heads off as Lutfur Rahman came out of York Hall, the first directly elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets. And for that matter it doesn’t seem five minutes since London Labour Party Director Ken Clark came out of Labour Party HQ on Cambridge Heath Road on 4th September 2010 and declared Lutfur Rahman the victor of a procedurally sound Labour Party selection contest and, therefore, Labour’s official candidate in the mayoral election – the choice of local Labour Party members.

The six weeks between those two events form one of the most important periods of time in Tower Hamlets’ political life.

After the selection, a dossier of allegations arrived at the national Labour Party head office. And it sat there for a week and a half. And no one put the allegations to Lutfur Rahman and gave him an opportunity to respond. And no on investigated those allegations. Someone, or some people, sat on them. And whipped them out at the Labour Party National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, 21st September.

The Executive – or, that is to say, the majority of it – decided the allegations, just the allegations, made Lutfur Rahman a dubious candidate and they would instead make the man who had come third in the contest (and who had made the allegations against his victorious rival in that contest).

With nominations closing at midday on Friday, 24th September, Lutfur Rahman’s choice was simple: connive with the national Labour Party Executive in overturning the vote of its local members in Tower Hamlets, or stand as an independent candidate in the mayoral election, knowing that he was the local members’ choice. Lutfur went for the principled option and stood as an independent candidate, pulling a campaign together in 24 hours which led to his convincing victory a month later. He made it quite clear to those Labour members who had supported his campaign to win the Labour selection that none of them need jeopardise their own positions by backing him if they did not wish to do so. To their credit, eight Labour councillor comrades and the secretary of the Borough Labour Party supported Rahman in terms incompatible with Labour Party membership, and they were joined by others later.

When he stood, Lutfur could not predict that he would win: standing alone was no guarantee of victory in a borough with a long tradition of voting for the party ticket. Indeed, one fine former Labour Party member standing as a jobbing leftie once collected only nine votes in a council by-election – although ten local voters had signed her nomination papers. So Lutfur stood on the principle of supporting local selection and local accountability and the voters understood that and stood up for those principles too. Feeling was strong because a remote, white-dominated committee saying it has the right and the power to decide which man of Bangladeshi origin shall stand as a local candidate smacks of colonialism, not support for equality and diversity that we have come to expect in the twenty-first century.

Editor

= Jenny Fisher

jenny.fisher@eastlondonnews.co.uk

And it was a political decision. The fact that party officials sat on the allegations for ten days (while at the same time preparing the eventual candidate’s Labour nomination papers) makes that quite clear. The fact that the party committee chose the candidate who came third in the selection rather than bumping up the second placed candidate proves it too. Just think for a minute: if someone had bunged in a set of allegations against Jim Fitzpatrick, would the Labour Party have told him to get on his bike while they handed his seat over to the person who had made the allegations? (We stress that there are no allegations to be made against Fitzpatrick, and this is a purely hypothetical example.)

Just as the national Labour Party and its local supporters felt that local members had selected the wrong candidate, so the Party was cross that local voters elected the wrong candidate too. Their response to the election result has been bad tempered and spiteful and it has played into the hands of those with a racist and Islamophobic agenda and hurt the Borough and its people. The Labour Party is quite prepared to go into coalition with other parties elsewhere in the UK and it should have accepted the voters verdict and worked with Lutfur Rahman, not against him, for the last three and a half years. They should be ashamed of themselves. And unless and until Labour can understand what it has done, it remains, alas, an apartheid party.

Incidentally, the Labour Party still doesn’t trust its own members and every Labour candidate standing in this election has been chosen not by local Labour members but, again, by the national Labour Party’s representatives. This is despite the local Labour Party having audited its own members in the months leading up to those candidates being chosen and having declared its membership essentially sound. That the national Labour Party still does not trust its own members is bad enough. But it also means that those Labour candidates who are elected will not be accountable to local members for the next four years but to the national party which put them in place. Why any local Labour Party member bothers still to pay their Labour Party membership fees each year is a mystery – certainly to those who

remember the old adage “no taxation without representation!”

The fact that Lutfur Rahman stood on a principle of local accountability makes him a hero. Those others who supported him are heroes too: all of them men and women of principle in a world where the principal politicians cast off their principles in favour of political expediency years ago.

It is no surprise that Rahman and his supporters have governed Tower Hamlets on the basis of Labour’s policy traditions, which arise out of those principles too – principles which, ironically, were re-established in modern times by Lansbury and the Poplar Councillors, who understood how to fight for principle.

Labour’s campaign this time around has been lacklustre and bad-tempered, pulling in endorsements from Labour shadow ministers (who?) and rent-a-celebrity types and concentrating on let’s give the Borough a jolly old spring clean, together with a small platter of uncosted and implausible promises. Rahman has learned a great deal over the last four years, and his manifesto is full of empathy with his voters and practical measures to make a real difference.

In October 2010, the people spoke. Next Thursday, the people must speak again if we are to determine our collective futures in Tower Hamlets. Put Tower Hamlets first: vote Rahman and Tower Hamlets First Council candidates. Go out and do it. Make sure everyone you know does the same.

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

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NEWS

WHO’S DUE THE HOUSE MARKS? ELN has long argued that the mayoral election in Tower Hamlets should be decided by policy differences: let’s look at how the two candidates shape up on housing policy.

Rahman makes it clear his priority is supply. That’s a sensible move: supply is a lever which will affect so many other aspects of housing, such as access and rents. His particular pledge is to deliver 5,500 affordable homes in the borough (following on from the 4,000 delivered in his current term). One of the areas these homes will come from is Whitechapel, where Rahman has worked hard to ensure there is a viable, comprehensive masterplan which is not only suitable for public consultation but also keeps the public in the driving seat as the masterplan is implemented.

In contrast, Biggs promises over 1,000 new council homes. The number is lower because Biggs will not count the homes built by RSLs (a term which has not been used since 2010, when the incoming Government adopted the term “Registered Providers”, or RPs, to take its place). It is not clear how Biggs will find the land for these homes or how he will fund the building costs, and nor does he give any guarantee that these homes will be let at affordable rents. If he intends to use Housing Corporation money to finance the build, he won’t be able to charge affordable rents – in which case, he’ll be borrowing the money to build them, incurring interest charges too.

Biggs is adopting a traditional hard left demand here: build Council homes rather than housing association ones. Rahman is being more pragmatic: don’t let dogma stand in your way, get

people housed and you can always campaign for housing association homes to revert to the Council later. It is interesting to see the U-turn from Labour. Biggs was not on the Council during most of the Housing Choice programme, having been booted upstairs to the safest seat in the Greater London Assembly.

However, under Michael Keith and his successors, the Labour Party had a clear goal of selling all Council homes to housing associations. Perhaps this is another policy Biggs and Keith disagreed on.

Both candidates plan new futures for Tower Hamlets Homes.

Rahman, in keeping with his grassroots, “let the members decide” origins in the Labour Party, proposes to hold the ballot of Tower Hamlets Homes residents which the Labour Party never let them have. He wants residents to decide whether the ALMO stock should come back in-house. On the other hand, Biggs will impose his view and bring the stock back in house, without letting residents have a say. Keeping Council housing rather than ALMOs is another hard left demand, so Biggs is laying out a very radical agenda here. However, as quick action would jeopardise grants given for Decent Homes work, Biggs will probably have to wait to the conclusion of the improvements programme before proceeding, which could be as long as half his term of office, to implement the pledge.

The third interesting contrast between the two candidates is how to deal with residents. Rahman makes it clear that he supports the Tenants’ Federation’s Residents’ Charter. Biggs, on the other hand, again eschews being involved with existing

community organisations and wants to create a town hall-based scrutiny committee in which residents can have a say in his housing policy. Who will choose these residents and what say they will be allowed is not clear. Further, given that the Mayor’s housing policy really only impacts directly on Tower Hamlets Homes, with all the housing which the Labour Party handed over to Housing Associations being excluded.

In short, Rahman’s housing policy seems to be more keyed in to what is going on in the Borough, whereas Biggs seems more distant and removed from the detail of what is happening in Tower Hamlets today.

RAHMAN’S HOUSING PLEDGES Build 5,500 new affordable homes to meet the needs of all our residents Under my leadership, Tower Hamlets has already delivered 4000 affordable homes, the most in the UK. I will work with house-builders and social landlords to more than double that number in the next four years.

Deliver the Whitechapel Vision leading to 3500 new homes including many family-sized and affordable homes With the arrival of Crossrail, Whitechapel has the chance to become one of London’s commercial hubs. I’m going to ensure the project is delivered so that the needs of local residents come first.

Relocate the town hall to the Old Royal London Hospital building in Whitechapel, saving £6m a year and acting as a catalyst for growth for the area.

Tower Hamlets is one of very few councils that doesn’t own its town hall. We’ve spent over £50m since Labour signed the lease in 1994. Instead I want to see the historic Royal London Hospital building preserved and a new town hall owned by you to be an asset for future generations.

Halve the number of residents with severe mobility needs on the housing waiting list Residents with severe mobility needs should not be held back on the housing waiting list because of a lack of suitable accommodation. That’s why I’m setting up a unique project to work with housebuilders to increase the number of accessible homes.

Deliver a fair deal for leaseholders including a new Leaseholder Dispute Resolution Panel Our last budget included an average 5%reduction in leaseholder service charges and we are undertaking an external audit to ensure leaseholder service charges are fair and transparent. We will also set up

a Leaseholder Dispute Resolution Panel to create an independent process to address specific disputes over bills and charges.

Support the London Living Rent campaign, create a landlord registration scheme and improve private sector housing 40% of our residents live in private sector properties and the Government has failed to act to protect tenants from high rents, poor conditions and unsafe tenancies. I will encourage landlords to register with the council and push for landlords to sign up to the London Living Rent campaign Hold a referendum on the future of Tower Hamlets Homes The Council’s Arm’s Length Management Organisation, Tower Hamlets Homes, was created to deliver the £168m Decent Homes programme which will be fully delivered by 2015. Now is the time to let local residents decide the future of housing management in Tower Hamlets.

Keep all our council housing up to the Decent Homes Standard The £168m Decent Homes programme will bring every council home in the borough up to the Decent Homes standard by 2015. However, some homes will fall into disrepair and dip below this standard. I pledge to keep up investment to ensure that all council homes remain at the Decent Homes standard.

Hold registered social landlords to account by supporting the Tenant’s Federation’s “Cards on the Table “ campaign Since the transfer of housing stock to Registered Social Landlords in 2008, some RSLs have failed to deliver for residents. I will work with the Tenant’s Federation and RSLs to make sure residents are not let down by housing providers.

Cllr Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing in the Rahman administration, won widespread support for her energetic work over the last three years.

John Biggs: housing pledges I know residents are concerned about the rising costs of rent and house prices in the private sector and the Government’s attack on social housing. Thousands of families are overcrowded and too many residents are living in poor quality homes.”

Housing Pledges: 1) Bring the management of Tower Hamlets Homes back under the council’s full control 2) Plan the building of 1,000 new council homes, in addition to those built by RSLs and developers 3) Create a landlord licensing scheme to tackle bad landlords and a council backed not-for-profit lettings agency 4) Create a Housing Scrutiny committee and give residents a true say in housing policy 5) Take a balance approach to development in the borough and ensure that infrastructure is delivered to meet the additional demands caused by new housin [unfortunately, the text on John’s website ends here]

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

ELECTION NEWS

05

Following in Smith’s footsteps?

Harry Palmer looks at Lutfur Rahman’s policy record.

There are many reasons to wish Lutfur Rahman success in this coming election. But there is greater national significance beyond just its effects in Tower Hamlets. It was 20 years ago this week that John Smith died and the Labour Party was hijacked by people who have since preached neo-conservative dogma. One of their main principles has been a calculated and callous indifference to the people who voted for them – coupled with a fervent conviction that Labour’s “natural” supporters will carry on voting for the party because they have nowhere else to go.

In contrast, Lutfur Rahman’s achievements benefit and protect all the groups that have traditionally supported Labour but whom Labour has not supported since the start of the Blair years.

Continuing John Smith's traditional principles, on a local level, Rahman has carried out traditional Labour Party policies with success and flair, protecting the citizenry from the worst depredations of Conservative and Coalition austerity measures.

His record in Tower Hamlets includes free home care for the elderly, free school meals for children, grants for poorer students at university, improving state schools to be the third best in the country and even keeping the streets of a poor borough in good enough condition to win a Keep Britain Tidy Award. Add to that the London Living Wage and anti-Blacklist decisions and you have almost a reverse image of New Labour, which has preached tough love to all the groups whose votes it depends on, not least the unions.

It is tragically ironic that Tower Hamlets Labour should now be trying to call upon what it assumes to be the reflexive racism of the white working class to defeat Tower Hamlets First. Lutfur Rahman’s measures have been specifically tailored to helping working people, white or otherwise – the people abandoned, indeed almost persecuted by New Labour, and the Coalition.

On a larger scale, Lutfur’s mayoralty has been a demonstrative rebuttal of New Labour’s neoconservative prejuduce increasingly steeped in an Islamophobic bigotry.

For those who continue to govern (or, least, aspire to) as New Labour, a modernising Muslim Mayor who supports women being active in public life, promotes LGBT rights and supports working class and union rights is beyond their comprehension. They run round like headless chickens, certain he’s got it wrong – and trying to re-write his script for him. Bloody non-conformist. You can’t even rely on an extremist Islamicist to conform to his stereotype these days.

Tsk. We have seen over the last few months just how virulent that racist subtext can be with Conservatives, Labour and Panorama subscribing to all-out attacks on Lutfur Rahman.

Like all the previous attacks, the latest one was dismissed by the police, for a complete lack of any evidence of wrongdoing. We saw the political manoeuvring that led to an audit whose conclusion will not come out until after the election, leaving Rahman unable to vindicate himself before the people go to the polls (or, indeed, the postbox).

Some voters will be tempted to “punish” Labour for its abandonment of traditional values and vote for parties like UKIP which includes people whose has been uneasily accommodated within the Labour Party. There could be a temptation to vote for the Greens, who certainly have a radical stance on many issues. But in Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman and Tower Hamlets First present an alternative that combines traditional Labour values, a green sensibility for the environment and a liberal tradition on citizens’ rights.

Next Thursday, on 22nd May, Tower Hamlets voters have a rare opportunity to send a clear signal to the national politicians who have deserted us and to the local politicians whose ambition and opportunism has had them opposing the progressive policies of Mayor Rahman. Make your voices heard: vote for Lutufr Rahman and Tower Hamlets First!

Lutfur Rahman at the launch of the Tower Hamlets First manifesto.

Women say: #BringBackOurGirls Jemima Haq looks outside Tower Hamlets for a moment. Where do the parties stand on key world and equalities issues?

As the world watches, and the #BringBackOurGirls campaign robustly continues, how effective are social media campaigns driven by women? We have a tendency to follow others’ causes, worries, tensions, and protests – female rights movements, the oppressed, tied and restrained. However, when the BringBackOurGirls hashtag went viral, women across the world condemned the actions of Boko Haram and the kidnapping of more than 200 Chibok school girls taken in April.

Four weeks later, the hashtag is destined to remain as there are no signs of a safe return for the young girls abducted. A mere few escaped by luck and because they were brave enough to try while also being prepared to be shot. From the western world to the developing world, women in mass constructed selfies wrote on post it notes and signs collectively – leaders, activists, actors, and campaigners all drawing attention to the cause.

The Government of Nigeria was badly shaken, but I do wonder how true are these women to the cause and the release of these young girls. In anticipation, we dream of them being released – and in that case we could say how we women made a change to their lives, their aspirations and their freedom from the tyrants who separated them from their families. The selfies continue as women take more pictures, participate and move on to their daily lives. In seconds the images are widely spread, securing a part in the protest and condemnation: but what happens next? Do they become a memory? Morally, speaking out on behalf of these girls is taking accountability and responsibility, however small. The

message is being heard, our Government is taking action and listening to the women who take the effort to do so, to keep the cause alive and true.

The Nigerian minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala hailed Africa’s World Economic Forum a success for the abducted school girls: how wrong was she? We have learned that the British Government and David Cameron have offered spy planes to the Nigerian Government to assist in the capture of those who criminally, brutally attacked these young girls. Female members of Parliament came together, reminding us that the Government is not silent and understands the issues.

The global summit on sexual violence in conflict is due to be

held in London in June, bringing together the Foreign Secretaries of 148 countries, including Nigeria. As the social media campaign grows, I pray for their safe return, each of the 200 – and all the others who have not had the press exposure of their forced disappearance. When sexual violence is committed, on an individual level or as part of the acts of war, women are so affected: to make a difference, women must stand united and use social media, vocal activism and grass roots movements.

Can our candidates in this election understand that sometimes we look beyond Tower Hamlets and we still see an issue that affects us all?

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16May 2014

NEWS

POLICE APPEALS FOR HELP Police news in brief Christian St The man pictured is wanted for questioning by police in connection with theft of mail from communal mailboxes at flats at Christian Street, London, E1 on 1st February 2014.

Anyone who can identify this man should contact Detective Constable Scott Pounder of Tower Hamlets CID on 020-7275 4795 or call Crimestoppers anonymously quoting reference number 4203820/14.

Longbridge Road Police are keen to know the identity of the man pictured who is wanted for questioning in connection with an incident of residential burglary in the Longbridge Road area at 10:15hrs on 24th April. The suspect in this case appears to have let himself into the property using a set of keys.

Anyone who can name this person should contact Barking and Dagenham Police Video Identification Unit by dialling 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 and quoting reference number 147384. Assisting with information can help to eliminate someone from police enquiries or could remove a criminal from your area. All information is treated in strictest confidence.

Aylwin Police are keen to know the whereabouts of Mark Aylwin, aged 27yrs (d.o.b. 15/11/14), last known address Clifton Road, E15 who is wanted for failing to appear on bail for a drugs offence.

Anyone who has information concerning the whereabouts of this man should contact Detective Constable Hartshorn of Barking and Dagenham CID by dialing 101. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting reference number 5105914/13.

Flowers Police are keen to know the whereabouts of 40-yearold Peter Brian Flowers (d.o.b. 16/02/1974), last known address Stevens Road, Dagenham. Flowers is wanted by police in relation to thefts from motor vehicles at Stansgate Road and Kemp Road on 19th March and non payment of fines. Anyone who can assist police in locating this man should contact Barking and Dagenham Wanted Offender Unit on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference number 5104574/14.

Dowding/Scott Barking and Dagenham Police are keen to know the whereabouts of 40-year-old Ian Dowding (d.o.b. 05/03/74), address unknown, who is wanted by police in connection with six non-residential burglaries. Dowding also uses the alias of Ian Scott. Anyone who has information concerning his whereabouts should contact Detective Constable Sean Spencer of Barking and Dagenham CID by dialing 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 and quote reference 5106611/14.

lThe Crimestoppers guarantee of anonymity has never been broken and callers are not even asked for their name.

Murder of Neill Buchel On 7th May, officers investigating the murder of Neill Buchel charged a man with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Bradley Andison, 46 (15/9/67), of Villa Road, Rochester, Kent appeared in custody at Barkingside Magistrates' Court the following day.

Detectives had previously charged three men with the murder of Neill Buchel and with perverting the course of justice. Those charged were: Chas Quye - 35 (03.05.78) of Stansgate Road, Dagenham; Scott Hunt - 41 (23.02.73) of Braintree Road, Dagenham; Elvis Kwiatkowski - 35 (07.09.78) of Clopton Close, Royston.

All three appeared at Redbridge Magistrates' Court on Saturday, 3rd May. Colin Bushaway, 60, of Gregory Crescent, SE9, was charged on 1st May with perverting the course of justice and was bailed to appear at Redbridge Magistrates' Court on 20th May. A13 rescue At 13:30hrs on Thursday, 1st May police received reports of a man walking along the A13 carriageway among the traffic. He was seen running between vehicles and sitting

down on the highway.

PC Jack Lyons and PC Steve Hancock arrived at the scene and very quickly located the man. When he ran across the carriageway into the path of a fast moving lorry the officers acted swiftly, taking hold of him and bringing him safely back onto the pavement/verge narrowly avoiding contact with the lorry. The man has since been medically assessed and sectioned under the Mental Health Act. Superintendent Mike Hamer of Barking and Dagenham Police said: “The actions of these two officers most certainly saved this man from serious harm. The officers have acted in the finest traditions of the MPS and their brave and selfless actions will be formally recognised in due course. I am very proud of them both.”

Community Fun Shoreditch Neighbourhood Policing Team has organised a Community Fun Day at London Fields (Broadway Market end), to be held on Saturday, 10th May from noon to 4pm. In addition to the fun stuff, there will be a variety of crime prevention material and officers will be on hand to discuss any issues that residents would like to raise. Police, borough partners and the Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh will be attending.

Police make arrests during dawn drugs raid Three people have been arrested during a dawn drugs raid by a team of Tower Hamlets Councilfunded police officers. On 3rd May at 3am, officers from the Partnership Task Force raided a house on Tiber Close, Bow (E3).

Upon entry officers found and seized a plastic bag containing a large number of clear parcels of herbal cannabis and a black plastic bag containing cannabis stems and leaves; one herbal cannabis joint and a bag of herbal cannabis; and two large bags of frozen herbal cannabis.

A further 23 bags of herbal cannabis and £120 in cash were recovered along with three wraps of white powder. In a first floor room there was a hydroponic tent containing the remnants of a

cannabis plant, and fertiliser, lights and an extractor fan.

Three occupants were arrested. All three were interviewed and denied cultivating or supplying drugs, and have been bailed. Andy Bamber, Head of Safer Communities at the council, said: “This raid is the latest in a string of anti-drugs activity by the Partnership Task Force. It shows that the council is serious about working in partnership with the police to tackle the scourge of drug dealing in Tower Hamlets.”

The Partnership Task Force is a council initiative under which the council funds extra police officers, and tasks them to tackle key issues of importance to residents such as drugs, gangs and vice.

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.COM

ELECTION NEWS

07

ARE YOU READY TO VOTE?

With the day of the elections getting very close (it’s just next Thursday, 22nd May), East London residents are being urged to get ready to use their right to vote – and to be sure they complete the ballot papers correctly. There are two elections in most London boroughs: elections to the European Parliament and elections of all councillors in each borough. However, those East London boroughs which have a directly election Mayor (Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets) will be electing their new mayors too.

Tower Hamlets has the most complicated elections of all, because the borough has had an exceptional ward boundary reorganisation. This means that many people will be voting in new wards with new names (even though they personally have not moved home!) and at new polling stations. Tower Hamlets voters are used to having three votes, as all wards have had three councillors for some time. However, the re-organisation has brought in one and two member wards too, so voters will have to be very careful to cast the right number of votes if they do not want their votes to be disqualified.

Here’s some useful tips for voting in Tower Hamlets, released by Tower Hamlets Council. Other boroughs may have slightly different procedures: ring your Town Hall if you have any questions.

The Mayoral Election For the Mayor of Tower Hamlets election – only the second time voters have been able to elect a Mayor in Tower Hamlets – there are ten candidates. The winner will be elected for a four year term.

The voting process is simple. Each voter will be given a peachcoloured ballot paper listing all the candidates and they will have up to two votes. You can vote once for your first choice candidate by marking a cross beside their name in column 1 and vote once for your second choice candidate by marking a cross beside their name in column 2. You do not have to vote for a second choice candidate, but you must cast a first choice vote for your ballot paper to be counted.

Once all votes have been cast and the poll closes at 10pm, the next stage is the count which takes place on Friday, 23rd May. If a

Candidates say no to expansion of City Airport All candidates at a packed election hustings meeting held on Monday in the Royal Docks area of Newham expressed opposition to any further expansion of London City Airport. The meeting, organized by HACAN East (the body which represents residents under the airport’s flight paths), was addressed by representatives of the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Christian Peoples Alliance, the Trade Union and Socialist Party and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) and the Green Party. UKIP sent its apologies. Only Newham Labour refused to attend. It was represented by an empty chair.

In one of the very few hustings meetings being held in Newham, a wide range of topics were raised by both the speakers and the audience. John Stewart from HACAN East, who chaired the meeting, said, “It was lively, informed debate. It is just a pity it was boycotted by Labour.”

HACAN East has written to the Labour Party asking it to back up with hard evidence their allegation made to the media that HACAN East has “deliberately misrepresented the views of the Council and those elected to it”. It has yet to get a reply.

Speaking at the meeting were: Lois Austin (TUSC), Caroline Allen (Green) and Stefen Mrozinski (Conservative), Alex Ocan Latim of the Christian Peoples Alliance and Jonathan Fryer of the Liberal Democrats. The empty chair made no comment.

Mayoral candidate receives more than half the first choice votes, they are declared the next executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets.

However, if no candidate receives more than half of the first choice votes polled, the top two candidates with the most votes go through to the second stage and all other candidates drop out.

If there is a second stage, the second choice votes on the ballot papers of the candidates who have dropped out of the contest are then counted and any votes cast for the top two candidates are added to their first choice votes. The candidate with the most first and second choice votes is then elected as Mayor of Tower Hamlets.

European Parliamentary Election For the European Parliamentary election (London Region), each voter will get a white ballot paper and vote only once by putting a cross in the box next to the party of their choice. The election is for eight members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who will represent London for the next five years. The party votes from Tower Hamlets will be counted and the result declared at 10pm on Sunday, 25th May. Local Council Elections For the Tower Hamlets Council elections, each voter will get a yellow-coloured ballot paper and will vote for the number of candidates shown at the top of the ballot paper. The number of candidates you can vote for in your ward will depend on how many council seats are up for election in that ward. Following boundary changes, there are now different numbers of councillors (one, two or three) to be elected in different wards. The count and declarations of

all new ward councillors will take place on Friday, 23 May. If you have any questions regarding any aspect of the elections, please call Electoral Services on 020-7364 0872 or you can email: vote@towerhamlets.gov.uk. You can also find information online about the election by visiting: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/vote.

In order to vote, you need to be registered. All eligible voters should have already received their poll cards.

Your usual polling station may have changed this time because of the ward boundary changes for this election (45 councillors will be elected to represent 20 wards). The address and map of your allocated polling station will be shown on the poll card. You can check where your polling station is located by using the online polling station finder (go to: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/vote) or call the Electoral Services helpline on 020 7364 0872.

If you didn’t receive a poll card or have lost it, don’t worry – you can still vote if you are registered to do so. Polling stations around the borough will open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, 22 May. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer at the Town Hall, 7th Floor, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG by 5pm on Wednesday, 14 May 2014.

If you have applied to vote by post, your postal vote pack will be sent to you shortly. Completed postal votes must be received by the Returning Officer by 10pm on Thursday, 22nd May. If you have already applied for a postal vote, you cannot vote in person at a polling station. However, you may hand in your completed postal pack at any polling station on 22nd May.

Postal votes arrive at security stage Postal votes started to come into Tower Hamlets Town Hall this week as voting gets underway for the elections taking place on Thursday, 22nd May. Stringent security checks are being carried out, with every postal voting statement scanned to ensure that the signature and date of birth match the signature and date of birth on the original application form in council records.

All postal votes – whether they are posted in advance to the Town Hall or brought to a polling station on election day on 22nd May – will be treated in the same way and be thoroughly checked by council staff. If any of the personal identifiers do not match then the vote is rejected.

There have been just under 30,000 postal votes issued for these elections. The postal votes opening sessions started on Monday, 12th May, and on Tuesday 13th alone 3,500 postal votes were received.

The process of checking will continue right up until election night, but counting of votes will not take place until Friday, 23rd May. John Williams, Returning Officer for Tower Hamlets, said: “We want to encourage people to use their democratic right to vote. Postal votes are a legitimate way of ensuring those who cannot get to polling stations can have their voice and choice heard. But we are also determined to tackle fraud robustly, which is why we have been working closely with the police and the Electoral Commission to maintain the integrity of the elections.”

Mr Williams also urged voters to take great care when filling in their forms. He pointed out that some people will write in the date they posted their postal vote in the box where they should be writing their date of birth. Voters also need to pay attention to how they record their date of birth, making sure they put the date where they are asked for the date, and the month where they are asked for the month. If they get these the wrong way round, their vote will be invalid. Because a surprisingly high number of voters get these simple points wrong, the number of votes declared “spoiled” when the result is issued may be quite high, but it doesn’t mean that there is largescale attempted fraud.

The elections in Tower Hamlets will be the most complex to date but will have the strongest system to prevent fraud in London – and one of the most robust in the country. A Local Protocol to establish trust in the system was launched by Tower Hamlets in partnership with the main stakeholders involved in the election, including the local and metropolitan police.

The Local Protocol makes clear that the Metropolitan Police, local police and Tower Hamlets Council take electoral fraud extremely seriously and will investigate all allegations of irregularities robustly, promptly and fully.

Among the tough safeguards being taken to ensure everyone can

Council staff supervise the scanning of postal vote verification slips, 13th May. be confident of free and fair elections are: lPolice will be based at some polling stations on election day and a mobile police team will respond as necessary. lPolice will prevent large groups of supporters congregating around polling stations and obstructing voters. There will be a limit on numbers of activists who can gather outside. lA direct dedicated email address for agents and candidates to report concerns. lAllegations made to the Returning Officer will be investigated fully and responded to within 24 hours. If the Returning Officer passes an allegation to the police, they will respond within 48 hours. lExtra training has been given to polling officers around challenging voters they may have suspicions about. lAt the beginning of March letters were sent to every property in the borough confirming who we currently have registered at the property. lAll late registration and absent vote applications will be verified against other council records. lElection officers have increased the number of visits they make to check properties. lParty campaigners will be discouraged from handling postal votes and asked not to assist with the completion of ballot papers.

08

EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

LOCAL NEWS

SNAKES KILL SMALL DOG MET COMMUNITY POLICE WIN IN THE HACKNEY AREA OVER COMMUNITY WITH GIFTS

We have come to a time in our nation's capital when swarms of pests – such as rats – and wild animals – such as red foxes – are infesting the streets and becoming regulars in the neighbourhood. Although none have been a direct threat, there was speculation last year when a number of people reported foxes breaking into houses and threatening the safety of small children and babies.

Now there is a new predator about that is sparking a cause for concern. The danger extends across parts of Camden and Hackney, which are inhabited by over 30 Aesculapian snakes. This non-native snake has been spotted killing small animals like dogs and cats by squeezing them to death. This has become a growing concern, as the snake has been put on the list of invasive species.

Aesculapian snakes are listed in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – meaning it is illegal to allow the species to spread or escape into the wild – and the Government advisory quango, the London Invasive Species Initiative (LISI), has labelled them a “non-native species of high concern”. There is an even greater concern and fear of them spreading into greater Islington and Hackney.

Aescupilians can also kill rats and birds by constricting them, which is why they usually make their homes along river beds or streams.

Regents Canal offers the perfect home. The concern is that these Central European native snakes, introduced to a foreign eco system with

no natural predators, can spread and displace indigenous species, just like the American Grey squirrel wiped out the British red squirrel population. They have been reported to be found "up trees on rooftops and climbing drains in North London".

They do not pose a threat to people as they are a non-venomous and docile species, and “nor does the snake have a visible impact on our eco systems at the moment," says LISI manager, Karen Harper. Others disagree as Ian Shacklock, co-ordinator of Friends of Regents Canal, who says that without having full facts we cannot interfere, especially as, "the snakes could be a good thing for the canal, if they are gobbling up rats".

It looks like it’s all generosity in Hackney this week, as a police fun day in London Fields has created quite the stir among the community. The day was centred on fun family activities such as stroking police horses – after transport police were “security tagging” bikes to discourage cycle theft. Deputy Mayor for Policing Stephen Greenhalgh turned up to hand out prizes to the winners of a school competition to design a crime prevention poster, which will be displayed at local estates.

A raffle, providing an iPad and Play Station 4 game console to be won, saw Greenhalgh picking the winning tickets. It looks like the London Metropolitan Police are trying something a little different in a bid to gain awareness of their work. It was heart warming to hear that a little girl who had brought a ticket for £2 was hugely greatful for the Ipad she had won – thanking the Pubwatch and Air Locations for donating £1,225 towards the prizes, and Argos for discounting them. She was described as "anxious" then "ecstatic" when winning the prize by Insp Ian Simpkins, who was “moved” by the whole ideal.

It still falls to us to question why so much money and time is being focused on spreading "awareness" of community police work, rather than pumping money and time into the work itself. While actions speak for themselves, in this instance it might be advisable to hold back on small gains, rather than becoming too supportive when the Met decides to pump

LUCKY LOCALS PICKED TO CARRY COMMONWEALTH BATON THROUGH OLYMPIC PARK The Commonwealth Games baton is on the move as its recent development fell into the hands of 19 year old Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley, who brought the torch back on to British Soil this Sunday. He jokes he was nervous about dropping it, but the support in Glasgow had been immense. Daley added, “Glasgow 2014 is a huge focus for me and feeling the enthusiasm and support of the crowds and the commitment of the young athletes I had the opportunity to meet today makes the Commonwealth Games feel very real.”

Chris Jenkins, European regional vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: “The journey of the baton is an amazing testimony to the shared values of the Commonwealth family.”

The torch is set to be carried by a dozen others, including 16year-old Young Mayor of Newham Jonathan Bennett and Bow athletics coach Chris Zah, with the remaining ten hailing from Hackney, Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich, Waltham Forest, Lambeth and Southwark.

The baton has been all over the world, passing between 70 Commonwealth countries. Inside is a special message from the Queen, which will be read out to the world when the Games begin in Glasgow on 23rd July. When the baton comes to the capital on the weekend of 7th and 8th June, on its way to host nation Scotland, is said to be when the “festival of sport” begins.

sponsors and money into futile single causes when it could be used to do a great deal of good for the welfare of our present communities (Kantian Utilitarianism is referred to in this context!). Although slightly heart wrenching, it seems unworthy and a little unjustified merely to win over the smile of a young girl impressed by anything she can call an Apple product to show her friends. We don't need convincing whether the Met has a heart, or that bribing communities via heroic feats of generosity is one of the things they can provide. We need encouragement that petty crime is kept at bay, and safety is of utmost priority and imperatively needs a solution in our communities.

Thieves target Dagenham shop destroyed by fire

Having a Jolie good time Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is set to join Excel’s Global Summit for an important call discussing sexual violence, alongside Foreign Secretary William Hague, at Custom House this June. Jolie firmly spoke out about Boko Haramat at the London premier of her latest movie Maleficient. She said, "these men thought they can get away with this, that they could abuse them in such a way, rape them, take them as property, because so many people have gotten away with this in the past because of this culture of impunity."

Jolie is not the first high profile celeb to speak out or show solidarity with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign: Michelle Obama, among others, posted pictures with the campaign’s slogan written on a placard. Boko Haram has admitted to taking 276 girls from a boarding school in northern Nigeria on 14th April. Some girls have been reported to have been trafficked to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon, and the Boko Haramat leader has also threatened to sell them "on the market.

Jolie praised Bosnia's decision to include rape prevention in military training. Jolie, who is an envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees was recently seen at a conference on sexual violence in conflict in Sarajevo with William Hague. She was adamant in conveying the message that at the interest of the international community, this has to stop.

The East London summit will take place from 10th-13th June.

Representatives from governments indorsing the UN declaration of commitments to end Sexual Violence in Conflict will be invited, as it is deemed to be the biggest global meeting ever convened on this issue.

Brazen thieves risked their lives to loot from the wreckage of CNM Domestic Appliances discount store, in Green Lane. The Dagenham shop that went ablaze was said to be devastated by the Saturday fire. Cliff Mott, its owner of 25 years, highlighted how the blaze gutted the single-storey workshop at the rear of Cliff’s store, as well as damaging the majority of stock inside the shop.

Eighty-one fire fighters in 12 fire engines battled the flames.

Although no one was injured as six people from nearby flats were escorted from the site as a precaution, yet the thieves shockingly risked their own lives in order to steal from the wreckage.

Shop manager Kevin Fleming said he wasn’t surprised thieves had targeted the store but added the culprits were “stupid” as several walls are at risk of collapse. Fleming boarded up the premises to prevent further thefts and went on to say that we have to wait for the insurance people to come down and see it" before decisions about the site’s future could be taken.

“We had deliveries out the back and lots of stock out there and we’ve had to let a lot of people down because we can’t trade from anywhere else.”

Gary Schofield, 36, of Langdale Close, saw the fire through the blinds in his five-year-old son’s room. “The fire was huge and you could actually feel the heat coming through the windows, but the fire brigade arrived soon after,” he said. “There was so much smoke and I was quite worried because I suffer from asthma.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

LOCAL NEWS

09

CALLING ALL GREEN FINGERED GARDENERS!

News from WEN

WEN members have just enjoyed a well attended Spring Gathering. The weather dampened brollies but not spirits, and women gardeners had a good day out enthusing about gardening and making new floral friends (see picture).

Medicinal plants project ‘Phytology’ events this weekend: 17th-18th May This weekend a series of talks, walks and events will take place on the theme of “Seeding the City”, in the Bethnal Green Nature reserve. On Saturday there’s talks, tours of the medicinal plant site, a fireside concert in the evening and Sunday sees more wonderful opportunities to hear about great projects which are greening the city, including from the Teesdale & Hollybush Residents Association. For a full break down of events and to buy tickets, go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/seeding-the-city-talks-walksand-sustenance-17-18-may-tickets11073401843?utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_mediu m=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventurl_tex t Capital Growth Spring Networking Event: Adding value to your project Wednesday 4th June 2014 from 6pm to 8.30pm at The Proud Archivist, 2-10 Hertford Rd, London N1 5SH (nearest station Haggerston) The Capital Growth Spring networking event is coming up and this time will include workshops and presentations to inspire projects to raise money as well as increase their profile. It will also be an opportunity to meet people growing food in all kinds of spaces in London and chat over food and drink at the beautiful Proud Archivist next to the canal in Haggerston.

The audience will hear from experts in crowdfunding; social media guru Chris Young, from The Jellied Eel magazine and cafe garden grower - Ida Fabrizio. There will also be news on plans for this year's Urban Food Fortnight – which will hopefully will be bigger, better and tastier than ever!

Booking is essential - book through eventbrite here http://dmtrk.net/8UC-2FXFQ-3L1JXH-12BKX3-1/c.aspx or visit the website for more information: www.capitalgrowth.org/events/networkingevents Seeking spare vegetable and herb plants!

A new exciting urban food growing project called Small Space Grow More has just started in Stepney. The project has recruited about 20 individual volunteer food growers, mostly from the local Tower Hamlets communities, who will be growing, cooking and eating together over the next eight months. Do you have any extra and spare plants that you don't need such as Broccoli, Tomato, Cauliflower, Runner bean, Chili, French bean, etc? If you do, then let Muhammad know at ahmedullah@stepney.org.uk. lContact wen at: info@wen.org.uk, 020-7481 9004, www.wen.org.uk

All keen gardeners have the chance to show off their horticultural skills by entering the 2014 Tower Hamlets in Bloom competition. From balconies, community gardens and allotments to patios, businesses and schools… the competition is open to anyone who makes the most of open spaces.

Organised by Tower Hamlets Council, the competition is part of a nationwide scheme to encourage people to become interested in plants, wildlife and the environment.

The Tower Hamlets in Bloom competition has been running since 1971 and is not just for experienced gardeners but for schools, community organisations and novice gardeners alike.

The Council hopes the competition will inspire residents to make the most of green spaces and to turn even the smallest garden into an idyllic haven.

Last year the competition received great interest with more than 100 entries submitted. The winners were invited to an awards ceremony at the Ecology Pavilion in Mile End Park to toast their success. Winners in previous years have also put on a great show: a selection of previous entries can be seen in these pictures.

Entries can be accepted for the following categories. lBest allotment (traditional growing site) lBest community growing site (community led growing site) lBest patio / container garden (paved recreational area enhanced with containers) lBest communal residential garden (a garden maintained by residents of the site) lBest community garden (community led open space) lBest education establishment (schools, youth projects) lBest children garden (space maintained by children only) lBest wildlife friendly garden (offers great biodiversity quality) lBest public house, restaurant, cafés, and other business premises lBest front garden (visible for passing members of the public) lSpecial award for best newcomer (judged across all categories) The closing date to enter is Sunday, 8th June. The competition will be judged throughout late June and early July. All entries must be visible or accessible to the passing public, except for the allotment, wildlife-friendly garden and the educational establishment categories. lFor an application form call Keith Woodard on 020-7364 7459 or email keith.woodard@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Flower photography starts here Wildlife photographer Paul Debois (pictured) will be conducting a “photography walk and talk” around Weavers Fields at 4pm on 24th May. This is a public walk, and the public is invited to join the walk and, if you bring your own cameras, to have a go at flower photography and learn from Paul. Paul is the “bees’ knees” of wildlife photographers, having won several awards and regularly acting as a judge in national and international competitions. See right for “Achilea milefolium, Gunnersbury Park” by Paul.

There will be a wide range of plantlife to photograph, as the walk route even includes a woodland section. Walkers will also be looking at the collaborative project “Where the Wild Things Grow” at Oxford House, which is part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival 2014 at Oxford House. lTickets for the walk are £5 + booking fee on: www.wegottickets.com/event/270263.

Proceeds to go Oxford House. lFor more information about Paul Debois, go to www.pauldebois.com.

10

EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

LOCAL NEWS

ISLAMOPHOBIC CRIME SOARS UNDER OPPOSITION PARTIES’ RELENTLESS LUTFUR-BASHING

Metropolitan Police Service crime figures up to the end of March 2014 show that incidents classed as “Islamophobic crime” have nearly tripled, from 17 to 50 individual incidents. The increase coincides with the period of time in which Labour and Tory politicians have been deriding Mayor Lutfur Rahman in the Town Hall and in their press releases. ELN has often warned that using Britain’s first Muslim Mayor as a hate figure (as opposed to debating policy differences) gives the green light to people who are predisposed to be anti-Muslim to take their own hate to the next level.

The rise in Islamophobic crime accounts for much of the overall increase in the “racist and religious hate crime” category: anti-Semitic crime is static over the same period (at five incidents). In comparison, homophobic crime has risen from 57 to 68 incidents: an increase of just under 20%.

Since Mayor Rahman’s Administration began encouraging women to report domestic violence and put support in place to help them do so, reported domestic violence has risen from 1,994 to 2,275. The figures appear to give a bad impression, but with this particular crime the Administration was hoping for an increase in figures to show that their supportive policies were working.

Almost all kinds of robbery and burglary were down over the 12 month period.

Unusually, the local Labour Party has not accused Mayor Lutfur Rahman of being personally responsible for the increases in those categories of crime which have actually increased.

However, rest assured that Labour figures are blaming the Mayor for being part of the problem.

Labour’s John Biggs has focused on the fact that overall crime in other boroughs has fallen by more than it has in Tower Hamlets (an assertion denied by Tower Hamlets First). Without stopping to suggest that he has considered any other possible causes of the increase in some crime categories, Biggs says that Mayor Rahman may not have been spending enough time on fighting crime: “we have to ask whether he has been putting his time into the job.”

OK, John: if we have to ask, we have to ask. We did ask. We managed to catch Mayor Rahman on the campaign trail just long enough to say “Lutfur: have you thought about spending more time walking round the Borough with a note book going ‘allo, allo, allo; what’s all this then? you’re banged to rights – get owt of my pub!” “No,” said Lutfur, “have you lost your marbles?” “If we had, we’d come to you for help in finding them,” we said.

On the other hand, Labour’s Biggs has admitted that if he were to be elected, he would be a part-time Mayor – because he intends to hang on to his role in the Greater London Authority. So goodness knows how much time Biggs would be able to devote to crime fighting in Tower Hamlets.

However, the strangest comment in their press release comes from Labour’s novice councillor John Pierce, who gives Mayor Rahman a right telling off, saying “I hope he will be man enough to take his share of the responsibility as well.” Labour voters will presumably be somewhat concerned about this new turn by their Party, which usually claims to back equality issues. Why the Party considers it a “manly” quality to take responsibility for ones actions is unclear. Labour has not criticised Mayor Rahman for being unduly feminine before: perhaps this is a new tack we shall see more of.

Let’s leave the last word (or words) to Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer, Borough Commander for Tower Hamlets (whose full-time job is combating crime in Tower Hamlets).

“The end of year figures show a decrease in crime in Tower Hamlets in several areas with total recorded crime falling by 7.5 % this year. This means 2,018 fewer crimes which also mean 2,018 fewer victims. Burglaries are down with over 7% fewer crimes than the previous year and this is a notable success when the borough last year was experiencing an increase in this type of offending. This decrease has been made through identifying repeat offenders and working tirelessly to bring them to justice as well as targeting second hand retailers where stolen items are being disposed of.

“Neighbourhood Policing Teams have supported the drive to

DISPERSAL ZONE COMES TO BARKING Barking and Dagenham Police and Council have introduced a Dispersal Zone in Barking after residents and businesses complained of nuisance behaviour relating to prostitution. The community has complained of being accosted by groups of prostitutes offering their services and of them engaging in sexual activity in the street. These practices go on throughout the night and early hours of the morning.

Under the new order officers and PCSOs will be able to disperse groups of two or more individuals causing anti social behaviour (ASB) within the dispersal zone and they are not to return for a period of 24 hours. If they return and continue to cause problems, they can be arrested. The order commenced at 00:01hrs on 1st May 2014 and will run until 23:59hrs on 31st October 2014.

Police and PCSOs will regularly police the dispersal areas throughout the period of the dispersal notice.

Anyone found guilty of contravening a direction under a dispersal order can face up to three months imprisonment or a fine of up to £2,500. Leaflets are being distributed to residents and local businesses in the area and a map of the dispersal zone will be displayed in the area to encourage victims and witnesses to report anti-social behaviour.

Sergeant Richard Morgan said: We have received numerous complaints relating to this form of ASB. It is our aim, that every resident, business or visitor to Barking and Dagenham enjoys the

Borough Commander Dave Stringer reduce burglaries by attending every venue to ensure all lines of enquiry are complete, and also to ensure all affected by this crime type are spoken to in person. Alongside burglary, personal robberies have decreased by over 15% with 190 fewer crimes than the previous year; property stolen from individuals without violence crime is also down by 15% with 278 fewer offences. Gun crime has been reduced with a number of lethal weapons being recovered throughout the year including handguns, imitation firearms and live ammunition.

“I would like to thank the people of Tower Hamlets for their assistance in achieving this reduction. By working together we can, and do reduce crime to make our borough even safer.”

“ALPHA”: NEAR TRAGEDY

Police were called to the scene of an illegal rave at Carpetright, Manor Road, E16 on Sunday, 16th February. Six people who attended this event and took drugs were taken to east London hospitals suffering from heart palpitations, confusion and paranoia. Although none of these symptoms proved fatal on this occasion, it is important to note the dangers of taking illegal substances.

This particular drug, believed to be likened to Meth Amphetamine, is known as “Alpha” but may have other street names.

Detective Constable David Pearce of the Newham Police Violent Crime Unit said: “Taking any street drug is gambling with your life. We are all aware of cases where people have lost their lives as a result of taking what they believe to be “recreational” drugs. There is no such thing as a safe recreational drug. We want everyone to enjoy their social life, but please do it safely. Don’t take risks with your health and your life.” lFor more information on drugs contact www.talktofrank.com.

Services are available at talk to frank via email, text on 82111, or callers can speak with an adviser on 0300 123 6600. This is a free service that is available 24/7.

Edmonton incident right to live and work in peace without being harassed, alarmed or distressed. We understand the misery that can be caused to local residents through prostitution and this order forms part of the partnership strategy undertaken to prevent inconvenience to the community and to provide exit strategies for those involved in prostitution. To ensure we police this order as effectively as possible, I ask the community to continue to notify us of any antisocial activity taking place in the area by dialing 101.” lIn an emergency always dial 999.

Detectives are appealing for information and witnesses after a fight in Edmonton. Officers were called at 03:00hrs on Sunday, 11th May, to reports of a fight between two groups of men in Fore Street, N18 close to the junction with the A406 North Circular Road. A 30-year-old man was taken to hospital suffering from head injuries. He remains in hospital where his condition is described as serious. Six men have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. A seventh man was arrested on suspicion of affray. Anyone with information that may assist is asked to call police on 020 8345 3311 or, to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Friday 16 May 2014= EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

LOCAL NEWS

11

EMDAD RAHMAN MBE IS TAKING PART IN THE BUPA 10,000 ON SUNDAY 25TH MAY

EMDAD RUNS FOR LONDON'S AIR AMBULANCE London's Air Ambulance, also known as London HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service), is a charity that operates an air medical service dedicated to responding to serious trauma emergencies in and around London.

Using a helicopter by day and road vehicles by night, it functions as a mobile emergency department in life-threatening, time-critical situations.

London's Air Ambulance was founded in 1989 in response to a report by the Royal College of Surgeons which documented cases of patients dying unnecessarily because of the delay in receiving prompt and appropriate medical care. The charity was the first in the UK to carry a senior doctor in addition to a paramedic at all times on a helicopter, introducing a system that reduces the death rate in severe trauma by 30–40%.

From its base at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, the helicopter can reach any patient inside the M25 London orbital road, which acts as the service's catchment area, within 15 minutes. Missions commonly involve serious road traffic collisions, falls from height,

stabbings and shootings, industrial accidents and incidents on the rail network. The team can provide advanced life-saving medical interventions, including open heart surgery, blood transfusion and anaesthesia, at the scene.

The charity operates 24 hours a day, serving the 10 million people who live, work and travel within the M25. Of up to 5,000 999 ambulance calls made every day in London, up to seven of the most critical are passed to the air ambulance.

Emdad, who has just returned from a group expedition to climb Mount Snowdon to fund cataract operations in developing countries, injured an Achilles in January. He said: “I may not be able to jog yet as I can’t stand fully on my toes, but my Snowdon team are also running for the Human Relief cause and I'll be flanked and supported by a few friends.

"Snowdon was a great experience and walking at a steady pace I made it with the sturdy support of members of the team. I’m determined to complete the BUPA 10,000 so even if I can’t run I’m determined to walk it.” lTo sponsor Emdad, please visit www.justgiving.com/numero7

NEW TEST FACILITY: WHAT’S THE POINT? There was a time when if you were ill your GP would send you to hospital for tests or treatment. If you were very ill very suddenly, you might go straight to hospital, where you would have your tests and treatment as necessary. Apparently times have changed.

Private company InHealth has opened a Diagnostic Centre in Stratford. The Centre can run MRI, X-ray and ultrasound scans and can do audiology tests and monitor blood pressure. Tests can be booked by patients on a private basis or through the NHS. Why do we need this Centre? ELN is baffled.

In respect of the NHS, either it had the facilities itself before this Centre opened (in which case, why opt for the InHealth testing facilities?) or it didn’t have these facilities itself (in which case, how is it going to pay for patients to have tests in this Centre?).

If the NHS spends its money running its own facilities, it knows that every penny spent on in-house tests goes to staff time and equipment costs. If the NHS pays InHealth to do the tests it needs, then pat of every payment must, presumably, go to profits required by InHealth’s shareholders. If the NHS runs in-house facilities, its staff will have proper pay rates and conditions of work and pensions. Private healthcare staff are subject to the whims of the individual company they work for.

InHealth say that this Centre is part of a “£7.2 million Londonwide investment programme”. It is not clear whether this investment has been paid for by past charges to the NHS and private health insurers (in which case, the NHS could have kept its charges and bought its own equipment) or whether it has been paid for by bank borrowing (in which case, future NHS charges will have to pay the interest on the borrowing – so the NHS might was well have taken out the loan itself).

According to figures released by InHealth, in 2013 it invested over five times the amount of its annual profit in new equipment.

Either this is profit from previous years, or bank borrowing (in which case, all patients who use the equipment will be paying towards the bank interest on these borrowings – yet more public money going to subsidise the private banks!).

Anyway, the facility was due to be opened at the end of last week by Lyn Brown MP (West Ham) but she was ill at the last minute, so we have been denied the opportunity of hearing this local “Labour” MP explain why the NHS should shovel public money into private companies. It would be very bad taste to suggest that being ill was all the more reason why she should have come and opened the Centre: they could have given her some diagnostic tests, after all. However, Dr Paul Brickell, Executive Director of Regeneration and Community Partnerships at the London Legacy Development Corporation, stepped in and

officially opened the Centre. He was joined by InHealth CEO Richard Bradford. Dr Brickell said: “I am delighted to be opening this new diagnostic centre. As an East London resident it is fantastic to have such a high-quality facility here in Stratford and to see companies like InHealth continuing to invest in the redevelopment of the area.”

The centre is not directly part of the Olympic legacy. However, as Dr Paul Brickell was keen to point out at the opening, InHealth is part of the regeneration of that part of Stratford High Street just below the Olympic Park. InHealth later confirmed that twelve staff work at the Centre but was not able to comment on whether the company had a policy of employing local people. The company also confirmed that none of them are members of a trade union, though it did not comment on whether the company as a whole recognised a trade union and/or advised its staff which union is recognised (if any). Nor was the company prepared to reveal how much tax it paid last year (if any) or what percentage of its charges constitute profits for the company.

Twelve new jobs are always welcome, but at this rate it will take a very long time to regenerate Stratford. A great deal of public spending at the moment is being channelled into subsidising private businesses. We would get better value for money if the NHS conducted all its services itself.

RESEARCH SAVES LIVES

As part of International Clinical Trials Day, on 20th May 2014, The Royal London Hospital (RLH), part of Barts Health NHS Trust, is inviting local residents to come and discover how medical research is transforming lives and how they can get involved. Many RLH researchers and research leads are seeking patients, carers and members of the public to contribute to the hospital’s research in a number of ways. You can: lbecome a member of a steering group or committee; lcomment on or contribute to research documents (for example, information leaflets or designing questionnaires); lbecome a peer reviewer of research proposals and grant applications.

Barts Health Associate Director for Engagement and Diffusion, Neeta Patel said “Patients play a key part in clinical research but so do healthy people. Public participation is vital to help us improve future treatments and our services. That’s why we are asking members of the public to come along on the day and find out more about research that is happening at their local hospital. I hope visitors will have an enjoyable day as well as discover lots about the innovative research going on across the Trust.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the clinical research centre and find out more about the facilities that make a real difference to research undertaken by the Trust and how it benefits patients. Doctors and nurses, as well as patients, researchers and external organisations (including charities) will all be on hand on the day to answer questions about research.

As well as the tours, there will be drop-in information stalls for people to find out more about healthcare research, including clinical trials undertaken within specific disease areas such as stroke or cancer as well as children’s health research stalls. The stalls will be hosted in the hospital entrance on the Ground Floor, Stepney Way. The free tours will be held on Tuesday, 20th May 2014 at 10am, 11.30am and 2.30pm. To book a place on one of the tours email patientsinresearch@bartshealth.nhs.uk or call 020-7363 8923. Places must be booked in advance. Visitors on the day can browse stalls and take part in discussions from 9am-5pm (there is no need to book for this part of this visit). lFor full details of events being held across all sites go to http://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/research/takepart

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“Your GP cares” campaign launched The BMA has launched a major new campaign which gives patients the true picture of the threats facing general practice across the UK, drawing attention to the pressures from escalating demand and how these impact on services and patient access.

“Your GP cares” calls for long term, sustainable investment in general practice, as well as highlighting the unique strengths that general practice brings to the NHS and how it can be a key solution to managing the increasing pressure on the health service.

The campaign demands recognition from politicians and policymakers of the unprecedented strain that general practice finds itself under and the challenges that have left GPs struggling to find the time to deliver care to their patients.

Rising number of vulnerable patients The 10 million patients aged over 651 and the 15 million people living with a chronic condition in England need more than the ten minutes available to them in a standard GP appointment.

Increasing workload, but no extra funding NHS England estimates that at least 340 million patient consultations are now undertaken every year, up 40 million since 2008. This will increase even further as the Government moves more care into the community.

Appointment delays In some areas patients are not always able to get an appointment when they need one because of the volume of work now facing general practice. In 2013 an estimated 26.2 million people waited more than a week to see their GP. Worsening state of GP practices Many GP buildings are old and do not have enough rooms or space to cope with patient demand and expand services.

Plummeting GP morale As pressure mounts on general practice, six out of 10 GPs are considering retiring early, further worsening the workload crisis.

More care for patients with chronic diseases Previously delivered in hospitals, this care is increasingly being provided through GP services. This, combined with the UK Government’s desire to see more patients cared for at home or in the community, is further raising demand for services still further.

To tackle these issues, the BMA is calling for long term, sustainable investment to be targeted at the following aspects of service.

lExpand the overall number of GPs to attract, retain and expand the number of GPs and ensure patients are given the time, care and services they deserve. lExpand the numbers of other practice staff so each practice has enough nurses and other staff to meet the increasing needs of especially older and Dr Chaand Nagpaul vulnerable patients. lImprove and bring up to scratch the premises GP services are provided from and ensure local practices have the resources they need to sustain current high levels of care.

Commenting, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, Chair of the BMA’s GP committee, said: “I, and all other GPs, care immensely about our patients, and feel dismayed by the constraints impacting on services and undermining our ability to do the best for them. The environment in which we work is becoming increasingly challenging. GPs across the country tell us they are constantly fire-fighting to provide the services their patients need, leading to exhaustion and stress.

“We’re currently experiencing a workload crisis caused by rising patient demand, especially from an ageing society and those needing more complex care. The standard 10 minute appointment for these patients is simply not enough, yet increasing the time available to the 40 plus patients a GP sees each day will have yet another severe knock on effect of more delays in getting an appointment.

“This has been accompanied by a steady decline in the state of GP buildings and some practices facing closure from funding cuts. It is no surprise that we are hearing from GPs that they are struggling to recruit new doctors and that the number of those wanting to enter the profession is failing, while increasing numbers intend to retire early.

“All of this can have a detrimental effect on the services practices are able to provide, leaving patients frustrated as more and more are left waiting for appointments. It is time we addressed these issues head on, which is why our campaign aims

to bring to people’s attention the true picture in general practice, and calls for the investment needed in GPs, practice staff and premises so we can deliver the care our patients deserve.”

Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, a partner at a GP practice in South Yorkshire, has seen how the recruitment and retention crisis is affecting patient care 12 months after joining his surgery as a trainee. “A year on and two GPs have already left, Dr Krishna Kasaraneni with another two senior GPs leaving to work in Canada, putting more pressure on our ability to deliver services to patients.

It is a sad reality that many GPs are choosing to work abroad due to the increasing workload pressures in the UK; two of my friends who left three years ago ‘for a year’ are yet to return and I have no reason to believe that the ones leaving now will break that trend,” he said.

He added: “Crisis meetings about how we manage the workload/workforce imbalance are becoming more frequent, and sadly, I feel like I’m letting my patients down as their frustrations are increasing and the queue at the door is getting longer.”

Katie Bramall-Stainer, a GP partner at the Wallace House Surgery in Hertford, says it is a real privilege to care for fantastic patients in Hertfordshire, but due to increasing workloads and cuts in funding, her practice is struggling each and every day to provide services at the standard her patients deserve. "Our practice has lost critical funding due to changes by the government, meaning we’ve taken year on year pay cuts to pay the bills, whilst preserving our staff’s salaries and jobs. In six years' time, the tenancy on our Georgian building expires and we are unsure of what the future holds for our 14,000 patients as NHS reforms have created panic and confusion over GP premise funding. Despite all these issues, GPs at my practice and across the region still strive to provide the best for their patients and are working harder than ever before," she said.

“Homelessness can happen to anyone’s child” Half of the children in London have thought about running away, with more than half admitting to spending a night away from home without telling their parents – the highest figures in the UK. Action for Children surveyed eight to 16-year-olds with One Poll to find out what makes children want to leave home ahead of Byte Night London, which will see hundreds of people bed down for the night at Potters Field Park to raise vital funds for youth homelessness.

The survey of 100 children in the capital revealed that almost two thirds (60%) ran away because of arguments with family members; while more than half (57%) believed their parents didn’t want them and would be better off without them. More than two fifths (41%) said they know another child who regularly sleeps away from home because of problems within their family.

Operational director at Action for Children, Deanna Neilson,

About Action for Children Action for Children works directly with more than 300,000 children, young people, parents and carers each year. With 650 services throughout the UK we are in communities where you live and work. We help transform the lives of thousands of children and young people each year and we’ve been doing so for 145 years. lFor more information, visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk or follow us on Twitter @actnforchildren

said: “Homelessness can happen to anyone’s child. Our research shows that children as young as eight think about running away – and more than a third in London go through with it. We want to help families repair broken relationships before the idea of running away becomes the reality of a night on the streets.

“Each year, the capital’s business and technology sector spend a night exposed to the elements in aid of youth homelessness. This might not seem like much fun, but in the morning our sleepers can go home to a warm bed and full fridge. Sadly this isn’t the case for homeless young people – and that’s why we need people to support us by sleeping out on Byte Night.”

Byte Night 2013 New government figures show that in the last six months of 2013, over 1,820 young people in London were registered homeless. The funds raised at Byte Night London will support Action for Children services which tackle youth homelessness, including Bayswater Families Centre and Tower Hamlets Children's Rights Service.

The aim of these projects is to provide accommodation in a safe and stable environment, and to give young people the emotional and practical support they need to get back to education, training

or employment. The schemes also aim to give the young people the confidence and life skills to sustain their own tenancy when they move into their own place. lTo find out about taking part in Byte Night on Friday 3 October, simply email bytenight@actionforchildren.org.uk or visit bytenight.org.uk lTo donate to Action for Children’s youth homelessness services, please text BYTE14 £ and the amount to 70070.

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BBC WORLD SERVICE HOSTS OPEN DAY FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS At the end of April, the BBC welcomed community representatives for an exclusive open day held at its headquarters.

Organised by BBC World Service, the open day focused on the BBC language websites and how they benefit diaspora communities in the UK. The group of 40 met with the heads of the language services and was given a behind the scenes look into one of the largest broadcasting centres in the world.

The day began with a lively discussion with the Controller, Languages (World Service Group), Liliane Landor.

Representatives of the community were encouraged to share their views on how to improve the language websites, in order to better service their communities.

Following the in-depth, productive debate, the heads of each language service arrived for individual discussions with their respective community representatives. Sabir Mustafa, Head of BBC Bangla, Silvia Salek, Head of BBC Brasil, Xhuang Chen, Head of BBC Chinese, Josephine Hazeley, Head of BBC Somali, Murat Nisancioglu, Head of BBC Turkce, and Aamer Ahmed Khan, Head of BBC Urdu. Discussions centered on the needs of diaspora communities at a grassroots level.

The open day also included a special tour of the BBC. The group was given a behind the scenes look at the BBC’s newsrooms and studios, giving individuals a real insight into the production and preparation of popular news programmes before they go to air.

Commenting on the open day, Liliane Landor says: “I am very pleased with the success of the open day. It was a huge bonus to be able to meet with members of the various communities; they

gave us wonderful insight and feedback on our language services websites. It was a very useful exercise for the teams and for me personally to be able to spend some time with them and exchange views. I am grateful to everyone who took the time to come down and hope they had an enjoyable experience. There is a great deal we can do together.”

The BBC World Service is one of the world's largest international broadcasters with a weekly audience of 192m, broadcasting news and a wide range of documentary and current affairs programmes in 27 different languages. The services, which were initially only radio broadcasts, now, have their own dedicated websites, which have become a primary source of both

international and country specific news for immigrant communities around the world, keeping them connected and in touch with political, social and cultural developments.

BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. BBC World Service uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 192 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. The BBC attracts a weekly global audience of 256 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.

Hold your head up, and smile!

National Smile Month (19th May-19th June) will leave you beaming at giraffe. The family-friendly restaurant group giraffe is well known for serving up a mix of global fresh food that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

To help keep children’s pearly whites gleaming, they’ll be teaming up with National Smile Month to offer a series of toothfriendly fun treats the whole month long. Simply bring your little one into giraffe in Spitalfields or Westfield Stratford City during National Smile Month to brush up on tips from the British Dental Health Foundation and enjoy tooth-tastic competitions and offers.

Smiley treats include a free glass of Cravendale milk with every kids meal and a month’s free trial of the kid’s app Hopster TV, with a tooth-themed cartoons and a chance to win an iPad mini.

The iOS app is packed with safe, ad-free TV and learning games for kids aged 2-6 years.

Mini giraffe fans also have the chance to win one of 20 awardwinning Sophie la girafe teething toys in a competition run on giraffe’s website. Visit www.giraffe.net/nationalsmilemonth for wonderful food and gleaming teeth this National Smile Month!

You can find giraffe at: Spitalfields Market, London, E1 6DW, 020-3116 2000 304-305 The Loft, The Gallery, Westfield Stratford City, London E20 1ET, 0203 463 9808 For more information about giraffe, to go: www.giraffe.net twitter.com/giraffetweet www.facebook.com/girafferestaurants

Sculpturs chipping away at fish There’s several ways to look at fish – in books, in films and even on your plate – but here’s a new treatment for our watery companions. Subnature is a new exhibition, opening next week, at University College London, and it features sculptures and prints by emerging artist Lan Lan (UCL Slade School of Fine Art) who, through the manipulation of original fish bone sculptures, creates contemporary phantom creatures.

Set amongst the Museum’s historic collections of skeletons, skulls and specimens in jars, the exhibition establishes a dialogue between natural history and its contemporary interventions – intertwining a Victorian collection with 21st Century digital techniques. The fantastical works take the form of cosmic bodies and marine animals, with some installations imagining a fictional future where energy plants rely on the phantom creatures.

This exhibition marks the first public solo show by the Sculpture student Lan Lan. She has long been curious about nature and its conversation with modern technology, often making virtual sculptures and sublime environments from 2D and 3D scan imagery of materials. “The journey my works have taken has been really unexpected. In a way it’s like an accelerated

evolutionary process and placing the visuals amongst the Museum’s collections really emphasises the abstraction of the works,” said Lan. Among the 68,000 specimens held at the Grant Museum are some of the rarest extinct animal specimens in the world. The Museum contains dodo bones, the remains of a quagga (an extinct species of half-striped zebra) and a giant deer with antlers measuring over 3 metres across.

“It is so exciting to work with such a young artist who has taken the material we work with every day at the Museum – bone – and reimagined it in an entirely different, yet seemingly natural way.” said Jack Ashby, Manager of the Grant Museum.

“To marry our historic skeletons and specimens in jars with Lan Lan’s phantom creations has made me look at our collection in new ways. We have sea slugs and worms in the Museum that could easily pass for Lan’s digitally altered bone sculptures; the results of her alterations are incredible”. lSubnature runs from 21st May until 19th July 2014. The Grant Museum of Zoology is open from 1-5pm Monday to Saturday.

Admission is free and there is no need to book.

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HOW DO WE TACKLE ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN TOWER HAMLETS?

ASB is a massive area and the term means different things to different people. Just today I met a group of residents who live near Brick Lane and want the Council to put a stop to the nuisance of buskers, and then later I met a group of businesspeople who work around Brick Lane and want the Council to encourage the buskers as they add to the positive ambience of the Lane.

Much of what constitutes ASB is issues which are crimes, such as drugs and prostitution – so it is not surprising that the Council’s main partner and ally in tackling ASB is the police. The nonemergency number for the police (101) is the main number to ring to report ASB in the Borough. Some landlords have their own, additional, numbers. The 101 number is managed by the police, but information reported to that line is shared between the police and either the landlord or the Council.

The Council has a key role to play in gathering evidence. The LBTH CCTV control centre is an impressive system of 400 street cameras. It provides about 500 items of film to the police per month which lead to prosecutions or provide evidence of offences. There is no tape in the cameras and what they picture is recorded in-house. The operators are proactive and watch the cameras in priority areas. The operators generate 50 arrests per month for offences like breaches of bail and bike thefts.

Accredited THEOs can ask for names and addresses (though non-accredited THEOs cannot). THEOs respond, in uniform, to hot spots of ASB and/or public places to find out what is going on and collect evidence to help identify suspects. The Council can

Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations The Federation exists to share best practice among existing Tenants and Residents Associations (TRAs) and to reinvigorate tired TRAs and to set up new TRAs where none exist. The Federation also puts the TRAs’ point of view to local, regional and national policy-makers.

Contact the Federation: admin@th-federation.org.uk tel. 079 03 06 03 03 www.th-federation.org.uk The Federation office is in the Unite Community Centre, The Basement, St George’s Town Hall 236 Cable Street, London E1 0BL Please telephone or email for an appointment.

The Federation meets once a month at the East London Tabernacle in Burdett Road (near Mile End Tube), with speakers on a range of issues related to housing and making life better on our estates.

Each meeting also gives residents the opportunity to raise issues which have arisen on their own estates. TRA officers and activists and all residents interested in housing are welcome to attend.

Next meeting: Monday, 19th May

Trevor Kennett, Interim Head of Community Safety, spoke to the Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations about the Council’s approach to tackling AntiSocial Behaviour (ASB). He also answered questions from TRA officers and activists who were at the meeting.

deal with ASB on private property with injunctions. If there is ASB on a social landlord’s property, the Council tells the landlord and expects them to take action.

LBTH now has two dog handlers, and four dogs. They mainly work with THH and work on tower blocks and in stairwells and against drug use and dealing. Dogs appear to be very persuasive!

The dog handler team has security dogs, but also has a passive drugs dog (using that one leads to police involvement).

The Council tries to respond to things which do not need a “blue light” response but where residents say there is a problem: e.g., THEOs patrol areas around Brick Lane on Fridays and Saturdays, while the police are in the Lane itself. There are some joint patrols with the police. THEOs can respond to noise and licensing issues (not keeping to the terms of a license or not having one). LBTH tries to enforce alcohol control zones: it is not an offence to have or drink alcohol, but is an offence to abuse alcohol in public. The ASB Unit has recently begun trying to deal with aggressive street begging: this includes working with the Council’s homeless team and signposting those who need it to agencies which can help them. So the work is not just enforcement, it also involves helping people to get appropriate help, if this is what will stop their ASB. The police get lots of calls about drug dealing and using. The Council funds a “drug dealer a day” programme which requires the police to have a target of 365 drug dealer arrests per year.

Last year (2013/14), THEOs recorded 2,299 uses of their powers: that’s a lot. They referred 481 cases to the Council’s Legal Services for court action taken (usually ASBOs or injunctions). A fair number of the people who cause trouble in the borough turn out to be from elsewhere in London or even out of London.

LBTH often bans them from the borough.

THEOs issued around 1,000 fixed penalty notices last year, mostly for urinating in the street and littering, and nearly 1,000 warnings. ASB teams processed 2,000 cases of ASB. These will be the more complex cases, usually where there is no social landlord, and/or larger scale cases, e.g. premises orders, where a particular premise generates large number of complaints. The Council has the power to close a venue on the spot and they have to go to court within 48 hours to confirm their action. In one case, the Council dealt with a social venue which had refused to discuss the ASB they clearly generated. The Council closed the premises down and the court confirmed a six week closure order. This gave residents a break, but also made the venue organisers realise the Council was serious. They apologised to locals and were as good as gold when they reopened.

THEOs respond to calls about noise nuisance and the Council is talking to some social landlords about providing that service to them too.

The Unit also has temporary mobile CCTV which it can take to cover hotspots.

Questioner: I have listened to your talk and I think I must live on a different planet. The police won’t come to our TRA meetings: aif we do manage to

book them up, they always cry off on the day, saying they have been called out. We never see the police, or THEOs, out on the estate or nearby. If you ring 101, you have to ask them to give you a reference number as they won’t give you one automatically – and people say nothing happened as a result of their call. One resident gave in 23 registration numbers of cars used by youth who were hanging round: nothing happened. Later, the police turned up and had a laugh with the youth and then the police went away: this is hardly a deterrent. Youth also park in earmarked parking spaces: no one is going to try to turf them out when they find someone else parked in their space when they come home late in the evening.

Answer: I am not a police officer and I can’t speak for them. The police must speak for themselves – though if you can’t get one, I appreciate they won’t be there to speak for themselves. I appreciate dealing with the police can be frustrating. I didn’t mean to paint a picture that was too rosy, but I was outlining what the Council is trying to do. Some of this is effective and some isn’t.

I can think of one local block that had problems, and we went in for two weeks with THEOs and dogs and we did ID several petty criminals and drug dealers and were able to take action.

We do have to prioritise. The 101 service is about dots on a map which inform our priorities. You do have to report to 101, and then resources will be allocated according to the number of reports. If you report to 101, at least all the reports are recorded and then we take action , according to where the numbers justify us making a priority for action.

We have 40 THEOs, but they do shifts, so they are not all available at once. So we use them where our priorities are. They work night shifts, from 8pm to 6am. We have lots of CCTV, but we are also inundated with requests to provide ever more cameras – which we can’t always do as they are so expensive.

LBTH can’t do much with reported car registration numbers, because only the police are allowed to trace a number back to the owner. If the police attend a call about youths in cars hanging around, if they come along and find the vehicles are all taxed and insured there is little they can do as they are not witnessing a criminal act but seeing anti-social behaviour.

Questioner: Around Chrisp Street, E14, it is a regular occurrence

The police tackle ASB in Shadwell.

to see youngsters, with no helmets, riding round on quad bikes.

Nothing is done about it. They can be heard from a distance.

They went on to an estate: a parking officer was there but he refused to take details because, he said, he had no powers to deal with them. But he could have reported them to the police, and he would have been a good witness. In the wake of the quad bikes, we get youngsters also on scooters or whatever also riding irresponsibly. One day someone will get killed.

Answer: You don’t need to wear a crash helmet if you are riding a quad bike on the public highway. You have to be 17 and have a licence, an MOT and insurance. Quads can be a problem, but only the police can stop them. ASB officers can observe quad bikes and try to identify riders who are riding irresponsibly. I’ll get Chrisp Street taken up as a priority, as you have reported there are problems there. If other people find quads being driven irresponsibly and causing problems, it is best to ring 101.

Questioner: I didn’t know there was an ASB unit. I have suffered from being flooded from the flat upstairs and from things having been stolen from my flat which I blame neighbours. I complained to the Council about what was going on and the Council told me to go to the police and they did not tell me about the ASB unit.

Answer: Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) has an ASB team of their own, and they should deal with the types of complaints you have raised rather than the LBTH team. 0800 9175 918 – is a freephone number, for all THH residents (tenants and leaseholders) to use to report ASB. Questioner: We gave similar problems on our estate. We recorded registration numbers of cars coming into the estate (where they were drug dealing) and passed them to the police. The cars turned out to be hire cars which the dealers were using to hide their personal identities, but the hire company was also involved in the scam. It took a while and we had to be patient, but we got a result in the end. However, we report other problems and if they don’t add up to enough to give you hot spot status, nothing is done. If THH has an ASB reporting line, this is the first I have heard of it.

Answer: THH is tasked with trying to sort out ASB on the estate it manages. Keep reporting problems to 101 and if you don’t get an instant, precise response the police are still looking at your reports on their system and taking as much action as they can.

Across London drug dealers are using hire cars to mask their personal identities, but police and discussing with hire companies about how this can be tackled.

The THH ASB reporting line, 0800 9175918, is staffed 24 hours. It is a service for THH residents only, but it is answered by the LBTH ASB Unit.

Questioner: THH has given us, Lincoln TRA, control of a notice board in a hidden corner. We wanted to put up info about ASB and found there are 9 different numbers to call for various issues!

Answer: We also realised there were too many numbers. We have simplified it. We now promote 101 as the easiest number to remember and to ring for ASB issues. The old numbers, if you find them on old literature, will still work: but in practice they have been routed to the 101 call centre anyway. It helps to have all the calls answered in one place because they are answered by our own operators which helps our quality control. Our operators can liaise direct with the THEO teams.

There is still a separate number for noise reports, but in practice it is possible to raise this on 101 too. The SNTs have their own numbers: mobile numbers or what appear to be landline numbers which are diverted through to their mobiles – but these are only answered when the SNT is on duty (not 24/7). The social landlords may have their own numbers which they promote to their own residents (but if you call 101 your report will be shared with your landlord).

Parking is not classed as an ASB issue, so though you may have problems which feel like ASB you have to take parking issues up with LBTH Parking (street parking) or your landlord (estate parking).

If you dial 101, your call goes through to the police call centre at Bow, it is recorded on the police system, you are automatically given a reference number – and the call goes on a system which shares the substance with the LBTH Unit and with your landlord (if applicable).

Of course, if it is a real emergency, if you are witnessing a

Trevor Kennett (platform, left) with Federation Chair Phil Sedler. crime in progress, or if you feel that you are in danger you should phone the emergency number 999.

Questioner: The police are paid out of a precept paid by Council Tax payers. Housing Choice saw some estates transfer to social landlords and the balance are now managed by THH. THH charges leaseholders for ASB. Is this duplication, double-charging?

Answer: The charges are for different things. The precept paid

by Council Tax payers is a contribution to all the running costs of the Met Police, for all they do. Any charge for ASB on your leaseholder service charges are for work your landlord does in dealing with ASB on your estate.

Questioner: Trevor has not mentioned customer care, or whether LBTH is working to improve this – but customer care is really important. Those reporting ASB problems may be agitated to the point of incoherence: it is important ASB staff take the time to help those reporters articulate their problem and don’t judge the reporters to be timewasters or a problem (some Council officers treat residents this way). All complainants need to be kept up to date with what has happened as a result of their complaint. Also, in terms of reports adding up and informing prioritisation, do agencies share information to the point that, say, a name of someone causing problems in different areas can be picked up? Is the ASB Unit involved in anti-domestic violence work?

Answer: The Council has a diverse workforce (which our previous contractor did not), so that helps us deal with a diverse community of ASB reporters. Our officers are expected to help residents who are making reports. Centralising our service has helped us share information with partner agencies. Domestic violence is not our bag as such, but we work alongside the police when they deal with domestic violence and hate crimes, so we are peripherally (but still importantly) involved. We do need to improve our customer service. I see reports from THEOs and the control rooms, and I can see from them that we have not got back to residents to inform them of outcomes. Our control room people are beginning to report back to complainants and THEOs are being sent out with leaflets to tell blocks or streets (rather than individual complainants) what has been done locally. We need to improve on this.

Questioner: The police have advised us to record and report car registration numbers. Is there any action the police can take on them? People can also report to Crimestoppers. If people do not have an estate parking permit or visitor’s permit, they have no

business on the estate and it should be possible to move them on.

How do we get hold of posters advertising the 101 service?

Answer: If a car is taxed and ensured, the police can’t really move them on if they are on the public road. An estate, with its own parking scheme, is probably different. Community intelligence is key to many police operations, and residents should still feed problem registration numbers in to the police: the numbers will be recorded and action will be taken if a pattern of problems emerges.

The Met Police website has downloadable posters, in different languages and sizes, about 101.

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FIELD DAY IS ABOUT TO ERUPT VICTORIA PARK

THE “GLASTONBURY OF TOWER HAMLETS” Field Day festival, founded by Tom Baker (Eat Your Own Ears) and Marcus Weedon, has been expanding every year since 2007 – and has been unstoppable every since, with its eighth annual event fast approaching.

Each year, Field Day, in East London's Victoria Park, is the place to be. Ticket allocation has sold out each year, and it isn't hard to understand why The Guardian brands it "Hackney's annual hive of hipsters and, priding itself on the most cuttingedge line-up of the festival calendar, a change to gauge the health of the alternative nation." Of course, we regard Victoria Park as Tower Hamlets’ own: but you get the point!

Festival-goers are getting hyped up for the action packed

alternative weekend which is set to storm the whole of East London. Expect electric combinations of alternative and not so alternative bands and hot newcomers – vibes heralding from Los Angeles, New York, Africa and many more.

The fresh fusions of a modern punch from East India Youth are supported by legends of offbeat electronics and sly hooks Metronomy and Boston rock classics The Pixies.

The artists making appearances give alternatively eclectic a whole new meaning. It’s an impressive line up, from the stuff of myths – Metronome – headlining on Saturday to a massive favourite – The Pixies – headlining on Sunday (the guys who brought you the infamous soundtrack to Brad Pitt and Edward Norton’s 1999 fierce film Fight Club).

The Pixies unleashed a flood of inspiration through the veins of legends Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys and many more. They formed in Boston in 1986 spewing impeccable records Pilgrim (1987) and Trompe Le Monde (1991). With their classic records they turned rock music on its head with elements of classic music, ultimately contributing to the forming of the blueprint for Nirvana’s grunge revolution.

At the other end of the spectrum we are blown away by new comer East India Youth, promoting a whole other "slippery production" which gives his work character and has drawn enviable gushing reviews from NME, The Guardian and Time

Find out more how to purchase tickets on the website http://fielddayfestivals.com/tickets/ Saturday, 7th June: 11.30am – 11pm Sunday, 8th June: 1pm – 10.30pm

Hanan Abdel-Khalek previews this year’s music festival.

Out. He breaks boundaries and expectations with 'laptop performances', enlightening with a creative completely unpredictable and exciting show.

The Woman's Hour have had an incredible last few months, being the sixth most blogged about artist of 2013, supporting Anna Calvi. Volcano Choir are both grandiose and mighty in performance: it would take an incredible act, one of the most

talked about artists of New York and LA in 2014, to support them.

This is not all. The festival will be hosting the ultimate soup of gritty but revived echoes of ethnic and sound cohesion. Pop hooks, new crop British guitars, bluesy sounds with electro hip

hop and skittish beats for the next generation are embodied in music. Childhood, Future Islands, Lovepark, Nguzunguzu, Eclaire Fifi, Ghostpoet, The Bohicas and many more all spill flecks of what the festival prides itself on: musical diversity.

Mickey Lightfoot is one to watch being the son of Vivienne Westwood's seamstress. A proud South London Brit, he is the child of Comfort Akuse, and his father is Alex Amponsah, a pioneering West African political radical. He is a member of the Akan Diaspora, a people known for their rhythm, poetry, fabrics, gold, and fighting spirit. His great grandfather is known to have survived being a prisoner during WWII. He makes the kind of music that entrances and captivates from a whole other age, dating back to the 12th century.

SBTRKT exploded on stage at Field day 2011 and have whet the appetite for what to expect this year. Back then their eponymously titled debut record on Young Turks was well on its way to becoming the sleeper hit of the summer.

This was followed by the flawless tunes Pharoahs, Wildfire and rising cuts with star Sampha. Since 2011, SBTRK has continued to spread and make its way high up any self-respecting 2011 lists. From West Africa we go to Syria, as Field Day invites well known Syrian singer Omar Sulayman to bring the stage aflame. His live shows are often characterised by energy and party festivity – festival goers will be in for a nice Arabian surprise. I cannot lie: the line up this year is undoubtedly set to blow us away with a nice injection of tribal inspired talent as well as a ferocious flair of newcomers.

The nearest station is Mile End and there is no parking near the park. No food or drink will be allowed inside the festival, so make sure to fill up your tank beforehand, so that the focus can home in on less mess and more music.

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WHEN TRANSPORT WAS TRANSFORMED Armistice Day parades until the 1960s.

Other highlights include First World War recruitment posters, rarely seen propaganda posters specially designed to be displayed in army billets overseas as a reminder of home, and a 1914 female bus conductor’s uniform. Six animations by University of the Arts Central Saint Martins students plus new poetry from SLAMbassadors UK will offer new creative interpretations about the impact of the war. A highlight of the display is a newly acquired piece of “trench art” – a decorated Daimler bus steering wheel from the war – which gives visitors the chance to reflect on what it might have felt like to be a bus driver on the Western Front.

VIRTUAL ENCHANTMENT: MIKAEL AND FELLOWS TAKE ON THE CYBER AGE Emdad Rahman: Ten year old Mikael Mustafa, a pupil at Hermitage, joined his fellow pupils to take part in a play at the St James Theatre, London.

Virtual Enchantment is a fairy tale for the internet age. The play was performed by pupils from Hermitage Primary School in Tower Hamlets and is about how Percy and his friends attempt to rescue Percy's sister, who suffers from Internet Addiction Disorder and is trapped in an online game. "Virtual Enchantment is about things that are real to us," said Mikael. "It's about a girl who is addicted to a computer game. Her brother hacks into the game to save her from the ghastly web wizard."

Mikael, who has also performed live at the Hackney Empire theatre refers to his character Finn as a "geeky type gamer who hacks into a lot of games." The Hermitage pupil said: "I like acting and practise at school with a professional actor. My favourite character who I am inspired by is Superman. It's a hobby which I would like to keep but in the future I would like a career as a Doctor."

Mikael and his fellow actors rehearsed for six hours a day for four weeks. His mother Amina is delighted: "I'm extremely proud. I realised he had a flair for acting when I watched him play Willy Wonka in a school adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We are very proud of him. It's something he enjoys, is good at and also keeps him out of trouble."

Written by William Seigfried, Virtual Enchantment is the winning Play for Young Performers in Trinity College London's 2013-14 International Playwriting Competition and was performed as part of Trinity's International Festival of Playwriting and Performance 2014.

“YEAR OF THE HORSE” BEN PANTING EXHIBITION AT MALLETT Cheshire-based Ben Panting’s bronze animalier sculptures have a vivid energy, superb modeling and rich patination. From race horses at full gallop to intimately observed small head studies of dogs, Panting continues the tradition of animalier sculpting established in the l9th Century. Mallett will be showing his new collection of bronzes at his first solo exhibition since 1992, “Year of the Horse”, in London from 21st to 31st May. In 2000 Ben was commissioned by Manchester United to make a sculpture of Denis Law, the well-known celebrity footballer of the 1960s and 1970s, which is on display at the Manchester United Museum. Ben created a bust of Jimmy Murphy, the trainer at the time of the Munich air crash and another of Peter Schmeikel, which was presented to him by the Club when he retired as Manchester United goalkeeper.

Mallett is at Ely House, 37 Dover Street, London W1S 4NJ Tel: +44 (0)20 7499 7411 E-mail: info@mallettantiques.com Website: www.mallettantiques.com

“Goodbye Piccadilly – from Home Front to Western Front” is the title of a new exhibition at the London Transport Museum, staged to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War and which opens on Friday, 16th May 2014. The exhibition reveals the untold stories of London’s Home Front during the First World War. Drivers took their buses to the Front to support the war effort; women’s lives were transformed as they took on transport roles previously carried out by men; and Londoners came under deadly attack from the air.

The exhibition title, “Goodbye Piccadilly – from Home Front to Western Front”, comes from a British Music Hall song written

by Jack Judge called It’s a long way to Tipperary. It became popular among soldiers in the First World War after it was first sung by the Connaught Rangers marching through Boulogne in August 1914, and is one of the best remembered songs of the war.

“Goodbye Piccadilly” will present London Transport Museum’s unique perspective on the First World War, exploring how the conflict accelerated social change. It will look at the impact of the aerial bombardment, during which the Tube system became a public shelter, and rationing – both new to the capital.

A key theme of the exhibition will be to examine the lives of women who were employed on a large scale to do the jobs previously occupied by men, including working as bus conductors and mechanics on London buses and as porters and guards on the Underground.

The exhibition will bring together objects from several collections for the first time, at the heart of which will be “Ole’ Bill”, a 1911 B-type bus No. B43 on loan from the Imperial War Museum. It was one of over 1,000 B-type buses to be requisitioned by the War Department in 1914 for use on the Western Front. After the war it was refurbished as a permanent memorial to the role played by London buses in the First World War. Named after “Ole Bill”, Bruce Bairnsfather’s popular wartime cartoon character, it became a symbol of the military and civilian struggle endured by men and women of the London General Omnibus Company and it appeared regularly in the

Special events during the exhibition.

16th May – 18.45 to 22.00 Public evening launch of Goodbye Piccadilly – from Home Front to Western Front, with a bar, music, talks and tours, make-andtake sessions and a 1914 style quiz. Find out which scents the smart set favoured at our perfumery talk with Sarah McCartney of “4160 Tuesdays”, learn how London prepared for war with author Professor Jerry White (whose new book Zeppelin Nights – London in the First World War will be launched during the evening), get spruced up like a proper Edwardian gent with Russell Nash or create your own fashionable feathered fascinator with Spitalfields favourite Lulu O’Neil of Slightly Scarlett Part of Museums at Night.

3rd June – 18.30 to 20.00 Talk: London and Londoners in the Great War. London historian and author Professor Jerry White explores what life was like in London for those who were left behind.

2 September – 18.30 to 20.00 Talk: The only road for an Englishman: First World War propaganda posters. David Bownes, Assistant Director of Collections at the National Army Museum, gives an insight into the uses of posters for propaganda during the First World War. 13th & 14th September – 11.00 to 17.00 Acton Depot Open Weekend: Battle Bus Open Weekend.

Featuring London Transport Museum’s newly restored B-type “Battle Bus” prior to its tour of the former battlefields of Northern France and Belgium. Talks, film screenings, make and take creative workshops and storytelling for families.

26th September Specialist curator led tour of Goodbye Piccadilly for the deaf community, with BSL sign interpretation. Booking is advisable.

14th October – 18.30 to 20.00 Talk: Kate Adie, Fighting on the Home Front. Bestselling author and award-winning former BBC Chief News Correspondent Kate Adie reveals the ways in which women's lives changed during the First World War and what the impact has been for women in its centenary year.

15th November – 10.00 to 16.00 Symposium: 1914-1918, From Home Front to Western Front. An opportunity to explore the themes of the exhibition in more depth; includes entrance to the Museum and Goodbye Piccadilly exhibition on the day.

18th November – 18.30 to 20.00 Talk: Women, Fashion and the First World War. Fashion and design historian Emmanuelle Dirix discusses the impact of the impact of the First World War on women’s lives and fashion.

6th February 2015 – 18.45 to 22.00 As the Goodbye Piccadilly exhibition draws to a close we celebrate a new kind of London and the emerging jazz age of the 1920s. Expect flappers, art deco, treasure hunt, bar, music, talks and tours, make-and-take sessions and a quiz.

Family activities A special free exhibition trail will be available at weekends and during school holidays to help families get the most from the Goodbye Piccadilly exhibition. Family activities – including storytelling and make-and-take creative workshops – will take place during the school holidays.

Tickets and opening times Adult tickets cost £15.00 (£11.50 concessions) which allows unlimited entry to the Museum for a whole year. Children and young people aged 17 and under go free. The Museum is open Saturday to Thursday 10.00 to 18.00 and Friday 11.00 to 18.00 (last admissions 17.15).

Event ticket prices and times vary and can be booked in advance at www.ltmuseum.co.uk or by calling 020 7565 7298.

The exhibition runs from 16th May 2014 to 8th March 2015.

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Just days to wait for Years & Years “Seeing Years & Years live last year was probably the best surprise of 2013. Young Olly Alexander has the holy fire in his hands: a soulful voice with a crazy R’n’B vibe, which enables him to be simultaneously emotional and groovy. Going to a Years & Years gig is to experience a wide range of feelings, from joy and euphoria, to melancholia and tears.”

These words from Christophe Abric, founder of La Blogothèque, are typical of the reviews and comments circulating on London based electric soul three-piece band Years & Years. If you’re intrigued, you now have a chance to go and hear them for yourselves, because the band is playing an exclusive acoustic session in London’s abandoned Aldwych Underground station on Monday 19th May. They’ll headline the second instalment of the 2014 Lumia Live Sessions (LLS) – a series of fee gigs in unusual venues across the UK showcasing the top emerging talent that the music industry has to offer.

ELN: How did you first get into music?

Y&Y: Mikey used to sit under his dad's piano during his music lessons, Emre's parents bought him a Beatles bootleg album which blew his mind and Olly's always been singing at anyone who'll listen.

ELN: What brought you together as a band – and what made you turn the corner and realise that what had begun as a hobby could eclipse your day jobs?

Y&Y: Mikey and Emre met online through findabandmate.com and Olly met Mikey at a dinner party. We'd all been in bands before and wanted to start playing music again, that's basically how is started. It was just something we did because we love playing music and we spent a good few years messing around and doing bad gigs at questionable venues.

I'm not sure when the turning point was. We played a show in Paris towards the end of last

year and it made us feel like maybe we were getting somewhere... having an actual crowd outside of London was totally new for us. We celebrated by getting drunk and dancing to Aaliyah.

ELN: What music are you listening to yourselves?

Y&Y: We're all into a mixture of different stuff, we're excited for the new Little Dragon album and new stuff like Kelela, Banks, Tourist and Jungle. Olly gets obsessed with finding new music and rinsing each track until everyone is sick of hearing it.

ELN: East London is a diverse community, which has had its troubles in the past. Do you think young people are divided by the different kinds of music that they identify with, or can new music be a force to break down barriers and bring young people

Follow the Lumia Live Sessions to discover the new sounds of 2014 at http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/lumialive/ A public competition for tickets can be found herehttp://www.nokia.com/gb-en/lumialive/.

19 May 2014

Lumia Live Sessions Presents Years & Years

Aldwych Tube Station, Surry Street, London Doors open: 6:30pm | 18+

together?

Y&Y: I think the music you listen to is always going to be an important part of your identity, especially as a young person, but the way we listen to and share music has totally changed over the last five years. There's so much stuff out there and I think it's less "I only listen to this and you only listen to that" and more about sharing the music you really love. So in that respect it's definitely a force of good.

ELN: What's next for Years & Years?

Y&Y: We've got a bunch of live dates coming up

#LumiaLive

and festivals over the summer, we're also trying to finish writing the album and our next single will be out soon. There's a lot going on, it makes my head spin a bit to think about it.

ELN: The Lumia Live sessions are all about up and coming artists performing in unusual venues. Is Aldwych Tube station your most unusual location to date?

Y&Y: Yeah it's pretty unusual, although we've actually played on a boat, on a train, in a cathedral and in a toilet, I'm hopeful we'll one day get to do a gig in space.

National Theatre comes to Rich Mix Why trudge down to the west end when you can see a top notch production in the comfort of our own borough? The Rich Mix cinema is hosting two “NT Live” shows in the coming weeks. How it works is that someone films the original production of a West End show, and that film is then played at the Rich Mix. You get to see the original production with the original cast, in real time. But you view the production as a film – with your popcorn at the ready, as you enjoy the wide pan shots mixed in with close-ups. It’s a winning combination of a cinematic view of a stage production.

May 22nd at 7pm: ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ June 12th at 7pm: ‘A Small Family Business’ by Alan Aykbourn £16.50, £14.50 members, £13.50 concessions http://www.richmix.org.uk/ Box office: 020 7613 7498

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time As this show was playing at the Apollo just before last Christmas, the theatre ceiling collapsed. We are promised that there will be no repeats of these shenanigans at the Rich Mix, and punters will be quite safe enjoying this NT production, filmed with the original cast and released now ahead of the production’s west end re-opening in the Gielgud Theatre this summer.

Based on the novel by Mark Haddon, the play won seven Olivier Awards in 2013, including Best Actor for Luke Treadaway who took top honours for his portrayal of the book/play’s central character, the 15 year old autistic maths genius Christopher Boone.

A Small Family Business

The story in this 1987 Alan Ayckbourn play concerns an extended family whose members all have an interest in a furniture business.

When the founder of the firm, who is in the early stages of dementia, appoints his son in law to take over as the managing director, the new boss (Nigel Lindsay in top form) promises a regime of rigorous honesty, with every paperclip accounted for. What he doesn’t realise is that the whole family has been on the take for years, and even has connections with the Mafia! Ayckbourn’s view of humanity is a combination of dark, farcical and funny…

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HAMMER & CLAW FEAST DANCES TO DALSTON

Feeling hungry? Then head down to Farr’s School of Dancing in Dalston.

No, we haven’t got our wires crossed: Farr’s is an upmarket pub in Dalston which takes its name from the dance school which previously occupied the premises where the pub is now.

At the moment, Farr’s is a pub with a bijou pub menu of dainty delights, but special events see the pub put on more of a show.

Heavily driven by locally brewed and sourced beverages, Farr's is slowly building up its culinary offerings. The kitchen is led by Head Chef Shaun Hurrell, who started his career in the USA and has since worked with Marcus Wareing and Fergus Henderson, among others. Shaun and his team serve delicious wholesome food with both British and US influences.

Everything is made in-house - that’s everything, from bread and stocks to charcuterie, pickles and mustards. The menu has a strong sharing ethos and offers smaller and larger dishes to encourage people to get stuck in and share a meal with friends.

Spread across Friday and Saturday nights, Farr's offers an eclectic program of DJs playing vintage and nu disco, funk, soul, 60's vinyl, jazz and rock and roll. Every last Sunday of the month Farr's hosts Rags To Riches, a monthly swing dancing event led by professional swing extraordinaires Uptown Swing.

Back to the Hammer and Claw Feast: an authentic Maryland crab feast, which H&C is holding to mark the late May bank holiday. Taking inspiration from the stateside home of the crab, the Antic Collective bar and restaurant, will be transformed into a Maryland crab shack on Saturday 24th May at 15.00 for one day only. Guests will be encouraged to crack, smash and generally get as messy as they can handle.

Hammer & Claw will see guests indulge in crabs coated in

Farr's own Old Bay seasoning, a spicy rub that originates in the East Coast state and is a necessary contribution to any authentic crab feast. Just as they would over the pond, Farr's will throw the crabs with abandon across long tables lined with paper, designed to handle the salty, spicy mess. Each guest will be presented with a hammer to aid in their crab conquest. Bibs will also be provided for those looking to dress as genuine Marylanders would.

The theme of the day is hands-on eating, so the event will also offer guests the chance to indulge in "Chicharrón" Pork Skins with Chipotle Dip, before moving on to the spicy crab feast, served with Buttered Corn on the Cob and Potatoes. It will finish with a stateside summer dessert delicacy in the form of Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches, piled high in the middle of the table for diners to grab and lick as they see fit.

No crab feast is complete without plenty of drink, so Farr's will also be offering Crab Claw Punch cocktails on arrival, and plenty of beer on the tables to cool down the burn of the Old Bay. With music pumping out and plenty of napkins on standby, Hammer & Claw could be the perfect way to spend the Bank Holiday. Dressing down is not only encouraged, it is, most definitely, advised. lTo book tickets for Hammer & Claw, the Crab Feast, go to https://www.eatmyworld.com/listings/event/?EventId=1377 lTickets cost £30, which includes one welcome cocktail, starter, crab main with sides, dessert, two beers, music. lFarr’s is at 17-19 Dalston Lane, E8 3DF, tel. 020-7923 4553, www.farrsschoolofdancing.com. Check the website for opening times of the bar and kitchen, as well as forthcoming events.

LONDON’S BUDDING CHEFS

Revellers throw fresh raspberries and powder paint to celebrate the launch of Kopparberg Raspberry, at Vibe Bar in East London

Blowing raspberries in Brick Lane If you were in or about Brick Lane’s Vibe Bar on 5th May, you may have caught sight or scent of a crowd of young revellers blowing raspberries – all over the place. The happy dozens were celebrating the permanent return of Kopparberg Raspberry. Originally a short-term treat last summer, the raspberry flavour tipple was so popular that drinks company Kopparberg has been persuaded to add it permanently to the range of fruit ciders.

The ciders originate from a modest brewery tucked away in the Swedish countryside, in the small town of Kopparberg. Built back in 1882, the Kopparberg Bryggeri remains an independent business owned by the Bronsman family, with its traditional red timber falu walls.

It uses a rare, bubbling source of soft water from the town as the perfect ingredient in deliciously refreshing fruit ciders.

Hence the excitement when Raspberry made its formal return at a bank holiday party in Brick Lane’s Vibe Bar. The party – which drew inspiration from the renowned La Tomatina festival in Valencia and Holi, the global Hindu celebration – saw revellers immersed in a

monsoon of raspberry powder paint and fresh raspberries as they soaked up the Bank Holiday sunshine to the sounds of “Make a Move” hit maker DJ Joey Negro.

Tasked with “becoming raspberry”, fans of Kopparberg were provided with fresh raspberries and bright powder paints before being set loose to unleash as much raspberry colour and aroma as possible in celebration of the bursting, fruity flavour of Kopparberg Raspberry.

Kopparberg Raspberry Rumble participant, Harriet Little, from South London said: “The rumble was so much fun – it was the perfect way to end the sunny bank holiday! I think I’m going to smell and taste of raspberries for the rest of the week!” lThe Kopparberg Cider range now includes five foundation variants – Mixed Fruit, Pear, Strawberry & Lime, Naked Apple and Raspberry – as well as an eclectics range including Elderflower & Lime and Cloudberry.

Kopparberg ciders are available in selected Tesco and ASDA stores and some convenience stores and selected pubs.

Most would think that, as we’re a nation hooked on the Great British Bake Off and Masterchef, some culinary flair would have rubbed off on the residents of the UK: but apparently not. According to the latest research, one in three of us considers ourselves a NoFuss Cook, although cosmopolitan Londoners are the most likely to have a gastronomic dabble in the kitchen.

A poll of 1,000 UK residents (commissioned by living solutions specialist Häfele UK) A Häfele kitchen shows that when it comes to manager at Häfele UK, said: “It’s amazing to hitting the kitchen Londoners were a little discover what’s happening in London kitchens. reluctant to finesse their supper times, with the With the popularity of cooking programmes majority (46%) preferring fuss-free mealtimes. showing no signs of waning, you’d have thought However, London’s status as a global gourmet we’d all be aspiring cooks, but an overwhelming capital has clearly had an impact as more majority of us ticked the No Fuss Cook Londoners than any other region surveyed category. identified themselves as “chefs” (23%).

“Some of the other reasons why people don’t Kitchens used to be the rooms where food enjoy cooking are that it’s boring, they can’t be was prepared, but now they are used for general bothered and it takes too long. We’re confident living too. The survey also threw up some that we have kitchen solutions to solve every interesting statistics on just what we’re doing in one of these stumbling blocks, from handy our kitchens…and with whom. Other than storage systems that keep your utensils close at cooking, socialising (46%) was identified the hand, to the latest Bluetooth speaker systems most popular kitchen activity, followed by that bring a bit more creativity and enjoyment to eating (31%) and listening to music (24%). mealtime preparation.”

However, it is still a surprise that the average The research also found that across the UK Londoner cooks from scratch a meagre six to ten the majority of women (52%) spend up to two times per month – although they did admit to hours cooking dinner while most of the male spending around 30-60 minutes on those days population (59%) will spend less than 30 cooking dinner (38%). Interestingly, an minutes preparing the evening meal. In addition, overwhelming majority (61%) felt that they one in three women (34%) use the kitchen for spent less time preparing and cooking meals ironing compared with one in four (25%) of than their parents, which could be thanks to the men. vast array of contemporary time-saving kitchen lTake part in Häfele’s online quiz to find out gadgets available. your Kitchen Personality at Rachel Willcock, marketing communications www.ideasforliving.co.uk.

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FLYING THE FLAG FOR FASHION! Last Friday evening I was lucky enough to be invited to the celebrity red carpet launch of Faisana: Fashion Weekend and had an exclusive peek at some new designs – never before seen in the UK – by three of India’s and three of Pakistan’s most celebrated fashion designers.

In a first of its kind entry on the UK fashion calendar, Anita Dongre, Rina Dhaka and Bhairavi Jaikishan (India) and Umar Sayeed, Nida Azwer and Sania Maskatiya (Pakistan) showed their high-end couture designs for the first time together on one international platform.

The two-day event, hosted by South Asian fashion gurus, Radhika Hasan and Aamna & Aisha, launched with an exclusive “Champagne, Canapés and Couture” evening on Friday 2nd May in the salubrious surroundings of the Mayfair Hotel’s Crystal Room, where trend setters, VIPs and media personalities formed part of an exclusive invite-only audience.

The event was also attended by celebrities such as singing sensation Kanika Kapoor; former Bollywood actress Madhoo; actress, comedian, writer and singer Meera Syal MBE; and one of India’s original supermodels, host and VJ Nina Manuel. We were privy to a runway show featuring the latest collections from all the participating designers. The stunning models, beautiful designs, fantastic music and chorography made this an evening to remember. The evening also featured a classical dance performance by celebrated Kathak dancer Fasih ur Rahman of the Akademi institute.

A public exhibition, The Grand Trunk Show, took place on Saturday, 3rd May, showcasing a wide range of the designers’ pret and couture collections for the general public. These pieces had not been seen or available anywhere in the UK previously.

I spoke to the organisers of the event to get their thoughts on why this was such an important event both for the fashion industry and the UK. Co-host and organiser Radhika Hasan said, “For the first time in the UK, Faisana brought together the best of Indian and Pakistani fashion on one platform,

showcasing their latest collections. The response from media and buyers has been overwhelming, proving the point that the UK holds a tremendous opportunity for South Asian fashion.”

Co-host and organiser Aisha Tabani Chowdhry said, “We are thrilled that the UK audience has responded so incredibly to our Faisana concept. We had hoped to deliver something new and exciting and I think we managed to achieve that. Our six brilliant designers produced an amazing array of the best India and Pakistan have to offer - it was fashion heaven!”

Co-host and organiser Aamna Lakhany said, “Faisana Fashion Weekend proved to be a dream come true. It has been such an exciting and amazing experience and we are entirely overwhelmed by the huge amount of support we have received.”

Faisana: Fashion Weekend marked the first event to combine Indian and Pakistani fashion from the respective countries’ most lauded fashion houses, showcasing the high end of South Asian fashion. The participating designers are fashion icons in India and Pakistan respectively. Their unique designs transcend the contemporary, the young and hip and hence are a perfect fit for the London and wider UK market. lFollowing the trends on www.faisanaweekend.com.

Photo credit: Shahid Malik

Faisana: Fashion Weekend wows UK audiences with the crème of Indian and Pakistani design talent.

Preview by Hasina Momtaz

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

FOOD

MUMMA JACK’S BEST-EVER CHILLI

PEACH AND CHICKPEA CURRY

This chilli is adapted from a beef chilli recipe by Gordon Ramsay.

I simply left out the beef and halved the wine to make it cheaper – plus, of course, Mr Ramsay doesn’t use a tin of cheap baked beans in his version! I’ve tweaked and fiddled with it so much over the years that now it’s not Gordon’s chilli, it’s Mumma Jack’s.

This is my favourite curry, my go-to, easy but perfect comfort food. I used to make it with turkey – a large drumstick would serve four people easily (pre-roast the drumstick and just peel the meat off the bone) – but now I use chickpeas instead so it’s a deliciously wholesomely vegan dish. I soak my chickpeas overnight, or first thing in the morning for that evening. You can use tinned ones to speed things up, but they are usually more expensive. Serve this gorgeous fruity curry with simple plain boiled rice. These quantities make dinner for 2 people with enough leftovers for lunch.

Serves 4 1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans 1 x 400g tin of baked beans in tomato sauce or plain haricot beans 1 onion 1 small chilli, chopped a shake of paprika a shake of ground cumin a splash of oil 75ml red table wine 1 x 400g carton or tin of chopped tomatoes 1 vegetable stock cube 3 squares dark chocolate Tip both tins of beans into a colander and rinse thoroughly.

If you are using baked beans in tomato sauce, make sure to rinse it all off. Pop the beans into a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Peel and dice the onion and put into a large sauté pan along with the chopped chilli, paprika and cumin. Add the oil and cook on a low heat until the onion softens into a spicy sweetness.

Pour in the wine, add the chopped tomatoes and crumble in the stock cube, then simmer all together on a low heat.

When the beans have softened, drain and tip into the sauce.

Add the chocolate and stir until the beans are mixed through and the chocolate is melted.

Tips: lThis chilli will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days if allowed to cool and stored in an airtight container. lDelicious eaten cold stuffed in pitta breads or wraps for next day’s lunch.

Serves 2 100g dried chickpeas, left to soak for at least 8 hours 1 onion 1 clove of garlic 1 chilli a splash of oil a shake of ground cumin 1 x 400g tin of peaches 1 x 400g carton or tin of chopped tomatoes a handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped 1 vegetable stock cube

PENNY PIZZAS

I make penny pizzas as way of using up leftovers such as Mumma Jack’s Best Ever Chilli or Lentil Bolognese – but they are just as good topped with a dollop of tomato purée and some grated cheese. They’re great for little helpers and little lunchboxes too. I have collected novelty cookie cutters over the years, so Small Boy often asks for ‘duckie pizza’ or ‘lorry pizza’ – resulting in a frantic delve through my kitchen to find the right one.

Makes approximately 10 pizzas (depending on the size of your cookie cutter) 250g plain flour, plus extra to knead the dough a 7g sachet of fast-acting dried yeast 1 tablespoon oil, plus extra to oil the baking tray 200ml boiling water 3 tablespoons tomato purée Topping ideas: mozzarella cheese, any grated cheese, chopped onion, ham and pineapple, ham and sweetcorn, leftover Bolognese sauce or leftover chilli… The possibilities are endless!

Measure the flour and yeast into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the oil and most of the water, and stir together with a spoon to make a soft, sticky dough. Add more water if required.

Tip the dough on to a floured work surface, lightly knead for a few minutes and shape into a round. Pop it back into the mixing bowl, cover with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave for an hour to rise, or until doubled in size.

When the dough has risen, tip out on to the floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin. I make mine less than 0.5cm thick, as the cookie cutter I use is tiny, but it’s up to you. Bear in mind when rolling out the dough that the bases will double in thickness when cooked. Cut out dough circles or shapes using your choice of cutter until all the dough is used, transferring these mini pizza bases on to a lightly oiled baking tray as you go. (You may need to do them in batches!)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Top each dough pizza base with a thin spread of tomato purée and your topping of choice.

Pop the baking tray into the oven for 10 minutes, until the mini pizzas are slightly crisp around the edges. Larger pizzas may need longer cooking time.

Tips: lThe penny pizzas will keep in the fridge, covered, for 2 to 3 days, making them ideal for little lunches. lAllow to cool completely and freeze any leftovers. They will keep for three months in the freezer, and can be reheated in a low oven. lsFor quicker pizzas, halve a pitta bread, spread with tomato purée and top with a topping of your choice. Cook for 10 minutes at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for a speedy snack.

Drain your soaked chickpeas and rinse them vigorously to get rid of the stagnant water that they’ll have been sitting in. Pop them in some fresh water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for a good 10 minutes to boil out any toxins.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, and chop the chilli. Put the oil into another saucepan and add the onion, garlic and chilli, then the cumin, and cook gently on a low heat.

Allow the onions to sweat, not brown. If they burn, the burnt taste will permeate through your whole curry, whereas sweating them will add a delicious sweetness.

Drain the peaches, reserving the juice, and chop into small chunks. Add to the onion mixture in the pan, along with any juice from the tin. By this time, the chickpeas should have finished vigorously boiling so reduce them down to a simmer.

Pour the chopped tomatoes over the peaches and onion, add the coriander and crumble in the stock cube. Then stir everything together. Reduce the heat to a low setting, and allow to cook gently for at least 30 minutes. This thickens the sauce and melds the flavours together – if chopped finely enough, the onions will disappear as they make the sauce thicken with a sweet spiciness.

You may need to add a cup of water to the sauce if it starts to get too thick.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas and tip into the sauce. Stir together then serve.

Tips: lThis curry keeps in the fridge for 2 to 3 days and freezes well, if there’s any left! Leftovers can be served cold in a pitta bread the next day for a delicious, portable lunch. lA few of my readers have emailed me to say that they add different spices, or cheap curry powder, or a handful of sultanas as variations – and this dish is a great place to smuggle in any leftover vegetables lurking in the fridge, or some frozen spinach or frozen diced mixed veg.

Friday 16 May 2014= EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

FOOD

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WHY A GIRL CALLED JACK LENDS HER SUPPORT TO THIS YEAR’S BIG LUNCH With the sixth annual Big Lunch taking place in thousands of communities on Sunday, 1st June, celebrity cook A Girl Called Jack has shared a scrumptious selection of affordable recipes perfect for any Big Lunch. The Big Lunch – the UK’s biggest gettogether for neighbours – is a very simple idea from the Eden Project, encouraging people across the UK to have lunch with their neighbours once a year, for a few hours of community, friendship and fun.

Single mother Jack started creating nutritious recipes to feed herself and her son after finding herself with a budget of just £10 a week for food. Jack soon began to share her recipes with local foodbanks and the world via her website and blog (www.agirlcalledjack.com), helping others in similar financial situations.

Using her budget savvy cooking style, A Girl Called Jack has served up five recipes – a combination of savoury and sweet options, perfect for sharing at a Big Lunch. Each recipe requires minimum preparation, so all you have to do is invite your neighbours to get involved on Sunday, 1st June! The recipes are taken from Jack’s latest cookbook, A Girl Called Jack (published

by Penguin Books Ltd, price £12.99) and are featured on these pages.

Jack Monroe says, “The Big Lunch is a fantastic opportunity to get local communities together over a bite to eat. I hope my recipes will help show that everyone can take part in a Big Lunch and bringing something to the table doesn’t have to cost much at all. It’s not too late to get involved on Sunday, 1st June – all you need is a few neighbours and some delicious food and you’ve got the ingredients for a great day!”

Sir Tim Smit KBE, Founding Director, Eden Project and coFounder The Big Lunch said: “The Big Lunch is all about getting together and having fun. A Girl Called Jack’s low cost, mouth-

watering recipes are perfect for every Big Lunch. It doesn’t have to be a big event. Even a small get-together in your garden or on your street is a great way to get neighbours talking sharing conversation, skills, resources – and, of course, the vital ingredient – food!”

There is still plenty of time to organise a Big Lunch as events can be any size or shape and can work for any community.

They needn’t be expensive, as everyone brings something to the table. For more information on how to hold a Big Lunch on a budget, visit The Big Lunch website and download “The Funding Doctors: ‘10 tips to a Big Lunch on a Budget’.”

The Lottery-funded Big Lunch, supported by Halifax, ASDA and “StreetClub” by B&Q, is an annual event led by the Eden Project and takes place annually on the first Sunday in June.

Recent research from The Big Lunch showed that over 60% of organisers say having an event in their community made them feel less isolated and 86% of the 3.65 million people that took part in last year’s Big Lunch reported a positive long term effect in their

neighbourhood as a result. lThis year’s Big Lunch takes place on 1st June and packs including posters, invitations, an inspiration booklet and other materials to help organise your Big Lunch, are available from www.thebiglunch.com.

White Chocolate and Pear Traybake This was initially a use-up recipe for half a tin of pears I had lurking around in the fridge following making a smaller quantity of my Chickpea and Peach Curry, but has grown since then into something I’ll make for its own sake. It’s a homely traybake that keeps for days in an airtight container and can be popped into lunchboxes and picnics, or idly nibbled on during the day.

SCHOOL DINNER DAYS JAM SWISS ROLL This is a favourite recipe of mine, another school days classic, and easy to make with small children as well. My Small Boy loves spreading the jam on this one with the back of a spoon and a little supervision – and it keeps in the fridge for a few days, well wrapped. The red jam can be replaced with lemon curd or marmalade or, for an American version, spread with peanut butter first, then jam on top.

4 eggs 100g sugar 100g self-raising flour 150ml double cream 4 heaped tablespoons set red jam optional: sugar, to serve Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and pour in the sugar. Beat together with a fork until the eggs are lighter in colour. Add the flour and mix well until well combined.

Line a roasting dish with greaseproof paper and spread the mixture in. Cook in the preheated oven for 5 minutes until golden.

Take the sponge out of the oven and let it cool a little. Meanwhile pour the cream into a large bowl and whip into soft peaks with a whisk.

Spoon the jam into a mug or small bowl and add 2 tablespoons water. Mix well to loosen the jam, then gently fold into the whipped cream.

Spread the sponge thickly with the flavoured cream. Carefully roll up the cream-topped sponge to form the Swiss roll, very carefully peeling off the greaseproof paper as you go. If you like, sprinkle with sugar to serve. You can eat it immediately still slightly warm, or refrigerate and enjoy cold.

Tip: lMake this with marmalade, lemon curd, really anything you like spread inside the Swiss roll.

250g butter, plus extra to grease the cake tin 200g sugar 3 eggs 200g tinned pears (drained weight) 100g white chocolate 200g plain flour 1 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda or baking powder Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 and lightly grease a square cake tin or small roasting tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl with a fork or wooden spoon until well combined. Break in the eggs and mix together, beating until smooth.

Drain and chop the pears into chunks – fine chunks will ensure a subtle distribution of fruit throughout the traybake, but larger chunks give a delightful sweet, juicy bite. Add to the mixing bowl and stir through. Using a sharp knife, chop the chocolate into small chunks – or you can put it in a freezer bag and bash it into chunks with a rolling pin – and fold into the mixture. Add the

flour and bicarbonate of soda or baking powder, and mix well to combine into a soft, sweetsmelling batter.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for around 45 minutes – depending on the size of your tin. A shallow tin will cook faster, whereas a deeper tin will take its time. To check, insert a sharp knife into the centre of the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the traybake is ready.

Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out and chopping into squares.

Tip: lInstead of the pears you can use peaches of course, apricots, mandarins or berries – anything you fancy really.

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

FEATURES

WHERE THE OTHER HALF LIVES

ONE PLUS ONE CATALOGUES RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT

A group of charities has released a new guide which shows how a whole range of relationship support services are available to help couples who find themselves in need of support.

Opportunities for Relationship Support: A set of diverse case studies identifies a range of good practices and different approaches available, revealing the wide variety of services available across the UK and online. Support is on hand at various stages of a couple’s relationship including new parenthood and preparation for marriage and early intervention services can be found for couples starting a new relationship. Some of the services highlighted include face-to-face counselling, marriage preparation and support, therapy and online DIY relationship support that is becoming increasingly popular since it’s available “24/7”.

The report aims to encourage policy-makers, commissioners and practitioners to consider the range of services and approaches when they are advising couples. Evidence shows that taking action to tackle issues early on means couples are more likely to strengthen their relationship, although support at all stages of relationships and stages of life is also important.

Lester Coleman, head of research, at relationship research charity OnePlusOne and co-author of the report said: “All couples will face challenges at some point in their relationships and it’s important that they know about the support available so they don’t feel they have to go through the tough times alone.

“This report is the first ever attempt to bring together the range of services available for couple’s seeking support to strengthen their relationships, including evidence of their effectiveness. The importance of this type of support is demonstrated by the commitment of the coalition government to put funding for relationship support on a ‘stable long-term footing’.

“Evidence shows that strengthening the quality of couple relationships can help people to benefit in terms of social support, health and finances, as well as helping to prevent separation and divorce.”

MP Andrew Selous, Chair of the Government’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Sustainable Relationships, added: “From the perspective of my constituency casework I think that constructive relationship support work has never been more necessary to protect and enhance marriages and couple relationships.”

The Relationships Alliance is a group comprising OnePlusOne, Marriage Care, Relate, and the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships. It launched in November 2013 and aims to promote the importance of good quality relationships as central to health and wellbeing. The organisation’s vision is a future in which strong and stable personal and social relationships are seen as the basis of a thriving society.

It is certainly the case that couples do need support from time to time, and being able to receive help from a dispassionate professional can be very valuable. However, it may be that some of the problems which couples experience arise from the presumption in society that everyone in society will – and should – pair up and live in a couple. Individual counsellors are usually non-judgemental in individual cases, but it would be nice to see their organisations backpeddling a bit on this emphasis on striving for coupledom. lTo download a copy of the full report, go to: http://www.oneplusone.org.uk/content_item/opportunities-forrelationship-support-a-set-of-diverse-case-studies/

As you travel down the East London corridor towards the centre of London, the homes you pass grow smaller and smaller. It’s not just social housing (though standards for social housing are not as good as they used to be): even right posh housing can be very cramped as developers try to maximise their profits by cramming in as many units as possible. Sometimes, then, it can be refreshing to look at a national survey and see what the housing conditions are like outside the cramped area we all live in. A new poll conducted on behalf of loan and mortgage brokers Ocean Finance helps us do just that.

The living room or lounge is now the heart of the home, apparently – with 80% of households saying they spend most of their time in it. The kitchen (or kitchen-diner) used to be seen as the heart of the home, with households using it for general living purposes and not just the traditional food preparation. However, the kitchen appears to have had a real slump in popularity, with only 10% of respondents saying they spend most of their waking hours in it.

Slightly more women than men spend most of their time in the living room, so it seems that women have got out of the kitchen after years of trying. Don’t rejoice too fast, though: young people are the least likely to spend most of their time in the living room and most likely to spend most of their time in the kitchen: so perhaps the trend will reverse itself in coming years and women will be back in the kitchen all over again.

Households also report that they are fast losing their appetite for having a separate dining room. Just under a third of households named it as the room they spend the least time in.

Spacious housing outside London.

When it is used, the dining room has become a space largely reserved for special occasions, such as Sunday lunch or family get-togethers, rather than routine dining.

Other rooms that are seeing very little footfall include the conservatory (12.2%) and posh lounge (10.3%). No one seems to have asked respondents how long they spend in the toilet, so the smallest room has produced very little data.

JUST KEEP MUM! Research conducted on behalf of Direct Line DrivePlus has revealed that of all the passengers a driver could have, mums are the most influential. Nearly half (45%) of drivers said their mum’s presence has a positive change on the way they drive and almost a third (30%) say they drive more slowly when their mum is in the car. Direct Line has, therefore, pointed out that their Telematics devices can act as a virtual mum.

Mums have a greater impact on drivers’ speed than fathers (25% say they slow down when dad is in the passenger seat) or their own children (26% report that they reduce their speed when transporting their offspring).

A mother’s influence is even greater on younger drivers, with 37% of 18-34 year old drivers slowing down, and around 14% of these saying they reduce their speed a lot when their mum is a passenger.

The impact of mums is not limited to speed – nearly one in ten (9%) of those asked say they are more courteous to other drivers when accompanied by their mum.

The other passengers who have the same impact on levels of courtesy are the drivers’ bosses, with 9% saying they are more courteous in the presence of their boss. (Do one in ten drivers actually work for their mothers?) Partners have the Cars line up: waiting for mum? lowest impact on politeness, with only 4% saying they are more courteous when their partner is a passenger in the car.

The research found that of all areas of the country, Londoners’ mums have the greatest influence on their children’s driving behaviour. Nearly three quarters (72%) of the capital’s motorists who have driven with their mum in the car say their mum’s presence changes the way they drive. Unfortunately the influence of London’s mums is not entirely positive. While over a third

(36%) of London drivers slow down when their mum is in the car, one in five (20%) admits to being distracted because they tend to chat to them.

The research also found that having friends in the car creates the biggest distraction as drivers tend to chat to them, with 12% saying this is the case. Dads and bosses are most likely to be chauffeured in silence as only 5% of those asked who have driven these groups cites conversation with them as a cause of distraction.

Although children can be distracting to drivers, more than one in ten (11%) motorists believe they concentrate more on the road when their children are in the car and are more likely to leave a greater distance between them and the car in front (9%).

However, you don’t have to take your mother everywhere you want to go: there are alternatives. You could just grow up and be responsible and take driving seriously. Another option is a telematics device: these encourage better driving by directly linking driving behaviour, such as accelerating, braking and time of journey to the price of insurance.

By choosing DrivePlus motorists are able to monitor their driving score on an ongoing basis, with consistently high or improving scores leading to reductions in premiums in the future.

Young drivers aged under 25 who take out a policy with the DrivePlus Plug-in device will receive an upfront discount, with 17-21 year olds receiving a discount of up to 25% on their premium. lFor more information go to: www.directline.com/car-insurance/driveplus

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

ADVERT

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

FEATURES

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED? IN ONLY FIVE WORDS! Richard House Children’s Hospice in Beckton is asking supporters how they would like to be remembered – in just five words! They are supporting Dying Matters Awareness Week (12th-18th May), a nationwide campaign to get people thinking about issues related to death, dying and bereavement which has been organised by the coalition Dying Matters.

To kick start conversations around death, the hospice is asking people to send in photos of themselves with the five words that they would want to be remembered by when they die. They can tweet their photos to @richardhouseCH, upload them to Facebook or email them to Tomm@richardhouse.org.uk.

Customers at any of the hospice’s six shops in east London and Essex can also write their five words out and add it to a poster in their local shop.

The charity’s Men’s Group has been involved with the awareness-raising week. The support group, which is made up of male carers and parents of children with life-limiting conditions, have created their own eulogies, while young adults at the hospice have added videos of unusual funerals from around the world, “Day of the Dead” face painting and have even designed their dream coffins. They will also remember members of the group who have died and have the option of private chats with staff.

Peter Ellis, Chief Executive of Richard House Children’s Hospice, said: “It’s a fact of life that everybody dies, yet so many people feel uncomfortable when talking about death, dying and bereavement. Dying Matters Awareness Week is an ideal opportunity to talk about issues around death with friends and loved ones. Simple and fun tasks such as our eulogy are ways to approach what can often be a difficult subject for some.” lTo find out more information about Richard House, please visit www.richardhouse.org.uk or call 020-7511 0222. lThe Dying Matters coalition was set up in 2009 by the National Council for Palliative Care to promote awareness of dying, death and bereavement. Find out more at www.dyingmatters.org lTo download the poster for the 5 word eulogy, please visit: http://www.richardhouse.org.uk/content/5-word-eulogy-dyingmatters-awareness-week-12-18-may

Richard House provides care and services to children with lifelimiting, life-threatening and complex healthcare conditions and their families from London and the surrounding area. Care is provided free to children and young adults and their families. Richard House also specialises in family support, bereavement services and runs a siblings group and a young adults group. Richard House needs to raise £3 million in order to provide these valuable services each year.

The Richard House shops are located at: lBarking 29 Faircross Parade, Longbridge Road, IG11 8UW lDagenham Green Lane 794 Green Lane, RM8 1YT lDagenham Heathway 5 Station Parade, Heathway, Essex, RM9 5AW lElm Park 37 The Broadway, RM12 4RN lHornchurch 4 Station Road, RM12 6NJ lUpminster 55 Corbets Tey Rd, RM14 2AJ

Mental wellbeing: good for us all To mark Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18th May), Amanda Mcburney from Remploy explains why it is vital that people with mental health conditions are helped to stay in work.

One in four adults in the UK will experience a mental health condition in any given year, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimating the cost of mental health to the UK economy at £70 billion per year – or, put another way, 4.5% of the country’s gross domestic product.

“The annual cost to UK employers of mental ill health at work is thought to be £26 billion, which averages out at £1,035 per employee,” says Amanda Mcburney, senior operations manager for Remploy’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services. To add to the blizzard of worrying statistics, the Office for National Statistics says 15.2 million days of sickness absence across the UK in 2013 were caused by stress, anxiety or depression, compared to 11.8 million days in 2010.

“Companies that don’t take the issue seriously risk exposing themselves to higher staff turnover, reduced competitiveness and damaged corporate reputation,” says Mcburney, who is urging employers to promote positive employee mental wellbeing. “A recent survey of employees diagnosed with a mental health condition found that fewer than half told their bosses after being diagnosed, which shows too many people still think admitting to having mental ill health will make them look weak,” she adds.

Remploy has a strong track record of helping people stay in work, as Mcburney explains. “We provide support for candidates at more than 60 branches across the country, from Aberdeen to Plymouth. Many candidates have struggled to find employment because of their complex barriers to work, so getting a job is a life-transforming experience. However, as important as it is to find jobs for people who are furthest from the employment

market, this is only one element of Remploy’s services. Helping people stay in work is, arguably, equally important.”

In December 2011 Remploy won contracts to run the Government’s flagship Workplace Mental Health Support Service (WMHSS), in Britain. Since then, its specialist vocational rehabilitation team has helped more than 2,300 people who were at risk of losing their jobs because of their mental health conditions.

WMHSS, which is part of the Government’s Access to Work scheme, provides six months’ work based support to enable individuals with mental health conditions to retain their employment. The support may involve assistance developing work based coping strategies or identifying reasonable adjustments, education and guidance for managers and signposting to additional mental health support and resources. It is impartial and confidential, comes at no cost to either employer or employee, can be delivered with or without the support of the employer and is delivered by experts who understand mental health and its impact in the workplace.

Mcburney says: “Ninety per cent of clients who completed the scheme are still in work. I’m hugely encouraged by the high success rate achieved so far – we have helped people who, without support, may well have fallen out of employment and be claiming benefits. I’m also delighted by a significant increase in referrals over recent months. The service is becoming more wellknown and its success stories are a big factor in that. In fact, the success of the scheme was underlined last year when Remploy won the prestigious Vocational Rehabilitation Association’s VR Initiative of the year award for delivering WMHSS. WMHSS is helping employees manage their condition at work and stay well and productive. It also helps employers create an inclusive and

diverse workforce. And of course it is helping the UK economy, by reducing absence and turnover.” lTo view a video about Remploy’s Workplace Mental Health Support Service go to: youtube-WMHSS lThe Highways Agency turned to Remploy when it wanted to develop a training programme for its managers so that they would feel more confident in supporting employees with mental health issues. The Highways Agency – which looks after England’s network of motorways and major A roads - recognised that mental health related illness was the main cause of absence across the organisation. This was in spite of the range of support already available, including occupational health provision, an Employee Assistance Programme and a stress toolkit.

Last year, following engagement with staff, line managers and trade union representatives, the Agency established a mental health working group. A key finding of the engagement was that many managers didn’t feel confident in supporting staff with mental health related illnesses.

Remploy already had a close partnership with the Highways Agency and had helped some of the organisation's staff through the Workplace Mental Health Support Service. Remploy worked with members of the mental health working group to understand the needs of the Highways Agency before developing a bespoke training package for line managers. A collaborative approach meant that the material linked into existing policies and support.

The programme proved hugely successful, delivering 14 halfday sessions earlier this year to more than 120 managers who are now putting their learning into practice. Managers who attended the training felt their ability to support mental wellbeing was much improved.

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

SPORTS

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THE PRINCE OF TRACK RUNNERS Emdad Rahman goes long distance with running icon Sir Roger Bannister, CBE.

As a youngster Sebastian Coe was always my favourite athlete and like countless youngsters I was in awe of the likes of Ed Moses, Sunderland fan Steve Cram and the great Michael Johnson.

But it was reading about the exploits of the valiant Sir Roger Bannister that proved to be the most inspiring for me. His historic breaking of the four minute mile galvanised me to take up running and complete three London marathons.

Sir Roger spoke to me about that great day: “Sport was something I enjoyed and I was a student of medicine who liked sport. I fully intended to retire after completing my medical studies.”

The distinguished Oxford neurologist was mindful of the wind dictating the tone of the race but delayed his decision: “Because of the unsure wind levels I nearly pulled out of the race twice.

“There was a St George's flag on the church steeple and I used this to keep a check on how strong the wind levels were. Twenty minutes before the race was to start I confirmed my decision to run.”

The rest is history and the exploits of the indomitable knight will astound the masses for years. On 6th May 1954, the spirited athlete took on the elements. Cheered on by a rousing 3,000strong crowd at the Iffley Road track, the 25 year old medical student completed the mile run in 3:59.4.

Bannister continued: “There was support from Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, and days earlier I had prepared by training in high winds at Paddington Green.”

Chataway took over from Brasher as the final pacemaker and with 200 yards left the plucky Bannister took centre stage, digging deep with a final burst of raw energy. It culminated with the runner breaking the record and being embraced by his friend the Rev. Nicholas Stacey.

Thereafter ensued a period of bedlam as it was confirmed that

On 6th May 1954, Roger Bannister (now Sir Roger Bannister) ran the first four minute mile. In March 2012, Emdad Rahman interviewed Sir Roger. We reprint the interview today to pay tribute to Sir Roger's achievement, 60 years ago. the four minute mile had been officially broken.

There is a glint in the eye of one of Britain’s greatest runners as he recollected one of his career highlights: “I was generally calm but there was adrenaline pumping throughout my system. I had not been running for almost a week and my energy levels were very high.

“Brasher led and I exhorted him to run faster. It was more like an order than a request. When Chataway took over he passed three quarters of a mile in three minutes. We had planned accordingly. This left the final lap to be run in under 60 seconds.

As I overtook Chataway at the last bend I just knew I had to run the fastest I had ever done in my entire life.”

Norris McWhirter (later with the Guinness Book of Records and the BBC 's Record Breakers) – backed up by Harold Abrahams, the 1924 Olympic champion (Chariots of Fire) – proclaimed and confirmed the amazing feat that had just been achieved at the track on Iffley Road, Oxford.

The accomplishment lasted just six weeks as great rival John Landy beat the record by a second, clocking 3:58. The scene was now set for one of the greatest races of all time, and the final of the One Mile at the Empire Games in Vancouver became the host venue for the clash of the titans. The date was 7th August 1954 and the proceedings did not disappoint. Coming into the final straight Landy glanced over his shoulder to check the

Roger Bannister (left) meets up with Emdad Rahman. position of his fearsome foe. At that precise instant Bannister overtook him on the right and powered through to clinch the race. It was a monumental moment. Landy recalled the triumph; "When Lot’s wife looked back she was turned into a pillar of salt. When I looked back I was turned into a pillar of bronze!"

The epic race between the two biggest names in middle distance running has been commemorated by a statue in the Empire Stadium, Vancouver and is remembered as the “miracle mile.”

Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco (3:43:13) holds today's mile record – but it will take an awful long time to erase the adventures of Sir Roger from the memory.

SANDY JARDINE: TOTAL FOOTBALLER Emdad Rahman: The first time I came across William Pullar (Sandy) Jardine was when I collected irhis Panini sticker when I was a youngster. The Scotland icon was a star veteran at Hearts of Midlothian at the time and soon to become joint manager. He was born near Tynecastle but was discovered as a football prodigy by Glasgow Rangers. The name Sandy came about as a result if the colour of his hair.

Jardine, who clocked 171 consecutive league games between April 27 1972 and August 30 1975, featured in two World Cups for the Tartan Army, being named in the 1974 World Cup XI. During a dazzling career he won three Leagues, five Scottish Cups and five League Cups as well as the European Cup Winners Cup. The attacking forays of the Gers and Jambos legend were equivalent and even superior to the modern day wing back. He was majestic in possession, intelligent and composed in defence and attack. Jardine possessed finishing skills that was the envy of top strikers and occasionally switched to a striking role throughout his career, often scoring some brilliant goals. At the 1974 World Cup, the man chosen twice by Scottish football writers as their player of the year was recognised, along with Danny McGrain, as the best full back in the

world. He represented Scotland 48 times, nine as captain.

Jardine, who was a member of the famous Rangers sides that won the domestic treble in 197576 and 1977-78 was one of Scotland's most notable Total Footballers. The 2006 inductee into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame was able to effortlessly switch between various positions on the field of play. His stomping attacking runs from defence were a feature of his play and his versatility was second to none.

Jardine's greatest moment arrived when he scored a semi final goal as Rangers defeated Bayern Munich en route to lifting the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, beating Moscow Dynamo 3–2 at the Nou Camp in Barcelona. The semi win was revenge for the 1-0 1967 European Cup Winners' Cup Final loss to Bayern to a Franz Roth goal at the Nürnbergerstadion in Nuremberg. Jardine's performance during that defeat provoked lavish praise by none other than Franz Beckenbauer.

In 1981-82 John Greig fulfilled Jardine'a wish to end his career at his hometown club and so he joined Hearts to enjoy an Indian summer during the twilight of his career. As an accomplished sweeper Jardine

Tigers host StreetGames Sports Festival spearheaded Hearts push to break the Old Firm stranglehold and came agonisingly close in 1985-86, finishing runners-up in both the Championship and the Scottish Cup. Jardine was honoured with the title of Scotland's Player of the Year. He was 37 and it was the second time he had received the award. His good friend John Greig had been the first to win the accolade twice but Jardine was the first to receive it with different clubs.

London Tigers ran a StreetGames Sports Festival with football tournaments for under-12s, -14s, -16s and -18s as the main event of the day along with basketball and cricket in smaller groups. Over 100 participants and spectators attended the event, with participants awarded medals.

The event was co-ordinated by Bilal Rahaman. As well as enabling young people to try different sports, the tournament also celebrated the end of a good football season for the Tigers football club and the formation of a new under 15s team.

“It was hard work but worth the win,” said Juned, 14, the goalkeeper from the winning team in the under-14s category. lFor more information about sports at Spikes Bridge Park, please contact London Tigers on www.londontigers.org.

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EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK = Friday 16 May 2014

SPORTS

Students and Wesley (back row, centre) get ready, kick out... while Bob watches on.

AN ACTIVITY WHICH CAN BECOME A PASSION… ELN spoke to Wesley Travis who runs the East London Martial Arts Association (ELMAA). ELMAA runs Kung Fu classes in the SELMO Community Hall on Samuda estate on the Isle of Dogs.

WHEN BOX MET DANCE "This collective performance thrusts up out of the shadows like a clip from an old movie, a spirited jumble of hip-hop and fisticuffs," wrote Le Monde in an attempt to describe this hybrid art form (or, possibly, hybrid sports form).

Eight dancers blend martial arts, street and contemporary dance to create Boxe Boxe. The show draws on the rich pageantry and theatricality of boxing where bright red gloves effortlessly morph into puppets and punch balls explode like featherweight balloons.

The dancers in the piece are accompanied by live music from the Debussy String Quartet, featuring music by Franz Schubert, Maurice Ravel, Philip Glass and Glenn Miller.

Boxe Boxe’s choreographer, Compagnie Käfig’s Artistic Director Mourad Merzouki, began his training in circus when he was seven and first encountered hip hop culture at as a teenager, allowing him to discover his love of dance. Merzouki decided to develop this form of street art while also experimenting with other choreographic styles and running his own companies in order to develop his own artistic style. In 1996, Compagnie Käfig’s first production, Kafig, premiered at Les Rencontres de la Villette. This, and the company’s second work, enjoyed critical acclaim and won international recognition in China, Africa, Finland, Germany, Italy and the United States. In 2004 Compagnie Käfig performed as part of Sadler’s Wells internationally celebrated three-day festival, Breakin’ Convention.

Merzouki continues to create and show his works, providing training and raising awareness about hip hop dance, as well as organising encounters to promote access to the choreographic arts and to support independent dance groups. l Spitalfields Music Summer Festival is one of Spitalfields Music’s two annual festivals. The 2014 festival runs from 6th21st June. For more information, go to www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk

Compagnie Käfig: Boxe Boxe People’s Palace, E1 Friday 13th & Saturday 14th June 2014 Fri & Sat 7.30pm, Sat matinee 2.30pm Tickets: £12-£22 Ticket office: 0844 412 4300 or www.sadlerswells.com

ELN: Why did you start running classes in Tower Hamlets?

Wesley: I am a martial arts instructor in Edmonton and Walthamstow, but the schools there didn’t want to run classes in Tower Hamlets too. I live on the Isle of Dogs, and I wanted to put something back into the community, my community – so I began running classes myself.

ELN: What qualifications to you have?

Wesley: I have a number of diplomas which mean that I am a fully qualified instructor. It doesn’t just stop there, though. I have to keep up with my own fitness and training in order to keep my instructor qualification valid.

ELN: What is involved in Kung Fu? Wesley: Kung Fu has been going for 3,000 years, so it’s a well tried and tested discipline! Our most famous pupil was Bruce Lee, a famous actor who brought martial arts to the western world – almost single handed. He was the most famous exponent of our art.

Kung Fu is almost unique because it involves inner strength. It doesn’t matter what size you are: you fight with your whole body weight and this allows you to take on a wide range of opponents.

I say “fight”, but Kung Fu is not about going out looking for a fight. We stage show fights, but the main use of Kung Fu is defensive, not aggressive.

ELN: What kind of people is Kung Fu suitable for?

Wesley: Anyone can do it! Kung Fu is a particularly useful skill to learn for women, who can use it as a self-defence skill. The first known student of Wing Chun was Wing Chun, a woman.

It is also good for youngsters: it builds confidence, both physical and psychological, and helps young people stand up to

BORIS JOHNSON SLUMS IT WITH THE WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TEAM Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team captain Mike Kerr and team members Kylie Grimes and Mike Brown are pictured with London Mayor Boris Johnson. Mayor Johnson supports the Coalition Government, which has slashed funding and support from school and public sports facilities and groups and which has also taken benefits away from disabled people (most recently, threatening to remove support funds from blind students).

The Coalition is doing this in order to make up for the hugely costly bank bailouts – but while school students and disabled people pay for this expenditure, banks continue to pay their richest workers huge bonuses.

Anyway, none of this stopped Mayor Boris patronising all concerned by taking to a wheelchair to announce that the first World Wheelchair Rugby Challenge will take place at London’s Copper Box Arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park between 1116th October 2015.

Boris said that this one off challenge will “cement the Olympic legacy”. Funny old world.

bullies. It’s good for anyone who wants to lose weight or just control their weight and for anyone who wants to get fit or stay fit.

Kung Fu is completely multicultural, with followers from all backgrounds. My own classes in Tower Hamlets are very mixed.

Although the class is on the Island, we welcome people from all over Tower Hamlets. If you have a tenants association or a club on your estate, we can come and give a demonstration if you think your members might be interested in keeping fit or self-defence through kung-fu..

ELN: Who is Bob? Wesley: Bob is our “classroom assistant”. He’s been with me a long time and helps out with all the students. He can be a bit frightening to look at, but students do get used to him and his help is invaluable.

ELN: Admit it: he’s made of plastic, isn’t he?

Wesley: It’s heavy-duty, high class plastic, though – and we don’t love him any the less for that.

East London Martial Arts Association Kung Fu Classes Saturdays 10.30-11.30 Under 16 11.40-1.10 Over 16 Tuesdays 6-7pm Under 16 First lesson free Under 16s £4/lesson, adults £7/lesson Contact: ELMAA, 07904-839 431

Friday 16 May 2014 = EASTLONDONNEWS.CO.UK

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TIGERS REACH FINALS OF UK BANGLADESH CHAMPIONSHIP Continued from back page The final, London Tigers v West Yorkshire FC, will take place on Wednesday 28th May at the MK Dons Football Stadium. The kickoff is at 5.30 pm and spectators are welcome to attend for free to watch this North versus South match.

“Really proud of the all the young Bangladeshi players of Tigers to reach the finals of this National Competition,” said Mesba Ahmed, CEO of London Tigers. “Well done to all and congratulations for your hard work from the team and management Tarik Ellekhlifi, Armand Kavaja and Nurul Hoque.”

“It was a good performance by the Bangladeshi players in Tigers,” said Armand Kavaja. “London Tigers showed that they have strong players within the Bangladeshi community.”

The national tournament is organised and hosted by Mk Gallactico in partnership with Inner London Football League and Shapla Football League Birmingham. Silk Road Restaurant provided hospitality. lMore information can be found online at www.londontigers.org

RESIDENTS CELEBRATE LAUNCH OF NEW SPORTS AND HEALTH INITIATIVE On May 4th over 200 residents attended the launch of a new local sports initiative, Fit4Sport, in Langdon Park, Poplar. The event was a chance for people to try out some of the sports that will be on offer through Fit4Sport’s Sport Sunday programme and find out more about the brand new initiative.

Everyone there made the most of the sunny weather, taking part in activities from Zumba to boxing, and table tennis to volleyball. A smoothie bike kept people refreshed with delicious healthy drinks.

Programme Manager Faruk Miah said “It’s great to see so many local people getting involved, enjoying sports and having fun. With our Sport Sunday programme launching this weekend we’re really hoping the momentum continues. Sport Sunday provides an accessible way into sport whether you’re a fitness guru or looking to take up sport for the first time.”

The full Sports Sunday programme began on Sunday, 11th May. Ten sports are on offer across Poplar and Limehouse for all local residents over the age of 14. Each session costs only £1 and is supervised by qualified coaches. The sports are: football, badminton, dance, tennis, cricket, boxing, table tennis, athletics, volleyball and tag rugby.

Other strands to the Fit4Sport programme include: qualifications, funding for grassroots sports clubs, and health trainers. A number of health trainers attended the launch event and were on hand to offer advice and guidance about how to lead a healthier lifestyle.

“The inclusive and social nature of sport means it also has the potential to increase participants self-esteem and confidence as well as creating new social groups and connections within the community – this contributes a great deal to improved emotional and mental wellbeing, which is just as important as a healthy diet or exercise,2 said Health Trainer

Team Leader, Georgia Ramirez.

A cheque from Sport England for £170,018 was presented to Fit4Sport. With 200 residents attending, that’s a subsidy of £850 per head – so local organisations are presumably hoping to attract more participants over the coming weeks.

The local initiative is among 36 projects to receive a share of £5.9 million of funding to support grassroots sport activity across the country. It is a partnership between Sport England, Tower Hamlets Council, controversial local landlord Poplar HARCA and Poplar and Limehouse Health Network. Poplar HARCA manages some 9,000 homes in Poplar and many residents wish it would try to concentrate on basic landlord duties and deliver some decent services rather than dabbling in other areas of local life. Residents have also opposed local changes in traffic management pushed through

by Poplar HARCA which have seen large parts of residential areas opened up to rush hour rat runs, bringing high levels of pollution into the area where children live. Poplar HARCA undid a scheme put in place by the Council precisely to keep commuter traffic out of the estates. lKeep up to date with the latest information by following Fit4Sport on Twitter: @Fit4SportPL or Facebook: /Fit4SportPoplarLimehouse.

MOURINHO TO MANAGE SOCCER AID 2014'S REST OF THE WORLD TEAM One of the greatest managers of all time and current Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho joins latest signings – Hollywood star Jeremy Renner (The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy, The Hurt Locker), Italian footballing legend Alessandro Del Piero and Santiago Cabrera (The Musketeers, Heroes) – as the Rest of the World take on England in Soccer Aid 2014 at Manchester's legendary Old Trafford stadium.

The epic sporting event takes place on Sunday, 8th June and will broadcast live on ITV. As the nation prepares for a summer of football, the two star-studded squads of football legends and the world's biggest stars will compete in an electrifying football match all in aid of UNICEF, the world's leading children's organisation.

As winner of the Champions League, the Uefa Cup, the Premier League, the Primeira Liga, La Liga, Seria A, the FA Cup, the Copa del Rey, the Coppa Italia and the Taoa de Portugal, Mourinho will no doubt be keen to add Soccer Aid to his impressive list of successes.

Mourinho added: "Thanks to UNICEF for asking me to manage The Rest of the World at Soccer Aid at Old Trafford. I'm looking forward to beating Robbie Williams' and Big Sam's England team and raising money for UNICEF. Buy your tickets at manutd.com/socceraid or call 0845 456 2014. See you there, it will be a special night!"

The brainchild of Robbie Williams and UNICEF UK, this year's event will once again be hosted by Dermot O'Leary with Kirsty Gallacher pitch side, reporting on all the action as it happens. UNICEF UK Ambassador Robbie Williams will lead the England team with Welsh movie star Michael Sheen returning to captain The Rest of the World.

Joining Homeland's Damian Lewis, Olly Murs, John Bishop, Jonathan Wilkes and Mark Owen in this year's England squad will be Jack Whitehall, True Blood's Stephen Moyer and Doctor Who's Matt Smith. Alongside the familiar faces of TV presenters Paddy McGuinness, Ben Shephard, Bradley Walsh and Heart FM's Jamie Theakston. The team will be managed by Sam Allardyce and coached by Bradley Walsh.

Michael Sheen's Rest of the World squad welcomes the return of Scottish actor James

McAvoy and world famous chef Gordon Ramsay alongside Westlife's Nicky Byrne, comedian Patrick Kielty, and American new boy Man v Food presenter Adam Richman.

Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam and Edgar Davids are confirmed to appear for José Mourinho's The Rest of the World, with many more high-profile names to be announced shortly. English football legends signed so far include Jamie Redknapp, Jamie Carragher, David Seaman and Teddy Sheringham.

In the lead up to the big event, UNICEF UK Ambassador Cat Deeley will present a 1x60 minute show from the player's lounge on ITV. This programme will feature hot off the press moments from the squad's training sessions, the latest news and gossip, plus unprecedented access to the big names as they prepare to battle it out for the Soccer Aid crown.

Money raised through profits from ticket sales and donations made by viewers during the match will go to UNICEF's invaluable work helping children around the world. This will be the fifth Soccer Aid event, with the previous matches, held at Wembley in 2008 and at Old Trafford in 2006, 2010 and 2012, raising over £12 million in total for UNICEF's work for children. lTickets now on sale for Soccer Aid 2014, call 0845 456 2014 or visit manutd.com/socceraid.

Calls to this number will be charged at local rates. For more information, go to www.unicef.org.uk/socceraid.

Fit for Sport...

Full story page 31

ZUMBAS THROUGH POPLAR TIGERS REACH FINALS OF UK BANGLADESH CHAMPIONSHIP

Issue: 01/25 Friday 16 May 2014 Email: info@eastlondonnews.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/eastlondonnews Web: www.eastlondonnews.co.uk East London News is published by Khobor publication Ltd. Montefiore Centre, Hanbury Street, London, E1 5HZ East London News is printed on recycled paper.

Please recycle after you have finished with the newspaper.

France’s Compagnie Käfig returns to the UK with Boxe Boxe, a show which fuses the noble art of boxing with dance, on 13th & 14th June at People’s Palace, Mile End Road.

Full story inside, page 30

Team Captain Robbie Williams will lead England on to the old Trafford Pitch on Sunday, 8th June.

No, sadly it’s not an ELN scoop: Robbie’s procelebrity team will be taking on The Rest of the World at Soccer Aid 2014.

Full story inside, page 31

London Tigers reached the finals of the UK Bangladesh Championship Football Tournament on Sunday 11th May in Milton Keynes in a 14 team competition. Tigers came second in the group stages and went to the quarterfinals to win 3-0 against Beaumont FC (who had beaten Tigers in the ILFL League Cup). In the semi-finals against, the Tigers won Continued 1-0 against Cambridge thanks to a inside page 31 penalty taken by Zahir Farid.