Islington stands with Arsenal to say No More Red
Islington parents who have lost their children to knife crime attended Emirates Stadium yesterday to stand in solidarity with Arsenal’s No More Red campaign, alongside Islington Council’s Leader and Chief Executive.
We are committed to supporting young people's safety in Islington to prevent other families from experiencing the devastating impacts of youth violence.
We will continue to work to make our communities safer by collaborating with organisations to raise awareness about knife crime, using knife bins to take weapons off the street, and creating opportunities for young people to make better choices about their futures.
Staying safe from Covid-19
Thank you for all you are doing to protect each other and our borough.
With the government announcing the removal of Plan B coronavirus measures this week, it is important to continue to take steps to keep everyone safe.
To reduce the risk of catching or spreading coronavirus:
-
Take lateral flow tests regularly, especially before meeting other people
- Wear a face covering in indoor crowded spaces and on public transport
- Get plenty of fresh air by meeting outdoors or opening doors and windows inside
- Self-isolate and get a PCR test if you develop any symptoms of Covid-19
- Get your Covid-19 vaccinations - it's never too late to get yours
Your pledge to protect our planet
We know that many of our residents want to better understand their environmental impact and to take positive action to protect our planet - and our new Together Greener website will help you do just that.
The site allows you to calculate your carbon footprint and suggests pledges you could take to become more eco-friendly. You might take more journeys on foot, by bike or public transport, turn off appliances rather than leaving them on standby or buy second-hand more often.
Once you have decided what you'll do, you can return to check your progress, ticking off positive changes as you make them and seeing your carbon footprint fall. You will even get a little nudge every few months reminding you of your commitment.
Invest in a greener future
Over the past few months, Islington Greener Futures has been raising funds to aid a range of initiatives in support of a cleaner, greener, healthier Islington.
With one week to go until the 31 January closing date, almost £950,000 of the £1 million target has now been raised with Islington locals getting in on the action, investing on average double that those who live outside the borough.
The initiative, arranged by ethical crowdfunding platform Abundance, which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, will pay for a variety of projects, including School Streets, electric vehicle charging points and solar panels on public buildings.
An investment can be made from as little as £5, so why not get involved? As with all financial investments, your capital is at risk.
Giving Islington workers a stronger stake in local economy
We are launching a new programme to help give hundreds of workers a stronger stake in the local economy through a new co-operative development agency. A co-operative is a business or organisation that is owned and run jointly by its members, who share the profits or benefits.
The programme, Cooperate Islington, aims to create up to 10 new co-operatives by the end of the year, and support the growth of existing co-operatives with £75,000 of seed funding and business support. We have partnered with Outlandish to run the programme, alongside five other partners from the co-operative sector.
Ironmonger Row Baths swimming pool reopens
We are continuing to work very closely with GLL after the fire at Ironmonger Row Baths (6 January) and are pleased to announce that the swimming pool reopened today (Monday 24 January) for all users – including school swimming and Better Swim School. Swim sessions are also now bookable on the Better App. The gym, studio, and squash courts have also reopened.
Holocaust Memorial Day – Thursday 27 January
We will be holding an online event as part of this year's Holocaust Memorial Day. The national commemoration day is dedicated to the remembrance of the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, millions of people killed in Nazi persecution of other groups, and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The online event features a pre-recorded performance from the World Harmony Orchestra, whose musicians include refugees from around the world, as well as Harry Olmer, a holocaust survivor who will share his story. The event is from 10–11.30am on 27 January and can be accessed via Zoom. All are welcome to attend. Anyone interested is invited to register online via Eventbrite.
Consultation shows positive impact of Canonbury East people-friendly streets
Our public consultation has revealed the positive impact of people-friendly streets in Canonbury East. We have seen traffic fall by 80% within the neighbourhood as more residents have taken up healthier forms of transport such as walking and cycling. The number of speeding vehicles has also fallen by 89%, making our streets safer and easier to cross for pedestrians.
We have also been listening closely to residents to understand how we can improve upon the trial. As a result, we will introduce an exemption scheme for Blue Badge holders living in the neighbourhood to help them get around.
New director of Children’s Services
Jon Abbey will be joining Islington Council in the spring as Director of Children’s Services. Jon will help drive forward our ambitious work to create a more equal Islington and ensure that every young person in the borough has access to the opportunities they need to thrive in life.
|
