Friday 25 June 2021
 Tomorrow (Saturday) is Armed Forces Day.
From those currently serving, to veterans, cadets and service families, the sacrifice, hard work and courage our armed forces show in risking their lives to keep us safe should never be forgotten.
If you are a veteran or a relative of one, I thank you for your service to our country.
If you are currently serving or are a relative of someone currently serving, you have my gratitude and my prayers for a safe return home soon.
I know that for many residents, the armed forces also hold a special place in their hearts. RAF Hornchurch was one of the country’s most important military airfields and its pilots became national heroes in both world wars.
Sadly, due to COVID-19 restrictions, for the second year running, we won’t be seeing our serving troops, veterans and cadets proudly parading through the borough’s streets.
However, we remain proud to fly the Armed Forces flag outside the Town Hall in recognition of all our heroes involved in past and present conflicts – from black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups, as well as Commonwealth nations who fought together.
We have arranged a series of virtual, online events to mark the occasion on Saturday. See the article below for more details.
If you do visit a pub or restaurant this weekend please use the NHS COVID-19 app to check-in.
This app is an essential element of the national strategy to fight the spread of coronavirus. Doing this is really important right now as, unfortunately, the Delta variant is spreading rapidly in England. Checking-in means that contact tracing can be far more effective in nipping COVID-19 outbreaks in the bud.
Lastly, if you haven't had the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination yet you can get your jab without an appointment at several locations in Havering this weekend. See more on this below.
If you want to contact me directly, you can email me.
Stay safe, and have a great weekend.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
The popular floral crowns have returned to a number of locations across the borough.
This is possible thanks to generous donations from Wates Residential, the Council’s joint venture partner for the 12 Estates regeneration programme, and Marlborough Highways, the Council’s main carriageway and footway maintenance contractor.
Other sponsors who contributed were SH Goss & Co Ltd, Rushton Uniform and PPE supplier, SMI Uniform and PPE supplier, Volkers Highway Lighting, Grangewood, RingGo parking services and Daisy Communications.
The crowns are installed by the Council’s Grounds Maintenance team.
The floral crowns are located outside the Town Hall, Romford, near to the Rainham Library in Rainham (pictured), and in Langton Gardens, Hornchurch.
There will also be one each close to the shopping parades in Elm Park and Collier Row.
|
With the longer hours of daylight, noise from gardens, and houses with open windows, can be more of a nuisance at this time of year.
Excessive and regular noise can have a heavy impact on the lives of people who are trying to work from home, sleep before undertaking shift work, or caring for babies.
Because of this, Havering Council can sometimes get involved if there is no other way to resolve the issue.
On our website you can find advice on tackling noise nuisance together with helpful tips.
Please remember that asking us to intervene - before speaking to the neighbour causing the nuisance - may damage your relationship with that neighbour.
|
 Tomorrow (Saturday 26 June) is Armed Forces Day.
To join any of the celebrations just click on the relevant link below.
12.30pm: 'How to’ cook your own Victoria Sponge
1pm: A tribute to Pilot Officer Adesanya Hyde
1.30pm: Lightnin’ & Thunder Drama ‘Fight for You’ Sing-a-long
2pm: Interview with PJ Griffin, Branch Chair Romford Royal British Legion
2.30pm: Lightnin’ & Thunder Drama ‘Simply the Best’ Sing-a-long
3pm: ‘The Last Post’ performed by Councillor Osman Dervish, Pettits Ward (Marshall and Rise Park), Cabinet Member for Environment, and member of The Royal British Legion Band and Corps of Drums, Romford.
Residents aged 18-39 can get their COVID-19 vaccine at walk-in clinics at two popular clinic sites in Havering this week as local GPs run walk-in sessions to meet the demand for vaccines.
Text messages, like the one pictured, are being sent out to residents across Havering.
If you aren’t able to join the walk-in clinics, you can still book appointments online using the national booking system, or by calling 119.
The clinic at Raphael House in the Victoria Centre, Pettits Lane, Romford RM1 4HP is welcoming people who walk in on Saturday between 10am and 5pm.
|
Hornchurch Library at 44 North Street, Hornchurch, RM11 1TB, will also be open from 12.30 to 6.30pm on Saturday (26 June) and from 8.30am to 6.30pm on Sunday (27 June).
Both clinics will be offering the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as they are aimed at people aged under 40.
You will be asked your name, date of birth and postcode, and it would help if you can provide your NHS number.
To find out more about the vaccine, or if have concerns, visit the vaccine facts website.
|
Dr Elizabeth Kmiotek from Queen's Hospital in Romford (pictured) hosts a short video that answer questions in Polish about why it is important to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Transcripts of the video in Lithuanian and Romanian are also available on our website.
Please share any of this information if you have friends or family who have been reluctant to get vaccinated.
|
As life seems more back to normal, please remember that we need to continue to take precautions.
COVID-19 is still with us, and infection rates have increased in recent weeks in Havering as our weekly COVID-19 report shows.
Classic COVID-19 symptoms do not always appear especially with the Delta variant. To help make sure you're not passing on COVID-19 without knowing, regular, twice-weekly rapid testing for people without symptoms is available for everyone in Havering.
You should still use testing even if you have had one or both doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.
You can order a test kit online or pick one up from many places in Havering. Find your nearest testing site and collection point.
If you aren't sure how to do a rapid test at home, visit one of these centres first and be shown by the professionals. You can then take a test kit home with you to use in subsequent weeks.
Have symptoms?
It remains vitally important to book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
|
The Government provides daily COVID-19 data broken down by town or even postcode level.
Pictured, for example, is the latest data for people testing positive for coronavirus in the RM7 7EP area of Romford.
You can check the figures for your area and see daily statistics for the whole of Havering.
|
Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 10 days.
It is important that you and the people in close contact with you self-isolate so that you don’t risk passing the infection on to others.
Havering Council is working with NHS Test and Trace to stay in contact and help you throughout your isolation, including visits and calls with trained officers.
Self-isolating can be difficult, but there is lots of support available, either online, or by telephoning our COVID-19 hotline on 0800 368 5201.
|
Havering Council is set to introduce a new virtual parking permit system across the borough from mid-July.
The online system will be managed by parking industry specialists Chipside Limited, on behalf of the Council.
The new on-line system replaces paper visitor permits with the introduction of virtual visitor permits for residents. All current paper visitor permits will remain valid, but will no longer be available for purchase once the virtual system goes live.
By introducing this system, the Council is helping residents to have an easier method of applying for permits, plus greater flexibility to use paid for parking.
Residents can make objections or other representations about this proposed traffic order. They should be sent in writing to the Highways Traffic and Parking Group Manager, Havering Town Hall, Main Road, Romford, RM1 3BB within the next 21 days.
|
There is just one week left to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who was living in the UK prior to 31 December last year, and you haven't yet applied you should do so now.
Even if you have permanent residency or an EEA Biometric Residence Card you should apply as it is a necessary step to ensuring you can continue to live, work, study, access free healthcare and benefits after the end of this month.
You may also need to apply for any children who don't have British nationality.
|
It's also now just a week to go before the deadline for small and medium sized businesses in London to apply for funding to help them adapt to new customs and tax rules when trading with the EU.
The £20m Brexit Support Fund, which closes 30 June, enables businesses who trade with the EU to access up to £2,000 of funding for practical support including training and professional advice on new customs, rules of origin and VAT processes.
Since launching in March, 613 businesses in London have submitted applications.
|
 The bell ringers at St Andrews Church, in High Street, Hornchurch will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the invention of their Ellacombe bell chimes tomorrow (Saturday 26 June) at midday.
The chimes are a means of one person ringing eight of the bells using a chiming apparatus invented in 1821 by a vicar (Revd Ellacombe) from Bitton near Bristol.
The chimes have been particularly useful during the ‘lockdown’ restrictions because only one person is needed to chime all eight bells.
At midday tomorrow the bell ringers will be performing various hymns, tunes and changes on the chimes to celebrate the occasion.
It's a worldwide celebration including participants from Australia, India, South Africa and Canada as well as the UK.
The best place to listen will be in St Andrew’s church yard, away from the noise of the traffic.
|
Based on the book and movie by Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz comes to the Brookside Theatre in Romford in July.
It contains all the songs from the Oscar-winning movie score including; ‘Over the Rainbow’, ‘Follow the Yellow Brick Road’, ‘If I Only Had a Heart’ and ‘We’re Off to See the Wizard’.
Join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion and Toto for the classic story from Tuesday 6 July to Sunday 11 July.
To book, call the Box Office on 01708 755775 or visit their website.
|
New City College (NCC), that includes Havering Sixth Form, Ardleigh Green and Rainham campuses, held its very first Green Day earlier this month.
It was to celebrate the launch of a new green strategy that will see the college prioritise an environmentally-friendly agenda.
The day was packed with informative activities and students and staff were encouraged to sign up for live talks, take part in sustainability surveys and carbon footprint quizzes.
NCC’s Senior Management Team also made pledges, such as reducing printing, installing only energy efficient heating and lighting systems in buildings, and developing courses to promote environmentally sustainable behaviours in the fields of construction and engineering.
|
This summer the standard petrol grade in the UK will become E10. Currently, UK petrol is E5, meaning it contains up to 5 per cent bioethanol. E10 petrol will see the amount of bioethanol increase to 10 per cent.
Petrol cars manufactured after 2011 and most modern motorcycles are E10 compatible. However, around 5 per cent of petrol vehicles made before 2011 will need to continue to use E5 petrol which will remain available as the super grade petrol option at the pumps.
Using E10 fuel in an incompatible petrol vehicle will not cause immediate harm but continued use could damage your engine’s parts. If in doubt about the compatibility of your vehicle, you can use the online E10 vehicle checker or seek further advice from your vehicle manufacturer or garage.
|
Oldchurch Road in Romford is being resurfaced. Work on the section between Rom Valley Way and Crow Lane will run until tomorrow (Saturday 26 June), and on Monday 28 June for the section between Waterloo Road and South Street (eastbound only).
South Street, Romford, will be closed between its junctions with Victoria Road and Eastern Road between 10pm on Sunday 27 June until 6am on Monday 28 June. This is to allow railway bridge inspection work to be carried out.
Carriageway resurfacing of Orange Tree Hill in Havering-atte-Bower will take place beginning on Tuesday 29 June and ending on Friday 2 July. When the work is taking place the road will be closed to through traffic with diversions in place.
To allow a high-friction, anti-skid road surface to be laid Strathmore Gardens, Elm Park, will be closed at its junction with Upper Rainham Road between 9.30am and 3pm on Monday 28 June with Chestnut Avenue, also in Elm Park, closed the following day (Tuesday 29 June). Upper Rainham Road will be closed northbound at its junction with Roneo Link on 30 June overnight for the same purpose with diversions in place.
Leamington Road in Harold Hill will be resurfaced between 5 and 9 July during the day. During this period the road will be closed to through traffic with diversions in place.
From 12 to 19 July Cherry Tree Lane in Rainham will be resurfaced. During these daytime works the road will be closed to through traffic with diversions in place.
On the tracks
|
On Sunday 27 June TfL Rail will be operating a reduced service between midday and 3pm between Liverpool Street and Gidea Park.
Due to Network Rail undertaking track maintenance work between Barking and London Fenchurch Street on Saturday 26 June, c2c services will be diverted to start and terminate at London Liverpool Street
c2c tickets will be accepted on Jubilee Line or Docklands Light Railway services between West Ham and Stratford.
Due to Network Rail undertaking engineering work in connection with the Barking Riverside Project, c2c services will not run on the Rainham line on Sunday 27 June. Rail replacement buses will run between Upminster and Grays via Rainham.
District Line tube trains will not run this weekend (26 and 27 June) between Tower Hill and Barking. Replacement buses will operate.
|
|
