 This afternoon, (Friday 18 March), I will be joined by the Deputy Mayor of Havering, Cllr Christine Vickery, for a special ceremony at the Town Hall in Romford.
We will be planting a tree dedicated to all those we sadly lost during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the extraordinary efforts of Council staff throughout that time to serve the people of Havering.
The planting at the Town Hall is part of the borough’s COVID-19 commemorations. This project has seen trees planted at Queens Hospital, vaccination centres, testing sites, ward parks and next week the opening of an extensive memorial woodland of over 4,000 trees at Hornchurch Country Park.
The trees are a living testament to those who have lost their lives, family or loved ones, while honouring the significant efforts by key workers and our residents in keeping our borough safe during the pandemic.
Sadly, coronavirus has not gone away. The UK has recorded more than half a million cases of COVID-19 in the past week, an increase of almost 50 per cent on the previous seven days. We have to learn to live with it. That means we have to continue to be careful and considerate, particularly towards those people who may be more at risk from COVID-19 infection.
So please keep washing your hands frequently, wear a face covering in crowded spaces, and test if you think you have caught coronavirus. If you haven't been vaccinated yet, or received your booster dose, it's not too late.
Lastly, I just want to add my thanks to all those who took part in Havering Council's 2021-22 Small Business Awards that culminated in the winners being announced on Wednesday night (pictured).
It has been a couple of very tough years for anyone running a businesses in the face of the worst health emergency for more than century. So well done to all those businesses who picked up awards for not just surviving, but thriving during the pandemic. You can read more about all the winners below.
If you would like to contact me directly, you can email me.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
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Small businesses across Havering are celebrating following their victories at the first annual Havering Small Business Awards on Wednesday night.
Havering Council received over 15,000 votes from members of the public, with more than over 250 individual businesses nominated for an award.
American-style sweet shop, Mr P’s Corner Shop, was crowned Havering Small Business of the Year at the awards evening as well as scooping up the Best Small or Independent Business award. Mr P is pictured with Julie Frost from Romford BID, the event's key sponsor. Mr P’s also received the most number of votes amongst all of the finalists.
Italian restaurant Ciao Bella took home the Best Hospitality award, whilst NUGS won the Best Take Away award.
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On Havering Council's website you can see details of any applications to change a Premises Licence.
There are currently four applications open for consultation.
These applications range from Ped's Pizza in Main Road in Gidea Park to the SmartHub Logistics Unit 6 on the Segro Industrial Park, Consul Avenue in Rainham.
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Romford Business Improvement District (BID) have launched another “Pitch for your Pitch” competition and are now taking applications.
The prize will be for at least one start-up company or entrepreneur to have the chance to be offered a BID Sponsored pitch in Romford Market (pictured) from the end of April.
For more information on the sponsorship, and to find out how to apply, send an email to express your interest.
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If you’re shopping in The Liberty Shopping Centre in Romford tomorrow (Saturday), look out for Havering Council's fostering ambassadors, Lucy and Eileen.
They will be able to tell you how foster carers help children to feel safe, healthy and happy.
If you have space in your home and heart to foster a vulnerable Havering child or young person please talk to our team.
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 You can enjoy the music of Simon and Garfunkel at the BrooksideTheatre, Romford tomorrow (Saturday 19 March) evening at 8pm.
Listen to classics as Mrs Robinson, Bridge Over Troubled Water, The Boxer, The Sounds of Silence and You Can Call Me Al and other songs that have established Paul Simon as one of the most successful songwriters of all time. Tickets can be booked online.
You can join a talk about one of the most famous courts in the world at Havering Museum, 19-21 High Street, Romford, on Saturday 26 March from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.
This talk covers the history, secrets and chilling trials of the Old Bailey. You can book your place online. It costs £5 to attend and refreshments are included.
Harold Hill Knit and Natter meet every Thursday from 10am to 12 noon at Harold Hill Library in Farnham Road. Bring your knitting, crochet or other crafts and join the chat. Everyone welcome from beginners to those with experience.
Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry's networking breakfast will be hosted this month at Pinney Talfourd's Upminster Branch. It's on Wednesday 30 March from 8am to 9:30am.
It's free for members, £5 for guests, payable on the door. Reserve a place online. To sign up for the Chamber newsletter, or get more information about what the Havering Chamber can offer your business, send an email.
Havering Singers will be holding their 75th Anniversary Concert on Saturday 2 April at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church, Gubbins Lane, in Harold Wood.
They will be performing Handel's Messiah accompanied by a baroque orchestra. Tickets cost £15 for adults and £6 for children. More information on the Havering Singers' website.
The Arts Society Havering meets again at 10.15am on Tuesday 12 April at New Windmill Hall, in Upminster. The subject will be William Kent, architect and garden designer.
William Kent trained as an artist before spending ten years in Italy, where he studied painting, classical buildings and Italian gardens. He painted ceilings for Chiswick House and his gardens at Rousham (Oxfordshire) and Stowe
(Buckinghamshire) are the finest surviving examples of the new landscape garden.
The talk will be given by Caroline Knight, an architectural historian. Visitors pay £8. More details on the Society's website.
If you have recently given birth at Queen's Hospital please remember you have only 42 days to register the birth of your new baby. This requirement was relaxed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can make an appointment with Havering Council's Registration Service online. You are able to register your birth provided it occurred in Havering and regardless of where you live. You do not have to be a Havering resident.
Payment for certificates and birth wallets will need to be made at the time of booking and these will be handed over to you on the day of your appointment.
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The UK Health Security Agency has anounced that free COVID-19 symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public will end in England next month.
As a result, the four PCR COVID-19 testing centres in Havering - at Dorrington Gardens, behind Romford Town Hall, in Dagnam Park Drive, and at Cherry Tree Lane - will be dismantled during April and May.
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Cadent Gas will be carrying out gas main replacement work in Ardleigh Green Road until 28 March, and also in Haynes Road until 20 March and in Butts Green Road until 27 March. They will also be working in Frederick Road, Rainham from 21 to 25 March.
Temporary traffic signals will be in place in Chase Cross Road until Tuesday 22 March due to the installation of a new power supply.
Electrical connection work outside Brettons Cottages in Rainham Road means that temporary traffic signals will be in use until Sunday (20 March).
Road resurfacing work will take place in Cherry Walk, Rainham, between 8am and 5pm on Monday 21 March. Resurfacing and drainage work in Tomkyns Lane, Upminster will begin on Monday 21 March and is expected to be completed by 30 March. These roads will be closed to traffic during the works.
On Tuesday 22 March, resurfacing work by the Council's contractor Marlborough Highways will begin in Kenilworth Gardens, Hornchurch. That work should be complete by 28 March. Also on 22 March, resurfacing work will begin in Thorn Lane, Rainham. That work should be completed the following day, 23 March.
On 24 and 25 March, Berwick Road, Rainham will be resurfaced, as will Ardleigh Green Road between its junctions with Slewins Lane and Nelmes Way, Hornchurch, from 28 March until 5 April, and Pretoria Road, Romford from 28 March to 29 March.
Telecoms work in Rainham Road South in South Hornchurch, near the junction with Simpson Road, will mean that temporary traffic signals will be in use from 21 to 25 March.
Sewer cleaning work will be taking place from 23 to 25 March in Amery Gardens, Ardleigh Green.
Temporary traffic lights will be in use on Monday 28 March at the junction of Mungo Park Road and Freeborne Gardens in Rainham. This is to allow for the replacement of a BT telegraph pole.
Temporary traffic signals will be in use overnight from 11.30pm on Friday 1 April until 5.30am on 2 April in Ockendon Road, Upminster, during inspection work.
On the tracks
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This Saturday and Sunday (19 and 20 March) there will be no TfL Rail service between Liverpool Street and Shenfield. Replacement buses will operate.
Due to engineering works across the entire c2c network, trains will not run before 7.45am tomorrow (Saturday, 19 March).
Due to Network Rail undertaking overhead line maintenance work between Grays and Pitsea this Sunday (20 March), c2c trains on the Ockendon line will start and end their journeys at Grays. Rail replacement buses will run between Grays and Pitsea via Tilbury.
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Romford Football Club legend Tommy Barnett has died, aged 85.
In his eight seasons at Romford, he never scored fewer than 17 goals in a season, and broke every goal scoring record in the book.
Tommy Barnett joined Romford in 1962, and went on to make 479 appearances in a Boro shirt, scoring 201 goals.
His best season was 1966-67 when he scored 44 goals in 66 games. His testimonial match in May 1967 drew a crowd of 4,437 and Tommy scored a hat-trick in a 5-5 draw.
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