Friday 6 October 2023
The countdown to Christmas in Havering will begin with the festive lights being switched on in Market Place, Romford this November.
The big switch-on event, taking place from 4.30pm to 7pm on Thursday 16 November, kicks-off the seasonal revelry in Havering. Time 107.5FM, based in Romford, will be hosting the event, with main sponsor Urbaser and support from Razzmatazz Theatre Schools.
Headlining the entertainment is DJ Luck & MC Neat, who will be performing their well-known 1999 hit ‘A Little Bit of Luck’, which helped establish them as a house hold name in the UK music scene.
As MOBO Award winning and gold-selling artists, DJ Luck & MC Neat, have been regular performers at some of our most well-known festivals such as ‘Party in the Park’, ‘V Festival’ and Glastonbury.
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East 17 headlining last year's event
Rozalla will also be taking to the stage with her 90s worldwide dance hit ‘Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)’ which reached the top ten in over 30 countries, including number six in the UK Singles Chart.
Having toured with Michael Jackson, Rozalla opened all of his European ‘Dangerous’ tour dates in the early 90s, so we can expect loads of her club hits to keep the crowd moving.
Several other performers will also be gracing the stage, including Razzamataz Theatre School, and vocalist Vivica Jade, who has featured on ‘The Voice’ and toured with Ed Sheeran, The Pussycat Dolls and JLS.
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch will also be treating audiences to a preview of ‘Dick Whittington’ their Christmas pantomime for this year.
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:
“The festive lights switch-on in Romford Market Place is such a highlight and it’s when it feels like Christmas gets fully underway in the borough.
“I hope everyone comes along for the wonderful entertainment and fireworks, as we count down to Christmas in Havering.
“My thanks to main sponsor Urbaser and Razzamataz Theatre Schools and Time 107.5 FM for supporting this year’s festivities. Their contribution makes this event possible.
“I think it is really important that we enjoy Christmas after the last few tough years.
"Sadly, given our funding challenges, we might not always be able to host events like this in the coming years.
“We will have to make some tough choices in the future and continue to make savings.
"However, we will work with our businesses and local communities to see how we can still celebrate in future years.”
The lights will be switched on at 7pm with a firework finale.
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Havering Council is proud to celebrate Black History Month this October.
Black History Month is an annual celebration of the history, achievements and contributions of Black people in the UK.
It officially started with a flag raising ceremony at Havering Town Hall, Romford, on Monday 2 October 2023.
The ceremony was attended by the Mayor of Havering, Councillor Stephanie Nunn, Chief Executive of Havering Council, Andrew Blake-Herbert, Simon Hutchinson of the Metropolitan Police, ward councillors and representatives from the Council’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) staff forum.
At the ceremony, a one minute silence was observed at 11am to reflect on past and present racism encountered by BAME people across Britain.
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 The national theme for this year’s Black History Month is ‘Saluting our Sisters’. It highlights the crucial role that black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities.
Black History Month is also being celebrated throughout Havering Libraries by showcasing themed book displays throughout October. Romford Library is hosting Triple O, a pioneering London based poet and rapper for performances on Thursday 5 and Thursday 26 October from 4pm.
African artist Olu Eche will be exhibiting in Romford Library throughout Black History Month, her works combine lines, contrasts and flowers, primarily working in graphite, pen and ink, while depicting positive reflections of everyday life.
StreetLink, the service used to alert authorities and outreach teams to people sleeping rough, has received a major upgrade ahead of the cold winter months.
The new StreetLink platform can be accessed all through the one website, eliminating the need for a separate app.
The website features an improved, more intuitive design interface, making it easier for concerned residents to alert us to potential rough sleepers in the area. The reporting process has been streamlined too, meaning you can now quickly make an alert without having to sign in to an account.
From now on, you should only use the website to make an alert about someone (or yourself) sleeping rough. The existing app will no longer be in use and you should remove it from your device if you still have it.
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There’s just under three weeks until the start of our new waste service.
From Monday 23 October, the Council will be working with its new waste contractors, Urbaser Ltd, to provide a service that will offer residents a chance to recycle more items such as plastic pots, tubs and trays and have glass bottles and jars collected for the first time.
Other new additions to the waste service will be the collection of small electrical items, batteries, and clothes. Residents will be asked to place these items separately to their black and orange sacks, so they can be recycled through the correct process.
Residents should look out for information as we count down to the new service here in Living in Havering, as well as on our website and social media channels. There will also be printed information sent to all households in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, residents should keep to the current guidelines for waste and recycling collections.
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With Halloween just a few weeks away, children (and adults too!) will be thinking about this year's spooky outfits for trick-or-treating or Halloween parties.
No one wants an unexpected horror story at Halloween. Children should always be kept away from naked flames, but Halloween costumes come with their own set of risks for which extra safety precautions are needed.
Some costumes are not always subject to the same fire safety checks as normal clothing as they can often be classed as toys, which has led to tragic accidents in the past.
It’s always best to know what you’re looking for when buying any costume to make sure the risks are limited as much as they can be.
- Always buy your Halloween costumes from reputable shops and online retailers. If you haven’t bought anything from the shop before make sure you check online reviews.
- Make sure the costume comes with safety instructions, a UKCA or CE marking and the manufacturer’s name. The UKCA marking is the post-Brexit British equivalent of the CE mark which is also still valid.
- Check for any product recalls online — searching for ‘product safety recalls’ will bring up the Office for Product Safety and Standards list.
And while you might like to let your creative streak run wild and attempt to make your own bespoke costume, it’s worth keeping in mind that homemade fancy dress costumes may also come with risks, especially if you use fabrics or decorations not designed to be worn.
If you’d like more advice, or to report something to Trading Standards, contact Citizens Advice consumer helpline by calling 0808 2231133 or search “consumer helpline” at www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
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Havering Council is looking for your suggestions on what should be included on the Local Heritage List.
Havering’s Local Heritage List helps our communities and the local planning authority to identify heritage assets.
This includes buildings, monuments, sites and landscapes, that are much loved and a distinctive part of our local historic environment. It provides a comprehensive list of the location of assets and what is significant about them.
We want to hear from you what you think should be added to this list. This could be anything from a well-known building or structure, to a beautiful public garden or monument.
All nominations will be assessed by heritage experts against the criteria which we previously consulted on. You can see the changes to the criteria on our website. Nominations close on Thursday 21 December 2023.
The current list of heritage assets can be found here. You won’t need to nominate buildings that are already on the list.
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Havering Council is seeking expressions of interest from broadband suppliers to help extend the benefits of gigabit-capable broadband connectivity to over 4,900 council-owned flats.
The UK Government’s target is for gigabit broadband to be available to 85% of the UK by 2025 and nationwide by 2030.
The Council are encouraging the roll-out of Fibre to the Premises, or ‘FTTP’, replacing the old copper broadband lines for faster and more reliable fibre cables.
Once the infrastructure has been installed, Havering residents in council-owned flats will be able to order an ultra-fast broadband connection giving download speeds of at least 300Mbps.
To support the roll-out, Havering Council is inviting full fibre providers to express an interest in installing their infrastructure in 596 council-owned blocks of flats, with a view to agreeing terms for wayleave agreements.
Wayleave agreements grant special access to land or buildings to install and manage new infrastructure.
Interested parties will be asked to submit detailed proposals for consideration prior to wayleave negotiations beginning.
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The rising cost of living is continuing to hit people across the borough, with high energy and fuel bills, and inflated costs for everyday essentials. As winter approaches, this is likely to get worse for many people – make sure you’re ready.
Sign up for free Cost of Living Updates from Havering Council today, and be the first to receive news and information on the latest advice and support from the Council, government and partners.
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 Havering school pupils will once again be offered meal support during the upcoming half-term break.
The School Holiday Meal Scheme allows eligible families to apply for £15 per child to buy food to replace the meals their child would have received at school.
The scheme is run by Havering Council and is part of the government’s Household Support Fund.
Applications close TODAY (Friday 6 October) at 5pm.
Last chance to have your say on NHS North East London's end of life and palliative care survey.
Care and support for people at the end of life needs to be delivered with compassion and care - and the local NHS is asking for input from those with experience of end of life or palliative care.
This may be from their own personal experience, their experiences caring for a family member, or from a bereavement in the last year. This may include children, young people, as well as adults.
The aim is to further understand the things that help and the things that don’t, so that they can make services more sensitive to people’s differing needs, cultures and circumstances.
Please complete the online survey, which is open to anyone living in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, City of London and Hackney.
The online survey will close on Monday 9 October. Paper based surveys are also available from the main libraries and Age UK offices in north east London.
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The NHS winter flu and COVID-19 vaccines are being offered to people most at risk of getting seriously ill.
Those who can get both vaccines through the NHS will include everyone aged 65 and over, pregnant women, care home residents, people with certain health conditions, frontline health and care staff, unpaid carers and household contacts of those at higher risk.
If you are eligible, it is important to top up your protection, even if you have had a vaccine or been ill with flu or COVID-19 before, as immunity fades over time and flu and COVID-19 viruses change each year.
For eligibility and how to book, please visit the website.
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 To submit events for possible inclusion in this section of the newsletter, please use the form on our website or send an email
Havering Museum is holding a lunchtime lecture on the WW2 Air Transport Auxiliary, 12noon to 1pm on Thursday 12 October.
This lecture covers the outstanding achievements of the women and men who were part of the civilian Air Transport Auxiliary, a non military organisation who ferried the wartime planes to different locations.
Tickets cost £5. View more information on their website.
Havering Libraries are hosting a National Poetry Day Competition, to celebrate National Poetry Day 2023, which took place yesterday (Thursday 5 October). Poem entries should follow the theme of 'Refuge'. Winners will receive book prizes, and their poems will be displayed in all Havering libraries.
Please submit entries via email, or drop them in to any Havering library in person. Include your name, age and library card number.
Havering Antique Collectors Club is hosting this month's talk, entitled Stained Glass of Essex, with guest speaker Chris Parkinson.
The talk takes place on Friday 20 October, 7:30pm to 9:30pm, at the Harold Wood Neighbourhood Centre, Gubbins Lane, RM3 0QA. Tickets cost £6.
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The renowned New English Ballet Theatre is bring a dynamic mixed bill of world-class ballet to the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (QTH) on Thursday 19 October.
Featuring the music of the one-and-only prog-rock gods Genesis, the company will perform The Genesis Dance Project – a powerful programme of modern ballet set to some of the band’s best known, instantly recognisable songs. It’s a slam-dunk for ballet fans, rock fans, music fans and new audiences. The company will also perform a selection of exhilarating new works created by some of today’s most exciting choreographers.
Join the Havering Branch of Essex Wildlife Trust on Monday 9 October, 2pm to 3.45pm at Fairkytes Arts Centre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1AX to hear a talk by Ian Mercer, a retired geologist.
The talk is titled Soil and takes us from the geological interface of soil to the stark reality of the survival of civilisation on this planet. Donation £5 includes tea, coffee, biscuits and raffle.
The Guildonian & College Players present A Flea in Her Ear, a French farce play set in Paris in 1908, with mistaken identities, revolving beds and many doors.
Raymonde suspects her husband, Victor Emmanuel, of infidelity and she turns to her best friend, Lucienne, to help her gain proof. They concoct a plan based on a perfumed letter to trap him at the Hotel Coq d'Or - a dubious establishment in a questionable part of town.
In true Feydeau fashion the plan misfires; the plot is complicated by confused identities, revolving beds, a great many doors and the fact that the stupid hotel porter, Poche, is the exact double of Victor Emmanuel!
A Flea in Her Ear is showing from Wednesday 18 to Saturday 21 October, 8pm to 10:25pm each night. Tickets cost £9 each - or £8 for the Wednesday Night Preview performance and the Saturday Night Special, and can be booked online. The show takes place at The Little Theatre, The Drive, Harold Wood, RM3 0DU.
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Eastbury Road in Romford will be closed daily from its junction with London Road for gas mains works, 8am to 6pm on Sunday 8 October until Sunday 29 October.
Pinewood Avenue in Rainham will be closed from its junction with Hawthorn Avenue for sewage works, 9:30am until 3:30pm on Monday 9 October.
Tring Gardens in Harold Hill will be closed daily from outside numbers 18 and 20 for electricity works, 8am to 5pm on Monday 9 October to Sunday 15 October.
Sunrise Avenue in Hornchurch will be closed daily from number 24 to the Hammer Head, for road marking works, 8:30am until 5pm on Monday 9 October until Friday 27 October.
Ferguson Avenue in Romford will be closed daily from its junction with Upper Brentwood Road for gas mains work, 8am to 5pm on Monday 9 October until Friday 27 October.
Northumberland Avenue in Hornchurch remains closed daily from the junction of Squirrels Heath Lane for gas mains works, 8am to 5pm until Sunday 8 October.
Belgrave Avenue in Gidea Park remains closed from the junction of Upper Brentwood Road for gas mains works, 8am to 5pm, until Sunday 8 October.
Highview Gardens, Upminster remains closed for gas mains works at its junction with St May's Lane until 6pm on Sunday 15 October.
Kingsbridge Close remains closed for carriageway construction works at its junction with Kingsbridge Close until Friday 20 October.
Knighton Road in Romford remains closed daily from the junction of London Road for gas mains works, 8am to 7pm until Sunday 29 October.
Public transport
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Due to engineering works between Barking and Upminster, a rail replacement service will be in place on parts of the c2c Ockendon line on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October.
The c2c Basildon line will be also be partially affected by engineering works on Saturday and Sunday this weekend, with rail replacement services in place. Check the website for full details.
There are engineering works affecting evening services on all c2c lines from Monday 9 to Thursday 12 October.
Engineering works are taking place affecting Greater Anglia services between Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria, Southminster, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, and Norwich on Sunday 8 October. Check the website for full details.
The TfL London Overground line will not run between Romford and Upminster on Sunday 8 October.
The TfL Elizabeth line will not run between Liverpool Street and Shenfield on Sunday 8 October.
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