Friday 28 March 2025
 Nominations have now opened for the Havering Small Business Awards 2025.
This year, the awards format allows businesses to nominate themselves in the one category they think they deserve to win, and members of the public can also nominate their favourite businesses.
The fourth annual event is sponsored by Havering’s 12 Estates Regeneration Joint Venture Partner, Wates, with TIME 107.5 FM returning as media sponsor.
This year’s winner of the overall Havering Small Business of the Year, will win an advertising prize to promote their business in Havering, valued at £25,000, courtesy of JC Decaux.
The nomination period has also been extended from five to six weeks and only fully completed and verifiable votes will be counted.
For more information on the awards categories, criteria and terms and conditions, please visit the website.
Are you a barber, tattooist, hairstylist, personal trainer or work in a pub or shop in Havering?
If you are a client-facing professional, you are invited to join the Council’s free in-person mental health and suicide prevention training session on Monday 28 April.
You will learn how to support your client’s mental health with HereToTalk and BarberTalk founder Tom Chapman and receive a £30 gift voucher for attending. You must see clients daily and work in Havering to attend.
Look out for our volunteer recruiters, who will be visiting businesses over the next two weeks to share more about the training.
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Havering Council’s environmental enforcement officers joined the St Alban’s and St. Edward’s Safer Neighbourhoods Police teams recently to crackdown on suspected unlicensed waste carriers.
The activity took place in North Street, Romford, as part of Operation Cubo, and saw officers inspect around 15 vehicles suspected of carrying waste, to check that the drivers all had the correct licence to carry and dispose of the waste.
Residents have a duty by law to check that the waste carrier they are paying to dispose of domestic rubbish is properly authorised.
Not only can the waste carrier be prosecuted if they do not show the correct licence, but the waste can be traced back to the person or persons it came from and they could face a FPN (Fixed Penalty Notice) of £400, or even prosecution with an unlimited fine and criminal conviction.
In the last year, Havering’s Enforcement Team issued around 185 FPNs to offenders for allowing, causing or permitting controlled waste to be fly tipped around the borough.
Check is a waste carrier is licensed on the Gov.uk website.
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 Make The Brewery your go-to destination for Easter Holiday Fun!
With exciting attractions including Kidspace, BUNKERS, Namco FUNSCAPE, and VUE Cinema. Plus, with a variety of family-friendly cafés and restaurants to choose from, there's something for everyone to enjoy this Easter. Discover our latest leisure and dining offers – visit our website to find out more.
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Where We Live - the Great British Spring Clean
 It will be litter picks at the ready tomorrow, Saturday 29 March, as Havering Council joins local groups and volunteers for the Big Clean event.
As part of the Council’s Where We Live flagship campaign and the Great British Spring Clean campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy, Councillors will link up with groups including the Romford Town Wombles, Harold Hill Wombles, Havering Green Streets, Romford BID and others to litter pick and do a clean-up.
It will take place in Romford Market and surrounding areas, from 11am to 1pm.
All rubbish will be collected by the Council’s street cleaning teams. Marlborough Highways, which improves the borough’s roads and pavements on behalf of the Council, is sponsoring refreshments for the hard-working volunteers.
If anyone wishes to join this event, they can turn up on the day - everyone is meeting at the pop-up Gazebo, in Market Link, Market Square, opposite to B&M entrance or outside 17 Market Place (formerly Upper Cut salon).
You can contact the groups for more information via Facebook and watch out for more clean-up events here in Living, taking place across the borough over the next few weeks.
If you are hosting or taking part in a litter pick, share what you are doing and where, by adding the hashtag #WhereWeLive.
If you are already a garden waste subscriber with Havering Council, remember you can now renew your subscription easily online.
You have until mid-May to do this. If you are not yet a subscriber, but are looking to sign up for the first time, you can do this from Tuesday 1 April. You can find more the details on renewing and signing up online.
The garden waste service offers residents an environment-friendly way to dispose of garden waste such as flowers and grass cuttings, weeds, leaves, hedge trimmings, small twigs and branches.
It is one way of going greener this year and helping to increase recycling, turning this waste into compost.
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From Monday 31 March at 5pm, there will be scheduled down time for the Planning, Building Control and Land Charges webpages for an estimated five days as we move our back office systems to new platforms.
During this time our Planning, Building Regulation, Planning Enforcement, Planning Appeals and Land Charges systems will be inaccessible.
All operations around the systems are suspended and will resume after the move.
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 Our government funding has been slashed and services that residents value most are at risk. Successive governments have shown they don't care about our residents, and are comfortable to keep short changing you.
It's time to take the fight to number 10! Sign our petition to demand change now.
The Live Well Havering team is excited to announce that the Havering Community Chest 2025/26 will open for expressions of interest in May 2025 (pending funding approval in April).
This year, we're introducing a community-led, collaborative program where local people decide which projects receive funding.
Local groups can bid for up to £5,000 to run projects that:
- Support residents to live well in Havering
- Centre around the lived experiences of residents
- Fill gaps in support services
- Tackle health inequalities.
Join our online launch session on Tuesday 22 April from 2pm to 3pm to learn more and ask questions. The session will be recorded for those who can't attend. To come along to our webinar, please send an email.
Stay updated by signing up for the Live Well Havering newsletter.
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 Cllr Gillian Ford, Deputy Leader of Havering Council and Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, joined over 300 attendees and stall holders that included the Department for Work and Pensions, Havering Works and Mind Havering for a free employment, training and health fair at Romford Baptist Church on Friday 21 March.
The event, hosted by the Council, showcased apprenticeships, career and training opportunities from a variety of employers across a number of sectors.
Thanks to everyone who came along, and to borough partners who provided advice to visitors on the day.
Do you have a few hours to spare each week or month, and a passion for improving the lives of children and young people? Havering’s Starting Well has the volunteering role for you.
You could support a children’s centre activity group or a youth group, befriend and mentor a young person, or support a young person referred into the Youth Offending Service.
You’ll receive a full induction, ongoing professional training and have the chance to make a positive change to a young person’s life.
For more information and to register your interest, visit the website.
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If you are eligible and haven’t had your flu vaccination yet, the free vaccine is available until this coming Monday (31 March).
You can get a flu vaccine from your local pharmacy, by contacting your GP or by attending a vaccine clinic.
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 We're always looking for help to improve services across the borough. This section of the newsletter features live consultations from the Council and partners so you can share your thoughts.
Have your say on all live Council consultations through our website.
Tobacco Harm Reduction Strategy
Havering Council is aiming to reduce the harm caused by smoking in the borough and is asking residents for their views.
The draft Tobacco Harm Reduction Strategy sets out priorities as part of a five year plan that includes supporting smokers to quit, empowering younger residents to not smoke or vape, creating smoke free environments and establishing stronger enforcement on the supply of illegal products.
Research shows that smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and causes serious health issues to both smokers and non-smokers.
The consultation closes on Monday 31 March.
 To submit events for possible inclusion in this section of the newsletter, please use the form on our website or send an email
Rainham Horticultural Society is holding it's Spring Show next Saturday, 29 March, from 2pm to 4:30pm at Brenda Blakemore Community Hall, Davies Close, Rainham, RM13 9LJ. Stop by to see the exhibits, buy plants and refreshments, with all proceeds going to the society to help future shows.
Unlock new digital skills with Havering Adult College’s free Byte-Size Mondays workshops. Whether you want to master Excel, improve online safety, or explore AI basics, the expert-led sessions make learning simple and accessible.
No cost, no commitment—just valuable skills to boost your confidence with technology. Book your place today at www.haveringadultcollege.co.uk or call 01708 434955.
Havering Singers will be performing Mozart's Requiem and Solemn Vespers at St Peter's Church in Harold Wood on Saturday 5 April, 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Tickets cost £15.
The Mercury Mall in Romford is holding an Easter Egg-stravaganza on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 April, 11am to 3pm. There will be face painting, a hunt in the garden to find dinosaur eggs to exchange for yummy chocolate ones, and a chance to have your photo taken with the Easter Bunny. Each event costs £2 per person and there's no need to book. All proceeds go to King George and Queen's Hospital Charity.
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Romford Shopping Hall is holding a range of dinosaur-themed activities this Easter holiday, including Dine with a Dino, Easter Bonnet Decorating, Dino Egg Hunting, and Dinosaur Egg Rock Painting.
Activities take place on various days throughout the holidays, so check the website for dates, times and prices. Events must be booked in advance.
Romford BID have also hidden dinos all around Romford, with 18 to find in total. Collect your map from KC Toys to take part.
The Havering & District Branch of Parkinson's UK is hosting a Activity Day on Thursday 8 April, 10am to 4pm at New City College 6th Form, Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 3TB.
There will be a variety of activies on offer, including IT tuition, Zumba, art and design, table tennism boxercise and more. Some activities may be limited, so please book in advance by emailing or calling Alan on 07949 595962.
Hear the Dawn Chorus at Rainham Marshes and mark International Dawn Chorus Day with an exclusive guided walk to experience the magic of early morning bird song. The walk takes place at the RSPB Rainham Marshes nature reserve at 5:30am on Saturday 5 April. Tickets start at £25, and you can find more information on the website.
Join the Harold Hill Wombles on Monday 31 March for a litter pick in and around Hitchin Close, Harold Hill, Romford. Meet from 10am on the Green.
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Gallows Corner updates
Works continue on the Gallows Corner flyover and roundabout. There will be a series of temporary lane restrictions on the A127 Southend Arterial Road and A12 Eastern Avenue to/from Gallows Corner roundabout. These will reduce road widths from two lanes down to one.
All routes - including the flyover - will remain open, except for some overnight closures. There will be walking route diversions.
Major roads, approach roads and local roads will be very busy, so expect traffic queues and long delays. There is likely to be less disruption before 7:30am and after 7pm.
You can read more about the closures online.
Upcoming road closures
Hillcrest Road in Hornchurch will be closed between its junctions of Park Lane, Globe Road and Hyland Way for resurfacing works, 8am to 5pm on Monday 31 March.
North Road in Romford will be closed overnight from its junction with Orange Tree Hill to its junction with Oak Hill Road for resurfacing works, from 8pm on Friday 4 April to 5am on Saturday 5 April.
Ongoing road closures
Standen Avenue in Hornchurch remains closed daily between its junctions with Suttons Lane and Hutchins Close, 8am to 5:30pm until Saturday 29 March.
Chase Cross Road in Romford remains closed daily from its junction with Rex Close to outside number 26 for crossing works, 8am to 5pm until Friday 4 April.
Winifred Avenue in Hornchurch remains closed daily from outside number 2 to its junction with Sutton Lane for footway improvements, 8am to 5:30pm until Saturday 26 April.
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Public transport
Engineering works between Barking and Pitsea via Rainham are affecting services on the c2c Basildon and Rainham lines on Sunday 30 March. The c2c Basildon line will be diverted to Fenchurch Street, calling at West Ham but not Stratford. Meanwhile, the c2cRainham line will not run.
Engineering works between Barking and Pitsea via Rainham, and between Chafford Hundred and Grays, mean c2c Ockendon line services will start and terminate at Chafford Hundred on Sunday 30 March.
Check the website for full details on all c2c service changes.
Due to engineering works, journey times will be extended by up to 10 minutes on the Greater Anglia line services between Southend Victoria and Liverpool Street on Sunday 30 March.
Check the website for full details on all Greater Anglia service changes.
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