The Mayor of Havering, Cllr Gerry O’Sullivan, was joined by the Leader of Havering Council, Cllr Ray Morgon, Council staff, borough representatives and fellow Councillors at Havering Town Hall, Romford, to raise the VE Day 80 flag celebrating 80 years since the end of World War II in Europe.

The ceremony on Thursday 8 May, coincided with VE Day commemorations across the country as part of a day of national tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to achieve the freedom we all enjoy today, but also to serve as  a reminder of the resilience and unity that has defined our country ever since.

In Havering, the Council has waived road closure fees and encouraged residents to take part in the celebrations, by arranging street parties with neighbours, or by commemorating VE Day 80 within their own homes and gardens.

Havering again joined the rest of the nation by lighting a Lamp Light of Peace on Thursday evening (8 May) to represent the ‘light of peace’ that emerged from the dreadful darkness of war.

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The voting period for Havering’s Small Business Awards closed last Friday (2 May).

This marks the end of an exciting phase where the community and businesses themselves have been able to nominate in this year’s awards.

With the public voting phase now ended, the focus shifts to the second round of the awards process. This involves a cross-check with Council teams such as business rates, public protection and environmental enforcement teams, to make sure that the three businesses with the highest number of verified votes qualify for the final round.

Then we will contact the shortlisted businesses and ask them to tell us why they should win – we are looking for shortlisted businesses to provide evidence as to why they deserve the award.

Key dates

• 26 May - Announcement of finalists
• 27 June - Deadline for businesses to submit their explanation on why they should win
• 19 July - Judging panel convenes
• 24 September - Winners announced at the awards ceremony

Havering Council’s trading standards and enforcement officers seized thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit products and unsafe vapes from the Bonzer Car Boot Sale recently.

Working alongside the Metropolitan Police in a joint operation on Thursday 1 May, the  Council’s officers targeted individuals and traders selling unsafe counterfeit, stolen or illegal goods.

At the car boot sale off Whalebone Lane North, the trading standards team identified three stalls involved in unlawful trading.

One was selling suspected counterfeit and potentially unsafe perfumes and fragrances, plus electrical items. The other two stalls were found to be selling illegal vapes that did not meet UK regulations.

A total of £12,600 worth of counterfeit and unsafe products were seized, along with £5,400 worth of non-compliant vapes.

This action is part of ongoing efforts to crack down on the sale of illegal goods and protect the public from unsafe products.

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Following the success of BarberTalk last year, Havering hosted its first HereToTalk session, inviting local professionals to learn how they can help prevent deaths by suicide in the borough and support their clients’ mental health.

Attendees from different professions across Havering who work with clients on a daily basis took part in the free session. Retail staff, barbers, walking group leaders, a first aid manager, tattooists, and more joined the session held by BarberTalk founder Tom Chapman.

They explored the four key areas – Recognising, Asking, Listening and Helping in their bid to prevent suicide and support local people with their mental health.

Under its Where We Live flagship campaign, the Council is supporting projects that help to make the borough cleaner and greener.

A little area of North Street, Romford has been transformed into a permanent green space, for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Havering Council joined partners Romford BID last week to officially launch the new North Street Garden. This has been funded by the UK Government and The Mayor of London as part of the “Greening the Borough” section of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding scheme.

Originally installed as a temporary feature in 2022, the green space was part of an initiative to bring colour, vibrancy and a calm area to this part of Romford town centre. 

Works were carried out by Sally Prothero Landscape Architecture and contractors, Blakedown Landscapes.

The area has a number of benches for people to sit and relax in a new paving area with raised planters, surrounded by species of trees and plants that have been especially chosen to help boost pollination and the environment around it.

Residents were asked to name the new area in a poll run by Romford BID and decided on North Street Garden.

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This year, Foster Care Fortnight will be run from Monday 12 to Sunday 25 May.

Foster Care Fortnight is the biggest annual fostering campaign across the country. The theme this year is the power of relationships foster carers have with the children they look after.

To mark the event, the Council’s fostering team has organised a fostering walk, leaving from Havering Town Hall, Romford, at 11am on Wednesday 14 May.

The team will be walking through Romford Town Centre to raise awareness and hopefully recruiting a few prospective carers along the way.

You can find out more about fostering or attend an information session by visiting the website. Or in case you missed it, listen to Councillor Oscar Ford, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and Lisa Cassius-Okonji, the Fostering Service Manager, who were on Time FM at 12noon on Wednesday 7 May.

The highly anticipated Mawneys and Mowbrays Supported Housing Schemes have now welcomed their first residents.

The Mowbrays site, renamed Laws Park House, provides a vital opportunity for six adults with varying levels of learning disabilities to live well in their local community, keeping them close to existing support networks, avoiding out of borough placements whilst being supported to live as independently as possible.

The six homes each have self-contained kitchens and bathrooms, with wheelchair accessibility and level access through to the communal garden, for three ground floor units. A communal lounge and kitchen is also available for cooking, dining and socialising.

The Mawneys site, renamed Riverstone House, provides residential accommodation for eight care experienced young adults who need further support to help them prepare for independent living, with on-site carer and sleeping facilities for overnight stays.

Both schemes have electric heat pumps, underfloor heating and Solar photovoltaic (solar panels) with no gas to the blocks, in an aim to be as energy efficient as possible.

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Havering schools entered the dragons’ den to present some of their most impressive and innovative ideas.

Six secondary and five primary and SEND schools pitched their impressive social enterprise ideas to an expert panel at Havering Town Hall.

The Dragons’ Den event provides an opportunity for pupils to gain professional advice on their social enterprise business ideas.

Judges were impressed with all the schools and acknowledged their individual efforts. The Mayor Cllr Gerry O’Sullivan attended to make the presentations.

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The NHS is offering spring COVID-19 vaccines to those who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus – including those aged 75 and over (by 17 June 2025), residents of care homes for older adults, and those with a weakened immune system.

If eligible, you do not need to wait for an invitation to book your vaccine. To book, visit the NHS App, the NHS website or call 119 for free.

In Havering, you can also visit the following free NHS walk in clinic:

• Saturday 10 May (10am to 3pm) - Raphael House, Pettits Lane RM1 4HP

Check eligibility

The Havering Local Studies Library is hosting a photo exhibition, Images of Havering's War, illustrating aspects of the Second World War in Havering, particularly the heavy price paid on the Home Front during air raids.

Late on 7 May 1945 a BBC radio broadcast announced that the war had ended in Europe and that the following day, 8th May, Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), would be a national holiday.

On VE Day, 8th May 1945, there were many celebrations across the Havering district. The end of the war in Europe was a time of great celebration of victory and thanksgiving for peace after so much destruction and loss of life.

Images of Havering's War is on at Central Library Romford until Saturday 14 June.

Romford BID is hosting a VE Day Street Party commemorating VE Day with a heart-warming afternoon of traditional British food, live music, and entertainment for all ages. 

The party takes place from 12noon on Saturday 10 May in the Market Place, Romford. Tickets cost £12 for adults and £5 for children, and places are limited so book online now. 

The Arts Society Havering is hosting its next monthly talk, Masterworks of 20th Century Photography by Barry Venning, on Tuesday 13 May from 10:15am to 12noon. The event takes place at New Windmill Hall, Upminster, and tickets for £8 for non members. 

Rainham Floral Art Group welcomes you to an entertaining afternoon with floral designer Helen Sheard who will create colourful and imaginative arrangements before your eyes.

Helen's speciality is eco-friendly and sustainable designs and she will share her creative ideas for making stunning arrangements using reusable materials. The finished floral designs are raffled so the lucky winners can take away something spectacular.

The event takes place on Wednesday 14th May, entry from 2.15pm for a 2.30pm start at Whybridge Church Hall 143 Rainham Road, RM13 7RB. Visitors £7. Refreshments available. Floral demonstrations with different designers are held monthly on every second Wednesday from March to July, September and November.

Havering Museum is hosting a brand new exhibition entitled Local Music Scene 1950s - 1960s. This fun and vibrant exhibition celebrates the local music scene from the era including venues, famous artists, and the fashions that followed.

The exhibition opens from Saturday 3 May through to Wednesday 28 June, and is included as part of the normal museum entry price. There are limited access times so check the website in advance for more details.

As part of the exhibition, Havering Museum is hosting a special fun and vibrant talk on the subject, which takes place on Saturday 17 May, 1:30pm to 3pm. Tickets cost £5 and include light refreshments.

Refresh your wardrobe while giving pre-loved clothes a new home at a Clothes Swap event, Thursday 15 May, 5pm to 7pm, Fairkytes Arts Centre, Hornchurch, RM11 1AX.

Hear the Not-so-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 7am to 9:30am on Saturday 17 May. Tickets start at £25, and you can find more information on the website.

Rainham Bowls Club is hosting an Open Fun Day Fete at the Bowls Pavilion, Noak Hill Road, RM3 7FL. Head along for games on the green, craft stalls, hot rolls and a bouncy castle.

The event takes place on Saturday 24 May, 11am to 3pm and all ages are welcome.

Havering Councillor Jane Keane will be giving a talk entitled "An Examination of Havering's Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy" at Havering Fabian Society's next Open meeting. The meeting takes place at Saffron House in South Street, Romford on Tuesday 13 May from 7.30pm. The talk is free to attend.

Langtons House, Hornchurch, is hosting an Open Day tomorrow, Sunday 11 May - take a look at the grand hall and enjoy the Friends of Langtons Estate’s Spring Fayre, both events run from 10am to 2pm. Find more info online.

Upcoming road closures 

Collier Row Lane in Collier Row will be closed overnight at its junction with Rex Close to the roundabout for beacon replacement works, 8pm to 5am from Monday 12 May to Wednesday 14 May.

South Street in Romford will be closed overnight from its junction with Atlanta Boulevard to its junction with Exchange Street, from 8:30pm on Wednesday 14 May to 5am on Thursday 15 May.

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.