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Friday 23 May 2025
 Last week, I was honoured to deliver the Leader’s Address at Annual Council. It was a moment to reflect on our progress and set out our priorities for the year ahead.
From building new council homes to delivering upgraded youth hubs, state-of-the-art leisure facilities, and maintaining award-winning parks, we are making Redbridge a better place to live and we’re doing it despite the enormous financial pressures that many councils are struggling to manage.
I returned to Cherry Tree Café in Wanstead this week to open its newly refurbished garden and sensory space. Cherry Tree is a lifeline for local college students with special educational needs. The new outdoor space will allow even more activities and social events to take place, including growing herbs and ingredients for the café. My thanks to the volunteers and staff who have brought it to life; it’s a great example of how strong communities and active local people make our borough thrive.
 Remember to check and jot down your revised bin collection dates over the late May bank holiday period, as your usual day will change.
 The competition is back, bigger and better for 2025!
After the success of last year’s first-ever Redbridge Photography Awards, we’re excited to launch our competition for 2025!
It’s easy to participate – and you could win some fantastic prizes.
✅ Entry is free
✅ The competition runs from 2 June to 12 August
✅ Open to everyone of all ages and abilities
Simply take a digital photo and share it with us.
For more information about the prizes and how to submit your picture, visit https://engage.redbridge.gov.uk/rpa-2025
We can’t wait to see your creativity – good luck!
 Redbridge Council has successfully prosecuted a Seven Kings store that repeatedly obstructed the pavement with large appliances, making it hard for local people to use the street.
Quality Appliances London Ltd, based in Green Lane, was handed a £1,773 court-imposed fine and costs after ignoring warnings to stop lining the pavement in front of the store with large, often broken, appliances.
The business was flagged to Redbridge Council following multiple complaints from the community concerned about having to dodge the hazard regularly.
 We are working closely with our local communities to track down the culprits behind the fly-tips featured in our latest Redbridge Wall of Shame. Please contact us if you can help identify them.
Among the shameless fly-tippers caught on camera ditching their trash and disrespecting our borough were a buggy dumper, a group that tipped out waste from a wheelie bin, and a duo of TV tossers.
Head to Redbridge Wall of Shame to view the footage
If you can help identify any of the culprits in the six clips, please get in touch via email
 For Foster Care Fortnight’s theme, The Power of Relationships, our Fostering Team has released a series of short videos in which local foster carers describe what it’s like to be a foster carer and how they’ve made a difference. Watch the videos now.
If you could care for a child needing fostering and would like to join our community, please call us on 020 8708 6068 or book online to attend our next virtual information session on Tuesday, 3 June, from 6pm to 7pm.
 Looking for ways to keep the kids active and outdoors this May Half-Term? Immerse them in a world of adventure at Fairlop Outdoor Activity Centre with our diverse Water Sports Camps! Each day is a mix of fun and learning, with various activities, including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, raft building, bell boating, and orienteering—ensuring every young explorer is engaged.
Looking to boost water confidence? Our popular Swim Crash Courses are running all week across local pools at Fullwell, Loxford, and Mayfield, offering a comprehensive range of lessons from Stage 1 to Stage 5. Whether they’re just starting to float or perfecting their strokes, there's a level for every swimmer.
Our cycling courses have been an enormous hit – most are fully booked – but there's still space left on our Mountain Bike Skills Taster Session. This one’s ideal for competent young riders looking to get their wheels dirty and try off-road cycling for the first time!
Don't let your kids miss out on these exciting adventures-sign them up now!
 The school holidays are on the horizon. For an inspiring family day, why not visit SPACE Gallery in Ilford to explore artist Andy Singleton’s exhibition, Natural connections.
Andy presents awe-inspiring paper sculptures that explore the profound connection between the human body and nature.
The gallery is open on Wednesdays from 11am to 5pm and Saturdays from 11am to 3pm. The exhibition runs until Wednesday, 1 October.
Please find out more about Andy and his inspiration in the short video.
 There’s still time to get involved in this year’s Redbridge in Bloom competition, celebrating ‘60 Years of Redbridge: Growing Together for Nature’.
Whether you have a blooming balcony, a fancy front garden, or a shared community space, this is your chance to be part of something about more than just flowers. We’re celebrating sustainability, biodiversity, and the power of gardens to bring people together and make a difference – one green space at a time.
Who can enter?
Everyone, including residents, schools, local pubs, community groups, and care homes, are welcome to participate. The closing date is Saturday 31 May 2025.
 Join us for free outdoor theatre, circus, music, and dance in Ilford and Barkingside!
Tit for Tat Circus: Now I am Become d/Deaf, is a funny, moving solo show using physical comedy and juggling to explore hearing loss with creativity and joy. The show is a unique blend of circus, music, and dance, promising a delightful experience for all.
The performance dates are below:
Saturday 21, June – 11am & 2pm - Ken Aston Square, Barkingside IG6 2EA
Sunday 22, June – 1pm & 3pm - Ilford Town Hall, IG1 1LL
 Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, and Redbridge are consulting on the ‘proposed submission East London Joint Waste Plan’,setting out how to manage waste in East London until 2041.
The plan outlines how waste can be managed sustainably in East London. It will ensure enough capacity to manage waste and that waste facilities are located in the right areas to reduce the impact on local communities and the natural environment. The Plan also includes policies on how developers should consider the management of waste during demolition and construction of buildings and when a development is occupied.
The consultation runs until Monday, 30 June 2025.
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