 A message from the Mayor of Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets has the youngest population in the country. Sadly, it also has the highest child poverty rate in the country.
One of the key priorities in our Strategic Plan is to accelerate education, and the launch of our new youth service, Young Tower Hamlets, earlier this week is one of the pillars to achieve this.
We are committed to ensuring that all children in our borough have access to every opportunity available to them, because children are our future and they deserve the right to reach their full potential.
The new youth service has received an initial £13.7m investment from the council for a rebrand and an expansion that will include a safe and inclusive youth space in every ward. This investment follows a reduction in funding to youth services both locally and nationally.
It forms part of our wider £19m investment in young people this year, which also includes the expansion of free school meals from primary school to all primary and secondary school children, and grants for the Mayor’s EMA and University Bursaries.
As someone who is the product of the youth service, I understand first-hand the value of youth workers, who guided and supported me during my younger years.
There is a correlation between education, schools, opportunities, and youth services. Young Tower Hamlets will provide excellent opportunities, giving every young person in the borough the opportunity to improve their life chances and achieve their full potential.
I look forward to being able to see all our young people reach whatever goal they set themselves.
Lutfur Rahman
Mayor of Tower Hamlets
 New Residents' Hubs launched
As part of our drive to transform customer services, we want to make sure our residents can reach us in a method that best suits their needs, whether that is by phone, face to face or online.
We have therefore opened a new Residents' Hub at Cubitt Town Library on the Isle of Dogs so those who want to speak to us face to face can. Two more hubs will follow at Idea Store Chrisp Street and Idea Store Bow over the next couple of weeks.
 Hundreds of weapons taken off our streets
610 knives and 79 other weapons have been taken off our streets in six months thanks to four new knife amnesty bins.
The bins, installed by charity Word4Weapons, allow people to dispose of knives and other weapons anonymously and safely. The knives are destroyed and are not investigated by the police.
 We want your fresh take on how to communicate
Be a part of the change you want to see in the world by taking part in our next workshop to shape our exciting I Can Be … campaign, which aims to see more residents from the Black, Asian and Multi-Ethnic community become leaders.
Ahead of the launch of the campaign later this year, we want to find out how you would like to be communicated with and which channels work best for different groups.
We are holding a women’s only workshop on Monday 31 July at The Limehouse Project, Commercial Road from 12.30pm. A free lunch will be provided.
 Historic images transformed to create new mural
We have unveiled a new public art commission by artist Shiraz Bayjoo on the side of Clynes House Globe Town, Bethnal Green, along with Whitechapel Gallery.
The Globe Town mural combines more than 20 different images sourced from archives around London and internationally and reflects a range of different historical themes that have been vital in the development of the local area, including protests and political movements; trade, industry and empire; and sporting, cultural and ecological references.
 Hundreds of older people missing out on benefits
Pension Credit worth more than £1.5million is going unclaimed in Tower Hamlets, which could provide vital help for older people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
Our data has revealed 448 low-income households are missing out on the benefit, which is worth on average over £3,500 per year and it can open doors to other benefits such as support with housing costs, Council Tax and heating bills.
We will be holding a drop-in benefit check session on Thursday 27 July at the Residents’ Hub based at the Town Hall in Whitechapel from 10am till noon.
 Catch up clinics
The NHS is encouraging all parents of children aged 1 to 11 who are not yet up to date with their routine vaccinations for polio and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR vaccination) to come forward.
Parents of children aged four to 11, whose vaccination record says they are behind on their polio or MMR vaccinations, will also be contacted by Vaccination UK, which has been employed by the NHS to arrange catch up doses at a local clinic or at school.
You can contact your GP, or if your child is aged four to 11, you can book directly by calling 0208 017 4292.
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