Your coronavirus update: In memoriam, Cllr Chris Robbins CBE 1945 – 2021

Having trouble reading this email? Click here to view in browser

Leader of the Council Clare Coghill green background

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

I am devastated to announce the unexpected passing of our dear friend and Mayor Cllr Chris Robins CBE. I know you'll join me in extending our sympathies to Chris's friends and family during this difficult time.

I'd like to take this time to remember the significant impact Chris made on Waltham Forest. Chris served the Waltham Forest community since 2002 with dignity, grace, and compassion in his various roles as ward councillor, cabinet member, Leader of the Council 2009 to 2017, and Mayor and was recognised for his service to the community in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 2017 with a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire). Chris was also an avid support of our local Leyton Orient Football Club.

Chris was especially dedicated to working with children and young people in the borough, giving them support and opportunities to help them reach their full potential. His hard work, enthusiasm, and generosity will be remembered by everyone here at Waltham Forest. Chris made a huge difference to this borough with his brave and practical politics and felt passionate about helping it's people - ‘our people’ - as he would always call us and his motto in his years as Leader was ‘Residents First’. You saw that in every decision he made.

In many ways Chris was my political mentor – helping me though my early days in politics, generous with his time and experience but always supporting me to come to my own views and solutions. Above everything, Chris was utterly devoted to his family and my heart goes out to Shelley, Emma, Victoria and all of his family. We have lost a great man and a great friend.

To read our memoriam in full, please visit our website.

Wider retail and leisure to open from Monday 12 April

From Monday 12 April, non-essential retail, leisure and hospitality with open in various Covid-19 secure ways.

This includes:

All retail
Personal care premises
Outdoor hospitality
Indoor leisure
Outdoor attractions such as zoos, theme parks and drive-in cinemas

Hospitality venues will be able to to serve people outdoors and there will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and no curfew, although customers must order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’).

Choose local if you're able to and please follow any Covid-19 measures that are in place when you visit.

Learn more

Community Collect at libraries

To help residents access twice-weekly testing more, Community Collect is now available at the following libraries during their opening times.

Wood Street Library, E17
Leyton Library, E10
Leytonstone Library, E11

These libraries are in addition to four other collection points at Chingford Assembly Hall, Jubilee Centre, Leyton Cricket Ground, and One Hoe St. test sites.

Please remember rapid home test kits are only for those with no symptoms of Covid-19. If you have symptoms, you must go to a PCR test site at Linford Rd, Stanley Rd, or Church Lane which are now open 8am-8pm.

View testing information

Easter Holiday Activities

Waltham Forest is running a holiday activity programme for children aged 8-11 and in receipt of free schools meals from Monday 12 April to Thursday 15 April from 10am – 2pm at the following locations:

Roger Ascham Primary School, 1 Wigton Road, Walthamstow E17 5HU
Whitehall Primary School, 90 Normanton Park E4 6ES
George Tomlinson Primary School, Harrington Rd, Leytonstone E11 4QN

Children will be able to participate in a wide range of fun activities including puppet workshops, multi sports led by local sports clubs, bubble workshops, healthy cooking as well as provided with a hot meal every day.

Secure a place

Council services update

Our brilliant officers and teams are making sure we provide key services to our residents throughout this stage of lockdown and we keep our website updated with the latest service information.

To find out information about a particular service, please visit our website.

Info on council services

Leyton Orient has No Space for Hate

Thanks to everybody at Leyton Orient for showing solidarity against all forms of hate in Waltham Forest & promoting our No Space for Hate campaign during yesterday’s match against Walsall. Although The O’s were held to a goalless draw, we couldn’t be more proud that the club has gotten involved in the campaign.

If, like Leyton Orient, you also have No Space for Hate there are lots of ways that you can get involved with the campaign:

take our training to learn how to spot and stop hate in the community
share our helpline with @stop_hate_uk and support witnesses and victims to report a hate incident or crime confidentially
SIGN OUR PLEDGE

Show your support

Don't risk it - stay outdoors

Even though restrictions are easing even more from Monday, please don't be tempted to mix indoors with people you do not live with.

This rule is in place at the moment to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

By mixing indoors, we increase the risk of infection which may then impact our ability to move out of lockdown in the future.

At the moment, you can meet outdoors in groups of six or as two households, but please still remember hands, face, space.

Thank you for everything you are doing to help get life back on track.

Read the restrictions

Stay safe after your vaccine

Have you your first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine? Or maybe you're now fully vaccinated?

It's still vital that you follow the current restriction rules and take preventative measures.

Even though we might be protected, we still need to make sure we protect other people within our communities.

And if you've got your vaccine appointment coming up, please wear your face covering if you can and keep apart from other people.

By taking care and following the rules, we are all actively helping to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Learn about the vaccine

Postal voting in Waltham Forest

May’s elections are approaching and we’re working to ensure that polling stations are ready and safe for our residents and staff.

Voting may take longer this year, so why not register for postal voting, you’ll be able to vote from the comfort of your home.

We’ve made it easy as ever to register for postal voting. You don’t have to provide a reason to apply. Just do it by 20 April at 5pm so that we have enough time to process your documents.

Register for postal voting

Information and advice regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing quickly and its important you keep up to date with those changes. The Council will be using email newsletters to keep residents and businesses up to date.

If residents have questions please visit our website, and use live chat to talk to one of our team, it's quicker than phoning.

Sign up for email newsletter

Choose which emails I receive

Want to stop receiving emails from Waltham Forest Council? Unsubscribe

Help