Give us the police service our residents deserve
For too long Waltham Forest residents haven't received the police service we deserve, and public confidence in the force has never been lower. This week, the Metropolitan Police published its response to Baroness Casey's review into policing in the capital, and I'm pleased to see that the Met’s Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has accepted that a lack of public trust in his officers is the key issue. Where better to start to tackle this than in Waltham Forest, where the level of trust in the police is among the lowest in London?
The plan accepts that local accountability is vital and that the police should work more closely with councils and the community to improve the local response to crime, with a particular focus on protecting young people.
The police can't just say that things will be different, they have to show it with actions. I really hope that what's being promised today will help reduce and prevent crime in Waltham Forest, offer better protection to our residents and communities, and give us a police service that all residents can have confidence in.
This week sees Waltham Forest schools close for the summer. As the holidays begin, I want to draw your attention to the many free events and services we have for families, children and young adults around the borough. These include our Community Living Rooms and Space4All youth spaces, plus lots of free activities and events at Fellowship Square, including the ever-popular fountain. Don't forget about our brilliant libraries, parks and leisure centres and that under 18s can swim whenever they want throughout the holidays for just £5!
And remember, funding from the Mayor of London means that all primary school pupils in state-funded schools will be eligible for free school meals from September. Your child's school will organise everything for you.
Grace
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
Free fountain fun at Fellowship Square
Click the postcode nearest you to find events coming up around the borough.
Langthorne Park
We have some amazing parks in Waltham Forest and you'll find lots of activities happening in them around the borough this Love Parks Week 2023, from Friday 28 July to Sunday 6 August. Activities include building butterfly feeders, scavenger hunts, colouring and more.
But you don't have to wait for Love Parks Week to discover what makes our parks and green spaces so special. Find one near you at the button below.
Why not join a volunteer group to help keep our parks beautiful? Check out the Friends of Parks Conservation Volunteers’ website or find a residents group near you.
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Is your child thinking of applying to university? Why not suggest they use the summer holidays to find out about the brand new university that's about to open on their doorstep. Imagine – all the benefits of a world class education at one of the top 10 Young Universities in the UK, without having to leave home.
The University of Portsmouth is opening its new London campus, right here in Waltham Forest next year. Want to know more? Pop into UoP London's new Admissions and Recruitment Centre (ARC) at Walthamstow Library or read what the campus has to offer online. The ARC is open every Wednesday afternoon from 2pm to 6pm. No need to book – just turn up.
Post graduate courses start from January 2024, with undergraduate/degree courses beginning in September 2024. Read more about UoP London, what to expect at its Waltham Forest campus, what you can study and how to apply below.
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Are you a community group, collective or organisation in Waltham Forest looking for resources or activity and meeting space to support your work? Then William Morris Gallery wants to hear from you. Its new Community Residency programme has been designed to support and uplift the work of community-based initiatives in the borough. The first phase of the programme will see four local groups provided with space, funding and resources to support their work.
Find out more and how to apply. Applications close Friday 11 August.
The East London Shakespeare Festival continues its brilliant tour of Waltham Forest with its closing run in Highams Park this weekend, from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 July, 3pm to 7.30pm. Head to Highams Park, Tamworth Avenue, IG8 9RF. Tickets from £11.
Leader of the Council Grace Williams visited two of the borough’s Community Living Rooms last Friday, 14 July. Walthamstow Salvation Army and Leytonstone and Wanstead Synagogue (pictured above) offer a friendly and relaxed environment for visitors to enjoy free tea or coffee, snacks, a chance to socialise, and other activities.
Community Living Rooms are open across the borough to provide support and advice, space for residents to relax and meet new people, and run creative activities. Take a look at the map on our website to find your nearest space, with more opening soon. Find a Community Living Room near you.
CGI of the new Soho Theatre Walthamstow
Say hello to the Soho Theatre Walthamstow team on Monday 24 July from 4.30pm to 8pm. Find out about the world-class comedians coming to Walthamstow, the theatre’s ongoing lively participatory programme for all ages, and ways to work with Soho Theatre. Either pop into their office at 10 Hatherley Mews, near to the new Soho Theatre Walthamstow, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, or meet them in The Collab restaurant in Hoe Street from 6pm to 8pm.
Come along to a free cycling school this summer and improve your child’s cycling skills while they have fun. Whether your child is a beginner or just wants to increase their cycle confidence, there is a session to enjoy. If your child doesn't have a bike, we can provide one for the session.
Cycling School is free to primary and secondary aged children that live or study in Waltham Forest. The sessions will be held this summer in various locations across the borough, so you can choose a time and location that suits you best.
Climate Leaders: Eco-Action Week at The Hive is a four-day course for young people aged 16 to 25 running Monday 24 July to Thursday 27 July.
This is a brilliant chance to learn about the ecology of Epping Forest and receive a nationally recognised Carbon Literacy accreditation. There will be a one-night residential stay in The Hive camping pods, with vegetarian/vegan meals, campfire activities and time to socialise. On the course you will also hear from people in green careers, and take part in a group project on a real-world climate action challenge.
For those living or studying in Waltham Forest, the whole programme is only £10, to cover the accreditation. Costs are higher for people outside the borough.
Our summer programme kicks off this weekend so join us from Saturday 22 until Friday 28 July for free and ticketed activities. Don’t miss out – what’s on will change every week over the summer.
We’re getting you active with Sports and Dancing week. There’ll be Tai Chi and hip-hop dancing, different instruments on the music bus with professional music educators, and join the E17 Art Collective for a host of drop-in activities, including drumming, poetry and improv (improvisational theatre.) This is just the start of our bumper six-week holiday programme!
Don't forget that Waltham Forest Pride 2023 will take place in Fellowship Square NEXT Saturday, 29 July 2023, from 12pm to 8pm. Hosted by ELOP (East London Out Project), it will be brought to life by the wonderful talent and contributions of the local LGBTQIA+ community. Book your free tickets now.
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Local community organisation Leaders has just been nominated for the national UK Dance Industry awards in the School of the Year category. Its summer programme starts from Tuesday 25 July and runs to Thursday 10 August, and features dance, performance, leadership and drama activities for young people. It's free to all Peabody residents and just £10 to everyone else. It takes place at the Paradox Centre, 3 Ching Way, E4 8YD. Call 07831 224 510 or email leadersacademyenquiries@gmail.com.
Cllr Doré, Justine Simons and Cllr Ashworth
£200k from the Mayor of London's Sustainability Capital Grant Fund is being invested into Sutherland Studios in Blackhorse Collective, our Creative Enterprise Zone, which aims to make it easier for artists and creative businesses to flourish in a space of their own.
The money will help make the studios more energy efficient and help create new, affordable workspaces for creative businesses within the zone. Cllr Vicky Ashworth, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Equalities and Social Inclusion, and Cllr Rosalind Doré, Cabinet Commissioner for Destinations, joined the Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons, at the London Made Me event last Thursday, where the announcement was made. If you have, or are thinking of, launching a business in the borough, check out workspaces and discover how we can support you to make your business grow.
Free summer family activities
We are running a range of free family activities across the borough between Monday 24 July to Friday 25 August 2023, daily from 10am to 12.30pm.
All sessions are led by Waltham Forest Play Workers and are aimed at children aged five to 11. Specialist workshops are provided by professionals from a variety of local organisations including circus skills, slime workshops, storytelling and laser tag. Free lunch is provided for all children.
Children must live or go to school in the borough to attend the sessions. These sessions are in addition to the ones previously announced for children in receipt of benefit-related free school meals and are open to all children.
- Whitehall Primary School, 90 Normanton Park, London, E4 6ES
- Henry Maynard Primary, Maynard Rd, London E17 9JE
- Chapel End Infants, 3 Beresford Rd, London E17 4LN
- George Tomlinson Primary School, Harrington Rd, Bushwood, London E11 4QN (Harrington Road Entrance)
Check out our youth spaces as summer holidays begin
We now have youth spaces across the length and breadth of the borough. Run in partnership with local community groups, our Space4All youth hubs offer lots of activities and a chance to hang out with friends in a safe space in their own neighbourhoods.
Launching the Community Chest Grant, round two
Community Chest Grants are designed to fund small- to medium-sized voluntary and community groups who offer social prescribing services and activities to support the health and wellbeing of Waltham Forest residents.
Applications are now open again until 3 September 2023 and can be made online. Contact the team at social.prescribing@walthamforest.gov.uk for any questions or accessibility requirements.
Please share this opportunity with any voluntary and community sector organisations you know who might be interested.
Travel disruptions
Travelling by Tube and rail over the next few weeks? Be aware of planned strikes ahead on local and national services.
Tube Strikes 23-29 July 2023
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Little or no Tube service between Tuesday 25 and Friday 28 July
- No Night Tube service running overnight on Friday 28 July
- DLR, London Overground (including night services) and Elizabeth Line services may be affected by station closures where stations also serve London Underground lines
National Rail strikes
Strikes on national rail services are planned on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July. These strikes may affect some District line, London Overground and Elizabeth Line services.
Please plan ahead, check before you travel, and allow extra time to complete your journey.
A capital idea to promote social work
London boroughs have launched a new website promoting children’s social work career opportunities.
The site, London Social Work for Children, will see all 33 London local authorities posting their job adverts for children’s social workers on a single site, bringing together the many and diverse opportunities on offer across the capital. See Waltham Forest’s page and discover why our borough is a great place to pursue a career in children’s social work.
Free event: live job and adult learning opportunities
Don't miss the Waltham Forest Employment and skills event on Thursday 27 July, 11am to 3pm. Connect with over 20 employers offering live job information, get expert advice and exclusive enrolment opportunities for adult learning courses. Whether you're looking to enhance your skills, explore new career paths or find employment, this event aims to empower you with resources and connections. Register in advance for priority access to one-to-one appointments and advice sessions.
Current council vacancies and other local jobs
We regularly update the vacancies and local jobs listing on our Waltham Forest Jobs website. Explore available job opportunities and apply for roles that suit you.
And you can find the latest Waltham Forest Council jobs online on our website. And check out our LinkedIn.
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