Our network of diverse and welcoming Community Living Rooms is expanding
As we head into the colder months, the cost of living continues to be a huge issue for so many people in our borough. If you're worried about feeding your family or heating your home, I want you to know that you’re not alone.
The cost of living crisis hasn't gone away, and our teams will be working with our brilliant community partners to share information and support throughout the winter months, to make sure you can access the help you need. Our dedicated web pages will be kept updated with information about how you can access support – whether it’s about money, jobs, help for families, housing, or looking after your health and wellbeing.
Our network of diverse and welcoming Community Living Rooms is expanding, and by the end of October there will be 27 open across the borough, from North Chingford to Leytonstone. Our Living Rooms are spaces for anyone to drop in, socialise, get some food, and access further information about other services and help you might need.
We’re also here to help keep your energy bills as low as possible. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be launching tools so you can find out what energy-saving help you might be eligible for – including free DIY materials or upgrades to your home to improve its efficiency and keep bills down.
There are lots of ways to get the help you need – and we’ll keep sharing information and support here, across all of our social channels, and in person at council locations across Waltham Forest. Find out more on our website.
Grace
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
Click the postcode nearest you to find events coming up around the borough.
Did you know that you can get up to £519 per week per child you foster? This is just one example of the support available when you become a Waltham Forest Foster Carer.
Join us at our upcoming fostering event and find out more. Whether you're in a couple or are single, everyone is encouraged to start your fostering journey with us.
If you have space in your heart and home, you could #BeTheOne.
Join us for our event that starts at 6pm on Wednesday 1 November 2023.
In less than two weeks, our grade II listed Town Hall will be taking centre stage for our Light Show Spectacular at Fellowship Square.
The team at Guildhall Live Events has been working hard with some incredible artists, including Waltham Forest Resident Zarah Hussain, to create a stunning and awe-inspiring main event, with fire effects, an original musical score and intricate light projections.
Join us for a dazzling spectacle, with pre-show performances of jugglers, illuminated stilt walkers, and an amazing live drumming show. Early show tickets are selling fast, so book your tickets today!
There are two performances a day, on Friday 3, Saturday 4, and Sunday 5 November.
- early show: gates open 3.30pm (display 5.30pm)
- late show: gates open 7.00pm (display 9pm)
Francis Road Lates take place on the first Thursday of every month and are a great opportunity to find out what the fab independent businesses on Francis Road have to offer. Many will be staying open until 8pm, with pop ups, kids activities, street food and live music. Join in the fun next Thursday, 2 November, from 4pm to 8pm.
Waltham Forest Adult Learning service is offering a number of creative courses, starting this November. Learn new skills, including ceramics, drawing, painting, sewing and much more. Taking a creative course can be a great way to relax and have fun so check out the link below to the full list of the Adult Learning Service creative courses, and enrol today.
Mazes by Johanna Wilbraham and Central Parade by Underway Studio feature in the exhibition
A new exhibition of artworks by local artists is opening at Artsnug, Central Parade, E17.
WalthamStories Chapter 2 | Lost and Found runs from Saturday 28 October to Thursday 30 November. The featured works tell the stories of Walthamstow’s lost wonders and hidden treasures, while celebrating E17’s past, present and future through the eyes of Artsnug Artists. If you would like to attend the launch, from 4pm from 9pm on Friday 27 October, please book your spot by emailing johanna@artsnug.com.
Black History Month 2023 is in its final week, with a jam-packed weekend of events and activities across the borough. These include:
Thank you to GB Carnival’s Frank Sweeney for talking to us about Black History Month last week and to all of our community groups, museums, libraries and local schools who have helped make this year’s celebrations so special.
Only a few days to go until our Wedding Fair on Sunday 29 October - and you’re cordially invited! We’ll be joined by a handful of amazing local vendors, ready to bring your dream wedding to life. Whether you're looking for clothing options, flowers, performers, or just want to nosy round our historical town hall, you’re welcome to join us. You’ll also get a free glass of bubbly and a goodie bag on arrival.
Learn all about hedgehogs: their behaviour, their ecology and the problems they face in urban environments. We are running three workshops for adults that will explore different ways you can help to protect hedgehogs and, as a team, you will construct a hedgehog home to be installed in the park!
For more information, or to book your place, please email Emily at actionfornature@groundwork.org.uk or call 0791 227 1961.
Do you have a child aged two to four years old? If so, you can claim a free early learning and childcare place to support their development through a range of fun and exciting activities. These include stories, rhymes, singing, dance, arts, crafts and physical activities.
Taking up your child’s place can help to give them the best start in life, so check their eligibility today:
For more information, or help finding a suitable childcare place near you, please call the Early Years, Childcare and Business Development service on 0208 496 3566 or email childcare@walthamforest.gov.uk.
Calling all council tenants and leaseholders. Do you need help and advice on making your home more energy efficient?
Join one of our FREE virtual Energy Café advice sessions, via Microsoft Teams, from our contractors, Morgan Sindall Property Services, on the first Wednesday of each month. Sessions take place from 10am until noon – and the next session is on Wednesday 1 November. To find out more and register your place, email the Morgan Sindall Property Services Social Value team at CSRbox@morgansindall.com or visit our website.
Last week the Mayor of London announced that all London Underground, London Overground, and Elizabeth Line stations, along with major bus interchanges, are being equipped with a lifesaving defibrillators.
Last year, the London Ambulance Service responded to around 13,000 cardiac arrests across the capital. Performing CPR or using a defibrillator while the ambulance arrives can help increase a person’s chances of surviving.
Waltham Forest residents will now have easy access to defibrillators at major transport hubs, including many bus interchanges.
The darker evenings provide the perfect backdrop for the final community yoga of the year at Fellowship Square.
Join East of Eden on Saturday 28 October from 7.30pm to 9pm to honour the Hunter Moon, with an hour's yoga followed by a restorative gong bath. Tickets cost £3, including fees. The yoga will contain lots of movement to ensure no one gets cold, but we recommend bringing warm layers and a blanket for the gong bath.
Final call for applications for secondary school places
If your child is currently in year 6 and is due to move from primary to secondary school in September 2024, don’t forget to make your application before the closing date of 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 October 2023. Find out more and apply here.
Free digital drop-in sessions starting at Wood Street Library
If you or someone you know needs an extra helping hand with a phone, laptop or getting online, our Digital Champion Volunteers are on hand to give one-to-one support every Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm at Wood Street Library. There are also community led projects taking place all over the borough to help build digital skills and confidence.
Find your nearest support.
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.
You can find the latest Waltham Forest Council jobs online on our website, and check out our LinkedIn.
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