No ID, no vote
There’s just one week to go until the 2024 General Election. On Thursday 4 July you’ll have the chance to have your say on who represents you and your community in Parliament over the next four years.
It’s really important to remember to bring photo ID with you to your polling station on election day.
Accepted forms of ID include passports, driving licences, Blue Badges, and Older or Disabled Person’s Bus Pass among many other. You can see the full list of accepted types of ID on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Please remember:
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 Your ID must be in its original form.
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 Photocopies or photos of the ID on your phone will not be accepted.
You can still apply for an emergency proxy vote if you are unable to get to the polling station on polling day, for whatever reason. Please call 020 8496 3000 if you think this might apply to you.
On election day you can only vote at the polling station listed on your polling card. If you go to another station you will not be able to vote there. All polling stations are open between 7am and 10pm.
Happy voting!
In other news, Fellowship Square is set to be transformed for Finals Weekend with a buzzing fan zone where you can watch the Wimbledon and UEFA European Football Championship Finals on the big screen. The multi award winning Pillars Brewery will be on site serving craft beer, alcohol free beer, wine and Pimm's cocktails. Plus, there will be a host of local vendors offering tasty street food including strawberries and vegan cream from Viva Vegan Café.
Entry is free but booking is essential for each match,
Please note, if your postcode is IG8, your nearest events will appear under E4. If you live in E7 or E15, check out E11. You can also find online events on our website.
 Euro 2024 is in full swing! Do you like to have a drink or two with the game? The wellbeing boost from socialising and engaging with culture is really valuable – but it’s important not to go overboard.
Next week is alcohol awareness week, a great time to step back and take a proper look at your habits. If you’d like to make a change, you can start with some small changes like alternating with zero-alcohol drinks, or tracking your drinking with apps like Drinkcoach. If you’re worried your drinking is becoming a problem, Change, Grow, Live can help with in-person support.
 Lurine Cato MBE and COGIC Wood Street at the Waltham Forest Windrush Festival
A very big thank you to all those who attended the Waltham Forest Windrush Festival in Fellowship Square on Windrush Day, Saturday 22 June. Building on the success of last year’s 75th anniversary, the event celebrated the Afro-Caribbean community’s contribution to our society while acknowledging the legacy of injustice suffered by the Windrush Generation.
The crowd enjoyed electrifying performances including music and dance, alongside art and craft workshops, history exhibitions, film screenings and brilliant food and drink – all thanks to the hard work of our incredible community partners.
 This Summer the Waltham Forest Holiday Activity Programme will be running free activities for school aged children who are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) from Monday 29 July to Friday 23 August. The programme provides children and young people with free fun range of enrichment and sporting activities alongside a daily meal.
Booking is now open and is essential for all eligible children on all activities, so please book early to avoid disappointment.
 This summer, soak up the sounds of sunshine at Leyton Más – the People’s Carnival, a family-focused festival of culture and community. Head to Leyton’s Coronation Gardens on Sunday 21 July for a celebration of culture, creativity, and community. Experience the magic of the People’s Parade with spectacular masquerade sections. Led by renowned African, Caribbean, and South American carnival street bands, the parade promises a spectacular display of costumes and rhythms.
 Join us on Saturday 6 July from 11am to 1pm for our Playfest and Progress event – there’s going to be lots of fun activities for all ages, including:
- face painting
- balloon modelling
- lawn bowls and a chance chat to the bowls club located in the park
- Everyone On Boards will be hosting skateboarding and cycling taster sessions as part of Enjoy Waltham Forest.
You can speak to council officers and find out about the improvements coming to Memorial Park soon. We are also looking for expressions of interest for an operator to run the Memorial Park Pavilion, if you have an idea, talk to our team.
 The Tool House is hosting many paid and free events throughout July for you to get hands-on.
Located at the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum (E17 8AX), you can get involved in activities from woodwork to 3D printing.
Free events include community mini food banks and library working bee with local artist Sean Rodrigo, as well as a cycle MOT session. You can try something new with the paid events including laser cutting, kids building workshops and DIY for beginners.
 Most of us know how tough it can be for people sleeping rough during the winter. It can also be true during the summer, with challenges finding drinking water and cool places out of the sun on hotter days. Without somewhere safe to store their stuff, people may wear extra layers or carry heavy bags all day, putting them at risk of dehydration and, in some cases, heat stroke.
If you’ve seen or know of someone who may be sleeping rough here are some simple things you can do to help:
- Stop, smile and ask if the person is ok.
- Check if the person is happy to receive items such as water, sun cream and umbrellas to help keep them hydrated and protected from the sun.
- Ask a nearby café if they’ll let you ‘pay it forward’ so the person can pick up cold food or drink when needed.
- Contact StreetLink who will be able to connect them with local support services. Visit thestreetlink.org.uk or call 0300 500 0914.
 Are you a business working in or around Waltham Forest?
You can have your items delivered with zero emissions, by our bike-based couriers ZED. The friendly team of couriers use electric bikes to get around – and as well as being speedy, they’re helping the climate by lowering the emissions created by last-mile deliveries. In 2023, ZED delivered over 80,000 parcels by bike, saving approximately 112.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions. You’d be amazed at what it’s possible to deliver on an e-bike, from clothing parcels to pallets of wood.
Free Summer Holiday Family Sessions for five to 11 year-olds
This Summer we will be running a range of free family activities across the borough between 10am and 12:30pm daily between Monday 29 July and Thursday 22 August.
Children and their families can access a wide range of free sessions which will provide opportunities to try new activities, learn new skills, have fun and make friends.
Family sessions are limited and will be offered on a first come first served basis. No booking is required.
Would you like to showcase your business at our wedding fair?
Our next wedding fair is on Sunday 29 September, from 11:30am to 3:30pm at Waltham Forest Town Hall.
Whether you are a florist, caterer, stylist, jeweler, photographer, cake maker, entertainer, or something else: whatever your business, we'd love to host you.
Packages start at £100 and we have hundreds of attendees, so make sure to book your space soon!
Be Part of Soho Theatre Walthamstow
Soho Theatre Walthamstow is hiring! This incredible new venue will open in early 2025 – check out the latest progress in this short video. Every month until the curtain raises, Soho Theatre Walthamstow will advertise new vacancies and is expected to become one of the borough’s biggest employers. Whether you’re looking for a position in hospitality, technical management, marketing, building management, administration there’s an option for you.
Essential Services Jobs Fair
Join us on Wednesday 17 July from 1pm to 4pm at Lea Bridge Library for an informative event aimed at showcasing career paths within the council, our partners and essential services.
Find out about a diverse range of careers that are crucial to our community’s wellbeing and provide daily essentials for all households. From healthcare and education to social care and construction you will get to meet employers dedicated to providing vital services that form the basis of everyday life.
Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting out, this event offers valuable career and networking opportunities.
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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