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Protecting our most vulnerable
London is at the epicentre of a national housing crisis. One in 50 Londoners and one in 21 children - that is one in every classroom - is homeless and living in temporary accommodation. Not having a place to call home negatively affects every aspect of life, from child development to employment to health.
Waltham Forest Council’s legal responsibilities around support for homeless households, children at risk and adults living in social care settings account for a combined 58 per cent of our budget. Within these pressures, housing and regeneration provides a great opportunity for change; for example, through building more homes, improving local infrastructure and providing benefits to residents such as jobs and support for communities.
This is why on Thursday 5 June, the council approved the Temporary Accommodation (TA) Acquisition Programme. It outlines our proposals for re-purposing £8.6 million in unspent Greater London Authority (GLA) funding for our £28.8 million Affordable Homes Programme – guaranteeing a minimum of 64 homes to help support people who are homeless and relieve temporary accommodation pressures.
The remainder of this funding will also help make better use of council-owned land and buildings through our Asset Transformation Strategy, also passed by Full Council. Since 2021, we have delivered 1,595 new homes on council-owned land – putting Waltham Forest fourth on Inside Housing’s 2024 council house building table - and we are currently on track to deliver 3,149 new homes by 2028/29.
This all comes on top of £200 million in GLA grant funding already secured for new affordable homes, including 387 affordable homes near Lea Bridge Station – made up of 174 social rent homes, 195 London affordable rent homes, and 18 shared ownership homes. In Walthamstow, the Marlowe Road estate regeneration scheme is on track to deliver 589 new homes, with 44 per cent of those designated as affordable homes.
In my capacity as London Councils’ executive member for Housing and Regeneration, I have highlighted that the 60 per cent overspend in homelessness across the board is the single biggest risk to local authorities and is pushing many towards bankruptcy. Tackling this crisis directly remains one of our key Waltham Forest Missions and we will continue to do everything in our power to ensure everyone can afford a home, while managing the borough’s finances responsibly.
Grace
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
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What's happening where you are |
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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.
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A lark in Langthorne Park |
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 Langthorne Park Festival takes place on Saturday 14 June from midday to 4pm.
Let's welcome in summer and celebrate our wonderful communities together with games, live music, performances, and street food. Entry to the event is free and there will be live music and dance, a roller disco, a basketball shooting competition, children and family crafts, food stalls, a bouncy castle, and much, much more.
This year’s festival has been funded by Waltham Forest Council, Peabody, Stow Brothers and Leytonstone Tavern.
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 We're proud to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community and their contribution to our borough this June. We stand alongside our LGBTQ+ community in their fight for equality and acceptance. As one of the most diverse areas in the country, Waltham Forest is proud of its history as a place of welcome and inclusivity.
We're also really excited to announce that Waltham Forest Pride will be back on Saturday 19 July - save the date! Hosted by elop, the event promises lots of fun and a live stage show. More info coming soon...
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 Families with children aged nine months and over can now apply for 30 hours of childcare funding, starting from September 2025.
Already receiving 15 hours for working families? Just check and confirm your code like you normally do. The same code will apply for the 30 hours from September. Make sure to apply and get your code by 31 August 2025 to claim your free hours for the autumn term. If you miss the deadline, you’ll need to wait until January 2026. If you’re receiving certain benefits, you may still be eligible for the existing 2-year-old childcare and early learning entitlement.
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 Refugee Week 2025 is taking place from 16 June to 22 June, and this year’s theme is ‘Community is a Superpower’.
We’ve gathered a list of events happening across the borough from our amazing community, including a comedy night by Haven Coffee, community events at William Morris Gallery, an introduction to climbing for refugee and asylum seeking women, and films, poetry and art exhibitions.
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 That's right, it’s National Smile Month! To celebrate, we’re joining the national campaign to celebrate the power of a healthy smile.
Did you know that tooth decay is one of the most common childhood diseases, but it’s almost entirely preventable. HENRY in Waltham Forest shares simple tips to help families keep little smiles healthy for life. They also host free oral health support sessions for little ones.
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 All Ability Cycling Clubs run every Saturday morning at Leyton Jubilee Park – and we’re delighted that they’ll now be extending their hours due to their popularity. You’ll now be able to catch the friendly Bikeworks team every Saturday from 9.30am to 12.30pm in the summer months.
All Ability Clubs give everyone the opportunity to drop in and try out a range of cycles, and are especially welcoming to those with SEND. Everyone, regardless of ability, can come along and enjoy a ride.
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Celebrating our amazing Community Drop-in volunteers |
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 This week is Volunteers’ Week, an annual campaign to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers.
Yesterday we held a celebration event for our fantastic network of Community Drop-in volunteers, who support residents with filling in tricky forms, claiming benefits they’re entitled to and signposting them to support services.
Our Community Drop-in volunteers helped over 360 residents between February and April this year. Volunteering provides you with a new skills for work, an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends, and a sense of purpose, so why not give it a go?
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Tell us how you’re getting green |
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 We want to do everything we can to help our insect friends thrive in Waltham Forest, as part of our work on nature recovery. We recently celebrated World Bee Day, and now we want to hear from you about how else we can all help out insects in the borough.
Is your garden a refuge for bees or other insects? Do you have a loggery where stag beetles thrive? Have you cultivated a wild area of your garden or planted up a window box with pollinator-friendly flowers? Do you help tend to a community garden that makes your street greener? Please get in touch with us on campaigns@walthamforest.gov.uk with your tips, and we’ll create a guide that can help everyone make their area more nature friendly.
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Fighting fire with fire(fighters) |
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 Walthamstow Fire Station is hosting an open day on Sunday 8 June from 12pm to 4pm at 343 Forest Road, E17 5JR.
Meet local firefighters, check out their latest fire and rescue service equipment and enjoy food, facepainting, henna and much more! There will also be a special SEND early entry from 11am.
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Family Fun Day at Traid Walthamstow |
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 Join charity retailer Traid for their free Family Fun Day on Sunday 22 June, from 12pm to 4pm, at their new look Walthamstow store at 106a High Street, Walthamstow, E17 7JY.
Visitors can dance the afternoon away at Traid’s family disco with DJ Chewy on the decks, drop-in to their clothes customisation workshop with Make Do and Wonder, with free juices courtesy of Pip Organic. Plus, check out Traid’s special curated range of second-hand kids and baby clothes, shoes and toys.
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Building emotional resilience in youth and families
Join Mile Rainbow CIC for a free five-week programme starting Thursday 19 June at Seddon Centre (Small Hall), 33 Clyde Place, London E10 5AS. The sessions blend Eastern and Western creative, physical, and reflective activities to help young people and families build emotional resilience before stress becomes a serious issue.
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Opportunities for residents |
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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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