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May 2016No. 14, FreeWALTHAM

FOREST ECHO

Your independent community newspaper

www.walthamforestecho.co.ukfacebook.com/WalthamForestEchoT: @WFEchoE: [email protected]

Advertisement

rowers in Waltham For- est are leading calls for the new Mayor of London to create more

space for community food projects in the capital. Local organisations, including Chingford-based workers' co-oper-ative OrganicLea, are demanding that the incoming mayor commits to protecting land already used

althamstow MP Stella Creasy has blamed Westmin-ster cuts on her

decision to no longer respond to emails on a wide range of subjects. In a newsletter to constituents, the Labour MP explained that she was receiving more emails than she and her staff were able to reply to, which led her to decide to ignore emails on certain topics. Among the emails set to receive

for food growing, provides secure long-term leases for such land, and ensures all new housing develop-ments incorporate community ag-riculture through schemes such as green roofs. A new London-wide group called the Community Food Grow-er's Network (CFGN) has been drawing up a new policy docu-ment which it intends to hand to

no response "for the foreseable future" are emails relating to mass campaigns such as those promot-ed by 38 Degrees and other well-known petition websites. She said: "I am receiving an extremely high volume of emails and requests for assistance from residents in Walthamstow, follow-ing cuts to alternative sources of advice and support. Due to this increase in demand, growth of online petitions and emailing cam-

the mayor following the City Hall elections held on 5th May. The group has drawn significant support from within Waltham Forest, which is said to be one of the "leading lights" of food growing in the capital. Martin Lofty, a former appren-tice at OrganicLea and CFGN member, told the Echo: "Waltham Forest is a good example of a food-growing borough. We are using the work done here as an example for other boroughs. "CFGN was started about a year ago, in partnership with [grassroots planning campaign] Just Space, and is writing the food- growing element to a document which will make suggestions for the next London Plan that will be written by the new mayor. "We'd like to see a commitment to long-term tenancies for agricul-tural workers, such as the 30-year lease OrganicLea has at Hawk-wood Nursery [in Chingford]. "We want all housing devel-

paigns, and a recent decision by the parliamentary authorities regard-ing funding for staffing my office, I no longer have ability to respond to all requests from residents. "Therefore, as I will not use un- paid interns, and to be able to follow up those in greatest need, my office will no longer be able to chase up responses for residents on the following matters: General enqui-ries about parking where council representatives are included in

opments to incorporate growing space, and we want local author-ities to identify land suitable for food growing." Several events being held in the borough this year are aimed at encouraging local horticul-ture. Waltham Forest Council is hosting its biggest-ever food-grow-ing festival, Cultivate, while Ar-tillery, organisers of the E17 Art Trail, launched a project focused on growing in small urban spaces. Last month two projects in Waltham Forest hosted events as part of the Big Dig urban growing initiative; Mission Grove Primary School in Walthamstow, which has its own wildlife garden, and Greenway Avenue Community Play Garden, near Wood Street. April also saw the launch of Ley-tonstone Food Assembly (read more on Echo 0). Three years ago OrganicLea launched a programme called Food Works, offering residents the chance to gain experience in

the email chain; general enquiries about environmental services run by Waltham Forest Council where WF Direct have been included in the email chain; generic emails re-lating to campaigns, requests to sign EDMs, attend receptions, or support generic policy matters. "This temporary policy will remain in place for the fore-seable future. If you wish to raise concerns email: info@ parliamentarystandards.org.uk"

horticulture with ongoing men-toring and support. Last year it also launched Farm Start, which involves supporting, coordinating and enabling the creation of new grow-to-sell food projects. Transition Leytonstone, mean-while, continues to develop its community garden in Church Lane, where anyone can volunteer. Theo Brown, a member of Or-ganicLea, told the Echo: "There is a progressive council in Waltham Forest which we work closely with. "We are encouraging children in schools to learn about growing. In London it can be hard to relate to food and where it comes from, so it is great to be able to teach people about that. "You could say Waltham Forest is a leading light on the food growing scene."

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Growers demand protected space

MP to ignore mass campaign emails

by James Cracknell

Brandon O'Reilly and Clare Joy at OrganicLea's nursery in Chingford Credit Vibol Moeung

P . 4 P . 6 P . 11

Plans to build a skyscraper in Walthamstow get mixed reaction from local people

FGM campaigner Hibo Wardere tells her incredibly moving story

A Morris dancing group show why it's not just a man's world

Why DJs are spinning up a storm at a popular new music venue

The therapy centre taking a lead in treating multiple sclerosis

See a selectionof our properties

inside! p. 8–9 and 15–16

Calls for new London mayor to prioritise local food projects

To find out more about the Community Food Grower's Network:

Visit cfgn.org.uk

2 No. 14 MAY 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

MAY 2016 – No. 14

Waltham Forest Echo is an independent community newspaper for everyone living and working in the borough. We publish monthly and distribute 20,000 free copies of each issue to libraries, cafes, pubs, and other places around Waltham Forest.

PublisherDavid Floyd

EditorJames Cracknell

Art DirectionJonathan Duncan

DistributionDexter Coles

ContributorsLars PeterssonShelly BerryAmina AhmedKi FaroSarah JonesBob BelamEsther FreemanKatie RobinsonWendy WrightPaul RobinsonJo Bounds Debra OakabyPhillip Othen

MembersDarrel HunneybellSarah JonesGen FordDavid HamiltonChris LeminJean DugglebyDavid GardinerMelanie Strickland

Advertising SalesT: 020 8521 7956E: [email protected]

The member organisations of WFWellComm CIC are:Community Transport Waltham ForestSocial Spider CICHEET

WFWellComm CIC Management Board:David Floyd (Social Spider CIC)Tom Ruxton (HEET)Helen Tredoux (Community Transport WF)

Waltham Forest Echo Social Spider CIC, The Mill, 7–11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow, London E17 7HA

Waltham Forest Echo began with funding by The National Lottery through Big Lottery Fund

We must protect the right to boycottCampaigner Lars Petersson shares his concerns about a new threat to local democracy

ver since taking power the government led by David Cameron has ex-pressed its determina-

tion to uphold individual rights and freedoms; stressed its com-mitment to de-centralised pol-itics; and proclaimed that the process of decision-making must be brought closer to the people concerned. Though not a Tory myself, I would strongly welcome such steps. After all, this would in-crease the chance that I and other 'hard-working people' could successfully lobby local government, such as Waltham Forest Council, to act in an eth-ically and ecologically responsi-ble way. By lobbying our councils' procurement policies of goods and services we could have a posi-tive say not only in our own com-munities but far and wide. We could, as is commonly expressed,

"act local and think global". When it comes to reality, however, myself and the govern-ment seem to end up in disagree-ment. To my dismay they intend to curtail those rights; they want to remove this selective power from local governments. Some local initiatives to which I belong, such as promotion of local food growing and im-provements of energy efficien-cy, can be beneficial also on a global level and are therefore mostly welcomed. However, in other areas local initiatives can have far-reaching consequences of a more controversial nature – now having an impact on in-ternational politics and the in-terests of big business. This is where local groups, some of which I belong to, can become a threat to government interests. As I understand, the ever stronger campaigns and successes in such

areas could explain the sudden interest in curtailing this grass-roots influence. As a lifelong campaigner against social division, discrim-ination of the vulnerable, and racism, I oppose not only social-ly-divisive policies such as the anti-radicalisation Prevent pro-gramme, and the ongoing social cleansing of London, but also the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians. A few months ago a govern-ment directive was sent to local authorities, including Waltham Forest Council, telling them to abandon ethical considerations from their procurement and in-vestment decisions. They were advised to adhere to the 'rules of free trade' and that ethical consideration when selecting companies from which to buy products and/or services was to be considered discriminatory.

I am only one of many con-cerned local people who have worked for years trying to raise awareness about the un-ethical nature of some compa-nies with global interests, not just in support of Palestine but also against our money being invested in destructive activi-ties such as arms production, fracking, and other fossil fuel extraction. We do not want our money to be used by others to ruin the lives of sentient beings. What I now fear is that it will be made im-possible for local people to stop.

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COMMENT

FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE

The environment is now a big issueAn introduction from James Cracknell, editor of Waltham Forest Echo

ello and welcome to issue 14 of Waltham Forest Echo. The quadren-

nial London mayoral elections are now upon us, for which the only outcome guaranteed is that our city will be led by a new mayor. The timing of the election did not coincide well with our print deadlines (a complaint will be made to City Hall!) so we un-fortunately cannot publish here the result either of the mayoral vote, or the London Assembly vote which will have chosen the person to represent North East London for the next four years. In any case, we hope the elec-tion 'pitches' from the candi-dates that we published earlier on our website helped make up your mind at the ballot box. In this month's paper another unintended theme has emerged – growing. The desire among people to grow their own food, excuse the pun in advance, has

been growing hugely in the past few years. Whether it's because people are fed up of supermar-kets, or simply have an urge to reconnect with where our food comes from, there is certainly an upward trend in home-grown produce. In London, this seems nowhere more evident than in Waltham Forest. And we should all be proud of that. So I hope Echo readers support the new Leytonstone Food Assembly (see Page 10) as well as the already-es-tablished local growing networks such as OrganicLea in Chingford. To me it feels as though a whole raft of environmental issues are finally gaining trac-tion among the various local au-thorities and agencies that run London. The enhancement of green spaces, as places which have recognised social benefits, is now a priority. In a year's time Europe's largest urban wetland nature reserve, Walthamstow Wetlands, is due to open in our

very own borough. Then of course, there's the boost which cycling has received, both in Waltham Forest and the city as a whole. A new cycle su-perhighway through the heart of central London is due to open this month, and Waltham Forest (albeit controversially) is again taking a lead among the 32 bor-oughs in creating similar cycle networks via its Mini Holland programme. Air pollution, the subject of an Echo front page in March, is all over the news. The Green-peace activists who craftily in-stalled a gas mask at the top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square made sure of it, but the leading candidates to become London mayor were already in agreement that it was a major problem in need of solving. Locally, I know that campaign-ers are now working hard to measure and record air pollu-tion levels around our streets,

in order to help inform new borough policies. Aside from environmental news, you will find the usual eclectic mix of articles in May's edition of the Echo; from home-lessness (Page 5), to visually-im-paired bowling (Page 7), to Morris dancing (Page 11), and multiple sclerosis (Page 14). I'd also highly recommend reading the interview with FGM cam-paigner Hibo Wardere on Page 6. This variety of subjects, as always, is a reflection of Waltham Forest's diverse community.

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To sign the petition calling to protect the freedom of local authorities to boycott unethical companies:

Visit petition.parliament.uk/petitions/121704

3No. 14 MAY 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

famed for its distinctive design and high-quality workmanship. Developed with volunteers from the community, the project will record the memories of people who lived in the properties when it was run by the Warner Estate, and include them in a new archive, along with scanned pho-tographs and other material. A new smartphone app, allowing people to explore important local heritage as they walk around the area, will also be created.

Commenting on the award, project manager Lucy Harrison said: "We are delighted to have received the support of the Heri-tage Lottery Fund for this import-ant part of the project. "This will build on support from Arts Council England and local businesses for an exhibi-tion at Vestry House Museum, and we are confident the project will support longstanding locals, recent arrivals and visitors to the area in exploring this important part of the borough's heritage." Terraced houses built by the Warner Company, found across Walthamstow and Highams Park, often bear the mark 'W' and feature bold red brick, gables, re-cessed porches, and tiled roofs. They are said to provide an im-portant example of how a private company built affordable and good quality housing. The Warner Estate project will eventually create a comprehen-sive public archive for the Vestry House Museum in Walthamstow, where an exhibition is due to take place from October 2016 until

January 2017. It will also provide training in heritage research, pho-tography and oral history inter-views for a group of volunteers who will help to develop the smartphone app. Further input will come from The Mill, Walthamstow His-torical Society, Leyton and Ley-tonstone Historical Society, and Waltham Forest College. Rendezvous Projects want to hear from long-term Warner Estate residents who would be willing to take part in oral history interviews and to share their old photographs of the properties. They also want to hear from Waltham Forest residents who would like to volunteer for the project in terms of carrying out oral history interviews and pho-tographing Warner streets.

Warner residents to help build archive

esidents living in homes built by the Warner family are being asked to help build a new

public archive on the history of the famous estate. Waltham Forest-based arts organisation Rendezvous Proj-ects has been awarded £34,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help celebrate and commemorate the social history of the Warner Estate, an area of housing built in the late 19th Century that is

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NEWS

he cost of a new fire station has been hidden by London Fire Brigade (LFB) because

it claims the information is "com-mercially sensitive". The Echo submitted a Free-dom of Information (FoI) re-quest asking LFB to reveal the cost of rebuilding Leytonstone Fire Station, after its press office refused to answer questions about the project. But the information was again withheld by LFB in its FoI re-sponse, saying only that it was one of nine new fire stations built under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deal. LFB's FoI officer stated: "We do not give out individual costs for each fire station because that is commercially sensitive. The project was awarded £51.5m in PFI credits (contract duration is 25 years) and was awarded to build nine fire stations. The total cost for construction is approxi-mately £45m." PFI is a method of financing public infrastructure using long-term private contracts, but critics claim the repayments and inter-est saddle debt on the taxpay-er. There has also been contro-versy recently in Scotland, when 17 schools built under PFI were closed because they contained building defects. Work on the new Leytonstone station began in December 2014 and was carried out by the bri-gade's PFI partner Blue3, a con-sortium led by Kier Group plc, the UK's fourth-largest construc-tion firm. Leytonstone Fire Station re-opened earlier this year and now includes three larger bays "better able to accommodate the bri-gade's latest vehicles" as well as a four-storey drill tower contain-ing training and administration facilities. There is also an area for people to access fire safety information. Jamie Jenkins, borough com-mander in Waltham Forest, said: "The previous station served the community well for many years but was coming to the end of its working life. This fantastic new station provides us with facilities fit for the 21st Century and rein-forces our commitment to pro-viding the best possible service to the people of Leytonstone."

Fire station cost hidden from public

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Village has flower powerudges from the Royal Hor-ticultural Society (RHS) have shortlisted Waltham-stow Village for the 2016 Britain in Bloom awards.Walthamstow Village is the

only entrant from London short-listed in the 'Urban Community' category of the prestigious na-tionwide competition that has been running for more than half-a-century. The team of volunteers from the village were among around 600 entrants from across the country to earn their place in the Britain in Bloom UK finals. Walthamstow Village in Bloom was selected for its "outstand-ing commitment to environ-mental responsibility, communi-ty participation and gardening achievement". Helen Lerner, the group's chair, said: "It is a thrill and an honour. Our village spring clean day on

2nd April helped launch our entry with over 70 local residents taking part to clean up the area by painting, gardening, clear-ing rubbish, litter-picking and sweeping, followed by a com-munity picnic for all. "We have a busy year-round programme of activities which anyone can get involved with and which goes towards creating an amazing community spirit in the village. In the months ahead we have exciting plans for plant-ing out our Village Square with nectar-rich plants for the local bee population, a new orchard of fruit trees in the gardens of local housing association homes providing a green corridor into the heart of the area, plus ten new tree pits are to be filled with colourful flower displays in Orford Road." On Monday 8th August, Walthamstow Village in Bloom's

volunteers will lead RHS Britain in Bloom judges on a tour of local projects in hope of being awarded gold at October's award ceremony. Andrea Van Sittart, RHS head of community outreach, said:

"We would like to congratulate Walthamstow Village in Bloom for reaching the UK finals. It's a tremendous achievement and il-lustrates the groups' impressive commitment to improving their local environment."

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Lottery grant will boost local history project

Warner houses in Northcote Road, Walthamstow Credit Katherine Green

To contribute to the Warner Estate project:

Email [email protected] 07964 878315Tweet @WE_Warner

Walthamstow Village in Bloom volunteers

News

P . 4Plans to build a skyscraper in Walthamstow get mixed reaction


NEWS

Town centre skyscraper criticised

esidents have said a pro-posed 27-storey sky-scraper in Waltham-stow is 'too tall'.

After the full scale of the town centre redevelopment plan was re-vealed by the Echo on its website last month, 46 percent of people agreed it was 'too tall' in a Twitter poll, with a further 20 percent also saying it was the wrong location to build such a scheme. Of those responding, 29 percent said they backed the scheme. The poll, in which 41 people took part, suggests that two-thirds of people disapprove of the proposal by developer Capital & Regional to extend The Mall in Walthamstow and build around 500 homes in a series of high-rise buildings ad-jacent to the town square. Among those commenting online was Build, a UK-based design agency: "If that goes ahead pretty much every estate agent can scratch 'private and not overlooked'." But there was also support expressed for the plans from people who argued more homes in the area were badly needed. Simon Bear said: "Not trying to start an argument but 27 floors, why not?" Freeholders Waltham Forest

Council have been in talks with Capital & Regional for several months over the scheme, with a redesign of the town square gardens also proposed. The developer claims the "transformational" plans would see more than £120million of private investment in the town centre and create "up to 350 per-manent jobs" if it gains planning permission. The large-scale extension to The Mall in Walthamstow High Street, built in the late 1980s, would provide space for several new big-name retailers. The new shopping area created would be larger than a football pitch, at about 86,000 square feet. Restaurants and other busi-nesses that would "create a lively nighttime scene" are also part of the proposal. No planning ap-plication has yet been submit-ted, but an early public consulta-tion event was held at The Mall on three days in April, where people had a chance to quiz the development team from Capital & Regional. Mark Bourgeois, executive director for Capital & Region-al, said: "Walthamstow has a great deal of potential and we believe our proposals will tap into this and build on the pro-

gressive work that has already taken place in the town centre. "We were delighted to welcome so many people to the public ex-hibition to see the proposals and the initial response so far has been positive. The plans align to the wider vision from Waltham Forest Council to deliver new shops and homes for the borough, so it is great to see so many people on board. We will hold a fuller ex-hibition in a few months' time." If a 27-storey tower is built, it would be the tallest building

in Waltham Forest. It would dwarf the height of the Trav-elodge hotel in Walthamstow, opened two years ago, which is 14 storeys tall. Capital & Regional oper-ates The Mall on a lease from Waltham Forest Council. The authority's current rental income from the shopping centre is around £445,000 per year, and although this is likely to decline during the construction period, it could increase signifi-cantly on completion. In a report published earlier this year, Waltham Forest Coun-cil’s strategic property projects manager John Carroll said: "In-vestment in The Mall will ensure that Walthamstow attracts a greater range of high-quality re-tailers that the local community wishes to see in the town centre and will increase the footfall for existing retailers and businesses. "The development of addi-tional housing above the centre, especially in this very accessible location, will assist the borough in meeting its requirement for additional housing." A planning application for the scheme is due to be submitted this autumn, and if approved by the council's planning committee, work could start as soon as spring 2017. The number of affordable homes included in the develop-ment will not be confirmed before the application is submitted.

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Confusion over rail line closure plans

ransport for London (TfL) has respon- ded to a rail user group that quer-

ied an apparent shortfall in line closure arrangements. As the Barking to Gospel Oak line of the London Overground network closes for eight months from 4th June to allow electrifica-tion works to take place, members of the Barking Gospel Oak Rail User Group (BGORUG) learned there would be only limited mea-sures in place to prevent commut-ers being charged for using alter-native routes via Zone 1 while their usual line, which avoids Zone 1, was closed. TfL had previously suggest-ed that passengers would not incur extra expense as a result of having to use alternative rail routes through Zone 1 while the line is closed. BGORUG secretary Glenn Wallis said: "TfL quickly supplied BGORUG with a series of questions and answers regard-ing fares on alternative routes which showed that some work on this had already been done. "We are seeking clarification on a few points, but we are pleased to find that fewer passengers will be adversely affected than the im-pression given at the passenger drop-in sessions at stations." BGORUG now understands regular passengers will be charged the full price for any journeys via Zone 1, but TfL can credit refunds to their Oyster account, probably on a weekly basis. All passengers using the Victo-ria Line to connect between rail replacement buses or the weekday South Tottenham-Gospel Oak train service will be charged the normal fare. Glenn added: "Passengers were shocked enough to learn that their normal route to school or work would be unavailable for eight months without the unwelcome and, as it transpires, incorrect impression that they would be paying more too."

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by James Cracknell

Proposed designs for the extension to The Mall Walthamstow by developer Capital & Regional

Shopping mall owner wants to build 500 homes in towers up to 27 storeys tall

To find out more about the plans and give your feedback:

Visit themall.co.uk/walthamstowEmail [email protected]

Proposed layout for the extension to The Mall Walthamstow by developer Capital & Regional

To find out more about the closure:

Visit tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/london-overground-closure


Interview

P . 6FGM campaigner Hibo Wardere tells her incredible storyFEATURES

ommy Anderson has a lot of fight and passion to make things right when it comes to bridg-

ing the gap between generations. The 59-year-old is original-ly from Glasgow. He moved to London on his own and lived in Hackney for ten years, Islington for eight years, and finally Waltham Forest for the last 14 years. His history is one that we should take inspiration from. He has spent time living on the streets, working as a dustbin man for Waltham Forest Council, and in 2008 his wife sadly died. Tommy is also medically retired following a car accident, the injuries from which meant he needed metal plates in his legs. Even though he is supposed to be using crutches, he is still de-termined to walk unaided. Tommy started getting in-volved in the Pensioners' Club

hen people nor-mally talk about homelessness the most negative

things come to mind. "He must be an alcoholic or a drug user", "he's the scum of society", or the most frequent: "Why doesn't he

hosted at Waltham Forest Sports and Social Club, in Forest Road, although the area is now being developed and the club is looking for new premises. He told me about his reasons for and expe-riences in running the club. "I became aware that a lot of residents that live in housing ac-commodation do not even see the light of day and are completely housebound," Tommy said. "A lot of these places have big lounges that don't get used. My plan was to speak to the council in trying to get all these people to start talking. There are two sheltered houses in the village about 20 yards apart, and they don't even speak to each other." Tommy is also passionate about bringing the old and the young together. "Last Christ-mas, myself and Monwara [from Waltham Forest Community

get a job?" In my experience these com-ments are unfair. I've met people that were homeless because they lost their mortgages and family because of cutbacks at work, or refugees escaping a war-torn country, and most recently a man

Hub] organised a Christmas party with a three-course meal for free at the community hub in Orford Road. "I wanted the younger gen-eration to speak to the older generation because they have a lot of history. I think there is a lost opportunity for youngsters to learn what it was like in the war, how people lived, and how things have changed. "I hoped to bridge this gap between them and so I got the members of the youth club at the hub to give some of their time to serve at and attend the event. We assigned one youngster per table and it turned out to be a success. Eighty people turned up. "After the event, people called up to say how much they had enjoyed themselves, with one woman even asking about the youngster that was at her table so she could buy him a gift."

who had lost it all because of bad luck. These are some of the most extreme examples, but my story is very different. I was homeless because of a deci-sion I made concerning the re-sources I had at my disposal. Because I run an entertain-ment company, the producers, artist and employees that work for me were able to generate a nice stream of income, which paid for a relatively comfortable life. But that was it, we couldn't progress any further. I remember reading that the boss of a famous car company decided to sleep in his warehouse for almost a year to cut down his costs, and it became one of the largest automobile compa-nies in the world. This is how my journey began; I was deter-mined to succeed. There were no parents to run back to, no family that could

accommodate me. I was paying several salaries and my own rent was over £2,000 a month; so the first thing that had to go was that. I left, packed all my things in a suitcase, and hit the road. For the first few months I stayed in a hostel. It took some time getting used to sharing a room with 20-plus strangers, but I'm not going to lie, this part of my journey was actu-ally enjoyable. Then the hostel became increasingly popular, and at times I would find myself out on the street. I distinctively remember, sleeping on a bench in Kilburn, holding my suitcase tied together with a shoelace, drinking a can of coke, and actually feeling serenity. For weeks I would sleep in Shoreditch, listen to drunk couples dry humping each other, travel to Finsbury Park and watch shady men go into bushes with

each other, and wash myself by going to the gym. Because the gym was open 24 hours I could hide in the toilet until the cleaner closed the locker room and get some sleep on the hard wooden benches. After six months sleeping in random places, meeting the most interesting people, and listening to stories from around the world, it was time this journey came to an end. I had saved enough money to push the company to further heights, and accom-plished this because of the sac-rifices I made. I can't say that I was truly one of the most unfortunate people out there, but I now appreci-ate that there are people that really need help, whose families have been torn apart and have nowhere to live. So I have decided to give back by starting my own charity in the near future to help combat this problem.

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Bridging the generational gap

My time sleeping rough

In her series of articles on the lives of older people in Waltham Forest, Amina Ahmed meets pension club organiser Tommy Anderson

Chingford music producer Ki Faro writes about what it was like being homeless for six months

Tommy Anderson

Ki Faro, whose music has been watched by tens of thousands on YouTube


The freedom to speak outFGM survivor Hibo Wardere tells Sarah Jones why she'll never stop campaigning

screamed for them to stop. I was screaming because I wanted to die." The war in the Somalian cap-ital, Mogadishu, had given her an unexpected chance to escape and save any future children from FGM. "I would rather die than have my kids subjected to this," she said. "Leaving was the best thing that could have happened. Britain is my freedom." Speaking to me later, following the successful book launch, Hibo said she had settled down with her "great consolation prize," her husband, Yusuf, whom she met shortly after arriving in London and very quickly became her rock. "He knows everything about me," Hibo said. "He's wit-nessed my flashbacks. We dis-cussed it from day one. He's also from Somalia but whole-heartedly agreed that should we have any daughters they would not be cut." Teaching herself English with the help of her son's children's books, Hibo chanced upon a book on FGM at the local library. It took her a year to translate: "It was a revelation to me. I was told

never to talk about it and it was never discussed. "I realised there were millions of girls affected and wanted to know how they were living, how they were coping." Apart from vague references to the frequent infections, part of life for FGM survivors, there was a wall of silence among the women in London's Somali community. She concentrated on bringing up her seven children, avoiding the persistent rumours about girls going to be cut. "I knew that if I heard about it, it would drag my emotions up and I wasn't ready to tackle that." It wasn't until Hibo began trai-ning to be a teaching assistant at Walthamstow's Mission Grove Primary School five years ago that she was forced to confront the unpalatable likelihood that a ten-year-old pupil had been sent to Somalia to undergo FGM. "I was heartbroken," Hibo said. "She [the pupil] reminded me of my younger self. I believed the UK to be a safe place and my blood was boiling." As part of her training, Hibo wrote an essay about abuse, and

having learned that the school's child protection policy didn’t cover it, she knew she would have to write about FGM. Searching the internet and frustrated at failing to find survivor's stories to use, her husband said: "Why don't you write about you?" This unleashed a long, dark and agonising night in which she revis-ited her six-year-old self: "No-one ever forgets their mutilation." The headteacher read Hibo's essay the following day and soon she was presenting it to more than 120 colleagues with barely a dry eye in the house. "That assign-ment was the beginning of ev-erything," said Hibo. "It quickly became more than a vocation. "I felt driven, empowered, com-pelled, to tell my story in order to prevent other girls suffering." An estimated 200 million women worldwide have undergone this butchery. It is widely practised in north, east and west Africa, with some 98 percent of women in Somalia being cut, as well as parts of the Middle East and Asia. But because of migration, girls in any country can be affected. It is esti-mated there are 170,000 women and girls in England and Wales af-fected by FGM, and 63,000 who are at risk. Soon Hibo was in demand, delivering talks to teachers, mid-wives, doctors and social workers. She worked on a completely vol-untary basis for three years before being chosen for the newly-cre-ated government-led education role of FGM mediator, which in-volves engaging with faith leaders and training professionals in the local area. Hibo's joy at surviving her trau-matic childhood is palpable. Her wit, warmth and passion have brought her a fast-galloping public profile including articles in The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, The Times, and appearances on BBC Radio 2's The Jeremy Vine Show,

BBC Radio 4's Women’s Hour, and ITV's The Lorraine Show. Hibo's message hasn't always been well received. The UK's Somali community were initially hostile, but have started to slowly come round, with some women now attending her events and seeking help for the many physical problems that come with FGM. Crucially more men are learn-ing what is being done "in their name" and they are invariably profoundly shocked. "I love my culture," said Hibo. "But child abuse has no boundaries and no religion. FGM is a mindset and it's evil. "I always say this is child abuse and they need to look at it as that. All our kids are all our responsi-bility and this is a child protection issue. This country offers beauti-ful freedom as a woman. So it's not only about FGM, it's about empowering women." With her older children grown up – her oldest son has just qual-ified as a doctor – and with hus-band Yusuf taking on more of the domestic duties, Hibo is able to take her message wider. "Here in Waltham Forest we are ahead of the UK because I go to every school and teach the stu-dents. Knowledge is the best way to eradicate FGM. "This is my home. The UK is a safe place and I couldn't bear to have it corrupted. We share how we work around the country and we have appointments to visit Edmon-ton and Brighton in coming weeks. I have no plans to stop until we have eradicated FGM completely."

t was standing room only at the beautifully restored Car-negie library in Waltham-stow High Street for the

launch of a book written by the erudite local campaigner, Hibo Wardere. Set against the Edwardian wood paneling in the upstairs reading room, the charismat-ic Hibo, resplendent in purple and silver sequins, shared a plat-form with a local councillor and staunch supporter, Clare Coghill, and spoke frankly and movingly about female genital mutilation (FGM), the barbaric practice she was subjected to as a six-year-old child in her native Somalia. A beguiling and passionate narrator, Hibo mesmerised the audience, which included an-ti-FGM campaigners such as Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, Mayor of Waltham Forest Saima Mahmood, and Janet Fyle MBE.Saving the graphic detail for her book, Cut – One Woman’s Fight Against FGM in Britain Today, Hibo nonetheless described viv- idly the pain she felt. "It was as if my whole body was on fire. I screamed for my mother and I

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INTERVIEW

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Child abuse has no boundaries and no religion. FGM is a mindset and it's evil

“

Hibo Wardere promoting her new book in Walthamstow Credit Sarah Jones

CorrectionIn our story 'Picture special: Street art festival in Waltham Forest' on of April's Echo we incorrectly captioned two photographs. The bottom-left image, an artwork depicting a monkey in Lancaster Road, was actually created by artist Louis Masai. The bottom-right image, an artwork depicting space invaders in Victoria Road, was created by artist Static. We apologise for this error.


FEATURES

hose who paid atten-tion in school will know that William Wilber-force ended slavery and

Emmeline Pankhurst won women the vote. Except history is selective, and our retelling is biased. William Wilberforce would have been nothing without the 30,000 women who organised a successful boycott of sugar grown on slave-run plantations; and Em-meline Pankhurst only wanted the vote on the same terms as men, which excluded around 40 percent of mostly working-class women.

In Her Footsteps is a local heri-tage project run by Share UK, and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It seeks to readdresses this historical imbalance, celebrating women, from all walks of life; women we owe so much to, yet have probably never heard of.

Sybil SmithAngry at her mother's exclusion of working class women from the suffrage movement, Sylvia Pankhurst formed the East London Federation of Suffrag-ettes (ELFS). Although they con-

tinued to agitate for the vote, they also changed the lives of working women in more subtle ways. In 1914, Sybil Smith opened the first ELFS creche. It was so successful that a second, larger nursery was opened at a disused pub called the Gunmakers' Arms. Renamed the Mothers' Arms, it also housed a baby clinic and free milk depot.

Muriel LesterBorn in Leytonstone, Muriel Lester was dubbed the 'mother of peace'. During both world wars she organised a number of activ-ities, including prayers to enemy nations, services to pacifist speak-ers, cheap meals for munitions workers and protection to local Germans and Austrians. In 1941 she was arrested on the orders of Churchill, who did not like this 'meddling woman'. She was de-tained in Holloway Prison for the remainder of the war. After 1945 Muriel continued her peace cam-paigning in response to other con-flicts. She was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sarah WeskerFifty years before women workers at Dagenham went on strike, Sarah Wesker was agitating for better

pay for women. She founded the United Clothing Workers Trade Union, leading strikes in several textile factories in East London, mobilising hundreds of women workers. Sarah campaigned at a time when women were not welcome in the workforce, let alone trade unions. At best her male colleagues saw women's pay as peripheral to the mass unem-ployment of the time; at worst, they despised female workers for creating competition for jobs.

Mala Sen Born in India, Mala came to Lon- don in 1960s. She was stunned by prejudice against migrants, partic-ularly from the local authorities. They would often refuse to house migrants, arguing they'd made themselves intentionally homeless. Those that did get housing often found themselves on white-dom-inated estates and endured daily threats of racism. Mala co-found-ed the Bengali Action Group, sourcing empty council flats for homeless Bangladeshis. They drew up a map for the former Greater London Council, defining a safe living area for the community. This established Brick Lane as the Ban-gladeshi heartland of Britain.

Julie BegumWomen Unite Against Racism formed in the 1990s, during a time of increasing racist attacks following the election of the first British National Party (BNP) councillor. Although the group had no formal leaders, Julie Begum was a key figure. Julie and the others went door-to-door in Tower Hamlets, registering Asian women to vote. But even those reg-istered were often too scared to go to polling booths, fearing attacks from the BNP supporters, so escorts were organised for women to vote in safety. The project was so successful that in the follow-ing election the BNP lost its seat.

Despite their importance, these five women are almost all missing from Wikipedia. On Saturday 14th May, from 2–5pm, a 'Women on Wikipedia-a-thon' will take place at The Mill in Coppermill Lane in Walthamstow. Come along to help upload the stories, and give these women their right-ful place in history.

Five women who made a difference

T

Hit the lawn, jackhis month Waltham-stow Borough Bowling Club (WBBC) will be launching a project

in Lloyd Park aimed at enabling local people living with sight loss to take up and play an adapted version of bowls. Thanks to funding and support from Motivate East, a London 2012 Olympic Games legacy project, alongside training and guidance from vision-impaired charities East London Vision and Metro Blind Sport, people from across East London can experi-ence this sport in a supportive and friendly setting. Waltham Forest Community Transport is providing a pick-up and drop-off service to the park in Walthamstow, removing another

barrier to active participation for blind and partially-sighted Lon-doners. According to the sporting body Visually Impaired Bowls England (VIBE), there are more than 50 clubs around the country sup-porting over 600 blind and par-tially-sighted people to play and compete in this sport. London only has two such clubs, and we will be the first located in the east of the capital. We are delighted to be able to offer another inclusive bowling opportunity here at our club, and it is a really exciting and inspiring project to be part of. As with all vision-impaired sports there are adaptations re-quired to make this sport acces-sible. Ian Francis, a sports devel-

opment officer at charity Metro Blind Sport, explains: "Blind and partially-sighted bowlers rely on good communication with their ‘spotters’ and use a ‘clock face’ principle to explain the position of a ‘wood’ in relation to the jack. "Once the jack has been rolled it is placed on a centre string running the full length of the rink, this distance is then called to all players. "Spotters then call the wood po-sitions, for example, 'three feet from the jack at 12 o’clock', to create a mental picture for the bowler. They also act as guides for players when moving around the rink and often before and after matches. "Without clubs such as WBBC delivering these inclusive opportu-nities it is extremely challenging

to provide truly accessible sport, we all really value their support." If you are vision-impaired or know someone who is, you are welcome to join us for the launch of vision-impaired bowling in Walthamstow on Thursday 26th May, from 2pm until 5.30pm, at Lloyd Park bowling green in Forest Road. A nearby meeting point can be arranged if you require assistance.

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Female delegates to the 1915 Women's Peace Conference in The Hague, April 1915

For further information:Visit herfootsteps.org.uk

Esther Freeman seeks to redress the balance on the influential females forgotten by history

Bowling club secretary Bob Belam explains how visually-impaired people can now enjoy the sport locally

FeatureA Morris dancing group show why it's not just a man's world P . 11

Vision-impaired bowling in Lloyd Park

To find out more about vision-impaired sporting opportunities:

Visit metroblindsport.org

For more information on sports for disabled people in East London:

Visit motivateeast.co.uk

If you would like to take part in vision-impaired bowling in Walthamstow:

Email [email protected]

Call Hassan on 0203 6946 464

8

Pendlestone Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £390,000 Share of freehold One bed, conversion

Warner Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £435,000 Leasehold Three bed, Ex-Warner

Gosport Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £600,000 Freehold Two bed, mid-terraced house

Thorpe Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £675,000 Freehold Three bed, mid-terraced house

Church Lane, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £699,995 Freehold Three bed, mid-terraced house

Falmer Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £875,000 Freehold Four bed, mid-terraced house

Tel: 0203 397 9797 / Web: stowbrothers.comEmail: [email protected] / Twitter: @stowbrothers

236 Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 3AY

No. 14 MAY 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow £1,700 PCM Two bed, end of terrace

Blacksmiths House, Walthamstow £1,325 PCM Two bed, purpose built



Hitcham Road, Walthamstow £1,375 PCM Two bed, purpose built

Hoe Street, Walthamstow £1,300 PCM Two bed, conversion

Thomas Jacomb Place, Walthamstow £1,500 PCM Two bed, purpose built

Kenilworth Avenu, Walthamstow £2,100 PCM Three bed, mid-terraced house



FOOD

Food assembly promotes local growers

hoppers in E11 can now easily find locally-grown produce thanks to the in-troduction of Leyton-

stone Food Assembly. The community-driven initia-tive, which allows shoppers to easily buy high-quality, locally produced food, was launched at the Red Lion last month. Organisers Ashleigh Brown and Alison Wade want to address concerns about how we source food. Produce bought via the food assembly travels an average 28 miles to the customer, com-pared to 600 miles for food from supermarkets. It not only reduces the impact on the environment, but also ensures that, for every pound spent, 90p stays in the local community. "We have become so discon-nected from our food and how it is produced," Alison explained.

"The food assembly provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect to our environment, our food and our communities." The people of Leytonstone showed their support by putting their money where their mouths are, with 87 signing up on the day, compared to an average at other food assembly launches of 15. Its success was in part because of the proactive support of the Red Lion's staff, who helped promote the event. James Chitty, the general man-ager, said: "To bring a local food hub to Leytonstone that connects people, where we share more than just money for goods, is going to have a huge positive impact." Products available via Leyton-stone Food Assembly include ales from Signature Brew, artisan bread from the Better Health Bakery and jams, oils and vinegars from Or-

ganicLea, the Chingford-based growers' co-operative. Orders can be made online, or through an iPhone app, for a local pick-up. Wanting to buy high-quality food from local producers, and the local demographic, were said by Ashleigh to be reasons for the launch's success. Ashleigh added: "We were really overwhelmed by how many people came and there was a great atmosphere. Lots of people said it was the best thing to happen in Leytonstone for ages.

It was really exciting."

S”

Lots of people said it was the best thing to happen in Leytonstone for ages

“by Shelly Berry

Honey at home

espite honey being an absolute staple in our house, I used to know very little about it. So

I was really chuffed to be invited to the premises of Walthamstow honey producers Local Honey Man, just off Blackhorse Road. Local Honey Man produce pure and raw honey by simply un-

capping the honeycomb, spinning it and putting it directly into jars, thereby maximising its flavour and health benefits. They also treat their bees with respect, en-suring they leave enough honey for the clever little insects to feed on and insulate themselves with during winter. Their honey comes in differ-

ent types and colours depend-ing on the different flowers the bees feed on (locally in London or Essex) with each jar being unique. I was amazed at how intense and varied the flavours are, my favou-rite being their golden honey. We have honey every morning – on toast and then stirred into por-ridge with some cinnamon. We also squeeze it over banana pan-cakes and spoon it on to yoghurt with chopped nuts. Below is my recipe for honey and ginger cake; a sticky, light, and flavoursome treat. And if you fancy trying a savoury honey recipe, check out the 30-minute veggie tagine on my blog. Since bees are in decline, now is the perfect time to add a few bee-friendly flowers or plants to outdoor spaces. Local Honey Man recommends marigold, lav-ender and rosemary, which should be available at garden centres.

Food blogger Katie Robinson visits a local honey producer

Honey and ginger cake

D

Honey and ginger cakeThis is best at least one day after it is baked. Great on its own or with some creme fraiche.

Ingredients· 300g honey· 75g unsalted butter, melted· 50ml sunflower oil· 3 medium eggs· 150g stem ginger, chopped· 3 tsp ground ginger· 1 tsp ground cinnamon· 250g plain flour· 2 tsp baking powder

Methodi) Line the base and sides of a small loaf tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees or gas mark three.

ii) Put the honey in a bowl, add melted butter, oil and eggs, then beat until smooth. Stir in the chopped ginger and spices, add

the flour and baking powder, stir well until everything is mixed, then spoon into the tin. Take small slivers of butter and lay them centrally along the length of the mixture. This will force the cake to crack along the butter line.

iii) Bake for about 70 – 80 minutes and try to avoid check-ing it more than once or twice in case it collapses. Use a knife to check that the centre is baked (it should come out pretty much clean). It should go dark golden on top. Leave to cool in the tin.

iv) While the cake is warm, brush the top with extra honey to soften the crust. It should keep for several days.

Email [email protected] katielovescooking.comTwitter @ktlovescooking

For more information on Local Honey Man:Visit localhoneyman.co.uk

If you have any comments, ideas or tips about food in Waltham Forest, please get in touch with Katie:

Happy shoppers at the launch of Leytonstone Food Assembly in April


EventsWhy DJs are spinning up a storm at a popular new music venue P . 12FEATURES

From festivals to fiction

have lived in Walthamstow for 30 years. For 25 of those years I lived in Corbett Road just off Wood Street,

and during that time I became in-volved in running a young people's drama group. We put on a performance of the Mystery Plays, which was a great success, and we were given three slots to play at a new arts and performance event, Waltham-stow Festival. The young people really enjoyed it and had a thor-oughly good time. The following year to my sur-prise I was elected chair of the festival's organising committee. The weekend was co-ordinated with the E17 Arts Trail, an event that still takes place to this day. Waltham Forest Council awarded us a grant, and with that, and what money we could raise from sponsorship, we had a show. There were several bands playing live all up and down Walthamstow High Street; there were street entertainers, food stalls, and open-air film show-ings. We had up to 50,000 people attending during the weekend. They were heady days, but in the end the strain of running such a big festival, with all the work falling on very few people, took its toll; it had to stop. For a few years, however, I like to think we really put Walthamstow on the map. The council still runs a festi-val in summer, but now it is com-bined with the Mela, and is on a somewhat less ambitious scale. All these years later I have

found myself publishing a chil-dren's book. I work part-time as an inclusion adviser for deaf children in Barking and Da-genham. I realised that very few books had deaf children as main characters, or indeed chil-dren with any kind of special need, so I decided I was going to become a writer and my first project would be a book with a profoundly deaf hero. One day I was in the office of a special needs co-ordinator (Senco) in a school in Dagen-ham. We had finished discussing inclusion and were chatting as I prepared to leave. We were dis-cussing Benedict Cumberbatch of all things, and his television series Sherlock. Just then a girl burst into the room. She was in trouble. The Senco sighed and said: "What have you done now Charlotte?" That was a lightbulb moment. The combination of Sherlock Holmes, deafness, and a girl called Charlotte fused in

my mind. My main character, Charlie Holmes, was born at that moment. She is a profoundly deaf girl who has gone through the main-stream school system, and at the beginning of my book is some-what lonely, not having any real friends. By the end of the book this has all changed, and her ad-ventures in solving crimes have begun. With Holmes of course we have to have Watson, and Charlie's autistic friend Joanne Watson very soon arrives on the scene. The two characters quickly took over and more or less wrote the stories of the first book for me. I wish to thank Waltham-stow-based Mendham Writer's Group for helping me to get the book started when I attended one of their courses. I have been lucky enough to have had Charlie and The Dream published, by Shield-crest, and it is available now in all good bookshops.

I

Setting the standard for Morris dancing

or many people the image of Morris dancing is bearded men waving hankies, dancing outside

a pub in the countryside. It will come as a surprise to those people to find that Walthamstow is the home of a women's Morris side who prefer a tea shop to a pub! Blackhorse and Standard Wom-en's Morris was formed 35 years ago in 1981, as a result of two friends spending a week at Sid-mouth Folk Festival. After seeing other Morris sides they decided to start their own back home in Walthamstow. We dance 'North West' Morris, which originates from Lancashire and Cheshire. Dancing began as a hobby for the mill workers and the dances were performed for carnival processions and holiday festivals. Clogs were the normal footwear at the time and today their sound is an important part of the dance, making it impossible to perform on grass. The equip-ment we use derives from what was cheap and available at the time. We have some genuine mill bobbins decorated with ribbons, as well as sticks with ribbons and hooped garlands. We practise weekly during term time at St Gabriel's Family Centre, Havant Road, Walthamstow. It's a different and friendly way of keeping fit. As one member puts it: "After my first evening I was hooked. I love everything about it. The music, the exercise, the mental stimulation of learning

and remembering the steps and patterns. But most of all, being part of a group with a common interest in keeping alive an old tra-dition. It gives you a warm feeling to be doing something that gen-erations have done before you. It being all-women is a bonus too." We have danced in many inter-esting locations. In 2012 we were delighted to be invited to dance in the Olympic Park during the Paralympic Games. We have per-formed at many of the famous London landmarks, including the Tower of London, Trafal-gar Square, outside St Paul's Ca-thedral and Covent Garden. We were the first Morris side to dance in Portcullis House – part of the Houses of Parliament. Just as enjoyable are the local fetes and festivals when it is fun to have a 'joining in dance' where the au-dience of all ages can have a go. After reading about Blackhorse and Standard Women's Morris side I hope you feel inspired to have a go!

F

The Blackhorse and Standard Morris dancers in Lloyd Park, Walthamstow

If you would like to take part in a Morris dancing session for women, sessions are held every Wednesday evening at St Gabriel's Family Centre, Havant Road, Walthamstow, from 8pm. No experience is necessary. For more information:

Call 020 8527 2926 or 020 8514 8771Visit blackhorseandstandard.org.uk

Wendy Wright explains the enduring appeal of Morris dancing

Author Paul Robinson explains how he went from organising Walthamstow Festival to writing children's fiction

Local children's author Paul Robinson

Become a member of Waltham Forest Echo

Do you think our media could be different? Could we create our own media together? Be a part of our local experiment by doing just that. Become a member. Waltham Forest Echo is owned by six not-for-profit organisations and gives local people a platform to make themselves heard.

Being a member means you get a bigger role in shaping our media. You will be invited to members' meetings to discuss the Echo and your name will be printed in the paper and on our website to acknowledge your support. You will also receive a limited edition Echo badge.

The monthly membership fee is £5. All money received will be invested in the running of Waltham Forest Echo. Visit walthamforestecho.co.uk/members to find out more and sign up, or email [email protected]


EVENTS

Electric vibes in the Stowf you're a DJ or live music fan, Waltham Forest could now be the place to be.Local DJ Kat Richmond,

co-founder of music collective Electronic 17, is pioneering the growth of tunes in the area. She began by organising a DJ-led event for Stow Festival in 2014, followed by parties at Wild Card Brewery in 2015, live music events at the new Hoe Street venue Mirth, Marvel and Maud this year, before going on to become programme director of Stow Fes-tival 2016. Kat says it's set to be a beat-driv-en summer in Waltham Forest – starting this month. "We'll have an Electronic 17 gig for the Stow-athon on 1st and 2nd May at Ye Olde Rose and Crown pub, where we'll do an Electronic 17 Live take-over in the evening with Arsenic Mines, PoP Campaign and Bit Cloudy performing live sets.

"The Rose and Crown doesn't usually have electronic music so we're really excited to bring some-thing new." Electronic 17's night at Mirth, the newly-opened bar and live music venue occupying the former Granada Cinema, proved a re-sounding success. "The recent Bowie tribute gig, Sound and Vision, was Mirth's most successful night since they opened and saw over 500 people come and listen to nine bands and seven DJs playing some of their favourite Bowie music," explains Kat. And she's giving a shout-out for any musical talent in the area to help headline this year's Stow Festival in September. "We have a wealth of talent on our doorstep," she enthuses. "I'm keen to get more hip-hop and rap artists on board but also more reggae, ska, punk and hard-

core music. "We also have a lot of classical musicians living here so I'd like more soloists as well as opera. "We're looking to bring some spoken word to the festival this year and will be exploring inter-active musical performances, too. It's going to be a really ambitious project so watch this space!"

IJo Bounds meets the programme director of Stow Festival 2016

made withvolumewe design spaces for people

A new spatial design studio based in Forest Gate is now open for business and welcomes private and commercial clients. Please contact us to discuss your project requirements.

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Upcoming Electronic 17 fundraisers will take place at Ye Rose and Crown on 20th May and 18th June. For more information:

Visit facebook.com/electronic17Tweet twitter.com/ElectronicE17

For more information on Stow Festival 2016:

Visit stowfestival.com

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Diskonect Credit Carla Castadiva


Upcoming

LISTINGS

Life DrawingWednesday 4th May, 10.30am –12pmNorth Chingford Library, The Green, Chingford E4 7EN

Soul Sanctuary Gospel ChoirSaturday 7th May, 11am or 1.30pmLeytonstone United Free Church, 55 Wallwood Road, Leytonstone E11 1AY

Star Wars Family Fun DaySaturday 7th May, 1.30 – 4.30pmThe Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA

Learn to capture the human form in tone, dimension and expression on paper! Book a free ticket online or at any Waltham Forest library.

Singing is good for you! Raise your spirits and lift your mood. Meet new people and make new friends. Come and enjoy a fun-filled morning or afternoon at one of our two gospel singing workshops. This is a free community event for those of you who enjoy singing, whatever your ability. Workshops will be led by a professional, experienced choir director.

The young Jedi and Padawan of Wal- thamstow and galaxies beyond came to the The Mill for a Star Wars spectacu-lar afternoon. The seventh installment of the Star Wars heptalogy has whet our appetite! Come and take part in Jedi Knight training, Tatooine's Got Talent, craft activities, face painting, and quiz. Enjoy cakes that are out of this world. Dress as your favourite character.

Free ticketsVisit artforalle4.eventbrite.com

Free, booking requiredVisit soulsanctuarygospel.comEmail [email protected]

£3 entryCall 0208 521 3211Email [email protected]

Ongoing

Next issue listings:To list your community event in June's issue of the Echo email the details to [email protected] by 19th May. Please provide us with the location, date, time, and contact details for your community event.

Legs, Bums and Tums ClassesEvery Saturday, 11.15amWilliam Morris Community Centre, 6-8 Greenleaf Road, E17 6QQ

New Zumba Fitness ClassesEvery Saturday, 10amWilliam Morris Community Centre, 6-8 Greenleaf Road, E17 6QQ

LBT is a great way to tone your body with special attention on your legs, glutes and abs. It combines condition-ing and aerobic exercises to reduce fat while shaping your legs, bum and tum!

ApologyLast month we published the wrong contact details for Chloe's classes. Sorry Chloe!

If you can't make it to Tuesday's zumba at Walthamstow School for Girls or need a double dose of this Latin infused dance-fit-ness class; join us for our new zumba!

£6 drop inCall 07903 629 636Email [email protected] dancechloe.com

£5 drop in sessionsCall 07903 629 636Email [email protected] dancechloe.com

£3 suggested donationEmail [email protected] 07944 281 485

Taster session free, then £6 onwardsEmail [email protected] 07813 686 980

£4 per classCall 07976 786 404 or 01992 524 681

From £20 per sessionVisit daonuacupuncture.com

Sally's KitchenEvery Tuesday, 12 –2pmSalvation Army Hall, Southwell Grove, Leytonstone E11 4PP

Sing at The Warrant OfficerEvery Monday 7.30 – 9pmThe Warrant Officer, 318 Higham Hill Road, Walthamstow E17 5RG

Tap Dancing ClassesEvery Thursday lunchtime (also Tuesday evenings)St Edmund’s Church, Small Hall, Chingford Mount Road, E4 8JL

Dao Nu Community AcupunctureEvery Tuesday, 4 – 7pmThe Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7HA

Sally's Kitchen is a place for people to go for a delicious meal in warm company. Hot two-course meal plus a hot drink.

Join our community choir. All abilities welcome. Raise your voice and lift your spirits as part of an adult choir where you call the tunes!

We are a friendly group looking for new members. Beginners welcome at 12pm, improvers from 12.45pm.

Unlike traditional single-bed acupuncture clinics, Dao Nu uses the multi-bed setting where patients receive treatments in small groups in reclining chairs or massage tables distributed in the same room.

Higham's Park Spring FestivalSunday 8th May, 11am – 4pmThe Highams Park, Tamworth Avenue IG8 9RB

E17 DesignersSaturday 7th May, 12 –5pmMirth, Marvel and Maud, 186 Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 4QH

Let’s Talk About Menopause!Wednesday 11th May, 6 – 8pm The Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow, E17 7AH

High Spring Herb WalkSaturday 14th May, 12 – 2pmWalthamstow Marshes (meet at The Mill, 7-11 Coppermill Lane, Walthamstow E17 7AH)

A free spring festival with Viking re-en-actments, falconry displays, folk music, storytelling, children's activities, food, refreshments and stalls.

E17 Designers celebrates its 10th anni-versary at a new venue, Mirth Marvel and Maud. The market will host reg-ular designers selling handmade goods, new designers for 2016 and a fashion section with handmade clothes and ac-cessories for the discerning indepen-dent fashion shopper.

A monthly get-together (well, lets keep the rhythm!) to share experiences, help-ful knowledge, healing and dealing strat-egies and whatever else comes up. Enjoy some free time in a safe space to talk about the physical and emotional shifts that take us from woman to woman! If you're getting lost in a sea of informa-tion or feel you don't have enough per-sonal support, let's see how we can help each other.

Join community herbalist Rasheeqa on her monthly guided plant walk to explore and learn about our native plant medi-cine through the seasons. See what's in leaf and blossom, learn how to recognise common medicinal allies, share stories and folklore, and find out how to make herbal medicine at home! Each month we also focus on a particular plant, getting to know it through shared sensory per-ception and observations.

Free entryVisit highamsparkforum.co.uk/whatson.html

Free entryVisit e17designers.co.ukTweet twitter.com/E17DesignersFacebook E17Designers

Free but £2 donation suggestedEmail [email protected]

£7.50 or £5 concessionsCall 07784 506 494Email [email protected]

Stones Throw MarketSaturday 7th May, 2 – 6pmSt Johns Church Halls, Leytonstone E11 1HH

A popular, vibrant makers and retro market which takes place in the heart of Ley-tonstone. A great place to find the perfect present or treat with a mix of different stalls every time. This months' stalls in-clude hand-cast silver jewellery by Fused & Fired, bags by Gail's Windy Day and award-winning honey by Leytonstoner Ian Nichols. There's also interesting retro items including furniture, books, glassware and vintage clothes. Plus afternoon tea with homemade cakes. A great place to shop if you're looking for something unique.

Free entryEmail [email protected] @stonesthrowe11Visit stonesthrowmarket.co.uk

The therapy centre taking a lead in treating multiple sclerosis

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Citizens Advice Waltham Forest encourages over 50s to get to grips with their pension

The average age of people in Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Havering getting help with their pension is 61 despite free guidance being available for anyone over 50, reveals the Pension Wise team at Citizens Advice Waltham Forest

This means people could be planning their retirement finances 11 years earlier, to make sure they have the right money to fit into their plans.

As the Pension Wise service reaches its first anniversary, Citizens Advice Waltham Forest says it’s never too early to start planning for your retirement and is encouraging locals 50 and over with a defined contribution pension to book a free guidance session.

In April 2015, rules around pensions changed and for the first time, people were able to decide whether they buy an annuity, cash in their whole pension pot, take a lump sum, or a mixture of these options.

Suna Panayiotou, CEO at Citizens Advice Waltham Forest said: “It’s never too early to start thinking about your pension. For many 50 year olds retirement may seem a long way off but it’s a good time to start understanding how your pension could support your plans for the future. The pension freedoms have given consumers a lot of options they might not be aware of or fully understand, such as cashing in part of their pension. Our Pension Wise guidance specialists can walk people through their options and get them on the right track towards a financially secure retirement.”

To book a face to face or telephone Pension Wise appointment call 0800 138 8292. What to prepare to get the most out of your Pension Wise appointment: 1. First, work out the value of your pension pots. You can look at your most recent statement, or contact your provider. 2. Check if there are any restrictions on your pension, such as penalties for taking it early. 3. Get a state pension forecast – you can find out how to do this from www.gov.uk/check-state-pension 4. Gather information on any benefits you receive as any pension decision you make could affect these. 5. Work out your likely living expenses, including the cost of essentials like housing and utilities, and leisure activities. This should help you come up with a rough budget, which you can compare to your potential pension income.

Bring the information to your Pension Wise appointment. Your guidance specialist will help you think through your circumstances, and present the options available to you.


ultiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-logical condition affecting around

100,000 people in the UK and roughly three times more women than men. Symptoms can include

problems with vision, fatigue and walking difficulties. Based in Waltham Park Way, Walthamstow, MS Action is one of only two therapy centres in London. It offers oxygen therapy for the relief of symptoms through

a special chamber, shaped like a grapefruit, seating six people at a time. The centre also provides therapies including osteopathy and chiropody. Here I meet Jan Robinson, who has been the manager since 2005 and is friendly and empa-thetic. She explains that the centre provides services to people with other serious medical con-ditions including strokes, cancer, and Parkinson's disease, while they also treat children with ce-rebral palsy and autism. Jan says she loves her job and adds: "It's a very nice place here." It's something other people I meet there say too. I learn there is a big demand for therapies and more volunteers are required to help out. Donations are also welcome because the centre is self-funded. Jean Atkins, a longstanding volunteer and member of the management committee since 1999, is busy working in the office when I arrive. She speaks fondly of the work the MS Act- ion team does. Members start coming in for

the midday group physiother-apy session. I quickly catch up with Mandy Jarvis, one of three physiotherapists who work at the centre. "I like the fact we can work with patients to achieve their goals," she tells me. "We don't have to adhere to a tick list of treatments. "Each member has an individu-ally tailored programme and ben-efits are realised through seeing peoples' activity levels maintained and, in some cases, improved." When I needed physiother-apy treatment for my own MS condition five years ago, it was Mandy who issued me with my very first walking stick at such an appointment. While I'm here I also speak to Megan Wylie-Smith, who was using a standing frame for those unable to stand on their own. She said: "This is an important part of my life. They are friends and professionals." I am then introduced to John and Jean Simkins, who had been involved with the centre for more than 30 years. We have a chat

while they sit inside the oxygen chamber, complete with portholes and a robust door for sealing the divers in. Its blue exterior, painted with all sorts of marine life, set the scene perfectly. John, a sprightly and percep-tive 87-year-old, talked enthu-siastically about the benefits of oxygen therapy, in use at the centre since the 1980s. But people were arriving for their session and reluctantly it was time for me to say goodbye. Having been so impressed, I want to go diving too, and that means dusting off my wetsuit and copper helmet!

Deep sea diving

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In her regular column highlighting local projects, charities and services, Link4Growth volunteer Debra Oakaby makes waves in Walthamstow

Jill Harston using a pedal machine in the gym at MS Action, WalthamstowThis month the MS Society charity is hosting its annual Cake Break fundraising appeal. To get involved:

Visit cakebreak.org.uk

For more information on MS Action:

Visit msaction.org.ukEmail [email protected] 020 8531 9216.

he season is over, albeit not officially. I mean there are still a few league games to

go, but Leyton Orient will now certainly be playing in the same division when we kick off this weary process all over again in August. One point from a trip to 23rd-placed York and losing 3-0 at lo-cal-ish rivals Barnet ended all hopes Orient entertained of extending the season into the play-offs; a narrow win against the bottom team Dagenham & Redbridge offered the smallest chance, which was soon extin-guished with yet another home loss, this time to promotion-chas-ers Plymouth Argylle. So now we shift our attentions

to off-the-pitch matters, which again sadly offers more entertain-ment than any of the playing staff can currently seem to provide. Following the aforementioned humiliation at Barnet, el presiden-te, chairman and overall supremo Francesco Becchetti saw the red mist once more and out went play-er-manager Kevin Nolan, after 15 games in charge. But wait, was he really gone? According to a tersely-written statement on the official website, Nolan would remain as a mid-fielder, but would no longer be in charge. Cue a niggle that kept the former West Ham star on the sidelines. Well, actually, he was in the press gantry looking down, but those kind of details tend to muddy the water.

Perhaps ironically, the manager Nolan replaced – Ian Hendon – was also at the Plymouth match, sitting in the posh seats, and offer-ing a forlorn wave as myself and club photographer Simon O’Con-nor looked up. During this confusing time, as-sistant Andy Hessenthaler took charge of proceedings, becoming the seventh boss employed in Bec-chetti's short tenure. That's right, the man who was kicked up the arse on Boxing Day (literally) by the Italian was back in the good books – for now. And as a final twist, Hessen-thaler revealed Becchetti was helping pick the matchday team, along with a small committee. So my final words this season will be: "Can I have a go?"

Lucky seventh?Leyton Orient's stadium announcer Phillip Othen discusses the O's recent form

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East Stand at Leyton Orient Credit Martin Belam

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Each month we will be giving this page over to a local community group, artist or event organiser, for free. If you have something you’d like to showcase or promote, please email us on [email protected] or call

us on 020 3397 9797 for details of how to submit your information to us.

REFUGEE COMMUNITY KITCHEN

FOOD & AID COLLECTION for the

& community kitchens in Calais & Dunkirk2,500 hot meals and salads a being prepared and served a day to refugees, by volunteers

Tins of tuna, red kidney beans, chick peas, coconut milk, tomatoes (ring pulls please)

Olive oil & honey (plastic containers please)

Dried fruit, cashew & almonds

Dried milk & UHT milk

Spices (unopened) coriander, cumin (seeds + powder), black pepper, star anise, chillli flakes, paprika

Other items required: Aprons, tea towels, oven gloves, mens welly socks (do not have to be new, just clean)

PLEASE DROP OFF AT: The Hornbeam Cafe, Hoe St The Stow Brothers Office, Hoe StThe Italian Deli, Hoe St Debbie Bliss, Orford Road Second Nature, Wood St KukooLaLa Cafe(Jubilee Park) 3 Marsh Lane E10 7BL

PLEASE ASK YOUR SCHOOL OR WORKPLACE TO COLLECTContact [email protected] or the Facebook group

listed below to arrange logistics. We have sent 4 deliveries since January and will continue to do one every month.

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED SO FAR.

Alternatively, you can donate cash to the above collection points, which will be used for a wholesale purchase

CHARITY CRAFTERNOON! Saturday 14th May, 1-5pm Orford Rd Social Club, 73 Orford Rd E17 9QR

Craft Guerilla and Debbie Bliss invite you to raise money for the Refugee Community Kitchen.Learn to knit blanket squares with free yarn and needles, knitting advisors on hand,

Kid's beat boxing workshops from Tim "wireless" Coles, face painting and much more! Live music from The Stowicks. Refreshments. £4 adults, children free.

OLIVE OIL collection for the ‘Refugee Community Kitchen’ in Calais Refugee Community KitchenFacebook:


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