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April 2016 WALTHAM No. 13, Free www.walthamforestecho.co.uk facebook.com/WalthamForestEcho T: @WFEcho FOREST ECHO E: [email protected]

News Interview Feature History Column One of Waltham Forest's An ex-con talks about his Why a football fan ditched Unearthing the sad stories Debra Oakaby discovers most vibrant thoroughfares efforts to tackle gang crime Arsenal to support Wadham of expectant mothers who a community boxing club is being transformed in the borough Lodge instead couldn't afford maternity care with a difference P . 5 P . 7 P . 10 P . 12 P . 14

Huge backing for tenants facing eviction by Anastasia Aboim More than 3,000 sign petition supporting Butterfields residents

girl on the other side has been here amount of money it gives away 16 years, all of them have had evic- from around £200,000 a year to It’s these people’s tion notices,” Jane told the Echo. nearly £1.5million a year.” “lives they are mucking “I think it is unacceptable. We Glasspool is facing possible in- have been writing to the manag- vestigation by the Charity Com- about with ing agent and to Glasspool but mission over the way it sold ” nobody seems to tell us what’s homes in Butterfields, and over Ltd said: “We were advised most really going on.” whether it obtained full market of the tenants were working pro- Butterfields is a 1930s housing value for them. fessionals occupying the apart- estate made up of 63 two-storey Karen McCaffrey is a Butter- ments under Assured Shorthold houses, all of which were sold to fields resident currently protect- Tenancies (ASTs). newly-formed company Butter- ed by her tenancy agreement, “We would of course welcome fields E17 Ltd. In the petition on but is supporting the campaign buy-to let investors or social land- campaigning website 38 Degrees, launched by her neighbours. “I lords that would renew the ASTs. Supporters of the Butterfields Won’t Budge campaign Credit Sarah Sachs-Eldridge the area is described as “a close- don’t want to see them go,” she “We have not taken this deci- knit community,” which, “is not told the Echo. “I’ve grown up here sion [to evict] lightly and will do esidents fighting against last November. only facing gentrification but the and was born in Walthamstow our best to limit any disruption eviction from their They formed the Butterfields traumatising prospect of home- and it’s these people’s lives they caused to tenants. Where tenants homes have won the Won’t Budge campaign group and lessness and misplacement – all are mucking about with.” require more time than that support of thousands their petition has so far gained in the name of profit”. Butterfields tenants have re- allowed legally we will do our Rof people from across the borough more than 3,000 signatures. Jane In a statement Glasspool, an ceived support from Walthamstow best to assist where practicable.” – and beyond. Browne, 60, is part of the commit- anti-poverty charity, said it was MP Stella Creasy and from tenants Sixteen households in Butter- tee behind the campaign. She says “very saddened” by the evic- at New Era Estate in Hackney To sign the Butterfields Won’t fields, Walthamstow, were ordered she has seen many of her neigh- tions, but stood by its decision to who recently led a successful cam- Budge petition: to leave by the end of March after bours unable to cope with the im- sell the homes. The trust added: paign to stop their homes being their homes were sold by Glass- minent threat of being evicted. “The sale of the properties has sold to an American asset man- Visit you.38degrees.org.uk/ pool Charity Trust, without “Our next door neighbours meant that in the last 15 years, the agement company. petitions/butterfields-won-t-budge- any warning, to a private company have lived here for ten years and a trust has been able to increase the In a statement, Butterfields E17 e17-campaign-to-stay

Advertisement Waltham Forest charities under-funded by James Cracknell oluntary groups in Hackney, and that the volunteer- tants Rocket Science for £32,900, tive of local not-for-profit Signif- Waltham Forest re- ing rate, at 19 percent, was lower also highlighted a lack of funding icant Seams, told the Echo: "I see ceive less funding than than London's 26 percent average. from Trust for London and Big improvements in understanding nearby boroughs. As reported by the Echo in Lottery Fund. It recommended the huge support work commu- V This was a key finding of the January, VCS funding plummeted establishing ‘neighbourhood nity groups provide, but while I Voluntary and Community Sector by a third in five years, and several enablers’; developing a 'special applaud how swiftly the council is (VCS) Review commissioned by charities closed or significantly purpose vehicle' to deliver ser- moving, I'm concerned at the lack Waltham Forest Council and pub- reduced services in a situation de- vices; and creating a grant system of infrastructure support amid See a selection lished after a six-month delay. scribed as a “crisis” by Voluntary to distribute funding effective- such dramatic change. of our properties The review found the borough Action Waltham Forest (VAWF). ly. The council itself aims to rely “Extra pressures could lead has fewer charities for its size, The council has been criti- on VCS groups more in future as to further organisations failing inside! p. 8–9 with 2.7 per 1,000 people com- cised for cutting grants but the it makes spending cuts of £45m. or catastrophic incidents for vul- and 15–16 pared to 4.3 in Haringey and 7.6 in VCS Review, conducted by consul- Catherine West, chief execu- nerable people.” 2 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 3 News One of Waltham Forest's most vibrant COMMENT thoroughfares is being transformed P . 5

Goodbye Marlowe Road by Melanie Briggs The struggle to save my home from the wrecking ball FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE redevelopment of social housing. one the council could never keep; APRIL 2016 – No. 13 We don’t live in a council house there will be even fewer council The Waltham Forest Echo is an – we bought ours on the open homes on the new estate. independent community newspaper market. We own it, we’ve paid for The homes of several elderly for everyone living and working in the it, and yet we must move volun- neighbours have been boarded borough. We publish monthly and distribute 20,000 free copies of each tarily or be thrown out. It’s clear up now as social housing tenants issue to libraries, cafes, pubs, and other some of the social housing on are cleared off the estate. Trees are places around Waltham Forest. Marlowe Road has been unac- being felled, including two beauti- Publisher ceptably run down and neglect- ful London planes in the recently David Floyd ed. Rather than refurbish, the refurbished Marlowe Road play- decision was taken to demolish. ground. My six-year-old daugh- Editor The borders of the scheme were ter adores that playground. I can James Cracknell drawn wide – you can’t entice make moving house sound like Project and Research Manager property developers with a few an adventure, but I can’t explain Amy Croome council flats. The rest of us are why this superb space will be de- Marlowe Road collateral damage. molished, with a temporary play- Art Direction We were told 80 percent of ground promised on the site of a Jonathan Duncan n November Waltham For- storeys of the existing North- residents wanted this. But re- derelict pub instead. Business Manager est Council refused plan- wood Tower. sponses to the survey were gath- My family will go soon. After Dexter Coles ning permission to build a Of course Walthamstow needs ered only from residents in 18 months of fighting, we’ve modest, single-storey exten- extra homes, and in particular, af- social housing; demolition was finally been offered a reasonable Contributors Ision on a small, cramped terraced fordable homes. Local MP Stella presented as a fait accompli, not price for our house. It shouldn’t Anastasia Aboim house in Chingford. The exten- Creasy recently wrote scathingly one of a number of options. have been that hard. If someone Melanie Briggs Russell Hargrave sion was refused on the basis that of the “damp, overcrowding and The questions posed were cosy knocked on your door and offered Amina Ahmed it would “have a serious detri- decay” in Marlowe Road. I felt I ones about how the respondent you £100,000 less than the market Daniel Masoliver mental impact” on natural light had to take her to task on the sug- would like their new kitchen, value of your property, a prop- Gen Ford for neighbours. gestion current homes are unfit for whether they wanted a garden erty you weren’t even looking to Katie Robinson Jill Truman This is only noteworthy when human habitation. You see, I live or extra bedrooms. There were sell, you’d slam the door in their Jeanne Holland you consider that on the next in one of those homes. no boxes for alternatives such face. If that offer comes with the Daniel Shannon-Hughes working day, the council ap- It’s a three-bedroom house as refurbishment and no indi- threat of compulsory purchase, Debra Oakaby proved planning permission to with a garden, garage, and gen- cation the demolition of ‘your it’s terrifying. Phillip Othen raze an entire neighbourhood to erous driveway. It’s warm, bright, block’ included destructing all Many of my neighbours have Members the ground near Wood Street in spacious, modern. It’s the sort of other blocks, dozens of cherished already gone; accepting sums Darrel Hunneybell Walthamstow and build more house that thousands of families private homes, several thriving that meant they could no longer Sarah Jones than 400 homes in place of the across Waltham Forest are crying local businesses, communal space, afford to live in London. Selling Gen Ford 214 that stand there now. It’s a out for; but they won’t get to live and three children’s play areas. up, at least, brings closure. If this David Hamilton Chris Lemin development that will, inciden- there, and neither will we for The promise there would be is ‘community-led regeneration’ tally, eclipse natural light to the much longer. new homes on the estate for all why is my community disintegrat- Advertising Sales householders in the bottom five This is now the reality of the the social housing tenants was ing as a result? T: 020 8521 7956 E: [email protected]

The member organisations of WFWellComm CIC are: Age UK Waltham Forest Community Transport Waltham Forest Housing shortage has wide impact Social Spider CIC HEET An introduction from James Cracknell, editor of Waltham Forest Echo WFWellComm CIC Management Board: ello and welcome address this by building more the redevelopment. non-Hughes, looking at local David Floyd (Social Spider CIC) to issue 13 of Wal- homes. Developers and land In both examples, local res- maternity care 100 years ago. Tom Ruxton (HEET) tham Forest Echo. owners, meanwhile, see there idents are forced to suffer for This is part of a series of six ar- Helen Tredoux (Community Transport WF) While we never in- is a lot of money to be made. what land owners perceive to be ticles he will write this year with Htend to have any particular ‘theme’ On the Butterfields estate, as re- a ‘greater good’. help from Waltham Forest Oral we are by coincidence publishing ported on our front page, a local Housing is also the top issue History Workshop. Waltham Forest Echo Social Spider CIC, two articles this month that tackle charity decided to sell up and use in the London elections on 5th I’d like to end by paying tri- The Mill, 7–11 Coppermill Lane, the same issue – housing. the income to boost the grants it May. Candidates for the North bute to the Echo’s project and re- Walthamstow, London E17 7HA The supply and affordability makes to good causes. But those East London constituency – search manager Amy Croome, of housing is possibly the most living there are being evicted. Hackney, Islington and Waltham who is leaving us this month. Waltham Forest Echo began with funding contentious and urgent problem On the Marlowe Road estate, Forest boroughs – are due to be Amy was the paper’s deputy by The National Lottery through Big Lottery Fund Waltham Forest faces. It mani- as described by resident Melanie announced shortly. As soon as we editor in its first year and played fests itself in many ways, from Briggs in her article above, the can we will publish their election an instrumental role in launch- renters struggling to manage council decided to double the pitches on our website. ing the Echo back in July 2014. rising bills and priced out of density of homes but at the same Also in this edition we’re Many thanks for all your hard home ownership, to Waltham time reduce social housing and running a fantastic history piece work Amy, we wish you well in Forest Council struggling to force people to leave during on Page 12 by Daniel Shan- your future endeavours! 4 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO NEWS

Tube noise Pressure still on at Whipps Cross fears rumble on Spotlight on hospital one year on from damning watchdog inspection althamstow resi- mission telling officials to “get The Echo has heard mixed dents living near by Russell Hargrave a grip” before problems became accounts of patients’ experience the Victoria Line even worse. over the last year. One area are “disheart- hipps Cross Uni- CQC demanded action on four where Whipps Cross has come Wened” at Transport for London versity Hospital is specific areas of concern; patient under fire, especially among local (TfL) plans to launch a night facing fresh finan- care, staffing levels, monitoring people online, is for its materni- tube service – before resolving cial pressures one systems, and how complaints are ty services. But Walthamstow ongoing noise pollution. Wyear on from a damning report handled. The report also criti- mum Hannah Guthrie, whose After a series of delays TfL an- into its treatment of patients. cised a “culture of bullying” at youngest daughter Winnie was nounced that it would be introduc- Barts Health NHS Trust, which the hospital. born earlier than expected at Whipps Cross University Hospital ing a 24-hour service on the Victo- runs Whipps Cross, claims the In a statement on the prog- the hospital on Boxing Day last ria Line on Fridays and Saturdays, hospital needs an £80million in- ress made to improve the hospi- year, said: “If I was going to have starting from August. But people vestment to maintain its ageing tal since that time, Barts Health another baby, I hope I could have who were really stretched.” in Walthamstow who have been af- facilities and guarantee safe care stressed that it had already com- it at Whipps Cross.” Patients’ groups had raised con- fected by loud rumblings since last for patients. mitted to maintaining accident Even though the induced de- cerns about poor performance at summer when a new track layout But the trust is seeking this mon- and emergency facilities and the livery was “a massive shock” Whipps Cross before CQC step- was built say this is still too soon to ey amid its own financial prob- maternity unit at Whipps Cross, Hannah said she was treated ped in. Analysis of patient feed- address their concerns. lems, with its deficit now con- and had invested £5m in two new well. “Although not exactly as back in 2014, published by con- A leaked TfL report listed “re- firmed to theEcho as standing at operating theatres which will planned, the birth was a posi- sumer champions Healthwatch duction in quality of life through more than £128m. This remains open later in 2016. tive experience.” Waltham Forest, showed growing disturbed sleep" as a high-risk the highest annual overspend of A trust spokesperson added: Another Waltham Forest resi- dissatisfaction particularly to- impact of the night tube service, any NHS trust in the country, “We know more is needed to dent, who visited Whipps Cross wards the hospital’s administra- but Walthamstow residents claim and has risen by over a third in make sure Whipps Cross con- last October and who asked not tion and communication. they are already suffering from just five months. tinues to be a thriving local to be named, was left to wait five In a report titled ‘Whipps Cross such effects. Whipps Cross has been under hospital with a future of safe hours for her scheduled appoint- Hospital: Stepping Into The Fut- Somers Road resident Zoe Green close scrutiny since March 2015, and sustainable healthcare for ment. She told the Echo her expe- ure’ published last autumn, Barts set up the Tube Noise Action Gr- when a government watch- local residents. rience led her to fear “the hospital Health admitted there were “long- oup last year to raise awareness dog labelled its services ‘inade- “That’s why we have recent- was on its last legs”. She described standing issues on the Whipps of the issue but says little prog- quate’. Barts Health was placed ly appointed a team of experts medical staff shouting and pan- Cross site” which would require ress has been made. into special measures as a result, to help us plan further improve- icking in front of patients, adding: “a site-wide review of areas for After meeting TfL officials in with the Care Quality Com- ments to the estate.” “These were wonderful people, immediate investment”. February Zoe said: “Unfortunate- ly they didn't know what caused the louder trains and had tried pretty much everything they could to solve it. “We are quite disheartened as An event without parallel we had a lot of ideas about what they could do, but they said they would continue to monitor it A Leyton student is promoting an inclusive sports event that is the first of its kind in the world and didn't really agree to much more. We've asked them to pay student who has chal- “Previously there were no events I for an independent investigation lenged public percep- could participate in with able-bod- to figure out a solution.” tions of disabled people ied people, so we decided to orga- The Victoria Line is one of only and become a champi- nise our own event. two lines, along with the Jubilee, Aon for inclusivity has helped launch “We did a sponsored walk, going that will start running all-night a new charity fundraising event. past London landmarks such as services this summer. Zishan Kinoo, from Leyton, Buckingham Palace and Westmin- In a statement TfL say: “We are is supporting Parallel London, ster Abbey. It was a really nice event. sensitive to the potential of addi- an event that aims to encourage For me it was about the challeng- tional disturbance. We are carrying disabled people to be more active ing myself as much as it was about out a thorough assessment of noise and more independent. fundraising. issues alongside local environmen- Last year Zishan, who has “When I heard about Parallel tal health officers before the service. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy London I thought it was a great “Once the night tube is opera- and uses an electric wheelchair, chance to get involved with some- tional, we will continue to work wanted to do an established chal- thing bigger. It is an integration of with residents to investigate any lenge event but found there was able-bodied and disabled events, and issues regarding noise.” nothing accessible to him. Instead is happening in the Olympic Park he set up his own small event, Move just down the road. It is great to have a Mile for Muscles, raising money an event where everyone can come To find out more about TfL's night for Muscular Dystrophy UK. together, regardless of your ability.” tube service: When Zishan heard about Par- Parallel London takes place in Visit tfl.gov.uk/campaign/tube- allel London, the world's first ful- September with multiple running improvements/the-future-of-the- ly-inclusive mass-participation run, or walking distances to suit dif- tube/night-tube he was delighted. He told the Echo: ferent levels of ability. Business student Zishan Kinoo, from Leyton No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 5 Interview An ex-con talks about his efforts to tackle NEWS gang crime in the borough P . 7

hagen style’ crossings; new bus stops, street lighting and signage; Council tax rise ‘to and new junctions with Orient protect social care’ Way, Markhouse Road, Bakers Arms, and Leyton Green Road. ouncil tax for Waltham As Lea Bridge Road’s trans- Forest residents is ris- formation accelerates, develop- ing by 1.86 percent this ers have taken notice. Housebuild- month after council- er Hill has lodged an application lorsC agreed the increase was needed for 300 homes in buildings up to 18 to safeguard adult social care. storeys tall, but several business- Both Labour and Conservative es that occupy the warehouses on members accepted that without the site currently would be forced to adding £26.97 to the annual council leave. Among them is charity furni- tax bill for an average-sized proper- ture shop Remar UK. Its manager ty in the borough services for vul- Allan Joy told the Echo: “We have nerable people would have to be cut. been here about eight years, it’s a It represents the first tax in- good location and it will be diffi- crease in the borough for six years. cult to find somewhere else.” Since 2010, a financial incentive The development site is adja- had been offered by the govern- cent to the new train station and ment to local authorities to freeze Lea Bridge Road is used by up to 30,000 vehicles everyday Hill claims the scheme would council tax, but its abolition left “make a significant contribution an immediate £1.8million short- to the regeneration of the area and fall to be made up by Waltham the creation of a new neighbour- Forest Council. All change at Lea Bridge Road hood around Lea Bridge Station”. Councillor Chris Robbins, the Although not finalised, afford- council leader, told last month’s One of Waltham Forest’s most vibrant thoroughfares is being transformed able housing provision could be annual budget meeting at Waltham as little as 20 percent. Forest Town Hall: “We have to [raise Bridge since 1985. the first trains.” Slightly further down the road is council tax] because of the chaos in by James Cracknell At a recent Waltham Forest The council’s £30million ‘Mini Lee Valley Ice Centre, home to Na- funding of adult social care. Council meeting, leader Chris Holland’ cycling programme has tional Ice Hockey League team Lee “It is an absolute disgrace the ea Bridge Road is getting Robbins thanked Network Rail brought another big chunk of in- Valley Lions. Lee Valley Regional government has done a 360-degree a new train station, seg- for making the project happen. vestment into the area. Lea Bridge Park Authority (LVRPA) claims the turn on this. We should never have regated cycle lanes, junc- “Because of the windfall from the Road is used by up to 30,000 vehi- facility needs upgrading and four got to a situation where adult tions, housing, and pos- Olympics we were able to put it cles and 1,500 cyclists every day, and sites for a new ice rink are being social care is in such a state that Lsibly even a new ice rink. forward as a major venture for the 241 injuries were recorded between considered, but its preference is to we are forced into a two percent As one of the most import- borough,” he said. 2009 and 2013. Plans to make the build a larger rink on the same site. council tax increase. They want ant routes in the borough, it “It went through a few wob- road safer – dubbed ‘A Street For Save Lea Marshes, which cam- someone else to be blamed for links Hackney in the west with blies but we expect it to open in Everyone’ – is described as a ‘flag- paigns to protect Lea Valley’s their mess.” Whipps Cross Hospital in the May. I wish to thank Network ship’ Mini Holland scheme. open space, is concerned at the Council tax in London is set east. For the last 31 years one Rail for bringing it in on time and Work has now begun on remov- impact on the area of both a new by both borough councils and the thing Lea Bridge Road has not on budget.” ing Whipps Cross roundabout and ice rink and three tower blocks. Greater London Authority (GLA), had is a train station. But next The new station is expected to replacing it with a signalled T-junc- The group lodged an objection run by the London mayor. GLA’s month, this will change. serve 352,000 passengers a year by tion. Controversy was stoked by against Hill’s plans and says re- share is reducing by £19 for the Reopening Lea Bridge Station 2031. The building, with a second the removal of trees in the centre garding the ice rink: “Whichev- average home, after a levy to fund has been in discussion for a decade. entrance on Argall Way, will house of it, with a petition signed by 590 er way LVPRA jump, we will lose London 2012 ended, but with Work on the £12million project two new platforms, footbridge, people, but the council insists 40 open green space.” Waltham Forest raising its share finally began last year, and is now lifts, shelters, and cycle storage. percent of trees there were dead or As Lea Bridge Road gets ready of tax by 3.99 percent, the overall scheduled to finish in May. Once After being presented with an dying and there’d be a net increase to benefit from a raft of new infra- bill is going up 1.86 percent. open it will provide direct services award from Cllr Robbins, Kather- of 28 trees after work finished. structure, the attention drawn to the Conservative councillors ag- to Stratford and Tottenham Hale. ine Scott from Network Rail said: Other Mini Holland plans for area by developers and land owners reed a council tax rise was nec- Trains operated by Abellio Greater “Lea Bridge Station will provide Lea Bridge Road include full- could throw up many more chal- essary to protect social care, Anglia already run between these thousands of residents much better length segregated cycle lanes in lenges for the people who already but disagreed the Conservative stations, but haven’t stopped at Lea connectivity. We can’t wait to see both directions; blended ‘Copen- live and work here. government should be blamed. Councillor Matt Davis, leader of the opposition group, said: “We should thank the government for forcing the council to increase tax, to cover the growing cost of social care. This is to do with external pressures and it would be irresponsible to not increase council tax.” Labour members praised the council’s handling of its finances, with no additional cuts needed on top of the £45m agreed in 2013. In total over the last five years, cuts of £98m have been approved by The new cycle bridge for Lea Bridge Road The site of the new Lea Bridge Station the council. 6 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO FEATURES

month-long art festi- Picture special: Street art festival in Waltham Forest val in Waltham Forest is emblazoning 20 buildings and walls Awith bright new murals. The street art collective Wood Street Walls launched the first-ev- er ‘Paint Your London’ event on 18th March. It runs until 17th April and brings together some of the best-known street artists “to transform bland and dreary build- ings into colourful works of art”. They include world-renowned Maser, who is using disused music venue The Standard in Blackhorse Lane as his canvas, wallpapering the entire building on 11th April. Remi Rough's artwork in Wood Street Mutiny's artwork in River Walk, Highams Park Paint Your London is part of Wood Street Walls’ mission to raise awareness of London’s need for more affordable artist workspace for the 35,000 graduates from art and design colleges each year. According to a recent study by the Greater London Authorty, the capital is set to lose 3,500 creative workspaces by 2020, equating to a third of the city’s creative space.

To find out where and when murals will be painted: Visit paintyourlondon.co.uk Chris Bracey's artwork in Lancaster Road Mark Clack's artwork in Victoria Road Keep on smiling In a series of articles on the lives of Waltham Forest’s older population, Amina Ahmed meets care home resident Elisa Heredia n the previous edition She told me tearfully about She only moved into the care home I interviewed an active how she met her other half, who last month and throughout my and strong woman; al- died 10 years ago. “I met him at short time there, she kept on re- ways on the go. This month a new year’s party in Piccadilly,” peating how happy she was com- II met Elisa Heredia, an 88-year- Elisa said. pared to her empty house. old who is temporarily living at “We were surrounded by many “I have company here,” she told Aspray House Care Home in Lea Spanish people who came to dance. me as she clutched the hand of Bridge Road. As dementia sets in A week later, I was at home and my one of the staff that she seems she finds it hard to get around, mother called and told me someone very close to. “I have people to talk and I find Elisa strong in a very had come to see me. to and I don’t feel alone like I did different way – emotionally. “She told me to look out the at home. I am content.” She has lived in Leytonstone for window and there was Christopher Elisa is only at Aspray on 55 years; ever since moving there with flowers and a bottle of wine. trial for six weeks, after which with her late husband Christopher. “He loved to go shooting and her social worker decides if she Elisa left her family to move to the would always bring back pigeons gets to stay on. For her sake, I UK from Spain to become a cham- for me.” hope they decide for rather than bermaid. She was recruited over- Elisa gives me little snippets of against. seas and brought here via a boat her life back then as I struggle She says she found solace in this with others in similar situations. to decipher the phrases that are country and in this part of London. She worked until she met Chris- spoken in Spanish. In doing so I Elisa worked hard and raised a boy topher, and became a housewife. learn that ‘senora’ means married and a girl. But most importantly, Because of her dementia, woman and ‘senorita’ means an she teaches us to be strong by her Spanish has become more prom- unmarried woman. will to keep on smiling. inent than English. But the tears, Elisa and Christopher moved to The most important thing in the smiles and the expressions Leytonstone after they got married life according to Elisa is: “Love said it all. and she has lived there ever since. and my children.” Elisa Heredia at Aspray House Care Home No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 7 Feature Why a football fan ditched Arsenal to support INTERVIEW Wadham Lodge instead P . 10 Turning gangsters away from crime Elroy Palmer tells James Cracknell about his work tackling gang crime in Waltham Forest

their language, and move them in a positive direction. Once you Once you get get past the bravado, you find “ out that all they want to do is to past the bravado, earn money to escape the situa- you find out that tion they’re in. “When the London riots hap- all they want to pened [in 2011] we went through all of our case work, and out do is to earn of 600 gang members we were money to escape working with, only four had been arrested. When we spoke to the situation them, they said the reason they they’re in didn’t get involved was because they were on the cusp of getting a ” job, a place on a course, or some- work together in each London where to live, and they had done borough to tackle local gang that themselves. crime. Some work better than “We got asked to a meeting others, according to Elroy. with [Home Secretary] Theresa “The police in Waltham Forest May and we told her that you are good, they give us room to do have to give people the chance to our work. We’ve had people from make a success of themselves. If other boroughs coming here to you spend your whole life being look at what we do because it is told you will not amount to any- a very well-run service.” thing, it becomes a negative cycle. What is the main problem with That’s how gangs become rife.” the approach taken to gangs? “I I ask Elroy how bad the gang think there is too much focus on Elroy Palmer, a team leader with the SOS Project run by St Giles Trust, in Wathamstow Town Square problem is in Waltham Forest. enforcement, arresting people He tells me there are eight “en- won’t work. We need to give lroy Palmer knows a them a way out.” ers. Elroy was hired as a case trenched gangs” active in the them hope. We need to make thing or two about Elroy typically works with worker in Croydon in 2009, and borough. Unsurprisingly, most them feel part of the commu- gangs. He used to be a young people aged 16-25 years, is now an SOS Project team leader are based in areas of deprivation, nity, instead of labelling them gang member himself, but sometimes meets gang mem- working in boroughs across north such as council estates. troublemakers. It can be done. Eand has served time for a variety bers as young as eleven. It’s these and east London. “It is a huge problem. There As a society we have found a way of gang-related crime. But that same people who sometimes “Everyone has a dream, every- are disaffected youth who find to solve football hooliganism – is in the past, and for the last later become part of the SOS one has a talent, everyone has it difficult to get a first rung on we need to do something similar three years he has been working Project team. something special about them. the ladder. In the three years with gangs.” in Waltham Forest as part of a “We use ex-gang members But it can get buried by issues we’ve been working here, we For the next year another charitable project that tackles the who have been involved in gang with family, crime, gang life. have made a positive impact. charity, Spark2Life, has been problem head-on. violence themselves, and want to Then you get people who just Gun crime and knife crime is commissioned to work as part Elroy works for award-winning give something back. We bring don’t want to change, because falling. But there is still a hard- of the borough’s IGU instead crime charity St Giles Trust. Spe- them in and get them trained they are making thousands of core of gang members here. We of St Giles Trust. But Elroy says cifically, he leads a team of case until they’ve got a Level 3 NVQ pounds every week dealing dr- can’t solve this on our own.” the SOS Project has achieved a workers who regularly visit gang Certificate. They are then placed ugs and exploiting people. They The SOS Project forms part of great deal, and that he’ll still give members in the borough to try with an existing case worker to don’t want to give that up. You what is called an Integrated Gang talks and meet ex-offenders in and steer them away from a life of see how it works. have to show them how things Unit (IGU) comprised of police, Waltham Forest. “We’ve had a crime. It is called the SOS Project. “We are very pedantic about will be different, how they can local authorities, social services positive impact here. Hopefully “We’ve gone anywhere in who we take on, and there is a make money a different way. and third sector groups. They that can continue.” Waltham Forest where there long volunteering period. Local “To be a drug dealer you have is a gang problem,” Elroy tells authorities don’t employ ex-of- to be very good at mental arith- me. “We work with the most fenders, so we get hired to do the metic. We train them to use these Become a member of Waltham Forest Echo entrenched and at-risk gang work because we bring some- skills in a valuable way. On one Do you think our media could be different? Could we create our own media members, after they have just fin- thing extra that they can’t pro- occasion we took a group of kids together? Be a part of our local experiment by doing just that. Become a ished a jail sentence or if they are vide – authentic and trusted to an investment bank for a trial member. Waltham Forest Echo is owned by six not-for-profit organisations and gives local people a platform to make themselves heard. already known to police. people who can build a rapport week; they grasped it straight “We reach out to them and let with gang members.” away and earned £4,000.” Being a member means you get a bigger role in shaping our media. You will them know what the alternatives Elroy has benefited from But Elroy admits it’s not be invited to a quarterly meeting to discuss the Echo and your name will be are to gang life. We also have case this approach himself. After always as easy as that. “The gang printed in the paper and on our website to acknowledge your support. workers who go to hospital and the last of his stints in jail for problem in London is multi-fac- The monthly membership fee is £5. All money received will be invested in the meet youngsters who have been gang-related crime he was told eted, there is no magic bullet. But running of Waltham Forest Echo. Visit walthamforestecho.co.uk/members victims of serious gang violence, about a job opportunity spe- you need to start by meeting gang to find out more and sign up, or [email protected] using their recovery time to offer cifically targeted at ex-offend- members on their turf, talking 8 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

Bridge End, Walthamstow Carr Road, Walthamstow O.I.E.O £575,000 Freehold O.I.E.O £350,000 Leasehold Four bed, End of terrace One bed, mid-terraced apartment

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Tel: 0203 397 9797 / Web: stowbrothers.com Email: [email protected] / Twitter: @stowbrothers 236 Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 3AY 10 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO FEATURES A tale of two teams Footie fan Daniel Masoliver on the joys of following non-league Wadham Lodge

welcomed to football’s spiritual Lodge itself has a rich history. On home in Waltham Forest. this hallowed turf a young David On this hallowed It’s not glamorous, there’s no Beckham practised taking corner “turf a young David corporate boxes or giant screens, kicks while his dad was at the but that’s the charm. A 200-ca- bar. The current crop aren’t quite Beckham practised pacity stand offers seating, or Beckham-esque, but sticky-footed corner kicks while his you can stand within whispering number nine Charlie Georgiou’s distance of the linesman. mazy runs are just as thrilling. dad was at the bar At my first Wadham Lodge I’ve seen Arsenal host Eu- FC game I cheered when the op- rope’s top teams and watched ” posing side scored. For a neutral, El Clasico at the Nou Camp as I was at the time, it was in- but standing aside the Wadham stinctive. My outburst attract- Lodge dugout, with a beer in my ed Neil Day, WLFC’s assistant hand and a song in my throat, is manager. Rather than suggest as fulfilling a live football expe- I make myself scarce, Neil wel- rience as you can have. comed me to the Lodge. I’m not alone feeling this way. “Football is nothing without Other non-league clubs are ben- fans,” says Neil, who works at efitting from fans’ desire for a

Wadham Lodge, in white, versus Basildon United, in yellow Chingford’s Rushcroft Foot- homegrown experience. Dulwich ball Academy. “We value every Hamlet, and Clapton FC, in used to live in the shadow because I’d moved to Waltham- person who walks through those the same league as Wadham of Emirates Stadium. As a stow. Like many Premier League gates, because if they’re here, Lodge, attract hundreds. Even lifelong Arsenal fan, I loved fans it became obvious I wasn’t a they share our passion for foot- at the Lodge, support is split; the joining the throngs of sup- valued fan as much as a customer. ball and for their community.” ground is also home to Waltham Iporters that descended on match- My search for the beautiful Wadham Lodge play in the Forest FC. Daniel Masoliver in the stands day. I was never a season ticket game took me a world away from Essex Senior League, English Neil adds: “There’s no agendas, holder; even if I could afford Arsenal. Tucked away off Kitch- football’s ninth tier. “The players it’s inclusive and hopefully fun. to it,” says Martyn. “The players £1,000, the waiting list has ener Road is Wadham Lodge don’t get paid,” Martyn Fitch, Best of all, it’s a shot in the arm can feel your passion like you can 44,000 people. Still, I got to one Sports Ground. Walk past the the chairman who co-founded for the community.” feel theirs.” match a month, for £50 a pop. five-a-side pitches and you arrive Wadham Lodge in 2008, admits. While the Premier League has So you know where I’ll be at As time went on I grew apart at an old turnstile. Hand over £7, “But they love playing football.” alienated fans, in non-league 3pm on Saturday. See you at the from the club, and not just or £3 for kids, and you’re warmly The club is young, but the football “you’re right up close Lodge! Patients are a virtue

by Gen Ford

e’ve all had good improve experiences at Add- did a decade ago. Worse still, health. The patient group will be and bad experi- ison Road Medical Practice almost one in five patients who launching a survey of what pa- Improving ences at our local in Walthamstow Village. It is make an appointment don’t tients think about the practice, “people's health is General Practi- aimed at giving patients more attend, meaning other patients plus running sessions on getting Wtioners (GP) surgery. But have you control over their own health miss out. the most out of NHS services. a two-way process. ever thought what you could do and wellbeing. Our patient group is working Organisations running activ- It's really important to make services better? Many readers will know NHS with Addison Road to improve ities include Diabetes UK, Stop A group of patients from a services are under enormous pres- things they can fix – the phone Smoking, Waltham Forest Carers, for patients to take Walthamstow GP surgery, in- sure. There is a significant short- system, appointment booking, and Healthwatch Waltham Forest. responsibility for their cluding myself, decided to join age of both doctors and nurses in and seeing if different opening We’ll have entertainment from forces with staff and hold what’s general practice. It takes ten years hours would be better for work- Walthamstow Toy Library, face own wellbeing going to be a fabulous ‘Health to become a fully-qualified GP ing patients. painting, and London Fire Bri- preventative medicine.” I hope to and Wellness Open Day’ on Sat- and almost as long to qualify as Improving people’s health is a gade, giving kids plenty to do. see you there. urday 23rd April. an advanced nurse practitioner. two-way process. It’s really im- There’ll also be gentle exercise We’ll be offering a fantastic So the problem is not going to be portant for patients to take re- sessions and a healthy cooking array of advice and activities. solved in the near future. sponsibility for their own well- demonstration. Local pharma- The Health and Wellness Open Experts will be on hand to help We all know how difficult being – educating themselves cies will be talking about treat- Day is being held at Addison on childhood illnesses, first aid, it is these days to get appoint- about what to do when they or ment options for minor ailments. Road Medical Practice in back pain, diabetes, stopping ments to see your GP too. People someone they care for falls ill. And of course there will be an Ravenswood Road, Walthamstow, smoking and caring for others. want to see their doctor more One of the open day’s objectives opportunity to meet staff from from 10am until 2pm on 23rd The event celebrates the first than they did in the past – each is to introduce patients to sources Addison Road. The practice will April. For more information: anniversary of our patient par- patient seeks ten percent more of information about keeping be running advice sessions on Email [email protected] ticipation group, set up to try to appointments today than they themselves fit and managing their asthma, travel vaccinations, and No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 11 History Unearthing the sad stories of expectant mothers FEATURES who couldn't afford maternity care P . 12 Enjoy a cup of veg Ingredients vegetables, dried herbs, garlic, Local food blogger Katie Robinson finds a family-friendly veggie recipe · 2 large tortilla wraps and crumble in the stock cube. · 200g vegetarian mince Gently cook for another ten what they were eating and see · 1 small carrot, chopped small minutes or so, stirring regular- the variety of different shapes · 4 mushrooms, chopped small ly, and adding a little more oil if and colours. · Half onion, chopped small necessary. Don’t let the mixture get too wet and drain any excess Using our fresh ingredients · Half red pepper, chopped small we made delicious, crunchy liquid off once cooked. · Shake of dried mixed herbs veggie mince cups, a brilliant family recipe that is really ver- · 1 large clove garlic, crushed iii) Spoon the mixture into satile because you can vary the · 1 vegetable stock cube each muffin tray hole lined vegetables you use. We ate the · Large handful of grated with the tortilla circles, until mince cups with peas on the side cheddar cheese full, then top with the grated for dinner and then cold as an cheese. Cook in the oven (200 after-school snack the next day. Method degrees, or gas mark six) for “Awesome,” according to my i) First find a cup that is a bit around twelve minutes, until the five-year-old son. bigger than the holes in your cups are slightly crispy and the muffin tray, place it on a torti- cheese has melted. Remove each lla wrap, then cut circles around cup carefully with a spoon. Veggie mince cups it with a knife (six circles per wrap). Push the circles gently iv) Eat the cups with budget This recipe makes around into the muffin holes. guacamole if you fancy – just 12 cups, using a muffin Veggie mince cups mash avocado with crushed tray. Allow 25 minutes for ii) Heat some oil in a pan and garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. ere in Waltham in quality and cost, but with a preparing the mince cups and add the mince, stirring regularly Eat with hands! Forest there are lots little research I have found veg- 12 minutes for baking. Any for about five minutes. Add the of places to buy veg- etables that are pretty cheap and leftover cooked veg can be etables – whether it reliable! I recently took the kids reheated with chopped tinned If you have any comments, ideas Email [email protected] His a local market, grocery store, su- with me to help choose some at tomatoes the next day for a or tips about food in Waltham Forest, Visit katielovescooking.com permarket or international shop. Walthamstow Market. It was veggie bolognese sauce. please get in touch with Katie: Twitter @ktlovescooking The veg can sometimes vary great for them to have a say in Poem of the month: Nominate a sustainable hero ‘Paranoia’ Jeanne Holland wants to know who’s greener than green We will showcase by Jill Truman “the small acts making a big difference All along the streets, ities and we want to hear” about All across the town: all of them! Curtain-shrouded windows, Showcasing and sharing these Blinds sternly down. inspirational ideas will help make We stay all day sustainability the norm for every- one. It’s also very satisfying to In the dim half light: make the most of what you’ve Not a chink, not a wink, got, save money and have a pos- No glow nor flare itive environmental impact. Anywhere, The deadline for entries is Late or soon: 31st May. The winner will be an- Morning, night, nounced in June to coincide with A living salad table centrepiece the Green Open Homes initia- Or afternoon. tive. Winners will receive a cer- What horrors would we find he hunt is on to find a want to showcase the small acts tificate and a special prize! If we rattled up the blind? ‘Waltham Forest Sus- that make a big difference. So it Dangers of every kind: tainable Hero’ for 2016. doesn’t matter how small or how Trees and sky ItDoesTheJob.com, large your project is – tell us about it. Share a short write-up of the And birds flying by – Ta Leytonstone-based firm spe- You might be working on a project you’d like to nominate: cialising in low-energy living, is community parking project, recy- And People might see launching this campaign to cele- cling food waste for composting, Email [email protected] Us drinking tea brate everything local people do planning to re-use your Easter egg Tweet @itdoesthejob Or watching TV... to reduce their energy consump- boxes, or simply using up those For more information: tion and recycle. brown bananas to make a loaf. Visit itdoesthejob.com As well as larger projects, we These are all sustainable activ- 12 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO HISTORY When not everyone could call the midwife Daniel Shannon-Hughes unearths the sad stories of expectant mothers in the days before the NHS

married. “My mother never said a word. It came as a great shock I’ve seen to me. Never was discussed at all.” “ Contraception was hardly dis- memorial cards for cussed either, whether publicly the other babies. or at home. Jenny added: “That was thought to be a terrible thing They were all to talk about. [A woman in the buried in Chingford Labour party] tried to get them to give birth control information to Cemetery women through [Leyton] council. The council wouldn’t allow it. than one in ten babies” died within They thought it was terrible.” six months of birth. The figure in In the absence of knowledge Waltham Forest for 2009-2011 was about and access to contracep- 5.6 per 1,000. An unidentified inter- tion, the most widely practised viewee from the Wood Street area form of birth control was abor- recalls that in her family: “I was tion. Illegal in England until 1967, the youngest of sixteen. And all I women resorted to dangerous ever remember at home was about methods and drugs. Frequent- six of us. I’ve seen memorial cards ly these led to poisoning, injury, for the other babies. They were all hospitalisation, long-term health buried in Chingford Cemetery.” problems and even death. Infant mortality was a sad fact The other side to this igno- of life for the poor. Ill health caused rance was a high birth rate. At the by poor housing, hunger and hard start of the 20th Century women labour, all linked to poverty, and Mothers and babies pose at Brookscroft Child Welfare Clinic, Walthamstow, in 1915 Credit Vestry House Museum/Waltham Forest Council gave birth to an average 4.6 chil- the absence of maternal health- dren. Having ten or more children care, also caused miscarriages for was not uncommon, particular- many women. Moreover the toll he BBC’s award win- Nothing [else] at all.” ly among the lower classes. The of multiple pregnancies often com- ning television dra- This was generally the extent A women tried physical strain of multiple preg- pounded women’s poor health. ma series, Call the of healthcare during pregnancy. “ nancies came on top of pressures Only with the creation of the Midwife, depicts Medical checkups were beyond to get them to of poverty. NHS and welfare state did things Tchildbirth in the early years of the budget of most women. The give birth control Many women went hungry improve. Women could call the the NHS. But what was mater- 1911 National Insurance Act did so their families could eat, even midwife and a doctor, and rely nity care like for women before a include maternal health benefit information but the when heavily pregnant or recov- on the services of many others. free health service arrived? What paid to expectant mothers to council wouldn't ering from childbirth. Nellie was The women’s stories from a if calling the midwife was beyond cover doctors’ fees, but only for in hospital in 1930 following a ce- century ago show universal mater- the dreams, let alone pocket, of married women whose husbands allow it sarean section because of a com- nal healthcare, maternity benefit, many poorer mothers-to-be? had paid their ‘stamps’. plicated birth. She said: “They’d and the legislation we have today, Interviews recorded with local Most births took place at “While they ”were waiting for the come around for breakfast. I’d say cannot be taken for granted. women born between 1890 and home and midwives were well doctor my mother used to get on to them; ‘can I have my egg hard Indeed – they must be protected. 1913, held in the Waltham Forest known in the neighbourhood. with it and more often than not boiled?’ They used to call me the Oral History Workshop’s archive, Although midwifery was slowly the baby was born before [they hard-boiled patient, for the simple tell of experiences of pregnancy, being professionalised, until the arrived].” reason I used to save the egg for childbirth and maternal health- 1930s it was still common for a Florrie Stephens, born 1900, had my husband when he came in to The Waltham Forest Oral History care at the start of the 20th Cen- local unqualified ‘handywoman’ a mother, grandmother and aunt eat. That’s how hard up we were.” Workshop is a volunteer group who tury. They offer a glimpse of the to deliver babies. who were all unqualified midwives. Hospital was generally only have been recording oral histories often perilous and difficult expe- Nellie Williams, born 1908, re- Yet Florrie received little sex edu- for complicated births. It was with local residents for the past 30 years. For information on the riences of motherhood. members: “It used to be a local cation from her family. At 18 she too expensive and few hospitals workshop’s archive, joining the The women featured in this woman. They used to call her asked where babies came from, had maternity facilities. Mrs Wil- group, or being interviewed: article are of working class back- ‘grandma’. She’d be about 60 and her mum replied: “See that liams, first name unknown, trag- grounds, since the poor received or something like that. But she line going from your naval down. ically lost her first child in 1927 Email [email protected] almost no prenatal healthcare up brought all the babies into the They cut that out and take the because nowhere could be found Visit wforalhistory.org.uk until the 1930s. world.” Miss Judd, first name baby out there.” to treat her baby: “We tried to get An interviewee named only unknown, was born 1913 in Florrie said: “I thought that her into hospital but they said as Mrs Pettifer, born in 1895 in Gosport Road, Walthamstow. was right because my mother septicaemia was poison and they Markhouse Avenue, remembers: Her mother was a midwife who had [for her work] needle and wouldn’t take her in. The nurse “There wasn’t the bother there “used to deliver all the babies cotton, scissors.” ran all over the place with her… are with the kiddies having their down that road. She wasn’t qual- Ignorance around sex was they wouldn’t take her in. She babies these days. I saw a doctor ified, she just done it ‘cos neigh- common. Jenny Hammond, born was only three weeks old when when I booked him up and I didn’t bours could go in and do that sort in 1893 in Leyton, did not under- she died.” have him until the baby came. of thing in them days. stand the facts of life until she In the period 1900 -1920, more No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 13 Column Debra Oakaby discovers a community boxing LISTINGS club with a difference P . 14

Upcoming Ongoing

The Tuning Out Launch People's Food Fair Five String Banjo Classes for Adults Zumba Fitness with Zoe Tap Dancing Classes Friday 8th April, 8pm Saturday 16th April, 11am–3pm Every Monday and Wednesday Every Tuesday, 7.30pm Every Thursday lunchtime St Michael & All Angels Church, Hornbeam Centre, 458 Hoe Street, during term times Walthamstow School For Girls, during term time Northcote Road, Walthamstow Walthamstow E17 9AH Studio office, The Quaker Meeting Church Hill, Walthamstow E17 9RZ St Edmund’s Church, Small Hall, E17 6PQ House, 1a Jewel Road, Chingford Mount Road, Chingford Join OrganicLea's celebration of our Walthamstow E17 4QU Zumba is a fun and great way to lose A concert featuring strings and organ food system at the local level. There will weight, keep fit and enjoy yourself. Wear We are a friendly group looking for new with renowned musicians Jon Rose, be activities and workshops, and our Professional musician, Dick Smith, low tread, supportive trainers and bring members. Beginners welcome at 12pm, Hannah Marshall and Veryan Weston. regular market stall will burst out on to teaches five-string banjo classes in a bottle of water to enjoy this exhila- improvers from 12.45pm. The occasion will celebrate the launch the street. There will be family friendly three-finger bluegrass style picking. rating dance fitness class in a low pres- sure atmosphere. of a double CD released by Emanem activities like sowing seeds to take home Start from scratch or develop your banjo £4 per class skills in a relaxed and fun environment. Call 01992 524 681 Records. The music explores new territo- with you, you can learn how to make ries in micro-tonal tunings using pipe-or- Different lesson times for beginners, in- £5 per class seed-bombs, and you are invited to par- Circle dancing gan and re-tuned string instruments. Plus, termediate, and advanced. Call 07903 629 636 ticipate in some interactive workshops. Every first Thursday of the month, a solo percussion performance by Bei Bei Visit zumbazoe.co.uk In addition, we will have information £12 per class 1.30 –3.30pm Wang. This will be a unique occasion set about how to get more involved with Call 07745 052 525 Strung Out, Violin Group for Adults Welcome Centre, St Mary’s Church, in a beautiful space with refreshments and local organisations which are building Email [email protected] Every Tuesday and Thursday 8 Church End, Walthamstow E17 9RJ organic wine provided by local indepen- a fairer, more ecological food system. Visit banjosmith.co.uk Studio office, The Quaker Meeting dent shop Forest Wines. House, 1a Jewel Road, A world music dance class and social Free entry Walthamstow Village Market event. No need for a partner, just turn Tickets £6, concessions £4 Walthamstow E17 4QU Email [email protected] Every Saturday 10.30am – 3pm up. Beginners welcome. Call 01707 692 420 The Asian Centre, Orford Road, or 07935 334 683 Strung Out is a fun violin group for Board Games and Street Food Walthamstow E17 9LN adult enthusiasts of all levels, with £4 per session, Closing Down Sale Saturday 16th April, 6.30pm–11.30pm a professional musician whose work refreshments included Until 10th April, 11am–3pm each day William Morris Bar, 807-811 Forest A weekly fine food market selling spans from the West End to Womad. All Call 020 8556 3508 Tumble In The Jungle, 245 Wood Road, Walthamstow E17 4JD fresh local produce and high quality styles of music welcomed from classical Street, Walthamstow E17 3NT street food. We are dog friendly and to traditional tunes. Fun is the key in- Echo17 Events present an evening of welcome four legged customers and gredient! Different lesson times for be- Next issue listings: Games equipment, clothing, office fur- board games and street food prepared their owners ginners, intermediate, and advanced. To list an event or activity in niture, computers, toys, and much more by the renowned Shams Kitchen, in a the May issue of Waltham Forest Free entry Call 07740 622 428 for sale at Tumble In The Jungle, a family relaxed atmosphere. We provide over 50 Visit walthamstowvillagemarket.com strungout@shapeshifter- Echo please email WFEcho@ games; including cards, Scrabble, Car- Email activity centre which is closing down. Email hello@walthamstowvillage productions.com socialspider.com before the casonne, Ticket to Ride, Absolute Bal- market.com Visit shapeshifter-productions.com deadline on 21st April. Free entry derdash, Backgammon and Mah Jong. Call 0208 045 4523 Beginners welcome. Advertisement

St Barnabas Sunday Concerts Entry £2.50 present ‘Poetry in E-Motion’ Visit echo17events.co.uk Sunday 10th April, 4pm St Barnabas Church, St Barnabas St George’s Day Quiz Night Road, Walthamstow E17 8JZ Saturday 23rd April, 7–10pm St Edmund’s Hall, Chingford Mount CBG Great poetry partnerships through Road, Chingford E4 8JL musical history, performed by Waltham- stow opera singers, soprano Gillian Keith Test your knowledge and compete and tenor Tom Randle, with guest mez- against others on a range of topics. zo-soprano Diana Moore and pianist You do not need a team to attend. Bring John Reid. This recital of inspiring songs, your own drink and food. Please book arias and ensembles from several of his- you place in advance. tory’s most famous poet/composer alli- ances, features some of the most beauti- £1 donation ful songs, scenes and settings by Schubert, Visit e17designers.co.uk Mozart, Strauss and more. This pro- gramme of gorgeous music is part of Skin Deep, exhibition by Sally Hewett E17’s newest concert series. Until 24th April, Thu/Fri 2– 6pm, Sat 12–5pm, Sun 12–4pm Free entry, donations accepted The Stone Space, 6 Church Lane, Visit facebook.com/ Leytonstone E11 1HG StBarnabasSundayConcerts Skin Deep is an exhibition of em- Health Fayre broidered and stitched pieces by Sally Leyton Sixth Form College, Essex Hewett. Sally’s work is inspired by Road, Leyton E10 63Q bodies; not conventionally beautiful Tuesday 12th April, 10am–1.30pm bodies, but bodies which show their history, that have been altered by their Leyton College is hosting a Health Fayre experiences, are decorated with scars, featuring a number of local organisations spots, stretch-marks, veins. The exhi- and charities, as well as the Metropolitan bition includes a new series of fabric Police. Students will be presenting their reliefs depicting bodies altered by surgi- health promotion campaigns – a culmi- cal procedures and medical conditions. nation of a lot of hard work. Free entry Call 0208 928 ext. 9036 Visit thestonespace.wordpress.com Visit leyton.ac.uk Email [email protected] 14 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO COLUMNS Fighting back In her regular column highlighting local projects, charities and services, Link4Growth volunteer Debra Oakaby is knocked out in Leytonstone

e recently cele- Road, Leytonstone. ment and Training (NEET), by brated the second During the interview, I could combining sport and education. anniversary of hear a punch bag being repeat- Peter monitors the social cost Link4Growth edly hit by older kids doing some savings as a result of the club's ac- WChingford, which brings people serious training. There is no ring tivities, such as improved wellbeing together from different parts of because the kids hit special pad- and educational performance and the community. One of our sup- ded gloves and punch bags rather reduced crime. He is concerned porters told me about a non-con- than each other. about mental health in adoles- tact boxing club in Leytonstone, I noticed that Mark cares cence, especially during the tran- and after looking them up online deeply about these kids and their sition from primary to secondary I knew I had to visit them. lives and has created an 'extended schools, and is passionate about Box4Life uses this type of box- family' at the club. I met a couple helping these kids fulfil their po- ing to help kids develop essen- of home-grown coaches who were tential. “We're ambitious for these tial social and emotional skills. qualified with the Association of kids and we want other people to It was started in 2009 by Mark Amateur Boxing (ABA) and had be ambitious too,” he said. Rule, who wanted to get more been supported by the club. I also got to find out what was kids off the streets and away from Peter told me that approximate- happening at the grassroots level. I gangs having been affected by the ly 40 to 50 kids, aged between met Peter Akubuko, a professional murder of a young man from the eight and 18 years, attend the boxer, mentor and senior coach at estate where he lived. club each week and nearly one the club. He said: “Coming here is Indeed, the club was initial- in six is female. Feedback from not mandatory, they come week in ly funded by the Home Office members and parents is very good and week out because they choose from a fund aimed at tackling and includes increased self-esteem to come.” gang violence. and confidence, healthy eating I met Mark with Peter Sandy, and better mood and behaviour the general manager, on a Tues- at home. For more information on Box4Life and to day evening at Cann Hall Baptist Box4Life is the smallest club in make a donation or volunteer: Church in Leytonstone. The club London taking part in a pioneer- Email [email protected] meets during term time and ing programme that helps disad- Visit boxing4life.org/information/ also on Friday evenings in Holy vantaged young people at risk of our-mission Members of Box4Life in a training session at Cann Hall Baptist Church Trinity Church Hall, Holloway being Not in Education, Employ- Orient being Orient Leyton Orient's stadium announcer Phillip Othen discusses the O's recent form

here comes a time in the arrival of Luton to Brisbane take points off a promotion every PA announcer's Road would serve up decent en- rival (Accrington) followed by life when they start tertainment. It did not. A sloppy a home banker against lowly to dread home fix- goal was enough to win it for Hartlepool. tures.T There will be a little run the visitors (after a bad mistake One hundred and eighty min- of games where nothing clicks from defender Shaun Brisley, utes later, the Londoners had and the only words you utter who then was stretchered off lost both, failed to score a single are players from the away team and hospitalised – he was not goal and dropped out of the after scoring another goal. Oh, having a good day). top seven. and additional time – there is So Orient being Orient, they At least I got to announce always that. then head off to second-placed two Hartlepool players rather And March had started with Oxford and nab a narrow win. than the usual one after they so much promise. Despite a Then when Morecombe visit scored their second, plus a drab opening 41 minutes, French East London and get their goal- great-named substitute with a striker Armand Gnanduillet keeper sent off after 12 minutes, first name of Rakish who, iron- scored a goal-of-the-season con- lo and behold, Orient still strug- ically, was quite dashing once tender and followed it up with a gle at home and can only rely on on the pitch. second for a comfortable victory a comedic own goal to seal all So as I type, Orient sit in against Crawley. three points. eighth place with time running Following this up with a de- Now nestled snuggly in the out until the end of the season. cent 2-2 draw at Carlisle, you play-offs, the Easter weekend The good news is that only would be forgiven for thinking looked like an opportunity to three of those are at home. East Stand at Leyton Orient Credit Martin Belam No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO 15

Tel: 0203 397 9797 / Web: stowbrothers.com Email: [email protected] / Twitter: @stowbrothers 236 Hoe Street, Walthamstow E17 3AY 16 No. 13 APRIL 2016 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO

William Morris Gallery and Clare Twomey

Help us realise Clare Twomey’s plans for a new Morris-inspired interactive artwork.

Visit artfund.org/arthappens-williammorris to donate and get great rewards in return.

WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY

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.