Your independent community newspaper Free WALTHAM Nov 2018, No. 44 Email [email protected] Facebook /WalthamForestEcho Tweet @WFEcho FOREST ECHO Visit walthamforestecho.co.uk Comment News Features Events Features Why a Living Wage is Tenant faces eviction Leytonstone school reveals A new project will Newcomer to Walthamstow essential for all workers after raising fire safety contents of 119-year-old explore the local history speaks to locals about in Waltham Forest fears with council time capsule of a musical genre how the area is changing P . 2 P . 3 P . 7 P . 13 P . 14 Children's use of foodbank doubles Backing for Warning from Chingford church pastor after big rise in families needing handouts People's Vote ouncillors in Waltham Forest problems with benefit payments. have voted to back calls for Domestic violence was said to be Ca 'People's Vote' on Brexit. a factor in ten percent of refer- The move was supported by the rals, while another ten percent of ruling Labour administration, but people had been given foodbank opposed by the Conservative oppo- tokens by medical professionals. sition, in an often fractious debate at Forty percent of referrals were Waltham Forest Town Hall. made by Waltham Forest Council. Councillor Clare Coghill, the Unemployment was listed as a council leader, told the meeting: reason for referral to the food- “The problem with Brexit is Brexit, bank in one-in-five cases, suggest- and the people of Waltham Forest ing most people were struggling agree. They understand that it means to buy food despite having a job. struggling to fund public services, Rev Simms added: “We see it as isolation for small businesses, and our duty and our privilege to help families with EU citizens worrying meet people's immediate needs about their future.” in times of crisis, but the figures In the June 2016 referendum, 59 are alarming and action must be percent of voters in Waltham Forest taken to address the root causes backed remaining in the EU. This con- and long-term solutions for the trasted with the nation as a whole, as issues we are seeing.” 52 percent voted to leave. But as Brexit The church has also warned negotiations stall, a second vote on that Universal Credit (UC), a the final deal is now being proposed. controversial new all-in-one A People's Vote is vehemently benefits system, could further opposed by local Conservatives. increase demand for food aid. Councillor Alan Siggers, leader Currently, less than two thou- of the council's opposition group, sand households in the borough said: “This was one of the biggest are claiming UC, but this is democratic exercises this country Foodbank use is rising in Waltham Forest Credit Alexandra Smart 2015 expected to rise significantly has ever had – 33 million people next year. voted. Whether you like it or not, 52 It reported that a total of 667 poignant to witness schoolchildren Chingford MP Iain Duncan percent vote to leave. I realise maths by James Cracknell people received food parcels from once again donating items, consid- Smith, in his former job as Sec- is not Labour's strong point, but 52 the church in the last year, includ- ering the heart-breaking number of retary of State for Work and is bigger than 48. Both the Labour he number of children ing 294 children. While the number local children who have had support Pensions, first announced UC and Conservative manifestos at the given food parcels by a of referrals had risen by 25 percent, from the foodbank in the last year. eight years ago and is regarded last general election talked about Chingford foodbank far more large families were being “The number families in our local as its 'architect'. The policy has respecting the result.” has more than doubled affected by financial problems locally community who cannot afford been dogged by delays, however, The town hall's Labour majority Tin the last year. – resulting in a doubling of the to eat is deeply worrying, and and became the centre of a ensured the council voted in favour South Chingford Congregational number of children using foodbanks. sadly we expect this number to political row last month when of a People's Vote. It came two days Church revealed there had been a Reverend Dave Simms, church rise further in the coming year.” Mr Duncan Smith's successor prior to a protest march in London significant increase in the number pastor, said: “Since the foodbank The figures, for the year up to at the Department for Work and attended by around 700,000 people of families being referred to their opened in 2013, we have seen a September 2018, also revealed Pensions, Esther McVey, admit- – including Walthamstow MP Stella foodbank because they were strug- dramatic rise in demand each year. that more than half of refer- ted UC could make families up Creasy, the only one of the borough's gling to find the money to buy food. This year it has been particularly rals had been made because of to £2,400-a-year worse off. three MPs to vote against Brexit. Become a member of Waltham Forest Echo and get the paper delivered to your door each month – find out more on Page 15 2 No. 44 NOVEMBER 2018 WALTHAM FOREST ECHO COMMENT Everyone deserves a Living Wage FELLOWSHIP IS LIFE Vanessa Conant, Rector of the Parish of Walthamstow, on why a Living Wage is essential for all workers NOVEMBER 2018 – No. 44 Waltham Forest Echo is an the 17th business in Waltham friends, and even the possibility of independent community newspaper. Forest to sign up, joining the likes saving for unexpected expenditure. We publish monthly and distribute of Church Hill Nursery and Wild The Living Wage can genuinely 12,500 free copies of each issue to libraries, cafés, pubs, and other Card Brewery. As a parish, we too transform lives and make a huge places around Waltham Forest. are Living Wage employers, commit- contribution to the wellbeing of Publisher ted to the scheme since the begin- local residents. In May 2017, David Floyd ning of the Citizens UK campaign. Waltham Forest Council also Editor Our goal is to create the borough’s accredited as a Living Wage James Cracknell first London Living Wage Zone, employer, one of only thirteen London with over half of the businesses in boroughs to have signed up to the Designer Walthamstow Village accredited as scheme. Waltham Forest Citizens Jonathan Duncan paying London Living Wage. Recent is now working with the council to Manager research from the Living Wage Foun- encourage more local businesses to Penny Dampier dation and the Smith Institute found join and, on Thursday 8th Novem- Contributors that if a quarter of low-paid workers ber, will co-host the borough’s first Vanessa Conant were paid the London Living Wage Michelle Edwards London Living Wage Breakfast! Ben Darling London Living Wage campaigners in Walthamstow of £10.20, and £8.75 in the rest of As a church, we are committed to Chidiadi Pipi the UK, in ten city regions, there the flourishing of our communi- Tom Barnes t’s nearly always a Saturday John Moore in the capital, at 37 percent. would be enormous benefits. ty. The campaign for the London Helen Bigham when the doorbell will ring It’s why a campaign to double This includes the Treasury benefit- Living Wage in Waltham Forest is Jo Sealy and someone will ask for food the number of London Living ing from £350million in increased an expression of that same com- Emma Betts Andrew Sackett or for help with gas or elec- Wage employers in the borough tax receipt spending and benefit mitment. We believe that doubling Barry Coidan Itricity, just enough to get through has caught the imagination of our savings and more than half-a- the number of London Living Wage Paul McGrane the weekend. congregation at St Mary’s Waltham- million workers securing an annual employers in Waltham Forest will Sam Billington In my work as a parish priest, I stow and is part of our work with pay rise of £1,700. More than 93 lead to the flourishing of business- Members regularly meet people who work long Waltham Forest Citizens; an alli- percent of businesses who have es and the flourishing of the people Adam Pike, Chris Lemin, Darrel Hunneybell, David Gardiner, David hours in challenging and demanding ance of schools, colleges, mosques accredited say that it has benefit- employed by them. Hamilton, David O'Driscoll, Dexter Coles, jobs but find it almost impossible and churches who work together- ted their business, improved their We hope that many will join us Graham Millington, Jean Duggleby, Melanie to meet the costs of living in Waltham to pursue the 'common good'. And reputation, and increased their in sharing this vision and working Strickland, Michael Grimshaw, Roland Karthaus, Sanjoy Kumar, Renetta Neal, Forest, a situation which leads to it’s why we were overjoyed when staff retention rates. to make it a reality. Graham Larkbey, Paul Schneider, Megan exhaustion, stress, and anxiety. two local businesses were recently Even more than the econom- Lucero, Andrew Sharp, Deri Jones, Scott Anecdotal accounts of low- accredited, marking their public ic impacts, we know that paying the To find out more about the Davies, Abigail Woodman, Pat Stannard, Lee London Living Wage campaign Mitchell, Ian Cadogan, Madeleine Munday, paid work in the borough (and its commitment to paying a fair and London Living Wage has huge bene- Irena Souroup, Paul Scaife, Roy Sutton, Jon impacts) are borne out by research sustainable wage for their employees.