Sunday 26 April 2020

Council Food and garden waste collections resume 27/4/2020

Photo of a Tower Hamlets Council refuse truck leaving the depot


As many of you will be aware, since around early March the council refuse collection service has been patchy. This was due to a combination of industrial action, vandalism of the refuse trucks and coronavirus-related staff shortages. 

The good news is that from tomorrow, Monday 27th April the collection of garden and food waste resumes across the borough. 

If like me you have forgotten the day particular waste is collected, the council have a useful form you can use to find out:

For most of the MEOTRA area, collections seem to be Tuesdays (Food/Garden) and Thursday (residual -aka black bags)

Unfortunately, the council are still not collecting bulky waste and the council skip (known in council jargon as the "Reuse and recycling centre or RRC") is closed until further notice.


Saturday 11 April 2020

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Needs Your Help

Rays of light beam through the trees onto graves and wild flowers in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Many of you will be familiar with Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (THCP) in Southern Grove. Oddly, I just about always think of it and Mile End Station in the same breath, possibly because I pass the station on the way to it. The stark contrast between the noise, pollution, greyness, concrete and hustle and bustle of the station with the peace, tranquillity and the lush greenness of the Park couldn't be any more different. Minutes from each other and yet worlds apart.

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park (FoTHCP) who run the Park only receives 25% of its funding from Tower Hamlets Council, the rest comes from fundraising, events, and corporate volunteers. The effect of the COVID-19 outbreak has had a massive impact on FoTHCP as they have had to cancel events and their volunteer program which in total amounts to a loss of around £40,000 in income. 

FoTHCP's income enables them to care and protect the Park and the other green spaces they work in across Tower Hamlets. It ensures they can pay their three full-time members of staff, provide tools and equipment to volunteers and ensures they have resources to deliver events to the community. Right now, access to green space is even more important for both our physical and mental wellbeing.

This short video from Ken Greenway, the Park Manager, explains the situation:




Ways you can help

Donate to the appeal - please go to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/friends-of-tower-hamlets-cemetery-park-survival-appeal

Look out for the park - If you visit the Park during lockdown whilst the staff are absent, please take all litter home and make sure dog mess is binned. The Park is looking wonderful at the moment with masses of flowers and the birdsong is tremendous (especially without those fuel-guzzling big metal birds flying overhead)

Share the campaign with your family, friends and neighbours. 

Locked In But Not Locked Out - The FoTHCP have started a series of online talks on Zoom (which is really easy to do). Last night Michelle shocked and amazed us in equal measure with tales of Hyenas and what goes down in their dens. The talks are free, but donations are very welcome.

Join the FoTHCP - Whether as an individual, joint or concessionary; membership is a great way to support them



If you shop on Amazon (and lots of that is going on at the moment!) then if you go via smile.amazon.co.uk and choose the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery as your chosen charity then Amazon will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price