Tower Hamlets Unliveable Streets - Refuse and Street Cleaning Strike Extended to 15th October

 

The strike by Tower Hamlets refuse workers and street cleaners has been extended by an extra TWO WEEKS until 15th October (see here and the Roman Road London website for more info). Tower Hamlets Council have yet to confirm this, although Newham Council have.

The Tower Hamlets Council website has some tips on what residents can do to reduce the impact of the strikes (such as taking your waste to the borough's tip).

Unless it is unavoidable and urgent, can I suggest not ordering a new mattress or putting off your Amazon orders for a bit.

Below are photos of Whitechapel market on day 3 of the 28 day strike

Tower Hamlets Waste Service Staff on strike - 18th Sept - 1st Oct (inclusive)

 

From Monday, for the next two weeks, up to 200 waste collection staff from Tower Hamlets Council will be on strike. It is mainly the waste service workers (bin men and women) and the street cleaners.

A statement on the council's website says:

"We are prohibited from bringing in additional resources during this time, but we will be reallocating staff who are not participating in the strike to cover missed collections, including Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers. We are doing everything we can to maintain services for residents throughout the strike". 

During the strike bulky waste collections will be suspended in order that staff can focus on collections. Residents and businesses can take their waste to the Reuse and Recycling Centre in Yabsley Street. 

You can help by:

Separating your waste and recycling in the correct bins

Reducing your waste during the strike

Continuing to recycle responsibly

Crushing plastic bottles, cans and cardboard.

Biodiversity in Tredegar Square - share you thoughts

A while back we sent a survey to get your thoughts on how to improve Tredegar Square Gardens. As well as the usual frustrations about broken benches and litter, there was an overwhelming desire to improve biodiversity in the gardens. 

Thanks to the cooperation of the council and the great insight of the TH biodiversity officer, we're really excited that Trees for Cities have chosen to get involved with the project. From better planting, more bulbs and a mini orchard, there'll be some beautiful changes that will provide joy to all locals - humans and wildlife alike. 

You can see the proposals here and share your thoughts. In particular what type of fruit trees you'd most like to see in the mini-orchard. 

Tredegar Square Gardens through the last 40 or so years

The Square has had some redesigns over the years (see this from 1984 and this from 1995). It used to be all tarmaced in the middle as the photo below shows.

Can anyone work out when this was? Perhaps your old car?

So don't forget to have a quick look at the draft plans for this October's biodiversity improvements and let Trees for Cities know your thoughts. Of course you can let the committee know too via meotra@googlegroups.com.

Four found guilty of killing Shea Gordon in Bow

Shea Gordon was repeatedly stabbed on our streets just after midnight on the 4th of September last year. He died of his injuries despite the best efforts of passers by and the emergency services. Today four teenagers have been found guilty of killing the 17-year-old following a trial at the Old Bailey (see BBC News, Daily Mail, East End Advertiser).

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of four men entering the party, held at the Lichfield Road Epainos Church, wearing balaclavas and hoods. The four left the party but later returned and headed towards the crowd gathering outside just after midnight. Shea was stabbed by his attackers and then chased along Lichfield Road and then into Alloway Road. He then turned  right into Morgan Street where he collapsed. 

Abdul Yaro, 19, and Kavian Vaughans, 18, were found guilty of murder whilst Dainnan Witter-Cameron, 18, and Giovanni Addae-Johnson, 18, were convicted of manslaughter. All four were tried as adults.

Vaughans, Addae-Johnson and Yaro, who are from Tottenham, and Witter-Cameron, of Enfield, will all be sentenced in September.

Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Forum - Saturday 15th July 12 noon

THIS SATURDAY at 12 midday is the Annual General Meeting of the Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Forum at the Bow Idea store (Lab 3). Please come along and show your support, hear what the forum is about and help elect the forum committee.

The last twelve months has been a mixed bag for the forum.

After almost seven years, the Neighbourhood Plan was adopted via a public referendum of Bow residents on the 13th October 2022.The Neighbourhood Plan now sits alongside the London Plan and Tower Hamlet's Local Plan and has to be considered in all planning applications in the forum area.

But recently the Mayor of Tower Hamlets and his cabinet have disappointedly voted to not recognise the forum as they see "quite concerning diversity and equality issues". The forum awaits an official written response from the Mayor and his cabinet formally setting out their reasons.

A recording of the cabinet meeting where the decision was taken can be viewed here. If you fast forward to around 42 minutes in, you can watch the discussion. Oddly the beginning of the recording seems to start mid-sentence unofficially discussing the forum?

The forum is open to ALL demographics, so come along tomorrow and listen to what the forum is about and consider getting further involved. It is about making Bow a better place to live and work.

Join the Forum here or visit their website to find out more,

Date: 15th July
Time: 12 NOON
Location: Bow Idea Store (Lab 3), Gladstone Place, E3 5ES

Striking Sparks: The Story of the Matchgirls (TONIGHT at 7PM)

The premiere of A Fair Field by Jonathan Pease, is an evening of music telling the story of the Bow Matchgirls’ Strike of 1888. It is TONIGHT and tickets are available on the door.

This project brings together musicians from four community groups, Queen Mary University, and local schools, to perform a brand new piece telling the story of the Matchgirls Strike of 1888.

A historic event which took place in the Bryant & May factory in Bow, East London, the strike saw the group of young women and girls successfully challenge workplace exploitation and win better pay conditions. Their story was inspirational for subsequent generations of workers around the world.

The performance will take place on Saturday 1 July in The People’s Palace, Queen Mary University of London. Book tickets.

Bow Church: Clothes and Book Swap (17th June, 10.30-13.30)

Tower Hamlets Council are holding a Clothes and Book Swap at Bow Church on Saturday 17th June between 10.30 am and 13.30 pm. It includes a patching and mending workshop.

So have you had or are having a spring clearout? If so, why not pop along to this event with those books and/or clothes and give them a new live?

What to bring:   

• Clothes - women’s, men’s and children’s 
• Shoes and accessories – women’s, men’s and children’s 
• Books  

Do not bring: 

• Electrical items
• Underwear
• Items that are faulty or dirty
• Household items 

How the clothes swap works

Bring up to 15 items of clothing or a mixture of clothing and books in good, clean condition between 10.30 – 11.30 am and exchange for tokens.

Between 12 noon-1:30 pm browse and choose items of clothing and exchange your tokens for up to 15 new-to-you pieces!

All items will be checked before tokens are issued. You can donate any unused tokens. These will be given to those who do not have tokens and want to join in.   

Any items left at the end will donated to charity (usually traid) or brought to the next swap.

Patching and mending workshop

A drop-in workshop will be running during the day from 10:30 am to 13:30pm. Drop-in at any time between 10:30 am to 12:45 pm and join a small group.