Jubilee Street Parties

There are several organised celebrations taking place around our ward to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

There will be a Diamond Jubilee Party held on Lockner Estate on Sunday 3rd June. The celebrations start at 2pm and include live music, food, drink, bouncy castle, kid's entertainment and more. All Lockner estate residents are welcome.

Northchurch Road committee are holding a street party on Monday 4th June starting at 1pm. Residents from the area bordered by Englefield Road, de Beauvoir Road and Downham Road are invited to bring tables, chairs and a picnic lunch to share with neighbours. The party is being held on the car-free intersection of Northchurch Road, Northchurch Terrace, Culford Road and Lawford Road. And any musicians - or spirited amateurs - are encouraged to bring along their instruments.

On Tuesday 5th June there will be a neighbourhood picnic in De Beauvoir Square. This will be an informal gathering and residents are encouraged to bring jubilee-themed picnics and bunting. However BBQs are not allowed in the gardens. Again, any local musicians who would like to bring their instruments and provide some entertainment will be more than welcome.


If you are holding a street party or similar event to commemorate the Jubilee and would like us to feature it on our blog, please get in touch.

And if you feel inspired to organise a street party or small community event in your area of the ward, further information is available on the Hackney Council website

Councillors Roving Surgery tomorrow

Tomorrow morning (Saturday) we have our monthly roving advice surgery. This month we'll be out speaking to residents on Hobbs Place and Arden Estate. If you have a specific issue or problem you'd like us to help with please get in touch and we'll make sure we call on you - our contact details are on the right hand side of the blog.

Artists in De Beauvoir - this weekend!

What about the other election that is happening on May 3rd?

With a week to go before the May 3rd elections we wanted to highlight the other, often overlooked election taking place next week.

Whilst the Mayoral election has received acres of newsprint across London and the nation's media the elections for the London Assembly have seen little in the way of coverage, and few people know about the work of Jennette Arnold who has been the Labour London Assembly member for North East London for almost a decade.

Jennette is currently Chair of the London Assembly and is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority. Her work focuses on the key issues that impact the daily lives of her constituents in Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest - improved transport services, crime reduction and affordable housing.

Before entering politics Jennette worked in nursing, including a number of roles at the Royal College of Nursing. As Chair of the London Health Commission she successfully campaigned for a smoke free London, and as a member of the London Assembly's transport committee she has worked hard to improve accessibility across the London transport network.

You can find out more about Jennette on her website which can be found here.

You can find more about the London elections as a whole on the London elects website.

Cycling in Hackney

As we approach the summer months the borough sees a increase in the number of cyclist on its roads. Already London’s top cycling borough, we’re keen to encourage even more people to take up travelling by bike.

One of the main ways to increase confidence is through training. The Council offers a wide variety of cycle training activities, classes and courses throughout the borough.

The training on offer suitable for people who want to:

• learn to balance on a bike for the first time
• gain confidence and skills to start riding on the road
• troubleshoot bad habits after having experience riding on the road
• learn to ride with their children on the road

All training is free of charge for people who live, work or study in the borough.

You can find out more about the types of training available here.

For HGV drivers, the Council also offers courses toimprove their awareness of cyclists. This aims to address the high number of accidents that occur between cyclists and HGV vehicles.

Alongside this, the council has an ongoing programme to prioritise cycling when money is invested into the borough – both in terms of road improvement and residential developments.

As cyclists ourselves we're always keen to hear ideas for how the borough can by made better for bikes, so if you have any suggestions please do get in touch.

Hackney Pirates

The Hackney Pirates are an after-school charity organisation aiming to develop the literacy and creativity of the young people of Hackney which was set up in 2010 by locals interested in supporting young people in the borough.

At their HQ in Downham Road, the Pirates work with young people, giving one-to-one attention in a fun space. Young Pirates can get extra help with homework and also work on creating professionally produced products such as books and CDs. 

The Pirates are always on the lookout for volunteers to come aboard. New crew members are required to attend a short evening training session and complete a Criminal Records Bureau form.

If you can spare some time to help with their work you can write to them at crew@hackneypirates.org or at the Pirate HQ: 1-9 Downham Road, London, N1 5AA.

Residents interested in learning more can see additional details on the Hackney Pirates on their website, and they can be seen in action on their YouTube channel.

Parents, teachers and youth workers who would like to refer a young person to the Hackney Pirates can contact Camilla Cook for details on the referral process.

Olympic Torch Coming to De Beauvoir

We were delighted to find out that the Olympic Torch will be coming to De Beauvoir on the afternoon of Saturday 21 July.

The torch - which has been designed by Shoreditch-based duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby - will make its way up Kingsland Road, past Whitmore Estate, Kingsland Wharfs and Lockner Estate on its way to Stoke Newington where there will be a huge free community event in Clissold Park to celebrate the occasion. A carnival will accompany the torch as it passes through the borough. 

We’re excited that the Torch is coming to De Beauvoir and look forward to celebrating with you! You can find out more about the Olympic Torch relay here.

Brave New World on Hoxton Street

An ordinary shop at the southern end of De Beauvoir Ward is currently experiencing its very own Shakespearean tragedy as the venue for a six month reworking of the Tempest.

O Brave New World resides at 297 Hoxton Street and the former shop now operates as a bar, library, gallery and theatre.

Its first run of performances are based on Shakespeare's The Tempest in celebration of the famous story's 400th anniversary.  Over a six-month programme the production will focus on six distinctive perspectives and parts of the story, each told in a changing and immersive environment. Between visits you can keep up with characters at home with action-packed videos and online content.

The experience is the brainchild of RETZ, a theatre company who tells stories to their audiences using a number of challenging techniques using performances, film, installations and the web in order to immerse them in the narrative and encourage questioning and a deeper exploration of the story. This creation has been made possible by Hackney Council’s Art in Empty spaces project.

You can find out more here and also get updates on the project through facebook.

De Beauvoir Barclays Bike Station - an update

A number of you have been in contact about the unfinished and unopened Barclay's bike station outside the Britannia Leisure Centre. After failing to get any response from TfL, we wrote to Cllr Feryal Demirci, the relevant Hackney cabinet member, asking for more information. She has now sent use a response which explains the delay and when it's expected to open - its published in full below.


If anyone has any further questions please do get in touch.

Re: De Beauvoir Barclay’s Bike Station

I can confirm that phase 2 of the Cycle Hire Scheme was formally launched on 8^th March 2012, but unfortunately several sites within Hackney are not yet operational – including the station at the junction of Hoxton Street and Pitfield Street.

I understand that delays in organising a power supply to the site have meant that that it cannot yet be opened to the public. Transport for London are responsible for organising the power supply through UK Power Networks, but unfortunately they had to cancel the works on several occasions due to programming and permitting issues – most recently on 9^th March.

The Council has not had any responsibility for undertaking any of the works at this location, and the delivery has been solely the responsibility of TfL. However, the Council is actively pushing TfL for the outstanding sites to be opened as a matter of urgency, and we are currently waiting for TfL to advise on a new programme date for the power supply works.

Streetscene officers who are liaising with TfL have advised me that realistically they expect this station to be operational some time in early April.

I am sorry that I cannot provide a more definitive answer at this stage, but I hope that this information has fully explained the current situation.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Feryal Demirci

Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods

Hackney Homes Leaseholders and Freeholders Surgery

Hackney Homes are holding a special leaseholders and freeholders surgery this Thursday.

This meeting will provide an opportunity for leaseholders and freeholders to speak to staff about services that they receive. This is also a chance to meet other leaseholders and neighbourhood staff and discuss money matters with an independent advisor.

There will be a number of activities on the day aimed at the over 55s including a free health check, massages and bags of fruit to promote healthy eating. Light refreshments will also be provided.

To book an appointment to speak with one of the advisors on the day call 0208 356 2288 or email service.charges@hackneyhomes.org.uk.

The surgery is being held at The Round Chapel Hall, Powerscroft Road, E5 0PU on Thursday 29th March from 1pm until 6pm. The free massage and health checks are taking place between 1pm until 4pm.

A printable flyer for the event is available here.