Thursday 4 December 2014

Hackney Marshes Ladies Running group

 Email rec'd from the Hackney Marshes Ladies Running Group:


Meet every Monday evening to be ready to leave at 7.00 pm Meeting point: The Elderfield Pub (at a table near the back) 57 Elderfield Road Hackney E5 0LF.

The fee is either £15 for a calendar month, or £5 pay as you run. So you can just turn up and run if you want.  For the first time, just come 5-10 minutes early to complete the disclaimer, and then you're ready to go. (There is an option to get changed in the ladies bathroom and leave the bags behind the counter. In exchange I would encourage to buy a bottle of water or tea once in a while as a good will gesture to recognize their hospitality) We run for an hour and a quarter, including warm-up and stretching at the end. The distance covered varies, as it depends on what kind of workout we are doing on the day, but usually 4-7km (though usually not all in one go). The session is based around 2 main sections that usually include speed and strength work and, above all, are fun. We have a mixed range of abilities from a casual runner to marathon runners, but that's fine as each session is designed to give the faster runners a really good workout whilst making sure everyone enjoys themselves and nobody gets left behind. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/hackneymarshesladies

Friday 14 November 2014

Telling the story of Clapton's Tram Depot

Email rec’d from Voist:

Next week sees the opening of Voist’s exhibition The Deserted Village, telling the story of Clapton's historic Tramway Depot from the perspective of those that have lived and worked on the site for the last 30 plus years. Free entry and open every day 12-7pm from 21st to 30th November at The Depot
(find us at 38 Upper Clapton Road, E5 8BQ). We look forward to welcoming you through the doors of the Tram Depot and offering one last glimpse inside the inhabitants workshops, studios and handmade homes. Sat alongside this series of portraits will be a collection of archive material and audio recordings that not only tell stories of time spent at the Old Tram Depot, but describe Clapton’s various transformations over the last 30 years.

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Outcome of the Millfields Improvements Works consultation published

Back in July, the Council launched a consultation on its proposals for improvement works to Millfields.

Following the closure of the consultation period, the Council has now published the results of the consultation which can be found at here.

It confirms that:
  • the most popular design for improving the play area in north millfields was Option 5 and that the designers of this option will be appointed;
  • the ideas put forward for how the paddling pool area could be improved - including more seating/communal areas and some water play element. The Council says it is working on designs for the paddling pool area, and incorporating the views given;
  • whether the railings around the ‘village green’ in Millfields south (near the old Lodge building and next to the basketball and tennis courts) should stay as it is? Leaving the railings in place was the most popular choice  - so it will remain in place around the grassed area. We did a posting last year about why the proposal to have the railings removed was flawed, so we're pleased to see they will remain!

Thursday 17 July 2014

walthamstow reservoirs: cross about Crossrail 2 proposals?

Crossrail 2 will deliver essential transport links and help to transform the economy of north east London and the Lea Valley, but at what cost?

Emerging plans for Crossrail 2 may affect, even threaten our local environmental and built heritage including:
Just at the moment when the Reservoirs are to be transformed into a unique wetlands habitat, a new railway line will slice them in two with a new tunnel entrance emerging between the Warwick Reservoirs.

Existing tracks through the area will be doubled from two to four tracks running alongside Walthamstow Marsh, between the Warwick Reservoirs, past the corner of Markfield Park, over the River Lea, and up past Yarmouth Crescent and Jarrow Road into Tottenham Hale.


Why is the current consultation documentation stopping short of spelling out these consequences?

A consultation on the plans runs out on 26th July.

TfL say they will consult again after they have decided how the railway will travel through the Marshes towards Tottenham Hale. This is the wrong way round. Local people deserve to be consulted on the range of options and to fully understand and comment on the implications before a decision is made.


What is the way forward?


We think at least three options should be developed and consulted upon:
  • The likely current scheme (current plans are vague) with the tunnel emerging between the Warwick Reservoirs, travelling over the Lea on a new bridge and then above ground to Tottenham Hale.
  • A tunnel entrance between the River Lea and Tottenham Hale (i.e travelling under the Marshes, the Reservoirs and the Lea). The impact of this option on the surrounding residential neighbourhoods needs to be fully understood.
  • A tunnel under the marshes and reservoirs and under Yarmouth Crescent and Yarrow Road with a new lower level station at Tottenham Hale. The line would then emerge between the Victoria Line sidings and Northumberland Park, north of Tottenham Hale.
We think local people concerned about the potential impact on the, Marshes  Reservoirs and local built heritage and residential neighbourhoods should argue strongly for the third option.

We also need to fully understand how these options affect the possibility of a new Crossrail Station at Clapton and what that means for the locally listed station building and the surrounding neighbourhood. This may ultimately prove to be a poisoned chalice.

Finally, we need to understand the construction impacts. Where will the main construction sites be located, what routes will the spoil lorries take and where will tunnel access and ventilation shafts be formed?

Find out more about the proposals:

Monday 7 July 2014

London Life: In Conversation with Colin O'Brien - Hackney museum Thursday 10 July, 6.30pm

Hackney Museum is hosting a special free talk and book signing on Thursday 10 July with photographer Colin O'Brien about his social documentation of London and Hackney.

Here's a youtube clip of Colin talking about his Travellers' Children in London Fields photo collection.

Yoruba Arts Festival 2014 - Clissold Park - 26 &27 July

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Sunday 1 June 2014

From Bow to Biennale c.1928 - 1936


Date: Friday, May 9, 2014 to Sunday, July 13, 2014

Opening Hours: Tues - Sun 10am - 5pm

Address: The Nunnery, 181 Bow Road, London E3 2SJ

The Nunnery Gallery is currently showcasing works and archival material from The East London Group of Artists.

Gathered from around the country, this is a rare and exciting opportunity to see works, exhibition catalogues, press clippings and sketchbooks on loan from private collections, museums and government archives, revealing forgotten memories and uncovering stories from the Groups history and local heritage.

London evolution animated

Saturday 24 May 2014

Springhill: Two Centuries of River Lea Rowing

There's a wonderful new book by Dick Anderson that's recently been published that tells the story of the boats, boatmen, rowers and rowing clubs on the River Lea from 1800 to 1980.The men and women who lived, worked, trained and raced on the river challenged establishment views on amateur sport and made rowing accessible to all.

At the moment, the book is only available through Lea Rowing club or direct from Lapesse Publishing as Richard is donating all money raised to the club for redevelopment of their boathouse.

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Clapton Orient (1920-1929) – Millfields Stadium

Pathé news coverage of Clapton Orient playing at their Millfields Road stadium. Interesting to see it shows one of the legendary features of Stadium - a large banking which ran along the south side of the ground – known to Orient supporters as the ‘Spion Kop’ (named after a hill in South Africa where the Battle of Spion Kop had been fought in the Boer War). This formed an informal viewing area that additional spectators were accommodated on the Kop when the ground was officially full. It was also the site of a gun emplacement in World War I. More details at: Leyton Orient Supporters Club  and Lea Bridge Heritage.

Wednesday 30 April 2014

First 'All Women' Regatta - Clapton - 1925

Dawn chorus walk - Sunday 11 May


Lee Valley Regional Park Authority have organised a Dawn chorus walk  to hear the wonderous bird song on a dawn chorus walk through the marshes followed by a breakfast roll and hot drink in the WaterWorks Visitor Centre.

Venue: Lee Valley Ice Centre, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London, E10 7QL

Date: Sunday 11 May 2014

Time0630 - 08:30


Booking is required for this event. For more information and to book your place please call 08456 770 600 or Book online now
Price:  £5 per person (including breakfast roll ad hot breakfast roll.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Exhibition - by the banks of the River Lea


The House Mill Gallery, Three Mill Lane, Bromley-by-Bow, London E3 3DU

the 1979 battle to save walthamstow marshes

In 1979, the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority proposed to extract gravel from the Marsh and to then develop playing fields and a lake. The Greater London Council refused planning permission on 4th february 1980. The Lee Valley Regional Park Authority appealed to the Department of the Environment in August 1980 with a public enquiry held in the summer of 1981. This led to the designation of the Marshes as a SSSI in 1985 and as a Nature Reserve in 1986, following the Park Plan Review. more details at: Lea Bridge Heritage

We came across this film via twitter. A useful reminder of the thanks we owe the campaigners, past and present , battled against the threats to our marshes.
 

Thursday 24 April 2014

Plant sale and seed swap - Springfield park - Sunday 4 May

Details of a Growing Communities  event:

Get your gardening off to a great start with the Growing Communities Annual Plant Sale and Seed Swap, which takes place on Sunday 4 May from 11am till 3pm next to our Springfield Park market garden.
  • Swap your spare seeds, seedlings and plants.
  • Get a head start to the season by buying seedlings of food plants, raised organically under glass at our Dagenham Starter Farm and ready to plant out, including beans, cucs, tomatoes, peppers and more.
  • Explore our organic market garden and get advice on fruit and vegetable growing from our head grower.

How to find us: We will be situated under a brightly coloured gazebo on the grassed area in front of our Springfield site.  This is situated next to the Greenhouses and 100 metres to the north of the park cafe (The White Lodge).