08 Baby steps
15 Transforming rubbish
16 Board games
The Newham Mag
Issue 348 // 26 August – 08 September 2016 // Every fortnight
Music under the stars - Thousands enjoy festival for free (p12)
Page 2 – Contents
On the cover
08 WHAT A START! – help, advice and support for families with young
12 STARRY, STARRY NIGHTS – four nights of music and lights
15 WASTE NOT, WANT NOT – one family’s drive to be eco-friendly
16 KINGS, QUEENS AND KNIGHTS – chess success, one move at a time
In this issue
11 BIG CHALLENGE – together we can achieve a million miles
19 BEHIND THE SCENES – tour the London Stadium
21 TICKETS OFFER – register to see free events
Regulars
03 NEWS – three pages of news from across the borough
06 MAYOR’S VIEW – news from Sir Robin Wales
22 OUR NEWHAM – community news
24 KIDS’ CORNER – poems, pictures and puzzles for our younger readers
26 WHAT’S ON – five pages of activities and events for you to try– most of them free
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Pages 3-5 Newham News
Students are up to the test
Picture caption: Students at St Angela’s Ursuline School
More than 1,200 Newham young people have received their A level results and pass rates this summer show the borough is doing better than the average score across England for the first time ever.
The number who took A levels in Newham was up by 300 on the previous year, with 54 per cent of students achieving A*, A and B grades, which is higher than the England average of 52.8 per cent.
More than 79 per cent of the borough’s A level cohort achieved A* to C grades compared to the England average of 77 per cent. Newham’s overall A* to E pass rate of 98.6 per cent compared to the England average of 98.1 per cent.
Councillor Terry Paul, mayoral adviser for skills and adult learning, said: “Our students and teaching staff should be proud. Newham’s results are above the England average and show how well our learning institutions are supporting young people to succeed.”
Councillor Paul visited Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre in East Ham where 96 per cent of students achieved A* to C grades and 82 per cent received offers from Russell Group universities.
Students at the London Academy of Excellence in Stratford achieved 97 per cent A* to C grades and more than 100 students secured Russell Group university places. Brampton Manor Academy students in East Ham achieved 93 per cent A* to C grades.
Sixth Form in Forest Gate achieved 75 per cent A* to C grades; Stratford’s Chobham Academy students achieved 74 per cent; Forest Gate’s St Bonaventure’s School Sixth Form students achieved 73 per cent and Newham Sixth Form College students in Plaistow achieved 62 per cent.
More than 1,300 Newham youngsters also received their AS level results. Students at the London Academy of Excellence, St Bonaventure’s School Sixth Form and Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre achieved above the England average for all grades.
Councillor Paul added: “The fact that so many of our young people have received offers from Russell Group universities means that they can compete with the best in the country. I wish them every success in their future endeavours.”
Award boost for young apprentice
Newham Council apprentice Charlie Dobroch is in the running for a London-wide youth employment award.
Charlie, 18, is a finalist in the 2016 London Borough Apprenticeship Awards in the category of best contribution by a new apprentice. Winners will be announced on 16 September.
Charlie completed a business administration placement as part of the council’s Youth Employment Scheme. He is now a candidate administrator with the council’s employment service Workplace.
Councillor Terry Paul, mayoral adviser for skills and adult learning, said: “Many young people find it difficult to get that first job. Our successful Youth Employment Scheme has seen almost 500 young people undertake the programme and it is recognised as a model of best practice. Charlie’s nomination is well deserved and demonstrates what top talent our scheme creates.”
The scheme offers two-year contracts to young people aged 16 to 18 across a range of council services. For information visit
Hub to help treat substance addiction
The charity commissioned by Newham Council to deliver an integrated drug and alcohol treatment service to residents has opened a third support centre in the borough.
Change, Grow, Live (CGL) offers treatment and support to vulnerable people who have faced hardships like abuse, homelessness and substance addiction. Councillor Clive Furness, mayoral adviser for adults and health, was on hand to launch the latest hub in Romford Road, Manor Park, which will offer free, confidential support. It also has a community café and will provide training and employment opportunities for service users.
Councillor Furness said: “Misuse of drugs or alcohol can have a devastating impact on individuals and families. We are delighted to be able to commission this latest forward-thinking service hub.”
Other centres are in Stratford and Canning Town. For more information visit or call 0800 652 3879.
News ...in brief
Residents get street party started
Around 130 residents in Plaistow’s Kingsland Road got together to turn their street into a party and play zone that was enjoyed by residents of all ages.
Plaistow councillors Forhad Hussain, Aleen Alarice, and Neil Wilson attended the festivities organised by resident Amie Jallow, supported by Plaistow’s community neighbourhood team and a grant from Newham Council’s Let’s Get the Party Started (LGTPS) fund.
Activities included face-painting, a bouncy castle, food, music and street games including football and mini-archery. Councillor Hussain, Cabinet member for crime and anti-social behaviour and deputy for building communities, said: “The party was a big success and the residents did a great job in getting people out to have fun. We support those who want to bring the community together.”
Residents wanting to apply for LGTPS funding should do so at least eight weeks ahead of their event. For more information go to www. newham.gov.uk/party
Brakes put on car speedsters
The streets of Beckton have been quieter since Newham Council banned so-called ‘boy racers’.
In December councillors agreed a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to ban drivers from assembling in Beckton’s retail parks and racing on surrounding streets. Since then 200 warning notices have been issued and four £100 fixed penalty notices issued to drivers found loitering or racing. Organisers of an annual car meet also changed their plans.
Councillor Forhad Hussain, Cabinet member for crime and anti-social behaviour, said: “We’ve been able to provide welcome relief from the noise and anti-social behaviour associated with these gatherings.”
Meeting to discuss health
Residents are invited to the NHS Newham Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) annual public meeting on Wednesday 7 September to find out how the CCG are improving healthcare and their plans for the future.
The CCG is responsible for planning and buying healthcare services for residents, working with patients. The meeting takes place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at The Crystal, 1 Siemens Brothers Way, Royal Victoria Dock, E16.
Tips for positive parents
Newham Council is hosting free sessions on Monday afternoons for parents to pick up tips and share ideas and experiences on how to support the development of teenagers.
The Teen Triple P Positive Parenting Programme takes place at Custom House Library in Prince Regent Lane from 1pm to 3pm on September 12, 19, and 26 and
October 3, 10, and 31. Call 020 3373 1783 to book a place.
Enjoy a festival of art
Art that includes a ship made of rubbish, a tower block sculpture and a mirror of water will be on display at the North Woolwich Festival in Pier Parade from 2pm to 8pm on 17 September.
Seven artists, funded by Newham Council and the Arts Council, have worked with residents over the summer as part of the Tidal Twirlings project, which has also included singing, dancing, drawing, poetry and kite-making. Visit for details.
Pages 6-7 Mayor’s view
Look smart for first day at school
Summer is almost at an end and the start of the new school term is almost upon us. Going to primary school for the first time or moving up to secondary school is a huge milestone for children and parents alike. A photo of your young one sporting pristine uniform on their first day goes into pretty much every family’s album.
The amount of new things a child needs for school can seem a bit overwhelming, so this year we offered a helping hand to some of you who applied online for your child’s school place starting next month.
All families who did it that way were entered automatically into a draw to receive a package consisting of either four sets of school uniform trousers or skirts, shirts and polo shirts, or a blazer. Nine were then selected at random to receive the items. Five of those are off to reception classes in primary schools across the borough and the other four are entering Year 7 at secondary school.
The draw was highly successful in helping to boost the number of online applications for school places, which rose from 49% of all applications last year to 62.45% this year.
It also improved the process for parents because those who applied online received a confirmation email as soon as they had successfully submitted their application.
They were also able to log in and change their school preferences any time up to the deadline day. They were also informed by email on National Offer Day confirming where their child was placed.
The first day at school or moving to a new school can be tough, but I hope everyone starting on that journey next month enjoys the experience.
Investment is streets ahead
In February, as part of the commitments we made to residents in the New Deal for Newham, we promised to Keep Newham Moving by investing £100million over the next decade on roads, footpaths and streetlights, to ensure travelling around the borough is a pleasure rather than a chore.
We made that promise after you told us in our Budget Challenge consultation that you wanted us to invest in infrastructure like streets. Now as you look around the borough, you can see that lights are being replaced, paving stones are being re-laid and roads are being resurfaced as we move forward with our plans. Once we promise something, we stick to it.
Since March, 2,065 metres of pavements have been re-laid, 1,035 metres of roads have been resurfaced, 2,000 streetlights have been replaced with long-lasting energy-efficient LED lamps and 850 new street light columns have been installed.
Better, brighter lighting alongside smoother roads and pavements all make a big difference whether you are a mother pushing a pram, or a cyclist or a drivermaking your way to work or the shops.
The £100million investment in our roads is our biggest ever and one of the largest local highway repairs commitments made by any council in London. By the end of 2017/18, all of the borough’s 19,000 street lights will be using LEDs, 9,600 lighting columns will have been replaced and by 2025/26 almost 200km of roadswill have been resurfaced.
We will continue to make headway in making life more pleasant for residents moving around the borough and next we will be introducing more residential parking zones, establishing more car club bays and upgrading the technology used for the enforcement of yellow box junctions.
Pages 8-9 Best start in life is guaranteed
Last year, after consultation with residents, it was agreed that a new network of children’s centres would operate across the borough. The first of those centres at the heart of our eight community neighbourhood areas opened in April in Beckton & Royal Docks. The latest opened this month in Plaistow.
Each centre delivers a universal local offer called the Best Start in Life Guarantee, to all families. From pregnancy and family health to early learning and childcare, parents are supported at every stage of a child’s development. It also covers work and training.
The guarantee ensures all Newham parents have access to:
•15 hours of free eligible childcare, increasing to 30 hours when national proposals to double the offer are rolled out
•stay and play sessions every week
•programmes, workshops and sessions offering advice and guidance to improve parenting skills
•regular employment advice sessions and help to get into work
•a range of family health and development sessions, including ante-natal support, the transition to parenthood, the early weeks of life, perinatal wellbeing, breastfeeding initiation; healthy weight and nutrition; managing minor ailments and reducing accidents; and supporting speech and language development.
Each centre also has its own individual offers. For example, the St Stephen’s Children’s Centre in East Ham has its own midwifery practice and an outdoor space with allotment, sandpit and climbing area. Rebecca Cheetham Children’s Centre in Stratford has a separate area for sensory play and parents and carers can also loan toys free of charge. Edith Kerrison Children’s Centre in Custom House offers free lessons to help parents learn how to use a sewing machine and needlework skills. Some have gone on to college and others have started their own business from home. All the centres are supported by a range of outreach venues including childcare settings, schools, libraries and community centres.
Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: “We want to ensure there is a consistent offer of high quality services in every one of our eight community neighbourhoods.Investment in the early years is critical to securing positive outcomes later in life.
“We are committed to maintaining a free, universal, local offer to support every family with young children to give their child the best start in life. We are being flexible about how and where services are delivered. The future cannot be about spending money on expensive buildings, it has to be about good quality, joined up services that make a difference for children and families.”
Page 10 – Advertisement
Revised Bank Holiday refuse and recycling collection days
Collection day Revised collection day
Monday 29 AugustTuesday 30 August
Tuesday 30 AugustWednesday 31 August
Wednesday 31 August Thursday 1 September
Thursday 1 September Friday 2 September
Friday 2 September Saturday 3 September
To check recycling collection dates for your area please visit and enter your postcode into the search. Please note that most recycling collections are fortnightly.
Visit
Let your property
No commission, no fees, no hassle.
Newham Council URGENTLY requires more properties to rent.
We can offer:
• Up to £3,000 cash subsidy towards rent plus a deposit bond to the value of six weeks rent OR
• A cash deposit and rent in advance
A FREE carbon monoxide detector will be provided for every property used.
*We will pay £200 to reserve your property. If you have properties available or would like to find out more about our Private Rented Sector Scheme, contact the Housing Supply Team now.
Telephone: 020 3373 1149 Email:
Page 11 Complete our million miles challenge together
Has watching the Olympic Games in Rio inspired you to take up running, swimming or cycling, or even a more leisurely pursuit such as gardening or dancing? If so, then join us for 100 days of physical activity in Newham’s Million Miles Together Challenge beginning on 1 October.
Physical activity can contribute to a healthier life. It could be walking to work or pushing a buggy around the park. Whatever you do or whatever your motivation, we ask all of Newham to get together and register your activity online with the aim of reaching a million miles worth of activity in 100 days.
Sign up as part of a team or on your own, with family or friends, with classmates or work colleagues. However you do it, you will have access to a dedicated online portal with your own page to add your physical activity and set your targets, be that digging your garden, taking a yoga class or waking your dog.
When we announced the challenge at the Mayor’s Newham Show in July more than 2,100 residents pre-registered to take part. Just under 1,500 people completed the Million Miles Pedometer Challenge during the weekend of the show. They registered on average 3,248 steps per person, making a total of 4,865,504 steps equating to 2,433 miles.