Local News

Spotlight on North London Cares

Aim of organisation

North London Care’s aim is to bring older (65+) and younger (18-25) neighbours together, the two age groups most at risk of isolation, in the rapidly changing areas of Islington and Camden. The purpose is to reduce loneliness and increase participants’ sense of connection, belonging, purpose and power in their communities.

The charity has received help from different income streams, corporate partnerships, and grant fundraisers.

Name of Project

Old Street Intergenerational Social Clubs

What are the key objectives of this project?

The project aimed to bring together old and young locals who are increasingly living side-by-side, but rarely interact, hence they suffer from loneliness.  Through the different events of the project, neighbours came together and enjoyed a plethora of experiences, making friendships in the process and feeling like they are a part of a group.

Ins and outs of the scheme

Most of the clubs revolved around chatting and artistic expenditures.

Such activities included booking classes, board games, breakfast clubs, painting classes and even softball. As well, every quarter, locals were able to enjoy a lunch time concert, presented by London Symphony Orchestra and held at St Luke’s Church.

Drumming, outdoor games, and dancing are a few of the other activities that took place and celebrated the district.

All those activities helped the old and the young come close to one another, isolate their feeling of loneliness and spend some time in a nicer way, increase their sense of belonging, confidence and purpose.

Most of those gatherings took place at the VIbast Community Centre and St Luke’s Church.

In the summertime, their Summer Party at the Vibast Community Centre, lots of local people attended.

The advertisement for the events took place far and wide, through leaflets and ads in pharmacies, community centres, on Instagram, student accommodations, newsletter, monthly bulletin, GP surgeries and world of mouth.

Beneficiaries

The charity helped about 50 people throughout the project. They had a steady stream of at least 11 beneficiaries in each event, a good combination of older and younger beneficiaries. They worked a lot with referrals, residents that received their regular newsletters and through word of mouth.

During their 12th birthday celebrations, they had over 70 attendees. Most of them had never been to Old Street before. As well, many of them were from different backgrounds, countries and spoke different languages.

Women For Refugee Women

Objectives of Charity

WFRF empowers women who seek sanctuary in the UK with the confidence and skills to rebuild their lives and face the injustices going through the asylum system. The team works alongside women who have experienced migration, women and anti-racist’s sectors to accomplish equality and to play a leading role in advocating for a humane and just asylum process.

Community Pot Project Name

Women For Refugee Women Community Workclub

Key Project Objectives

The key objectives are to support refugee women with facilitating access to online learning and help them develop the digital skills needed to engage in online learning. Their employability skills are improving this way and they are taught how to complete a job search, CV- building and writing applications. After the first steps, the charity aims to find employability positions and volunteering opportunities in the local area of Islington for the women they help. Increasing the women’s self-esteem and confidence is another thing they want to achieve.

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries for the project are 28 women. They are refugee seekers mainly from Afghanistan, Iran, East and West Africa. The common denominator is that they all come from war-torn countries. Many of them are also victims of trafficking on their journey to get in the UK.

Volunteers

The team lead the digital workshops, with the help of 2 female volunteers, that were recently recruited. It is worth noting that some women that came to the charity for help are now volunteering themselves in the charity’s projects, such as the Arts and Crafts class. A few of those volunteers are still seeking asylum after arriving in the country 10 years ago.

Projects

The charity has workshops that run for 30 weeks (2 hours per week) and are separated into Beginners and Advanced. In those workshops, the women are taught everything from basic skills including how to open a computer, all the way to researching jobs online, using google, zoom, email and searching for educational classes etc

Other schemes are 1to1 support classes, drop-in classes, Radical knitting class, and Arts and Crafts Class.

It is important to note that the charity also helps women with topping up their mobile phones and in very extreme cases, should it be deemed absolutely necessary, a laptop/tablet might even be bought for a woman to keep for her personal use. Such instances though are very rare as commonly the laptops stay on the premises of the charity for use by the ladies during the workshop hours and one to one.

There have also been rare instances that the charity has purchased phones for the women. In recent times, up to 5 phones were purchased for women who needed them.

In addition, WFRW are partnering with the following organisations to provide help to the women:

Smartworks– an organisation that provides women with clothing for interviews, coaching, soft skills, and the confidence needed for them to go on and succeed in interviews and be employed. Out of the 11 women that were helped by this partnership in the last few months, 3 secured employment.

Crowd– a marketing agency, that helps 15 women from the charity every month, on how to build their cv for work, help them with training and get internship or work across Islington.

Good Things Foundation-an organisation specialising on digital skills support and making the benefits of digital technology more accessible to all. The organisation has provided WFRF with 24 laptops for use during their workshops.

Spotlight on Hoxton Trust

Hoxton has always historically been a deprived area.

Most of its residents have never faired far from the neighbourhood, neither do they have the financial availability to go away on holiday or day trips.

Hoxton Trust has overseen the Community Garden (Just off Hoxton Street) since 1984. This has been a welcome commodity in the area, considering most residents live in flats with no access to a garden or balcony.

The garden is used for a wide range of activities and is maintained fully by Hoxton Trust volunteers.

Lots of locals visit the garden to relax, meditate and get away from the noise of the busy Hackney streets.

Hoxton Trust also helps locals with developing their skills and building their confidence and knowledge. Hoxton Trust also helps locals with providing them with legal advice on issues such as welfare, benefits, housing, employment, consumer, and education.

Money Received from the Community Pot

£2000

Community Pot Project Name

Holidays in Hoxton

Key Project Objectives

The focus of the Holidays in Hoxton project was on locals who had no means to escape the city for a summer holiday or even have the ability to leave Hoxton to explore and experience new things. With the Hoxton Trust Community Garden as a base, different events from May until the end of September took place. The events added colour to the neighbourhood and helped the residents feel like they were part of the community. It was a way for the locals to be entertained, and make them connect with others in the area.

One of the goals was to bring together all members of Hoxton’s diverse community, and that was achieved with the garden where people felt like they are a part of a cohesive community, making everyone feel at home. It is also guaranteed that there was improved confidence in those who were helping with the designing and delivering of activities.

The garden has proven to be an oasis to Hoxton residents with a bit of quiet away from the busy roads and fresh air. The garden events brought together the people of the community by offering a summer of different activities.

Music-wise, performances were given by the Grand Union Orchestra and Stamford Hillbillies. Other events revolved around Mental Health and Wellbeing, a Herbalist, Free Health checks, a King’s Coronation event, as well as a tea, coffee and chat session.

The charity received great feedback from the community on the events that they held.

Project Details

The project began in May, and ran until the end of September.

Frequent yoga and Rumba classes were very well attended. The classes were contacted by professional licensed teachers. The yoga teacher is from the nearby Tara Yoga Centre. Both teachers kindly provided their time pro bono.

Other activities were aimed for children to enjoy. Such activities were bouncy castles, arts and crafts, face painting, workshops, and painting with kids.

Live music with musicians from Hoxton Hall was another bonus in those events as performances from the Grand Union Orchestra.

Furthermore, in July, the East London Shakespeare Festival performed on the grounds of the gardens a rendition of Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night.

Beneficiaries and Volunteers

Ethnic-wise, the beneficiaries comprise of a very diverse group of people. It has a mix of many different ages, quite a lot of children and lots of elderly people.

At least 10-13 attendees for the yoga and rumba classes.

The charity is run by a handful of volunteers, and it is always on the hunt for more.

Further Comments/Future Plans

Hoxton Trust would like to hold more events in the future that will cater to the needs and interests of local teenagers. It is worth noting that some teenagers have come along and helped with some of the events so there is potential for growth. The charity is trying to find what subjects could attract the teenagers and hold an event around that.

Furthermore, following the success of the Windrush event they held back at the start of 2023; Hoxton Trust would like to hold more of those events and have them run from early afternoon to late evening for locals to come and enjoy.

The charity is hoping to continue to maintain the garden and keep it as a mix of green space and events space.

There are plenty of opportunities for the garden and it is all about finding the resources and volunteers.

As well, donations are massively appreciated.

Spotlight on Hackney Foodbank

Name Of organisation
Hackney Foodbank
 
Aim of organisation
Hackney Foodbank aims to relieve Hackney residents’ financial hardship by providing them with emergency food parcels that can last for about 3 days and direct them to other organisations that can offer advice on any underlying problems they might have.
 
Name of Project
Supporting those in the London Borough of Hackney, through the cost-of-living crisis and increasing levels of food insecurity.
 
What are the key objectives of this project?
To partly cover the cost of food purchasing for its beneficiaries. Their role isn’t to fully support beneficiaries indefinitely, but to provide them with the help they need during a difficult period, until they get back on their feet.

The charity prepares 3-day food parcels, that include everything from tinned food to household items like toilet paper. Sometimes, it might even include fresh fruit, depending on what has been donated, although usually parcels have items that can have a longer shelf-life.

Hackney Foodbank relies fully on food donations. Since the donations have fallen by 50%, the charity needs to buy more food than previous times. The cost of food has also risen in the last year.

This has  made the request for help from Hackney Foodbank to go up to 100% in comparison to pre-pandemic times and even more than the first months of the pandemic when lots of people had lost their jobs, or when on furlough.

Ins and outs of the scheme
Hackney Foodbank has its usual food distribution on Thursdays. Recently, they began a food distribution on Fridays as well, aimed to assist people working 9 to 5, but yet are not able to feed their families with their current paycheck.

The idea behind the scheme is to help people with a few items that they might need, instead of fully supporting people for a prolonged period of time. The people are offered help, after they are recommended to the charity through referrals. That results in them getting a food voucher for the charity. The charity is trying not to give too many vouchers to each individual, trying to only give one voucher to each person no more than once every 3 months, and to help people for as long as they need it, until they get back on their feet.

The food packages are meant to last for about 3 days. They include different items such as tins, toilet papers, sanitary products, and sometimes even fresh fruit. The items can differ each time, depending on the type of food and sanitary items that have been donated.

Beneficiaries using Hackney Foodbank
All the beneficiaries are Hackney residents. Very few own their houses, with the majority concerned about being able to pay rent. Most of them come to collect the food parcels from their Hackney Foodbank centres.

Quite a few of them are elderly, who due to the rising cost of living, have to choose where to spend their money: food or to pay for rent/utilities/heating.

It needs to be noted that the charity has seen a rise of people with safe jobs such as nurses, teachers and others, using their services, as their payment is not enough to cover the basic needs.
 
Volunteers
The day is separated into 2 shifts, bringing the total of volunteers daily to about 8 to 10.

The Old Street Roundabout

Transport for London are working closely with Islington and Hackney Councils to make the area around Old Street station more friendly for people walking and cycling. Works are expected to be completed by early 2024.

The transformation of Old Street is a major project. TFL are modernising the station entrances and an outdated 1960s roundabout to create a much safer, more welcoming environment for everyone.

The northwest arm of the roundabout has been permanently closed to all traffic. Work is continuing to create a major new public space with better walking and cycling access to Old Street station.

Once complete, the former Old Street roundabout will have permanent, fully segregated cycle lanes alongside new pedestrian crossings to make it much easier to walk and cycle.

Bike Marking with the Old Street District Partnership

This summer we partnered with MPS Hackney and MPS Islington to bring a series of bike marking workshops. We have hosted a number of sessions across the Old Street footprint allowing cyclists to stop by and get their bicycle marked for free and have their details placed on the national police database.

Bike marking allows police to trace and return stolen bikes as each bicycle will have a marking on it allowing for it to be identified. It serves as a deterrent from opportunistic theft and also holds criminals accountable.

Would you like to get your bicycle marked? Keep your eyes peeled on our social media platforms for more.

Spotlight on All Change Arts

Objectives of the Charity

The main objectives of the charity are to bring artists and communities together to promote positive change. Their work in Islington reaches those living on low income and experiencing multiple disadvantages.

Community Pot Project Name

Warm Welcome

Key Project Objectives

To welcome more vulnerable local people into 27 Dingley Place, to enjoy a chat and cuppa and take part in accessible creative workshops.

Inclusive and mindful activities and social events will improve beneficiaries’ emotional well-being, build resilience, and generate vital support networks to help people cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

A professional artist called Marisa worked on the project with the beneficiaries and it was a collective effort and experience.

Beneficiaries

Local people of different ages took part in the project. The charity aims to work with over 100 local people. So far, they have worked with over 60 residents. Work has been done to increase this number, something that has been achieved through the Vibast Community Centre since more people can be reached this way.

A lot of the beneficiaries are older people who do work together as well as with families of the charity, since the programme’s idea is for old and young to collaborate and benefit from each other’s company.

A big beneficiary group is young mums (a lot of them as young as 16 years old) who do not feel like they benefit from whatever is on offer out there, hence the gap that the charity is filling in. Young mums of 25 to 30 years old especially need a lot of help. A creative outcome some of those mums have found is creating a podcast with the title ”Throwing Glitter”, meaning that there is no need to sugarcoat the tough or bad things. The mums come together and make a piece of work other parents can relate to, enjoy and possibly even receive advice from.

Projects

Exhibition at Barbican Library

All Change Arts is working on an exhibition that will take place at the Barbican Library, in which some younger and older families will be taking part.

Similar creative activities are prepared for other local libraries so that a bigger number of people can benefit.

Another project currently underway is that the charity’s older beneficiaries will be a collaboration with the Almeida Theatre, where the beneficiaries will have the opportunity to go on stage during the play’s performance. Performances begin in August.

Creative Workshops for Older and Younger beneficiaries

Groups of women who have worked with older beneficiaries and the charity’s families are collaborating on creative workshops. Around 60 women attend these sessions every Saturday.  The goal is to find hope. joy, optimism and be stronger going about their daily lives.

One of the mums that attend those workshops said how being part of the project brought focus on herself and what she is interested in, whilst another mentioned how important it is to feel visible, feel valuable by people, and people valuing motherhood.

Local mums’ network

Network of other local mums. Through the arts, there is a developing sense of belonging, becoming friends with local people, and enriching their lives.

 Animation project

In other projects, there is a poet named Cecilia who is working alongside the beneficiaries and as well an animation artist who works with the group with I-pads, plasters, and animation with children. This exhibition will be ready to be viewed later in the year.

Other comments/upcoming projects

What is lovely is that a lot of the mums that were using the charity’s services whilst their children were young are still visiting the charity and keep in touch. That is something that has been proven very helpful for the mums going through the process at the moment, as they see first-hand how things do get easier with time.

It is hoped that there will be a celebration in the future with former and current beneficiaries the charity has helped.

In further news, some other spaces that the exhibition works will be featured in will be LB Islington’s Access Hubs and a local councillor is hoping to showcase the artworks in another place, soon to be confirmed.

Regarding their older beneficiaries, some of them will be publishing an anthology of their poetry work in early October. Their poetry themes revolve around the pandemic, Windrush and death. The most probable release date is the 5th of October and all their work will be combined in a book.

All the above projects will include paid jobs for local people.

Needs to be noted that the charity is a part-time LLW charity. Some of the mums helped by All Change Arts, are now employed by the charity. The fact that the charity pays LLW helps them feel more valued and builds their confidence.

Spotlight on Ministry of Stories

Aim of organisation

The main aim is to help local children, especially from poor families, with their writing and reading skills.

Name of Project

Community Writing Labs – Time To Write

What are the key objectives of this project?

For children’s writing to improve, alongside with their imagination, courage and confidence. The area has a Literacy Vulnerability score of 78. The project aims to address a lack of reading and writing skills in the area.

Ins and outs of the scheme

The project started in January and finished in March, with 53 sessions delivered across 5 writing labs. Building on last year’s success, Time to Write returned and held another Zine Fair, which was expanded to bring in a new weekly club for 6-8 year olds. This was programmed to increase the number of expert masterclasses to support young writers to explore their interests.

Over the course of 12 weeks, young writers explored different forms of writing, such as poetry, magazine interviews, and cartoons, and followed their interests with additional masterclasses. These masterclasses shared technical skills, provided insights into the art of writing and how it can be turned into a viable career. After trying out lots of different kinds of writing in the first half of the term, the writers developed their projects and eventually turned them into beautiful vibrant zines using drawing and collage alongside their writing. The zines that the children created were showcased in a Zine Fair on the 15th of April, where more than 80 visitors attended.

Beneficiaries

113 young people took part, ages were from 6 till 12 years old. They attend one of the 6 local schools in the area , where at least 40% of the students qualify for Pupil Premium.

Volunteers

Linden McMahon, a published poet, performer and fiction writer, leads the project, and is joined by 5 supporting artists who were commissioned to support. They attend to the children and help them with their writing during the classes.

Spotlight on Studio Shoreditch

  • What’s your role at Studio Shoreditch and how did you come to be part of the team?

I am the team! Studio Shoreditch is my business. I lease the whole building from a local landlord and run it as serviced offices with a mixture of various sized private offices and co-working space. I don’t have any full time staff although I have a network of people supporting me including tech, builders, cleaners, legal etc

I actually started off renting a single desk in this building in 2006 from somebody else who was subletting one unit and have gradually, insidiously grown over time to the point where I now have the whole building and have created communal areas and resources as well as the dedicated areas that people can call their own. 

  • How would you describe Studio Shoreditch to someone who hasn’t been before?

It’s a great place to work and I believe we have struck the right vibe between informal and friendly but also professional and conducive to working.

  • What makes Studio Shoreditch different?

I care! I work in the building myself and always have done as I started off as a tenant. So my first principal has always been it has to be a space I would (and do) want to work in myself.

  • Can you tell us a little bit about your teams and the atmosphere in the offices?

It’s a friendly atmosphere and I try to encourage people mixing between the various companies both on a social and professional, work referral level. But this is far from forced if you prefer not to be involved in this.

  • What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

Shoreditch is cool and vibrant and lots going on – day, night, week and weekend whether you live here, work here or are just heading over for a night out.

Shopping, eating, drinking and dancing – probably in that order!

  • What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

El Tel’s Fine Falafel. A metal caravan in St John’s churchyard on Pitfield Street.

  • The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

Just about! It was sink or swim at one point and I know many serviced space operators went under. With a combination of flexibility and negotiation both with landlords and tenants and all of us taking a longer term view rather than short term gains we found an equitable route through that meant everybody survived.

Although it hasn’t happened yet I am open to the option of part-time occupancy where 1 company pays to occupy a unit on say Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and another company has it on Tuesdays and Thursdays for example.

  • What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the service sector, during these uncertain times?

Look after people. It’s not enough just to rent a room, fill it with shiny desks and artwork and expect people to come, stay and build the community on their own. 

You need to work at it and find the right blend of parenting style in terms of hands off / hands on. People want to feel ownership of their own space and treat it like it is theirs but equally to know you are on hand when needed and deal with problems / requests quickly. All of my tenants have my mobile number. I’m not in the office 24/7 but people know they can always get hold of me and I will deal with things quickly. 

Tenants vote with their feet and if they aren’t happy will leave. I look after people because I’m a nice person but it’s also a good business strategy. 

And pay attention to the basics. Good internet, clean toilets, people leaving communal areas tidy, reliable suppliers…

  • Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

Yes and yes.

  • Describe Studio Shoreditch in 3 words.

Friendly, creative, professional 

Community Pot Initiative

This year, nine different charities were awarded funding for their projects allowing them to get one step closer to achieving their goals. We divided the funding allocations into themes which included A Community Hub, Intergenerational Projects, Youth and Women & Girls.

The OSDP is so proud of the wide range of community groups in the area, who work tirelessly to support the local community. They play a key role in making Old Street the vibrant and welcoming place that it is. A community grant scheme designed to support the inspiring work of our local charities and community groups.

That’s why we have allocated £20k funding for community projects to support the inspiring work that you do. We are delighted to have now allocated all of the funds. Learn more about each organisation below.

Community Hub/ Foodbank

Hackney Foodbank

Hoxton Trust

Elderly and Intergenerational Projects

FCV Dorcas

All Change

North London Cares

Women and Girls

Women For Refugee Women

Counterpoint Arts

Youth

Ministry Of Stories

Headliners

Old Street District Community Pot Event

New job opportunity at Hackney Doorways

Hackney Doorways: Shelter Coordinator

Full Time Salary £32,418

Working in a small team you would be responsible for managing the safe day to day running of our night shelter for homeless people – coordinating the referrals and liaising with our partner agencies to ensure that our guests receive the necessary support to help them move out of homelessness and into their own longer term accommodation.  We currently run a twenty-bed night shelter providing stays of 28 nights – or more – for homeless people with low support needs.

Please apply with a CV and a covering letter indicating how you meet the criteria in the person specification. Full information can be downloaded here: https://www.hwns.org.uk/pages/job-vacancies-

Applications to jobs@HackneyDoorways.org.uk  

Closing date 9am Friday 10 March

Interviews week beginning 13 March

Potential start date mid-April 2023.

Spotlight on The Three Crowns

What’s your role at The Three Crowns and how did you come to be part of the team?

My name is Mark and I am the General Manager.

How would you describe The Three Crowns to someone who hasn’t been before?

We strive to have a laid-back welcoming atmosphere for all. We pride ourselves on fast, efficient service and a high-quality drinks offering with a variation for our customers. Good quality food, catered towards a pub going crowd and the best Sunday roast in town. We also have sport on TV and DJs playing great contemporary music and top-quality diverse cocktails.

What makes The Three Crowns different?

Great service – welcoming to all people. A good music vibe which is contemporary.

Can you tell us a little bit about your teams and the atmosphere in the pub?

All our team are diverse and come from international backgrounds. We have a strong Irish contingent, who are highly trained in the hospitality industry. The atmosphere is one that is laid back. We try to make people feel as comfortable as possible, it has the feel of an independent pub which after work crowds enjoy coming to.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

There’s a lot of pub choice in our area that specialise in different things. We all look after each other by sending people to the different pubs for different experiences. The diverse clientele, whether it be people on holiday or working professionals or a sport loving crowd, no day is the same.

What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

The Three Crowns!!

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

Initially it started quietly as many offices had emptied. It gave us a chance to hone what we do well and make it a recurring local, we’ve got to know many businesses in the area. It gave us a chance to enhance our drinks and food offering too. I feel being through the worst has made us understand and enjoy being busy more.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during these uncertain times?

Customer experience is key. People want to feel welcome when they walk in the door. They can go anywhere; you need to make the customer feel like they’re not just another transaction. You can have all the bells and whistles of events etc, but it’s nothing if people don’t enjoy coming back.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

We’ve not had much experience of the Old Street District Community/Partnership but very much looking forward to changing that going forward!

Describe The Three Crowns in 3 words.

Fun. Atmospheric. Caring.

Spotlight on Shoreditch Town Hall

Aim of organisation

Shoreditch Town Hall is housed in one of the grandest vestry halls of it’s time, which opened in 1866. The building now is an arts, events and community space. All year-round it hosts cultural programmes including new theatre, music, and dance. It also hosts 200 live event hires every year.

Money Received from Community Pot

£2000

Name of Project

Tea Dances/ Swing Into Spring (Intergenerational Hackney Focused Community Programme)

What are the key objectives of this project?

The project’s key objectives focus on cultural re-engagement, entertainment and wellbeing of key demographic groups of the borough, as well as older adults and resident young families of lower social-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, it will help battle isolation and welcome people back into cultural buildings.

How was the project managed?

The project ran once a month, on a Monday, from January until March.

Due to the ongoing Covid 19 restrictions, the dances ran at a reduced capacity in order to help attendees feel more safe.

Covid-19 played a big part with how the events were run. To ensure everyone’s safety, there were fewer tickets available. The majority of those tickets were discounted or free of charge.

Upon arrival the attendees got to choose a wristband. The wristband’s colour indicated if the attendee wished to dance or not.

30 minutes before the dance officially began, there was a chance of a dance class with a Dance Master, Raymond. Raymond would showcase dance moves so the attendees could enjoy the event even more.

The event would last approximately for 4 hours. The music was provided by a DJ, Mr Wonderful! Group dances were the order of the day: dancing forward and in pairings. There was tea, coffee, and cake for everyone to enjoy. People could sit, chat, and watch if they didn’t feel like dancing.

The event took place in the Assembly Hall, which is grand and beautiful. The hall’s set-up for the event was in the traditional style.

Beneficiaries attending Shoreditch Town Hall

Beneficiaries of Shoreditch Town Hall are mostly local. Those that attended the Tea Dances were mostly over 60s. It was quite mixed, although most were women. Most attendees came by themselves, but they knew other people attending the dances. All of them were looking forward to the events and they were dressing up for it.

The lovely thing was that the amount of people attending remained the same as the amount attending those events pre-pandemic.

Issues they met

The main issues we encountered were to do with the pandemic.

The January Tea Dance had to be cancelled due to the Christmas period lockdown. The remaining Tea Dances happened with a reduced capacity. Signage had to be placed around the building with Covid-19 protocol reminders. Staff had to receive additional training.

Volunteers

The Tea Dances had 2 regular staff members working. Then they had around 5-6 additional staff members that are occupied on a casual basis.

Project Goal

The project goal was achieved. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions and the pause of the events for about 18 months, the funding was a great help with getting the Tea Dances underway, once again. The funding helped cover the additional cost of training staff on Covid-19 procedures. It also paid for the anti-bacterial that was placed around the room and for the wristbands that indicated if a person wished to mingle and dance or not. Finally, the funding helped with marketing the event in the Hoxton and Haggerston area.

Update for businesses: Queue route announced for Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-state

Official guidance has just been published for the queue route for Her Late Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-state. Follow the links below for information and a route map.

Queue route announced for Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Her Majesty The Queen’s Lying-in-State at the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The capital is going to be incredibly busy in the coming days, and businesses may wish to staff to adjust their working patterns, as suggested by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson earlier this week.

If you are travelling into London please check the TFL website or TFL Go App before setting off.

Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth – update for businesses 13.09.22

We continue to engage with the Operation London Bridge delivery team. Guidance about the queuing system for visitors wishing to view Her Late Majesty lying in state is expected at 10pm this evening. Further comms will follow.

For now, we have received the following information from the police regarding significant road closures in the coming days, which are focused around the Parliament, St James, Birdcage Walk, Green Park areas:

Wednesday 14th September (Day +5)

Her Majesty the Queen’s coffin will move from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall at approximately 2pm.

From 5pm, Her Majesty will lie-in-state in Westminster Hall resulting in Parliament Square being closed to all vehicles. Depending on the size of queue, further spontaneous vehicular closures may occur in Victoria Embankment and Westminster Bridge Road.

Look Forward

Presently planning is based upon the following expected events, however this is subject to change.

Thursday 15th September (Day +6)

Her Majesty will lie-in-state in Westminster Hall with vehicular restrictions in the environs of Parliament Square for the entire day.

Please contact us at comms@oldstreetdistrict.london if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Alongside the rest of the country, we are deeply saddened by the passing of Her Late Majesty The Queen and we send our condolences to her family.

For 70 years, Her Late Majesty has been a symbol of inspiration and dignity and has reigned with supreme grace. This is a seismic moment for our country.

London will now become the focal point for the forthcoming funeral, and the arrangements for this will have a significant impact on the capital for the foreseeable future with travel and normal business activity restricted.

We are in regular communication with partners at The Metropolitan Police, local authorities and other statutory bodies so will serve as a primary conduit of verified information to our business community.

To contact us with any enquiries please email Comms@oldstreetdistrict.london

Soapbox

Aim of organisation

The main aim is to provide world-class education for the most socially and digitally omitted young people in society, ensuring that they are included and have a voice. Pupils are taught how to make decisions for themselves and realise their potential. Digital, media and technology are utilised to engage young people with SEND and autism, BAME groups, young women, young offenders etc.
 
Money Received from Community Pot
£2500
 
Name of Project
SoapBox Live
 
What are the key objectives of this project?
So far, they have delivered 10 in-person live events through the SoapBox Live Launch. There is plenty of material to be released soon. This will be done through the Soapbox YouTube page.

Whitecross Street Party was also successfully delivered, where 24 young Soapbox members performed over the weekend. The rest of the project will continue in September. 83 young people in total will have taken part by then. It is expected that at least 100 people will watch the videos created and 400 to 500 will experience that in person. Those events will also offer employment opportunities for local young people which will allow students to connect with industry leaders and contribute to the local community.
 
What the project entails
SoapBox Live will deliver 40 Live Music events during 2021/22, run by 10 local young people and featuring 150 young musicians from diverse backgrounds, performing live to an in-person audience of 30 per week (1200 total) and online to 100-150 per week(4-6000 total), with shows disseminated to 1000 people per week (40000 total) via YouTube. Additionally, lead young person will be paid a London Living Wage and receive event organising training from an industry expert.
 
Beneficiaries of the scheme
Main beneficiaries are young people aged from 16 to 25 years old. Around 73% are from black minority and ethnic backgrounds. Most of them are also from socially excluded backgrounds and would not otherwise get this opportunity anywhere else to access the music industry. The students are 60% female and 40% male. All of the young people live, work or study in Bunhill. Recruitment came from existing SoapBox Live performers, young people who performed on the SoapBox-curated main stage at the 2021 Whitecross Street Party and through partnership with music college SoundSkool.
6 young people had work experience placements, 5 members under the age of 25 worked on positions that included the stage etc. Those young people got paid for 20 hours for the project.
 
Issues they met
The charity discovered that they had to re-introduce the students back to in-person training sessions and meet-ups, after almost 3 years of Covid-19 related restrictions. This was essential as it was a group activity project. The students had to re-learn how to socialise with their peers and be present for group events.
 
Volunteers
8 to 10 industry people
4 to 5 members of staff
4 to 5 volunteers
Around 18 people in total help with the running of the project , 60/40 male/female. Amongst them is a project coordinator and a young person.
 
Project Goal
The goal was achieved as without the funding, the project could not be delivered at all. Moreover, the funding helped to generate another £2000 on top worth of funding.

Ministry of Stories

This month we caught up with the team at Ministry of Stories, read on to find out more about their goals and how our Community Pot initiative helped them this Summer.

Aim of organisation

Ministry of Stories champions the writer in every child by helping young people discover their confidence, imagination and potential through the power of writing. They aim to develop self-respect and communication skills through innovative writing programmes and small group mentoring for children living in under-resourced communities, working in schools, and at their dedicated writing centre in east London.

Money Received from Community Pot 

£2500

Name of Project

Community Writing Labs -Time To Write

What are the key objectives of this project?

The project is meant to help pupils find their voice using their imagination and ideas. By attending the project they also feel physically and emotionally safe. They learn how to become more confident, positive and courageous and by the end of the project, their writing skills will have improved.

What the project entails

The project lasted from January to April. There were 5 community labs taking place every week for 12 weeks. During that time, the pupils learned how to explore a subject matter of their choice which would end in them creating Zines. Those would be presented in a Zine Fair at the end of the project.

Zine, short for magazine or fanzine, is a small circulation of self-published, non-commercial unique work, which is mass-produced via a photocopy machine. The zines can include images as well as texts.

Ministry of Stories produces zines that do not have the actual handwriting of the children. Instead, the text is written on a computer. The reason behind this is to not pre-dispose the reader that a child has written it and develop low expectations about the work they have in front of them.

During the process of the course, the pupils learned how to become more confident whilst simultaneously learning something new as well. They learned how to trust their imagination and ideas and create something of their own to be presented. They developed additional new skills, as well as improving their grammar and writing.

Beneficiaries of the scheme

The beneficiaries were 72 pupils from nearby schools. A high percentage of them are from a BAME background and families with multiple children. Their ages are from 10 till 13 years old. Most of the time , they are referred by their families. Those pupils usually are not very good in grammar and writing, or they do not enjoy school much. By attending the MOS project, they gained knowledge on how to write better whilst exercising their imagination and boosting their confidence.

Volunteers

The people that work on the project are paid artists, such as a comic writer, a neurodiverse artist and a manga artist. The masterclasses are matched to the group of pupils and their interests. Apart from the artists, Ministry Of Stories also has a lot of volunteers helping in the classroom.

Project Goal

The project was achieved to the fullest as the Community Pot money helped with delivering the Winter project run. The pupil attendance was excellent, all of whom attended the course from start till finish. The Zine fair at the end of the project went extremely well, with pupils sharing their work with family and friends at the end of it. The pupils felt proud creating something of their own that could be shared.

A New Direction

Aim of organisation

A New Direction is an award-winning non-profit organisation working to enhance the capacity and agency of children and young people in London to own their creativity, shape culture, and achieve their creative potential. Their vision is a world where all children and young people achieve their creative potential.

Name of Project

I Am an Artist

What are the key objectives of this project?

To address the barriers of learning opportunities for disabled children and young people (CYP) in partnership with Hackney and Islington based ‘special schools’. Covid-19 has had devastating impacts on CYP lives and their access to enrichment and learning.

A New Direction is committed to working in local partnership to create new opportunities supporting recovery. By participating in creative arts projects with disabled role models, and exhibiting their work at a pan-London inclusive arts festival (called the ‘I Am Festival’), CYP will build confidence. Also, it will improve their sense of personal wellbeing and increase 21st-century skills (communication, teamwork, empathy).

What the project entails

The project is taking place in classrooms, with 3 to 4 workshops per group of children, in different schools. The artists are helping pupils on different activities each time, activities include drawing, and bringing different types of fabrics and materials that the children can use to create outfits. The artists then proceed to record the pupils wearing their creations. Those recordings will help later with augmented reality. The augmented reality is to be used in the I AM Festival 2022, where the public can view, over four days, the art that the pupils have created.

Beneficiaries of the scheme

The beneficiaries of this project are schoolchildren in schools based in Hackney and Islington. Those schools specialise in children with different types of special needs/ learning difficulties. About 40 school children are attending the project’s sessions. Their ages span from 10 to 16 years old. They come from different backgrounds, mainly middle class with working parents.

Volunteers

The staff at the schools. Most of them are female teachers, about 12 to 16 teachers in total. In the project, the school children are working with 2 artists, Catia and Romain, who bring different types of fabric and clothing items. There is also a disabled non-verbal artist that is helping with the project.

How the artists were chosen: The artists were chosen after a number of them submitted project ideas. Then, a shortlist was created and from then on, the schools chose the project they thought was best.

The Community Pot funding helped pay for the artists to go to schools.

Meet Ali Talbot, Chief Executive at Headliners UK

Late last month we met up with Ali Talbot, Chief Executive of Headliners UK who filled us in on all things Old Street.

Ali has worked in the public, private and third sectors at senior management level for the past 25 years. She specialised in strategic, operational, marketing and communications, project and resource management of sports, leisure and cultural services including sport, leisure, tourism, visual and performing arts services.

When not working, Ali enjoys spending time with her family in Lincolnshire . Ali has two sons who love sport and a husband who isn’t a great fan of sport. Her eldest son has cerebral palsy and is a national and international FrameRunner. Her favourite food is Italian food, loves gymnastics, reading, cooking and is a closet 80’s music fan. When Ali is not working, she can be found on a side of an athletics track supporting her sons.

Ali expressed her happiness in receiving funds from our Community Pot initiative in the summer of last year. The initiative has allowed Headliners UK to take their goals and ambitions to the next level.

Meet Joanne, Branch Manager at Urban Locker!

What’s your role at Urban Locker Self Storage and how did you come to be part of the team?

My name is Joanne Tyler and I am the Branch Manger at Urban Locker Storage. I was very fortunate to join the Urban Team back in November 2020. I have had a wealth of previous experience in the Storage Industry as well as other industries.

How would you describe Urban Locker Self Storage to someone who hasn’t been before?

A modern professional Storage facility where you can store your items whether it be for personal or business use on a short or long term basis. Offering a bespoke service catering to our customers’ needs individually. Located round the back of the main high street & only a short walk from Old Street station.

What makes Urban Locker Self Storage different?

As we work in a small team, we really get to know our customers. We do care and excel at providing the best customer service for everyone whether it be taking a storage unit or sending/collecting a DHL Package.

Can you tell us a little bit about your teams and the atmosphere in the office buildings?

As mentioned, we work in a small team of 3 vibrant and energetic people who work very closely together. The atmosphere is relaxed, fun and professional.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

How friendly so many people are and the sense of community. Walk around soak up the atmosphere and discover the wonders of the local graffiti. Research ahead & book a ticket to a local pub where many have a variety of live bands playing to cover all music genres. E.g., The Old Blue Last where you can see many bands before, they break.

What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

All the food stalls along Whitecross Street. Great to grab your lunch to take back to the office or in the summer sit in one of the local parks and enjoy.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

Our main focus was to look after our customers and for me taking care of our team whilst following Government Guidelines. We provided online move ins which, also helped our Carbon Footprint with less physical paperwork. Providing hand sanitising stations and separating our office into two reception room to aid social distancing.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the service sector, during these uncertain times?

It has been tough for everyone so just to take the time to remember that and provide support for any businesses where we can. To be mindful of colleagues and customers mental health.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

Simply always.

Describe Urban Locker Self Storage in 3 words.

Convenient, Friendly, Secure.

Introducing you to the Hackney Foodbank!

An organisation with the aim to support people who are in crisis or trapped in poverty with compassion and dignity. This is achieved by providing emergency food parcels, which offer practical, immediate relief in moments of crisis, and by connecting people with local organisations who can help them to address the root causes and wider effects of poverty in their lives.

What project have they kickstarted after receiving funding from our Community Pot?

Home Deliveries!

What are the key objectives of this project?

To further their strategic objective of being a more equitable and inclusive organisation by offering a home delivery service. This will provide emergency food parcels, opportunities to talk, and signposting and support to beneficiaries who cannot travel due to issues with illness, mobility, disability, mental health, accessibility, age, lack of transport or are otherwise unable to access their delivery centres.

They have 5 centres where people can go and get food. The Home Deliveries project is for people who are unable to leave their house for any reason apart covid quarantine or are afraid to come out of the house due to mental issues. The organisation is operating on a voucher system and using referral agencies that inform them who needs food delivered.

Home deliveries are taking place every day of the week. The food bank uses Pedal me, a company that outsources cargo bikes to get the deliveries to everyone. Those bikes are zero-emission. They can carry up to 150 kilos per ride (10 to 25 kilos per parcel).

Hackney Foodbank stayed open throughout the pandemic and converted to home deliveries, delivering about 120 parcels per day.

March 2022 saw a spike in people who needed the charity even more so than pre-pandemic. That was a direct result of the rise in costs – of – living. It is expected that this number will not drop any time soon.

Plans going forward

Hackney foodbank is looking to open a 6th centre and establish a mobile food bank as well. The charity is hoping to own cargo bikes in the future too!

Volunteers

Across all 5 centres and the warehouse, there are about 150 volunteers.

Unsure of what to do this Mother’s Day?

Later this month we will be celebrating Mother’s Day! In our footprint we have plenty of places where you can celebrate this special day with friends and family. Read on to find out some amazing offers that you can’t miss.

Brindisa, Shoreditch

The chefs at Brindisa will be creating special dishes that remind them of their mothers that will only be available on Mother’s Day itself. Stories and pictures of the memories they have will be shared on their social platforms to tie together.

They will also have a ‘Madre Mia’ special cocktail for £10 all day on Sunday 27 March – for those that quote ‘Madre Mia’ on booking mums will get this cocktail for free; Gin Mare, Campari, blood orange juice, cherry Heering, sugar syrup, topped up with cava and a garnish of orange and maraschino cherry.

Check out their full menu now: https://brindisa.com/collections/mothers-day

The Alchemist, Old Street

Stuck for Mother’s Day ideas? Head over for a Mother’s Day Cocktail Masterclass! Go and conjure a cocktail with your loved ones.

Whoever you’re celebrating the day with, this is a day you won’t forget. For up to 4 guests at £18 per person, grab a shaker and deliver your own dash of theatre.

A creative cocktail bar and restaurant, who are masters in the dark arts of molecular mixology and demons in the kitchen.

Enjoy 20% off the total food bill for Urban Card users any time Sunday – Friday (Friday bookings made before 5pm) for groups of up to 6 people.

Find out more and make your booking now: https://thealchemist.uk.com/offers/mothers-day-masterclass-old-street/

Apothecary, A Shoreditch Izakaya

Head over to Apothecary, a Tokyo inspired tavern with Shoreditch energy, serving handcrafted cocktails, rare spirits, beers, wine and Japanese style small plates and bar snacks.

Save 25% off your total bill at Apothecary with an Urban Card. Take a look at their full menu and make a reservation now: https://apothecaryeast.co.uk/

Spotlight on The Space

What’s your role at The Space and how did you come to be part of the team?

I am the Building Manager for both our 41 and 69 Old St buildings, we are two out of our 8 buildings. I work alongside my two fantastic Front Of Houses.

How would you describe The Space to someone who hasn’t been before?

The best working environment for you to choose! Our breakout spaces are our hubs of our buildings for all the clients who have offices within our buildings. We have something for everyone across our 8 buildings, whether you like a more cool and edgy vibe or a sophisticated work place. We have something for everyone.

What makes The Space different?

We are a really small company in comparison to other serviced office providers, there is only 8 buildings with 18 of us running them, this is including our Director, Ops manager and Sales manager. The fact that we are so small offers loads of benefits to our clients, it’s a much more personal experience, whether you have an office with us or are renting a meeting room for the day, by the end of the day you’ll know the names of the girls that have looked after you that day because we like to be involved as our clients will allow us!

Can you tell us a little bit about your teams and the atmosphere in the office buildings?

So at 41 and 69 Old St we are a team of 3, myself as the Building Manager and Paige and Sarah who work alongside me as the Front of Houses. We are a really close knit team and between us there is no problems we can’t solve. I would say our Old St building are some of our edgiest, we suit the area that surrounds us very well.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

We LOVE Old St, it has everything you can possibly need, a few retail shops, niche cafe’s, serviced offices ;). I would recommend grabbing a bite to eat at Look Mum No Hands and a takeaway coffee and going for a mooch around the Barbican Centre. I visited for the first time a couple of months ago after living in London my whole life and was amazed!

What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

Definitely the Barbican Centre – it’s like another city!

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

By supporting our clients in the best possible way through unknown times. It was a really scary time for business’ like ours, especially with the work from home order. Our clients love our spaces and the teams that work within them and pay for a product that is as personal as it can get. An office is a really personal investment, we navigated it through communication and being as open and honest with people as possible, it was reciprocated through all of our clients and we’ve come out the other side stronger with loads more people wanting to be back in an office because they’re fed up of working from home!

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the service sector, during these uncertain times?

Whatever you do, whether it’s a cleaner, the front of house, the coffee machine maintenance team, do it to the best of your ability. You never know who is going to be watching.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

We are new to the Old St District community and so far – loving it!

Describe The Space in 3 words.

SERVICE BEFORE EVERYTHING. 

Spotlight on Gibney’s London

What’s your role at Gibney’s and how did you come to be part of the team?

I’m Cormac Gibney and I’m the bar manager of Gibney’s London, my family own Gibney’s Malahide. We have been running pubs in Dublin for seven generations, the main one was Park Gate run by James Gibney (my great grandfather). I’m proud of my family history and how long we’ve been in this business.

How would you describe Gibney’s to someone who hasn’t been before?

From Dublin to London’s East End, Gibney’s London is the place for genuine Irish hospitality and the best pint of Guinness you’ll find this side of the Irish sea.


What makes Gibney’s different?
It’s a home from home with live music, sports, our signature stout on tap and the kind of craic that keeps people coming back.


Can you tell us a little bit about your teams and the atmosphere in the bar?

Myself and Thomas are behind the bar, we have plenty of regulars and enjoy a spot of banter with them. It gets pretty lively during big matches as everyone heads down to us to watch the rugby, especially the Six Nations.


What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

It’s a lot of fun as there’s always something going on. Head down and catch a game, have a spot of something to eat and then see where the night takes you, stick around for live music or go for a bar crawl – there is so much on the doorstep you’re spoiled for choice.


What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

Now that would be telling!

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

It was tough, we kept in touch and focused on having a laugh to keep our spirits up. It felt so good when we could finally get back in and welcome guests back. For sure we take less for granted now having been forced to close for so long.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during these uncertain times?
Stay upbeat and count your blessings, health and family are ultimately what matter.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

We’re brand new to the partnership and community and are chuffed to be on board.

Describe Gibney’s in 3 words.
Fun, lively, rebellious.

Recipients of funding under the Community Pot initiative announced

The Old Street District Partnership has today announced the recipients of a £20,000 funding pot, designed to support local charities and community groups in launching transformational projects for the Old Street area. Eight charities and community groups will benefit from the scheme this year.

The Community Pot scheme was launched this year to promote and enhance the area around Old Street. Supporting local community projects is a core aim for the Partnership, and the Community Pot has been introduced to help support grassroots initiatives.

There was a high level of interest in the Community Pot scheme, with dozens of imaginative and inspirational applications. In the end eight local groups were awarded the funding: A New Direction, Contact, FCV Dorcas, The Hackney Foodbank, Shoreditch Town Hall, Ministry of Stories, Soapbox Islington and Headliners (UK).

Recipients of the funding range from organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people to charities working with elderly members of the community, local heritage venues, a local foodbank and more.

The funding will facilitate the delivery of programmes and projects across the area, including  meals for the elderly and disadvantaged; community events including swing dancing and storytelling and digital skills programmes for young people in the area. The Partnership will also work with the successful applicants to raise awareness of their important work and extend their reach.

Peter Morris, Chairman of the Partnership said:

“On behalf of the partnership, I am delighted to announce the recipients of this funding. The work of our many local organisations never fails to impress me, and we hope that the Community Pot funding will assist the chosen groups in delivering ever more inspiring work across our community.

2021 marks the inaugural year of the Community Pot and we would like to thank everyone that took the time to submit an application this year. The partnership will run this grant programme every year going forward, targeted specifically at local grassroots projects.’’

James Dellow, Manager of SoapBox Islington said:

“SoapBox is delighted to have received this grant to support our weekly ‘SoapBox Live’ music events, where local young people will be able to showcase their musical skills and talents to both a live and online audience throughout 2022.

The grant shows the Partnership’s commitment to supporting creative talent in the local community and the desire to see young people given a platform to realise their potential. 

We are extremely grateful that local businesses are making a much needed contribution, not just to our work at SoapBox, but also towards vital organisations working across our local community.”

Successful applicants under the Community Pot 2021 scheme:

  • A New Direction: a not-for-profit organisation working to enhance the capacity and agency of children and young people in London. With the funding they’re aiming to address barriers to learning opportunities for disabled children and young people.

  • Contact: a charity supporting UK families with disabled children with expert information and advice, peer support plus campaigning. With the funding, they’ll support two primary schools in the district and their pupils with additional needs.

  • FCV Dorcas: a volunteer-led scheme aiming to reduce isolation among elderly members of the community. Funding will help them provide a hot meal and social interaction to otherwise isolated elderly people.

  • The Hackney Foodbank: the foodbank supports people who are in crisis or trapped in poverty by providing emergency food parcels. The funding will help them to kickstart a home delivery service.

  • Shoreditch Town Hall: an independent cultural and community organisation that usually welcomes over 70,000 people every year. The funding will help the Town Hall­­ to bring back Tea Dances, Baby Disco events and Swing Dances and keep them as a regular part of the Town Hall’s programme.

  • Ministry of Stories: a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping children and young people develop their writing skills. The funding will support their Time to Write campaign.

  • Soapbox Islington:  a youth provision in Islington providing world-class nonformal education for young people, including music, dance, tech, creative arts, digital and more. The funding will support their long-term goal toconnect local young people with industry leaders.

  • Headliners (UK): a Hackney-based charity that supports disadvantaged young people to have a voice across society from a young age. The funding will support their Reaching Out Safe Spaces hubs, which enable young people from Hackney and Islington facing exclusion to engage in weekly journalism and story-telling activities.

Old Street roundabout redevelopment update

What’s happening at Old Street?

Since the end of the summer, we have seen the seasons change again and along with it, lots of progress and changes at Old Street junction. Recent months have seen changes to the temporary road layout, opening of the new Cowper Street entrance and other station access changes. In this update we want to show you what TFL have been doing and to let you know what is coming up as works progress toward completing the project next year.

Change to temporary road layout – Complete


A recent change to the temporary road layout was successfully completed over the August bank holiday weekend, taking the project into the penultimate phase. This milestone allowed TFL to commence a large amount of improvement works to the junction, including station access changes, work on the main station entrance, and starting work on new passenger lift to St Agnes Well.


Subway 2 (Cowper Street entrance) open

The new Cowper Street entrance opened to the public on 31 August 2021, providing access to the station from the south-east side of Old Street junction. In recent weeks TFL have progressed works to the new subway, including waterproofing the structure and completing paving works around the entrance. We think you’ll agree it looks great.

Subway 1 – closed
Subway 1 (northeast exit) has now been permanently closed. Customers requiring ramped access can use Subway 3 (southwest exit) which remains open. The stairs and ramp of the old subway entrance 1 will soon be filled in to enable construction of the new segregated cycle lanes.

Subway 4 stairs – open
Refurbishment work to the steps at Subway 4 is now complete. On 3 September 2021 the stairs were re-opened and the subway 4 ramp was permanently closed to allow for construction of the new passenger lift, which will provide access into the St Agnes Well subsurface retail concourse. The green line towards Moorfields Eye Hospital has been re-instated to its original alignment on the stairs.

What’s happening next at Old Street?

Construction of the new main station entrance

Over the last few months, TFL have been constructing the reinforced concrete substructure which will support the new main station entrance. The central column and supporting arms are complex shaped precast concrete elements which have been manufactured away from the Old Street site.

On the 15 November, the first pre-cast concrete element of the superstructure was delivered to site and carefully winched into its central position. The new entrance stairs was settled alongside it. Over the winter, the four supporting arms of the structure will be carefully mounted in preparation for the roof assembly.


Once completed, the new Main Station Entrance will become the focal point of the new public space created when we finally closed the north west arm of the roundabout in January 2021. You will likely see lots of visual changes in the area in the coming weeks and months. We look forward to sharing this with you in our next update.

Old Street roundabout: weekend closures of the Cowper Street entrance at Old Street Station from 03 – 13 December 2021


Working in close partnership with the London Boroughs of Islington and Hackney, TFL are continuing to work on the transformation of Old Street roundabout.


As part of our ongoing improvement works to Old Street station and junction, essential works need to be carried out to waterproof the new Cowper Street entrance structure. In order to create a safe working zone for both pedestrians and work site personnel, this will require the temporary closure of the Cowper Street entrance to pedestrians.

When is the work happening?


To mitigate impacts on station users, works will be carried out in a staged manner over two weekends as follows:


• From midnight on Friday 03 December until 05:00 on Monday 06 December


• From midnight on Friday 10 December until 05:00 on Monday 13 December


During this phase of work, Old Street station will continue to operate as normal and can be accessed via Subway 3 (southwest exit) or Subway 4 (northwest exit). Every effort will be made to carry out any noisy work during daytime hours.

Where this isn’t possible, TFL have agreed with Islington Council that work will continue during the night using sound barriers and other noise mitigation measures to limit any disturbance. While TFL have planned to complete the work within the timeframe above, they may need to cancel a date at short notice due to poor weather.

How do I find out more?
You can get in touch with TFL by emailing OldStreetroundabout@tfl.gov.uk. Our dedicated Public Liaison Officer can also be contacted by phone on 07971 123 700 or by email at ruth.curtis@morgansindall.com

Spotlight on Tomahawk Steakhouse

This month we were thrilled to catch up with Sam Cornwell, manager of Tomahawk Steakhouse in Old Street. She was delighted to chat to us and tell us about all things Tomahawk!

What’s your role at Tomahawk Steakhouse and how did you come to be part of the team?

I am the venue General Manager, this is their first Tomahawk in the South of England & they were looking for someone who had experience in the London dining scene especially in steak-oriented outlets to help bring their successful brand to our city. As I have had 10yrs experience working with Hawksmoor, this seemed an ideal new challenge.

How would you describe Tomahawk Steakhouse to someone who hasn’t been before?

A hidden gem! Amazing steaks, the freshest seafood, incredible value. 

What makes Tomahawk Steakhouse different?

I think it’s the way we have combined a mix of the classic dishes that are loved in the North such as the incredible Chicken Parmo with other dishes designed to reflect the ever-changing London food scene. We are also getting involved with some small London charities such as the Redbridge Lakes Conservation Trust. We use their amazing honey in some of our dishes, which is produced by their hives by their lakes. We hope to add some more of these kind of items & suppliers onto the menus where we can.

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere in the restaurant?

We have a small team here, most of our recruitment has been through word-of-mouth so we have lots of “friends of friends” which makes for a great working environment, which is then reflected in the atmosphere.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

One of the great things about this area is that it’s never dull! There’s always something going on. Anyone visiting here can easily do so with no knowledge of the area at all, you can just wander around browsing all the independent shops, bars, cafes & have a great time.

What’s your favourite local hidden gem?

There are a number of excellent traditional-style pubs in the area which are unfortunately slowly disappearing in many other parts of the city, so check those out while you can. I also love Saint Lukes Gardens as a nice place to just sit & watch the world go by

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

As for many of us, navigating the rapidly changing COVID guidances was certainly a challenge, however, our support team was excellent in sending out simplified briefing sheets so everyone knew what should/shouldn’t be done. We have always had excellent levels of hygiene standards here & carried out regular training & briefing sessions during the pandemic which we still continue to use now.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during these uncertain times?

Support your team, keep your guests safe, hang on in there if you can, better days are coming.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

We are quite new to the area but everyone we have interacted with so far has been lovely.

Describe Tomahawk Steakhouse in 3 words..

Get.In.Here

Spotlight on Hart Shoreditch Hotel London

We’re so privileged to have a whole host of unique businesses in the heart of the Old Street District, making it the lively and unique destination that we all love. This August, we were delighted to meet up with another business to discuss their role in the community in Old Street and what makes them unique! This month, we were thrilled to catch up with Lina Zakzeckyte, General Manager of Hart Shoreditch Hotel London.

What’s your role at Hart Shoreditch and how did you come to be part of the team?

I’m General Manager of the hotel. I had previously worked in the area for 5 years before coming onboard with this new lifestyle hotel, so I already knew and loved the area and understood what makes Shoreditch different and how we should embrace our local community.

How would you describe Hart Shoreditch to someone who hasn’t stayed before?

Affordable luxury is a great way to describe the hotel. We want people to feel at home when they stay with us, so although you’re surrounded by beautifully designed and stylish interiors, it’s a very warm, relaxed, welcoming feel. You feel comfortable and at ease in our hotel.

What makes Hart Shoreditch different?

Well aside from our team! Hart Shoreditch draws heavily on the area’s rich industrial and craftmanship heritage, so there are lots of subtle nods throughout the hotel to this, and nothing else like us in the area. A lot of people ask about the name and it pays tribute to the cabinetmakers who occupied the building in the 1800s!  We have a giant bobbin sculpture outside our entrance and this is a nod to the silk weavers of the area in the past.

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere in the hotel?

We work hard to provide a laid back atmosphere at the hotel, so it’s like being at your best friend’s house… you can be yourself whatever your mood, and know that you are welcome and will be looked after! The team are warm and friendly and approachable.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a weekend in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

There is so much to do in the area which appeals to all ages and cultures, which is why we love being amongst it all!  It is such a creative area with so much East London history. Walking by the canal to shopping in Spitalfields market to visiting Columbia Road for the flower market on a Sunday… there is something for everyone.  Obviously no visit to East London would be complete without a pit stop for a bite to eat in Brick Lane. 

What’s your favourite local hidden gem? 

It has to be Nusa Kitchen on Old Street, their soups are just insanely delicious.  Order the Thai Style crushed chilli chicken soup, you won’t be disappointed!  Shoreditch is also one of the best places in London to see incredible, world-class street art so another of my favourite things to do locally is a street art tour – and you can do it for free!

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

It has meant diversifying our skills and being more committed than ever.  Our team undoubtedly has more responsibility, especially ensuring high standards within health and safety, as that is paramount to our guests as well as our own team.  The hotel is part of the Hilton CleanStay programme, offering industry leading hygiene practices.  

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during these uncertain times?

Remaining positive and having a strong team that is supportive of one another.  

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? By the Old Street District Partnership?

We are new to the partnership, so are looking forward to being supported by the community as well as supporting our neighbours and local businesses. 

Describe Hart Shoreditch in 3 words.

Friendly, craftsmanship, home-from-home

Spotlight on The BIG Alliance: Supporting the Local Community Through Employee Volunteering

Businesses for Islington Giving Alliance (BIG Alliance) was set up in June 2012 by Islington Giving, Macquarie Group and the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) to strengthen links between businesses and community organisations and educational institutions across Islington.

Islington faces a number of social challenges: 47.5% of primary school children in Islington live in poverty, the third highest rate in London. 34% of Islington’s over-60 population live in income-deprived households, the fourth highest of all London boroughs. Islington is also the most densely populated local authority in the UK and is the London Borough with the least amount of accessible greenspace (with the exception of the City of London).

The BIG Alliance provides your employees with the opportunity to support the local community by volunteering their time through a range of exciting projects. Our Challenge programme transforms Islington’s places and spaces through practical volunteering activities such as gardening and painting and decorating. Team Challenges are great fun, a fantastic team building opportunity and provide high impact community support.

Our Connect programme gives employee volunteers the chance to use their professional skills to build the capacity of local charities. They can become a trustee of a local community organisation, coach a community leader, or deliver much needed pro bono consultancy in a range of business areas. Connect volunteering is extremely rewarding and a fantastic way for your employees to develop new skills.

Finally, our Education programmes give your employees the opportunity to engage local young people. Activities include mentoring secondary school and university students, and hosting career insight sessions that help local young people to understand the world of work. With such high rates of child poverty, it is essential that we give our young people the best possible opportunity to reach their potential. 

We make corporate community investment easy, effective, and rewarding for our business partners. Interested in learning more? Visit www.thebigalliance.org.uk or contact us via info@thebigalliance.org.uk.

SPOTLIGHT ON CRUDO CEVICHERIA

At the start of each month, we take the time to explore one of the unique businesses or organisations that sit in the heart of the Old Street District, making it the lively and buzzing destination that we all adore. This month, we were thrilled to chat to the team at Crudo Cevicheria, a new South American restaurant based on Old Street.

How would you describe Crudo to someone who hasn’t visited before?

Crudo is a little bit of South America with similar colours, and flavours brought to London. The best place to have delicious, fresh ceviche at an affordable price.

What’s the most popular thing on your menu?

We are known for our signature ceviche bowls, the most popular is our Clasico bowl with sea bass, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado, Colombian plantain chips and Peruvian cancha corn. Our tiraditos and pisco sours are also very popular and only available in our Old Street location!

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere in the restaurant?

We are a small team with a small restaurant and a small menu, but we put a lot of passion into what we do to make you enjoy every second of your time with us. In a very South American way, through our delicious, fresh food, friendly service and tropical beats you will be immediately transported to a warm holiday environment.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a day in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?

Pre-pandemic we loved how there was always something going on, a new opening, street-art, pop up or event you could never get bored of visiting this area! Since we opened in December, we’ve appreciated the support from the community that lives around the area and how much they’ve helped us.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

We opened our Old Street cevicheria on 4 December last year, thinking that we would be lucky enough to open whilst restrictions were progressively being lifted. We’ve remained opened for the past few months with a reduced menu, only offering our ceviche bowls to take-away but we’ve also launched multiple exciting initiatives such as our Pisco sour at home kits that quickly became popular.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during a crisis like this one?

Continue focusing on the most important thing: your customers. Be ready and open to adapt your concept and offering whilst being mindful of how you spend your time and money.

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? How else could the local community support you?

We have felt very supported! Our customers started knowing about us whilst in lockdown and our customer base has grown every week. 🙂

Describe Crudo in three words – Spanish or English!

Fresh, South American and delicious!

Spotlight on local charity, Contact

Each month, we catch up with one of the fantastic businesses or organisations that make the Old Street District the vibrant and exciting place that we all know and love. This month, we’re chatting to Sophie, Philanthropy Executive at charity Contact, based on City Road.

Can you tell us a little about your role at Contact?

I’m Sophie, and I support businesses across London and the UK with their charity and inclusion needs. Whether creating exciting Charity of the Year partnerships, supporting fundraising and volunteer initiatives, or introducing our services to your networks, Contact’s work can engage families with disabled children and allies alike. We can also provide in-house training or workshops to your colleagues.

What exactly does Contact do? What is its mission?

Every day 100 children in the UK are born or diagnosed with a disability. This is something no parent prepares for and it can be overwhelming. Parents are often left alone to navigate this complex new world filled with emotional and practical challenges.

As a result, many spiral into crisis. Families with disabled children are more likely to be living in poverty. Parent carers are exhausted, stressed, lonely, and more likely to be suffering from ill-health (mental and physical). It doesn’t have to be this way.

Contact is the UK charity for families with disabled children.

We provide advice, information and support to all families of children with additional needs. This includes life-limiting medical conditions, neurodiversity, physical and learning disabilities. Whatever their child’s condition (diagnosed or not) we are here for them.

Our vision is that families with disabled children feel valued and are strong, confident and able to make the decisions that are right for them.
We support families with the best possible guidance and information. We bring families together to support each other. And we help families to campaign, volunteer and fundraise to improve life for themselves and others.

By doing this, we can help families to take control of their situation. We can ensure many more families can focus on what’s most important – being together and growing together as a family.

Who uses Contact’s support and resources?

Our families come from all parts of the UK and all sections of society. Disability has no boundaries. You will likely have colleagues, customers and clients whose children have additional needs (even if you don’t know it!).

In the UK there are 620,000 families with a disabled child or children. Last year we helped 178,000 parent carers with information, advice and support.. We also support the 88,000 members of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums and have administered grants to support groups, as well as rare conditions groups.

How long has the charity been in existence? How did it start?

Contact began over 40 years ago in London. We were set up by parents of disabled children who recognised that, even though their children’s conditions were different, they shared a common experience – of being a family with a disabled child. They understood how important it is to support each other.

A lot has changed since then – we now work nationwide and we have various centres across London – but some things haven’t changed nearly enough. There is a desperate lack of services and support for the 620,000 parents in the UK who care for a disabled child, and our research shows that a staggering 69% of families with disabled children never receive support beyond their close friends or family.

Our business communities play a huge part in helping us reach more families earlier in their journeys. HR departments can signpost colleagues to our services, and we can show support to such families through fundraising, campaigning and volunteering. We delight in championing this commitment together and building engaging partnerships with you. Please get in touch with corporate@contact.org.uk to find out more.

How do you think the pandemic (and the consequent lockdown) has affected the community you serve?

Families with disabled children are finding the Covid-19 crisis especially tough. To give you a picture, this is how one parent described their experience:

“There is absolutely no break from caring. It’s really, really intense and overwhelming. You’re just left to it. It isn’t just home-schooling – it’s living, breathing, physio, communication, lifting, feeding, stimulating, interaction, trying to keep yourself sane, home-school another child. The list is non-stop and endless.”

Parents are exhausted and many feel abandoned. 76% of families lost all support during the lockdowns. The health (physical and mental) of disabled children, their siblings and parents is much worse and children are missing out on vital therapies. The impact is long-term and they will need support into the future.

Crucially, as most of us emerge from lockdown and have hope for the future, many of our families remain isolated. 61,800 children are on the official shielding list because Covid-19 would be so dangerous for them. We have families who haven’t left home in over a year in order to protect their child. Which is why Contact is calling on the government to set out plans to develop and roll out a vaccine for high-risk children, who have been left shielding and unable to return to school. Their families want and need information. You can find out more about our campaigns and research here.

How did you operate prior to the pandemic, and what has had to change as a result of the current situation?

Like everyone, we went virtual! Our Helpline team went overnight from working in the office to working from home, and carried on with no loss of service. Our face-to-face support went online.

Hugely importantly, our leadership decided to lean-in to the crisis. We know families with disabled children were really suffering, and we didn’t want to look back and wish we had done more.

So, despite the financial uncertainty, we actually increased support. Wonderfully, our funders and partners came with us. With their help, we provided free supermarket vouchers, tablet computers and sensory products to low-income families. We also launched a new ‘Listening Ear’ telephone service providing greater emotional support to parents (as well as practical advice).

Digital transformation underpinned our strategy ahead of the pandemic. The past year has catalysed our work to reach more families and more families sooner in their journey.

Have there been any new ways of working that you think will stay in place in future?

Our new services have been really successful and it’s been great to see many more parents able to join in, as we’ve grown our online community. Demand however remains high as support is desperately needed. With the help of business communities and funders, we can keep these services going. Our families remain at the centre of everything we do, and the past year has made us even more determined to keep campaigning and co-designing our services with families.

How can a local resident or employee contribute to the amazing work that Contact does?

The one phrase we perhaps hear most often is ‘I wish I’d found you sooner’. So please, spread the word about Contact – both for families who need us, and for ways to keep our services going.

You can help us reach more families by supporting us directly or via your business/workplace. You can share our stories or join our campaigns. You can also play Contact’s new weekly lottery for a chance to win £10,000 while funding our work.

We’re here to support you so check out our pages here Support us | Contact, or get in touch with sophie.norden@contact.org.uk to find out more. Thank you!

How has OSDP worked with you?

By signposting our services to local people and businesses, whether to support them as individuals or create charity partnerships and support fundraising, OSDP helps us transform the lives of more families with disabled children.

We’re new to OSDP and very excited to be connected to all the fabulous organisations here.

Describe Old Street and the surrounding area in 3 words

Vibrant, creative, collaborative.

Spotlight on St Luke’s Community Centre

Each month, we catch up one of the fantastic businesses or organisations that make the Old Street District the vibrant and exciting place that we all know and love. This month, we’re chatting to Keren Wiltshire, Director of Services at St Luke’s Community Centre.

Hi Keren, thanks for chatting with us! Can you tell us a little about what you do at St Luke’s?

I lead on the development, fundraising and delivery of community services, projects and events carried out in St Luke’s Community Centre and the neighbourhood with a focus on meeting local needs and finding new ways to engage with local people.

So what exactly does St Luke’s do?

Our charitable aim is to improve the conditions of life for the people living in our area of benefit. We know that providing a Community Centre and services in the area helps break down barriers and contributes towards our area being welcoming, safe, healthy, and alive with activity

Who comes to St Luke’s?

We’re fortunate to be able to provide a wide range of services and support, which has created a diverse range of people that engage with us throughout the local community. Whether people live here, learn here, work here, play here or are simply visiting the area, St Luke’s welcomes everybody. In 2019 we welcomed almost 70,000 visits to the Community Centre – from new-born babies to octogenarians!

How did it all start?

St Luke’s Parochial Trust is an amalgamation of smaller trusts, the earliest of which date back to the sixteenth century. Many years ago, the area of St Luke’s was densely populated with extremely high levels of disease and poverty. In those days people often left legacies in their wills to the poor of the parish. For example, gifts of money or property were bequeathed to provide income to give bread, clothing or coals to widows, school children and orphans, or operate almshouses. Over the centuries, these gifts were accumulated into large parish (or parochial) trusts. Some of these ancient charities exist to this day, and St Luke’s is one. St Luke’s Community Centre was officially opened by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 1982.

How do you think the pandemic (and the consequent lockdown) has affected the community you serve?

The pandemic and consequent lockdowns have affected the community in many ways – both good and bad. It’s sad to see how lonely many older residents have become and how fearful they are about the future, families have been seriously impacted economically, children and young people struggling without their schools or friends and people looking for work are frustrated by the lack of opportunities.

However, the one good thing to come from the pandemic is the true feeling of community as a result of the generosity and kindness of local people. We have been consistently overwhelmed with offers of help from residents who donate their time as volunteers and donate food, nappies and money to the Food Hub. Our Christmas Appeal resulted in almost 400 presents being donated to local children and pensioners!

How did you operate prior to the pandemic, and what has had to change as a result of the current situation?

Prior to the pandemic, St Luke’s delivered an extensive programme of community support including care for older people, a daily lunch club, children’s after school and holiday activities, employment support, volunteer opportunities, a cookery school, an online centre, community classes and public events, gardening and food growing, health and wellbeing activities, advice services and business enterprise opportunities.

Since the lockdown started in March 2020 we have had to stop delivering lots of our services, furloughed many of our staff and prioritised our limited support to residents most in need. In response to local needs, our small team immediately set up a Food Hub which has already distributed 70 tonnes of donated goods to those living in food poverty, we developed a programme of wellbeing/befriending phone service offering friendship to those who are isolated or anxious, we have adapted our Job Club to an online service ensuring job seekers are still supported in their search for employment and we have delivered lunches to the homes of shielding pensioners every day – including Christmas Day!

Have there been any new ways of working that you think will stay in place in future?

Like many organisations, we have become more creative in the way we work and, despite keeping the Community Centre open to deliver essential services, many staff have benefitted from the flexibility of being able to work from home. Remote working is likely to stay in place in future but I know our team can’t wait to all be together again and think our first ‘in-person’ staff meeting is likely to take some time!

How can a local resident or employee contribute to the amazing work that St Luke’s does?

There are so many ways to get involved at St Luke’s!

Local residents can sign up to become volunteers supporting our huge programme of community activities such as befriending older residents, distributing donated food or helping to organise our public events. Volunteering is such a great way to gain skills, make new friends, feel part of your community and, importantly, have fun.

Businesses can also register as partners with our Business Engagement Team and contribute to our community provision. Our large team of corporate volunteers help deliver key services such as job club and business enterprise, they get involved in our popular ‘team challenge’ days, offer pro-bono help and support all our fundraising efforts.

How has OSDP worked with you?

We’ve loved working with the OSDP and have benefitted hugely from the platform that the OSDP has given us to showcase the work we do in supporting our community to the business community. Thanks to the exposure that the OSDP has given us, the local business community now has the opportunity to know what goes on at the centre and how their business and stakeholders can get involved.

How would you describe the Old Street community?

The Old Street community is a unique combination of old and new housing estates that are tucked behind large and small businesses bordering Hackney and the City of London. There is a strong sense of community that is supported and enhanced by the diverse community groups, services and businesses.

Please describe Old Street and the surrounding area in 3 words.

Changing, urban, and busy.


If you would like to get involved with St Luke’s Community Centre, please contact Colleen Ettridge via email cettridge@slpt.org.uk

Spotlight on Tapas Brindisa

Each month, we catch up one of the fantastic businesses that make the Old Street District the vibrant and exciting place that we all know and love.

This month, we’re chatting to Kelly Richardson, Food Operations Director at Tapas Brindisa, a modern, Spanish tapas restaurant on Curtain Road.

Hi Kelly! Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Could you tell us a little about yourself and how you got involved with Tapas Brindisa?
From a young age I loved to cook, my parents would drive for an hour to take my sister and I for a good lunch or to buy produce they had heard of / were keen to try. I worked in the best possible restaurants I could, sometimes for free, to learn my craft.

Whilst my passion was cooking, ingredients were the most important thing – something that was quite often lost in the 90s and early 00s when the focus was all on the plate. When I met Monika (the founder of Brindisa), I knew she was a kindred spirit, and as it happens, both of us had lived and worked in Spain. Joining up and working for Monika at Brindisa seemed a natural path.

How would you describe Tapas Brindisa to someone who hasn’t visited before?
A tapas bar where you can escape back to your favourite Spanish memories

What’s the most popular thing on your menu?
Our classics where we can showcase the ingredients we have imported from special producers for decades, plates like our hand-carved Bellota Ham.

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere in the restaurant?
We take great pleasure in saying that the majority of our team have been with us a long time and whilst these times are challenging, we will continue to grow stronger together. The atmosphere is loud and fun with laughter and chatting with a faint din of Spanish music underneath.

What do you love about the area? How would you recommend someone spends a day in Shoreditch/the Old Street area?
There’s a pervading sense of creativity and vibrancy in Shoreditch which is infectious – it’s certainly becoming more mainstream as the years go on but it’s youthful crowd and the abundance of independent shops, bars, cultural hubs ensures it stays unique and interesting whilst the nightlife means its always got a draw. I would recommend just wandering the streets – at every corner there’s street art to stumble across, vintage shops to browse and street food to treat yourself to.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it? How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?
We had to look at being more efficient, arguably also less complacent, but we have stuck to our values of product and team – it’s a winning combination.

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during a crisis like this one?
Stick to what you believe in and do not try to please everyone or spread yourself too thin. If you’re passionate, it comes across and is contagious on those around you. Stay humble!

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community? How else could the local community support you?
The area has been great. I think shopping local wherever you live is key, business and the community is symbiotic.

Describe Tapas Brindisa in three words – Spanish or English!
Quality, Spanish, fun.

Spotlight on Pure Sport Medicine

We’re delighted to have recently launched our Lunchtime Wellbeing Series earlier this month, kicking off our programme of events with an Online Yoga Class.

Over the coming months, we’re inviting you to a series of virtual sessions designed to help you look after your mind and body, hosted by world-class sport and exercise medicine specialists, Pure Sports Medicine.

From interactive Pilates and Yoga sessions to a mental health webinar, we’ve put together a calendar of events that will get you moving and thinking during your lunch break.

We caught up with Simon Devane, Chief Executive of Pure Sports Medicine, to find out more about the wellbeing sessions and the team behind them.

Great to meet you, Simon! Could you tell us a little about the vision and ethos of Pure Sports Medicine? 

Pure Sports Medicine (PSM) was established by taking the healthcare model that worked in elite and professional sport and integrating this with global best practice from other countries, to deliver a fully comprehensive and patient-focused service. We offer support in all aspects of Sport, Exercise and Musculoskeletal (MSK) Medicine here in the UK – in lay persons terms, we are a one stop shop for all MSK conditions up to, but not including, surgery – we refer on to our trusted partners for that.

How did you operate prior to the pandemic, and what has had to change as a result of the current situation?

Prior to the pandemic we operated 7 clinics across London, supporting patients and clients with a face-to-face service delivery. The pandemic and change in working patterns has meant that while the majority of appointments are still being delivered in clinic across our 7 sites, there are a number of consultations and classes delivered via video link. The willingness of consumers to access healthcare services remotely means we are no longer geographically bound by our physical clinic locations.

Have there been any new ways of working that you think will stay in place in future? 

‘Telemedicine’: while the delivery of healthcare services via telephone and video has been around for a while, the scale with which it has been adopted and accepted by both consumers and clinicians has meant we have seen a significant change in the sector, fast forwarding a relatively slow organic change by 3-5 years.

How do you think the pandemic (and the consequent lockdown) has affected people’s mental health and wellbeing? 

I think we are only beginning to appreciate the impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing. Personally I am concerned at the potential scale of the problem – we all need to take an active role in supporting one another, alongside businesses playing their part and ensuring employees are well supported and know where to go for help and support.

What are your top tips for staying healthy and happy at home? 

Have a routine, make sure it’s not all work and you make time to enjoy yourself. Get outside and integrate some level of activity into your day or week.   

What would you say to someone who is finding it difficult to stay motivated due to the current climate?

 Looking after yourself both mentally and physically is vital. Stay active, eat well and do everything else in moderation – find things that make you happy or you enjoy doing and make sure these are integrated into your day. Many people I have spoken to have found motivation has ebbed and flowed during this pandemic, I think understanding this is completely normal and talking about it with someone you trust can help.

Are you working from home yourself? What does your average day look like?

I am travelling into our head office and working from home. My average day remains consistent as I like and need my days to be structured, I get up at 6am regardless of whether I am WFH or going into the office, I use the early mornings to spend time with my three children over breakfast before they depart for school and start my day between 08:00-08:30.

What can participants expect from our Lunchtime Wellbeing Series with you? 

Participants should expect to be engaged, enlightened, and empowered. Education is a key part of helping individuals deal with any kind of health or wellbeing problem – understanding the issue helps you feel in control of things usually because you understand what you can do to help yourself.

These sessions will provide information in lots of different ways – some of it through lectures and information, some through teaching different exercises that can help prevent and manage problems and some by providing life and work hacks that you can implement for yourself. People often put up with pain and problems either because they don’t know who to see for help and advice or they don’t think there is anything that can be done. Neither is usually true. At the end of this series, participants should feel healthier and happier.

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON TAX FREE SHOPPING

On Friday 11 September the Government announced that it plans to stop offering tax free shopping to all international visitors after 31 December 2020. This will mean losing a £3.5 billion sector and undermining Britain’s global appeal and competitiveness. We know from talking to our business community that this is yet another blow, at a time when many are still struggling due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The decision is not just something that will impact retailers, it will have a ripple effect across many sectors including hospitality and culture. Similarly, it is not only a London problem – the reality is that the tax free incentive does encourage visitors to the UK and this gives people a clear reason to go elsewhere. We are urging the Government to rethink its decision.

We urgently need your help to express the devastating impact this decision will have on a wide range of sectors across the whole of the UK.

Please see more information below about what action can be taken over the next few weeks.

  1. Write directly to the Chancellor: Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ / email: public.enquiries@hmtreasury.gov.uk
  1. Contact your local MP – you can find your MP and contact details here https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Restaurant Feature – Franze & Evans

Franze & Evans are a small family run cafe in Shoreditch perfect for breakfast.

They specialise in a variety of fresh homemade modern brunch and breakfast foods, unique salads and delicious signature cakes.

How would you describe Franze and Evans to someone who hasn’t visited before?

Franze and Evans is a family run business that started in the heart of Shoreditch back in 2008. We specialise in delicious Italian food infused with classic British cooking. We are best known for our flavoursome breakfast and brunch menu, our wholesome salads and our delicious cakes. Our food is packed full of flavour, creativity, and soul – and we are so pleased to be expanding our brand and opening new cafes across London. 

What’s the most popular thing on your menu?

This is a difficult question. For cooked offer our most popular is the brunch with different combinations of English staples and Italian influences. The most popular item from our collection of cakes is our infamous Lemon & Courgette cake. Its light, its fluffy, and it has a solid reputation for becoming an instant favourite!

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere in the cafe?

Our team are a mixture of friends, family, and fresh faces from around the globe. We have a strong Italian influence within the team, so expect lots of passion and laughter when you come to visit! We like to keep the atmosphere fun and authentic – a friendly place to enjoy good food and have a good laugh. 

Why Shoreditch?

Nico, who founded the company lived in the area from the mid-1990s. At that time there was no place to go to for good coffee or good wholesome food in the area. He decided to create an environment that would provide good healthy food for the residents and business community.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a huge impact on businesses in our area. How did you navigate it?

The pandemic is unprecedented and has had a big effect on us along with the majority of small businesses during this time. We are responding in an effective and flexible way looking at how we can adopt our business model to operating in the new environment. This has been made somewhat easier by our loyal customers upon reopening, it was good to see familiar faces. With their help we are back fighting and are feeling very positive for the future. 

How does the way you operate now differ to how you operated before the pandemic?

One way we have needed to adapt is adopting the current guidelines on social distancing., We have less space inside the cafe due to the regulations. However, we feel that our customers are still getting the full Franze & Evans experience and are working hard to keep the vibe upbeat whilst maintaining a safe environment for all whilst they are spending their time with us. 

What advice would you give to businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector, during a crisis like this one?

Stay positive! Business can be unpredictable at the best of times, but it’s really all about how you deal with the issues that counts. A positive attitude and hard work will get us all through this current crisis together! 

Have you felt supported by the Old Street District community?

Yes, we have since we re-opened in July. As mentioned above, we are seeing many familiar faces return.

How else could the local community support you?

The local community could support us by continuing to come in and enjoy our delicious food! Also, the community have been great in their understanding of the increased pressures that the hospitality industry is currently facing.

What does the future hold for Franze and Evans?

The future is looking very bright for Franze & Evans at the moment. We are lucky to be opening two new branches within Workspace buildings in east London, so are very excited to expand and keep on doing what we do best! 

Restaurant Feature – Atis

Atis is a new start up restaurant in the Old Street District Partnership. They are located in The Atlas Building at 145 City Road. The restaurant offers healthy, nutritious salads and warm bowls with a mission to make plant-based nutrition the norm.

Tell me a little bit about Atis and how you got started?

We felt there was space in London for a new, fast-casual concept that served healthy, nutritious food with the mission of making plant-powered food the norm. We are keen to encourage people to see food as more than just fuel and to depart from the notion that fast-casuals need to be convenience-led. For us, the design of the space, the development of the brand and the customer experience is as important as creating a delicious, thoughtful menu.

We developed the early stages of the concept whilst living out in America which was a great source of inspiration and it is also where we fortunately met our first hire Connor, who heads the operations. Things moved quickly from that point – we returned to London, sought investment, found a site and started the hiring process. We are also very lucky to have Phil’s brother Xan on the team, who joined us last summer and together the four of us opened up atis for its first day of trading in October 2019.

What does your average day look like?

I think most people who own a restaurant would agree that no one day is ever the same. This is what makes it a very challenging business to be in but is part of its allure. For example, a day last week included: designing and ordering bespoke branded masks, helping the store out with lunch, meeting the core team to discuss ideas for the Autumn + Winter menu, heading off in the afternoon to check out a new site (incoming!), creating social content for the week ahead and working with the team to improve our Click + Collect ordering system. Pretty varied!

Can you tell us a little bit about your team and the atmosphere created when people walk into Atis?

We have an incredible team – it is a huge asset. They are resilient, energetic, hard-working and engaged. I think what sets them apart is that they take a lot of pride in their work. There are a few disagreements on the eclectic music choices and the time of day it’s played – techno at 8am has been banned – but other than that, everyone gets along incredibly well. There is a lot of laughter and a lot of vibrant energy – I think you can feel that as soon as you walk in.

Did the current COVID19 pandemic affect this atmosphere?

At the start of lockdown, we decided to reduce our hours and our offering but to stay open. However, the atmosphere was drastically different as we took the difficult decision to furlough our staff. Old St was also a ghost town – I think there was one day where we didn’t see one car drive past our window – so the buzz of the area disappeared over night. It was quite eery actually. Fortunately for us, the sales started climbing week on week and so we were able to start bringing back our staff, which was of course a great relief.

How have you been affected by the current pandemic?

It has been an extremely challenging time – with all the surrounding offices working from home we lost the majority of our customers. However, we adapted to a delivery model and this has had its benefits: namely that we have opened ourselves up to a new (residential) customer base. Another positive outcome is that we were able to focus our attention on streamlining our processes, which has been invaluable.

Now that you have reopened, have things returned to normality?

I wouldn’t say that things are back to normal – it is hard to know what normal is these days. Old Street is much busier than it was a few weeks ago and we are slowly picking up on store sales which is encouraging. But it is hard to know if the surrounding offices will return to their historic capacity.  Hopefully it is a matter of when and not if – I think people are starting to realise how important the office is for creating culture, encouraging creativity and (perhaps counterintuitively!) establishing a work-life balance. I am sure that we’ll see some flexibility in working hours moving forward but I don’t think we will see the office life completely disappearing. I hope we see store sales continue to climb – that is our barometer of normality!

What advice would you give to start ups who have faced a crisis?

You need to be reactive. The best advice would be to focus on the core of your business and to do it really well. For us, this meant reducing our hours, reducing our offering and putting all our efforts into creating great quality food and a memorable customer experience.

What can the Old Street community do to continue supporting you?

We would just ask for the community to spread the word about who we are and that we are open. Nothing lifts our spirits more than seeing friendly faces returning, so please come and say hi!

If you could describe the last year of operating in one sentence, what would it be?

Like a theme park adventure – thrilling, terrifying, stressful, varied, joyful, intense but ultimately, very rewarding!

Eat Out to Help Out Around Old Street!

This handy tool from gov.uk shows you which restaurants are taking part in the #EatOutToHelpOut scheme. Check out which eateries in the Old Street area are involved:

https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/eat-out-to-help-out/find-a-restaurant/results?lookup=EC1V+9LP

Enjoy London’s best eateries for less, all while supporting our friends in the hospitality industry!

If you’re a local business taking part in the scheme, make sure to let us know. We’d love to publicise your offers across our social media channels.  

Update for businesses Monday 12th September: Arrangements her late Majesty’s funeral on Monday 19th September

We continue to work closely with our partners on arrangements surrounding Her Late Majesty’s funeral on Monday 19th September.  We will update you regularly in the coming days as arrangements are subject to late notice change.

Tomorrow, Monday 12th September (Day +3),

HM the King will attend the Palace of Westminster around the time of 10:00 – 11:00 and this may result in spontaneous closures to pedestrian and/or vehicular traffic on the route from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster and surrounding areas.

Outside of this period, the restrictions on vehicular traffic in the St James’ and Hyde Park areas remain in place. To gain access, delivery drivers will need to produce

1.     Official Photo ID – Driving licence or passport

2.     Delivery note or proof showing the venue and contact details for the delivery.

Staff on the road closures will call the venue to verify the delivery is expected.

We will continue to share updates as we receive them. For any enquiries please email Comms@oldstreetdistrict.london

Congestion charge changes announced by TFL

TFL have announced temporary changes to the central London Congestion Charge. Despite the very large number of people working from home and the re-introduction of charging schemes suspended at the start of lockdown, car traffic in central London is increasing again. We can’t risk gridlock from a car-led recovery. Clearer roads will allow us to restart London’s economy, keep essential freight and buses running more smoothly, and minimise journey times for essential travel.

To do this we need you to help us let residents, businesses and other stakeholders know about the following changes to the Congestion Charge. We are extending its hours and days of operation and making some changes to exemptions:

  • The daily charge will increase from £11.50 to £15 per day (£17.50 for those paying during the three days after the day of travel).
  • We are extending charging hours to 07:00 to 22:00 from the current hours of 07:00 to 18:00, to reflect peak traffic hours during the epidemic. We will also operate the scheme seven days a week and all year around except Christmas Day.
  • We will remove Auto Pay and Fleet Auto Pay £1 daily discount.
  • The residents’ discount scheme will close to new applications from 1 August. In response to issues raised by stakeholders and the public, applications received up to and including 31 July will be accepted. Existing discount holders will continue to receive the discount for their currently registered vehicle and any replacements.
  • We are expanding the NHS patient reimbursement scheme and creating new reimbursement arrangements for local authorities and charities providing services in response to the pandemic.

Our projections show that, if left unchecked, car traffic in central London could double as the Government eases lockdown restrictions. This will result in gridlock. These changes will help us create more space for socially distanced walking and cycling as part of the Mayor’s Street Space programme.

We need renewed action to help us keep the recent improvements to air quality. Cleaner air during lockdown, and emerging evidence linking air pollution to the most severe impacts of COVID-19, make this task even more urgent.

Hackney council COVID19

For Hackney council COVID19 information and ways the council are assisting businesses and residents, please visit

https://hackney.gov.uk

Islington council COVID19

For Islington council COVID19 information and ways the council are assisting businesses and residents, please visit

https://www.islington.gov.uk

Islington

NOMINATE YOUR LOCAL HERO FOR A MAYOR’S CIVIC AWARD OR THE BEN KINSELLA AWARD 2020

Unsung local heroes that go that extra mile to make Islington a better place to live and work can get well-deserved recognition and thanks for their hard work at the Mayor’s Civic Awards and Ben Kinsella Award 2020.

Every year Islington recognises and celebrates the huge difference local people make to their community and how their actions bring positive change to the lives of others. However, these actions often go unnoticed so the awards are an important opportunity to recognise and reward the hard work and positive impact of individuals, families and groups.

The Mayor’s Civic Award Scheme acknowledges volunteers, campaigners and fundraisers who are at the very heart of Islington’s thriving local community. The Ben Kinsella Award, given in memory of Ben Kinsella, is a special youth award that recognises the contribution of an inspiring young person.

Hackney Council

DO YOU HAVE ANY UNWANTED TOYS AND ELECTRICAL ITEMS TO DONATE TO THOSE IN NEED?

Hackney Borough Council are running their toy gift appeal and Zero Waste Hub to make sure any items you no longer need go to a good home.

The toy gift appeal, gifts unwanted toys to children in the borough through charitable organisations.

So please keep any toys and electrical goods no longer wanted to one side and donate once restrictions have been lifted.

For more information visit: https://hackney.gov.uk/toy-gift-appeal?medium=email&source=govdelivery

Shoreditch Town Hall

KNEEHIGH’S UBU! A SINGALONG SATIRE AT SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL ON WEDNESDAY 4 – SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER 2019.

We all know King Ubu. That deranged dictator we all love to hate. Impossibly greedy, unstoppably crude, inexorably daft and hell-bent on making the country great again!

Sound familiar?

Based on Alfred Jarry’s riot-inducing masterpiece, Kneehigh will let rip with their own version of theatre’s most anarchic creations – KING UBU.

Expect world-class buffoonery in this deliriously unhinged improvised promenade musical (surely the first of its kind!). Featuring some of the most iconic anthems of our times, given a fresh rub for their money by a belting Kneehigh band, plus an extraordinary choir of extras – you! – we guarantee this will be a rocking, rollicking riot of ridiculousness that you won’t forget.

He’ll rise! He’ll reign! Only together will we make Ubu fall!