A new website/app from Transport for London and a free pop-up university are just two of the many glimpses into the not-so-distant future that are currently on display at Digital Shoreditch.

From Monday May 20, thousands of techies, entrepreneurs and investors are gathering in Shoreditch Town Hall for the third annual Shoreditch Digital Festival.

The festival is the culmination of an all-year round celebration of the technical and creative talent of East London, specifically the Tech City area between the Olympic Park in Stratford and Old Street in Shoreditch.

The offices of several technology giants like Facebook and Google, alongside more than 500 small and medium enterprises, are currently located in Tech City.

One of the presentations that was surrounded by a lot of buzz on the opening day was that of the City Unrulyversity -  a free pop-up university in the heart of Tech City.

It is a collaboration between City University and Unruly, a video technology company, aimed at combining “Academic rigour and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge with practical relevance from the world of business.”

The idea for #cityunruly is to do something different through a partnership between cass business school and unruly twitter.com/CityUnruly/sta…

— City Unrulyversity (@CityUnruly) May 20, 2013

Transport for London was also at Digital Shoreditch to launch an exclusive sneak peak of their new website and accompanying app, which were very well received.

Many participants as well as speakers at Digital Shoreditch expressed their enthusiasm for the new app on Twitter. Alex Shebar, Yelp London Community Manager and speaker at the festival wrote:

The new @tflofficial app looks fantastic, and the video that goes along with it is pretty damn adorable. #ds13 twitter.com/yelplondon/sta…

— Alex S (Yelp!) (@yelplondon) May 20, 2013

Besides celebrating the many technology-based start-ups, the festival can also be seen as a tribute to the development of East London in general.

In April this year, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson pledged to boost tech investment through a £22m start-up fund focused on financing tech startups as well as helping other creative industries beyond technology.

Gordon Innes, CEO of London & Partners, the official promotional organisation for London, said “The amazing growth that has taken place in east London over the last few years has been significant to the city’s economy and reputation. Without a doubt London’s success is being driven by centres of excellence such as Tech City, and forms a key part of London’s business future.”

Kam Star, who founded Digital Shoreditch, told Tech City News that the growth of tech initiatives in Hackney has actually been a challenge for the festival in terms of staying relevant when there are so many other offers in the area.

“We need to keep finding interesting ways to engage the community, that’s the real challenge. How do we stay relevant? The only way we can do this is through our crowd. (…) Digital Shoreditch is a community thing. Everything I do is based on the feelings, the emotions, the direction I’m getting from the rest of the community.”

The festival will run from May 20-31 and is expected to attract around 15,000 UK and international visitors.

Wall in the community space Pic: Padraigh Perkins-Edge

A new Kickstarter campaign has been launched to create a village hall in Shoreditch. The plan is to renovate a disused 1950’s Warehouse and turn it into a space that will serve the local community.

Kickstarter is a new form of community empowerment in the digital age. It began in 2009 as a website that provides the tools for funding creative projects.

It has since funded films, music, video games and culinary projects. In return for investment people are offered rewards for helping fund the project.

This particular project is aiming to raise enough money to build an events space that will comfortably hold 200 people.

The space will be somewhere children can come after school, artists can present their work, local meetings can take place and co-workers can meet and discuss issues.  It will provide something for of every member local community.

With two weeks to go, they have raised around £12,000 of the £25,000 target.

Rewards for investment range from having your name placed on the “awesome wall” to a year’s free membership and the opportunity to organise your own event.

Shoreditch Works are the organisation behind the village hall project.

They aim to provide affordable work spaces in the heart of Shoreditch’s Tech City.

Tech City is based around a roundabout on Old Street and is a base for technology related industries in the United Kingdom. Companies such as Soundcloud and Tweetdeck are based there.

Ana Bradley from Shoreditch Works said “Shoreditch currently does not have an event space, a town hall that is accessible to the community. The Shoreditch village hall will provide a hub for the local community that will cater for both people working and living in the area, 20 % of events will be free.”

“The village hall will also offer people living in the area, especially the poorest boroughs,  the opportunity to do apprenticeships and gain a foot up into tech city,” she added.

Two winners shortlisted Pic: Saskia Black

Students at Hackney Community College have been shortlisted for their anti-smoking film What Will You Do About It? for the National Cut Film Festival awards.

The Cut Film project aims to dissuade young people from smoking.

It was started by the Deborah Hutton Campaign group, a peer to peer smoking prevention charity, in memory of Vogue journalist Deborah Hutton who died of lung cancer aged 49 from smoking in her teens and early adulthood.

Riad Ahmed, 17, and Dushane Ashani Brown, 17, told East London Lines that they “didn’t have the words” to describe how excited and proud they were to have their talent recognised by being shortlisted.

Riad wrote the film  from the perspective of a cigarette, acting was by Dushane. They both hope to pursue careers in the creative industries.

As part of the festival, Cut Films gave 10 schools across Hackney training in video and film so they could learn transferable skills, as well being informed about the dangers of smoking.

The Deborah Hutton charity began the Cut Film project to inform teenagers about the dangers of smoking in a way that would attract their attention. Emma Wrafter, the charity director, said: “We wanted to target teens in a way that would engage and resonate with them and film seemed like the best option.”

The key aspect of the project is that it is teenagers telling other teenagers about the health risks from smoking, rather than adults.

Dushane thinks this approach works: “I think I’d rather learn about the danger of cigarettes from people the same age as me, because I can connect to them more easily. I think as well that teenagers are more honest; they say things from the heart and believe in what they’re saying.”

All the films are available online, which Emma Wrafter hopes will give teens the chance to “share them on social networking sites with their friends, family and local community.”

Diane Abbot, MP for Hackney, has backed the project, saying: “Hackney Cut Films Competition is an important and inspiring project, which raises awareness of the dangers of smoking, peer pressure, and the shocking effects of smoking.  It’s projects like this that are giving young people a voice.”

There will be an award ceremony at Hackney Picturehouse mid-July (date still to be confirmed) to celebrate the films made in Hackney.

Winning film to be announced at BAFTA HQ in July. Pic: Bafta

Then on July4 the students at Hackney Community College who participated in the project will attend a national award ceremony at the headquarters of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) to find out who has won the Cut Films Festival.

The Roundabout Kids meet once a month at the Book Club in Shoreditch to talk business and to make friends. Pic: Vishal Ladwa

In Shoreditch a monthly meeting called the Roundabout Kids has started to bring young entrepreneurs working in the the tech scene at the Silicon Roundabout together.

Alex Nguyen and friend Vishal Ladwa thought it would be a good idea to have meetings for young professionals who want to start up their own business on the internet or already run one.

23 year-old Vishal told East London Lines that it is an opportunity for like-minded people “who have the same passions for start ups and technology” to come together and talk about their ideas.

The meetings also offer a chance for young people to get involved in the tech scene and the start up culture, something that Vishal says “can be very daunting.”

The Roundabout Kids poster. Pic: the Roundabout Kids

Through sharing ideas, Vishal says it is also a chance to improve their business prospects:

“It’s a way for people to learn more about the industry, to meet people with the same interests and to make friends.”

East London Lines went along to this month’s meeting and spoke to Meera Trivedi, a 24 year old PR agent. Meera said being a part of the Roundabout Kids offers a great chance to see what is going on in the start-up scene, to “share ideas” and to get reliable advice:

“If you want an upfront answer, I’m sure they’ll give it to you. They’ll say what doesn’t work and people will give you other ideas.”

As well as talking business, the meetings are an opportunity to socialise.

The Roundabout Kids happens in Shoreditch for people working in the Silicon Roundabout, but the attendance grows, and Vishal hopes it could “pop up in other boroughs.”

The venue is currently the Book Club in Shoreditch. Tickets need to be brought in advance from here.

James Sweeney who died from stab wounds in Clapton. Pic: Met Police

A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of James Sweeney. The crime took place at Sweeney’s home on Jessam Avenue in Clapton on May 4.

Sweeney, 30, died of stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. He was a shop worker and was originally from Montserrat.

Another man, Jeremy Lewis, 29, of Enfield, has already been charged with the murder on May 8. He appeared in custody at Redbridge Magistrates Court the following day, and has been remanded.

Men sought in Hackney after assault in Mare Street May 12. Pic: Met Police

The Met Police would like to identify two men after an assault near a pub in Mare Street has left the victim in a “critical” condition in hospital.

The incident took place near the Dolphin public house in Mare Street, E8,  last Sunday, May 12 at around 5 am.

The Dolphin Public House, Mare Street E8. Pic: Google

The male victim, whose identity has not been released, was punched in the face, fell and hit his head on the floor, suffering serious head injuries, and his condition remains critical.

Members of the public are asked to call DC Bradley Simon 020 7275 3666, the non-emergency 101 number or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 with any information.

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Victor McAllister chairperson for Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation Pic: Benedikte Granvig

A new project in Hackney called “Take Care of the Pennies” has been set up to tackle the crisis of one in five elderly residents in the borough living below the poverty line.

“Take Care of the Pennies” and local community organisations are pledged to help end the plight of senior citizens struggling to make ends meet in near subsistence living.

Armed with a grant of £250,000 from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales, sixteen grass-root charities including Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation, Hackney CVS and Hackney Chinese Community Services  have started this project to encourage the empowerment and independence of older people in the borough.

East London Lines spoke to Victor McAllister, 60, chairperson for Hackney Caribbean Elderly Organisation on how the lives of Hackney’s older population are affected by poverty and how this new  project plans to help.  He said many elderly residents in Hackney have so limited means that they sometimes have to chose between eating or heating up their flats.

One part of the “Take Care of the Pennies” project that Victor McAllister believes will particularly benefit the elderly residents across the borough is cooperative and coordinated effort from the many different local organisations in Hackney.

McAllister says that community organisations have a tendency to keep to their own groups these days, whereas people were better at working together in building up the country after the world wars  in the 30′s and 40′s.

In the Take Care of the Pennies project, the people involved come from many different backgrounds, which means they can draw on many different skills and collectively make a difference.

Victor McAllister says that one of the more effective strategies of the Take Care of the Pennies project –  as opposed to projects run by the government – is the way in which they approach the local residents. The different community organisations are going to actively seek out the residents in need and meet them in their home environments, so the support programme can be adjusted to their particular needs.

“We’re actually going to them and saying ‘How would you like us to help you?’. They’re pleased to see that we’re stepping into their worlds to see what life is like for them” says Victor and he adds that the knowledge acquired by the residents during the project will continue even after the funding stops in three years.

Chris Anderson, Head of Grant Making for the South at the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales said the project supports older disadvantaged people at a time when much other funding is being cut.

He added that  “it will enable Hackney CVS to deliver vital work to help reduce isolation, financial hardship and poor mental and physical health of older people living in this London borough.”

Take Care of the Pennies will officially launch this week at Ridley Road Market, where representatives will distribute information about how the project can help the elderly residents of Hackney.

Stoke Newington Farmers Market Pic: Growing Communities

Stoke Newington Famers’ Market is set to celebrate its 10^th anniversary this summer with a number of events.

The market is the only one to be all organic in the country. It began on a very small scale ten years ago with only two stalls, however, it has proved to be very popular with the local community and now it has more than twenty.

It will be running several events throughout the summer starting this Saturday with an exhibition of photos taken from the first Farmers’ Market, which was held at the Old Fire Station on Lewsin Road.

Other events range from family activities to taster sessions and recipe competitions. It will culminate with a trip to visit Stocks Farm on Monday, August 26 and on Apple Day in October.

The market is run by Growing Communities, a community led organisation in Hackney. The group aims to provide an alternative to non-environmentally friendly food production and to support small sustainable farms and farmers in and around London by ensuring they are given a fair price for their product whilst maintaining a small carbon footprint.

They are set to open a new stall this Saturday, May 11 which will sell produce from a new starter farm they opened in Dagenham recently.

“We want to thank everyone who has supported the market over the years,” Market manager Kerry Rankine said, “and encourage more people to see what’s on offer and buy produce directly from the people who grow it.

“Life has been very tough in the past couple of years for the small, organic producers who come to the market, with appalling weather and rising feed and fuel costs taking their toll. It is more important than ever that we support them.”

The market currently takes place every Saturday at St Paul’s Church on Stoke Newington High Street.

Bellway development visualisation from the top of Pellerin Road/Salcombe Road Pic: Bellway development

Local residents have criticised a new housing scheme in Salcombe Road, just off Kingsland Road in Dalston, that’s been approved by Hackney council. Campaigner David Spurring complains that the only concession the  developers had given them was ‘bricks.’  He said the new building was “incredibly ugly and institutional looking” and that local residents were appalled by its ‘semi-industrial’ design.

The new building, designed by developers Bellway Homes will consist of 30 new apartments, three of which will be luxury flats on the top floor.

It will be taller than the surrounding buildings and its height and closeness to existing homes has angered the local residents association. They have been mobilising the community on the internet and by going door to door.

East London Lines spoke to campaigner and local resident, David Spurring, 63, on why he opposed the new scheme. He stressed that the local residents welcome development of the site, a former children’s home, but strongly object to how it looks on the outside:

Part-time teacher and local resident Judy Owen, 72, is also concerned by the prospect of the new building. She lives in a ground floor flat on Pellerin Road and fears that she will loose the daylight in her living room. She says the residents association believes in positive communication and is going out of its way to feedback good and constructive ideas to Hackney’s Planning Department:

East London Lines has contacted Planning Officer, Steve Fraser-Lin, who recommended the new development for approval. He referred to the report prepared for the planning sub-committee in which the planning department state say they do not find the height of the proposed building out of context in “an area that already has a variety of building heights, forms and styles.” The planning department also said that the height and mass of the proposal has already been reduced from previous designs that had been discussed at the previous meetings.

The scheme was finally approved at a council planning  sub-committee meeting on Wednesday May 1.

At the meeting, the planning committee approved the plans for the building on the grounds that  “the proposals are considered to help to meet housing needs in the borough.” The council also said the proposals “would not detract from the appearance of the surrounding area or the amenity of adjoining occupier.”

However, according to resident spokesperson, Lex Bamforth, 39, the councillors lacked the context to properly understand the application and their objections. “They just didn’t know enough about the applications. At the same meeting, they approved a development plan for a different building that included a wall only 3 metres from a resident’s window.”

On the matter of whether the plans presented to the councillors were accurate, the report from the meeting states  “Comments with regard to the accuracy of the drawings are noted. However they are considered to be sufficiently accurate to consider the proposals.”

Reporting by Benedikte Granvig.