Hackney schoolchildren campaign for gay rights pic: Mike Flood-Page

Stoke Newington school students marched in support of gay rights at Clissold Park today.

Around 200 young people aged between 12 and 13 from Stoke Newington Secondary School walked around the local park with banners in support of equality for the London homosexual and transgendered community.

The demo is part of the school’s annual week in support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights.

Stoke Newington Teacher and LGBT coordinator, Elly Barnes, said: “Schools have the power to transform lives and be a driving force to break down social prejudices to create a cohesive society.”

The annual LGBT week began five years ago and has since helped eradicate the use of defamatory language and has reduced homophobic bullying and taunting.

This year the LGBT celebrations have been the biggest yet, drawing help from the Project for Advocacy, Councilling and Education (PACE), who promote gay well-being and mental health, and Drill Hall theatre and arts centre.

The annual festivities concluded with a celebratory concert with a special guest appearance from Paralympics athlete Clare Harvey, who captained Scotland’s Women’s Rugby team before a bicycle accident confined her to a wheelchair.  She is now one of Britain’s Olympic hopefuls in floor volleyball.

Okamnlawon is currently in his first year of college pic: Tolu Okamnlawon

A robotic dancer stole the limelight last week at the Hackney Empire after scooping the winners prize at the Discover Young Hackney Competition.

Tolu Okamnlawon, 17, beat 11 other contestants to win the Alter Ego talent show title, which searches for the best young talent in Hackney.

Talking to EastLondonLines, Okamnlawon said; “I feel like this is only just the beginning on my journey as an entertainer.

“I have a strong passion for dance because I find it easy to express myself through other people’s music. I’ve been dancing for two years since the age of 15.

“Other than that I plan to do more performances and get myself out there.  The sky is the limit.”

Singer Jermaine Jackman, 17, came a close second after his rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Guitarist Jess Furneaux, 16, came third.

Kat B, who has appeared on MTV and even more recently played the ugly stepsister Victiqua in the Empire’s Christmas panto, was the host for the evening.

Okamnlawon is currently in his first year of college and now has to turn his attention to getting prepared for his exams this summer.

Despite the efforts of local residents, there will be a basketball training venue built on Leyton Marsh pic: Ruth Edwards

Local residents have lost their battle with the Olympic Development Agency to stop the build of a basketball-training venue on Leyton Marsh.

On Tuesday the Waltham Forest Council planning committee voted in favour of the proposal, which means two 11-metre high court buildings as well as a drop off area, car park and a perimeter fence will be built on the land.

Last week EastLondonLines reported on a protest by Hackney locals whose borough boundary is marked by the edge of the marsh.

Residents claim the venue will deprive locals of cherished green spaces and could cause harm to local wildlife.  More than 80 people protested before the meeting on Tuesday night.

Councillor Ian Rathbone, who is against the venue, condemned the ODA’s “bully boy tactics” and also criticised the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority saying they were the “other villain in this piece”.

He said: “How dare they give away pieces of our land without proper full consultation.”

Leyton Marsh is deemed Metropolitan Open Land and as a result should not be built upon unless it complies with legal conditions. The ODA has justified its plans to build there due to the “very special circumstances” of one-off nature of the Games.

Local resident Virginia Draper, 28, who is in opposition to the plans said: “We are all extremely unhappy with the decision that was made yesterday evening. We do not agree that Metropolitan Open Land should be forsaken due to bad planning from the ODA.”

The ODA chose Leyton Marsh as the site for basketball venue after a previous choice had been deemed unsuitable for wheelchair access and therefore would not be able to be used by the wheelchair basketball teams competing in the Paralympics.

A spokesperson for the ODA said: “The ODA has worked hard to ensure public access is largely unaffected. We have done this alongside the landowner so that there is minimal impact caused to the area.”

Another communnity mural was commissioned by Clapton Girls school in 2011 pic: Art Review

Artists in Hackney are being offered the chance to transform a blank wall in front of Hackney Central Station into an artwork depicting their own feelings about the borough.

The wall currently provides a rather depressing welcome to the pedestrianised high street outside the station. Hackney Council have collaborated with charity Groundwork London to provide one lucky artist with the opportunity to continue the trend of urban art in the area.

The aim of the project, which will be created on an outside wall of Marks and Spencer on Amhurst Road, is to reflect the spirit and creative vibe of the Hackney community.

Vivienne Brown, Marketing and Communications Manager of Groundwork, told EastLondonLines: “We are not looking for any style in particular we are open to receive proposals from experienced and skilled artists around London.”

To inspire the chosen artist, Hackney’s Young Parliament will be filming on the street asking residents what the think is the best thing about the neighbourhood.

The Blank Wall pic: Groundwork London

Lucy Geldard, Area Manager of Groundwork London said: “We hope that by enabling young people to help inform the design and consult with their peers, residents and traders, a true community art piece will be created, enjoyed and celebrated by all.”

After the conflict over famed east London street artist Roa’s rabbit piece in Hackney, Groundwork have stated that this is a community mural, not graffiti. This will be similar to the artwork by Koze commissioned by Clapton Girl’s School in July last year.

Selection criteria for applicants will depend on skills, artistic quality and the relevance of their previous work. The project is due to be finished by July 20.

To apply, visit the Groundwork London website, here.

The Old Schoolhouse pic: Clapton Arts Trust

The Clapton Arts Trust has outlined plans to restore the grade II-listed Old Schoolhouse on Lea Bridge Road. The building, built in 1841, is just a stone’s throw from the new Olympic Park. The Trust hope the restoration will bring the schoolhouse back into use to provide educational activities for local children.

CAT Chair Councillor Ian Rathbone said: “We are applying for a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant and if successful, we will open the school doors next year with a range of activities on offer for schools and colleges, as well as the general public.”

Negotiations are being held with the building’s owners, The Vision Group, and with a wide variety of other local charities and organisations who plan to be involved in the project.

Members of the CAT. pic: Jeanette Arnold

Parma Sulh, managing director of The Vision Group, said the project will not only preserve a heritage building, but will provide a fun learning environment for the Hackney community.

The grand room at the front of the building will be transformed into a living schoolroom complete with actors in period costume and a curriculum of authentic Victorian learning.

According to the Trust, the restoration will also incorporate a number of short walks around the site and grounds, with activities such as sketching classes provided at the heritage interest points nearby.

The widely-used nursery will be closed by August this year pic: Roundabout Nursery

A nursery located five minutes from Homerton Hospital has announced they will close at the end of August, leaving hospital staff and parents struggling to find nearby alternatives.

Clients of the Roundabout Nursery, Kenworthy Road, E9, were shocked by a letter from the Hospital Trust team last week announcing that the service would shut at the end of the summer.

The Trust stated that the nursery is forecast to make a loss of £132,000 this year due to new rental and overhead costs. It is already running at a financial loss, and NHS funds for patient treatment are used to support the expense.

Private clients make up the majority of people using the nursery facilities. At present, hospital staff benefit from favoured access and reduced fees at the nursery, though only 24 out of 3000 staff use the nursery services.

Homerton Hospital Chief Executive, Nancy Hallett, said: “We have looked at means of reducing the cost of running the nursery, and at increasing fees. However, the size of the financial gap is such that we do not see this as an option.

“We currently support Homerton staff by providing information and advice on a range of childcare matters, and this will increase in the coming months. We offer our staff flexible working hours and paid carer’s leave and this will continue.”

Roundabout Nursery opened in 1991 at the nurses’ home at the old Hackney Hospital and cared for the children of local NHS staff. It re-launched in 2008 to also cater for parents and children in the local community.

The Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin pic: Franka-in-London

The Vicar of Hackney’s “clown church” has outlined her terms for becoming the Church of England’s first female bishop – before she has been offered the promotion.

Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the first black woman ever to be appointed Queen’s Chaplain, put her case forward to a meeting of the Church’s governing body in London this week.

Church conservatives oppose the idea of anything but male bishops, which Hudson-Wilkin deems: “nonsense”. But presently, conservative members of the Church of England are seeking an amendment that will give the church a legal right to ignore the authority of any female bishop, bypass her completely, and elect to be led by a male instead.

Hudson-Wilkin, originally from Jamaica, said these rules were “like apartheid” in an interview with The Telegraph. She said: “It’s not that dissimilar from those who said, ‘OK, we accept that apartheid needs to be abolished but can we just have one bus which is white only, so we can ride in it?”

Demanding equal terms as that of a male bishop, the Dalston Reverend said she was not prepared to serve as a bishop unless changes were made, stating that she would “absolutely” turn the job down.

Hudson-Wilkin was ordained in 1994, the year the first women became priests. She has recently appeared on Women’s Hour on Radio 4 to discuss the possibility of promotion, as several CofE female laity and priests prepare to meet at Church House in Westminster in support of women bishops.

The famous clowns’ church service was held at Holy Trinity Church in Beechwood Road, Dalston, E8 3DY on February 5. More information and photos of the day, at which Hudson-Wilkin plays an integral role, can be seen here.

Roy Grosvenor pic: Met Police

Police have found Roy Grosvenor, 31, who was reported missing yesterday.

The Hackney resident was found earlier today in Surrey, the Met confirmed. Grosvenor, who was last seen at his Hackney home on Sunday reported missing on 2.30pm yesterday when he failed to return to his home address in Bradstock Road, E9.

Metropolitan Police were looking for Grosvenor in the Forest Gate or Manor House areas, where he has family connections and some of his immediate family are buried.

Chris Moyles and Fearne Cotton at the huge Radio 1 event in Carlisle last year pic: LLoydi

Music fans can register their interest to attend BBC Radio 1′s Hackney Weekend from this morning. Ticket registration is open for six weeks and will close at 11pm on Monday 19 March.

To register, users need to go to the Radio 1 website, and upload their details and a photo. Those who register will then be able to apply to for up to two tickets online or by phone on the 25 and 26 March.

Tickets for the event are free, but there will be a small handling fee. Most of the tickets are reserved for residents of Hackney and the other five Olympic boroughs. All other applicants will be considered for tickets on a first come, first serve basis.

The two-day Hackney Marshes event will take place on 23 and 24 June and 100,000 tickets have been made available. The event is set to feature over one hundred UK and international artists. The full list of artists performing can be viewed here.

Jules Pipe, Mayor of Hackney said: “Radio 1 are bringing the biggest event in their history to Hackney and we’re playing our part to make it the best ever. The line-up is impressive and, with much more to come, the Hackney Weekend will be at the top of the list for music fans this year.

“The BBC couldn’t have made a better choice – the Hackney Marshes is a unique venue, there’s a huge level of local enthusiasm and, with the Olympic Games in Hackney, we’re better prepared than anyone to host the event”

Professor Green said: “Hackney is a great place, so events like this and the Olympics will help showcase the borough in a positive light. It’s going to be an amazing weekend and I’m delighted to be a part of it.”

Radio 1 will carry out outreach activities in east London ahead of the main event. This will includes the Radio 1 & 1Xtra Academy, which will open on 1 June. Young people from Hackney will be invited to attend and take part in workshops and sessions on a range of subjects including business, the arts, career development and media skills, including radio production and journalism.

Hackney born Radio 1 & 1Xtra DJ Trevor Nelson said: “It’s not just the main event that will have a lasting impact in Hackney and the area – but the exciting projects that we are doing beforehand – like the Academy. I’m proud to be an ambassador for this event and I can’t wait until June!”

EastLondonLines had previously reported that Hackney Council is calling for people to volunteer at the event.

Hackney residents at Leyton Marsh pic: Ruth Edwards

Local residents and councillors from Hackney are opposing an application by the Olympic Development Agency to build a temporary basketball-training venue on Leyton Marsh as they argue it will drastically effect the area.

The plan for the Olympic Games facility comprises of two 11-meter high court buildings as well as a drop off area, car park and a perimeter fence.

The ODA chose Leyton Marsh as the site for their venue after their previous choice had been deemed unsuitable for wheelchair access and therefore would not be able to be used by the various wheelchair basketball teams competing in the Paralympics.

Notices publicising the application were posted on and around the site and letters were sent to residents in Waltham Forest and Hackney.

However local residents told EastLondonLines that they felt not enough had been done to let people know about the proposal.

Many are concerned about the effect the plans will have, if accepted by Waltham Forest Council, on the site and the neighbouring nature reserve, which is a site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

The land is deemed Metropolitan Open Land and as a result should not be built upon unless it complies with certain conditions.

Though the Olympic Delivery Authority plans to build here due to the “very special circumstances” of one-off nature of the games.

The venue is not due to be open to the public at any time between it’s proposed time span of March 1 until October 15 this year.

A planning committee at Waltham Forest Council is to be held on Tuesday, Feb 7 at 6pm.

To find out the full story watch this video.

(Video by Ruth Edwards and Daniel O’Donnell)

To view the planning application click here.