A window cleaner scales a high-rise builidng in Canary Wharf. Photo:urban legend

Employers of the daredevil window-cleaners charged with maintaining Britain’s tallest building are backing a government campaign to emphasise safety in the workplace.

Canary Wharf Management Ltd are supporting the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Shattered Lives’ initiative, which aims to highlight the risk of injuries at work.

Safety is a matter of particular importance to the company, who contract cleaners to wash the glass façades of the Docklands’ numerous skyscrapers.

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Photo:Metropolitan Police

Police have released an artist’s impression in a bid to identify a man whose body was discovered in the River Lea.

A member of the public discovered the body in the river, near the Bow Bridge, last December. The man has still not been identified and police hope the artist’s impression and an image of his T-shirt will help establish who he was. (more…)

Photo: Proposed Bethnal Green Memorial The Stairway To Heaven Memorial Trust

The worst civilian disaster of World War Two was remembered this weekend in Bethnal Green.

The 67^th anniversary of the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster was marked in memory of the 173 that lost their lives in a panic on the stairs of Bethnal Green underground station on March 3, 1943.

The Tube station was being used as a shelter to protect civilians from German bombs but the panic that set created the accident was the result of friendly fire when the British army  tested their guns in Victoria Park.

Amongst the people attending the service were the few remaining survivors and those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.

Derek Spicer of the ‘Stairway To Heaven Memorial Trust’ said: “The service is even more important this year than ever.  Some of the local community weren’t even aware of it”.

The ‘Stairway to Heaven Memorial Trust’ was set up to raise more than £600,000 to erect a statue to commemorate the lives of those who were crushed. If the Trust receives enough support, it will be placed above the underground entrance, displaying the names of those who were lost.

At the moment, all that marks the fatalities of 1943 is a plaque at the station staircase.

So far, the charity has raised £200,000 and representatives from the Trust will be collecting at Bethnal Green tube station this Friday.

Alternatively, if you would like to donate, please visit http://www.stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org/

Photo: Artist impression of proposed Hijab Gates

After sparking 158 objections and not a single letter of support, residents of the Brick Lane area now have reason to celebrate. (more…)

Parks in Tower Hamlets should be blooming in a particularly special way this Spring, thanks to 15 tonnes of compost recycled from local household and garden rubbish being spread across the borough’s flower beds.

The environmentally-friendly waste has been collected at the council’s recycling centre at Northumberland Wharf, and then taken by contractors Veolia to its recycling site at Rainham in Essex. It took around 12 weeks to transform the waste into high quality compost, before being used in the borough’s parks.

Councillor Abdal Ullah, Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener at Tower Hamlets Council, said: “We’re always encouraging residents to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste, and it’s fantastic to see this hard work has paid off. By taking things like grass clippings and flower cuttings to Northumberland Wharf, residents have helped to provide good quality compost for the borough’s parks.”

But figures show that too few local people are supporting recycling. Food waste accounts for half of the weight of all household rubbish in Tower Hamlets, yet according to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the borough achieved a household recycling rate of just 19.3% for 2008/9, compared to the national average of 37.6%.

In Victoria Park, EastLondonLines spoke to local people about their views on recycling. Amy Ward, 26, from Tower Hamlets, perhaps captures the majority feeling: “I really should recycle but I just don’t, I usually find I’m too busy during the week. The idea of keeping my rotting food waste in my flat is a bit too much to think about as well!”

Karl Taylor, 20, of Tower Hamlets agrees: “I’m a student. Me and my housemates try to recycle a bit, but definitely not leftover meals or anything like that. I’m all for doing my bit though.”

Simon Openshaw, 42, of Lewisham, said: “I work in Tower Hamlets, and it’ll be nice to see the flowers in bloom on my way to work. My wife always tries to recycle what we can and tries to get me to help, but I usually leave it all to her. It is important – more people should recycle really.”

The Reuse and Recycling Centre at Northumberland Wharf is a disposal point providing residents with the facility to recycle a wide range of materials or drop off waste.

Items that can be taken to reuse or recycle range from aluminum foil, books, cans, cardboard and  clothes to green garden waste, textiles, white goods, wood and timber.

The Centre is located on Yabsley Street, close to Blackwall DLR station.

Proposals to build a set of ‘hijab gates’ in Brick Lane have proved unpopular among local people.

According to a report by Tower Hamlets Council, the plans, which involve the construction of ornamental arches resembling the Islamic headscarf, had yet to garner any letters of support.

Meanwhile, 158 residents had registered their objections to the idea during a period of public consultation. Other dissenting parties include the local synagogue, as well as the Spitalfields Trust.

Despite this, councillors have advocated that their development committee approve the plans.

Local resident and secretary of Save Britain’s Heritage Will Palin described the public’s lack of support for the gates as a ‘damning indictment of the plan.’ He added: ‘‘If the council was to approve these hated arches it would risk becoming a laughing stock. To press ahead with this ridiculous, wasteful and ill-conceived scheme, in the face of such overwhelming opposition and against all common sense, would be both an an insult to the people of the borough and an affront to local democracy.’’

Others unhappy about the plan include locally-based artist Tracey Emin, who has described the project as a waste of money. She said: “The funds allocated to this I think would be better spent elsewhere; for example: education, rubbish collection, safer streets and vermin control.” Emin has also criticised the appearance of the gates, calling them ‘bulky, ungainly and unnecessary.’

Some critics have likened the arches to something from ‘Disneyland’. The structures are intended to form part of a £2m ‘heritage trail’, aiming to celebrate the area’s diversity. However, some have accused the project of having the opposite effect, claiming that it creates divisions in the multi-cultural community and places a greater emphasis on Islam than other religions.

The Muslim Council of Britain has declined involvement in the debate, saying it is a matter for the local community.

However, Tower Hamlets Council defended the arches in their report, saying they are not ‘culturally specific to Islam’, and that headscarves are worn in a number of different cultures, including amongst the young, and within the communities of Jewish and Huguenot immigrants historically associated with the area.

It also points out that London has a tradition of ‘arches’ to denote special areas, such as the West End’s Chinatown and Carnaby Street, as well as Roman Road market in Bow.

A council spokeswoman said the report’s early online publication, before the end of the official consultation period last Monday, was to ensure that committee members would have time to digest its contents before meeting next Thursday.

She added: ‘‘Any further objections or comments lodged after the posting of the report – including ones made after the official end of the consultation period – will be reported to the committee meeting itself.’’

Ballot box mischief. Photo: Rama

Tower Hamlets is divided over whether to have a directly elected mayor instead of the current council cabinet system.

The ‘yes’ lobby have already won the right for a referendum, which will be held on May 6th, but the  issue has split the Labour party despite directly elected mayors being a Labour policy.

Ex-London Mayor, Ken Livingstone, and Parliamentary Home Affairs chairman, Keith Vaz, support the call for an elected mayor. George Galloway,  MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and member of  the Respect party has also joined the campaign.

Opposing the change, the Town Hall’s Labour administration has drawn support from government minister Jim Fitzpatrick, whose constituency of Poplar is in Tower Hamlets.

At a rally earlier this month Livingstone said an elected mayor was vital to secure resources for the deprived East End. He said: “Let’s start a new chapter… you can elect an individual who will be accountable and every person in this borough will have an equal right in determining who it is.”

Those campaigning against an elected mayor believe it would concentrate too much power and control in the hands of one individual, who would also be able to appoint non-elected advisors. They fear that an elected mayor could divide the complex and diverse community in Tower Hamlets. Doros Ullah, former councillor and  mayor, said:

“Tower Hamlets is a very multi-cultural, very diverse borough. To give such power to an individual would mean that person will not be in a position to understand the needs of this diverse community and therefore will not be able to deliver.”

Ullah continued: “Over the last 20-30 years, Tower Hamlets has come a long way in building bridges between the different sections of our community, celebrating diversity and sharing power. We would like to continue strengthening that and I believe the only way to do it is to have a cabinet system.”

George Galloway, who denies that he will run for the position of mayor if it is created, strongly disagrees that a directly elected mayor would be divisive:

“To be elected under the system of STV (single transferable vote) you have to obtain the votes of 51% of the people, what could be more uniting of the community!”

Photo: Love Haiti February 21st

Wilton’s Music Hall in Tower Hamlets is getting ready for a night of love and sympathy, towards the million plus victims of the Haitian earthquake.

The “LOVE HAITI’’ event , created as a personal initiative of the Wilton’s staff, takes place on Sunday 21^st February at 7pm, aiming to bring relief through laughter.

‘’It was really our bartender who pulled some strings and invited some artists he knew with Wilton’s providing the space.’’ said the spokesperson for Wilton’s.

The Comedy Gala will include artists such as BAFTA and British Comedy Award nominee Peter Serafinowitz, UK’s leading Comedian/Magician Pete Firman, Rich Fulcher of The Mighty Boosh, comedic duo Wingnut! and sketch group The Penny Dreadfuls, plus a special mystery guest. Presenter of the night will be Jarred Christmas. .

The artists will all perform for free and all money raised will go to MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERS, an independent humanitarian organisation providing medical aid where it is most needed, regardless of race, religion, politics or gender.

Tickets are priced at £17.50. Bookings can be made through the Wilton’s web page and information can be found on facebook event for Haiti.

Residents of Brick Lane, including artist Tracey Emin, have lodged strong objections to plans to erect a set of gates designed to look like a veil or hijab at either end of the famous thoroughfare.

Dubbed the ‘hijab gates’, they have been accused of creating racial divisions and tensions by being unrepresentative and misconceived in a multi-cultural and diverse area.

As well the current Bangledeshi population, the area has been home to Huguenots from France and Jewish refugees, as well as currently being an artistic and creative centre. Apart from Emin, other artists who live there  include Gilbert and George and Jake Chapman.

Emin, who lives just off Brick Lane, has claimed that Tower Hamlets council is risking serious racial tension if they force the ‘hijab gates’ without proper consultation.

Ms Emin  said in a letter to the council: “I sincerely object to these proposals … the proposed material has no relevance to the heritage of the area or its future.”

She continued: “I am shocked to learn that the scheme is budgeted at £2m and I strongly feel that rubbish collections, vermin control, education and improved policing are more important to resolve.”

Will Palin, secretary of Save Britain’s Heritage, as well as a local resident, has also strongly objected. In a letter to the council he said: “The headscarf motif is undoubtedly faith-specific to Islam and therefore does not represent the breadth and richness of the borough’s history.”

“Brick Lane is already extremely cluttered with signage as well as with commercial refuse containers. The quality of the roadway and pavements is very poor in places…until these basic problems are sorted out expensive new street furniture such as that proposed should not be installed,” he continued.

The Spitalfields Trust said the idea of the arches was “misconceived”.

The are designed to be part a £1.85m cultural trail  to celebrate the diversity of the area, itself part of an £8.5m renovation scheme.

The level of protest has forced the council to delay a decision and give more time for objections. The closing date for objections is now next Monday and a final decision will be taken by the council planning committee early next month.

The council stressed that headscarves were worn for a variety of purposes, by many different religions and ethnic groups and were not just designed to represent Islamic dress. The council said the concept behind the arch is “loosely based on the sculptural form of a headscarf, reflecting the many cultural backgrounds that have occupied and sought refuge in and around Brick Lane over the centuries.”

It pointed out that the area was a ‘melting pot’  and that orthodox Jewish women often wore scarves, while many young men and woman wore scarves or bandanas as ‘a fashion statement.’

Domestic abuse victims are being encouraged to speak out this Valentine's. Photo: Tower Hamlets council.

Kisses, flowers and chocolates abound on Valentine’s Day, but for some the occasion is far bleaker.

Tower Hamlet’s (more…)