The Tower Hamlets 'Champions' team Pic: National Youth Agency

Today sees the launch of a new nationwide financial education scheme for young people not in employment, education or training.

Developed by Barclays and run in conjunction with a group of national charities, Money Skills ‘Champions’ is a programme designed to build the money management skills of young people.

Barclays are investing £15 million into the scheme, and by working with youth charities including, Action for Children, the National Skills Academy for Financial Services and the National Youth Agency, hope to help one million people by the end of 2012.

Tower Hamlets was one of the eight original pilot areas in which the scheme was tested with young people aged 16 to 25 earlier this year and proved very successful.

Barclays Money Skills will now become a national programme that will help young people to develop and improve their financial skills, knowledge and confidence. The programme aims to tackle topics such as opening a bank account, budgeting, saving and spending, and give practical guidance on what to do if they find themselves in financial trouble.

Most of the ‘champions’ are young people who were not previously in employment, education or training (NEET). Through the project young people from Tower Hamlets learnt about different career pathways at Barclays, and took part in a CV writing workshop with help from Barclays volunteers. They also took a guided tour of the Barclays HQ building and gained a first-hand insight into how the organisation works.

Fiona Blacke, Chief Executive of the National Youth Agency, said: “We know that young people face significant challenges managing their money, and often reach out to their friends for help and advice. By building a national network of young people who are armed with strong financial skills and the knowledge to share this information with their peers, we are helping to ensure that they are appropriately equipped to negotiate financial problems.

“The Barclays Money Skills programme will prepare young people with vital financial skills and knowledge to support themselves and their friends. We are delighted that this significant investment is being made into young people’s futures.”

Once the Money Skills ‘champions’ have completed their training, they will then gain further training so that they are able to pass on the skills that they have learnt to their peers.

EFit released of person detectives wish to speak to after a man was robbed of his iPhone 4 in Cremer Street.

Detectives investigating a “violent robbery” in Cremer Street, N4, on Saturday April 14 this year have released an E-fit of a man they wish to speak to.

The incident took place at 4.30 a.m. and the male victim, 29, was followed in Kingsland Road into Cremer Street where he was assaulted with a bicycle D-lock, and then robbed of his iPhone 4.

He received serious head injuries and bruising to his arm.

The Met Police say the suspect is: “a black man, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an athletic build, having a round forehead and a pointed chin. He was wearing a dark blue hooded top with wide white drawstrings coming from the hood, black tracksuit bottoms and dark trainers.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Charley Clark, from Hackney’s Serious and Acquisitive Crime Squad, on 0207 275 3232, quoting reference CR4609940/12. Alternatively contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you wish to remain anonymous.

Imaginative 7 year campaign challenging Sam Hallam's murder conviction

After a seven year campaign by his family and supporters, including the actor Ray Winstone, Sam Hallam, 24, from Hoxton has been freed on unconditional bail. The prosecution said they would not oppose his appeal against a murder conviction of a young trainee chef in October 2004.

The dramatic development at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand was unexpected. The young man left the building with his mother and was drenched in champagne before being driven away to enjoy his first night of freedom since 2005 when he was found guilty of murdering Essayas Kassahun.

Hallam has always said he was playing football half a mile away when the victim was beaten up by a gang of youths on the St Luke’s housing estate in Clerkenwell. Kassahun died two days afterwards.

Hallam’s mother Wendy told reporters: “My family has been through hell. It has been torture for Sam and the whole family.”  It has been reported that Sam’s father, Terry, died 15 months ago, because he was unable to cope with his son’s continuing imprisonment for a crime he did not commit.

ITV News Report on Sam Hallam's release on bail from the Royal Courts of Justice

Three appeal court judges are expected give their reasons for quashing his conviction at 12 noon Thursday April 17.

Hallam’s QC, Henry Blaxland, said:

“It is our case that this appellant Sam Hallam – and I put it boldly – has been the victim of a serious miscarriage of justice brought about by a combination of manifestly unreliable identification evidence, the apparent failure of his own alibi, failure by police properly to investigate his alibi and non-disclosure by the prosecution of material that could have supported his case.”

The Sam Hallam miscarriage of justice campaign has been run using multi-media and arts community events. The actor Ray Winstone has consistently campaigned for his release and presented an ITV Tonight edition in 2007 outlining the problems with the case.

Other mainstream media organisations including the Independent have published articles criticising the conviction.

On the eve of the appeal Channel 4 News’s Home Affairs Correspondent, Simon Israel, broadcast a report highlighting the fact that the detective originally in charge of the inquiry is the same officer who was criticized by the coroner at the “spy in the bag” Gareth Williams inquest.

Justice for Sam event at the Shoreditch Festival in 2010

The appeal hearing followed a new investigation commissioned by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) who were thanked by Lady Justice Hallett: ”May we express our appreciation to everybody who has been involved in investigating this matter, particularly the CCRC and Thames Valley Police, who have done an incredibly thorough job.”

Sam Hallam case goes to Appeal Court

The Magnum 357 revolver seized along with 12 rounds of ammunition at the flat in Evelyn Street. Photo: Met Police

Four men operating a drugs factory from a flat in Deptford aimed at “flooding the streets of London with Class A and Class B drugs” have been jailed at Woolwich Crown Court for a total of 21 years after an anti guns and drugs enquiry by Lewisham’s Operation Trilogy unit.

David Kelly, 36, of Evelyn Street, Deptford received five years imprisonment for firearms offences and four years for conspiring to supply cocaine. He also received three years for conspiracy to supply cannabis and 12 months for possession of ammunition. These sentences will be served at the same time (concurrently).

Richard Sarsfield, 35, of Avondale Square received four years and six months for plotting to deal in cocaine.

Gary Paget, 34 of Rotherhithe New Road, was jailed for four years and six months also for plotting to deal in cocaine and a concurrent sentence of three years for cannabis.

Daniel Kavanagh, 32, of Bermondsey Wall East, received three years and six months for conspiring to supply cocaine.

Gary Paget (left) and Richard Sarsfield (right) Photo: Met Police

The men had pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiring to supply cocaine, Kelly admitted possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition and conspiring to supply cannabis.

Detective Constable Hazel Raine of Operation Trilogy said: “Today’s sentences mark the end for this heavily armed organized criminal network, responsible for the high level distribution of significant quantities of Class A drugs in London. This operation resulted in the recovery of a firearm and some extremely lethal corresponding ammunition as well as a significant quantity of drugs. Operation Trilogy will continue to target and incarcerate gangs of this nature.”

Detective Superintendent Si Cunneen, Head of Lewisham Crime Command, said: “This is a clear warning to those individuals who are intent on distributing and supplying illegal drugs in the community. A disturbing aspect of this operation was the presence of a firearm and ammunition but at the same time a reassuring and significant recovery. The convictions and recent sentencing is a clear signal to any criminal concerned in these type of offences that they can expect lengthy sentences of imprisonment and cannot evade justice.”

Daniel Kavanagh (left) and David Kelly (right) Photo: Met Police

The Metropolitan Police believe these convictions and sentences at Woolwich Crown Court represent a successful outcome of Operation Trilogy which provides “a proactive response to gang related crime on Lewisham borough”, and checking “gun and drug related criminality.”

Detectives acted on intelligence that drugs were being supplied from a flat in Evelyn Street, Deptford. They raided on March 15 last year and in the search collected evidence that it was being used as “a drug factory/distribution centre.”

Sarsfield and Kavanagh were caught red handed by officers in the process of cutting up and diluting cocaine hydrochloride.

Police also discovered a Magnum 357 revolver along with 12 rounds of ammunition during the search and recovered 606 grams of 90 per cent pure cocaine, 6.5 kg of cannabis (skunk), a powder press (complete with a kilo and half a kilo plates), drugs packaging and other drugs paraphernalia.

Detectives estimate from the evidence they obtained that the cocaine being dealt with from this address had a potential street value of nearly four million pounds.

Kelly was later arrested hiding in a bathroom in Barnes. Paget was located last Summer at a caravan site in Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey.

The Ship Aground, aka the Singh Sabha Gurdwara temple pic: Jessie Levene

A dilapidated former Clapton pub is to be given a new lease of life – as a Sikh temple.

Hackney Council has recently given change of use planning permission for The Ship Aground on Lea Bridge Road to be turned into the Singh Sabha Gurdwara temple. The proposed building will cater for Hackney’s 2000-strong Sikh community, who have had to worship at temples outside of the borough for the last 16 years.

A working sign for the Singh Sabha Gurdwara Temple pic: Jessie Levene

The building will include a prayer hall, library, wedding hall, classrooms for teaching English and computer skills, residence for a priest or caretaker, a gym and a canteen.

Once finished the new temple could receive up to 120 worshippers at a time, prompting concerns from local residents that current parking provision in the surrounding area will not be sufficient.

Local on-street parking is not on a permit-system and some residents are worried that this could become an issue:

In general however East London Lines found local residents to be largely positive about their new neighbours:

Hackney pub The Wenlock Arms saved from demolition

Horace Campbell pursuing his victim and caught on CCTV examined by Trident detectives. Photo: Met Police

Two men have been sentenced to life after being found guilty for murdering Croydon father of four Devon Scarlett, 32, also known as Raymond Mitchell, following a row in a queue at a McDonald’s in Brixton April last year.

Horace Campbell, 28, was given a minimum of 32 years in prison and Liam Douglas-O’Callaghan, 18, was sentenced to serve a mimimum of 18 years for the murder of Scarlett.

He was shot twice on Marcus Garvey Way after the row had spilled out onto the street. He had entered the fast-food restaurant shortly before 6.30 am April 17, 2011.

The confrontation began after Scarlett intervened in an argument between two men who were also waiting for food. After he asked them to behave Horace Campbell got involved. He had made a nuisance of himself and became aggressive when a security guard asked him to finish an alcoholic drink he was holding and dispose of the glass.

The court heard eventually both men were escorted from the restaurant by security guards. Their argument continued outside.

Campbell told people trying to intervene that Scarlett had been “too disrespectful and was going to be shot in the head” and would be “filled up with lead”.

Devon Scarlett was killed after a row in a Brixton McDonald's. Photo: Met Police

Campbell and O’Callaghan made a numbers of calls to each other, the last being at 6.48am when O’Callaghan arrived at nearby Atlantic Road.

Campbell followed Scarlett into Marcus Garvey Way and fired at him three times, hitting him twice. An emergency call was made by a witness at 6.50 am, following the shooting. Scarlett was taken to hospital but died at 7.15 am. A post-mortem examination revealed two gunshot wounds, one to the abdomen and one to the thigh.

Trident launched a murder investigation straight away, analyzing CCTV and mobile telephone records to identify the suspects. In the search of  Marcus Garvey Way detectives found four bullet casings, probably fired from a “32 self loading pistol” which was not recovered. But they did find a plastic bag used to transport the weapon with O’Callaghan’s fingerprints on it.

Liam Douglas-O'Callaghan and Horace Campbell both sentenced to life in prison Photo: Met Police

Both Campbell and Douglas-O’Callaghan are from Tulse Hill and denied the charges. Judge Richard Hawkins told them: “The two of you quickly despatched Devon Scarlett without mercy.”

Detective Inspector Henry Lindsley of the The Trident Gang Crime Command said: “Unbelievably Devon Scarlett’s murder was triggered by the most minor of incidents that Horace Campbell chose to involve himself in.”

“His arrogance and obviously disregard for life is evident when even after Mr Scarlett walked away from him, he continued spoiling for a fight and escalated the matter even further by ordering O’Callaghan to bring a deadly weapon to him.”

“Campbell and O’Callaghan now have many years in prison to reflect on their actions and how they are responsible for young children being left without a father.”

The detective inspector paid tribute to the witnesses who came forward and gave evidence at the trial.

One of the learners picking up some new skills

Adult Learners’ Week begins today and Lewisham Council have published a comprehensive list of events for anyone who want to get involved.

Many of Lewisham’s main providers of adult and community education will be working together to showcase the different ways adults can access learning. There are formal and informal events across the borough for people interested in a career change, networking or simply learning something new.

Lewisham Council’s website features case studies from residents in the borough who have benefited from the Learners’ Week and Community Education Lewisham. Joanne’s story is one such example.

Joanne joined CEL in 2010, and and completed a general interest funeral flowers course; she progressed to complete two L1 Award courses in Contemporary Floral Designs (C&G) and Wedding & Special Occasion Designs. She is currently working towards a L2 Certificate in Floristry at Greenwich Community College, as well as continuing general interest creative courses at CEL in Glass Painting & Hat Making. Joanne developed her own website (www.jojoflowers.co.uk), and accepted private commissions for complex wedding and funeral designs whilst she was studying. EastLondonLines interviewed Joanne, and talked about her progress since becoming involved in CEL:

Maggie Smith recently came in to East London Lines HQ to chat about Forest Hill Writers’ Group who have had involvement in Adult Learners’ Week events in Lewisham in previous years. In their contribution to the Lewisham Cultural Olympiad  – a collection of contributions compiled in a booklet entitled ‘If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be The Library’, they mention that the 2011 Learners’ Week brought the group to fruition:

The weeklong catalogue of events begins today at Deptford Lounge where you can find out what opportunities there are at Lewisham College. Other events taking place this week include a clothes making taster, an event showing opportunities at the Stephen Lawrence Centre and Gamelan tasters at the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill. A full list of the events Lewisham Council are running can be found here.

Local Authorities take on responsibilities for Sexual Health Services; Photo: Renew Leeds

NHS reforms will result in a fragmentation of services around HIV in Hackney and Jonathan McShane, the council’s cabinet member for Health says the implications are “a real worry” for an area with one of the highest HIV infections in the country.

McShane says the reorganisation is a distraction and means the borough will be “losing many talented staff with skills and expertise.”

At a Local Government Association conference discussing the impact of the reforms on sexual health services, it emerged that Hackney is in the top five boroughs in England and Wales for people living with HIV- eight per thousand. A consultant told East London Lines that 20 to 30 per cent are unaware of their infection.

The high rate of late diagnosis is caused by the stigma felt in communities indigenous to Hackney. “Stigma plays an important role in discouraging people coming forward for testing…We need to promote and normalize testing, ” said Dr Iain Reeves, a consultant Physician in sexual health and HIV for Homerton hospital.

The conference heard that next year local authorities will take on the responsibility for sexual health services. This has caused concern, mainly because local authorities are already facing budget cuts.

Whilst local governments will have a fixed budget for public health in general,  how much of that is allocated to sexual health will be up to them. The reforms are being criticized because of fears they could result in ‘health inequality’ as some health services will be given priority over others.

According to the Terence Higgins Trust, sexual health services currently cost about £700,000 a year, which works out at about a third of local authorities’ overall public health budget. Many sexual health charities and organisations think sexual health services and budgets should be a central part of the government’s public health proposals. This argument was set out in a 2010 public health white paper.

The conference convened by the Local Government Association aimed to explore how health professionals, service providers and charities could work together to provide effective sexual health services for the future. Local authority representatives were also invited to attend, to be able to make informed decisions about sexual health services in light of their new responsibility.

One of the main areas of focus is HIV. The responsibility for HIV will be split; health care and treatment will be commissioned by the national NHS Commissioning Board; and testing, STI services and prevention services will  be funded and commissioned by local authorities.

Health professionals in Hackney tell East London Lines about some of the key issues affecting local sexual health services.

Councillor Jonathan McShane, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, London Borough of Hackney

Are you happy about the changes to the delivery of health services?

Should under 16s be able to get the contraceptive pill over-the-counter?

Dr Iain Reeves, a consultant Physician in sexual health and HIV for Homerton hospital

How important are HIV services in Hackney?

Dr Jose Figueroa, Public Health Consultant NHS City and Hackney

How can we overcome stigma surrounding sexual health?

The SHO-me website: Sexual Health Online for North East London

Hackney has one of the highest diagnoses rates of HIV in the country.

It is also currently taking part in a government practice boundary pilot, where patients can access treatment at practices which are not necessarily local to them. There have been some concerns that the additional influx of patients registering for treatment in Hackney will result in a reduction of services to current local patients.

GPs urged to boycott government health pilot

My HIV: Changes to Health Services website

Full list of City and Hackney NHS sexual health services

Missing Sydenham Woman, Dion Hall; Photo: Met Police

The Metropolitan Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of Dion Hall, 45, from Sydenham who has not been seen for nearly 24 hours.

Hall is described as a black woman of large build and was wearing navy trousers, a striped scarf, a long black coat and black trainers.

She was last seen at her home in Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham, at 4 pm on Sunday afternoon. Her carers said that she may have been heading towards the Bromley Area.

The police say they are particularly concerned to locate Hall as she requires regular medication  for health issues. She is known to visit railway stations, airports and hospitals.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen Dion Hall to call the police on 101.

New Cross hairdresser Rosanna Petrozzi paying tribute to Vidal Sassoon. Photo: Stephanie Davies

Young hair fashion stylists in Lewisham have been paying their respects and recognising
the debt they owe to Vidal Sassoon, whose death this week received global media coverage.

He revolutionized the culture of how women wore their hair from the 1960s and the London academy named after him gives new generations of hair-dressers the skills and imagination to make what they do more of a profession and art as much as a trade.

Rosanna Petrozzi says he was an inspiration to her because of the artistic nature of his work and legacy.

Valda Pakalniene and Emilija Jakaite of the New Cross Beauty Salon describe him as a legend. They are both graduates of the London Vidal Sassoon Academy.

Born in London, Mr Sassoon began his hairdressing career in the city with his first barber shop apprenticeship in London’s East End. His £300m empire began with his debut salon in the capital’s fashionable Bond Street.

Fellow British celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke paid tribute to Vidal Sassoon on BBC’s Newsnight calling him “the most iconic hairdresser”.

Vidal Sassoon Academy certificates

Sassoon will be greatly missed by many who he inspired into the vocation. Hairdresser, Rosanna Petrozzi from New Cross, says she thinks the loss of Sassson is “awful” because he was an inspiration to her particularly as an artistic hairdresser.

Young hairdressers – Valda Pakalniene and Emilija Jakaite from New Cross Beauty Salon tell us about their experiences at the Vidal Sassoon Academy and what the hairdressing legend meant to them. Listen to their reactions to Sassoon’s death below:

Valda Pakalniene and Emilija Jakaite. Photo: Stephanie Davies

Emilja describes Sassoon as a “legend” – who has influenced so many hairdressers through the Vidal Sassoon Academy. Valda talks more about how Sassoon created classic hair cuts that are timeless. Hear more about the Vidal Sassoon Academy here: