Features Archive

Social distancing and serious learning – the challenges facing one Hackney school

Lockdown and social distancing have created new challenges for one of Britain’s most deprived schools. The pandemic has affected student …

by Kaeshelle Rianne Cooke/ June 25, 2020/ Coronavirus, Education, Features, General Features, News, Society/

Freelance, but not on furlough payment – the Croydon musician caught in criteria trap

Over a million people do not qualify for furlough and self-employment payments, including those who have no self-employed income during …

by Felice Southwell/ June 24, 2020/ Arts, Arts Features, Coronavirus, Features/

Lewisham artist’s tapestry tales of lockdown life

Embroidery artist Tina Crawford has made the most out of lockdown, using isolation to engage with new audiences and start …

by Edward John/ June 23, 2020/ Arts, Arts Features, Coronavirus, Features, Society/

Artists donate works to enhance NHS staff spaces

Health service workers at the Royal London Hospital and the Mile End Hospital are to be treated to artworks in …

by Jiaxuan LI/ June 17, 2020/ Arts, Arts Features, Community, Health, Tower Hamlets/

Local grassroots football clubs welcome return to training

With the Premier League back in action behind closed doors next week, local grassroots football clubs have welcomed the go-ahead …

by Will Heather/ June 11, 2020/ Features, General Features, Health, Local News, News, Sports/

East London student sessions make music to lighten the lockdown

Musicians around the globe have continued creating and releasing music online with a view to entertain audiences during the lockdown. …

by Shruti Nanda/ June 11, 2020/ Arts, Arts Features, Events, Features, Lockdown lifestyle, Music/

Parenting during a pandemic

When Lewisham residents James and Amy Howard welcomed their son Wolfie in February, they were quite relaxed about the pandemic. …

by Antonina Mitkova/ June 1, 2020/ Community, Coronavirus, Features, Lewisham, Local News, Lockdown lifestyle, News, People, Society/

Hackney Farmers’ Market: fresh, ethical produce and a safe, outdoor shopping experience

With the world steadily creeping back to life post Covid-19, everyday tasks like food shopping can be the difference between …

by Olivia Edwardes/ June 1, 2020/ Community, Coronavirus, General Features, Hackney/

Religious groups’ outreach work during Covid-19 Lockdown

by Valentina Romagnoli/ June 1, 2020/ Community, Coronavirus, Lockdown lifestyle, People, Tower Hamlets/

We need to talk: About life after lockdown

Over the past four weeks, EastLondonLines has examined different aspects of mental health under lockdown that might be causing people …

by Joshua Lamb/ May 30, 2020/ Coronavirus, Croydon, Features, General Features, Health, Lockdown lifestyle/

We need to talk: About families in lockdown

Ambika Shekhawat has been working as a therapist for the past six years at practices in both Shoreditch and Canary …

by Joshua Lamb/ May 20, 2020/ Coronavirus, Features, General Features, Lockdown lifestyle/

Brick Lane’s Beigel Bake reveals recipe for iconic bagels for stay-at-home bakers

Some bagels travel many miles from the bakeries of Israel to our plates but there’s one great bagel that is …

by Ana Kozlova/ May 20, 2020/ Coronavirus, Features, Lockdown lifestyle, Tower Hamlets/

Stepney City farm shares gardening tips

Gardening at home is trending as lockdown heads into its 51 day, with compost selling out and online tutorials gaining …

by Mieke Faeste/ May 13, 2020/ Community, Health, People, Tower Hamlets, Uncategorized/

The pubs still open for business for Croydon residents

Pubs across Croydon have begun doing food takeaway, beer & wine deliveries, online pub quizzes, movie screenings, and music events. …

by Ana Kozlova/ May 12, 2020/ Croydon, Features, What's On This Week/

We Need To Talk: About our children in lockdown

Tanya Campbell-Rochester, 45, has been practicing as a therapist in Lewisham for the past six years, specialising in counselling for …

by Joshua Lamb/ May 11, 2020/ Features, Health, Lewisham, Lockdown lifestyle, People/

“I can really sit with my emotions” When isolating alone helps mental health

The UK has been in lockdown for almost seven weeks. Many are with family, a partner or friends, but what …

by Rebecca Huber/ May 9, 2020/ Coronavirus, Features, Lockdown lifestyle, Tower Hamlets/

Good deeds in Hackney, Lewisham, Croydon and Tower Hamlets during lockdown

The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown has seen many volunteers and charities step up to help the most vulnerable members …

by Eastlondonlines/ May 8, 2020/ Community, Coronavirus, Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, People, Tower Hamlets/

We Need to Talk: Taking care of our relationships during Covid-19

As the lockdown enters its seventh week, challenges are emerging for couples, and putting a spotlight on relationship issues. Three …

by Mieke Faeste/ May 7, 2020/ Coronavirus, Croydon, General Features, Lockdown lifestyle, People, Tower Hamlets/

We Need To Talk: About Anxiety and Social Isolation

The maintenance of mental health is an important aspect of life that many people around the world deal with on …

by Joshua Lamb/ May 3, 2020/ Coronavirus, Features, General Features, Hackney, Health, Lockdown lifestyle/

Ramadan under lockdown: three Muslims tell their stories

Mosques are shut and Muslims across Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, and Tower Hamlets started observing their holy month of Ramadan last …

by Valentina Romagnoli/ May 2, 2020/ Coronavirus, Croydon, Features, Lockdown lifestyle/

‘How can someone this nice be this lonely?’ The people for whom lockdown is just another week

Half a million older people go at least five days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone at all. …

by Evie Breese/ April 23, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

The sudden death of the London living room

Rent in the ELL boroughs are so high that more and more people use the living room as an extra …

by Eleonora Girotto/ April 23, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

The Lockdown Diaries, Day 4: ‘Is this all a dream? Nope, just a hangover’

In an unprecedented situation, the entire population of the UK has found itself in isolation, socially distancing and in lockdown …

by Evie Breese/ April 23, 2020/ Features/

The Lockdown Diaries, Day 3: ‘We’re close enough that I could walk over and touch him’

In an unprecedented situation, the entire population of the UK has found itself in isolation, socially distancing and in lockdown …

by Evie Breese/ April 22, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

Lost in translation: my experience of loneliness as an Italian in London

When I arrived in London, the language barrier felt like an insurmountable wall separating me from everyone else. Nothing could …

by Eleonora Girotto/ April 22, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

Is London Lonely: Is our city really that harsh?

London consistently tops the lists for the loneliest city in the world. Every single survey we looked at told us …

by Clara Hill/ April 22, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

Comment: The internet doesn’t break social ties, it can make them stronger

It is often claimed that young people are losing the ability to connect with others – but a new generation …

by Clara Hill/ April 22, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

The Lockdown Diaries, Day 2: ‘One of my neighbours gave me a surgical mask’

In an unprecedented situation, the entire population of the UK has found itself in isolation, socially distancing and in lockdown …

by Evie Breese/ April 21, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

One man’s journey out of loneliness: ‘All I needed was one genuine connection’

After coming out as gay, the actor and writer Denholm Spurr found himself homeless and increasingly isolated. He recalls the …

by Eastlondonlines/ April 21, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

Train drain: ‘I am around thousands of people … but I feel like I’m always alone’

Long commutes are a time to read a book, plug in to some tunes, and have some me time. But …

by Georgina Gambetta/ April 21, 2020/ Data, Features, Lead Stories, Tower Hamlets, Transport/

The Lockdown diaries, Day 1: ‘I’m a loose pea in an empty freezer drawer’

In an unprecedented situation, the entire population of the UK has found itself in isolation, socially distancing and in lockdown …

by Evie Breese/ April 20, 2020/ Features, Lead Stories/

The solution to loneliness in London? Rent controls and social housing

As Hackney and Tower Hamlets’ house prices soar, saying goodbye to family and friends is becoming the norm. In day …

by Georgina Gambetta/ April 20, 2020/ Data, Features, Hackney, Housing, Tower Hamlets/

How can you be lonely in a city of eight million people?

To kick off our series Is London Lonely? we interrogate the data: who struggles to make social connections, what causes …

by Georgina Gambetta/ April 20, 2020/ Data, Features, Lead Stories/

The debt adviser’s guide to managing your money

On the final day of #ThePerfectStorm, we ask the experts for their advice: in the face of the perfect storm, …

by Lois Borny/ April 18, 2020/ General Features, Lead Stories/

When one job isn’t enough, it’s time for a side hustle

On the final day of #ThePerfectStorm, our series on debt, we spoke to four Londoners who have turned their passions …

by Lois Borny/ April 18, 2020/ General Features, Lead Stories, People/

‘Working to pay off my debt landed me in hospital’

Getting out of debt can push people to breaking point. On day 3 of #ThePerfectStorm, one local ex-debtor recalls how …

by Lois Borny/ April 18, 2020/ General Features, Lead Stories, People/

In debt? Could you be suffering from ‘financial PTSD’?

On day two of #ThePerfectStorm, we spoke to financial wellbeing coach Catherine Morgan, about “emotional spending” – and how, for …

by Daisy Lester/ April 17, 2020/ Features, Health, Lead Stories, People/

Coronavirus diaries: the cost of a crisis

On day two of #ThePerfectStorm, three people who have taken a financial hit from the Coronavirus pandemic share their stories. …

by Eastlondonlines/ April 17, 2020/ Features, General Features, Lead Stories/

How the Klarna generation is ‘walking blindfolded’ into debt

On day two of #ThePerfectStorm, we investigate the impact of buy-now pay-later schemes – is our shopping causing our credit …

by Eleanor Magill/ April 17, 2020/ General Features, Lead Stories/

The Covid crash: the devastating financial impact of Coronavirus

This pandemic is leaving hundreds of thousands of people in debt. On day one of our new series #ThePerfectStorm, ELL …

by Eleanor Magill/ April 16, 2020/ Features/