Muhammed Butt: We must start at open market rates for Brent property leases in order to provide services residents need. Policy hits East Lane Theatre Club

 

In an article on the new Brent Property Strategy on September 2nd LINK I predicted that some community and voluntary groups would not be able to afford the new rent and leases that Brent Council were going to charge as these will be based on open market rates.

Now the East Lane Theatre Club in North Wembley has felt the icy blast of thet policy. The increase demanded by Brent Council is such that the theatre may have to close. The lease would be £75,000 per annum rather tthan the £1,500 currenly paid.

Previous property strategy has taken into account the social value of community and volunary groups but that seems to have gone out the window. A precursor of the current market led policy was seen at Stonebridge Adventure playground and Bridge Park, and more recently in plans for the commercialisation of Barham Park buildings.

Respected local resident Zerine Tata wrote to Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt about the threat to East Lane Theatre Club.

This is the correspondence:

Dear Muhammed,

 

Re: East Lane Theatre

 

I was not aware that the Council was the landlord and you are increasing their rent to a ridiculous level.

 

This little theatre has been there for decades and one of the few icons  left in Wembley.

 

The Council should be subsidising this theatre, not charging them rent!

 

This theatre gives so much pleasure to local residents, it's like bringing the West End to us.

 

Many residents cannot afford West End prices and have been going to this theatre for many years.

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Zerine

 Muhammed Butt's response:

 

Dear Zerine

 

Thank you for your email. I have attached the email I sent to you earlier as reference.

 

As you will see that the council has been subsidising the theatre for 32 years now, and your assumption below that we have not is incorrect.

 

We charge rent to residents who have council properties, the council officers have been tasked to look at every property we have to see what we can realise and from that work we think that we can obtain a much better rent for the property if it was let out, the officers have been in touch with the theatre about the way forward,

 

The council get many requests from many organisations that they require a space, we are not able to work with them to provide a space for them. There are organisations past and present that would love to have a building for £1500 pa for the past 32 years, sadly we cannot continue to rent out that level in todays financial and economic climate.

 

The theatre has been in the fortunate position to have been able to benefit from being able to have use for the last 32 years at the subsidised rate of £1500 pa.

 

We cannot say its ok for one organisation to continue to have sole use for perpetuity, the council does not have unlimited spaces that we can provide to every organisation in Brent, we would also look to see who else can utilise that space and what value they bring and add to the priorities set out in the councils borough plan.

 

Any decision we make, we will always get some people who will be happy and some who will be upset with us.

 

We have just launched the council's new property strategy which I have attached for yourself, which details the way forward as to how we will be managing the councils assets , namely the properties we have and those that are leased to organisations or individuals.

 

I wish I had properties to give to everyone who comes to myself, sadly that is not the case.

 

I know from officers that there was a meeting arranged with the theatre. I have been saying that the dialogue needs to continue with the officers, I have been open wth everyone that we are reviewing every lease we have in place and that process will continue with everyone.

 

As I said in my email to you earlier, the theatre needs to work with the officer, sometimes we cannot agree, that is life, and we will sadly then have to agree to disagree, and we will then need to go our separate ways.

 

 

Regards

Muhammed

Cllr Muhammed Butt
Leader of Brent Council. 

 

Earlier email

 

Dear Zerine

 

Thank you for the email and for raising the concerns about ELTC, 

 

I would love to be able to provide spaces to every organisation in Brent with a space they can call their own, but sadly that is not the case as the demand for spaces and for people asking us to provide those spaces at reduced prices or peppercorn rent, it’s just not feasible for us to accommodate all these types of requests and it's not financially sustainable for the council to continue in this manner.

 

The council officers are reviewing all properties that the council has and are looking at the terms of all those leases and what value and returns there are not just for Brent but for the wider community in Brent.  

 

The last 14 years have been the most challenging for local government with councils like Brent being stripped bare of the finances that we need to be able to provide even the most basic of services to our residents. 

 

We have lost over £200m in funding that has impacted severely on how and what services we can provide.  

 

ELTC has been in the fortunate position of being able to have had a space since 1992 for the sum of £1500 pa and Brent is proud to have supported the club in that time and I can assure you that there many organisations past and present that would love to have been in that position of having had that space. 

 

As you may know the lease was for 30 years, and this makes it 32 years to date. The council has been quite accommodating for that period, but today the council is in a very different situation to when the lease started, and we are reviewing all policies across the council.

 

The ending of a lease is no different to any other lease and as a responsible landlord we would need to look at what other options may be open to us, I appreciate that you may say that we need to look at helping community organisations, but this lease has been there now for over 30 years, I think we have demonstrated that we have helped this organisation over the 30 plus years they have had use of the space.

 

We have to be honest with ourselves and with organisations that want to utilise the assets that we have, we must make sure that we are trying to achieve the best that we can from everything that we have, the officers have been tasked with looking at all the councils assets and to look at how we can maximise the opportunities and that means that we must look at rental income from all the spaces that we have, this is a duty that is on local government.

 

I am being honest with yourself, we must start at open market rents, so that the rents contribute to the council's borough priorities so that we can provide the services that so many residents need and depend upon.

 

We are being forced to look at redundancies, closing and reducing services, increasing fees and charges, if we are doing this to residents , then I have to be honest with you, the club, and others, we must look at the assets and whether we are attaining the best value and outcomes for the council and the residents that we serve and also look at whether the charges / rents are realistic or attain the outcomes in relation to finance and measurable outcomes that deliver for Brent.  

 

We have just launched a new housing campaign as we have a projected £16m overspend and we are now saying openly to residents that we must move them to Slough, High Wycombe, Birmingham and even further as we cannot find a place in Brent and we now know that many people will not be able to afford a property in Brent or even London. 

 

 https://www.brent.gov.uk/news-in-brent/2024/august/find-a-place-you-can-afford, 

 

I cannot with my hand on my heart say to residents to move out of London unless I can say to myself that I have done everything possible before asking them to move out of Brent. 

 

The rental income could help us to continue to provide the services people need, keep people employed or help towards us being able to secure homes that our residents need. 

 

Virtually every day and even today , I have had residents begging me to help them to find a safe, secure, space for them and their families as they have been made homeless and have been evicted by their landlords. 

 

I have to make some really difficult choices and decisions and whatever decisions I make there will be someone who will disagree with myself.

 

The rent that was being paid of £1500 pa for the last 32 years would have come to about £48000 over that 32-year period , the officers have looked to see what rent can be realised if we went to the open market, and that is the reason for the new rent levels of £75000 pa. 

 

Accepting the rent of £1500 pa is something that we just cannot continue with that low level of rent, the financial loss to the council is too great, and it would be remiss of ourselves if we did not review the situation.

 

I appreciate that this new proposed rent level may seem high, but we also have a duty to make sure that we are realising the best value for the council as well. 

 

I know that people would want me to look at what they are delivering how it has helped them, but that would need to be measured against the council's borough plan priorities and how we can safeguard and support the most vulnerable and needy in our society and community.

 

I have copied in the two senior officers Tanveer and Denish who manage the councils' assets, they have been tasked to review the assets we have and to look at every lease with every organisation that has a lease with us, they are all going through the same process of rent revaluation.

 

I urge ELTC to keep on working with the officers and we can look to see what we can do to help assist. 

 

Thank you for your email and for making the case to support ELTC. 

 

 

Regards

Muhammed

Cllr Muhammed Butt
Leader of Brent Council. 

 

Some forthcoming British Empire Exhibition talks you may wish to enjoy

 Guest post by local historian Philip Grant

 

Some images from Burma at the British Empire Exhibition

 

If you have found my recent articles about the Pageant of Empire in 1924 of interest, you might like to discover more about the British Empire Exhibition from one (or more) of the three illustrated talks I will be giving over the next few weeks, as part of its centenary.

 

The first, “The Jewel of Wembley – Burma at the BEE”, is on Friday 20 September, from 7.30 to 9pm, in St Andrew’s Church Hall, Kingsbury. This is at regular monthly meeting of Wembley History Society, but visitors are welcome [we just invite a contribution of £3 (£1 for students) towards the cost of the hall]. All the details you should need are here:

 

 

One of the aspects of the Exhibition’s history that I am most keen on is the perspective of people who came here from the countries of the Empire, rather than just the “official” British view. The album on which much of my talk is based contains dozens of newspaper cuttings and photographs. One of the most intriguing of which is an article by a female journalist of her interview with Ma Bala Hkin, the leading actress and dancer of the Burmese theatre troupe at the Exhibition.

 

One of the headlines from the “Evening News” article.

 

If you want to know what Ma Bala thought of the English women she saw in Wembley in 1924, you should come along to my talk!

 

The second of my talks, “A Harlesden Photographer at the B.E.E. – the West Indies at Wembley in 1924”, is a free coffee morning event at Harlesden Library, on Tuesday 8 October from 11am to 12noon. 

 

 

Back in the 1990s, Wembley History Society received a donation of photographs, together with some glass plate negatives, showing images of the Exhibition in 1924, especially from inside the West Indies Pavilion. They were the work of a little-known local photographer, whose stamp was on the back of some of the prints:

 

Harlesden Library seemed the ideal place to present this talk, and you can find more details and reserve your free place on the Brent Libraries, Arts and Heritage Eventbrite website. This talk is part of the Becoming Brent project, re-examining the British Empire Exhibition and its legacy.

  

The final talk I will be giving in the Exhibition’s centenary year is “When Wembley Welcomed the World”. This is being hosted by Preston Community Library on the afternoon of Sunday 27 October (exact time and further details will follow). It will be a free event, but with donations to the work of the community library invited from those who attend.

 

 

This illustrated talk is an introduction to the various nations which took part in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Park in 1924, and their people who came here for the event, but then moves on to show how Wembley has continued to welcome people from across the world ever since the 1920s.

 

I hope that “Wembley Matters” readers will find something of interest in these presentations, and I look forward to welcoming you to any of these events.

 

Philip Grant.

Brent Council Developments Update: Pre-planning consultation for new Bridge Park Centre by end of year. 1 Morland Gardens still under review.

The Bridge Park Unisys Site

 

The development site

From 2013 Indicative Plan Above and Council note below

Appendix 2 Indicative Development Proposals

Note that this scheme is only an illustration showing how 512 residential units could be accommodated on site and any planning application may arrange these units in a different way. Alternatively if this number of units are not secured then the land value will reduce accordingly as set out in the main report. The sports hall is illustrated by the block to the right of the illustration. It is very likely that the residential development next to the sports centre would need to be re-located to allow for parking for the sports centre to be accommodated. TheUnisys buildings are the two curved buildings to the top of the illustrations.

 After the community's fight for Bridge Park ownership, eventually won by Brent Council, and various concerns over the company with overall control of the Unisys part of the site, Great Mediterranean, registered in Luxembourg, I lodged a question with Brent Council for next week's Full Council.

The Unisys site is currently in the hands of Stonebrudge Real Estate Developers Ltd LINK a subsidiary of General Mediterranean Holdings. The valuation of their property reduced its value from £36m on January 1st 2022 to £29.5m on December 31st 2022. There are two  unremunerated directors and no staff.

 

Question from Martin Francis to Councillor Tatler (Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Growth)

 

In relation to progress on the delivery of various regeneration schemes across the borough, please could the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Growth:

 

(1) Provide an update on the plans for the Bridge Park, Technology House, car breakers and Unisys site in Stonebridge noting that the Unisys building has been unused for 26 years. See 2013 Decision: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=9146

 

(2) In respect of (1) above:

 

(a) Confirm whether Brent Council remains in a relationship with General Mediterranean Holdings as a partner, joint developer or otherwise in this development.

(b) Provide a timeline for the development of a new sports centre, housing and hotel on the site including planning permission and completion.

(3) Also provide an update on the plans and timeline for the development, including housing and adult college, at Altamira, 1 Morland Gardens, Stonebridge, NW10

 

Response:

 

(1)& (2) Bridge Park Update

 

Brent Council and General Mediterranean Holdings (GMH) exchanged the Bridge Park Conditional Land Sale Agreement (CLSA) in June 2017. Therefore, the Council is in a contractual relationship with GMH as its developer partner for the Bridge Park site.

 

Completion of the CLSA is subject to the following 4 conditions:

 

1. Vacant Possession

2. Trust Claim Condition

3. Financial Viability

4. Planning

 

Brent Council completed the Vacant Possession and Trust Claim conditions and is progressing delivery against the two outstanding conditions (Financial Viability and Planning) to enable CLSA completion.

 

A target milestone plan has been outlined below for the New Bridge Park Centre, and this is based on current information so may be subject to change based on progress against each milestone:

 

 Complete RIBA 2 - Concept Design Fix: Autumn 2024

 Complete Pre-Planning Resident Consultation: Winter 2025

 Complete RIBA 3 Spatial Co-ordination Design Fix: Spring 2025

 Submit Planning Application: Summer 2025

 Contractor Procurement: Autumn 2025

 Complete RIBA 4 – Technical Design Fix: Spring 2026

 Complete RIBA 5 – Commence on-site Construction: Summer 2026 –

Summer 2028 (assuming 24-month construction programme)

 

The immediate priority is to progress scheme plans for a pre-planning resident consultation towards the end of 2024, which will include the latest New Bridge Park Centre Bridge (sic) proposals and target dates for planning submission, planning determination and on-site delivery.

 

 1 Morland Gardens (Altamira Italianate Villa)

(3) Morland Gardens Update

 

The Council is reviewing its options and proposals for the Morland Gardens site. Once the Council has completed its review, officers intend on providing an update to the public later this year.

In parallel with this review, the Council is continuing to monitor the condition of the Altamira building so it remains structurally safe.

 

Coffee Morning: A Pearl of Socialism with author Graham Durham - October 9th 11am

 

EVENTBRITE LINK

Carla Denyer Green MP on the Renters' Rights Bill

 From Carla Denyer via Twitter

Really pleased to see a new, beefed-up Renters' Rights Bill proposed by this government. The immediate ban on Section 21 'no fault' evictions is very welcome and will help protect over 10 million renters from risk of eviction. Longer notice periods, banning bidding wars, Awaab's law to address dangerous hazards such as damp and mould, a landlord register, abolishing blanket bans on those with children or on benefits, and a default right for tenants to have pets - all urgent and really positive.

 

But on affordability I would have liked to see a lot more. This is an opportunity missed. We must not miss this opportunity. There are some measures to stop rents being hiked very high mid-contract, but nothing to control overall affordability, e.g. by allowing councils to introduce rent controls in overheated housing markets as The Green Party long campaigned for. And a lot of reliance on individual tenants challenging increases, which inevitably means the most vulnerable, lacking the spare time or capacity, will face the most unreasonable rent increases.

 

Greens are also keen to ensure energy efficiency is properly and thoroughly addressed by this bill. A decent, warm home is a right. It is welcome that the Government is going to introduce a Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector but the devil will be in the detail, including how much funding is attached and how it is enforced.

 

This hugely important and urgent bill looks good as a starting point – but there is a serious gap on tackling sky-high rents and more clarity on making homes energy efficient and cheaper to heat would be hugely welcome. Where there are gaps, Green MPs really want to work with Ministers to close them. We had five years of failed promises from the last Tory Govt during which time households were threatened with homelessness over 80,000 times – this time we need swift and ambitious action for renters who are being ripped off, living in cold homes or being made homeless.

 

We Wear Heritage London Fashion Show event - September 16th 2pm-4pm . The beauty and history in the fabrics of Brent's diverse communities

 

 

We Wear Heritage London Fashion Show event - September 16th 2pm-4pm

Time: arrivals from 1pm, show starts at 2pm and finishes at 4pm Location: St Mary’s Church in Marylebone

• Where is St Mary's Church London located? St. Mary's Church is located in Wyndham Place, York Street London, W1H 1PQ, in the United Kingdom.

How to get to St Mary's Church London? 

• By Tube (Subway/Metro): The nearest Underground stations to St. Mary's Church include:
  • Marble Arch: Take the Central Line and walk south along Edgware Road to reach the church.
  • Edgware Road: Served by the Bakerloo, District, and Circle Lines. The church is a short walk from this station.
• By Bus: Several bus routes run through the nearby areas of Edgware Road and Marble Arch, which are close to St. Mary's Church. You can use bus services to reach the vicinity and then walk to the church.

Be part of this vibrant celebration and discover the beauty and history woven into the fabrics of Brent’s diverse communities. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness our community’s heritage come alive on the catwalk!

We Wear Heritage is a project designed to showcase how Brent’ diverse communities celebrate traditional clothing, textiles and fabrics.

 

REGISTER FOR EVENT

Agenda

13:00 – 14:00

Doors open to the public

14:00 – 15:00

We Wear Heritage Fashion Show Starts

15:00 – 16:00

Indigenous Fashion Show from the Amazon, Brazil Starts

16:00 – 17:00

Networking & Photo Opportunity with Communities and Indigenous Designers

17:00 – 17:01

This project is organised by CVS Brent and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support Brent organisations to develop and deliver heritage projects locally capturing and preserving stories about traditional textiles, clothing or costume of Brent’s diverse communities and sharing that with the wider community.

Join us for an unforgettable afternoon celebrating Brent’s rich cultural tapestry through fashion. “We Wear Heritage” brings together 12 diverse community groups from Brent to showcase traditional textiles, clothing, and costumes that tell the unique stories of their heritage.

Each outfit presented on the catwalk is a piece of history, offering a glimpse into the traditional attire of Afghani, African, Brazilian, Chinese, Caribbean, Goan Indian, Iraqi, Mauritian, Romanian, Somali, and Tamil communities. These garments carry each community’s stories, traditions, and cultural significance, many of which are not widely known. It will be an afternoon to remember!

The fashion show is organised by Rafael dos Santos, cultural events producer and director and CEO of Best of Brazil Community, a CIC that produces and promotes Brazilian cultural events. Visit www.bestofbrazil.org for more information.

Indigenous Brazilian Fashion Show

From 3 pm to 4 pm, be prepared to be amazed by the most fashion show you’ve ever seen!

Clothes are designed by Indigenous fashion designers from the Brazilian Amazon Forest. A cooperative that brings together seven indigenous communities led by fashion designer Seanny Arts and directed by her daughter Reby Oliveira.

You will be mesmerised by the creativity, design, fabrics, hand-painted dresses, and much more!

Mi Moda Indigena is the brand of this collective of Indigenous women who are showing the world the culture, heritage, creativity, and strength of the Indigenous people from the Amazon Forest in Brazil.

Their show starts at 3pm, after the We Wear Heritage Show.

COMMUNITIES TAKING PART IN THE WE WEAR HERITAGE PROJECT:

Community: African

Project: A Tapestry of Culture: Unravelling The Threads of African Fabric

The aim of the project is to preserve the heritage of African Fabric, by engaging young people and the wider community by involving a more diverse range of people in the process and outcome. Kojo Baiden will organise collaborative workshops with other. organisations particularly those from underrepresented communities. Our heritage project aims to explore the vibrant history, artistry, and cultural significance of African fabric. Through meticulous research, engaging exhibitions, and community involvement, we intend to celebrate and preserve this integral part of the African diaspora.

Community: Afghani

Project: Afghani Regional Clothing, Textiles and Fabrics

Afghanistan’s traditional clothing is distinguished by its unique designs and colours. Womenswear is often adorned with handmade embroidery on the body and sleeves. The combination of vibrant colours, made famous during the 1960s, highlights the creative expression and know-how of garment makers. The project will gather first-hand accounts from seamstresses and tailors of traditional Afghan garments.

Community: Brazil

Project: Evolution of Brazilian Indigenous Outfits

Organisation: Best of Brazil Community CIC

Events Producer and university lecturer Rafael dos Santos, in collaboration with Indigenous fashion designer Seanny Arts, created a collection of seven outfits showing the evolution of fashion from 1500 to 2000.

The fabrics used to make the outfits are natural materials found in the Amazon. They include bark trees, palm leaves, paint from jenipapo fruit, and fish scales. The Mundurucu tribe wears these outfits. They will impress the audience and show the creativity, history, and rich culture of this Brazilian Indigenous community.

Community: Chinese diaspora

Project: Chinese Take Away Message

Brent Chinese Association uncovers the origins, designs and symbolism of the traditional clothing worn by the diasporic Chinese communities. Examples include the Chenongsam and Hanfu for women and the Tang suit for men. Across the Chinese diaspora, these costumes have been worn through the generations, adapting and evolving, to mark special occasions, such as festivals, births, wedding ceremonies, funerals.

Community: Caribbean ok

Project: Made in Brent

Higher Potential presents clothing from the 1970s/80s era when the music genres of rap, hip-hop, reggae, and soul-funk influenced a generation. Caribbean young people’s clothing style was dependent on the music. They wore tributes, Beaver Hats, tailored suits, and tonic suits, creating trends that contributed to wider youth culture.

Community: Dominica

Project: WOB Dwiyet – Traditional Dominica Dress

Caribbean creole style is rooted in a blend of English, French and African traditions. Created by women of colour during the 18th century it is an eye-catching, cultural expression of Caribbean resilience. Madras fabric plays a significant role in the development of heritage wear, teamed with broderie anglaise and ribbons it reflects the colonial history and the creativity of the Caribbean people. This collection will present the Wob Dwiyet, an elegant gown created and still worn today as a symbol of stature, popular in the French creole speaking islands and the Jip outfit, a less formal alternative for the wearer.

Community: Goan Indian

Project: Goan Traditional Clothing

Community Stars UK CIC shares Goan traditional clothing, which is a rich tapestry of cultural influences resulting from its unique position on the western coast of India. The traditional attire blends indigenous traditions and Portuguese colonial influence. The project connects the costumes worn with specific cultural events of significance within the Goan community. Moreover, some Goan costumes relate to specific performances involving music and dance.

Community: Iraqi

Project: Arabic & Iraqi Folklore Clothing

Iraqi Welfare Association promotes folklore clothing and costumes to represent the area’s ancient cultures and beliefs but also to facilitate a bridge of communication between different communities around the world. They plan to organise heritage festivals to bring diverse communities together.

Community: Iranian

Project: Iranian Traditional Regional Garb

Regional climates shape traditional Iranian women’s attire. This project explores outfits from the different regions of Iran. For example, in Northern Iran, lush green lands with colours and patterns are reflected in the region’s clothing. In the coastal areas, traditional clothing reflects the colours and patterns of water and marine life. In contrast, people living in areas with hotter climates wear lighter, more breathable garments as influenced by the weather conditions. We will celebrate the Festival of Mehregan, which will celebrate the beginning of the autumn harvest in September/October. Storytelling will feature where women share their stories from the regions and craftsmanship.

Community: Romanian

Project: Threads of Tradition: Exploring Romanian Heritage Clothing

My Romania Community presents traditional clothing from different parts of Romania. This project examines Romanian garments’ unique characteristics and cultural significance, highlighting craftsmanship and symbolism. There’s also a royal connection between the UK and Romania through Queen Marie of Romania. They aim to foster intergenerational learning, a sense of representation and belonging, and the importance of cultural exchange.

Community: Somali

Project: Hido iyo Dhaqan Traditional Somali Clothing

Reviving Links CIC is preserving Somali traditional textiles and clothing. This project focuses on intergenerational learning with Brent schoolchildren interviewing elders about the garments, that is, the meaning of the intricate designs, cultural significance and historical narratives. They plan to show how these traditional garments have been shaped by various influences over the centuries and how these garments can enable us to tell stories facilitating cross-cultural exchanges.

Community: Tamil

Project: Tamil Heritage Records

Tamil Association of Brent is creating records of traditional clothing using photography and video. Oral histories are being collected from Tamil elders and dubbed and subtitled in English. The transcriptions will be used to produce an electronic book incorporating the photographs people share. The project will also film a Tamil wedding providing commentary on the rituals and how they have changed over the years. These records will act as a reference for future generations.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the show start?

The first fashion show starts at 2 p.m. We advise attendees to arrive from 1 p.m. onwards to secure a good spot!

Can I secure a place on the front row?

No. Front-row seats are reserved, and names will be added to a separate VIP guest list. If the guest does not attend the show, we might have front-row seats available on the day.

Is there parking?

No. You must search for private parking near St Mary’s Church in Marylebone. We highly recommend you use public transport. Marylebone tube and train stations are less than 10 min walk from the venue.

What time does it finish?

Shows finish at 4pm.

Are there two shows on the same day?

Yes. From 2-3 pm is the cultural fashion show WE WEAR HERITAGE. From 3-4 pm is Mi Moda Indigena, a group of Brazilian indigenous designers from the Amazon, showcasing their collection.

Can we buy clothes on this show?

After 4 pm, you can go to the stand of MI Moda Indigena, and you can purchase outfits you’ve seen on the catwalk as well as bio jewellery made from seeds and plants from the Amazon, handmade by Indigenous designers.

Can I take photos and film?

Yes, you can. Between 4-5 pm, there will be an opportunity for photos with all designers and models from all projects, including the Indigenous models.

Can I bring children to the show?

You can bring children, so long you take them away from the room if they start crying. Professional filming will happen, so we would not like children crying in the background during the filming.

Do I need a ticket per person or can I get 1 ticket for my whole family?

For example, if your family has five people, you will need to sign up for five tickets. Each ticket is assigned to one chair, so if one person signs up and turns up with four more people, the four people who didn’t sign up won’t be able to sit down; they will have to stay in the standing area.

REGISTER FOR EVENT 

Reflecting on the Byron Court controversy

 Independent education investigative journalist Warwick Mansell has written about events at Byron Court  on his blog and was recently interviewed by podcasters Two Heads about prospects for changes in Ofsted inspections and academisation under the new Labour Government.

Byron Court Primary School is no more and one of the podcasters described the eradication of its identity over the school holiday as 'Orwellian'. She was particularly concerned about its effect on the children.

It is early days, but I am already hearing reports that under the Harris regime discipline is much stricter and there are concerns about individual support for special needs pupils being withdrawn. 

The relevant part of the podcast begins at 22.00

Contribute to London's nature recovery with your suggestions for our area

 

A static section of the interactive map that you can contribute to

From Brent Parks Forum 

Sent out by the London Federation of Friends of Parks Groups Chair for residents and green/blue space groups to respond to.  

*London Nature Recovery Interactive Map

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has launched an interactive mapping tool for Londoners to tell us where action to improve nature should be prioritised. The GLA will use the map, alongside other inputs, to set out the priorities for London’s nature in the London Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which is due to be published in Summer 2025.

You can access and add your suggestions to the interactive map here: LNRS Interactive Map (arcgis.com)

This interactive map is open to all organisations and individuals across London, so please share this with your friends, colleagues, family and communities living and working in Greater London. The map will be open for input until 23:59 on Wednesday 2nd October.

If you have any questions regarding the interactive map, please email biodiversity@london.gov.uk