THE district's new top cop has said he will bring a winning combination of local knowledge and experience to the job. District Commander Chief Inspector Alan Ray told the Guardian: “I'm as local as you can get. There's no-one with more experience
POLICE have been awarded £100,000 by the government to tackle knife crime during the next year. Last year Essex Police was one of ten forces across the country chosen by the government to join an action programme designed to reduce knife crime
A SELFLESS volunteer committed to love, peace and unity, has been honoured at a special event for Asian women in Redbridge. Abida Iqbal received a Redbridge Asian Women's Achievement award in front of 550 people at the annual Education and
Seeking to pay homage to the East End music scene by “nurturing the new wave of talent and providing a platform for them to perform alongside other bands who have come out of the area”, Sunday’s 1234 Shoreditch Festival, in Shoreditch Park, is
A TEACHER leaving a Walthamstow school to do voluntary work in Africa held a celebration of culture on her last day. Leonie Mengo teaches French at Walthamstow School for Girls in Barrett Road, but will soon be working as a education management
All is not as it seems on Dalston Lane. Yes, the traffic is still as painful, yes, business continues as usual, but next time you are stuck in a jam cursing the train-line works or walking past the queue of cars laughing at the hot-under-the-collar
OVERWHELMED staff at Ilford's King George Hospital say they are being bombared by "incredibly abusive" members of the public demanding swine flu treatment. Despite national warnings for people with suspected cases of the virus to stay away
POISED at the top of a mountain, skis fixed firmly on her feet, Sarah Hannibal takes one last breath before digging her poles into the ground and launching down the slope. The 24-year-old from The Weind, Theydon Bois has been accepted onto
Although Kier workers are not going out on strike, this does not mean problems have abated. Apparently. Today, I visited a Walthamstow street (not my patch technically, but the Walthamstow reporter was otherwise engaged and I am, after all, something
CHIGWELL entrepreneur and star of BBC1's 'The Apprentice' Sir Alan Sugar took his place in the House of Lords this week. Aside from an ermine robe and a new job as a government trade advisor, Sir Alan also takes on a new title - Baron Sugar
FOLLOWING this morning's protest, traders say they are angered by the council's “lack of understanding” over parking issues in South Woodford. After shopkeepers in George Lane joined in a show of solidarity this morning, a spokeswoman for Redbridge
DESIGNS by University of East London (UEL) students were exhibited at an annual show. Textile and design students had their final year projects put on display at the New Designers exhibition, at the Business Design Centre, in Islington. Brandy Wright
IT all became rather messy when a dinosaur was eaten by a rabbit at an art and storytelling event for children. The youngsters let their imagination run away with them during the activity at Epping Hall, St John's Road, when they performed
LEADING figures in Waltham Forest have defended a multi-million pound programme to tackle knife crime, despite a Government report showing knife deaths have increased since it began. The £2m Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) was launched
THE vice-chairman of Leyton Orient FC has been ordered to pay out a total of £17.8million to the founders of travel company Stagecoach. Nicholas Levene, who has worked in the City for nearly 25 years, bought shares on behalf of brother and
A CHARITY shop has had to close temporarily following a fire. A bag of clothes and books left outside the Haven House charity shop, in Chingford Mount Road was ablaze shortly after midnight this morning and the heat caused a window pane to
A family-friendly list of free activities will be taking place in the Lee Valley regional park over the next few weeks. Starting next Tuesday (July 28) with "wild about Wetlands" day in Waltham Abbey Gardens from 10am – 3.30pm. Children are invited
A LEYTON-based charity is to host a six-week youth drama project. Young people from Waltham Forest, Newham and Hackney will get the chance to test their acting ability with the course, run by the African Heritage and Education Centre (AHEC). Open
A GROUP of young people from a troubled Leyton estate are to make three-minute films on issues affecting their daily lives. Residents of the Beaumont estate, aged 15 to 22, are to spend a day learning how to use cameras and create storyboards
ORIENT can rarely have been more highly praised than by new boy Jimmy Smith, who says: It's just like Chelsea! Unfortunately, the 22 year-old is not comparing the two clubs' trophy cabinets, although he does think that the O's have a recipe
A LEYTONSTONE woman won the chance to send a message to the moon on the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing. Lydia Stanley, 48, sent the message, “Today, the moon...tomorrow, the universe!” after beating 300 other entrants in the 'Science: so what
MEMBERS of a popular social club have tested out their mental and physical skills by holding their very own verson of hit TV series the Crystal Maze. The event, run by Redbridge 18 Plus, featured four teams of six battling to complete 12 challenges
THE GUARDIAN is appealing for keen cyclists of any age to saddle up and take part in a Transport for London (TfL) training course. If you are a bit wobbly on your peddles and could do with knowing the dos and don'ts of the road, TfL and Redbridge
AN OVERNIGHT doubling in the price of disabled parking at Wembley Stadium has priced one Chigwell football fan out of the game. Wheelchair-user Marie Witchell, 58, has been unable to use public transport since falling ill with a neurological disease
EMPTY beer cans, old mattresses and discarded clothes are among a catalogue of waste left strewn across a Walthamstow street. Residents of Shaftesbury Road say their street has not been properly swept for months as street cleaners often simply
WEST HAM will honour club legend Sir Trevor Brooking by renaming the Centenary Stand at Upton Park after the former England midfielder. Brooking will take part in a special presentation before the team's friendly with SSC Napoli on August 8
WEST HAM have completed the signing of promising striker Frank Nouble from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee. It is thought that the Hammers beat off competition from Arsenal to land the 17-year-old, who turned down a new contract at Stamford Bridge before
DETERMINED traders have vowed to fight the council all the way as plans to install CCTV to catch out drivers are given the go-ahead. Shopkeepers from George Lane, South Woodford, will start a petition this week in a desperate last-ditch attempt
MUSIC, wine, and cakes helped make a 103rd birthday extra special for one care home resident. Doris Sutton was joined by friends and other residents at Albion Park House, in Albion Road, Loughton, for her celebratory party. Care home manager Elizabeth
THE parents of CJ Hendricks are devastated a teenager has been cleared of his killing and say they want justice for their son. Charles Hendricks Snr and his wife Melanie were at the Old Bailey last Wednesday when a 17-year-old was cleared of
CAMPAIGNERS are to launch a legal challenge against controversial plans to increase the number of flights over east London from London City Airport. Earlier this month some residents were outraged when Newham Council agreed to allow an extra
WHAT do Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Frank Lampard all have in common? The obvious answer is they have all played for England, but if you put on your football thinking cap you will notice they share another striking similarity
A MOBILE Library will have a big surprise for visitors next week when it holds teddy bear picnics for visitors. Organised by Loughton Library and Brambles Children's Centre in Epping, children are invited to bring their teddies along for stories
WOMEN from a tennis club in Chingford have been bidding to become national champions. Members of the WimX Academy at the Connaught Club participated in the final of the Aegon Team Tennis Competition in Roehampton, south-west London, where they
CHIGWELL’s Oliver Fisher had a debut to forget at the British Open. The highly rated 20-year-old missed the cut on day two, and bowed out with a score of 79 and 78. Afterwards he admitted he found it tough. "I struggled, so there's
BOXER Michael Lomax's bid to bring the British welterweight title back to Chingford was dashed when he was defeated by Kell Brook. The pair went head-to-head on the undercard of Amir Khan's unanimous points win over Andreas Kotelnick in Manchester
YOUNG swimmers from the Waltham Forest Gators showed their teeth with winning times for a chance to pit themselves against the country’s best. Eleven members of the squad have qualified for the National Swimming Championships in Sheffield. The youngsters
NOTHING could separate Wanstead and South Woodford, as the Redbridge pair battled to a draw over the weekend. South Woodford, who are in danger of being drawn into a relegation scrap in the Essex Premier League, won the toss and opted to bowl
CHINGFORD Cricket Club are to take on an Australian side in a match which will feature at least two former top-level players, this Sunday. The antipodeans from Sydney CC will be at Chingford’s home, which is off Kimberley Way, from 11.30am.
ENGLAND wicket keeper James Foster will be holding summer cricket coaching sessions at Wanstead Cricket Club in Overton Drive on August 10 and 11. He said: “The main aim is for the kids to come along and enjoy themselves but at the same time
INTERNATIONALLY renowned trombonist Roy Williams was this year's celebrity guest at the National Jazz Archive’s Summer Jazz event. An audience at Loughton Methodist Church, was treated to an hour long interview with Mr Williams conducted by
THERE was heartache for one of the area’s most promising young athletes. Tara Bird, 22, just missed out on a place in the final of the 800m event at the European Athletics Under 23 Championships, in Kaunas, Lithuania. Bird, who runs for Woodford
GIRLS can play football with RIDGEWAY ROVERS. Those in years 10 and 11 are wanted for the club’s under 16 squad. Training is at the Wadham Lodge, in Wadham Road, once a week. The club compete in Division Two of the Home Counties Girls League. Call
INTERWOOD FC U15s are looking for players. Coach David Isaac-George is very keen to recruit a goalkeeper for next season’s campaign in the Eastern Junior Alliance Football League. He said: “We have a good standard of coaching with qualified staff,
A POPULAR South Woodford park has been named as one of the "best green spaces in the country". Elmhurst Gardens, off Gordon Road, has been awarded 'green flag status' by the Keep Britain Tidy group for its "excellent" facilities and topography
POLICE are holding a neighbourhood action panel meeting this evening (July 22) for people to discuss crime issues in Epping. The meeting will be held by Neighbourhood Specialist Officer for Epping Town, Gary Harrington at the Jack Silley Pavilion, Stonards
WORK has begun on a multimillion pound scheme to redevelop Gants Hill town centre. The £7.2 million project will involve extensive improvements to the roundabout and the area around it, including the installation of new seating, lighting, pedestrian
A GANG of knife-wielding youths are terrorising schoolchildren in Woodford Green - with many of their crimes going unreported because of intimidation tactics, it has been claimed. Concerned mum-of-three Pat Ilett, of Thornwood Close in South
FATHER and son publicans have each been fined £165 for playing music too loudly during a party in their pub. John and Tommy Freeman, of Walthamstow, ran the Globe pub, in Halstead, Essex, until earlier this month. The pair appeared at Chelmsford
LOTS of walking is the key to a long and healthy life - according to a Wanstead pensioner who celebrated her 106th birthday this week. Jane Dall, who is thought to be one of the oldest people in London, if not Britain, said the fact that she
A MACHINE to be used during random drug testing will be launched tomorrow. The 'Itemiser' machine will be launched at an event tomorrow which will mark the start of a partnership between the council and police to carry out random checks for
First-half goals from Jason Demetriou and Scott McGleish were not enough to save Orient from defeat in Kent last night. All the details to follow.
