Life-changing opportunities “Winning the competition would mean the world to me. My ultimate goal is to become a successful, and hopefully famous, recording artist, and winning would be the first step.” busker russell akbar Whatever your style The Gigs competition is run by the mayor of London and is open to young Londoners aged 11-25. News Teen busker strikes the right chords would mean the world to me. I especially want to make my father proud as he also used to be a singer. “My ultimate goal is to become a successful, and hopefully famous, recording artist, and winning the competition would be the first step.” Russell has spent the last few months performing in shows and busking across the capital. Given access to an exclusive circuit of busking pitches, he has performed at some of the most scenic locations in London including Green Park during the Prudential Ride event, the Olympic Park during Sport Relief, St Paul’s Cathedral, Somerset House and Westminster. Now, Russell says he will do his best to impress judges and the audience with his music – a mix between acoustic and pop – and hopefully win equipment, recording time at a top Russell Akbar has been given access to an exclusive circuit of busking pitches including Green Park and Somerset House studio and the chance to perform at festivals. However, along with a panel of experts, a public vote will help decide the winner of the Gigs grand final being held at Westfield Stratford City shopping Glimpse of East End life during WWII A POIGNANT exhibition to mark the centenary of World War I was met with rave reviews. The main focus of the exhibition – called Sky High in the Pavilion from Munch to Mile End –was a large-scale paper model of a German Zeppelin airship created by school children working with arts group Emergency Exit Arts. There were opportunities for young people to get creative at workshops exploring war-related themes. The exhibition, at Mile End Art Pavilion, also presented local stories, moving tributes, photographs and sound clippings, as well as archive material and newspaper cuttings. Themes included the Home Front, the impact on women, the docks and more. To view the full programme visit www. towerhamlets.gov.uk/ideastore.co.uk Inside this week’s issue BY JESSICA ODUBAYO A YEAR ago Isle of Dogs teenager Russell Akbar was planning to go to university to study public relations. He also entered a London-wide busking competition and made it to the final 250 acts. Since then, he has postponed his studies to concentrate on his music career and this year he has made it through to the grand final of the competition, taking place this Sunday, September 7. From an initial 4,500 entrants in the Gigs competition, for 11- to 25-year-olds, Russell is in the final 18 acts. “Participating in the competition last year made me realise that music is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” the 19- year-old told East End Life. “Winning the competition It’s a dog’s life at the PDSA Bow vet team that treats more than 250 pets every day see page 11 Who’s who at your council How to contact the mayor and your ward councillors see pages 16 & 17 Places to go, things to do Find out what’s happening in the borough this month see get a life, inside Was it hot.. or not? Find out what our reviewer thought of The Empress see page 7 Win tickets to Edinburgh hit Satire set in an independent Scotland at Theatre Royal see page 6 WWW.TOWERHAMLETS.GOV.UK Enjoy a day at the beach Donkey rides, poetry, music and more at Chrisp Street see page 5 ISSUE 1025 1 – 7 SEPTEMBER 2014 ARTS | REVIEWS | EVENTS | TV Open to al-comers Get under the skin of some of east London’s best buildings on Open House wekend ISSUE 1025 1 – 7 SEPTEMBER 2014 WWW.TOWERHAMLETS.GOV.UK NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY Have your say on community safety A NEW round of community safety events gets underway this month where residents can voice any concerns they have about crime and antisocial The council and police are working together to run a series of 20 community safety surgeries in each of the borough’s new wards. A specially converted police contact van will be used for the initiative. Each surgery will be followed by a walkabout in the area, where the cabinet member for community safety, Cllr Ohid Ahmed, will be joined by borough commander Chief Superintendent Dave Stringer. Police and council officers, Tower Hamlets enforcement officers (THEOs), and youth and drug outreach workers will also join in the initiative. The introduction of surgeries in each ward follows the success of similar walkabouts earlier this year and last year. Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “It is important for residents to feel safe and comfortable in their community, and having a HELTER SKELTERS AND DONKEY RIDES MILE End Play Park was transformed into a thriving seaside resort for the council’s annual A Day by the Sea event last weekend. Almost 5,000 people turned up to join in the fun and try out free outdoor activities, take part in a range of traditional sports and enjoy donkey rides – including Chloe, 13, and friends. Sell your property in 30 days Free valuation: 020 7791 5333 www.city-fox.co.uk *Terms & Conditions Apply 190 Mile End Rd London E1 4LJ BY STEFAN SWIFT behaviour. friendly face to turn to when you have concerns can really help. “These events give residents the opportunity to discuss their local area with senior officers and are an important way of helping us to understand the concerns negatively impacting communities.” Cllr Ahmed added: “We are very excited about adding the surgery element to this year’s walkabouts, and invite all residents to visit us in the new police contact van when it comes to their area. “Policing and anti-social behaviour concerns from the public are of absolute importance to us, and this is a great way of giving residents the platform to speak to us, and the Metropolitan Police, directly.” The community safety teams will listen to all crime and antisocial behaviour issues raised by residents and will discuss the work the council and police are doing to address them as well as additional actions that they can take. The first surgery will be held in Whitechapel on Friday, September 12. 105 LONDONPHONECOMPANY.COM Family announcements.........................................4 Children’s centre party........................................................6 Useful information...............................................................8 History....................................................................12 & 13 Harmony.............................................................14 & 15 centre. And Russell is urging Tower Hamlets residents to give him their support. Hear his music at www.you tube.com/user/akbarfamily and go to http://tinyurl.com/ pjybgmc to vote for him. The Zeppelin which was the centrepiece of the exhibition Councillor contacts......................................16 & 17 Council information........................................18 & 19 Property..................................................................21-25 Recruitment & training......................................26 Sport........................................................................29-32 East End Life is produced by Tower Hamlets Council, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, E14 2BG. Tel: 7364 3179 Fax: 7364 4917 Email: eastendlife.news@towerhamlets.gov.uk Editor Laraine Clay Tel: 7364 3179 Deputy Editor Helen Watson Tel: 7364 3173 Reporter Jessica Odubayo Tel: 7364 4365 Photos Kois Miah Tel: 7364 3253 Advertisement Manager Sharan Ahmed Tel: 7364 4061 Senior Advertising Sales Executive Christine O’Doherty Tel: 7364 4994 Senior Advertising Sales Executive Fatima Khan Tel: 7364 4623 Advertising Production Controller & Sales Executive Terri Gornall Tel: 7364 4682 Distribution Manager & Finance Abdul Miah Tel: 7364 0474 East End Life is published by Tower Hamlets Council with a print run of 99,000 copies delivered to homes, organisations and businesses in the borough every week. The official independently audited door-to-door delivery is 83,311 Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC Regional) July-December 2013. East End Life was the first weekly newspaper produced by a local authority in the UK with a net cost of .02p per copy per week to produce. Paid-for advertisements are carried to keep costs to a minimum. Information included in the newspaper is not necessarily endorsed by Tower Hamlets Council. East End Life is printed on recycled paper – when you have finished with the newspaper, please recycle it. East End Life is also available on audio tape – if you know someone who would like to receive it in this format call 7364 4309 or email mariette@soundtalking.co.uk Printed by Trinity Mirror. Distributed by London Letterbox Marketing, Unit 6, Crescent Court Business Centre, E16 4TG. Tel: 8940 0666 If you know someone who does not receive East End Life call 7364 0474 or email abdul.miah@ towerhamlets.gov.uk 2 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 1 – 7 SEPTEMBER 2014
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