For your information Parking to pest control, housing to hate crime turn to pages 14 & 15 Useful information Disabled people boost registration News from disability organisation Real DISABLED people from Real are taking an election bus to the streets of Tower Hamlets on Friday, April 17 to promote voter registration ahead of the General Election. Traditionally, deaf and disabled people have faced barriers to voting, from polling stations that aren’t wheelchair accessible, to a lack of information about candidates in accessible formats such as ‘easy read’ and British Sign Language. The move to individual electoral registration has created more barriers for disabled people who cannot access online registration. It is estimated that since the change, more than one million voters are missing from the electoral roll. Real, Tower Hamlets’ disabled people’s organisation, has joined up with Operation Disabled Vote which is a national voter registration campaign. Together we want to encourage everyone to use their vote in the country’s general election on May 7. The event is neutral on party politics. It’s about making sure that disabled people know how to register to vote and know how to vote, either on the day or using postal votes. Disabled people make up one in five of the population, yet recent coverage in the media in the Mirror newspaper and on the BBC shows that many disabled people feel that their voice won’t be heard and they can’t make a difference. But by voting you can. We hope to be hosting the event at Watney Market Idea Store between 2-4pm on Friday, April 17. We will be giving out accessible information on how to register to vote, how to vote, information on access standards you can expect at polling stations, and easy read copies of party manifestoes. Everyone is welcome. We are organising final permission to do this. For the latest information on the event v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e a t www.real.org.uk or call Real on 7001 2177. “Real already delivers a range of services to support disabled people in our area to participate in equal society,” said Mike Smith, chief executive of Real. “Our Local Voices project helps the council hear the views and opinions of local disabled people. We are really excited to be involved in this important project, which is all about making sure that people with disability and long-term health conditions in our borough have their voice heard at a national level as well. We need to make disabled voter power really count.” Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the former Paralympian, said: “It is really important that disabled people not only register, but turn up to vote at all levels of elections. “I worry that the voice of disabled people will be lost, and they have an important part to play in what could be a very close election. I think it is vital that disabled people let prospective candidates know about the things that matter to them because so often people think the battle on integration has been won. “Things may be better than they used to be, but we should not stop where we are.” Real will also be using the opportunity to explain to local disabled people more about what we do as an organisation and how you can get involved. We are a user-led organisation, run and controlled by local disabled people. Change a barrier to disabled voters “I think it is vital that disabled people let prospective candidates know about the things that matter to them because so often people think the battle on integration has been won.” Chemist rota Pharmacists in Tower Hamlets with extended opening hours. E1 ABC Drug Stores, 12-14 Montague Street: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm. Beck & Sherman, 197 Whitechapel Road: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm, bank holidays 11am-1pm. Sainsbury’s, The Albion Brewery: Mon-Fri 8.30am- 10pm, Sat 7.30am-10pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Chapel, 139 Cannon Street: Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm. E2 Fairdale, 360 Bethnal Green Road: Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri 9am-6.30pm, Thurs 9am-1pm, Sat 9am-6pm, bank holidays 11am-2pm. Florida, 307 Bethnal Green Road: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, bank holidays 11am-2pm. E3 Bell, 534 Roman Road: Mon- Sat 7am-11pm, Sun 10am-2pm. Forward, 648 Mile End Road: tanni grey-thompson, pictured Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am- 6pm, Sun and bank holidays 10am-6pm. Green Light, St Andrew’s Health Centre, 2 Hannaford Walk: 8am-8pm, seven days a week, including bank holidays. Lincoln, 60 St Paul’s Way: Mon, Tues, Weds 8am-8pm, Thurs, Fri, 8am-8pm, Sat 9am- 5pm. Tesco, Hancock Road: Mon 8am-10.30pm, Tues-Fri 6.30am-10.30pm, Sat 6.30am- 10pm, Sun 11am-4pm. E14 Boots, Unit 15, Jubilee Place: Mon-Fri 7am-midnight, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Britannia (Perimart), Asda Precinct, East Ferry Road: Mon- Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-4pm, bank holidays 11am-6pm. Doctors Please ring your doctor’s surgery for an appointment, but if it’s the weekend or late at night, call 7377 7151 (only for people in Tower Hamlets who are registered with a doctor). To find a doctor, dentist or help to quit smoking call the health hotline on 7364 5016, Mon-Fri 8am-8pm and Sat 8am-4pm. Advice Family Information Service (FIS) The Family Information Service provides information for people from birth to age 19 including helping parents and carers find high quality childcare, advice on tax credits and childcare vouchers. Open Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm. 30 Greatorex Street, E1. fis@towerhamlets.gov.uk 7364 6495 Tower Hamlets Home Birth Support Group Last Thurs of each month, 8pm. 31 Ridgdale Street, E3. 8981 1159 Parents Advice Centre (PAC) Offers impartial advice around special educational needs (SEN). 30 Greatorex Street, E1. Drop-in sessions every Tues, 9.30am- 3.30pm & Fri, 9:30am-3.30pm. 7364 6489 LinkAge Plus Toynbee Hall is one of five network centres that coordinates services and activities provided. Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm, dropin session for advice on benefits, pensions, employment and housing. Appointments necessary. Mon 9am-5pm, Bangladeshi group. Toynbee Hall, Commercial Street, E1 7392 2914 www.toynbeehall.org.uk Welfare advice All the organisations listed below can help you with welfare benefits, housing and general debt problems. Account 3 1-9 Birkbeck Street, E2. 7739 7720 www.account3.org.uk Bangladesh Youth Movement 21-23 Henriques St, E1. 7488 1831/2 Bromley by Bow Centre St Leonard’s Street, E3. 8709 9737 www.bbbc.org.uk Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) 32 Greatorex Street, E1. 7247 1050 www.adviceguide.org.uk Island Advice Centre Island House, Roserton Street, Isle of Dogs, E14. 7987 9379 www.island-advice.org.uk Legal Advice Centre University House, 104 Roman Road, E2. 8980 4205 www.legaladvicecentre.org.uk Limehouse Project Cheadle Hall, Cheadle House, Copenhagen Place, E14. 7538 0075 www.limehouseproject.org.uk Praxis (New Residents Service) Pott Street, E2. 7729 7985 www.praxis.org.uk Tower Hamlets Law Centre (specialist advice by appointment). Tower Hamlets Law Centre, Unit 1, St. Anne’s Street, off 789-791 Commercial Road, E14. 7538 4909 www.thlc.co.uk Debt advice Toynbee Hall Advice Service 28 Commercial Street, E1. 7392 2953 advice@toynbeehall.org.uk www.toynbeehall.org.uk Fair Money Advice 530 Commercial Road, E1. 7702 8032 www.fairfinance.org.uk Island Advice Centre Island House, Roserton Street Isle of Dogs, E14. 7987 9379 www.island-advice.org.uk National Debt Line 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.co.uk Photo order form Copies of pictures published in East End Life taken by council photographers are available to readers. To request a copy, email eastendlife.news@tower hamlets.gov.uk and we can send it straight away. If you do not have access to email fill in this form and send it to Photos, East End Life, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, Poplar, E14 2BG. This service does take longer. Name Address Issue no. Page no. 8 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 6 – 12 APRIL 2015
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