Latest news with #IslingtonCouncil
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
All the free classes your kids can do this summer including football coaching and circus lessons
Keep reading to find out what financial help parents can claim CHILD'S PLAY All the free classes your kids can do this summer including football coaching and circus lessons PARENTS know all too well that keeping kids entertained over the summer holidays can be pricey. The cost of childcare alone can cost around £1,039 for the six weeks of the break, and that is not to mention days out and other activities. Advertisement 1 The cost of summer holidays can be expensive for parents Credit: Getty And many activity camps for children can be costly too, but that does not mean your child has to miss out. There are loads of free classes available for families across countless areas in the UK. Below we round up the best classes for kids this summer that cost nothing at all. FREE FOOTBALL COACHING McDonald's runs free football classes for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Advertisement The programme lasts for 10 weeks and usually runs for an hour. The event is hosted at local stadiums across the UK. The sessions, which are open to all abilities, are running from March to July. They are delivered by FA-qualified coaches at more than 1,600 locations nationwide. Advertisement You can find out more by visiting FREE COURSES FOR TEENAGERS Islington Council runs a number of free courses for teenagers and young adults through its Summerversity scheme. Freebies for parents worth £2,900 In the past, classes have included archery, football camp and photography lessons. You can book a maximum of eight courses to keep your teenager entertained over the holidays. Advertisement You can sign up by visiting Of course you will need to live in the London borough to get access to the scheme. But if you don't it may be worth ringing up your local council to see if it runs a similar event. FREE BOXING CAMP Sporting Aid in Waltham is running a free boxing camp for those aged 10-16. Advertisement The event is run every Saturday at 12:00pm at the Waltham Cross Playing Fields Car Park. No prior experience is required so it may be a great way for your little one to be introduced to the sport. You can sign up for the event by visiting FREE SUMMER CAMP Music charity Vache Baroque runs a completely free summer camp for children in St Giles. Advertisement The event runs from Monday 18 – Friday August 22 and includes a hot meal. It is for children aged 9–14. Children will participate in a number of activities including singing, arts and crafts and circus skills They can also take part in an optional performance with professional orchestra in its summer circus-opera on Sunday September 7. You can find out more by visiting, Advertisement
BBC News
01-05-2025
- BBC News
Andover Estate: 'We are losing a generation of young people'
Somali families in north London say they are fighting a battle for their children's lives."The issue is the supply and demand of recreational drugs," explains community champion and parent of seven, Sadia Ali. "The workforce is children and young people."When she set up her charity, Minority Matters, in Islington 15 years ago, the aim was to help children from a refugee background succeed in literacy and instead the charity has found itself trying to safeguard children, many of whom are being exploited through the "county lines" drugs trade."It is a billion-pound industry," Ms Ali says. "We are paying the price for that. We are losing a generation of young people." County lines is the transportation of illegal drugs from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries, and usually carried out by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs. The "line" is the mobile phone line used to take the orders of exploited in this way will often be exposed to physical, mental and sexual abuse, and will sometimes be trafficked to areas a long way from and vulnerable people don't always recognise that they are a victim of crime, or realised they have been suggest that approximately 14,000 children were identified as at risk or involved in child criminal exploitation in 2022 to 2023, according to Home Office County Lines Data, and this may be a significant underestimate of the real number of those involved. 'I've never known it this bad' "Young people are being groomed all over Islington, but predominantly on the Andover Estate, where these older males are chilling right outside the football pitch," says Mohammed, 31, a youth worker, who asked me not to use his real name."They know their targets, they know what kind of people they are looking for; the ones who are more financially deprived; the ones that need love."Young people are being forced to go 'OT' or 'out of town' to sell drugs."Young people are being told, 'Here's a new pair of shoes, here's money to go to the chicken and chip shop.' They see that person as an older brother, or even older sister, at times."I've been living in Islington for 25 years and I've never known it to be this bad within the Somali community. " As part of its campaign to advocate for the Somali community and other hard-to-reach communities, Minority Matters trains so-called parent champions. It is a two or three month-long personal development course for local parents, to build self-confidence, manage anger and offer outreach and peer charity has also just hosted its second conference in Islington, bringing together local families with representatives from the Metropolitan Police, Islington Council and the Mayor's Violence Reduction Unit, at Finsbury Park has taken this opportunity to remind those in power of the very real challenges her community is facing. "Almost everybody knows either a relative... or someone from the neighbourhood who has been affected by county lines exploitation and drug-dealing," Sadia says."During the process of grooming and exploitation, the children are introduced to drugs. They are using nitrous oxide, drinking 'lean' (a drink made up of cough syrup and mixed with a soft drink), smoking weed and Spice. Its part of the brainwashing and control." And with the use and sale of drugs comes knife from the Ben Kinsella Trust show that 31% of offences recorded by the Met Police in the past year involved a knife."Young people are being trained to carry knives," explains Sadia. "They tell us they carry knives to guard the drugs and to fight anybody off that attacks them. They tell you it is for protection. They are trained to kill." Umukher Farah is a Somali mother living on the Andover estate with her baby son. She is so worried about his future that she decided to attend Sadia's conference, even though Ismael is only nine months old. "I want Somali parents to wake up, and the services here to see that we are really eager to get the support we need. Because we pay the price for our sons being un-alived in the middle of the streets." Author and teacher Nicola Garrard runs a programme funded by the Mayor of London's Violence Reduction Unit, and started volunteering with Minority Matters after one of her former students, Mahad Ali, was murdered in 2016. She also spoke at the conference."Often middle-class users of drug like cocaine, 'party' drugs, don't see themselves as bad people. They put out their recycling, they buy organic vegetables and they often have children themselves. "They don't realise that there's a child who is running that cocaine on county lines or in London who is terrified, who has been brutalised, who has been manipulated. They can't connect that moment of fun with child abuse." For some young people, the price of trying to escape the gangs is high. Minority Matters has supported families where a young person has been intimidated by being set alight, scalded or stabbed, but the victims refuse to report it to the young people are in and out of prison."Drug debts are not being paid by anybody else so they have to work again in order to pay. It's difficult to find somewhere where young people will be safe from drugs predators," explains has led to parents sending their children to be schooled or rehabilitated abroad, if they are able, to safer places in the Middle East or East Africa."Those who can remove their children and find places where they can be rehabilitated or de-groomed. I know around 50 families living in the borough who have had to do this. If the child's only option is to be on the streets, in prison or to be killed... I think there is no choice." 'We need to do more' Lib Peck, director of London's Violence Reduction Unit, said: "Tackling violence is deeply complex. We're committed to prevention and building on the 400,000 positive opportunities we have already delivered by intervening at key moments when young people are vulnerable to exploitation."Last year, London recorded the lowest number of homicides of under-25s for 22 years, and hospital admissions for assault with a knife are down 28% compared to when the VRU was set up."But it's clear we need to do more. We are determined to work in partnership with families and communities to keep young people safe, both in and out of school, by providing help through youth work, and access to youth clubs and hubs." Sadia is a Muslim and her beliefs forbid intoxication. But when it comes to recreational drugs, because she believes more people are taking them, she can see only one way forward: legalisation."The demand for drugs has changed," she explained. "The only way to safeguard children is for those who want to buy recreational drugs is to have somewhere safe to buy it legally."People who want drugs are getting their drugs."Right now the people who are paying the price are us and our children. No child will be safe if the drugs market continues as it is today." A Home Office spokesperson told the BBC: "While we do not agree that the legalisation of these dangerous drugs is the answer, we do absolutely agree that our priority must be to prevent harm to young people, and tackle the criminal gangs who put them at risk."An Islington Council spokesperson said: "We have said before that there is more we must do to support our Somali community — and that remains true today."Islington Council is committed to working in close partnership with Somali residents, especially in areas like the Andover Estate, to tackle the root causes of criminal exploitation and improve the lives of young people and families."
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Forest Healthcare's St Anne's Care Centre Opens New Garden With Support From London Clean Air Initiative
03/26/2025, Borehamwood WD6 1EP // PRODIGY: Feature Story // As part of community-wide efforts to improve air quality in London, St Anne's Care Centre, part of the Forest Healthcare group, has celebrated the opening of its new garden space, marking the event with residents, friends, family, care teams and community leaders. The private, high-quality nursing centre, based in Islington, renovated its garden and patio spaces and added raised beds, green lawns, shaded spaces, and shrubbery. It successfully secured funding through Islington Council to improve the sensory and relaxation experience for residents and combat pollution levels in the city. Evidence Highlighting the Benefits of Gardens in Residential Care Spaces Nature, gardens, flowers, and wildlife are well-known to be valuable tools in the residential care sector, whether as a pathway to better health owing to fresh air and sunlight or as a space to relax—with the benefits of vitamin D, which is vital to supporting healthy teeth, bones, and muscles. There are ample case studies that also show the importance of friendly, bright, welcoming and comfortable gardens within the routines of a care setting, where friends and family can visit and enjoy afternoon tea on the patio, garden parties and barbecues are hosted in the summer, and there is no sense of confinement for those who may need support with mobility. Care homes often prioritise communal gardens, where residents who are mobile and enjoy gardening can do as much or as little as they would like. Pruning, tending to kitchen gardens, filling bird feeders, and picking planting schemes have been recognised as significantly beneficial therapies following studies by the University of Exeter Medical School. This found that using gardens as a sensory space could encourage physical activity, promote relaxation, reduce stress and agitation, and even stimulate memories and cognition in dementia sufferers, given the link between sensory environments and memory. St Anne's, a private nursing centre that offers 24/7 medical cover and nursing care, and commonly operates a waiting list due to demand, took the opportunity to inject fresh energy, colour and beauty into its garden for the benefit of all residents and visitors, while simultaneously contributing to the scheme to counter notoriously high pollution levels in central London. The DEFRA-Funded Islington Clear Air Initiative Islington Council worked in partnership with selected organisations and residential facilities in the borough as part of a pioneering scheme that seeks to make a marked impact on the effects of air pollution on public health, particularly for vulnerable older adults and care home residents with varied health and welfare needs. Aiming over the long term to meet more ambitious air pollution targets published by the World Health Organisation in 2021, the council introduced an audit system and tailored guidance to help care homes transform their outdoor spaces, maximising the use of their grounds. St Anne's, based on the tree-lined Durham Road, already offered several patio spaces and gardens but jumped at the opportunity, with funding assistance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to revitalise urban care home gardens. They introduced new planting and greenery to reduce exposure to air pollution and optimise cleaner air, alongside integrating added-value community services such as AirText alerts that notify the centre when air pollution is high, and windows should remain closed. Celebrating the Newly Transformed Gardens at St Anne's Care Centre Amanda Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Forest Healthcare said, ' It was fantastic to welcome everybody to spend time in our revamped grounds and patios, and to listen to feedback from residents and families, alongside our dedicated care and nursing teams who were delighted with the colour schemes, textured sensory planting, and diverse spaces created for relaxation. We purpose-designed the space to mimic the needs, requests, and wishes of our wonderful residents. It has shady reading spaces to keep cool in the summer and level lawns for accessibility, something we'll be very grateful to take advantage of during the warmer weather. The space also brings the centre community together for shared celebrations, occasions, and events. As care professionals, we recognise the huge significance of air quality on the health of everyone, but especially children and older adults, and are proud to have played a small part in delivering a cleaner Islington for all as we work toward a more environmentally friendly future.' St Anne's Care Centre is a private nursing residential care space based in Islington and focuses on delivering outstanding care and enhancing the quality of life of all residents. It is part of the Forest Healthcare group, which manages 13 specialist centres across London, Essex, Kent, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Forest Healthcare is an established care provider dedicated to consistently delivering an outstanding quality of life to the residents they serve. With a network of care centres across South-East England, Forest Healthcare specialises in catering to a wide range of care requirements, including; residential, nursing, dementia and specialist care. The organisation's mission is to provide a family feel to the exceptional care they deliver by valuing, respecting and caring for each and every person who lives and works at Forest Healthcare. Media Contact:
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Historic London pub 'saved' from closure amid noise complaints from neighbours
A historic central London pub left facing closure after wealthy neighbours complained about noise has been 'saved'. The Sekforde feared for its future after residents in Clerkenwell protested to Islington Council about customers talking "at the tops of their voices" and "shrieking". Their complaints prompted the council to carry out a licence review and propose several new restrictions - including a ban on outside drinking and the shutting of windows and doors, even in summer. However, following significant public support in favour of the nearly 200-year-old boozer, the majority of the conditions have been scrapped - leaving the pub free to continue serving for centuries to come. The Sekforde faced an unsure future. (Image: SWNS) Landlord Harry Smith said he had worried the new rules would spell the end of the Victorian pub's tenure in the capital. It has served thirsty Londoners since the early 19th century - likely including author Charles Dickens, whose bank was located on the same road. Mr Smith, 32, said: "It was a weight off. I spent the whole of the last three months thinking, 'I don't know what I'm going to do with myself'. 'I thought I'd have to get a new job and felt guilty that this pub has been going so long and we might have lost it while we were running it. 'But we did feel we were in this unreasonable spot, so it's also vindication." Many locals had previously praised the watering hole, which first opened in 1829, as a community hub, saying they would be "devastated" if it shut. But 'public nuisance' complaints from some residents living in the £2m properties surrounding the pub instigated another licence review. Following a 2019 review, the pub was restricted to only being able to open one window on each floor of the building - making the old Victorian building a "sauna" during summer. Further rules prohibit the use of one of its main doors after 9pm and a ban on 'vertical drinking' - or drinking whilst standing up - on Sekforde Street. Locals have shared their happiness that the pub will remain open. (Image: SWNS) A total of just 20 people were allowed to stand outside the other side of the pub, on Woodbridge Street, past 8pm. Complainants mentioned "women talking at the top of their voices and shrieking sitting at the illegal tables" outside the pub, adding that there had been "no policing of the noise". These protestations prompted new rules which would have banned any drinkers from standing outside the pub and limited outdoor seating to just 20. However, regulars branded the proposed rules as "ridiculous". Mr Smith, who has run The Sekforde for over five years, says the pub wouldn't have been able to survive under the harsh restrictions. However, more than a thousand locals backed the pub in its battle against the proposed conditions, praising its role as a "community hub" and opposing the new restrictions. Mr Smith believes it was their support that has saved the pub and has even led to the relaxing of previous restrictions. At a licensing meeting on Wednesday (February 26), councillors decided not to impose many of the suggested changes. This means that people will continue to be allowed to drink outside the pub as long as they remain in a demarcated roped area. Councillors also said they would relax conditions on windows being closed in the summer months, subject to a 'robust' noise management plan being agreed, the local paper said. Mr Smith said: 'The licencing department proposed conditions that would have been really difficult to survive with. But by the time the meeting started, they'd seemingly changed their stance. 'I think their change of tune was because of the public pressure they were under. 'I think, ultimately, what made the difference was that the majority of the neighbours on the street came out in full support of us. 'It showed it was just a minority of the neighbours [opposed to the pub]. I think that showing made a big difference. '15 people wrote in favour of the review (and proposed restrictions) - and we had 1,330 people write in favour of the pub. 'It's almost a hundred to one. Recommended Reading 200 year old London pub risk of closing over restrictions Londoners outraged as pub takes last orders at 9.20pm Why this family run pub has been named the best in London 'One woman, Kerry, grew up on the street and gave a really great speech [at the planning meeting]. 'Another woman called Gwen, a headmistress who has lived here for 25 years, said she didn't recognise any of what she heard from the neighbours complaining. 'They were saying how loud it was and how hard their lives have been since the pub reopened seven years ago, how we have been mismanaging the pub… 'But others said they didn't recognise any of it. I think it's the community spirit that saved us." Islington Council was approached for comment.
