Stories of the Lea River - 11 Dec 2010

Fiona - over in Space Studios is inviting all of us over to St Mary of Eaton Church on Saturday 11 December - to see some old movies about the Lea River.

This is going to be the most amazing opportunity to see some incredible history of our neighbourhood - so I beg as many of you to turn up as possible.

But please also come if you have any interesting stories & anecdotes to tell about our river/canal. There are still loads of us who live here - and have seen many changes over the last few decades - who can enthrall the rest of us with incredible tales of Hackney Wick.

So - even if your Nan has moved out to Essex - please bring her along to Rev. Alan's church - to share some of her memories with the rest of us.

Details:


THE CUT: Stories of the River Lea Navigation Canal

11am - 2pm at St Mary of Eton Church, Eastway, Hackney Wick E9 5JA

A chance to see some rare old films and photographs of the area from the 1970s to the present day.

THE CUT is an artist led oral history project collecting stories from people who work and live alongside the waters of the Hackney Cut - from Lea Bridge to Old Ford Lock.
From September 2010 to March 2011 three artists and a team of local volunteers are exploring the industrial, physical and social history of this area of Hackney Wick.

By interviewing local residents they will document the importance of The Cut to the community in an area undergoing huge change, and create new work for an exhibition in 2011.

More info: Fiona Fieber fifi@spacestudios.org.uk

If you cannot make this event, please come along to Hackney Museum, Reading Lane, Hackney E8 1GQ on Saturday 22 January 11am- 2pm instead.


http://spacestudios.org.uk/whats-on/events/the-cut-stories-of-the-river-lea-navigation-canal

Hackney Wick 7/8 a Side Anyone?

You know how it is at this time of the year. You're always promising yourself that you'll do some more excercise - but need a few new mates to help you do it. Well - how about joining the footie players for a light game every week.

Dom has just sent an appeal out for more members to join the 7/8-a-side footie teams on Mabley Green.

They meet up at the floodlit pitches every Thursday at 7pm - and normally finish at 8pm. Dom says they welcome anyone who's up for a friendly kickabout. The pitch fee is £5 each - all you need to do is contact Dom on dom@digitile.co.uk. There is already a good mix of regulars - as well as casual players.

Come on Hackney Wick - let's get together for an hour or so - and meet your neighbours!



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Get Your Bike Tagged - Youll Be Glad You Did!!

Many thanks to Councillor Chris Kennedy one of our Wick Ward councillors - for sending this through. Almost everyone I meet nowadays has had a horror bike theft story (I know I always bore you with mine (http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-wheels-have-been-nicked-help.html) - and whoa betide you leave your lights on while nipping in for the paper!

Please do take advantage of this kind & generous offer from our Safer Neighbourhoods Team - the last session was very well attended - the more of us who get these chips - the less chance the toerags get away with our bikes!

Thanks Chris!






-----Original Message-----
From: Antony.P.Brotherton@met.pnn.police.uk

[mailto: Antony.P.Brotherton@met.pnn.police.uk]
Sent: 24 November 2010 13:28
Subject: BIKE TAGGING



Dear All

Following the previous successful Bicycle Tagging sessions in the Wick Ward, we have been able to secure a further limited supply of microchips for a one off event:

Location: WELL STREET COMMON at CASSLAND ROAD/ GASCOYNE ROAD JUNCTION
Date: MONDAY 6TH DECEMBER 2010
Time: 2PM - 6PM
Requirements: MUST BRING BICYCLE WITH YOU
MUST HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS
MUST BE ABLE TO REMOVE SADDLE FROM BICYCLE (PLEASE NOTE, THIS MICROCHIP DOES NOT WORK ON BROMPTON STYLE BICYCLES)

Can I ask that you let as many of your residents, colleagues, friends and family in the area who own bicycles aware of this event to help make it yet another success. However, please be advised that from previous experience, these tagging events do prove very popular and we expect the microchips to go before the end of the session as they will be distributed on a first come first served basis.

Should you require any further information about this, please do not hesitate to ask.

Kind regards

Antony Brotherton PCSO 7205GD
Hackney Wick SNT
Office Telephone: 020 7161 9214
Ward Mobile: 020 8721 2938
Ward Email: Wick.SNT@met.police.uk

BBC Culture Show Looking for Anish Kapoor Wickers

Prue from the Beeb is looking for residents living around the Wick who will be seeing the massive ArcelorMittal Orbit (that's the olympic Helter Skelter to you & me) from their windows.
http://www.artknowledgenews.com/2010-04-01-22-29-31-anish-kapoor-to-design-iconic-visitor-attraction-for-olympic-park.html

It's probably one of those regular visit - How's it going this time - kind of programs. But with the most creative types living right here in Hackney Wick - surely we could come up with some incredible spokespeople for the Wick?!

Please all you creative types - get in touch with Prue - and give the culture show something special from Hackney Wick!!

Here's her email:

Dear Nadira and Sóna,

I'm writing to you from The Culture Show, the flagship magazine arts programme on BBC2. I'm currently working on a programme about the ArcelorMittal Orbit which is due to air in late 2011. The ArcelorMittal Orbit is a public sculpture by the artist Anish Kapoor and structural designer Cecil Balmond. It is currently being built in the Olympic Park, near to the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre.

Once finished, the sculpture will be 115m tall. For our programme, we are really keen to meet people who will be able to see the sculpture from their homes. It would be wonderful to check in with them as the view from their window changes over the coming months. Do you know of anyone in the Hackney Wick area who is in this situation and might be interested in talking to us?

I will be on a recce in Stratford for the rest of the day, but do feel free to call me on the mobile number below if you have a thought of who we could speak to before tomorrow. If not any email with any help at all would be great.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Prue


Prue Richardson The Culture Show

BBC Vision Productions Room MC5 A3 The Media Centre 201 Wood Lane London W12 7TQ

T: +44 (0)20 8008 3861 M: +44 (0)7814 756344 E: prue.richardson@bbc.co.uk

Oh yes - did anyone else read the brilliant interview with Anish Kapoor over the weekend? His first free show in India is coming up - and........ http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/nov/27/anish-kapoor-india-exhibition

Tour Hackney Wicks Art Galleries & Studios Sat 27 Nov

Would you love a chance to tour some of the most amazing Art Gallery's in Hackney Wick?! Well here's your chance!!

The Arts Council - together with Art Licks have put together an incredible tour of the Wicks most innovative & creative studios. I know the £10 is a bit steep - so make the most of it by really chatting to the artists you meet up with. Ask them more about the whole Hackney Wick area - and what an incredible place they find it.

For a short flavour of what you'll see:
http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2009/08/hackney-wicked-fantastic.html
http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2009/08/hackney-wicked-completes-leabank-square.html

Saturday 27 November, 2.30-4.30pm: HACKNEY WICK

Meet at Hackney Wick Station, 2.30pm

You will visit:

Mother Studios
Schwartz Gallery
Artists' Studios
STOUR SPACE
L.I.U, Legacy 1

To book a place - visit:
http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/index.php?id=25&ne_post_id=52719

Please come on down to Hackney Wick - this place is already kicking - imagine what it's going to be like when London's Silicone Valley starts up after the Olympics?!

Altered State by Mantis in the Lord Napier

If you have time on Thursday - please come down to the Lord Napier pub in White Post Lane - just at the bottom on the north-bound platform of Hackney Wick Station.

Mantis is having a fantastic solo exhibition called 'Altered State'.

We all know that we need to support our local artists all the way - and these solo shows are the best way of giving them a much needed pat of the back for making the Wick such a stunning place to live.

Plus - this is a great way to see the inside of the Lord Napier as well. For those that are not hardcore ravers - or have ever wondered what goes on inside it - here are the contact details:

Thursday 18th November: RSVP preview 4-6PM, public view from 6-9PM
Friday 19th November: Viewing on appointment only.
Saturday 20th November: Open all day to the public from 11AM- 8:30PM, with a closing party on Saturday night with live music from 8-10:30PM with two of the artists favorite local bands.

The Lord Napier Pub
25 White Post Lane
Hackney Wick, E9

RSVP: alteredstate@themantisproject.co.uk
For more info email: mantis@themantisproject.co.uk

Please see:
http://arrestedmotion.com/2010/11/preview-mantis-altered-state-solo-exhibition/#more-83453

Stephen Gill on Hackney Wick

How many of us remember the incredible Sunday Market in the old greyhound stadium in Hackney Wick? Absolutely anything went on there. It was a kind of lawless, non policed, unregulated market - with just about everything on sale.

Well - Stephen picked up an old camera from the market - and then started taking pics of the actual market with it. Many of us have seen his exhibition & bought the book (available from http://www.stephengill.co.uk/) and are still proud to call him one of our own.

Anyway - click on this link http://vimeo.com/16768040 to see him actually talking about the making of this collection of pics. It's fascinating!

What Pub Is This?

You know how we always go on about all the terrible inventions that have come out of Hackney Wick......

Almost all of the most environmentally destructive products were invented right here in the Wick: Petrol, Dyes, Paint, Plastic, Laundromats - It wouldn't surprise me if a few insecticides weren't adapted from the list above as well.

Aaaaaanyway! Here's one we can be - if not proud about - the at least not feel too guilty about. The ever-investigative dorlec01 (http://www.youtube.com/user/dorlec01) has just posted a new found clip from Tomorrows World from 1965 - about an unknown pub right here in Hackney Wick.

It features a newly invented 'computer' that you dial your order to. And I mean dial - in the old fashioned - tick your finger in the correct number hole and turn the dial all the way around to the stopper.

If anyone remembers the actual pubs name - please send in a comment - and maybe we'll find some of the pubbers in the clip.

Greenway Volunteering Day - Friday 29 October

The Hackney Wick end of the Greenway has been completely changed in the last few years. Gone is the muddy, burned-out motor-bike, overgrown, lawless, ASBO populated path of old. Some may say that they loved it that way - but families, cyclists & some of Hackney Wicks longer term residents are happier as it is slowly becoming.

The whole area has been severely hard landscaped - and although a few landmarks like the Second European War Pillbox (http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2009/03/is-this-pill-box.html) and some of the apple trees we planted years ago - are still there - but it's time to start replanting.

We tried some guerrilla planting a few weeks ago - but the whole area is infested with Olympic guards now - every time we pulled out a shovel - a pair of jackboots was soon on the scene.

Of course we will always continue to plant local & indigenous plants all over the Wick including the Greenway - but here's an opportunity to do some spying:

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are doing a voluntary planting day this Friday 29th along the Greenway. This is an ideal way to see what is being planted by them - so that we don't duplicate some of our efforts. Plus - you get a free lunch in the bargain from our good friends at the View Tube Cafe (http://www.theviewtube.co.uk/) into the bargain.

It's open for all - though the very short notice is somewhat suspicious - so please come along.

Meeting up at the View Tube Cafe at 10am for a quick chat & introduction. Planting then takes place between 10.30am & 1.00pm - with everything supplied by the ODA. Then your free lunch at 1.00pm - with the day closing at 2.00pm.

So please come on down and enjoy a bit of time with fellow Wickers - and you'll get to be part of the future landscape of Hackney Wick!

Artisan Designers Market in the Brittania

I'm sure many of us will remember Erin & Mat from the Hackney Wick Festival. They had that amazing handmade fabric jewellery stall that we were all drooling over!!

Well - now's your chance to check them out again - or you can even hire a stall alongside them as well! Stalls cost a mere £10 - and because there will be many other amazing stall holders there - the punters will come flooding in - getting their Xmas shopping in nice & early.

This incredible market will be on every last Saturday of each month - starting October 30th - from 11am to 5pm.

So come on Hackney Wick - whether you want to set up stall - or simply browse yourself sill in a great pub - hop on the number 388 & get yourself down there!!

Hackney Pearl wins Time Out Award!!!!

A very belated congratulations to James from the Hackney Pearl (http://thehackneypearl.com/) on winning the Best New Cafe award in Time Out a couple of weeks ago!!!

(Check out - http://www.timeout.com/london/feature/519/time-out-eating-and-drinking-awards-2010#cafe)

We all know just what a great guy James is - but what many of us don't know - is just how committed he is to Hackney Wick!

Very quietly - behind the scenes - he is a very community spirited member of Hackney Wick. He's offered community gardeners free cuppas to warm up after freezing days planting up the Wick. He's involved in redesigning the street scene around the Pearl to make it much more attractive for the rest of us. He is a member of the Hackney Wick Partnership - which looks at how best to masterplan Hackney Wick for generations to come - I could go on & on - but..........

........the best thing about him is his cafe!

Please pop down to the Hackney Pearl and sample his amazing food - you'll be so very happy you did!!

Free narrow boat trips and fun event
Sunday 19th September 2010, 12 – 5pm

Windsor Wharf, Wick Village, E9 5NY
via Meadow Close, off Eastway, Lea Bridge end
or via Silk Mills Square, off Berkshire Road

Limited places, book in advance: Fiona 0208 525 4347 fifi@spacestudios.org.uk

Activities
12 – 5.0: Exhibition of model narrow boats. Artists Jack Brown and Isobel Manning worked with local schools to build model narrow boats whilst investigating Hackney Wick's history. Each boat has been hand coloured and pupils have added their own unique cargos with stories to tell.
1.15: Pop up singing from the Secular Choir
1.45: Jo Roach, Hackney poetry performance
2.15: Peter ‘Wiggy’ Wilson talk and walk to the Eton Mission Rowing Club, Wallis Road (approximately one hour in total)
2.30: Jo Roach performs a second set of poetry
3.0: The Secular Choir pops up
4.0: The Secular Choir pops up again

We’re taking part in Hackney Wick Festival!
www.hackneywickfestival.org..uk
THE CUT

THE CUT is an artist led oral history project collecting stories from people who work and live alongside the waters of the Hackney Cut - along the River Lea from Lea Bridge to Old Ford Lock.

From September 2010 to March 2011 there will be three artists and a team of local volunteers exploring the industrial, physical and social history of this area of Hackney Wick.

Through interviewing local residents they will document the importance of The Cut to the community in an area undergoing huge change and create new work for exhibition in 2011.

SPACE provides artists studios across east London including Bridget Riley and Britannia Studios on Fish Island and Eastway Studios in Hackney Wick.

http://www.spacestudios.org.uk/

Go On a Date & Make the BNP Lose!!

Please join, enjoy and promote this facebook page: http://www.facebook .com/# !/pages/Celebrate- Cross-Cultural- Dating-Day/ 110621505643696

Celebrate St. George's day (Fri 23 April) by continuing a great English tradition ofdating across borders. It doesn't matter if they're from a different 'race', culture, religion, suburb, or football club. Don't be shy... make that call!

Invite the lucky guy / girl down your local Indian / Chinese / Eritrean / El Salvadorian Restaurant / Fast Food Outlet. Have a great night, introduce them to your national drink and find out something new about someone attractive from somewhere exotic.

Cross-Cultural Dating Day coincides with the launch of the manifesto of the British National Party. The BNP, a small but courageous self-help group have come together to make a public admission that they have an irrational fear of people with a different skin-colour to theirs. Help them overcome their phobia by enjoying a pleasantevening out with someone from a different culture. Send them the message that love could come from where they least expect it.

Remember, great things can come from dating across borders... just look at Barack Obama.

If you're already in a relationship why not have a cross-cultural double date? (but keep it clean... no car-key lucky -dip!)

THIS PAGE: was set up by a small group of optimistic young people. Our aim is to elicit a wry smile and spread a bit of joy on this special Friday. PLEASE PROMOTE: on your blog, Twitter feed and Facebook profile.

Hackney Wick - North South East West

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South

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Great Hackney Wick Flea Market 27.03!!

Yet again the Hackney Wick Flea Market was a great success! It seems to be going from strength to strength!

The most notable change at today's market was the amount of food stalls. In fact - coupled with the Stour Street market - there are more than enough amazing bakers, brewers & BBQers to take on Broadway Market further down the canal!!

Wouldn't that be a fantastic weekly event?! Imagine Hackney Wick Village Green (opposite St Mary's Church) hosting all the incredible food stalls that are currently in these 2 great markets?! People would travel for miles around to come & enjoy delicious food near the largest Artists Quarter in the world!!

Many thanks have to go to Man Hon for always putting on such a brilliant day for all of us!


See also: http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2010/02/hackney-wick-flea-market-great-success.html
http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2010/02/hackney-wick-flea-market-sat-2710.html
http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2009/12/hackney-wick-flea-market-xmas-special.html
http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2010/03/hackney-wick-flea-market-sat-2703.html
http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2010/02/hackney-wick-flea-market-brilliant.html

Meg Hillier in Hackney Wick!!

Our elusive MP will be in our neck of the woods this Saturday 27th March! For too long now - many of us thought she was just a photo on an ID card - but no - she is real - and will be at the Hackney Wick Community Centre - in the flesh!!

Could the small fact that there is an election looming have anything to do with this?!

As many of you know - the fact that Ms Hillier is a junior minister (for ID Cards) means that she cannot personally raise our concerns in the House Of Parliament. According to the excellent interview with our fave blogger - Blood & Property - she does represent us - sort of behind the scenes though.

There's a relief - and there were we thinking she was only concerned about moving up a few political ladders - with us - her constituents - scrambling around the feet of the ladders.

Anyhow - the day is predominantly about the Hackney Wick Time Bank - but as it's a few weeks to go before the election - I'm sure she wouldn't mind answering a few questions from her constituents huh?!

Please check out Blood & Property's amazing interview here: http://bloodandproperty.blogspot.com/2010/03/meg-hillier-answers-blood-and-property_22.html

Hackney Wick Flea Market - Sat 27.03

One of the most community spirited people you're ever likely to meet here in Hackney Wick - Luk Man Hon (Yes! him of http://www.vinylpimp.co.uk/ fame!) is putting on yet another Hackney Wick Flea Market in the doomed Main Yard Gallery.

Please see: http://hackneywick.blogspot.com/2010/02/hackney-wick-flea-market-brilliant.html
http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2010/02/hackney-wick-flea-market-great-success.html

......... for a flavour of past successes - but please also come down to be a part of the rapidly changing landscape of the Wick before the Olympic Juggernaut obliterates everything in its path!

Luk Man Hon encapsulates everything Hackney Wick needs in its residents just now. He runs his own very successful business, knows everyone in the Wick, always has time for a chat (even late last night in the checkout queue) - and still finds time to get as many people from Hackney Wick together for these brilliant events.

Events are what Hackney Wick needs many more of just now. We all love getting together for a relaxed chillout session - just enjoying our Hackney Wick with friends!

Hackney Wick Time Bank Launch - Sat 27th March

Want to plant some seedlings for your neighbour? Maybe get your plumbing fixed in return?

Good guitarist? Give lessons to someone else. Can't reach your top windows - borrow an extra long ladder?

Please come along to the Hackney Time Bank Launch at the Wick Community Centre this Saturday 27th March between 11am & 4.30pm.

There will be smoothie making, henna tattoos, food, fun football - plus bring along any broken bicycles and get them fixed for free by the Bike Dr!!

For more information contact Gemma McGrath on 0208 829 4683 - or gemma.mcgrath@familymosaic.co.uk

Come on Hackney Wick - let's get sharing & making The Wick a lot nicer to live in!

Hackney Wick Masterplan Community Meeting

A huge thanks to Helen Goodsell of Hackney Council for arranging this great meeting for Hackney Wick. We all got to meet many of the people who can make our lives a lot easier. From the parking department to the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC).

Rev Alan Piggot from St Mary's in the Eastway - started the meeting off by putting into context the journey we have all been on the past few years. Then Charlie Forman from the Olympic Team in Hackney Council introduced us to the main speakers - Neil Walker from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) - who are actually running the Olympic Games & Sarah - one of the Pathfinder volunteers - who help LOGOC run the games.


We then heard from Emma Wheelhouse - from the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) - who is responsible for seeing that the Wick gets a good result after the Games.

Naturally - most of what they said was all spin. Unfortunately they still haven't got past this spin (which can take ages!) phase yet. We heard that the real decisions are only going to be made in a few months time. But the most important thing is that they have now introduced themselves to us.

The rest is up to us. We need to make them aware of anything we want them to do. They are our servants. We are all paying their wages - and we are the ones living next to this huge park. We need to tell them what we want.

With this in mind - I brought up the catering facility with Neil again - and he promised that some sort of answer soon about all the plans, timings, mitigation etc included in the original email. Watch this space.

I the also asked Emma (again - again) - what was going to become of the footprint of the catering facility in legacy mode. All the plans still have a green open space directly opposite Leabank Square - but she still insists that the planning is in process - and that nothing has been decided yet.

Again - I stressed upon her our absolute desire that we have it returned to Arena Fields (all be it - much reduced) - so that when the Gainsborough School Footbridge is re-built - it lands on a green open space. She is still spouting the same regurgitated answers we have heard many times before - but says that the planning is to be decided early next year (2011) and we should know more then.

Please remember to include Charlie Forman, Boris Johnson, Tessa Jowel & Meg Hillier in all your correspondence over this subject. We need them to impress on the OPLC that although we lost the lovely Arena Fields - but we can have some of it back in its original place!!

All in all - we had an enjoyable day networking - although the Olympic part was the same old same old - just a few new faces.

• It was good to talk to Robert Kavuma from Environemntal Health about the noise before 8am on the Arena Fields Road.
• The roads department was still undecided about the Controlled Parking Zone for the Wick just now.
• It was brilliant chatting to Felicity from British Waterways - always positive.
• Alan also spoke a bit more about the re-submitted plans for St Marys as well.
  

Helen - once again - thank you so very much for getting this all arranged. You & the whole Hackney Council team made a big difference to the way we are all feel about this corner of your borough.

See also: http://leabanksquare.blogspot.com/2010/03/hackney-wick-masterplan-community.html