MIL Pubishing Engine 2

Source: London Assembly

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that the annual Diwali on the Square celebrations will take place in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 29 October with a host of family-friendly entertainment. 

The capital’s celebration of the Festival of Lights will see Londoners and people from around the world join together in the heart of the capital to enjoy a fantastic array of dance, music, activities and food from 1-7pm. 

This free, non-ticketed event is delivered in partnership with the Diwali in London committee, with headline sponsorship from Remitly. The volunteer-led committee helps to select the programme for the event, and comprises of a range of community leaders.

The event opens with 200 colourfully dressed dancers followed by an exciting mix of performances from artists drawn from London’s Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities. 

There will be a host of market stalls and activities to enjoy, including dance workshops, yoga and meditation, Ramayana Puppet shows, Soho Theatre comedy, and the Glimpse of Goddesses stall where visitors can find out more about Hindu goddesses, sari and turban tying.

This year there will also be the Diwali Queen and a series of dance performances presented by ‘Kalasetu,’ a collaborative project between Subrang Arts and Kinetika commissioned on behalf of This is Croydon, the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2023.

An array of South Asian food stalls will be serving up delicious traditional and fusion, vegan and vegetarian cuisine.   

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Diwali on the Square is a cornerstone in London’s calendar of cultural events, providing a wonderful celebration of colour and light in the heart of our great capital. I’m delighted that Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds will once again be joining together for a fantastic family-friendly afternoon of entertainment to mark the symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. By celebrating our city’s diversity, we are building a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”

Sanjay Gadhvi, Iskcon, Chair of Diwali in London Committee 2023, said: “On our 22nd year of Diwali on Trafalgar Square, always supported by the Mayor of London, we pray for peace and harmony.  Wishing all a Happy Diwali.”

Prof Ray Lloyd, CEO of Global Banking School (GBS) and Diwali on the Square’s Presenting Partner, said: “Global Banking School is delighted to support this event which aligns with our values of celebrating the strength of diversity within our communities. Global Banking School (GBS), part of the GEDU Group, is transforming futures through education.  GBS offer a range of sector-relevant courses across five locations – East London, West London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare – and more.”

ENDS

Source: London Assembly

Given the urgent need to rapidly reduce road danger to achieve London’s Vision Zero targets, Caroline Russell AM pressed the Mayor on his confidence that enough is being done. [1] 

In response, the Mayor highlighted the positive step the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime (MOPAC), the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and Transport for London (TfL) have taken by working more closely on Vision Zero, including the piloting of a new support service for victims of road traffic collisions and their families. [2] 

Following Mayor’s Question Time, Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell said: 

“Vision Zero is not just a responsibility for Transport for London. I’ve long called on the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to be proactive in their role to make streets in London safer, particularly for people walking and cycling. 

“After years of campaigning, it is encouraging that MOPAC and the Met recognise their roles and responsibilities in achieving Vision Zero, an overdue culture shift that can be owed in part to the tireless advocacy of so many victims and their families. 

“The immediate aftermath of a collision can be a harrowing and horrendous experience, campaigners have now been heard by the Mayor and I hope the new pilot scheme provides a real support service for victims of road traffic collisions and their families. 

“There is still so much more that can be done to reduce road danger and achieve vision zero. I will continue to advocate for more care and attention to be dedicated to those Londoners whose lives have been forever changed by road collisions, and to the changes that can prevent these avoidable collisions.” 

To view Caroline Russell AM’s full exchange with the Mayor, click here. 

In September 2021, Caroline Russell AM called on London’s Mayor to find a way to publicly remember the people who have lost their lives on London’s roads at future London Assembly meetings. As a direct result of Caroline’s advocacy, on 01 December 2022 the Assembly held the first annual minute’s silence to pay its respects for lives lost on our roads over the past year, and the Mayor agreed to hosting a roundtable to hear from road death victims.   

In July 2022, Assembly Member Russell urged the Mayor to investigate more serious collisions to meet Vision Zero.  

Later that autumn, Caroline again inquired as to when the Mayor’s office would close its gap in support for bereaved families and road collision victims.  

Most recently, earlier in 2023 Caroline asked the Mayor directly if MOPAC’s London Victim and Witness Service could provide more targeted support for families who are bereaved by road traffic collisions.  

Source: London Assembly

The Silvertown Road Tunnel is set to open in 2025, at which point, under the contract signed off by the Mayor of London in late 2019, a toll will be imposed on both the Blackwall and Silvertown Tunnels. Today, the Mayor has written to Secretary of State Mark Harper suggesting that given the toll is set to be £5.25, a greater discount for low-income Londoners should be considered. [1] 

Reacting to the Mayor’s letter, Green Party London Assembly Member Siân Berry issued the following statement:  

“The Silvertown Road Tunnel should never have been started. Now, the Mayor is tying himself up in knots trying to reconcile the new costs the tunnels will impose on drivers in the area with the need to limit pollution from those motor vehicles.  

“It is not too late to transform this infrastructure into a tunnel for public transport, walking, and cycling, a solution which would carry none of the traffic and pollution risks and at the same time provide an affordable option to cross the river for older people, younger people, and the nearly 50 per cent of residents in Greenwich and Newnham without access to a car.” [2] 

Source: City of Portsmouth

HSDC is delighted to have partnered with Portsmouth City Council, who will be supporting this year’s Creative Enterprise UAL Level 4 Diploma class by giving each student a financial contribution to further support the launch of their individual businesses.

The Creative Enterprise course which runs for one academic year, is an excellent springboard for individuals who are looking to establish themselves as artists and enables them to further develop their skillset in order to build their portfolio and later sell their products or designs.

With the support from Portsmouth City Council, HSDC students will now be able to invest in their creative ideas in addition to further connecting with industry professionals and following in the footsteps of other successful local businesses and projects which include My Dog Sighs, Southsea Play Cafe and Strong Island Clothing Co.

Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council with responsibility for economic development added:

“This is about giving young people a first step up and aligning our business support programme closely to develop talented entrepreneurs. I can’t wait to see what the students deliver. It really is a very exciting prospect for our local economy.”

Paul Parsons, who teaches Creative Enterprise at HSDC South Downs, said:

“This is incredible news for our young artists. Our students are trying to turn their art passions into a business and now they will be able to invest this financial support from the Portsmouth City Council into their creative dreams.

They can purchase clothing for a t-shirt business, help pay for the first run of an illustrated children’s book, or purchase equipment to help them achieve their desired outcomes.

I’m delighted that Portsmouth City Council will be supporting our talented students and helping them grow their Enterprise.”

The funding will be given to the students ahead of their final collection launches, which begin in January 2024. The final products and designs will be showcased at local markets including Portsmouth’s ‘We Create Market’ and HSDC’s annual ‘Not Yet on The High Street’ pop-up market in the summer term.

For more information

Source: City of Portsmouth

Teach Portsmouth has launched a new initiative to get more people into the classroom as a teacher at an information event on Tuesday 7 November at Portsmouth Central Library from 3pm – 5:30pm.

Since the pandemic, there has been a reduction in the number of people applying for teacher training across primary and secondary schools, partly due to a lack of awareness of the different training routes that are available.

Teach Portsmouth’s Love to Teach event acts as a first step for people trying to navigate their training options as applications open nationally.

Cllr Suzy Horton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council said:

“Teaching is a worthwhile profession that is both fulfilling and enriching. You might be looking at your first job after university or considering a career change, but it is often challenging to know where to turn when there is so much information out there.

“Teach Portsmouth’s new Love to Teach event brings together training providers and local experts who can provide information on this very subject. If you are still undecided about joining the profession, this event will give you practical advice on how to become a teacher in Portsmouth.”

Training providers will be exhibiting at the event, helping attendees understand what’s on offer. The National Careers Service will also be delivering a presentation on what loans, grants and bursaries are available to help fund teacher training.

Emma Cornish, school centred initial teacher training (SCITT) lead, at Portsmouth Primary SCITT said:

“We’re proud to support Teach Portsmouth’s event to get more people into the classroom as trainee teachers. We have seen a decline in application numbers in recent years due to a lack of awareness about people’s options and worries around pay and workload.

“Schools are working hard to ensure staff wellbeing is front and centre of their decision making and a national increase in pay is coming soon. The future for teacher training looks bright.”

While there are qualifications you need to have to become a teacher, these are not required to attend Teach Portsmouth’s Love to Teach event.

Mike Stoneman, deputy director, education at Portsmouth City Council said:

“There is an urgent need to train more people to become teachers in the city, ensuring pupils have the professionals they need to excel.

“The Portsmouth Education Partnership was created to signpost resources to support those into the profession as well as offer continuing professional development once they have joined. We continue to develop this programme through Teach Portsmouth’s regular events.”

To attend Teach Portsmouth’s Love to Teach event, please register for a free ticket in advance. Visit www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/lovetoteach.

Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

Antiques Roadshow to take a trip through time in Derry this Sunday

18 October 2023

Derry’s fascinating links with World War II will be among the stories and historic artefacts under the spotlight on Sunday as the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow airs an episode filmed during the summer at Ebrington Square.

The show, which was filmed in July of this year, invited local people to raid their attics and bring along any heirlooms or items that helped tell the story of Derry and Strabane down through the years. Presenter Fiona Bruce joined the team to shine a light on local history, and particularly Ebrington Square, as part of a series of shows exploring various eras of the City and District’s colourful past. The first of three episodes will now be broadcast on BBC1 at 8pm on Sunday October 22^nd.

Roadshow fans will be looking forward to finding out more about what the team unearthed during their visit, when the Roadshow experts examined a range of intriguing artefacts brought in by local people. Looking ahead to the show, Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Patricia Logue said: “I am so looking forward to seeing this episode of the Antiques Roadshow, and finding out what the team discovered during their visit. The show has a bit of a cult following and it will be a great opportunity to tell our story to a new audience, who probably don’t know a lot about the city other than what they have heard about the Troubles or through Derry Girls.

“As one of Ireland’s most historic settlements, Derry has played a pivotal role in shaping the history of this island, but also history on a global level, so there are many chapters of its story that people can relate to. I am so looking forward to watching the show next weekend – don’t forget to set a reminder to tune in.”

During the visit the Antiques Roadshow team linked in with the Tower Museum to assist with researching the show. During initial conversations there were so many potential avenues to explore, it was decided that one episode just wouldn’t do the story justice, as Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, explained. “When we first heard the Antiques Roadshow were coming to Derry we were absolutely thrilled as it has such a dedicated following. When we sat down to discuss aspects of Derry and Strabane’s heritage which we knew would be of interest to the audience, the stories just kept coming – from its dramatic maritime and military history, to the factory girls – and we realised it would be impossible to capture even a fraction in one episode. We are delighted that the team decided to take the time to explore further and focus on a number of eras, and with the help of local people uncovered a treasure trove of artefacts to help illustrate those stories. It will be a fascinating journey through the ages, and I can’t wait to tune in.”

The Antiques Roadshow’s trip to Ebrington Square will broadcast on BBC One, at 8pm on Sunday 22^nd October, or you can watch back on BBC iPlayer.

Source: City of Portsmouth

This National Adoption Week (16 to 22 October), a powerful new campaign has been launched by You Can Adopt to celebrate the evolving face of adoption.

It shows striking imagery of eight people adopted between the 1960s and 2010s against a backdrop of their own emotive, poignant words that bring to life how adoption has shaped, and continues to shape, their life and highlights how adoption has changed over the years.

The portraits have been released alongside a brand-new short film captured during the photoshoot, which tells first-hand the group’s different experiences of adoption.

The campaign during National Adoption Week 2023 shines a light on the positive impact adoption has had on their lives, and the progress made by government and local authority children’s services to ensure children, and their sense of identity, are at the heart of the adoption journey.

The film shows how different adoption looks today from 50 years ago for adopted people. We have grown in our understanding based on what adult adoptees and research is telling us. Nowadays, staying in touch with birth relatives, when appropriate, is an expected part of the adoption process and is in the best interests of the adopted child. Every child should have a life story book, a later life letter, and memory box, which all helps them stay connected to their past.

Portsmouth is part of Adopt South, having joined adoption teams in Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Southampton to become one adoption agency. To find out more about adoption, visit Adopt South | Health and social care | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk)

Source: London Assembly

In 2021 the Mayor was allocated £4 billion in central Government funding for the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26, and committed to 35,000 affordable housing starts by 2026. As of September 2023, there have been no starts yet under the Programme.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report from September 2022 emphasised that the economic environment had changed since the setting of original targets, meaning that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ overall forecast for starts under the AHP by Homes England and the Greater London Authority (GLA) was ‘uncertain’.^[1]

The GLA has since confirmed that the new target for starts in the AHP 2021-26 is between 23,900 to 27,100 starts, and the Committee will be investigating why two years into the programme, there have been no starts to date.

The AHP provides grant funding from central Government to housing providers in England to subsidise the cost of delivering affordable homes. In London, this funding is administered by the GLA.

While central Government provides the funding and sets overall housing targets and deadlines in negotiation with the Mayor, the GLA and Mayor manages how this grant funding is allocated to housing providers – called ‘investment partners’ – through bidding processes.

The London Assembly Housing Committee will meet tomorrow to examine the Mayor’s plan for delivery under the AHP 2021-26, investigating when building will start on the programme, and how the GLA and investment partners are navigating the financial situation that is currently affecting house building nationally.

The guests are:

• Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development
• Clare Miller, Chief Executive, Clarion Housing Group
• Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Chair of G15 and Chief Executive of L&Q
• Tim Steer, Executive Director of Housing and Land, GLA
• Heather Juman, Interim Assistant Director, Housing and Land, GLA
• Tajmina Jetha, Head of Programme Management, GLA
• Hakeem Osinaike, Director of Housing, London Borough of Brent

The meeting will take place on Thursday 19 October 2023 from 10am, in The Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly.

Source: City of York

City of York Council Executive members have fired the starting pistol on a wide range of council activity as the authority starts to deliver on its new Council Plan.