Environmental correspondent Lizzy has always been passionate about the environment. Since 2016 she has been reducing her non-recyclable waste and is currently working with Roman Road Trust and Globe Town Assembly on the Plastic-free Roman Road project.

The 17 May marked UK Overshoot Day, the day in the year when, if everybody in the world lived like we do in the UK, we would already have used all the resources that the planet can naturally regenerate in a whole year.

We are taking from future generations to live this way, with recent estimates suggesting that children born today will have to live within lifetime carbon budgets almost 90% lower than someone born in 1950.

At the same time, owning so much stuff isn’t making us happier, despite what the 1600 promotional messages we’re exposed to every day try to tell us. In fact, consumerism leads to higher levels of debt, stress and dissatisfaction.

Roman Road’s anti-consumerist havens

So how can we reduce the burden on future generations and live by a different system when the pressure to buy is so high? There are a series of simple questions we can ask ourselves before buying something new which can help us find ways to live well with less. And luckily for us Roman Road offers many spots where we can exercise this simpler, more joyful way of being.

1. Do I really need this?

Capitalism keeps us feeling that we are inadequate so that we keep buying stuff. We’ve also become used to the instant gratification of shopping, but which quickly fades.

The best way to change this automatic behaviour is to pause before acting on it. Is this a need or a want? What need is the product claiming to meet? Do I already own something I can use for the same purpose? Would an experience meet the need better than a thing?

Just slowing down and pausing is itself anti-consumerist – we live in a society that makes us feel like we must live life at an unsustainable pace, making us more likely to succumb to those instant-wins advertisers peddle to us. Why not try mindfulness and meditation at Roman Road’s very own London Buddhist Centre to develop greater resilience to those messages we’re bombarded with?

2. Can I repair the one I already have, or make my own from waste materials?

Why buy a thing when you can make a thing? Join a local class or workshop to learn valuable skills and meet new people. Those listed below are just a handful of those running in our corner of East London:

• Carpentry Classes called ‘Tools for the Terrified’ are being held at the Common Room on Wednesday 5 and Saturday 8 June. Book in advance by emailing jobehari@googlemail.com.
• Join a DIY workshop by local carpenter and handyman Jo Levin.
• Join Bow Sewing Bee on Tuesday evenings.
• Check out the classes and workshops at the Create Place on Old Ford Road.

3. Can I borrow from, share, or swap with a friend or neighbour?

We need to develop the mindset that together, we have enough, and find ways to better use what we already own collectively.

• Come to the Rich Mix Bookswap at the Globe Town Spring Community Fair on 25 May 11am-2pm. Rich Mix Bookswaps encourage families to ‘Bring an old book and leave with a new adventure’. They also champion the sharing and swapping of ideas, everyday creativity, parental engagement and family learning.
• If books are your thing, remember we’re blessed with two public libraries on Roman Road, Bethnal Green Library by the tube, and Idea Store Bow on Gladstone Place just off Roman Road Market. Read this insightful Twitter thread to remember how vital they are.
• Check out Betsey’s Closet Swap Shop, a pop-up clothing swap event. They sometimes appear at Loveshack on Cambridge Heath Road, so keep an eye on their events list.
• Join Nextdoor.co.uk to connect with neighbours willing to share all sorts of things from tools that otherwise gather dust in the cupboard to meals together.

4. Can I find one for free that someone else is giving away?

Even if you do need to get something, new isn’t always better. There’s a decent chance what you’re after is being given away for free, so have a look. You’ll be saving the planet and saving a few quid!

• Join the Tower Hamlets Freecycle Group to find neighbours giving stuff away – and give away your old stuff instead of sending it to landfill.

5. Can I buy second-hand?

There’s a fantastic variety of second-hand options on Roman Road and in the surrounding area. These include:

• Lama’s Pyjamas at number 83 and Jambala Book Shop just round the corner on Globe Road, both charity shops for the London Buddhist Centre
• Gina’s Closet a browser’s paradise at number 371
• Summer Jumble Sales at the Common Room, three dates coming up over the summer, next to Roman Road Car Park on the corner of St Stephen’s Road
• Spitalfields Crypt Trust Charity Shop at number 589

If you can’t find anything suitable offline, there’s always eBay (remember to filter for ‘used’ items only), Preloved, Gumtree, and apps such as Schpock where you can buy directly from previous owners. Bonus points if you can collect from someone nearby rather than having it delivered from across the country.

6. Where did it come from, where will it go?

If you’ve explored all the alternatives and must buy new, consider the whole lifecycle of the product before you choose which one to buy.

This includes considering the materials and production methods used, where it was made, and what happens when you no longer need it – is it recyclable, does the company itself take responsibility for products at end-of-life, is there a collection point you can drop it off at?

While the answer might be more expensive than the average choice, we tend to see such purchases as investments that will last and we’re less likely to have to buy replacements.

Inspired to do more?

If you’ve started putting the above techniques into practice in your own life and want to spread the joy, consider joining some of the following movements:

• Could you start a Repair Cafe on Roman Road? Our nearest is in Hackney – maybe you could start Tower Hamlets’ first.
• How about a community tool library? Sunny Jar Eco Hub is planning to start a Library of Things in East London and needs enthusiastic people to help.
• Check out Shareable Cities – a guide to creating urban sharing hubs.

Please note, if you find that you are regularly making compulsive purchases either online or in shops, and are unable to break the pattern, this might be symptomatic of OCD or other mental health problems. We recommend you speak to your GP and/or seek a registered therapist.

If you enjoyed this piece you may like our piece on how to join community gardens in East London

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East London has a lot to offer, but one of it best know offering is its proper traditional East End markets. From steaming food and fresh fish to bargain clothes and watch repairs, markets are a hub of social and retail activity, and East London has a good number of them. We pick the most essential East End markets, so whether you’re a local looking to home-decorate, or a visitor seeking a true East London experience, we’ve got you covered.

Roman Road Market, Bow

Roman Road Market is our local tradition East End market; people have been ‘going down the Roman’ for over 150 years and it’s still a favourite spot among locals. The market is home to a number of stalls and familiar faces, including Andy the donut man, Lofty’s furniture, Saint Sugar of London, Steve’s Pets at Roam, Sam’s fresh fruit and racks upon racks of bargain clothing.

With so many food options as well as places to get your shopping done, it’s no wonder the market has been a local hang-out spot and Roman Road tourist destination for decades. From back when Gina from Gina’s Closet used to buy her Saturday night glam-wear with her friends, to visitors picking up a few bhajis from the Indian snack stall for while they browse, the Roman is the spot to be.

Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday 10am-3:30pm, Saturday 9am-4pm

Nearest underground stations:  Mile End, Bow Road DLR

Globe Town Market Square, E2

A little bit further down Roman Road takes you to a different kind of market in Globe Town Square. The square doesn’t have the filled feeling of its sibling Roman Road Market, but its stalls call together a good number of loyal locals. Thanks to its central and open location, the market square is inviting to people passing by, and the queues outside its stalls are often enough to draw more in.

Among its small but mighty selection of stalls is Herbert’s fruits and salads, a family business which has been selling produce on the square since 1974. Next to it is Downey’s fishmonger, the Roman Road’s connection to the sea in a business that has also been passed down through the generations. The most recent newcomer to the square is Martin Fuller’s plant stall pouring out of a blue van.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm

Nearest underground stations:  Bethnal Green, Stepney Green, Mile End

Victoria Park Market

In the north-west corner of Victoria Park, the market stretches neatly down in a straight line and hosts a number of colourful tents with hot food, ingredients and produce. Don’t be fooled by their largely uniform appearance; each stall offers an astounding amount of individuality and creativity.

With a focus further upmarket than surrounding East End markets, this might not be the place where most locals do their weekly shop. But a calm and relaxed atmosphere and assortment of speciality products like organic garlic, homemade tiramisu and hand-crafted ravioli, this market attracts visitors near and far on Sundays. This market is the place to kick back in the park, grab a beef bourginion burger (!) and a glass of natural wine and relax.

Opening hours: Sunday 10am-4pm

Nearest underground stations: Cambridge Heath, Bethnal Green, London Fields, Stepney Green

Bethnal Green Market

Along Bethnal Green Road is a small but consistent group of stalls held by a selection of beaming salespeople, many of whom have been setting up shop there for decades or more. Without having to dip off the high street you can pick up a range of fabrics, jewellery and flowers, as well as cheap toiletries and kids’ toys.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm

Nearest underground stations:  Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Whitechapel

Watney Market, Commercial Road

Watney Market fills a car park off the side of Commercial Road, and has a loyal following of local regulars. It has a great selection of clothes, textiles, jewellery and fruit and veg (even the more tropical kinds), but it’s also a great spot for electronics. Plus, you can even get your keys cut and watch repaired at lightning speed by institutional market stall Mr Sadak.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30am-6pm

Nearest underground stations:  Shadwell, Shadwell DLR, Whitechapel

Chrisp Street Market, Poplar

Chrisp Street Market has been the heart of Poplar since 1951, but under the almost futuristic canopy it seems to be very current. As well as clothes, toys, fresh produce and jewellery, it’s home of one of the only places left in the UK to find proper traditional pease pudding. Come for a wide variety of clothes and ingredients, stay for a saveloy at Ivy’s.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm

Nearest underground stations:  All Saints DLR, Langdon Park DLR

Whitechapel Market

Whitechapel Market has to be seen to be believed. Stretching for almost a kilometre down Whitechapel Road, this bustling market both has anything you could want to find at a market and is an immersive experience. Just minutes down the road from Aldgate and the City of London, the primary language heard is Bengali and the smells and sounds could all have been dropped in from a far-away country.

Among the locals who visit the market to do their everyday shopping, you can choose from a number of stalls selling fruit and veg, meat, clothes, electronics, and fish so fresh that some of it is still swimming around in a crate. Shops facing the stalls pop open their windows and tempt market-goers by selling delicious-smelling accras and curries straight onto the street. At the end of the day, watch the heavily graffiti-ed white vans that the stalls spill out of disperse across East London.

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm

Nearest underground stations:  Whitechapel, Aldgate East

Petticoat Lane Market

Petticoat Lane Market is made up of two adjacent streets; Wentworth Street Market is open Monday to Saturday, and Middlesex Street hosts the booming Sunday market. People have been selling fabrics and bric-a-brac on this spot since the 1600s, and fleeing Huguenots made it their own in the late 17th century. Now, since skyscrapers and white collar workers of London have percolated outwards, the weekday market is a popular spot for lunch breaks from the neighbouring office blocks.

A healthy selection of food vans sell a changing variety of cuisines, and the vans that don’t have a long queue of people in suits stick out toothpicks with samples at passersby. Pouring out in front of the fabric shops of the road, you can find bargain clothing from dozens of sellers, rain or shine.

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 10am-2:30pm, Sunday 9am-2pm

Nearest underground stations: (Weekday) Aldgate East, Shoreditch, Liverpool Street (Sunday) Aldgate East, Aldgate, Liverpool Street

Broadway Market, Hackney

Broadway Market is a long stretch of stalls serving an astoundingly wide variety of goods on the more artisan side. Whether you’re looking for clothes, art, backpacks, organic dog treats or vintage photo prints, or fancy some oysters, produce, banh mi, Vietnamese chicken or rainbow-dyed bagels, this market has you covered. If you like the bustling vibe and smiling tourists, pull up a chair at one of the surrounding pubs or in front of the busking musicians to fully enjoy a day out.

Opening hours: Saturday 9am-5pm

Nearest underground stations: London Fields, Cambridge Heath

Colombia Road Flower Market, Bethnal Green

The only market on this list that only sells one thing, Colombia Road Flower Market still packs a huge punch in East London: its iconic Victorian street is so packed on Sundays that flower-buying locals or sightseeing tourists are packed into a slow train of movement through the plant stalls. Almost any kind of plant or flower you’d hope to buy in a busy street, this market will have it. Just get there early to avoid the crowds and nab the best leaves.

Opening hours: Sunday 8am-2pm

Nearest underground stations:  Aldgate East, Bethnal Green, Liverpool Street

Brick Lane Market, Bethnal Green

Brick Lane Market is one of the most popular tourist destinations in London, and attracts people for its food, clothing, bric-a-brac, crafts, and more. It opens at its fullest on Sundays and has grown to inhabit a couple of sub-markets: Backyard Market, a covered space in the Old Truman Brewery full of bespoke arts and crafts, and Sunday Upmarket, a food hall hosting a hodge podge of street dishes and delicacies – if you missed Broadway Market or Roman Road Market on Saturday, you might find your favourite food truck – like Saint Sugar of London – on Brick Lane on Sunday.

Opening hours: Sunday 10am-5pm

Nearest underground stations: Shoreditch, Aldgate East, Liverpool Street

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Italian born Massimo Iannetti is a photographer and video-maker based in Bethnal Green. His work focuses on urban investigation and social research, particularly related to community enhancement and sense of place.

Does public art still matter? Does it still speak to the individual, to the citizen, and to the community? Is it still worth reflecting on its significance? Wandering around Bow and Globe Town, and stopping by their public artefacts, these questions popped into my head, and inspired me to look for the answer through the photos displayed below.

Some of the pieces are so mysteriously hidden within the fabric of the city that they often go unnoticed. They are tucked between fried chicken stores and gentrified hip cafés, or enclosed in private estates, or beside busy and noisy roads. You almost forget they even exist.

And yet, while taking these pictures and researching the history behind each work, I realised this facet of unknown is not accidental. It seems like they are there for us to discover, inviting us to learn and explore. In order to feel we belong ‘somewhere’, we can look at them as a common good, a public tool to remember we are part of a common history that still ties us together.

I hope these pictures will inspire you to start your own journey of public art exploration.

Blind Beggar and His Dog

Cranbrook Estate

Elizabeth Frink’s bronze statue of the Blind Beggar and His Dog (1957) adorns Bethnal Green’s Cranbrook Estate, which was Berthold Lubetkin’s last major project before his retirement.

The statue is in the middle of a gated residents’ garden but can be viewed from the Roman Road, just west of its junction with Mace Street. The statue still draws admiration from locals and curious looks from outsiders. It received Grade II heritage status in 1998.

Among the various stories behind the statue, the most popular refers to a knight named de Montford, who was blinded in battle and left begging alms in Bethnal Green. His daughter was wooed by four suitors, three of whom were discouraged by an alleged lack of dowry. The fourth recognised her nobility and married her anyway, and he received a dowry from the beggar’s still-wealthy father.

William Gladstone statue

Bow Church

Just in front of Bow Church, along Mile End Road towards Stratford stands the statue of William Ewart Gladstone (1809 – 1898), a famous politician whose achievements included four terms as Prime Minster and four terms as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Firm and solemn, he holds a parchment in his left hand, whereas the right stretches out as to suggest a political imperative.

One of the most notable things about the statue, is the fact that its hands are painted red. The explanation lies in the back of the statue, where the inscription reads, ‘A gift to the east of London of Theodore H. Bryant’.

This refers to Bryant & May matches, a Bow factory where matchgirls – many underaged, all on starvation wages, barefoot through winter, vulnerable to white phosphorous poisoning – allegedly had a shilling skimmed from their pay to finance Bryant’s ‘gift’.

At the unveiling, several girls smuggled stones in their pockets, cut their hands and bloodied the statue in protest. The red paint on the statue stands as a tribute to these brave women.

Tow path statues

Mile End Park

Along the Mile End Park canal, a series of steel statues represent the proud local history of East London. There is Ledley King, born in Bow in 1980, who defended for Tottenham Hotspur as well as England; Sylvia Pankhurst, who fought for women’s rights and best represents the stubbornness and passion of the Suffragettes’ movement as well as a campaigner for improving the living conditions of workers in the East End; and last but not least, a towpath horse, one of many who used to pull barges and flatboats up and down the canals that were once the spine of the Bow area.

Stairway to Heaven memorial

Bethnal Green

This installation pays tribute to the 1943 Bethnal Green Tube Disaster, one of the worst civilian disasters of WWII, albeit accidental and unexpected, where 173 East London people lost their lives.

When sirens sounded to warn in advance of an air raid, crowds rushed into the underground, which at that time had a very narrow entrance. The unexpected firing of an anti-aircraft gun caused a rush down the stairs. A woman near the front tripped and hundreds died in the ensuing crush. This memorial is for those whose lives were lost.

Made of sustainable teak, the sculpture represents the 19 steps on which those people died, carrying plaques that list all of the victim’s full names and ages as well as individual plaques detailing what happened that fateful night. The tube disaster remains in many locals’ memories and recollective consciousness as one of the most tragic events concerning WWII and East London.

Statue of Clement Attlee

Queen Mary University London

This statue by Frank Forster commemorates Clement Attlee, leader of the Labour Party and post-war Prime Minister. First as Mayor of Stepney, he defended the poor of this area against slum landlords.

During his time as Prime Minister between 1945 and 1951, the British government took major steps to nationalise major industries and public utilities as well as create the National Health Service. He also set standards of duty and decency at the top for all subsequent Prime Ministers.

The statue was originally unveiled in Limehouse by Lord Wilson of Rievaulx in 1988. Over the years it fell into disrepair and was vandalised. The relocation and repair of the statue in 2010 was funded by Queen Mary University of London and facilitated by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, from which it is now on long term loan.

Edward VII Bust

Mile End Road

During 1910 Stepney Borough Council planted two long rows of plane trees on a strip of land along Mile End Road, laid out roadside gardens and erected some commemorative statues, among which was the Edward VII.

King Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria, ascended the throne at the age of 60 and only reigned 11 years (1901-1911). The bust was erected by freemasons of the Eastern District and unveiled the 12 October, 1911, by Edward White JP, Chairman of the London County Council, who presented it to the Stepney Borough Council.

The sculptor is unknown, but the casting was carried out by a local firm, Harris and Son of Mile End Road. The most notable trait of the statue is certainly the inscription placed underneath, which reads: ‘Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war,’ referring to Edward’s role in building good relations with Europe, especially France. The statue has been granted Grade II heritage status.

William and Catherine Booth statues

Mile End Road

These statues commemorate the work and the efforts of William Booth, the first Methodist preacher and first General in 1878, and her wife Catherine, known as the ‘Mother of The Salvation Army’. They are considered the founders of the Salvation Army.

Although they were not born in London, they worked towards improving the living conditions of many East Enders, especially in Whitechapel. William preached to the poor and marginalised members of the society, while Catherine spoke to the wealthy, gaining support for their financially demanding ministry.

William’s statue on Mile End Road, unveiled in 1979, is located near to the spot outside the Blind Beggar pub where Booth first preached in 1865. The inscription reads: ‘William Booth Founder and First General of The Salvation Army. Commenced the work of the Salvation Army on Mile End Waste. July 1865’.

The neighbouring statue of Catherine Booth was donated by the women of the Salvation Army in the United States of America, and unveiled in 2015, on the Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary.

Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain

Victoria Park

Also known as Victoria Fountain, this elaborate Victorian gothic drinking fountain, made of marble, granite and stone, was the gift of the wealthy philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts to the visitors and locals of Victoria Park in the East End of London.

Designed by the architect H. A. Darbishire, it was meant to provide fresh clean drinking water to help combat cholera and alcoholism caused by the polluted supplies.

It is said to have cost £6,000, a fortune in those days, and its opening in 1862 was attended by 10,000 spectators. In 1975, the fountain was given Grade II* listed status by Historic England. In 2011, the fountain was refurbished as part of a major restoration of Victoria Park.

Guard Dogs

Victoria Park

Installed in 1912, the original sculptures stood until 2009. They are copies of a Roman marble statue called ‘Jennings Dog’ which is today stored at the British Museum. They are recognisable for their short tail, since it was believed the same owner had cut it off.

There are many local beliefs about the identity of these dogs, including the belief that they rescue canal users in difficulty. In 2011 the severely damaged and heavily vandalised sculptures were replaced by replicas as part of a larger refurbishment of Victoria Park in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.

Hay sculptures

Victoria Park, West Lake

Commissioned by the Romanian Cultural Institute with the support of Tower Hamlets Council, these sculptures were designed by Romanian artist Ernö Bartha. The two sculptures, ‘Bird’ and ‘Skyscraper’, made of hay enforced with steel frames, invite you to rediscover the textures and smells of unspoiled nature.

And finally…

Old Flo

Cabot Square

Depicting a female figure in a seated position, a homage to the bundled figures who took shelter during the London Blitz, Old Flo is considered a symbol of the East End. It was installed on the Stifford Estate, Stepney, in 1962, where it remained until the demolition of the estate and in 1997.

It was then loaned by Tower Hamlets to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park until October 2017. In 2012, Tower Hamlets decided to sell the sculpture, leading to a public campaign to prevent the sale.

Old Flo is now at Canary Wharf, on private land, yet back on public display. After having survived vandalism, the demolition of her original home, a custody fight and sale attempts by the council, it seems deserving of an, ‘All’s well that ends well!’

If you enjoyed this piece you may enjoy reading about the Bow Heritage Trail

The post A photographic tour of public art in Bow and Globe Town appeared first on Roman Road LDN.

Gem is an English Literature student at Queen Mary University London with a passion for concerts, queer literature and all things vegan.

On a hazy Wednesday afternoon in Bow, my sister and I wandered in to a welcome addition to Roman Road: Bacaro. Positioning itself as a restaurant with ‘roots firmly based in evolved Italian cuisine,’ Bacaro offers a uniquely artisan experience while introducing diners to a pleasant slice of Italy.

This is achieved by a thoughtful selection of Italian produce and a stripped-back, yet flavourful menu. The menu’s simplicity means there is a short selection of vegan dishes available, nevertheless, Bacaro were wonderfully accommodating, providing a personal level of table service. 

The atmosphere was laid-back and got livelier as the evening progressed, though never sacrificing its relaxed feel. Families, couples, groups of friends and individuals dined amongst the wood-y artisan décor and under impressive light fixtures that glowed as the sun set.

Decoration is something Bacaro does well. Simple table accents such as mock-crystal candleholders and plenty of foliage adds to the restaurant’s intimate and elegant vibe.

This was also present in the menu. We chose to share a simple starter: Sicilian giaraffa olives and sliced sourdough bread, which was no avant-garde feat, but proved extremely tasty. The sourdough was moist and fresh and was served with herby balsamic vinegar and oil that perfectly complemented the generous serving of pungent olives.

Freshness of food is key to Bacaro’s culinary success, avoiding the common dryness I find with sourdough in favour of aerated softness. The olives, too, were firm and succulent, especially well-paired with a glass of pale rosé.

The texture of my sister’s beef ragù orecchiette was outstanding. Al-dente pasta juxtaposed tender beef, which she described as ‘wonderfully familiar’ and ‘melt-in-the-mouth.’ I saw too that the dish was generous with its parmesan – an automatic win.

My vegan options were small plates of slow-cooked chickpeas and an aubergine stew. The aubergine stew was a simple tomato-based dish, fragrant and moist. I even asked for extra sourdough to enjoy the leftover sauce. Fresh basil and capers complemented the other flavours of the dish well.

But, the slow-cooked chickpeas proved to be the star of my night. The dish was lacking some crunch, and I feel might have benefited from some pine nuts. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the nutty tahini and soft chickpeas, and the presentation of the green of the rocket and vibrant purple flowers contrasted the red of the tomato dish beautifully.  

There was no vegan options for dessert, but luckily we were both too full, so we revelled in the restaurant’s aesthetic whilst comfortably sipping wine and watching the sun set.

Averaging around £15 per main course, dining here might not be something every student could afford regularly, but it is a perfect place to take visiting parents.

If you enjoyed this you may like reading our review of Barge East

The post Bacaro restaurant review – an artisanal slice of Italy appeared first on Roman Road LDN.

Tabitha Potts is a writer who lives in East London, an area which inspires much of her work. She has had several short stories published in print and online

The narrator of this sometimes very funny and sometimes heart-breaking true story is James Lubbock. It’s 1997 when Breaking Dad starts, and 19-year-old James’ seemingly conventional Jewish father Richard breaks the news to him over dinner that he’s actually gay, and this was the main reason he and James’ mother had split up.  

Shocked by this revelation but hoping having a gay dad meant he was a bit more ‘edgy’ now, James goes out for dinner with his mother Marilyn a few days later thinking she might need consolation. Instead, she tells him that she too is gay – and about to move in with her girlfriend Ruth.

It’s a great opening for anyone’s life story, and like the book as a whole it’s handled with wry humour.

Breaking Dad goes on to document events after these two eventful dinners, focusing mainly on Richard. James’ dad sells the family home in Stanmore, buys four flats in Limehouse and starts running his business (as a coin dealer) from one of them.

Richard also gets involved in other activities, as James discovers when he goes clubbing with his dad at the Fridge nightclub and realises he was taking ecstasy. His dad, at 59, was enjoying life as a single gay man, getting into house music and clubbing. James wanted him to be happy.

To James’ relief, his mother’s relationship with Ruth proves stable and harmonious. By contrast, his dad’s personal life seems chaotic. James was embarrassed when he visited Limehouse and accidentally discovered his dad’s spare bedroom was being used for group sex and bondage.

The book follows James’ journey as he tries to maintain his relationship with a spiraling father. Then, just when it looks as though things are settling down, Marilyn tells him the devastating news that she has cancer.

As James tries to support Marilyn and Ruth, Richard becomes increasingly addicted to crystal meth – saying it helps him meet ‘interesting people’ – which he deals from his Limehouse flat. In a desperate attempt to bond with his Dad, and deal with his grief over his mother, James starts smoking meth too, in one of the more shocking scenes in the book.

It’s a whirlwind of events, which makes James’ Lubbock’s narrative all the more impressive.

Marilyn underwent chemotherapy, which James describes very well – both the physical changes and the emotional havoc it creates. She recovered enough at first for James to enjoy some precious family time with her and Ruth, but eventually the cancer returned, and she decided to refuse further chemotherapy and die at home.

In a key scene in the book, Richard was an hour and a half late for Marilyn’s birthday lunch at the Ivy restaurant. His addiction worsened his chronic lateness, so he was unable to be present for many family occasions. After Marilyn died, Ruth and James arranged for Richard to take James to the funeral, hoping this would force him to be on time.

Instead, Richard made them both late, which James describes as ‘a whole other genre and league of embarrassment than walking in on your father’s heavily occupied sex room’. James’ personal life continued to fall apart, when his long-term girlfriend broke up with him and he was sacked from his digital marketing job.

The turning point for James came when he found his new love, Jo, on Date, while for Richard it was when he was arrested in his flat, fast asleep wearing just a t-shirt and surrounded by drugs. It was ‘Britain’s largest ever haul of crystal meth’ according to the headlines and worth well over a million pounds.

It’s a gripping story and well-told. One criticism is that it’s hard to understand, even after reading it, quite how Richard’s coming out in mid-life segued into drug-dealing on such a massive scale. For someone who apparently spent decades in therapy, he doesn’t seem to have been very self-aware.

In a sense that’s the point. From reading James’ account, it doesn’t appear that he fully understands it either, although he links his father’s descent into major drug addiction to his mother’s death – Richard lost his ‘rock’ when Marilyn died and indeed told his son she was the love of his life.

Richard was sentenced to eight years. He recovered slowly from his drug addiction and impressed prison authorities with his good behaviour, eventually being released early. He lost all his wealth (including his gold Rolls Royce and four flats in Limehouse) as part of the court proceedings and now lives on benefits in Poplar.

It’s an extraordinary tale. What’s also astonishing, and moving, is the good-humoured way it is told by his son (with the assistance of writer Warren Fitzgerald). The highs and lows of Richard’s journey are laid bare with excruciating candour and it is a testament to the strength of their family ties that everyone concerned is still speaking to each other.

Breaking Dad is available to buy on Amazon. If you liked this review you may enjoy reading our interview with Richard Lubbock

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Bow band Honne, whose first gig was at our very own Muxima on Roman Road, returned from a world tour to play to packed crowds at this year’s All Points East festival in Victoria Park.

We caught up with James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck, the charming duo behind the electro-soul band, backstage at All Points East just before they were about to play.

‘It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come,’ says the Geminian Hatcher with quick words, a quicker smile, and childlike wonder. ‘It seems to have grown slowly when you’re in it, just a few more people at every gig, but now suddenly we’re a lot bigger.’

The band now has half a million subscribers on YouTube. Their single “Warm on a Cold Night” back in 2016 was the hit that brought them fame, and they seem to have been on a non-stop tour around the world including Mexico, Australia, and Portugal.

Apparently they are very popular in Asia, something that was clearly evidenced in the crowds with a strong contingency of loved-up fans from Japan settling down for the set in Victoria Park.

Clutterbuck and Hatcher describe their music as romantic (the kind of music to which babies are conceived). Honne (rhymes with ‘con’) is a Japanese word that means ‘to keep to yourself or to share with close companions’ and it reflects the intimacy of their lyrics.

It’s not the first time the pair have played in Victoria Park. ‘We played at Victoria Park once before, four years ago at Field Day, when we were much smaller’ says Clutterbuck. ‘We were on the worst stage that didn’t have easy access, and we didn’t have any crew, so we had to get a golf buggy to get all our equipment to stage. Today is a nice reminder of how far we’ve got.’

Clutterbuck (originally from Dorset) and Hatcher (originally from Wiltshire ‘near Stonehenge!’), met at Guilford ACM where they were both studying music and bonded immediately. When college finished they made their way to Bow on the recommendation of a friend who lived on Old Ford and said Bow was ‘where everything happened’.  

They lived in a house just off Fairfield Road and first met Isaac from Muxima when his arts cafe was in a small venue just opposite Bow Quarter. ‘We hit it off immediately and when Isaac moved to Roman Road in 2014, we were the first band to play at Muxima.’

Clutterbuck still lives in Bow Quarter and has built a recording studio in his apartment. ‘I saw your feature on Indigo Face and thought, no, there’s another band at Bow Quarter!’ jokes Clutterbuck. ‘Seriously, it’s a lovely creative community round here. We are on the edge of Hackney Wick, where there is a big community of musicians.’

‘There is a real vibe in Hackney Wick, a bit like Williamsburg in New York’ agrees Hatcher. ‘But things are changing though’, says Hatcher. ‘The redevelopment of Hackney Wick means that artists are moving out to cheaper areas such as Leyton’.

Despite their demanding touring schedule, the pair are still very embedded in the East End. Clutterbuck still lives at Bow Quarter, Hatcher in a flat in Canary Wharf overlooking the Thames. They use a studio at Netil House in London Fields, and like to check out gigs at The Oval and The Laundry.

‘The Seabright Arms on Hackney Road is still one of the best music venues to find new rising talent’ says Clutterbuck. ‘Its small, packed, hot and sweaty. One of our first gigs was there.’

Closer to home they like to hang out at Muxima and drink a beer at Crate Brewery. ‘Toksonku in Homerton is a favourite of our too’ says Hatcher, and when parents are visiting they take them round Victoria Park and maybe for a meal at the Empress.

Now that Honne are well established and on the edge of getting seriously big (we highly recommend you listen to their last album Love Me / Love Me Not) , who do they see as the new rising stars in the local music scene?

‘Our backing vocalist Becka is coming out with some big tunes, she’s got a great voice,’ says Clutterbuck. ‘Also Ruben James. We worked on a few tracks with him on the last album, and he is putting out some new tunes, piano jazz. He played with Sam Smith for years and years.’

Modest to the end, the pair regularly go to see artists from different genres to get inspiration about how other people put together shows. ‘We’re going to see someone called Louth from the US, and also RM of BTS, a K-pop phenomenon’. says Hatcher, ‘And when we go on holiday we will always track down a jazz bar.’

Will they know lots of people in the crowd? ‘We’ll probably see a few familiar faces’ says Clutterbuck. ‘I will try not to catch my girlfriend’s eyes in the crowd’ laughs Hatcher.

Today the duo can still enjoy the park in relative anonymity, but at the rate Honne is growing it’s easy to imagine that soon will change. Here’s to the next homecoming.

If you enjoyed this article you may like reading about Rhythm Division, the spiritual home of grime music

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Karen Burke, 45, had lived in Bethnal Green for nearly 20 years when she lost her job over issues with her immigrant status. Despite having the right to live and work in the UK, she had a career snatched away from her and has been left isolated from friends and family.

Burke has fought her way back from the brink, but she now faces an uncertain future. She is still looking for work, one of thousands of legal residents left struggling by the Home Office’s ‘hostile environment’ legislation.

Brought to the UK from Jamaica by her love of fashion (she had worked with Barry Moncrief and beaded the dress of Miss Jamaica World 1997 by the time she was 19), she stayed to study computer science. But she soon found her true vocation was care work.

‘I was about following my heart, about what makes me feel comfortable, because the older you get you want to find yourself,’ she says. ‘I thought that I needed fashion, but then I find out that I have a compassionate side to me, that I wanted to help my peers in school who didn’t have parental guidance.’

There is an unfiltered honesty to her emotions as we talk. She laughs (and sings) as readily as she cries, but there’s a confidence beneath it. She is generous with her smile, wears a blonde wig fashioned by herself ‘to test the look’, and her eye for a good coat completes the insouciant air that East End fashionistas do so well.

East London has been Burke’s home for her entire time in the UK. As soon as she saw it she knew it was her element. ‘When I came to Bethnal Green there was a presence,’ she says. The multicultural nature of the place was unpolished, but it was real. ‘My energy can be used in this area.’

And so it proved. By the summer of 2017 Burke had been with her employer, Mighty Care, for thirteen and a half years, working in homes across Bethnal Green, Bow, and Mile End. She and her son had just moved to a new home off Bethnal Green Road.

Burke had been at her place work for thirteen and a half years when she received a phone call. She remembers that date too, 26 September, 2017. They said to me, ‘We’re sorry, Karen, we need to see your biometric. And I said to them, what’s a biometric?’

Biometric Residence Permits are identity cards introduced by the Home Office in 2015. They contain information for those with permission to live in the UK for more than six months. Although Burke received her indefinite leave to remain status in 2004, which meant she allowed to live and work in the UK for as long as she was willing and able, she was told if she didn’t bring in a biometric card within a days she would lose her job.

Burke thought they were joking. She went to see her manager, who said it was true.

‘I said this is not professional,’ Burke says. ‘I’ve been working with the company for almost 14 years and this is the way I’m going to be treated? You know I’m a resident here.’ Burke’s manager was sympathetic, but clearly preoccupied. ‘She didn’t want to know, because she said there’s a lot of pressure to sort these things out.’

The pressure Burke’s manager was talking about was a series of policies which have been rolled out by the Home Office since 2014. Their purpose was, as then Home Secretary Theresa May put it in 2012, ‘to create, here in Britain, a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants.’

This took various forms, including increased background checks and reduced access to public services. For employers it meant lowering the threshold for punishment. Before 2016 an employer needed to ‘knowingly’ employ someone without the right the work to face criminal charges. Since 2016 ‘reasonable cause to believe’ is enough for them to face fines of up to £20,000 and up to five years in prison.

Under this sort of pressure it’s not surprising that many employers act out of fear. This meant a short deadline for Burke. Even though she’d had indefinite leave to remain status for well over a decade, her employer needed her biometric to be sure they weren’t falling afoul of new legislation.

Updating to a biometric card costs £229 and the decision takes up to six months. Speeding up the process with the Home Office’s ‘super priority service’ requires applicants to pay a further £800. With no guidance on how to apply, and time at a premium, Burke was duly told by her employer to hand over her keys and uniform.

‘I don’t know how explain it. It was like a Windrush came in and just snapped me. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what to think. After I handed in my key that day I was walking down the road and I didn’t know myself anymore.’

She picked up her son in her uniform that day, knowing the security and purpose that it meant had been ripped away. The next day she got up, took her son to school, and didn’t know what to do. She didn’t have a rota.

The next few weeks she spent wandering the streets in the vague hope someone would offer a job even though she knew she couldn’t accept it. The suddenness of what had happened put her into a state of shock.

‘I was lost. It felt like my world was caving on me, but being a support worker I have to support myself, and support my boy, because I don’t want him to know what’s happening.’

For a time Burke dressed up in the mornings and pick up her son in the afternoon with a packed bag so he’d think she was coming from work. She didn’t want him to know what had happened. She wanted him to feel as safe and secure as he’d always felt, though she suspects he felt the shift.

‘They’re small but they know what you’re going through. I tried not to let him know that I was that unhappy. I couldn’t give him the things I used to give him, couldn’t go the places we used to go. Couldn’t go on the small adventures we used to do, riding the Thames, travelling the bus. It affected me so much.’

Since her troubles began Burke has distanced herself from family at home and abroad. She didn’t want to be a burden. ‘I rode the storm on my own, because my stress can pull them down, and then it will pull my mum back home down. They look to me as the head.’

Burke hasn’t seen her mother in four years, the last time being for her father’s funeral. She doesn’t want to expose her to it. When she has a job, she will be ready to go back. ‘I’m in a good place now, mentally, emotionally, physically. Just for me to get a job. That is the only thing for me.’

Burke cries as she retells the story. ‘My world was tearing apart. I don’t like remembering. I’d never experienced something like that.’ We talk in a side room at Praxis, a charity based in Bethnal Green that provides support to migrants and refugees in London.

Praxis was Burke’s salvation, but it appeared in the unlikeliest of ways. Several weeks after losing her job, Burke was spotted wandering the street outside Praxis. It was clear something wasn’t right and she was invited in for a cup of tea.

Praxis has been in the news a lot in recent years. It has been a leading voice in condemnation of the Windrush scandal, in which thousands of legal immigrants have lost their jobs and their homes. In extreme cases they have been wrongly deported.

Burke is one of those affected by this new environment. Praxis helped her to secure her biometric card, but she remains unemployed, and the time since has exposed her to the mad limbo awaiting those caught in the crossfire.

A particularly odd novelty was that she couldn’t get a job, but qualified for unemployment benefits. Burke was baffled. More than that, she was embarrassed.

‘It’s bizarre. It’s very bizarre. If I can sign on and get public money, why can’t I work and get my own money? I wanted to work and I couldn’t work.’ She can scarcely believe it now. It was an affront to the way she had lived her life up to that point — independent and free.

‘I don’t like handouts,’ she says. ‘I want to do something for myself.’

Although Burke has now secured her biometric card and reconfirmed her right to work in the UK, she did not get her job back. She is still looking for employment. The experience has opened Burke’s eyes to the experiences of thousands like her who have been squeezed, sometimes destroyed, by clumsy implementation of Home Office policy.

‘I was an able bodied person of my life. Going on, had a nice job, a monthly salary, my son, and then I was knocked along the wayside.’

As well as helping Burke secure her biometric card, Praxis has become a second home. The charity believes in a holistic approach, in which users are not problems to be solved but people to be supported.

She regularly attends the choir and is now part of its service user forum, where she has met others in similar positions to herself. It has confirmed she’s not alone. ‘Praxis has to be supporting them mentally, emotionally, physically. There’s a lot of people going through a lot of things.’

Her voluntary role at Praxis gives her life purpose. Now, when she picks up her son from school, she can can at least tell the partial truth. ‘He asks, mummy are you coming from work? I said yes bubba. Work at Praxis? I say yes bubba.’

In the absence of a job, Burke has found other outlets for her compassion. Even during the most difficult period of her life she seems wired to think about the wellbeing of others rather than her own. Her mind darts from issues of immigration to mental health to homelessness. The abandoned.

She talks with the homeless of Bethnal Green, asking if they’re all right. ‘I see those people on the road, on the byways, in the hedges. You never know, maybe they were people like me, had their job, got that knock, and didn’t know how to come back.’

Burke wants to return to work where she can pick up those who have been knocked down. ‘I need to work with somebody who needs me.’

The Home Office has started to roll out a reparation scheme for victims of the Windrush scandal, but other victims of the same policies, like Burke, have no such resource. Other than home secretary Sajid Javid rebranding the ‘hostile environment’ as ‘compliant environment’, no steps have been taken to repeal the legislation that has so damaged the lives of so many.

In the meantime, Burke must wait in limbo. She raises her son with the same love she has always lavished on him, and she waits for the time when she can face her family again.

She is measured about her treatment, more astounded than angry. The support of Praxis has given her the means to look forward, enjoy what she has, and dare to hope for more.

‘When I cry I don’t cry because I’m sad, I cry because I rejoice, because I passed my past and I walk away from painful memory.

‘I live this day as my last because yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery. If you can do good along the byways and hedges, treat people the way you want to be treated.’

Praxis is a charity based in Bethnal Green which supports migrants and refugees in London. Find out how to get involved at the Praxis website

If you enjoyed this piece you may like reading about East End gent Eddie Brown’s mental health story

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Transport for London is proposing a cycle-friendly transformation of East London, affecting Hackney all the way to the Isle of Dogs.

If the plans are approved an uninterrupted 7.5km Cycleway could run through Hackney, Victoria Park, Bow, Mile End, and Limehouse, with construction beginning as early as this winter.

The plans are part of the Mayor of London’s transport strategy, which aims to encourage more walking, cycling, and use of public transport in the capitol.

The consultation phase for the proposals ends on 21 June, with further consultations to take place for Grove Road and the Isle of Dogs at later dates.

Key parts of the proposals include:

• Implementing a 20mph speed limit on Burdett Road
• A dedicated cycling route running from Hackney to Limehouse
• Making the stretch of Grove Road that runs through Victoria Park bus, cycle, and taxi only between 7am and 7pm
• New trees planted throughout the route

The cycling route would be be given its own segregated lane on Burdett Road and West India Dock Road.

Designs for Grove Road and Old Ford Road roundabout will be consulted at a later date as part of the £3.3million Liveable Neighbourhoods project being led by Tower Hamlets Council.

Although the proposals are not environmentally focused, TfL hopes the improvements will prompt more Londoners to walk, cycle, and use public transport.

The proposals are part of TfL’s Vision Zero project, which aims to end deaths and serious injuries on London transport by 2041.

TfL predicts that the changes will improve the journey times of the 277 and D6 bus routes, although the 15 and 115 routes are expected to slow slightly. The number 8 route is unaffected by the proposed changes.

Subject to the results of the consultation, construction could begin as early as this winter.

Read the full proposals here. You can have your say on the TfL’s plans by filling in the official survey.

Alternatively, you can:

• Email TfL at newcycleroutes@tfl.gov.uk
• Write to them at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS CYCLEWAY
• Call them on 0343 222 1155*

* service and network charges apply. Visit tfl.gov.uk/terms for details.

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Environmental correspondent Lizzy has always been passionate about the environment. Since 2016 she has been reducing her non-recyclable waste and is currently working with Roman Road Trust and Globe Town Assembly on the Plastic-free Roman Road project.

In our corner of London there are many opportunities to explore and experience the beauty of the canal environment, and even join with local community initiatives to enhance it.

On the 15th June the East London Environmental Network will hold the first Splash! East London Festival of Rivers and Oceans. There’s a lot to celebrate around here.

Roman Road may not feel near the river or the ocean (apart from spotting the occasional seagull do battle with a pigeon) but we are directly connected via the Regent’s Canal and Hertford Union Canal.

It’s easy to forget these bodies of water. Originally built to transport industrial and agricultural goods 200 years ago, they are hidden away behind buildings, below street level and under bridges or tunnels.

This seclusion, once meant to hide the grime and noise from city dwellers, now ironically provides calm and respite from city life, for humans and non-humans alike.

Enhancing biodiversity

Our waterways now provide incredibly diverse habitats for wildlife. Around 30% of the UK’s canals are officially recognised as important nature sites, including the whole of London’s canal network. Their slow flow and managed water levels provide a unique habitat and opportunities for nature conservation.

This wildlife is celebrated at the Ecology Pavilion and Ecology Garden in Mile End Park.

To enhance it further, the Lower Regents Coalition and The Wildlife Gardeners of Haggerston recently created 75 metres of new floating planters at Mile End and Haggerston.

The Coalition are a great example of the canal adoption programme which enables community groups to adopt a stretch of canal, working with the Canal and Rivers Trust on management and enhancement plans. They have adopted a two-mile stretch between Mile End and Limehouse.

Friends of Meath Gardens are keen to adopt the stretch that flows under Roman Road. They are looking for new members to lead on this aspect of the group’s activities. Could it be you? Contact Tunde or Joanna via their Facebook page.

Cleaning our canals

The Freshwater Habitats Trust estimates 95% of the UK’s canal length has compromised water quality. Although they’ve come a long way from their grimy past, there’s more we can do to make them cleaner and safer.

For example, when fertilisers and pesticides enter the water, this can create dead zones – areas with levels of oxygen so low as to be unable to sustain life. In 2015 60,000 fish suffocated in the Grand Union Canal in Leicestershire when a two-mile stretch became polluted with farm slurry.

Pollution-busting plants

Luckily nature has some of the answers! Some plants can absorb these pollutants, such as the reed beds recently planted by Thames21 and the London Wildlife Trust.

Volunteer at a clean-up

Some things plants can’t remove! Help them out at a litter-pick:

• The Lower Regents Coalition holds monthly sessions just south of Roman Road.
• Plastic-free Hackney runs them just north of here.
• Plastic-free Roman Road held our first in April and plan to run two per year.

Preventing pollution in the first place

Many pollutants reach our canals via outlet pipes from drains managed by Thames Water, including waste from industry and households. In addition, anything applied to the land – including roads and gardens as well as farmland – washes directly into our waterways without treatment.

Keeping our canals clean therefore requires improving water treatment systems to remove more harmful substances before they are discharged into the environment, and changing the substances we habitually use.

Some of the ways we can support these changes include:

Changes at home

Many everyday household products are dangerous to marine ecosystems and are not removed in the water treatment process.

• Make eco-friendly cleaning products at Sunny Jar’s DIY Natural Cleaning workshop at the Create Place on 26th June.
• Don’t throw paints, oils or other litter down your drains. Dispose of them according to the label, or donate leftover paint to the Forest Recycling Project.
• Consider what you buy in the first place – follow Harry and Meghan and choose organic paints!
• Reduce or even eliminate your use of artificial fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides.
• Reduce your use of single-use plastics.

Petitions for change

• Ask the Environment Agency and Ofwat to increase their efforts to cut pollution from outlet pipes.
• Ask Tower Hamlets Council to ban dangerous pesticides in our borough.
• Keep heavy polluting industry away from our canal system. Ask the Mayor of London to refuse planning permission for four concrete factories near the Olympic Park.

Caring for our canals: a beacon for the future?

The transformation of our canals from heavily polluted industrial thoroughfares to incredibly biodiverse areas of wildlife where people gather either to slow down and relax, or to work together to protect them, is a beacon of hope for transforming other aspects of the city and of our modern society in general.

As we move away from reliance on fossil fuels, from private car ownership, and from an unsustainable pursuit of constant economic growth, production and consumption – three societal changes we must make – could our streets become an equally abundant network of green corridors through our city? Where people gather to enjoy leisure activities, or to work together to make them safer and cleaner spaces for all?

Why not join Better Streets for Tower Hamlets, a local group already campaigning for these changes?

Until then, enjoy the Splash! East London Festival of Rivers and Oceans this weekend and consider how communally caring for our local canals contributes to the global effort to preserve our oceans.

If you enjoyed this piece you may like our article on how to get involved in East End food gardens

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Bow-based filmmaker Aaron Christian, 34, is a born and bred East Londoner. This week, Genesis Cinema will debut his latest short film – The Internship, a semi-autobiographical picture about race, class, and privilege within the publishing industry.

The Internship marks a culmination for Christian. Shot over three days across East London, not only was the film largely based on his own experiences, it also provided a new creative challenge after a decade in the thick of the fashion industry.

Much like the premise of the film, Christian bumped into the then editor of Esquire while working a dead-end retail job. The chance meeting led to an internship, and Christian’s career has gone from strength to strength since then. He has shot for household fashion brands in countries all over the world. But his base has always been East London, and he has never lost sight of the blessings he’s had.

The film examines the dynamics of interning in the publishing industry. Christian only has good things to say about the people he’s met and worked with. As someone who ‘made it’ he simply feels a responsibility to showcase the struggles of those who didn’t.

‘There’s a narrative that if you’re not willing to do an internship then you probably don’t have what it takes,’ Christian says. ‘I think it was important to show another side as to why some people may not be able to work in an internship for so long for free or for a lower wage.’

When Christian himself was an intern it wasn’t uncommon for peers to have to drop out before a chance to progress presented itself. Talent, graft, and a sprinkling of luck gave Christian the breaks he needed, but he maintains a measured view of the industry.

‘I’ve worked hard,’ Christian says, ‘but I also totally understand there have been loads of opportunities that came at just the right time.’

Christian was born and bred in East London, but his family background is Malaysian-Indian. His formative years were in Stratford, and the diversity he experienced growing up has stuck with him. ‘Just being raised in that community you get to see so many different cultures and ways of life, especially when you’re young and the world hasn’t shaped you,’ he says.

Christian’s own experiences in fashion have translated into a lush, vibrant visual palette. He wanted The Internship to be an expressive project. ‘I wanted to showcase East London in a really beautiful, cinematic way.’

The Internship channels that diversity into its exploration of race, class, and professional cliques, both in the subject matter of the film and how it was made.

The film, whose cast and crew are suitably diverse in skillset and background, is itself a statement about diversity in the film industry. Although traditionally a visual filmmaker, it was important to Christian that he be the one telling the story.

He hopes it sparks a conversation. Christian doesn’t talk in terms of heroes and villains. He talks in terms of broken systems and awkward conversations that ought to be had. It’s not black and white. It’s worse than that, it’s shades of grey.

Christian recalls that when he was interning opportunities often went to relatives of those in positions of power. Instead of going to an external applicant, a role might be offered to a CEO’s nephew or a senior manager’s son. Christian reserves judgment as he recounts this. He understands. He would do the same, he says. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be talked about.

‘Those conversations are so uncomfortable but it’s important to have them,’ Christian says. He believes that the honesty required of those conversations starts with the filmmaker. ‘If I stay true to what I want to say and I feel what I’m saying is honest, then you can slowly start having those conversations.’

On screen and off, Christian obviously sees dialogue as essential to filmmaking. Different skills, backgrounds, and perspectives come together to make something greater than any one person could do alone. And then, when people go to see it, they can be exposed to something new, something challenging.

‘I think that’s the reason I fell in love with filmmaking,’ he says. ‘It’s one of the mediums where you can continuously improve and learn from. You can always approach your work from a different angle.’

Filmmaking is diverse by nature; so many skills are required. When Christian was young it was all about visuals, the cinematography and the framing. Then he began to learn about lighting. Then sound design. Then set design, and styling, and writing.

Even if you’re not a natural at one aspect (Christian is very modest about his writing ability) studying it improves your overall understanding of the craft.

Christian clearly lives and breathes filmmaking. He speaks with keen, articulate interest about how much there is still to learn. It excites him. For Christian the teamwork built into the process is a source of strength, and in this day and age almost an act of defiance.

‘That collaborative experience does kind of run against how the world’s working now, where everything is so immediate nowadays,’ he says.

‘You see stuff on Instagram that you wouldn’t remember next week, whereas films are a massive collaborative experience. It takes a lot of effort and time, but they can be evergreen in a way.’

It’s appropriate that The Internship is being debuted by Genesis cinema at its first ever Fragments Festival. The festival aims to champion inclusivity in film, giving a platform to those underrepresented at major film festivals.

Christian sees it as a massively important edition to the circuit, both for filmmakers and audiences. ‘On Vimeo or Instagram you choose what you like and you’re fed that feed,’ he says. ‘It can just be a bubble.’ Carefully curated festivals expose you to the unfamiliar and inspire new outlooks on both film and the subjects they explore.

Being screened at his local cinema is wholesome ending to this chapter in Christian’s story. Although he is excited to see the response, he’s already at peace with the project and looking forward.

‘I felt my job as a filmmaker was to create a piece of art, put it out there, obviously tell a story I identity with and believe in, and then once it’s out in the world it kind of doesn’t really belong to you.’

Whatever people make of the film, he hopes it will inspire young filmmakers to make their own projects. The only major Asian filmmaker Christian had to look up to when he was growing up M. Night Shyamalan. In his own small way he hopes the film says to someone, You can do this too.

‘You need people to pave the way a little bit, and also bring the next generation through,’ Christian says. ‘When you do get more people in the industry you just get a wider variety of opinions and stories and content, and that’s just better.’

Christian’s film is being screened at the Fragments Festival Shorts Vol. 2 night on Thursday 13 June. You can follow his work on Instagram and at aaronchristian.co.uk

The post Bow filmmaker Aaron Christian on the privileged world of internships appeared first on Roman Road LDN.

Two weeks ago a little piece of Roman Road went back in time. The shop front of No. 430, at what is now Delicious Vape, was taken down and underneath it was a faded sign that said simply ‘Henry Finkelstein’. Its peeling paintwork and faded old-world colours captured the imagination of the whole road. Photos of the sign duly made the rounds on social media. Who was Henry Finkelstein? What did he do? When?

Well, we have some of the answers. Like everyone, we wanted to find out more. So we did some digging. After a trip to the Tower Hamlets Archives, trawling through census sheets, and a fair bit of googling, we have at least partially solved the mystery of Henry Finkelstein.

In the 1930 and 1932 London trade directories, ‘Hy. Finkelstein’ is listed as the occupier of what was then 158A Roman Road, on the stretch between Lyal Road and Dane Place. (Roman Road was shorter back then.) His trade is listed as tinware manufacturer.

Henry Finkelstein was a tinsmith who worked across East London during the first half of the 20th century. He first appears in the 1911 census as a 29 year-old living in Whitechapel. There were several Henry Finkelstein’s knocking about East London at the time, but we have a hunch this was the one who went on to trade on Roman Road. Why are we so sure? His profession is listed at ‘Tinsmith’.

We suspect it is the same Henry Finkelstein who, by 1928, was working independently as a tin plate worker at 10 Waterloo Road, E2. The road has changed in name since, but it’s Bethnal Green, and it’s safe to say Finkelstein was an East End lad.

During his stint on the Roman, Finkelstein sat directly opposite Arber’s printing, and was a stone’s throw away from Abbotts. We can only guess who made the sign, but the original Luminor Sign Co was open at the time. Who knows, maybe it was their handywork?

By 1935 Finkelstein’s Roman Road venture was doing well enough to have a fleet of lorries, or at least a lorry. We know this because of a newspaper clipping from the Nottingham Evening Post. (Big thank you to reader Deborah Coone for bringing it to our attention.)

The story, dated Thursday 26 September 1935, runs as follows:

LORRY LOG BOOK UNKEPT.

OWNER FINED £5 AND OWNER 15/- AT LINCOLN

At Lincoln Police Court, to-day, Henry Arthur Tebble, Windyridge, Sawbridgeworth, Herts., was summoned as the driver of a goods vehicle who had failed to keep current records, Henry Finkelstein, owner of the vehicle, of Roman-road, Bow, London, being summoned for not causing the driver to keep those records.

For Finkelstein, Mr. H. T. Jackson stated that his client was not appreciative of the condition of the license. He thought that if he gave the driver his log book he would he would normally keep it filled in, according with his duty. Finkelstein was fined £5 and the driver 15s.

Poor Henry. That’s equivalent to around £350 today. We were unable to confirm whether Henry Tebble kept his driving job, but if he did we imagine he kept his log book.

By 1937 Henry Finkelstein’s time on Roman Road had come to and end. He moved to Station Approach in Forest Gate. If he’s the Finkelstein we think he is he would have been 55 by this time; well deserving of some peace and quiet.

So there you have it. The mysterious Henry Finkelstein of Roman Road was a tinware manufacturer who played it fast and loose with the law. After a lifetime devoted to his craft he moved further east for some well-earned downtime, making way for the next generation of independent businesses.

The sign remained, and still remains. It has been covered up again but rest assured it is still there. One can only imagine what other wonders are hidden just beneath the surface of the Roman. There are countless untold stories here. Here’s to unearthing a few more.

If you enjoyed this piece you may like browsing our Roman Road Market image archives

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Roman Road is rightly renowned for its market, but let us never forget that it’s also packed full of fabulous shops open seven days a week. You can get just about anything done on a high street like the Roman.

What follows is an insider’s guide to the secret services of Roman Road. There’s more to most shops than meets the eye, and there’s a whole lot of useful services you might be missing out on.

Where can I get knives sharpened on Roman Road?

Look no further than Sew Amazing at the junction of Roman Road and St Stephens Road for all your sharpening needs. The shop may look cuddly with all its thread and yarn and sewing machines, but it has an edgy side. Robert will happily sharpen scissors, shears, garden shears, hover mower blades, and knives.

Where can I get my duvet washed on Roman Road?

When things get messy and washing the sheets won’t be enough, you’ll need somewhere to wash your duvet. The lovely folks at Bow Wash have you covered. Maybe you can pop round the corner to Randolfi’s for a sarnie while you wait.

Where can I get my fob fixed on Roman Road?

In addition to its old-school hardware nouse, Khan’s Locksmith & DIY at 166 Roman Road is a fantastic resource for fob keys and techy security systems. Fob keys are copied in seconds and prices start as low as £9.

Where can I get my pram wheels fixed on Roman Road?

The boys at Paradise Cycles know their wheels. Bicycles are their bread and butter, obviously, but Louis, James, and the boys will have a crack at most things that roll. (If the thing has an engine that’s kind of the cut-off point.) Fixing prams wheels is a popular request. They can even jazz up the push bar with handlebar tape if you ask (and pay) them nicely.

Where can I get my carpet cleaned on Roman Road?

Abbotts. The don of Roman Road. After being in business for well over a century most locals are pretty familiar with their floor laying, blind fitting, shutter installing ways. However, not everyone knows that they also clean carpets and upholstery. Not ones to mess about, the folks at Abbotts use the latest steam technology, whatever that means.

Where can I get my phone unlocked on Roman Road?

Highland Phone & PC Centre and Mobile PC Tech Ltd both provide a range of gizmo repair. The latter is indistinguishable from an early noughties internet cafe, but it’s plenty familiar with the latest technology. From phones to laptops to tablets they offer an alternative to the extortionate rates set by the likes of Apple..

Where can I get white appliances fixed on Roman Road?

Roman’s Bargain Store has been trading in new and second-hand white appliances for 17 years. But they don’t just sell, they fix too. If you want to give your fridge a new lease of life Roman’s Bargain Store is the place to go.

Where can I get clothes repaired and refitted on Roman Road?

Two excellent options are Stitches at 593 Roman Road and Whistles Boutique at 168. Stitches do tailoring and repairs on clothes as well as household items like pillows and curtains. Whistles Boutique is well established as the go-to place for men’s tailoring, but they also do alterations to women’s clothes and dresses.

Where can I get my picture framed on Roman Road?

GingerWhite at 103 Roman Road offers a bespoke framing service. The shop has a wide range of frame types to choose from, from vintage to contemporary, and even has a selection of glass types. And before you ask, yes, they do sell sound absorbing panels that look like pieces of art.

Where can I go for engravings on Roman Road?

Thompson’s DIY has been going strong on the Roman for 65 years and stocks thousands of hardware and domestic products. The Wakerleys, who run the business, are as knowledgeable as they come where DIY is concerned. On of their lesser known services is engraving. Their gizmo with engrave anything with a flat service (within reason), though the main request they get is for dog tags.

Where can I get tooth gems on Roman Road?

The question on everyone’s lips. Vividliy Chic has the answer. The beauty boutique at 418 Roman Road recently started providing genuwine Swarvoski 22ct gold tooth gems as a slick alternative to grills.

Something we’ve missed? Let us know so we can let everyone in on more Roman Road secrets.

If you liked this article you may enjoy reading about why Globe Town is the wellbeing mecca of East London

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Genesis Cinema celebrated the final night of its first ever Fragments Festival on Saturday. Organised in six months, the festival was created to support under-represented artists in the film industry.

A screening of She Who Must Be Loved, an Australian documentary recounting the life and family history of Central Australian Aboriginal Association founder Freda Glynn, brought the festival to a close.

Genesis estimates 1,500 people came to watch 19 feature films and 19 shorts during the festival’s nine-day run.

In keeping with the festival’s purpose, 78% of directors involved identified as women, people of colour, disabled, and/or LGBTQ+.

Genesis Cinema owner Tyrone Walker-Hebborn said: “People got what we were trying to say. In the post-Brexit world and Trump era everything’s become divisive. Even though it means becoming fragmented, each fragment is important and beautiful in its own right. They’re greater than the sum of their parts.”

Christina Papasotiriou, one of the festival’s programmers, said: “We’ve had amazing feedback from everyone which has been extremely heartwarming, so we are looking forward to next year.”

Two E3 filmmakers were included in the festival. The Internship by Aaron Christian and Migrate Journey by Nurull Islam and Lindsay Knight were both screened during the Fragments Shorts Vol. 2 night.

The award for Best Feature, which included a £1,000 prize, went to Yonni Usiskin and Matt Shea for their film Time to Die. Walker-Hebborn presented the award during a ceremony on Saturday night, fulfilling a lifetime ambition of giving someone a giant cheque.

If you enjoyed this article you may be interested in our interview with Bow-based filmmaker Aaron Christian

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Margie Keefe, 80, likes a bit of hustle and bustle, which is just as well given she’s the undisputed nan of the grime scene. After watching a generation of East End dreamers grow up to become global superstars, Keefe is finally having her moment in the spotlight. She has taken the internet by storm with her new show – Grime Gran.

The series, in which Keefe chats with grime legends in her Bethnal Green living room, has garnered hundreds of thousands of views and no shortage of fanfair. There’s not many talk shows where the host can throw biscuits at their guests and remind them they knew them when they had fack awl, but that’s par for the course on Grime Gran.

The unfiltered, transparently affectionate back and forth between Keefe and her guests has led to nothing but good vibes. Only family can talk like that with each other. The beauty of Grime Gran is that what viewers are seeing has been happening for years. All that’s changed is someone turned a some cameras on.

Margie Keefe is the grandmother of Roony Keefe, a.k.a Risky Roadz, whose series of films helped launch grime music into the mainstream. Many artists wouldn’t have found an audience without Risky Roadz, and Risky Roadz may never have started filming were it not for his nan, who bought him his first camera.

This was in 2004 during the early days of grime, when kids watched videos on DVDs and discovered new music through pirate radio. Now the genre’s early pioneers are playing to packed stadiums, Risky Roadz’s first camera is exhibited at Somerset House, and Margie Keefe is what she’s always been – nan to the scene.

The Keefe household as an early grime haven. It was a genre forged out of sight, on pirate radio in record stores and bedroom studios. Risky Roadz was at the heart of it, which meant a lot of the scene were regulars at his home.

‘There’d be umpteen pairs of trainers where they used to take their shoes off before they went up to Roony’s bedroom,’ Keefe remembers. ‘If it got too loud we’d bang on the ceiling with a broom and that’d quieten them down for a little while.

‘But none of them, none of them ever did anything in here that they shouldn’t have done. They were all very respectful, all of them, and I can say that with my hand on my heart ‘cos they was. Always.’

The Keefes have lived in the same flat for 47 years. Nan has been Bethnal Green her whole life. We talk on the Grime Gran ‘set’, which is to say, her living room. That’s where the show is filmed, the guest on the sofa and Keefe opposite in a grand black armchair. That’s also the setup when we meet. She wears fluffy slippers and bright purple eyeshadow and is sharp as a tack.

Risky Roadz is with us as too. They’ve done everything together on Grime Gran. It took him years to convince her to do it. ‘She’s a natural,’ he says. ‘It’s something I’ve seen in her a long time. I knew it could be done, that’s why I wanted to do it so much.’

The show’s success has taken his nan by surprise, but not Risky Roadz. He’s always known exactly where to point the camera. ‘I know when something’s gonna work.’

Keefe has hosted Ghetts, D Double E, and Giggs so far on Grime Gran. They all call her nan. They’re all comfortable there (and at times a little uncomfortable) because, for all intents and purposes, they’re family. They’ve been going round the Keefe household for 15 years.

‘No matter where you go I don’t think you can better East End hospitality,’ Keefe says. ‘It’s always been the same here, and all the boys know it. They know it.’ She’s watched a generation of artists grow up and take on the world. Her unconditional support of Risky Roadz, and the grime scene in general, shines through in the goodwill of the guests.

‘They respect us, they’ve been coming here for years and they’ve got to know me and Roony’s mum. We’re mum and nan to them anyway, that’s what they always call us. But they’ve always shown us respect. I think that’s why with me they’re being themselves, ‘cos I’ve seen them worse than that.’ She laughs. ‘I know, and they know I know!’

Keefe can get away with saying things no-one else can say. ‘Sometimes I can take it too far. I think of things they think I’ve forgot.’

But it’s all in good fun. The trust is there. From (Yorkshire) tea and toast to asthma pumps, Margie Keefe and her daughter, Nancy, have been there for a music genre that has been repeatedly stifled. If Grime Gran’s success shows anything, it’s that people never forget who supported them when no-one else would.

‘That’s how you earn their respect. Respect off of anyone is earnt. It’s not given freely on anyone’s part. I was always brought up to think if you respect me, I’ll respect you.’

Risky Roadz agrees. ‘There’s no judgement here. It was like, you’re doing something good and we’re all friends, everyone’s looking after each other.’

Both view grime as an outlet, a way for youth to express themselves and stay off the streets. Keefe used to drop off lunch for Risky Roadz when he worked at Rhythm Division on Roman Road, the leading grime record store, and recognised it for what it was – a community hub.

‘Rhythm Division told a story,’ she says. It was a place for people to come together. ‘Now there’s no youth clubs. There used to be youth clubs everywhere. I think we had three just around this area and there was something going on every night.’

Risky Roadz’s generation didn’t have youth clubs, but it did have grime music, and it had a diverse, resilient family of East Londoners who believed in them.  

Like any nan, Keefe is just glad to see her boys do well. ‘It’s nice for us to know that we knew ‘em right from the beginning and how big they are now,’ Keefe says. ‘Some of them are performing with the best rappers in the world and are every bit as good.’

None is above a cup of tea and a chat, though.

‘They do still pop in. If they’ve got to see Roony for anything they’ll always come in here first and kiss me and his mum hello and have a little chat.’ Tinchy Stryder was round the other and they were talking about his little girl. Ghetts visits to recharge the energy.

Keefe enjoys the flow of people. It’s natural. ‘I come from a big family so I’m used to the hustle and bustle. All these boys in and out never bothered me and Nancy.’ She is the second youngest of eight and all her brothers were singers. She’s used to noise. She likes it.

‘To me it’s not natural being quiet for too long. Give me an hour, two hours at the most, but then I start getting uneasy, because I don’t like it all quiet too long.

‘You can have too much of that.’

The success of Grime Gran has brought even more bustle. BBC interviews, and, of course, recording more shows have kept her busy. She wouldn’t have it any other way. She cites a saying her mother used to say often. ‘What do you want to be quiet for, you’re quiet enough when you’re dead, and when you think about it it’s true.’

With Grime Gran going from strength to strength it’s fair to say Keefe will be making plenty of noise in the coming months. Risky Roadz was asking people to take part when they started the show; now managers are asking if their talent can share a cuppa with the Grime Gran.

‘She’s like the 80 year-old influencer,’ he laughs.

‘That’d be the day,’ she says.

Neither is remotely fazed by what’s gone on so far. They’ve captured something real, put it out into the world, and it’s taken off. What could be more grime than that? However big it gets, there’s no risk of Keefe forgetting where she came from, or why it matters. And rest assured she can hold her own in the digital age.

‘I can speak my piece,’ she says.

If you liked this article you may enjoy reading our review of DJ Target’s book Grime Kids

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Tabitha Potts is a writer who lives in East London, an area which inspires much of her work. She has had several short stories published in print and online.

The Sweet Science of Bruising is an entertaining and moving play that brings together four very different women to tell the story of Victorian lady boxers.

Staged in the period splendour of Wilton’s Music Hall (which was built around the time the play is set), we are introduced to these women’s stories by the charming Professor Charlie Sharp (Owen Brenman), a boxing promoter who spots raw pugilistic talent and brings it to London to polish it up.

He decides to set up a match between feisty Northerner Polly Stokes (Fiona Skinner), an adopted foundling, and her boyfriend (and adoptive ‘brother’) Paul Stokes (Tom Lorcan).

Polly, who is by far the superior boxer, defeats Paul in what was supposed to be a novelty act, and becomes a ‘Champion Lady Boxer’, inspiring other women to follow in her footsteps – and challenge her. Her only weak spot is men. She gives up boxing to support Paul’s boxing career as his wife, only for him to turn on her when he fails to succeed.

Violet Hunter, played with luminous intelligence by Celeste Dodwell, is an heiress, suffragette, and aspiring doctor whose ambition is constantly thwarted by those around her.

Her fiancé, Dr James Bell, a doctor (played by Ashley Cook), is outwardly sympathetic to her feminist beliefs but not supportive. Her Aunt George (Anna Ham, who has some of the funniest lines in the show) draws the line at boxing and refuses to watch her fight.

Violet takes up boxing to prove that women can do anything – but it becomes even more of an obsession when she loses first her financial support from her aunt and then her inheritance.

Matilda ‘Matty’ Blackwell, an Irish prostitute (played with energy and wit by Jessica Regan), is first introduced to us picking up a punter on Piccadilly. She also works part-time as an ink-stained type-setter for the Times newspaper, and quotes Descartes to her bemused customers. She is hired by Sharp to fight Polly but her real strength is endurance rather than aggression – she can take a lot of punches.

Anna Lamb (subtly and sensitively played by Emma Mcdonald) is a wealthy mother who has a terrible secret; her husband, Gabriel Lamb (Wilf Scolding), is abusive and regularly beats her. She becomes suspicious of where he is going in the evenings (he is seeing Matilda) and follows him to the boxing ring where she is inspired by the physical strength of the lady boxers. She trains in secret and eventually joins them in the ring, masked and calling herself ‘The Angel of Death’.

The links between these four women with their very different backgrounds are skillfully set up and their stories are told with great verve as well as pathos. At times, although the play is two hours long, it felt as though some characters’ storylines (Matilda Blackwell’s in particular) could have done with a little more exploration. However, it’s wonderful to see an ensemble play with four female actors in the main roles.

The serious subject of abuse, at the hands of men and also the medical profession, is tackled head on. When Polly gives up her boxing career for love only for Paul to turn on her in one explosive scene, the entire audience gasped.

Another scene explores the history of Victorian medical procedures on women, when one character endures a terrifying operation that is meant to cure hysteria. You will be desperate for these women to succeed by the end of the play, after all the suffering, hard knocks, and setbacks they have endured.

The play explores themes, such as whether women striving for success in a man’s world should put themselves first or try to help other women, which have a very modern resonance. There aren’t easy answers to these questions, and the play doesn’t try to resolve their complexity.

There are also plenty of enjoyably comic moments, particularly in some of the scenes between Aunt George and Violet and in Fiona Skinner’s performance as Polly. The fight scenes are well choreographed, especially in the final climactic fight between the four women as they battle for the title of Lady Boxing Champion of the World. Boxing fans might have enjoyed a little more of the ‘sweet science’ but the boxing action is skillfully interwoven with the drama.

The Sweet Science of Bruising, as the dramatist Joy Wilkinson writes in her introduction, is an imaginative reconstruction of history from a new perspective: ‘whether it’s a true story matters less to me than if there is truth in the story’. It’s a gritty, sharp, and hard-hitting drama which will give you a completely different view of the Victorian lady, with her corset off and gloves on, fighting for her life in the ring.

For more information about days, times, prices and how to book, see The Sweet Science of Bruising event.

If you enjoyed this review you may like our photo essay of a night of boxing at York Hall

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9Round, the kickboxing fitness club with studios around the world, has opened on Roman Road. The studio offers Bow locals a high-intensity workout that fits in with busy lifestyles through the short 30 minute length and circuit style with no class times.

Originally an American venture, 9Round has made waves in New Zealand, Japan, and the Middle East, and is growing fast in the UK too. By throwing its hat into Bow’s ring, 9Round brings its flexible brand of fitness to the East End. The club offers locals the chance to box and kick for exercise, self-improvement, and fun, rather than competition.

Stepping down from Roman Road Market into the basement that houses 9Round you enter an atmospheric space with warm exposed brick walls, and a black and red colour theme. A trainer is always on hand to provide the type of friendly service that is lacking in the average chain gym. A series of stations, labelled boxing ring style from Round 1 to Round 9, guides you through a range of punching bags and equipment that will inspire the most advanced kickboxer as well as beginners.

The 9Round model

The 9Round fitness model was inspired by US champion kickboxer Shannon ‘the Cannon’ who wanted to pioneer a new model of flexible kickboxing training that could fit around people’s busy lives.

The workout incorporates functional, interval, and circuit training styles for a fun and effective workout in 30 minutes flat. In Rounds 1-2, trainers will show you how to use dumbbells, kettlebells, jump ropes, and medicine balls to build on strength and stamina.

Rounds 3-8 incorporate kickbox fitness, punching, and kicking heavy bags to build power, double-end bags to increase coordination, and speed bags for conditioning and speed. Finally, Round 9 strengthens the core with a last blast of ab workout.

Each round’s duration is a punchy three minutes, and members move around the club to the next challenge. Thanks to this efficiency, as well as the support of the trainers who are always on hand, a new person can join the workout every three minutes.

Under each Round is an instructive set of exercises written on whiteboards. These exercises change daily so you never do the same workout twice. ‘It ensures that your body is always challenged and you never get bored’, said Bow Club Manager Charlotte Hallas.

Members at 9Round Bow are as varied as the surrounding community. ‘[The club] attracts people from all different backgrounds – people who’ve never trained before, and those at the top of their fitness game,’ said Nadine Palmer, a Bow-local trainer at 9Round. She said that some members might have martial arts experience, while others are completely new to exercise.

A new kind of kickboxing opponent

The 9Round style uses cardio, resistance and core-strength training to work members’ bodies to their maximum potential in a short period of time, with members showing up at their leisure and getting going within three minutes. In keeping with their efficient ethos, the clubs use wearable heart rate technology to ensure each 30 minute workout is the best it can be.

During a workout, class participants wear heart rate monitors which appear on a big screen on the wall. This allows personal trainers to monitor how hard you are pushing yourself and that you are in the correct zone to see results.

For those who come for the speedy rounds of exercise but miss the competitiveness of kickboxing, 9Round offers the rival of quantifiable personal bests.

‘The heart rate monitors provide us with a live feed of our members’ workouts. We can track exertion, calories burned, and they get to earn points every time they train’ said Hallas. ‘It’s a great way for our members to track their progress and make sure they are hitting their goals.’

If training points aren’t enough to tempt the competitive-minded, they also offer CHOW (challenge of the week). This is a week-long challenge that puts competitors on a chalk leaderboard with others who might dare to think they could do, for example, the most skips on a jump rope.

But it’s not necessarily other members you are competing with: if you come in on a Monday there’s no pressure to be top of the leaderboard, Hallas emphasised. It’s all about improving on personal bests.

For those who respond well to positive reinforcement, trainers are on the floor to offer it, and members ring a traditional boxing bell one to three times at the end of a session to signify ‘good’ to ‘great’ workout.

‘It’s fantastic to have a personal trainer with you every step of the way throughout our sessions, to guide, motivate, and push you to get the most from every workout. Not only that but the passion and personality of our trainers is what really brings the workout to life,’ Hallas said.

Looking at the sets of exercises written on the wall under each round, it’s hard not to wonder what tomorrow’s will be. This dynamism coupled with the numerous varieties of punching and kicking bags really show that the 9Round model doesn’t just offer speedy full body fitness: it offers variety and fun. In Hallas’ words, ‘it’s the end of boring cardio’.

‘In 2019 we need our choice of exercise to fit in with our fast-paced lifestyles. Instead of slogging it on a treadmill we want workouts that are fast and effective. It’s great that we can offer a high-intensity full body workout that promises results in just 30 minutes.’

Getting a kick out of community

Being on the historic market stretch of Roman Road, Hallas and her team of trainers are already part of the community, with Mono coffee shop providing their daily caffeine shots.

‘Everybody chats and says hello when you bump into them locally; it’s nice being on first-name basis with all our 9Rounders. There’s very much a community feel, said Hallas. ‘It creates such a nice atmosphere to work and work-out in. We get to hear about people’s holidays and upcoming events, and there’s a lot of fitness fun along the way too!’

Hallas and her team of trainers aim to mirror the community feel of the area around them. ‘You miss out on that in other, bigger gyms. It’s something that is really important to us and our members. We’re here with them along their whole journey.’

Flexibility is at the core of 9Round’s ethos, and the Bow branch retains this: membership is contract-free and includes unlimited access to all 9Round branches in the UK and Europe.

It’s also possible to freeze memberships easily, and Ramadan recently saw a lot of people freezing their subscriptions to come back after the month was over.

Palmer, who lives locally, added that 9Round’s workout style fits in well with the local culture. ‘It’s just a bit different,’ she said. ‘30 minutes in and out with a friendly face greeting you. It’s a no muss, no fuss workout — very East End!’

Local members are already in their corner. Bow resident and young mother Lucinda Eason said ‘9Round Bow is a gem of a place to exercise where you can turn up at any time and have a personal trainer guide and encourage you with a different set of exercises every day.’

If you’re keen to get a taste of this, 9Round Bow is holding an open Fit Weekend from 28 to 30 June. Prospective members will be able to tour the club, chat with the team, and enter a competition to win a month’s free membership. Plus, you will be able to complete your first 9Round workout for free. Visit them at their premises on Roman Road Market on Friday 28 from 7am to 7pm, Saturday 29 from 9am to 3pm, or Sunday 30 from 10am to 2pm.

9Round’s Bow branch is one of 14 9Rounds across the UK and is located at 530 Roman Road, Bow, London E3 5ES.

This article was sponsored by 9Round Bow.

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Caitlin Evans recently moved to London to study her passion of creative writing, and to discover the exciting experiences the East End has to offer.

East London Liquor Company is a Bow-based independent distillery well known for producing a range of spirits. However, perhaps the lesser known side of this business is their restaurant nestled between Mile End and Victoria Park, a two-minute walk from Roman Road.

The bar and restaurant is divided into three areas, an indoor restaurant and bar, an outdoor patio, and another indoor space running the length of the patio. To reach the entrance you get the joy of walking through the patio, decorated with warm fairy lights, draping greenery, and fittingly large liquor barrels serving as sturdy tables. (My millennial mind couldn’t help but think it was the ideal place for a perfectly aesthetic Instagram post).

The inside was just as stunning, as your eyes instantly draw to the enormous copper stills separated behind the bar with glass windows. This conspicuous feature definitely reminded us of the roots and nature of the company. Despite the machinery’s size, the tall ceilings and bright windows kept the space from feeling cramped, and the rustic metal furniture was placed on the outskirts and centre of the room to allow for lots of space in between.

The food menu has an Italian influence, and my friends and I were quick to order the tempting selection of homemade bread with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. The breads served were a flavourful flatbread, a crusty ciabatta, and a moist focaccia which was so tasty it had my friends and I battling for the last slice.

The Italian foundations of the menu also means that the kitchen includes a large stone oven, from which my friend ordered a margherita pizza that was just as classically delicious as anticipated. My other friend ordered tiger prawn and paprika risotto, which was very softly creamy, and the dusky pink colour told you it was rich with flavour before it even hit your taste buds.

For myself, I chose the three-cheese Tuscan Macancini: macaroni-cheese bites in breadcrumbs with truffle oil. The portion size was generous, each ‘bite’ took me around three bites to actually finish, and they filled the bowl to the brim.

The crunch of the fried breadcrumb coating was the perfect shell to the soft and gooey interior. The choice of cheeses (gorgonzola, grana padano, and fontina) melted together to create a deliciously cheesy and intense sauce, and the truffle oil enhanced these notes even further. A nice surprise was the addition of a few chilli flakes garnished inside, which gave the bites a unique side and edge in every few mouthfuls.

For all the tastiness, what struck me most about this restaurant was the helpfulness of its staff, who were willing to go above and beyond. For example, my inexperience in liquor lead to me making an uninformed guess at which cocktail to order – pro tip: don’t order a drink that includes only one ingredient you recognise.

However, when I explained that the smoky cocktail I ordered wasn’t the fruity one I had pictured in my head (despite being impressively presented with jewel-like decorations scattered delicately on the glass), they didn’t shake their heads at my mistake, but kindly took the cocktail off the bill and even offered their expertise in choosing another.

The staff also catered to my friend’s allergies very well, not only offering to alter her meal specifically for her needs, but also taking it upon themselves to check the ingredients of all the plates on our table (mine and my friend’s included) and informing us which were safe and which weren’t, just in case we wanted to switch or taste test each other’s meals.

Despite the menu being listed as containing ‘Small Plates’, we did not find the portion sizes to be so, and we were each full and content at the end of our meals. This lead to us feeling even happier with value for money too, as the food was not overpriced and was rich in quality and quantity.

As expected, the drinks are more expensive, but throughout your visit, you really cannot forget the passion and roots of the East London Liquor Company, thanks to the themed decor, to the staff expertise, oh – and of course the big and shining distilling machinery.

If you liked this East London Liquor Company restaurant review, you may enjoy Caitlin’s piece on Barge East, one of London’s top rated restaurants on TripAdvisor

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Victoria Park has been voted the nation’s favourite park two years in a row, and with good reason. It has been a place of relaxation, recreation, sports, and festivities for over 170 years. The people’s park, as it is called by East Londoners, has evolved during its long life, but it remains as important to city living as ever.

The park was (formally) opened in 1845 as part of an initiative to provide green space to the growing suburbs of London. Dubbed ‘the lungs of the East End’, it was immediately embraced by locals as a space for leisure.

Thousands descended on the park each weekend to bathe in the lakes and the old lidos, while the sprawling greens were recognised as ideal spots for meetings.

There’s so much going on in the affectionately-named Vicky Park at any given time that it can be hard knowing where to begin. This insider’s guide covers the essentials of the park – its history, its activities, its cafes, and its sights – so you can get straight into the business of enjoying it to the fullest.

Cafes and pubs in Victoria Park

Victoria Park is not only a great day out because of its vast and varied greenery, but also thanks to the fact that it cradles some of the East End’s favourite cafes and pubs.

A picnic in the sun is a lovely idea, but London’s climate doesn’t accommodate year round; luckily, the two cafes in Victoria Park are great spots either to dodge a quick weather change or sit out and enjoy it. There’s Pavilion in the west and The Hub in the east, and both are great spots in their own rights.

One of the best places to gaze out at the boat lake is from the Pavilion Café. If it’s raining, the dome-shaped glass ceiling is light and airy, providing a cosy setting to slurp at soya latte. Run by Brett Redman and Rob Green, the café’s food is mostly sourced from local producers including the Ginger Pig in Victoria Park Village. Head there to find great food, including a fusion of your favourite fresh baked goods, eggs, and traditional Sri Lankan dhal.

The Hub sits on the other side of the park, and it has made use of its playground-hugging location to be a prime spot for children and families. Their kids’ pasta for £3.50 is their most popular item, but they’re also a favourite for healthy breakfasts like porridge with poached seasonal fruit.

If coffee and tea aren’t your beverage of choice on a day out, there’s a number of lovely pubs surrounding Victoria Park. To the north there are the aptly named Royal Inn on the Park and The People’s Park Tavern, while along the south edge there are The Crown, the Lord Morpeth, and the Eleanor Arms.

Clubs in Victoria Park

Victoria Park has been a great spot for community groups and clubs since it opened almost 200 years ago, and the modern clubs who use it as their base or meeting spot uphold this.

Whether you might be interested in joining these crews or just watching their activities ignite an already lively park, there are a few to look out for.

In St Augustine’s Hall on the very north-east corner of the park is Victoria Park Harriers and Tower Hamlets Athletics Club. The membership of approximately 400 includes track, field, road, and cross-country athletes, but don’t be intimidated: while it includes members of the British team, it’s also completely open and welcoming to beginners and those of all ranges.

The club is a charitable organisation which aims to provide a friendly environment for the local community to take part in athletics and social activities around them.

If athletics aren’t your cup of tea, the lake in the park sees a sport done by wind and remote control. Did you know that the Victoria Model Steam Boat Club is the oldest in the world? It was founded in the park during 1904 and is still active today. It holds up to 17 Sunday regattas per year.

Keeping up with modern times, the club also allows radio-controlled boats and hydroplanes, so very popular with enthusiasts. The first Regatta is held on Easter Sunday and the Steam Regatta is held on the first Sunday in July.

Being such an old favourite park of London, it’s not surprising that some old classic sports make it their home. The Victoria Park Bowls Club has been running for 119 years and is run by a strong- and community-minded group who enjoy hanging out in the park as much as they enjoy bowls.

They host a number of open days, so if you’re interested in trying out bowls, keep an eye on our event listings.

Victoria Park’s market and festivals

Victoria Park Market is a relatively new addition to the park, but a resoundingly popular one at that. It isn’t a traditional farmers’ market, but a produce market, where locals and visitors can buy fresh, organic produce and ingredients.

You might not be visiting it at its pedestrianised walkway between Bonner Gate and Gore Gate just for its produce, however. The stalls on the market also house an astounding range of food.

From Vietnamese grilled chicken salads to beef bourginion burgers to vegan tiramisu, it’s a perfect spot to try a new dish or indulge in an old favourite. Plus, unlike other East London markets, you have the whole of Victoria Park’s greens and benches to enjoy your meal.

Victoria Park has historically been a perfect spot for summer festivals. In the ’70s it was Rock Against Racism, but since then it has seen Field Day, Lovebox, and its most recent festival of choice is All Points East.

This festival not only has two weekends of chart-topping headliners around a summer bank holiday, but also sandwiches between these weekends a free week of entertainment called In The Neighbourhood, supported by the council and numerous local groups. 2019’s weekdays saw free pop-up tennis, aerial acrobatics, and a craft beer fair featuring local brewers.

Canals around Victoria Park

Just taking a stroll by water can have a calming effect and urban water features can have a positive effect on our health and wellbeing.

The 2km-long Hertford Union Canal provides a walking and cycling route from Mile End to the Olympic Park. From one end of it, you can see the iconic Olympic stadium.

For boats, it’s a vital short-cut from the Regent’s Canal to the River Lee, making it possible to avoid the more congested River Thames.

Victoria Park is bordered on two sides by Regent’s Canal and the Hertford Union Canal. In times long since past the southern border of the park would have been edged by dozens of bustling factories and warehouses. Residential buildings take up most of the canal-side real estate now, but a few old industrial beauties remain, among them Chisenhale Works and the Gun Wharf.

Victoria Park landmarks

One of the most famous landmarks in the park is the Baroness Burdett Coutts Drinking Fountain, also known as the Victoria Fountain. Syliva Pankhurst drew crowds here for Suffragette rallies, attended by thousands.

The fountain was designed in 1862 and funded by one of the richest women in England, Baroness Burdett Coutts. It cost around £5,000, which was a huge sum of money in those days. Over 10,000 spectators came to the official opening of the fountain in 1862.

It was widely praised, with Charles Dickens Jr describing the fountain as ‘beautiful’.

In 1975, the fountain was given Grade II* listed status by Historic England. Renovated in 2011, the fountain was restored to its former glory, although it is no longer in working order and protected by glass.

Another of the most impressive sights was a Chinese pagoda, built in 1847. Chinoiserie was all the rage in Queen Victoria’s reign as China was opening up to the West. The Pagoda was purchased for display in Victoria Park and originally stood on an island in the centre of one of the park lakes.

However, the structure suffered damage during the Second World War and during the ensuing years, it fell into disrepair and in 1956 was demolished.

Thanks to a £4.5m grant in 2010, Tower Hamlets was able to begin a programme of park improvements, including a new Pagoda.

Greatly admired are the Dogs of Alcibiades. Installed in 1912, the original sculptures stood on either side of the gateway into Victoria Park until 2009. The stone sculptures were copies of second-century Roman statues, which can still be viewed at the British Museum.

Badly vandalised in 2011, the sculptures were replaced by replicas and face a gate named Bonner Gate after the Bishop of London Edmund Bonner who may have owned Bonner Fields on which some Victoria Park was built.

History of Victoria Park

The park was (formally) opened in 1845 as part of an initiative to provide green space to the growing suburbs of London. It was immediately embraced by the East End as a space for leisure. Thousands descended on the park each weekend to bathe in the lakes and the old lidos, while the sprawling greens were recognised as ideal spots for meetings.

At the turn of the 20th century ‘The Forum’ at Victoria Park was one of the city’s leading debate spaces. Hundreds, often thousands, gathered in the shadow of the Burdett Coutts drinking fountain to discuss politics, religion, and economics.

There’s a good few beautiful old things in Victoria Park, but the oldest is probably the two stone alcoves that rest on its eastern edge. They’re remnants of Old London Bridge (although suspicion persists that they’re actually from old Westminster Bridge) and are over 250 years old.

Most of the noise comes from music nowadays, and that’s not too often. Victoria Park is a tranquil place. It has its moments, of course. The Clash famously played to Victoria Park in 1979 as part of Rock Against Racism, and nowadays All Points East is the festival of choice.

The post Victoria Park: the people’s park of East London appeared first on Roman Road LDN.

You see a different side to Roman Road at night. When the market stalls have been packed away and the shops have been locked up, unlikely pieces of art appear on the shutters. We decided to find out where they came from.

There’s more where these came from (shout out to Mr Bulls, Hiland Coffee, and All in One Bazaar), and the shutter art of the Roman is changing all the time. You can do worse than having a wander after hours. You’ll discover everything from epic graffiti tags to historical murals.

To get you started, here are the stories behind some of Roman Road’s most eye-catching shutter art pieces.

Muxima

The shutters at Muxima are adorned with a mural of Queen Ana Nzinga, who was a 17th century queen of the Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms, in what is now Angola. To this day she is celebrated for her diplomatic and military brilliance. 

Muxima co-owner Isaac Carlos is of Angolan descent and wanted to celebrate his heritage. ‘I guess it’s part of acknowledging part of our culture, so that people can understand where we’re coming from and what we do,’ he says. ‘In African cultures women have always been respected.’

The mural was painted by local artist Fipsi Seilern, aka Pang, who has also painted a mural on the side of the Bow Bells on Bow Road. The folks at Muxima have known Seilern for years. ‘I just felt it was right for her to do it,’ Carlos says. 

Jakss

The artwork at Jakss was designed in 2011 by Charlie Palline, a school friend of the owners’ son. ‘We’re a children’s clothing store, so we wanted something childlike,’ says Jakss director Shelly Conley. It took a weekend to do and has been largely untouched by graffiti artists in the years since. ‘I think they respect pieces like that,’ Conley says. ‘It suits the area.’

Pride Tattoos

Like its neighbour SNAP, the Pride Tattoo shutter art was a long-standing ambition sparked into life by graffiti. It was painted by a friend of Jay Moon, one of the artists at Pride, and there are plans to jazz it up even more when time allows.

Luminor Sign Co

‘We do what it says on the tin,’ says Luminor Sign Co owner Ged Palmer. ‘For us a business with no sign is a sign of no business. We need to make sure people know we’re in business and we can go paint their business too.’

Have any other shutters on the Roman caught Palmer’s eye? ‘I think the butcher one that just says beef is funny, and it’s got lots of little beefs inside. I like that one, probably because it involves letters.’

Peckover Butchers

Peckover Butchers has one of the most distinctive designs on the road. ‘It’s quite a staple on the road now,’ says shop owner Gavin Peckover. It was painted by an American street artist. ‘He came in and asked if we wanted our shutters done,’ Roberts said. ‘We asked to see some examples of his work then said go for it. It took him a couple of hours.’

The huge ‘BEEF’ may not be long for this world. The council is planning to replace solid shutters with see-through ones (in the Luminor vein) so light from the shops can reach the street in the nighttime. ‘All good things come to and end,’ says Roberts. Here’s hoping it’ll be up for a while yet.

SNAP

The design at SNAP is a recent addition to Roman Road. ‘The shutters had not been touched since I opened the shop and they had slowly acquired a random selection of tags, which peaked when Nat got herpes,’ says owner Helen Fisher. ‘I could tell you all the obscene things that have been sprayed on there but they wouldn’t make it into the article.’ Alas, she was right. 

‘I wanted to do something simpler and a bit more SNAP,’ Fisher says, who painted it herself with a friend. There are cards in the shop that helped inspire the shutter design. ‘It’s a good way of giving people an idea of what you’re about when you’re closed. It makes you identifiable on the street.’ She’s already had plenty of positive comments. ‘I may yet add to it in the same style. At the moment there’s a few too many spaces that are… available.’ 

If you enjoyed this piece you may like our gallery about the corner shops of Bow

The post The shutter art of Roman Road [GALLERY] appeared first on Roman Road LDN.

Daniella Stuart, Stepney resident of 30 years, came out as a trans woman in 2017 when she was 49. The journey to grow into Daniella hasn’t been easy; she has dealt with some alarming abuse from strangers, estrangement from friends and family, and a confusing upheaval of emotions.

But Daniella is marked by her ability to hold her head up high in the face of everything. She expresses her inner anxieties through art and writing, and has cemented herself happily within the community of Tower Hamlets. Above all, Daniella is a force of positivity and pride.

Letting Daniella out

The choice to live authentically as Daniella came gradually, and she was not free of criticism. ‘There were these two guys who had their own issues, probably drunk or on drugs, and as I walked past they said I’m disgusting,’ Daniella says. ‘I decided to think about that and about how I should put that into perspective. Though there may be one person who insults me, I think of the hundreds who didn’t.’

Daniella’s complacence about street harassment is telling of her easygoing outlook. ‘I had a guy spit at me, I’d never had that before,’ she says. ‘Of course in certain areas you can feel a bit uncomfortable walking through, but I think that’s just a part of living in a big city, and that’s a part of human nature. People think “we don’t like strangers”,’ she says, putting on a gruff voice. 

It has taken 49 years for Daniella to build up the courage to be positive in herself, and her journey is visible in her wake. ‘Everything was suppressed to the point where it hurt my stomach,’ she says.

‘I had 49 years of living as Stuart with Daniella inside me.’ She remembers her past self with a faint sense of nostalgia, like she is talking about an old friend. ‘There are certain ways where Daniella and Stuart are the same person. We like the same music, we like the same films, we draw the same way, we have similar views.’

The decision to come out has been a result of years of soul-searching, watching trans YouTubers, and reading trans fiction. ‘The first day [I was out] I was sitting with friends at a barbecue. It was a birthday, and the girls wanted some marshmallows, and I was wearing a skirt. I said “I’m not changing, can someone walk with me to Tesco because I’m not walking like this on my own!”’ 

Now, Daniella appears relaxed and confident.  She sits with her stockinged legs tucked up on her leather sofa, wearing a plain black work skirt and a simple t-shirt. Her hair is a fruity auburn, pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her nails are a slightly-chipped red and white. She is a picture of ease. 

Daniella’s home of 30 years in Stepney is a haven of an artistic mind. Her walls are covered with her drawings, her photos, and intricately coloured shadings. Palettes of paints sit on sheets of her poetry and stories, and history books spill out from the bookshelves. In one corner hangs a selection of model fighter planes, a hobby she got into as a young child with her father who was in the navy. 

She has been artistic ever since beginning the soothing practice of painting model Spitfires, but since her transition her art has flowed out of her. ‘It just helps me de-stress,’ she says with a joyful smile, showing pictures she drew from when she started drawing in 2013. The freedom to be creative has moved in parallel with the freedom to be herself. 

Coming to terms with emotions

Daniella is thoughtful about the years of her transition, and ponders it with a calm rationality. ‘The hardest thing is admitting that you’ve got to change,’ she says. ‘I feared being trans, I feared what people would say to me, I feared the negative social comments of it.’ 

And she has dealt with plenty of negative social comments since the change. But Daniella is surprisingly unfazed by the external world’s disposition. For her, it’s all about how you feel inside, and how she felt inside was tumultuous until not long ago. ‘My parents both passed, and I thought I’ve dealt with [their loss] in a “man’s” way, but realised once I started transitioning I was emotionally opening up.’ 

‘It left me with a lot of emotion flying around that I had to deal with. I had to grab them out of the air and say, got to deal with this, got to deal with that. I opened Pandora’s box,’ she says, ‘then I couldn’t put Pandora back in its box!’

The box opened for Daniella around 2014. ‘I was feeling very very unhappy in myself and I went to Greece. I was in a really bad place. My friend put the Kindle app on my phone, and I started reading lots of trans stories.’ From there, the changes started rolling in.

‘I was living [as a woman] in my home full-time in January 2017, but I didn’t start going out full-time until July. That was when I saw a trans woman sitting in [The White Hart] pub wearing a dress, and I thought, what am I waiting for?’

Daniella tried on different labels, from heavy crossdresser to genderfluid to transgender. But in the end, she landed squarely on trans woman and it fit. ‘People have a lot of new labels flying around because people don’t like the old labels. I’m okay with that, but at the end of the day, the only label one needs is ‘I’m a human being’. ‘

Finding family in community

Not everyone in Daniella’s life stuck around to see her through. Whether their lack of understanding turned hostile or indifferent, she lost touch with a few people, including her brothers. She has had years now to process this. ‘You’ve got to let people go,’ she says with a survivor’s wisdom. 

But Daniella still finds herself surprised by how many people around her have been pillars of support, including ‘my very, very, very good friend Nick, who I’ve known since I was 16. He’s been totally one hundred per cent supportive. He’s more like a brother to me.’

Nick has stuck with Daniella through every change in her life, and while he is not the only one who has, she has found others through her three decades of carving out a place in Tower Hamlets’ community.

Daniella’s experiences being out and trans in London have been fraught in places, but above all, she emphasises her love of being part of a connected network of people. ‘I’ve been pleasantly surprised and proud of Tower Hamlets. I’ve been lucky, I’ve been in a community.’ 

‘Everyone’s been really good, the council’s been good about changing my name,’ she says. ‘It’s quite a muslim community, and they’ve been very supportive. I’ve had no issues with the people round here. One of them was a girl working in the Tower Hamlets post office who asked if she could do her dissertation on me!’ Her laugh pours out of her easily, rippling through the room. 

Since she came out, Daniella has been a force in the Tower Hamlets LGBT Forum, as well as other local groups. ‘For me it’s all about community,’ she says. ‘Talking to people in pubs, clubs, shops, parks… being in a community is the most important thing.’

Daniella is an avid member of the Victoria Park Cricket Club, and she also helps out the Victoria Park Bowls Club. That she now feels comfortable in these traditionally male environments is a testimony to the journey she has made.

Daniella talks warmly about her local community and feeling fully integrated within Tower Hamlets. ‘You have to build outwards – if you just build up and up with no support you’ll topple over.’ She draws a picture with her hands of a tower expanding out into a pyramid. ‘In my darkest, darkest moments, I know I’m safe here.’

For some, it might be hard to go from being called disgusting in the street to feeling radiant positivity about her area. But for Daniella, it is obvious that her comfort in community comes from within her. 

From her self-therapy through art, her bubbly sociability, and her remarkable ability to put the bad in perspective of the good, Daniella has earned her happy life after struggling with her identity for 49 years. ‘I haven’t transitioned,’ she smiles, ‘I’ve just realigned myself. I’ve built my house and now I’m just redecorating it.’

If you enjoyed this piece, you might enjoy reading about Meth Dad: Richard Lubbock’s life after meth

The post Portrait: Daniella on being a trans woman in Tower Hamlets appeared first on Roman Road LDN.