Jack Basrawy came to talk at the recent WESTRA meeting. He heads up ChathamWorks which is taking forward the Hackney Fashion Hub project in Chatham Place/Morning Lane. It is not without its controversy.

He said 600,000 people visit the Burberry Factory shop every year and so they aim to create a ‘village’ round that, and already Aquascutum have opened in Chatham Place with 25 new jobs for local people. Pringles have also opened on the other corner. The plan is to open start-up businesses and bring in Hackney’s designers to workshops, along with High Street retailers and brands.

If it works, it will make Hackney a world class destination says Jack. “We have a committed team to bring about transformation here.”

He went on: “We’re working with the vibrancy of Hackney, working with local designers, creating jobs for local people who welcome this chance. Westfield is sucking the life out the local high streets – this is a way to stop that.”

He sees Well Street as part of the vision – those coming to visit the fashion hub could be interested in stopping at other local shops – but Well Street has got to tidy up its act – smarter shop fronts, better presentation and marketing of itself and what it sells.

He has been chatting to traders in Well Street. “Trade has gone down a lot. One answer is to re-invent yourself – show our strengths rather than weaknesses. Well Street needs clients – we hope to bring clients in everyone’s benefit.” Shops in Well Street could be used as ‘pop up’ shops by designers.

“Well Street needs to tell a story. And its biggest asset is the people. Retailers need to work together to get a ‘look’ like Carnaby Street people did. Retail is an experience. Amazon is not a proper shopping experience. The Japanese see London as a ‘mecca’ for creative talent. That’s why they come. We have to give them an experience.”

The time frame: The first railway arches will be open by August 2013; The incubator space in Chatham Place by March 2014. Two taller buildings will be built in 2015 and by 2017 which will house British and international brands.

The arches will have some High Street names and the second set will have studio space for designers. “We will be working with the London College of Fashion in Mare Street to help start-up businesses, give students a great college experience and somewhere to work afterwards.”

Well Street Traders and Residents Association (WESTRA) next meeting

at TJ’s salon, 198 Well Street E9

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21 at 6.30pm to 8pm

* Come and hear Jack Baswary, retail supremo, *

heading up the Morning Lane Fashion Hub,

and its impact on Well Street.

Ian Rathbone 07890 654 068 also email: ian.rathbone@tiscali.co.uk

Community Projects groups based or active in Chatham Ward are being invited to make bids for their projects to the Chatham Ward Community First Panel.

“We would like to encourage bids typically around £500 although bids can be made up to around £1,500. The total available for next year’s projects is £12k for organisations based or working in Chatham ward,” said a spokesperson.

The final deadline is noon, 1 March 2013. An application form can be found on the Well Street Market website here.

The priorities for funding for the year to March 2013 include:

* Increase the range of activities available at night for young people.

* Increase support for older people living on their own.

* Support the local economy of the ward.

* Improve the health of inhabitants of the ward.

* Bring different communities within the ward closer together


All last year’s bids have been approved by the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and the funding distributed.

The Government would like to encourage and support neighbourhoods who want to take a more ‘strategic’ approach and develop Community First Plans identifying what resources and capacity is already available to the community.

Please use this form (click here to download it and choose “Save” if prompted) and email it to Chathamward.London@wellstreetmarket.co.uk. We can’t accept any posted forms at the moment. You can email us for information at Chathamward.London@wellstreetmarket.co.uk. Those bids that the panel will be recommending to the CDF will be notified by March 20, 2013. The final decision on awarding the grant will be made by the Community Development Foundation (CDF).


The Chatham Ward Community First Panel is:

Doreka Anderson
Ian Rathbone
Paul Monks
John Keys
Terry O’Mahony
Laurel Williams
Laverne Sinclair

The Panel Partner is Well Street Traders and Residents Association (WESTRA).

The programme is overall supervised by the Community Development Foundation. More information about the CDF can be found at the Community Development Foundation website.


                              The programme can:

• Support local projects that improve the quality of life for local people

• Promote a sense of ownership not only of problems but of local opportunities and resources

• Start more neighbourhood groups and revitalise existing groups

• Introduce a new approach to funding projects – leveraging time, money and other resources – helping neighbourhoods play a leading role in regenerating their area


                                   It can result in:

• Communities being able to help themselves and others

• Neighbourhood groups that are better able to express their needs and influence decisions made about that community

• Neighbourhood groups that are better able to take control of resources needed to make a difference – enhancing confidence, capability and partnership

Nearly £50,000 is available to be given out over four years in small grants for organisations based or working in Chatham ward.


      Community First aims to encourage people in Chatham ward to:

• Support the social action projects they need, improving the quality of life for themselves and others in their neighbourhood.

• Participate in relevant local decision making, promoting a sense of ownership not only of problems but of local opportunities and resources.

• Start more neighbourhood groups and revitalise existing groups.

• Work with businesses, charities and public authorities, encouraging people to help others and themselves to improve the quality of life locally.

• Introduce a new approach to funding projects – leveraging time, money and other resources – helping neighbourhoods play a leading role in regenerating their area.


   To receive Community First funding any group or organisation must:

• be a not-for-profit, third sector voluntary or community group

• be connected with and/or meeting the needs of the local community

• have a bank account with 2 signatories OR nominate an organisation which has a bank account with 2 signatories to hold funds on its behalf

• have a governing document that has as a minimum the name, aim/purpose, objects, a dissolution clause for the organisation, a list of Trustees/Committee members, and Trustees/Committee member signatures. New groups are not required to have this in place, but should agree to develop one.

• provide evidence of significant community participation in their application through the group’s matched element to the project

• show that their project is in line with the priorities identified for the ward


                        Examples of what can be funded are:

• the purchase of equipment, like a computer, oven, furniture

• the costs of putting on a local event or workshop

• training for volunteers

• additional activities to expand an existing funded project

• activities that support community activity

• activities that meet an identified need in the local community

• funding to support an organisation to achieve a quality or other standard relevant to their activities.


                    Community First cannot fund the following:

• statutory organisations, such as Local Authorities, schools and the Police Force

• arms length public sector organisations that are controlled wholly or in part by, for example, a Local Authority, a Primary Care Trust or agencies of these

• any party political activity

• commercial ventures

• organisations working in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, or those that primarily benefit communities overseas in Europe or elsewhere. The grants must be used for activity within local communities in England.

• certain types of activities that support Asylum Seeker groups. Further information can be found at: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk


                                   Match Funding

• Groups funded by the CF programme will need to demonstrate match funding. The matched element should principally be in volunteer time but can also be donated cash, goods and services.

• As grants awarded will be small and volunteering opportunities in some cases may be limited, many groups will, nonetheless, be dependent on volunteers to help deliver projects. CDF are recommending groups use an hourly rate of £11.09 to calculate the value of volunteer match time.

• In order to greater reflect current labour market costs, CDF is using the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) and within this the Median gross hourly earnings rate. From the current survey (December 2010) CDF are therefore recommending groups use an hourly rate of £11.09 to calculate the value of volunteer match time. The ASHE is the ONS principal source for earnings estimates collected in April and uses data on 181,000 employees. The statistics (drawn from current HM Revenue & Customs PAYE records) although higher, are based on current labour market costs and give a more realistic indication of how much it might cost a group to employ a full or part time member of staff in the (volunteer) role. CDF are opting for this median value as it represents the middle ground used to calculate the pay rate for a typical worker within a homogeneous group and will be adjusted annually to reflect changes in labour costs.


We will be giving an opening and closing date for bids in due course, along with a standard application form and the necessary criteria. Please don’t write about making a bid before that time as we won’t be able to respond.


If you want to contact the Panel, then please write to:
Chathamward.London@wellstreetmarket.co.uk

Please leave a few days for any reply as we do not have admin staff! It would also help if you gave a phone number to contact you on.


If you need to contact the Well Street Traders and Residents Association (WESTRA):
info@wellstreetmarket.co.uk

Please sign this petition and make the walk to school safe for Orchard Primary School pupils.

We want the London Borough of Hackney and Transport for London to invest in proper safety measures to ensure children can reach school without being in danger crossing Well Street, including a full pedestrian crossing if necessary.


Why is this important?

For children walking to Orchard Primary School, crossing Well Street – a major road running through Hackney – is extremely dangerous. In the past, there have been several serious accidents involving children near the school, and many more near misses. It’s time the road safety was improved once and for all.


How the petition will be delivered:

Members of the Friends of Orchard School plan to deliver the petition to a full meeting of Hackney councillors on February 27th.

Please sign the petition here:
http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/make-the-walk-to-school-safe-for-orchard-primary-school-pupils

Hackney’s voluntary and community sector (VCS) has until the 30 January to apply for a community chest grant of up to £1000 help support short-term or one-off activities.

This is the first time such grants have been available and form part of Hackney Council’s Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Programme for 2013/14, which will see local VCS organisations benefit from grant funding to support projects for Hackney residents.

Following a consultation with VCS colleagues, Hackney Council reviewed and made changes to its grants programme. Key additions along with the community chest grants has included the introduction of two rounds of applications for small grants. Improvements have also been made to the application process, which can now be done via a new online system.

The grants are offered across six themes: promoting work opportunities; raising educational achievement and aspirations; promoting health, well-being and independent living; helping to make Hackney safer; developing good neighbourhoods; and supporting environmental sustainability.

Cllr Jonathan McShane, Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture, said: “The Council is fully supportive of the excellent work delivered by its voluntary and community sector, who provide support for so many of our residents. I’m delighted that despite economic difficulties we have been able to continue to offer grants to support this vital work.”

The second round of applications for the small grants between £1000 and £5000 will open on Monday 6 May 2013. The community chest grants will also see two further rounds of applications going live in May and September 2013.

Applications for the first round of community chest grants close at 5pm on Wednesday 30 January 2013. To apply or to find out more about the grants programme, visit: Hackney Community Partnershipts www.hackney.gov.uk/community-partnerships

The owners of this shop which has just opened in Morning Lane spent many months trying to let a shop in Well Street. They gave up and within a very short time, opened in Morning Lane.

Take a look at the shop name – “Well ‘ungry” – called that because they thought they would be moving to Well Street. Once again, another potential shop blocked out by prevarication and difficulty from landlords in Well Street. And we need a good community aware coffee shop.

WESTRA (Well Street Traders and Residents’ Assn) knows of a number of other potential traders, all of whom have given up and gone elsewhere. It’s not that this street isn’t a good and growing shopping street. It’s the landlords blocking the way forward. When is this blight on this shopping street going to end?

WESTRA Co-Chair Jo Price said: “I think we need a meeting with the Trust as I have many questions, the big one being WHY ARE THEY NOT RENTING THE SHOPS OUT?”

Next Well Street Traders and Residents Association (WESTRA) meeting is on Thursday October 11 at 6.30pm at TJs Salon, 198 Well Street.

We’ll be planning for Christmas. See you there!

Ian Rathbone 07890 654 068 also email: ian.rathbone@tiscali.co.uk

Two shops have recently had a spruce up on their frontage – The Scout shop and Sun On, the Chinese takeaway

WESTRA has been encouraging shops to spruce up their frontage and make the street look brighter!

We’re also hoping a coffee shop will open up at the old Beemens shop at no. 210