April 2016

LOVEEAST 

M A G A Z I N E 

April 2016 ISSUE 26 Free 

your 

F R E E 

award-winning 

magazine 

A kick up the arts 

East End street art for the kids 

Urban Makers East market 

Bethnal Green memories 

Your East London – What's on – Food – People

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Welcome to your local magazine 

Dear neighbours 

The Easter holidays are in full swing and there's 

no shortage of things to do to keep your little 

blighters happy. But holidays aren't just about 

the kids, are they? Once you've finished traipsing 

around museums and other child-orientated 

loveliness, how about a little pampering of your 

own? Victoria Park Community Centre are running 

head-to-toe wellness sessions for a fiver (see p12 

to book). From manicure to pedicure, massage to 

reflexology, you'll soon be back on your feet ready 

for the next day out with the kids. 

Speaking of which, why not try a walking tour of 

East London's street art... free and with coffee and 

cake on practically every corner (p14)? There's 

enough wall art to keep all ages happy – and it's a 

pretty inexpensive way to spend the day. 

If you'd rather stay in one place, then check out 

the Urban Makers East market at Mile End Eco- 

Pavilion on 23 April (p8). You'll meet over 40 local 

designer-makers, drink nice coffee, eat lovely 

street food and find lots of outdoor and crafty 

things for the kids to do while you're browsing. 

Happy holidays! 

Julie 

Julie Daniels 

T: 07752 288405 

E: julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk 

www.nutshellpublications.co.uk 

C O N T E N T S 

4 

Memories of the 

Bethnal Green of old 

8 

Designer-makers all 

in one place at Urban 

Makers East market 

14 

A walking tour of East 

London's street art 

24 

A taste of Lombardy 

on your doorstep 

36 

Invaluable legal advice 

from the experts 

Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag 

Twitter: @LoveEastMag 

Cover image: Zabou on Broadway Market 

To advertise in LoveEast please call 07752 288405 or email julie@nutshellpublications.co.uk for 

further information. Deadline for May edition is 5 April (please allow an extra two days if design 

is required). Nutshell Publications cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, or 

endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. ©LoveEast all rights 

reserved. Magazine design, www.ilkadickens.com. No reproduction can be made without 

permission. Please recycle. 

LOVEEAST APRIL 2016 3

East life 

Portrait by Lady Ray 

Gladys Hunt at her Bethnal Green nursing home 

Gladys Hunt, long-time resident of Bethnal Green, shares 

her memories with Esther Raymond 

Recently I met Gladys Hunt, 85 years young, 

relaxing in the lounge of Silk Court nursing 

home in Bethnal Green. Sun-lit, sitting in a cosy 

chair and sipping a cup of tea, Gladys recalls the 

heroism of her late husband, James Frank Hunt, 

as well as her memories of life in Bethnal Green. 

Dressed in a pale blue cardigan, with perfectly 

manicured fingernails, this beautiful lady smiles as 

she remembered the East End of old. 

What was home life like in the East End? 

We had a good time at home and at school; great 

teachers and a caring community of people that 

looked out for one another. We lived above a 

cobblers. I was born on top of a shoe-making 

machine, right there, in the house. My husband 

worked in the cobblers, and my Dad worked on 

the rail roads. We were a close family and when 

the raids were on, our neighbours would come 

over to ours and we would all huddle together, 

sometimes sleeping on the floor to keep warm 

and feel safe. 

What did you love most about life back then? 

We enjoyed nights out dancing. I was never a 

good dancer but my husband James showed me 

how to dance. He was a small man but he could 

4 LOVEEAST

East life 

really dance well; he taught me all the moves. We 

dressed up and thought we looked great. We’d go 

to Oxford House together on a weekend. 

What do you miss about those days? 

My husband, I miss him lots. I also miss the 

evenings we used to spend with my Mum and 

Dad in the local pubs. We used to go to the White 

Hart pub and enjoy evenings there together. 

What are you most proud of? 

James, my husband. Gladys showed me some of 

her most treasured photographs, including pictures 

of her family, James's 3 brothers who all died in the 

war, and a picture of herself as a beautiful young 

bride on the arm of James, her dashing new husband 

(see photo overleaf). 

We hear that your husband was a hero at the 

time of the Bethnal Green Tube tragedy 

James was a 15-year-old boy at the time. He was 

a messenger boy. The sound of the rockets were 

so loud he nearly fell off his bike as he cycled by 

Bethnal Green Tube that evening. 

The story of the Bethnal Green 

Tube station tragedy 

Bethnal Green underground station 

was one of the few deep-level stations in 

the East End, so an obvious choice for 

a public bomb shelter. At 8.17pm on 

3 March, 1943, air raid warning sirens 

sounded, closely followed by the deafening 

sounds of anti-aircraft guns from nearby 

Victoria Park. An estimated 1,500 people 

negotiated the station's dimly lit, solitary 

entrance. Panic ensued, the crowd surged 

forward and it is thought that a woman 

carrying a child tripped and fell. A tragic 

human domino effect begun and it is 

estimated that hundreds of people fell 

within just 15 seconds. Despite the best 

efforts of rescuers, 173 people died in the 

crush, mostly women and children. 

Continued overleaf... 

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East life 

Well, he didn’t tell me this part of his history until 

we were married. He was humble with his story; 

a good man, a true hero. He was only a child 

himself, but was quick to assist in the state of 

emergency. 

He pulled the small ones out, because he wasn’t 

so tall. He couldn’t carry the larger adults, so he 

held and carried the babies and small children, 

out from the crushed crowds and panic, some 

already dead in his arms. 

Everyone was so scared that night, they pushed 

forward to get inside at such a rate, many smaller 

children died. James did his best to rescue who he 

could. Being so young, it was a scary experience 

for him and one he never forgot. 

As I left Gladys sitting in the sun lounge, I thought 

about the Bethnal Green of years gone by, the fear 

of wartime, but mostly of Gladys and James dancing 

the night away in the old East End. 

To read more about what happened on the night 

of 3 March, 1943, and to donate to the Stairway 

to Heaven Memorial Fund, go to 

stairwaytoheavenmemorial.org 

Gladys and James on their wedding day 

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6 LOVEEAST

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Urban Makers East 

LoveEast is proud to be the media partner for Urban Makers East, a 

collaboration of talented designer-makers. They're hosting a fabulous 

Spring market on Saturday, 23 April, featuring workshops, artisan coffee, 

street food, outdoor and craft activities for children, and much more. 

Jubella London 


Ros Shiers 

L’ÉTABLI 

Mika Bon Bon 

Wind it up Designs 

Tools of the trade 

8 LOVEEAST


Super Duper Things 

Little Storm Jewellery 

Workshops – for more information and to book please see the Urban Makers East website 

Suzie London 

Make your own 

Espadrilles 

workshop 

1 – 4pm 

soothe-me 

Make your own 

mud mask 

workshop 11 – 1pm 

Winner of our free 

stall – Jenny from 

Bette + Bert 

When 

Urban Makers East Spring 

Market will be held on Saturday, 

23 April, from 11 – 5pm 

Where 

Mile End Ecology Pavilion, 

Grove Road, E3 5TW 

What else 

Over 40 designer-makers in a 

venue surrouned by the reed 

beds of Mile End Park 

urbanmakerseast.co.uk 


Style & Substance 

Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy is 

Classic Album Sundays founder, BBC radio 

host, DJ, musical host and producer/remixer. 

What's important to you? 

Family because unconditional love & a sense 

of belonging keep us grounded. Health and 

happiness are in close pursuit. And music. 

It's one of the most significant parts of my 

life. It transports me and is my life’s work. 

What do you love about the East End? 

The creative streak in its inhabitants. I also 

love Victoria Park and its canals. We're so 

lucky to have this balance of culture and 

natural beauty – something you don’t find in 

most neighbourhoods or cities. 

Nicholas D'Amico is co-founder 

of online music show Cavalcade & lead 

guitarist in the band Half Loon. 

What's important to you? 

Making music and being involved in 

London's incredible music scene. 

Empathy, integrity, family and friends. 

What do you love about the East End? 

Being from Australia I see an openness in 

East Enders that reminds me of home. The 

cockney accent always makes me smile. 

Interviews & portraits by Lady Ray 

10 LOVEEAST

WORKSHOP 

Caroline makes stoneware mugs, 

bowls, plates, dishes, cups, 

saucers, jugs, teapots, drizzlers, 

butterdishes, salt pots, jam pots, 

cutlery drainers, cake stands, 

candle holders, planters, vases... 

...and takes commissions. 

YOU'RE ONE STEP AWAY 

FROM HEALTHY SKIN 

Ireland's leading 

skin specialist, 

Bernie Fahy, is 

available for free 

consultations at 

Holistic 

Health on 

Broadway 

77A Lauriston Road, E9 7HA 

020 8986 9585 

carolinebousfield.co.uk 

Market, E8 

hello@theskinspecialist.london 

07476 554414 

Big days or 

little days, 

we can help 

make them 

perfect 

agpriceflowers.co.uk 

217-219 Well Street, E9 6QU 

020 8986 0250 


What's on in April 

MON TUES WEDS 

Weekly 

Hatha Yoga, 8.10pm, 

Vicky Park Community 

Centre, 5 Gore 

Road, E9. Nadia 

missbocheva@gmail. 

com 

Ballet Fitness 

7.45pm-8.45pm, St 

Margaret's House. 

stmargaretshouse.org.uk, 

£7 drop-in (suggested) 

After-school tennis 

4pm-dusk: £2. Vicky 

Park tennis courts 5-10 

years 

Baby Dance, 10- 

10.45am, £6 drop-in, 

£50 for 10-wk term. A 

sensory and rhythmical 

experience for parents 

and babies. Stratford 

Circus Arts Centre. 

eastlondondance.org 

Judo, 5-6pm 8-11yrs 

£3. 6-7pm 12-17yrs 

£3. Urswick School, 

Paragon Road, E9 

4, 18 

Wellbeing sessions, 

10-4pm. £5. Vicky Park 

Community Centre. 

Manicure, pedicure, 

massage, reflexology. 

Book with Brigette 020 

8985 6012 

11 

Town Hall Tea Dance 

1.30-4.30pm. £5-6. In 

the Victorian grandeur 

of Shoreditch Town 

Hall. All ages welcome. 

shoreditchtownhall.com 

12 LOVEEAST 

Weekly 

50yrs+ fitness class,10- 

11am. at Banister 

House Community 

Centre, Homerton 

High Street 

5 

Labels, 8pm. £10. 

Worklight's awardwinning 

Edinburgh 

hit comes to London. 

stratfordeast.com 

5 

US Girls, 7.30pm, £11. 

Meg Remy, art-based 

pop artist exploring 

feminist themes.18+ 

oslohackney.com 

5 

Geffrye Museum, 10am- 

4.30pm. Easter holiday 

activities begin. geffryemuseum.org.uk 

12, 19, 26 

Storytime for under-5s, 

10-11.30am. Vicky Park 

Community Centre. 

Free 

19 

Think you know Game 

of Thrones? 8pm. £20 

for a team of five, 

Moth Club. £200 cash 

prize. mothclub.co.uk 

26 

Rufus Wainwright at St 

John at Hackney, 7pm. 

£42.50. stjohnhackney. 

co.uk 

6 

Amazing Amphibians 

with Friends of Tower 

Hamlets Cemetery 

Park, £3. Ages 5+, 

younger siblings free. 

Book fothcp.org/forestschool 

or call 0208 

983 1277 

6 

Try out your BMX and 

skating skills at Urban 

Wheelers Jam, Vicky 

Park skate park. 

11-3pm. No booking 

required. Coaching 

through the day. 

6 

Introduction to 

Bunraku Puppetry, 

which originated in 

17thC Japan 10.30am- 

4pm, (12-16yrs), £15. 

shoreditchtownhall.com 

6 

Free creative writing 

group, 7-14 yrs. 4.30- 

5.30pm Dalston CLR 

James library 

6, 7 

Victorian Science. 

Easter Holiday Science 

Rules! 10-5pm, Free. 

raggedschoolmuseum. 

org.uk 

27 

Wellbeing sessions, 

10-4pm, £5. Vicky Park 

Community Centre, 

Gore Rd, Book 020 

8985 6012 

THURS 

Weekly 

Knit/natter/crochet, 

1pm-3pm, Victoria Park 

Comm Centre, Gore 

Road, E9. 

Raja Yoga with Lisa. 

7.45pm-8.45pm. £8 

drop-in, £6 conc. 

stmargaretshouse.org.uk 

Brazillian Dance class, 

Kingsmead Concorde 

Centre, Kingsmead 

Way, E9. 7-8pm. 

hackney.gov.uk/ 

healthyhackney 

7 

Hackney City Farm 

launch Heritage 

Collection, Hackney 

Archives. Pick up a selfguide 

map at the farm, 

hackneycityfarm.co.uk 

14 

School of Stuff 

12-week project-based 

furniture restore/remake 

class (£455). All levels. 

6.30-9.30pm. Book: 

theschoolofstuff.co.uk 

21 

Childhood TV Nostalgia 

Music and Quiz for 

grown-ups at the 

Museum of Childhood 

(see p19) 

28 

Have your say at The 

Work Of Art annual 

meeting, Shoreditch 

Electric Light Station, 

1.30-8pm. triodos.co.uk 

Continued on page 23

JAMES’ STORY: PART 2 

“In a hotel recently my colleague 

dragged me down to the gym at 

6.30am. It was full of hardcore fanatics, 

sweating themselves to the limit. Pumping iron. 

Showing their prowess on a frighteningly complex 

and unnecessary array of OTT machines. Dressed 

in the height of uber cool gym fashion and wired 

to iPods, heart monitors and heaven knows what 

other gadgets. They were not having fun. Why? 

What’s the point? 

It was then that I realised the beautiful simplicity 

of Sapan’s model.” 

to be continued... 

£30=100 

classes p/month 

fitness classes - spin - personal training 

FIND OUT MORE AT 

londonfieldsfitness.com / @londonfieldsfit 


Arts 

Photography: The Arts Crusader 

Stinkfish/Mazatl collaboration, Bethnal Green 

East London's street art is literally in your face – and a 

great way to give the kids a #KickUpTheArts 

Here in the East End we're 

swamped by the great 

variety of arts and culture 

on our doorsteps. 

From the Hackney Empire 

to the Geffrye Museum, the 

14 LOVEEAST 

Museum of Childhood to the 

Arcola Theatre and Whitechapel 

Gallery, we really are spoilt. 

But for me, so much of the best 

art Hackney and Tower Hamlets 

have to offer is on its streets. 

I don’t fully agree with Banksy 

when he said, “the worst place 

to see art is in Museums,” but he 

definitely has a point. When we 

look at art in the context of other 

art, we’re influenced by how the 

gallery has positioned the work

Arts 

and by what the surrounding 

pieces are saying, too. 

When it comes to street art, it’s 

BOOM, in your face. We’re either 

visually arrested, or we move on. 

Artists like Stik, Stinkfish, 

AKAJimmyC and Zabou have 

made this part of London 

their gallery. Their art is 

everywhere – not just in the 

hotspots of Shoreditch, Brick 

Lane and Hackney Wick, but in 

Haggerston, under the railway 

arches in Bethnal Green and 

in side streets off Dalston Lane. 

It’s ever-changing, emotionally 

charged and it’s free for all 

to enjoy. 

Plus, if you’re a parent, carer 

or anyone with kids in tow, 

you can view great art without 

worrying about fingerprints on 

the fine prints or crumbs in the 

cabinets. Bonus! 

5 easy places to see street art 

in Hackney (with kids) 

Clockwise from top left: Stick at Queensbridge Road; Nemo at London Lane; Zabou 

on Brick Lane 

• Hackney Road – Walk from 

Cambridge Heath Station to 

Columbia Road, stop for a 

break at Hackney City Farm. 

• Haggerston – Find Stik on 

Queensbridge Road then 

head down the canal towards 

Haggerston Station, swinging 

into Snake Park for a play if 

the kids are restless. 

• Dalston Lane – From Amhurst 

Road to Dalston Junction, 

there’s graffiti at the old Boy’s 

Club, a Stik above the shops, 

a tiny alley opposite that’s 

wall-to-wall ace and the now 

iconic peace mural is outside 

the Curve Garden – the 

perfect place to end up. 

• Hackney Wick – just get 

off the overground and 

walk around, this place is a 

treasure trove. Watch the 

boats from a canal-side café, 

if you can get a seat… 

• Brick Lane – best before 

breakfast, (when the 

shutters are down) have a 

mooch around the tunnel 

at Shoreditch Station, then 

walk across Brick Lane, down 

Cheshire Street to Grimsby 

Street. Then have a beige 

and a cuppa – right there on 

the street. 

Next time you pass a piece that 

catches your eye, stop, take it 

in and talk about it. Ask the kids 

to share their thoughts: what 

they like about it or don’t. It’s 

a great way to help them with 

self-expression and I’m pretty 

sure it’d work well to kickstart an 

awkward teen date too ;) 

Read my blog for loads more 

pics, local listings and inspiration 

and follow me on Facebook, 

Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest 

for a #KickUpTheArts. 

Swoosh! 

Angie Gough 


Gardening 

Advertorial 

A border by a north-facing patio 

Izi Glover creates a 

symphony in green for those 

shady urban spaces 

Most of us urban gardeners have a neglected shady 

windowsill, container or border. But do not despair. 

With the right plants, our sombre patches can be 

calm, green and serene. Moreover, with a creative 

flourish they will delight throughout the year. 

To keep spirits high while we soldier on, let’s 

bear in mind George Plimpton, by trade a writer, 

and his short turn manning the triangle in Shady 

Corner under the beady eye of conductor Leonard 

Bernstein.* Let’s think of the task ahead in 

percussive terms. 

The big bass drums are our evergreens – spheres 

of box, Buxus sempervivens, and looser mounds of 

sweet winter box, Sarcococca confusa. Mountain 

pine, Pinus mugo, brings a wilder element. 

* It’s a great essay, published in The Best of Plimpton. 

Around and amongst this structure intersperse 

pheasant tail grass, Anemanthele lessoniana, which 

will retain its airy mass but be greener in the 

shade, and the marbled heart-shaped leaves of 

Cyclamen purpurascens. 

Ferns add unfurling rhythmic shapes, with 

Polystichum setiferum 'Herrenhausen' being usefully 

evergreen. Now add some high notes (think of 

Plimpton’s triangle). Here we have the bright blue 

of squills, Scilla bifolia, to be followed on by purple 

violets. 

Ta-da! Your composition is complete. 

April things to do 

If you have a lawn, pay it good attention now. 

You will be repaid threefold in the summer. Adjust 

your mower to its highest setting and give the 

lawn a trim. Rake well, aerate with a fork and apply 

a spring lawn fertiliser just before rain is forecast. 

Izi Glover is a Hackney gardener at London Fields 

and Gardens: londonfieldsandgardens.com 

16 LOVEEAST

Sunday 24th April 

12.00–4.00pm 

Rutland Road, E9 7JS 

Entry via Connor Street 


Sophie’s world 

Photo: Claire Lawrie 

Those were the days, before Shoreditch Trendies 

invaded the East and we were known simply as, The 

Weirdos, going to the Saturday night singalongs at 

The Adam and Eve on Homerton High Street with 

the old boys drinking real IPA or stout. Pre-internet 

we didn’t know where the best parties in town were, 

so we made our own. 

Taste, smells, sights and sounds leave their imprint 

in our memories, Remembrance of Things Past and 

all that, and so it seems that Dick is now Everywhere 

and yet Nowhere. How can that be? His laughter 

attacked me on Park Lane yesterday remembering 

giving his Christmas wages to a homeless person 

in the snow before kicking a pale blue Rolls Royce, 

and before being chased by police through Mayfair. 

They didn’t catch us! Death is bewildering to those 

left behind. 

I wrote his obit for The Guardian. His daughter Bea 

said, "It’s crazy Dad was so famous," when a full 

page appeared in The New York Times, but you only 

have to be famous for one thing and his cocktails 

were legendary inventions – the Bramble, the 

Espresso Martini, the Twinkle to name a few. 

Sophie Parkin 

Sophie Parkin raises a 

glass in a fond farewell to a 

cocktail king 

It’s been an emotional week, I don’t mind admitting. 

My best friend Dick Bradsell died much too young 

and I have had trouble acting a smile onto my face 

ever since – hating it when people asked how I was. 

We grew up together in many ways all over 

East London, sharing scuzzy flats and going 

on adventures together with our friends. From 

performance wedding parties on the steps of 

Hackney Town Hall (Dick played my Dad and read 

out the invented telegrams as we gorged ourselves 

on Brown Derbys at The Wimpy Bar opposite), to 

the inevitable divorce party, to trying to catch the 

Loch Ness monster. 

As I toast him at the wake with Russian Spring 

Punches (invented when we were young and bored 

for a Russian Easter party), I will remember the time 

on the Kingsmead Estate when he made us eat a 

purple curry with green and blue rice topped with 

Maraschino cherries. We were penniless most of 

the time but ridiculously rich with inappropriately 

coloured food and laughter. 

Sophie Parkin is the proprietor of 

vout-o-reenees.com 

Russian Spring Punch 

...invented by the late, great Dick Bradsell 

25ml vodka Stoli 

15ml creme de cassis 

15ml lemon juice 

Topped up with champagne 

Cheers! 

18 LOVEEAST

Culture corner 

Museum of Childhood 

Inspired by of the new exhibition Clangers, 

Bagpuss & Co (on throughout the spring 

holiday), there will be a selection of activities 

for families. Create your own memorable and 

magical characters and stories. Bodge, mend, 

recycle, re-tell and animate this Easter. 

As well as drop-in free activities there will be 

a selection of animation workshops. 

Make beautiful 2D moving paper puppets; 

Clangers © Smallfilms image © V&A Museum, London 

create an imaginary world in a shoe box or 

draw a wonderful character inspired by the 

exhibition. Workshops cost £5 per child with an 

accompanying adult. 

On Thursday, 21 April we have an evening 

event for adults. Join London’s favourite 

quiz master Matt Brown at our Childhood TV 

Nostalgia Music and Quiz Night, with music from 

DJ extraordinaire Jonny Trunk. Tickets £10, 

6.30–10pm. Pay bar and prizes to be won! 

On Saturday, 23 April discover the delights of 

English folk music and dance traditions with 

rousing performances by the Trad Academy 

to celebrate St George’s Day. Enjoy the 

quintessentially English sound of the Becontree 

Brass band and take part in arts and craft 

activities. In partnership with London Borough 

of Tower Hamlets. Free 11.30am–4.30pm. 

Clangers, Bagpuss & Co runs until 9 October. 

Town Hall Tales 

Another year brings another festival at the 

imposing and grand Shoreditch Town Hall, writes 

Jo de Guia of storyhabit.co.uk 

We worked with 1,000 children from Tower 

Hamlets and Hackney primary schools on reading 

for enjoyment, a statutory requirement to be met 

by schools as part of their provision. Over a three 

day period every child met an author, saw a play 

(provided by the Half Moon Theatre in Limehouse), 

and got the opportunity to talk to library staff 

from Tower Hamlets Idea Stores. 

They encountered authors from their own 

neighbourhoods (Jessica Spanyol, David Lucas, 

Karin Littlewood and Roland Chambers), as well 

as those from further afield (Thomas Taylor, Sam 

Gayton and Catherine Johnson), who all came from 

the south coast. The author who travelled the 

furthest, however, was Carnegie winner Tanya 

Landman, who came all the way from Devon to be 

with us for the day. Other London-based authors 

included Joe Craig, Harry Oulton, Andrew Weale, 

SF Said and Tamsyn Murray. 

We picked books for pure enjoyment value (as 

well as being beautifully written). Here are a few: 

For Reception/Year 1/Year 2 

Grendel, 

David Lucas 

Spooky Spooky 

House, Andrew 

Weale 

Star Girl, Karin 

Littlewood 

For Year 3 For Year 5 For Year 6 

V&A Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath 

Road, E2. For details and booking: vam.ac.uk/ 

moc/whatson 

Medal Mayhem, 

Tamsyn Murray 

Mondays are Murder 

Tanya Landman 

Jimmy Coats: Killer, 

Joe Craig 


MON TUES WEDS THURS 

Art events 

General events 

Outdoor events 

April 

4 

Wellbeing, p12 

Judo, p12 

Hatha yoga, p12 

Ballet fitness, p12 

Kids' tennis, p12 

5 

US Girls @ Oslo, p12 

50+ fitness, p12 

Labels, Stratford East, 

p12 

Easter at Geffrye, p12 

6 

Victorian science, p12 

Amazing Amphibians, p12 

Creative writing, p12 

BMX/skating skills, p12 

Bunraku puppetry, p12 

7 

Hackney City Farm 

heritage launch, p12 

Knitting/crochet, p12 


Raja yoga, p12 

Brazilian dance, p12 

11 

Tea dance, p12 

Judo, p12 




Baby dance, p12 

12 


Storytime, under 5s, p12 

13 

Ballet for kids, Hackney 

Forge, E9 

14 

Furniture restore/ 

remake class, p12 





18 

Wellbeing, p12 





19 



Game of Thrones Quiz at 

Moth Club, p12 

20 

Ballet for kids, Hackney 

Forge, E9 

21 

TV nostalgia quiz, p19 





25 





26 


Rufus Wainwright, p12 


27 

£5 Wellbeing 

sessions at Vicky Park 

Community Centre, 

p12 

28 

Have your say about 

art, p12 

Knitting/crochet , p12 

20 LOVEEAST

FRI SAT SUN 

1 

Networx computer skills, p23 

Free Friday wine tasting, p23 

Dance class 60+, p23 

Forest holiday club, p23 

2 

Comedy night, Hoxton, p23 

Dance classes 2-11yrs, p23 

Be a Geffrye explorer, p23 

3 

Vicky's veg growing, p23 

A Grand Day Out, p23 

Sunday Jazz, p23 

Tai Chi, Well St, p23 

War Walk, p23 

8 


London Lions basketball, p23 


80s Office Party pop-up, p23 


9 


10 


London coffee festival, p23 


15 




22 




La Yegros at Rich Mix, p23 

29 

16 

Jumble Sale, p23 


Garden volunteer day, p23 

TV/Film locations walk, p23 

Arts/crafts, MoC, p23 

Espadrille making, p23 

23 

St George's Day 


Mindfulness for stress, p23 

Folk music/dance, p23 

Urban Makers Market, p8 

30 

17 



24 








Eating in 

Illustration: rachelgale.com 

Ingredients (for 4) 

4 duck eggs (it works with other 

eggs but the richness of a duck 

egg is pretty special.) 

A handful of St George’s 

mushrooms, or morels, or 

whatever floats your mushroom 

boat 

50g butter 

200ml double cream 

Sprig of thyme 

Four or so leaves of wild garlic, 

shredded, or use crushed cloves of 

standard garlic – but be aware 

that it will produce a stronger 

flavour 

100g finely grated Parmesan 

Elliott Lidstone, rustles up a tasty mushroom and 

duck egg treat for spring 

Fry the mushrooms, sliced, 

in the butter. Break the duck 

eggs into four individual baking 

dishes (or a communal one if 

you wish) and cover evenly with 

the infused cream. 

Up there amongst our three 

year-old’s top pursuits is 

messing around in sandpits. So 

on a recent sunny day, my wife 

decided it was time to let our 

baby join the fun in the sand. 

She ate it. Of course. So much 

for raising a culinary genius. 

But, still, if it’s playing-in-thesandpit 

weather then that 

means spring is here and 

summer is a-coming, and THAT 

means I can play around with 

lovely spring ingredients like 

wild garlic and St George’s 

mushrooms. Win-win. 

St George mushrooms (named 

because they appear around 

22 LOVEEAST 

St George's day) – should be 

available from April to June-ish. 

If you’re struggling to find them 

then go with morels, which are 

not cheap, but their flavour is 

worth the splurge. 

Local forager John Rensten 

(foragelondon.co.uk), may be 

able to help you find both 

wild garlic and St George’s 

mushrooms, but please, please 

be sure before you go picking 

and eating fungi! 

Method 

Bring the cream to the boil and 

infuse with the wild garlic and 

thyme. Season lightly, set aside. 

Scatter the mushroom into the 

dishes and cover with the finely 

grated cheese, leaving the yolks 

exposed where possible. 

Bake for about 10 minutes, or 

until the whites set (you still 

want runny yolks), in an oven 

set to about 180 degrees. 

Enjoy straight from the oven 

with crusty bread and a twist 

of cracked black pepper and 

slug of truffle oil if you’re feeling 

indulgent. Perfect if you didn’t 

get your fill of eggs at Easter. 

Elliott Lidstone is head chef at The 

Empress empresse9.co.uk 

@ElliottLidstone

FRI SAT SAT SUN 

What's on in April 

Weekly 

East London Dance 

throws a Leap of Faith 

class, ages 60+, 11am- 

1pm. One-off £10 

fee. Stratford Circus. 

eastlondondance.org 

Networx computer 

classes, 1-3pm, VP 

Community Centre, 5 

Gore Road, E9 

Free Friday Tastings at 

Bottle Apostle, 4-8pm. 

95 Lauriston Road, E9. 

bottlepoastle.com 

1 

Forest School Holiday 

Club with Friends of 

Tower Hamlets Cemetry 

Park, £30. Ages 6+. 

Book: fothcp.org/forestschool 

/ 0208 983 1277 

8 

Support the London 

Lions Basketball team. 

7.30pm. From £7. 

Copper Box Arena, 

Olympic Park. axs.com. 

8 

80s Office Party at 

The Rose Lipman 

Building, a regular 

pop-up experience 

night inspired by the 

classic office party. 

7.30-11.30pm. £55pp. 

designmynight.com 

22 

La Yegros, Buenos Aires 

underground sensation 

plays at Rich Mix. 8pm. 

richmix.org 

Weekly 

9.45-1pm. Dance 

classes, 2-11yrs. £5-6. 

chisendaledancespace. 

co.uk 

2 

Want to be a Geffrye 

Explorer? It's all 

happening at The 

Geffrye Museum. 

Suitable for ages 

3-11yrs, 12.30-4.30pm. 

geffrye-museum.org.uk 

2 

Upfront Comedy night 

at Hoxton Hall, 130 

Hoxton Street, N1. 

8pm. From £12.50. 

hoxtonhall.co.uk 

16 

Big Dig 

Free.'Big Dig' Garden 

Volunteering Day 

at Dalston Curve 

Garden, 13 Dalston 

Lane, London E8, 

dalstongarden.org 

16 

Film & TV locations 

walk. Meet outside Rio 

Cinema, Kingsland High 

Street, 11am-12.30pm. 

Booking essential, 

e-mail surbjit.mahey@ 

hackney.gov.uk 

16 

St George's Day 

Kids and grown-ups, 

why not celebrate St 

George's Day by taking 

part in some arts 

and crafts? 11.30am 

-4.30pm at the 

Museum of Childhood, 

Drop in, all ages. 

vam.ac.uk/moc 

16 

Trowbridge Senior 

Citizens Club is 

throwing a jumble 

sale at 15 Lavington 

Close, Hackney Wick, 

E9 5HF. 1-3.30pm. 30p 

entrance fee. email 

gordonfryer78@gmail. 

com for further details 

23 

Urban Makers Market, 

plus Espadrille 

making with Suzie. 

1-4pm. £40, Book via: 

urbanmakerseast.co.uk 

23 

Celebrate St George's 

Day with some folk 

music and dance 

at the Museum of 

Childhood, see p19 

23 

8-week mindfulness 

for stress course 

starting at Yoga 

Place, 449-453 

Bethnal Green Rd, 

E2. Email karen@ 

greenspacecoaching. 

com 

Weekly 

Vicky's Veggie-Growing 

project at Vicky Park, 

2-4pm. For more info 

email Rachel James 

rjarchitect@btinternet. 

com 

Tai Chi for all ages, 

9-10am. £4. Well Street 

Common: meet by the 

picnic table (in wet 

weather, Gascoyne 

Community Hall) 

3 

Away day for the kids? 

East London Travel 

runs day trips from 

Stratford. Today is 

Chessington World 

of Adventures return 

from £15. Book at 

eastlondontravel.co.uk 

3 

8pm. Sunday Jazz 

Session at the Vortex 

Jazz bar, Dalston, 

downstairs. vortexjazz. 

co.uk 

3 

War Walk: Clapton 

& Homerton During 

the First World War, 

2-3.30pm. Details: 

hackney.gov.uk/ 

museum-events.htm 

10 

London Coffee Festival 

at Old Truman 

Brewery, Brick Lane. 

From 12pm. £14 

adv, £20 on door. 

londoncoffeefestival.com 


Eating out 

Il Cudega 

Like all the great cafés in Italy it has a community 

feel and is easy to pop in solo or hangout with 

the whole family. We’ve done both as the simple 

but great quality food tempts adults and children 

alike. The last time we were there we had lasagna, 

cotoletta alla Milanese (veal cutlet), while the kids 

had spaghetti ragu. It was comforting and cosy. 

The only tricky bit is ordering just the one pudding. 

With the classic choices of zabaione del ciclista, 

(espresso topped with whipped-up egg yolks and 

sugar), crème brûlée, rice pudding, tiramisu or 

gelato, we managed three. 

I have to tell you this is the best gelato this side of 

Frome (if you're ever there, seek out the shop) and 

what pulled us into Il Cudega in the first place. 

Il Cudega. It took me a while to get the hang of 

this name, so if like me you’re a little linguistically 

challenged the translation, pork scratching, might 

work better. 

As a big fan of pork this sure works for me. I love 

the stuff, and have a recipe book dedicated to 

this wonderful animal and all its piggy treats. 

This converted railway arch is great for a pork 

fix. A beautiful selection of charcuterie with an 

espresso is perfect. 

Il Cudega, is a combo of deli, wine bar and 

restaurant where all the food and wine comes 

from the Lombardy region in Italy. Lombardy is 

famous for its beautiful landscape, agriculture and 

food – by coincidence we stayed in the area last 

summer with two very good friends (the David 

Furnish and Elton John of Bethnal Green to us). 

They used to live in E2, but after taking off on a 

grand tour of the region they never returned, 

swapping their overcrowded London life for 

a remote, spacious and beautiful estate up a 

mountain. Why would you do that? 

Talking of community, if you’re wondering where 

the lovely Bill of Westgate Motors went, he’s just a 

couple of arches further over, still keeping all our 

motors running. 

Open: Monday-Friday 8.30am–6pm 

Saturday and Sunday 9am–6pm 

Prices: Antipasto £9.50–£12, Mains £9.50–£22 

Dessert £2.50–£6 

Address: Il Cudega, Railway Arch 358, Westgate 

Street, E8 3RN. 07479 611124 

Susan Birtwistle 

Sadly, there’s no such view from here, but step 

across the threshold and you’ll be basking in the 

Italian warmth of Luca and Giovanni’s welcome. 

24 LOVEEAST

Local heroes 

Photo: scrumptiousfoodphotography.com 

"It doesn’t make sense to me 

why food waste exists when 

there are so many uses for it.” 

In the beginning Natasha would 

gather ingredients from her 

allotment and the surrounding 

bramble bushes, shake apples 

from trees in publics parks 

and even asked neighbours if 

they would mind donating a 

little of their lavender to create 

interesting new cordials. She 

has continued to make drinks 

focused on seasonal fruits, with 

some unusual combinations 

such as strawberry and sage, 

and raspberry with rosemary. 

Natasha Steele 

The Urban Cordial Company has 

found a tasty way to make 'ugly' fruit 

beautiful, discovers Rhowena MacCuish 

Now most of her ingredients 

come from local farms and 

contain 50-60% of juices made 

with “ugly" fruits – fruit that 

is deemed not cosmetically 

perfect enough for commercial 

sale, and that would otherwise 

be wasted. She aims to get that 

up to 100% in the future. 

What started two years ago as a 

fun project for Natasha Steele, 

is now a viable business going 

from strength to strength. The 

Urban Cordial Company not 

only supports the environment 

by reducing food waste, but 

is a shining example of local 

entrepreneurship. 

“Primarily I started the company 

because I was bored with 

my job,” Natasha explains. “I 

enjoyed foraging and kept 

an allotment. Then one day I 

thought it would be fun to try 

making cordials from some of 

the produce.” 

“Why cordial? Probably because 

I’m really bad at making jam! I 

had developed a few different 

flavours and had the idea that 

maybe I could sell it. I’d seen 

lots of preserve companies 

but no cordial. It started as an 

experiment; now it means much 

more to me. Being your own 

boss and running your own 

business is amazing. I enjoy 

pushing myself, problem solving 

and meeting new people. Then 

there is the environmental 

factor. I hate food waste, it’s one 

of my pet peeves.” 

Natasha has been studying 

water science and informs 

me that 90% of our water 

consumption is used in 

agriculture. “By throwing food 

away that’s still perfectly edible, 

not only are we wasting food 

we're wasting water," she says. 

Currently, you can find Natasha 

selling her delicious cordials 

at Brockley, Primrose Hill, 

Queens Park, Marylebone 

and Alexandra Palace farmers 

markets. The cordials are also 

stocked by various restaurants 

and bars throughout Dalston 

and Hackney, such as Brilliant 

Corners, The Proud Archivist 

and Frizzante. Keep an eye out 

in the coming months for more 

local shops and delis stocking 

her refreshing drinks. 

Online orders for Urban Cordials 

can be placed with Craved 

(cravedlondon.com) and 

Farmdrop (farmdrop.co.uk). 

For more information visit 

theurbancordialcompany.com 


East London makers 

Musti at work 

Christine Preisig meets Musti the tailor, upholsterer and 

talented East London craftsman 

I wonder how many times I've walked past 

Woolcrest Fabrics, located in a gap between 

buildings at 6 Well Street, without having had the 

slightest idea what treasures are to be found in 

this industrial brick warehouse. 

Stacked from floor to ceiling, the infinite variety 

of colours and finishes of the fabrics can appear 

a little overwhelming at first, but keep going and 

you will discover that everything is excellent value 

for money. 

There aren’t just fabrics to be discovered. With a 

clientele as vibrant as its merchandise, Woolcrest 

is one of the places that best represents the very 

essence of our neighbourhood. 

There's an African family animatedly discussing a 

selection of traditional patterned fabrics, fashion 

students dressed in wonderfully outlandish 

clothes hunting for interesting materials for their 

latest projects, and women of diverse cultural 

backgrounds quietly browsing the oriental section 

of the warehouse. 

And then I found Musti the tailor, the jewel in 

the crown. Good-natured, diligent and hardworking, 

he sells fabrics once a week in exchange 

for a modest flat/studio space right behind the 

warehouse. 

Musti is very proud of his tailoring skills, and 

with good reason. He performs complicated 

26 LOVEEAST

East London makers 

Just some of the huge variety of material to choose from 

alterations, expertly copies much-loved pieces of 

clothing, sews curtains and upholsters sofas and 

chairs. Indeed, his attention to detail will send him 

on the hunt to locate the right fabric or leather if 

it can’t be found at Woolcrest. 

Born in Bulgaria, Musti emigrated to Turkey with 

his family, where he spent most of his youth 

and began his training as a tailor. Since then he 

has lived in many places and worked in many 

professions. He was a gold merchant in Istanbul, 

a chef in Hanover and worked various jobs in 

Vienna before moving to London almost seven 

years ago. With no knowledge of English, he 

began working in a fish and chip shop but very 

quickly spotted the opportunity for a change in 

profession. From the occasional tailoring he did in 

his spare time, his client base rapidly expanded to 

a full-time business. 

Musti is extremely happy now that he is able to 

live entirely from his craft. “From all the different 

jobs I’ve done, this is by far my favourite,” he says. 

Musti can be reached at 07767 913476, or you can 

ask for him at Woolcrest on Sundays between10am 

and 4pm. 

Fast, effective and 

permanent results 

Personal training with Michelle Crawford 

Children welcome if you can't get childcare 

Fighting Fit Studio, 15 Bow Wharf, E3 5SN 

michellept.wordpress.com 

07805 612127 


What to do 

Pottery 

On Sundays: Weekly drop-in children's pottery at 

Hackney City Farm, 11am-1pm and 2-4pm. £5. 

Goldsmith's Row, E2. 

Stories 

Storytime for the under 5s at Victoria Park 

Community Centre every Tuesday from 10am to 

11.30am. 5 Gore Road, E9. FREE. 

Third Tuesday of the month: 4-5pm. . 

Chatterbooks reading group (ages 8-12) at 

Clapton library. Call 020 8356 7480 for more info 

Museums 

Free drop-in activities every day at The Museum 

of Childhood, including arts and crafts, tours, trails 

and storytelling. For ages 3-12 years. Cambridge 

Heath Road, E2. Plus: check out p24 for this 

month's extra activities. 

There's always something interesting happening 

at the Ragged School Museum, 46-50 Copperfield 

Road, E3. 

Want to be a Geffrye Explorer? There is lots of fun 

to be had between 12.30pm and 4.30pm every 

Saturday at geffrye-museum.org.uk 

Building 

Free Mini Builders at Shoreditch Library for under 

5s and parents. 

Cinema 

At Hackney Picturehouse there's Kids’ Club for 

children aged 3-12 years. Check out the website 

for details and prices. picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/ 

Hackney_Picturehouse 

Drama and story-telling 

classes for under 5s 

Has your little one 

got the acting bug? 

Join Sam Seager 

(Bobby from Cbeebies 

Me Too!) and her team 

First class is FREE 

Every Wednesday morning at 

Hackney Forge, 243a Victoria 

Park Road, E9 7HD 

Swimming 

London Fields Lido offer swimming lessons and 

they’ve started giving stages 3-8 swimming classes 

again. Go to betterlessons.org.uk for details and 

booking. Plus of course, there's Mile End Leisure 

Centre, York Hall in Bethnal Green and the 

gorgeous Aquatics Centre, QE Olympic Park. 

Children's Centres 

Wentworth on Cassland Road (wentworth. 

hackney.sch.uk), Gainsborough on Berkshire Road 

(gainsborough.hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre), 

and Morningside on Chatham Place (morningside. 

hackney.sch.uk/childrens-centre). Meath Gardens 

Children's Centre, 1 Smart Street, E2; Mile End 

Leisure Centre, The One O'Clock Club (Vicky Park 

near boating lake); Overland Children's Centre, 60 

Parnell Road, E3. 

Email Sam at info@actingbugs.co.uk and 

get your child's imagination buzzing 

www.actingbugs.co.uk 

Yoga for babies... 

Baby-focused classes using massage, classical 

yoga postures, stretches and balances adapted 

to their stage of growth. Fridays, Royal Inn on the 

28 LOVEEAST

with the kids 

Park, E9.10.45am-11.45am. £6.50. Karen: firsttouchmassage@hotmail.co.uk, 

07902 227 669. 

Yoga for babies... and their mums 

Yoga for Mums and Babies, every Tuesday 

at 10.15am with tea and biscuits afterwards. 

Hackney Forge, E9. 07958 645 978 or email 

clare@clareday-yoga.co.uk 

Theatre 

Hackney Children’s Theatre situated in 700-yearold 

St John at Hackney church, hosts monthly 

performances for kids and their families. facebook. 

com/hackneychildrenstheatre 

Also at the Hackney Forge you’ll find Saturday 

Street Dance and Musical Theatre classes. 12 

noon-1pm, 1.15pm-2.15pm and 2.30-3.30pm, Call 

Lisa on 07985 945 335 for details. 

Activity times may change, so please do check on 

times/availability via the websites or phone numbers 

provided. 

Acting 

Diddy Bugs. Try Hackney Forge on a Wednesday 

morning. Cbeebies actress Samantha Seager runs 

acting classes for little tots. actingbugs.co.uk 

Music 

Piccolo music for babies and toddlers, Mondays, 

Wednesdays and Fridays in the V&A building 

in Victoria Park. Toddler class 10am, baby class 

11am. Just drop in. Stefanie, 07708 451 314. 

Suzuki Hub runs music lessons for kids (violin, 

viola, cello, flute). Suzuki Hub, 116 Weymouth 

Terrace, E2 8LR. suzukihub.com 

Baby Music Class in the Straw Bale building at 

Hackney City Farm. 10-10.45am and 11-11.45am. 

babymusicclass.co.uk 

Dancing 

Wiggly Jigglers at Rich Mix. Creative movement for 

0-2yrs. Call 020 7613 7498 to book. 

There’s ballet for children at the Hackney Forge 

on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Call Mafalda 

on 07550 722 693 for details and check out 

mafaldaballetblog.blogspot.com 

Award winning classes for 0-5 yrs 

At Gymboree our focus is on encouraging 

and nurturing your baby in every aspect of their 

development, with you right by their side. We 

offer a variety of fun and sensory led 

classes from newborn to 5years. 

Gymboree classes are designed by experts 

in early childhood development to 

help young children learn as they play. 

Book your FREE trial class today! 

Gymboree Bethnal Green 

bethnalgreen@gymboree-uk.com 

020 7537 2901 / 07966 227583 

59-61 Roman Road, London, E2 0QN 

gymboree-uk.com 


History hangout 

Brooke House, Henry Percy's Hackney home. Image courtesy of History & 

Antiquities of Hackney, Wm. Robinson 1842 

Anne Boleyn 

Stephen Selby discovers a Hackney connection in the 

downfall of Anne Boleyn 

Much has been written about 

the downfall of Anne Boleyn – 

not least in Hilary Mantel’s novel 

Wolf Hall, which was recently 

adapted for television. 

Thomas Cromwell’s relentless 

pursuit of a justifiable reason 

for Henry VIII to divorce Anne is 

well known, but few of us realise 

the Hackney connection to her 

demise. 

In the hope of saving her life, 

Anne is said to have confessed 

a precontract of marriage with 

her former love (and Hackney 

resident), Henry Percy. This 

would have given Henry VIII a 

justifiable reason for the divorce 

to take place. 

Percy, however, conclusively 

denied this. In a letter to 

Thomas Cromwell, written from 

30 LOVEEAST 

Brooke House, his home in 

Newington Green in May 1537, 

he refuted that he was ever 

betrothed to Anne. 

Had he confirmed it, Anne 

might have lived and the 

English church could still be 

answerable to Rome. 

Henry Percy 

Percy sat on the jury that found 

Anne guilty of committing incest 

with her brother. When the 

verdict was announced, Percy 

collapsed and had to be carried 

from the courtroom. Anne was 

beheaded aged 36, just six days 

after being charged. 

Percy himself died a few months 

after that, aged 35, and is buried 

at St Augustine’s, Hackney. 

Sadly, Percy's manor was 

partially bombed during the 

Second World War and was 

subsequently demolished. Had 

there been any foresight then, 

a restored Brooke House could 

have been a major Hackney 

tourist attraction on a par with 

Sutton House. 

Next month: One of Hackney's 

most ancient secrets

Faraday School 

Independent Prep School 

7 Trinity Buoy Wharf London E14 0FH 

Tel: 020 7719 9342 

Pupils' attainment “is judged to be well above 

national age-related expectations” ISI Inspection Report 

Ÿ Creative, independent preparatory school 

Ÿ Strong academic foundation, teaching Core Knowledge 

Ÿ Rigorous approach to learning 

Ÿ Outstanding pastoral care 

Ÿ Confident and articulate pupils 

Ÿ Unique riverside location in a creative hub 

Ÿ Small Class sizes 

Fee for the Academic Year 2015/16 £2,930 per term 

To find out more, or to register, please contact 

admissions@faradayschool.co.uk- T: 020 8965 7374 

Late Care Until 5.30pm 

Daily School Bus Run (including south of the river) 

Boat charter available (from North Greenwich Pier) 

www.faradayschool.co.uk 

nms 

Visit our shop in Bethnal Green at 

103 Roman Road E2 0QN 

www.gingerwhite.co.uk 

Quote code “LOVEEAST10” for 10% OFF all shop orders - offer ends 29th April 2016 


Money matters 

will allow residential landlords 

to deduct the actual costs of 

replacing furnishings. 

Rent-a-room relief increases 

from £4,250 to £7,500. 

Advertorial 

New rates of stamp duty that 

are 3% higher than the current 

bands will be introduced 

from the first of this month 

on purchases of additional 

properties, such as buy-to-lets 

and holiday homes. 

Alan Patient 

Alan Patient & Co, LoveEast's 

accountancy experts, explain how to 

stay on the right side of HMRC 

Big changes in taxation are in 

the pipeline for this year and 

while many of us will feel the 

impact, owners of small limited 

companies should be especially 

aware. 

From April 2016, watch out for 

the following: 

Dividend taxation 

The 10% dividend tax credit will 

be abolished and replaced with 

a £5,000 dividend tax allowance. 

Dividend income exceeding the 

annual allowance will be taxed 

according to an individual’s 

income tax band. Basic rate 

taxpayers will pay 7.5%, higher 

rate 32.5% and additional 

rate 38.1%. 

Personal savings allowance 

A new allowance to remove 

tax on up to £1,000 of savings 

income for basic rate taxpayers, 

and up to £500 for higher rate 

taxpayers will be introduced. 

Pensions 

There will be a reduction in 

the £40,000 annual pension 

contribution allowance where 

income exceeds £150,000. The 

annual allowance will reduce 

by £1 for every £2 of income in 

excess of £150,000, down to 

a minimum of £10,000. 

Property 

The wear and tear allowance 

on furnished properties will be 

replaced with a new relief that 

Auto-enrolment 

If you are an employer you will 

be required to provide your 

employees with a workplace 

pension. More than a million 

small employers will be required 

to set up an Auto Enrolment 

(AE) compliant workplace 

pension scheme this year, 

with many more to follow in 

2017 and 2018. 

Accountancy standards 

For accounting periods 

starting from 1 January 2015, 

new accounting standards 

are required as part of an EU 

directive. While for most small 

companies this will not come 

into force until accounting 

periods starting from 1 January 

2016, this will mean radical 

changes for most accounts as 

the new standards require the 

previous year to be translated 

to reflect these changes as well. 

If you're affected by any of these 

changes, don't hesitate to call us 

and we'll be happy to offer advice. 

Our first consultation is free! 

Alan Patient & Co. 

9 The Shrubberies, George Lane 

South Woodford, E18 1BD 

020 8532 9843 

alanpatient.com 

32 LOVEEAST

Rowing boats and 

pedalos for hire, Victoria 

Park West Lake 

Come explore one 

of Hackney’s last 

independent high streets 

Market every Sunday 11-4 

Shops, bars and restaurants 

7 days 

chatsworthroade5.co.uk 

Homerton overground | E5 0LS 

Regal Boat Hire Ltd 

07852 127895 

info@regalboathire.co.uk 

Life coaching for 

modern lives 

Fast, 

strong, 

fearless 

www.millerandlove.com 

Hackney E8 

ROGER LOVE 

Personal training 

1:1 studio or park 

www.hackneypt.com 


Wellness 

Advertorial 

Don't let procrastination 

stop you from achieving 

your goals, writes Karen 

Liebenguth 

We’re all prone to a bit of procrastination; some 

of us more than others. The list of tasks that we 

put off doing is endless: the bills that need paying, 

the cupboards that need tidying up, the difficult 

conversation that needs to happen... 

It's a common theme among the clients I coach. 

They find themselves stuck in habitual ways of 

doing things that ultimately hold them back from 

where they want to be. So, why do it? 

Procrastination is putting off doing something, 

even though we know the delay will make things 

worse. One of the most common reasons is selfprotection 

– avoiding disappointment, criticism 

or failure. We postpone what we know will give us 

satisfaction in the long term because it feels too 

threatening at that moment. 

Many of us suffer from perfectionism and 

therefore put ourselves under a lot of pressure. 

This can set us up for failure, which of course is 

frightening. Perfectionists may find themselves 

saying, “If I never finish, I can never be judged.” 

If this resonates with you, take some time to 

reflect on your reasons for wanting to be perfect 

and perhaps begin to allow yourself to be "good 

enough". Be kind to yourself – we often bully 

ourselves and the harshness of our inner critic 

can keep us stuck in our old ways. 

My top tips 

• Stretch yourself in a way that feels manageable. 

Taking small steps, regularly, is the secret to 

moving outside your comfort zone. 

• If you have a tendency to perfectionism, take 

time to reflect on your reason for wanting to be 

perfect. Allow yourself to be "good enough". 

• If you have a tendency to catastrophise and 

anticipate the worse, acknowledge your anxiety. 

Be clear what the worst case scenario is that you 

are imagining, then ask yourself, "On a scale of 

1-10 (with 1 not likely at all and 10 very likely) how 

likely is this to happen? Try to see the task for 

what it actually is. 

Karen Liebenguth offers 1:1 coaching while 

walking in Victoria Park and 1:1 mindfulness 

training. 8-week mindfulness for stress course 

starting at Yoga Place, E2, on 23 April. 

To book a free taster coaching session email 

karen@greenspacecoaching.com or call 

07815 591279. For more information visit 

greenspacecoaching.com 

34 LOVEEAST

Fitness 

Roger Love, a local personal trainer, 

continues our A-Z of fitness with… M 

over at speed, like running on 

the spot. Keep your stomach 

tight. Start with 40 (20 on 

each leg). 

Advertorial 

Mobility – The hot debate on 

the value of stretching before 

running crackles on. It is widely 

accepted that the static versions 

– such as the standing thigh and 

hamstring stretches you will see 

joggers doing at the entrance 

to Victoria Park before sprinting 

off – are far from ideal. They 

won’t prevent injuries nor aid 

performance, and may even 

slow you up. 

Much better is to make sure you 

warm up with some mobility 

work – butt kicks, walking with 

high knees, shrugging shoulders 

(your arms work a lot when 

running) and ankle and arm 

rotations – to make sure your 

joints and muscles are ready 

to run. 

Mountain climbers – Forget 

burpees and 400-metre sprints, 

the exercise that seems to draw 

the most resigned sighs from 

clients is the mountain climber. 

Is was a hot topic of discussion 

at the Christmas party for my 

clients in the London Fields 

hostelry – a rebellion that was 

quickly put down! There is a 

correlation between dislike and 

effectiveness, and the mountain 

climber is very effective. It builds 

cardio fitness and works your 

core, hip flexors and legs hard, 

improves agility, and takes very 

little space to do. 

You start in the press-up 

position with one leg forward 

(knee bent and forefoot on the 

floor) and then swap the legs 

Muscle – thousands of books 

and articles have been written 

on how to build muscle. 

But beginning to get hench 

need not be complicated. 

Do resistance training (lifting 

weights or bodyweight 

exercises) twice a week; use 

compound exercises (those 

that use more than one major 

muscle group, such as squats, 

bench press, press-ups, pullups, 

bent over rows, and the 

shoulder press); eat more 

protein (ideally, a gram for every 

pound of your weight; there 

are 2.2lbs in a kg); get enough 

sleep; and take rest days 

between exercise routines. 

Roger Love is a personal trainer 

based at Netil House, Westgate 

Street, in Hackney. 

hackneypt.com 


Legal eagle 

this value, the current fees will increase by £85 

to £300 or more. 

Astronomical fees will apply for estates valued at 

£500,000 and above. These fees will be as follows: 

• £4,000 for estates valued between £500,000 

and £1m 

• £8,000 for estates valued between £1m 

and £1.6m 

• £12,000 for estates valued between 

1.6m to £2m 

• £20,000 for estates valued at £2m and above. 

Advertorial 

The cost of death is 

likely to increase, says 

Sangeeta Moore 

The death of a member of the family or a close 

friend is painful and highly emotional. While dealing 

with these feelings and emotions, some of you also 

have the responsibility of arranging the funeral 

and sorting out the deceased’s possessions and 

finances. A member of the family or close friend 

usually would arrange the funeral as soon as 

possible. However, to deal with the deceased’s 

possession, such as their money, home and other 

assets, you need to have authority from the court. 

This authority is known as a Grant of Probate 

(where the deceased left a will) or Grant of Letters 

of Administration ( where there is no will). 

You only need to apply for probate where the 

deceased’s estate is more that £5,000 in value. 

When you submit the application to the Probate 

Registry, you need to pay an application fee. If you 

are engaging lawyers for the probate process, the 

application fee is £155. However, if you make the 

application by yourself, this fee goes up to £215. 

The Government is proposing to increase the 

probate application fees. The increase will be 

tiered according to the value of the estate. 

Estates worth £50,000 or less will be exempt 

of the application fee. However, for estates above 

With the sharp rise in the value of property over 

the years, many people in London own homes 

that are worth well in excess of £1m. Often 

most of the value of the estate is locked in their 

property. This means that the executors will 

need to find at least £8,000 just to be able to 

obtain permission from the court to administer 

the estate. The problem is raising the money to 

pay for the application fee. It could well be that 

the bank might be prepared to lend the money 

to cover the fees, but this would not be without 

interest being charged on the loan. 

Another difficulty will be where someone died 

leaving a wife or husband or civil partner who 

continues to live in the family home. Especially 

where there is not much in terms of liquid cash, 

will the widow or widower or civil partner need 

to get into debt in order to continue living in their 

own home? 

A decision about the fee increase is yet to be 

reached. The Government is still consulting on 

these proposals. 

If you are dealing with the death of a family 

member or close friend and want to talk in detail 

about probate and administration of their estate, 

please do get in touch. 

Contact Sangeeta on 020 3440 8161, or by 

email at sangeeta.moore@tvedwards.com 

tvedwards.com, 35-37 Mile End Road 

London, E1 4TP 

36 LOVEEAST

Letterbox Listings 

T H E H A C K N E E Y Y B B U U I L I D L E D RE R 

property refurbishment & & renovation 

E: thehackneybuilder@icloud.com 

Well Street Common Festival, Sunday 12 

June, noon till 5pm. To volunteer or book 

a stall: info@wellstreetcommon.co.uk 

POP Beauty UP treatments TEA STOP for – 10.30am-noon a fiver! Victoria every Park 

Wednesday Community Centre, at Prideaux 9 Gore House, Road. 10 Call Church Sylvia 

Crescent, 020 8985 6571 E9. All or welcome. masonsylvia@hotmail.com 

020 8986 6000 

Experienced, reliable dog dog walker. walker. Fully Fully 

insured, references supplied. supplied. For more For more details 

call details Annabel call Annabel on 07960 483570 on 07960 483570 

Travelling abroad and want to see some art? 

I can advise you on how to see the very best. 

www.douglas@darkstream32.fsnet.co.uk 

MINDFULNESS FOR STRESS: 8-week 

course at Yoga Place, Bethnal Green. Starts 23 

April. Email: karen@greenspacecoaching.com 

If you would like to take out a small ad 

on the Letterbox Listings page, prices 

from just £17.50 per month 

I’m an illustrator who who makes beautiful beautiful screen- 

screen-printed bags, postcards, bags, postcards, T-shirts, etc. T-shirts, Take a 

look: etc. Take www.rachelgale.com 

a look: www.rachelgale.com 

THE EVOLUTION LAB 

ARE YOU USING YOUR BODY 

TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL? 

THE EVOLUTION LAB IS A NEW PERSONAL TRAINING FACILITY IN HACKNEY 

WITH A UNIQUE AIM: TO HELP YOU MOVE YOUR BODY THE WAY NATURE 

INTENDED SO YOU CAN GET STRONGER, FASTER, MORE FLEXIBLE, AND MORE 

PHYSICAL. 

WE’VE WORKED WITH PRO ATHLETES ON DEVELOPING SPORT-SPECIFIC 

PERFORMANCE, ACTORS NEEDING TO SHAPE THEIR BODIES FOR FILM ROLES, 

AND PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS LOOKING TO LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES. 

WHATEVER YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS MAY BE, WE WANT TO HELP 

YOU ACHIEVE THEM. 

WWW.THEEVOLUTIONLAB.CO.UK 

INFO@THEEVOLUTIONLAB.CO.UK | 07765 525655 


Useful numbers 

Police 

Emergency 999 

Non-emergency 101 

Safer Neighbourhood 020 8721 2937 

Utilities 

Gas - emergency 0800 111 999 

Electrical - power loss 0800 404090 

Thames Water 0872 435 5973 

Health 

NHS Direct 111 

Homerton Hospital 020 8510 5555 

Royal London Hospital 020 7377 7000 

Clockwork Pharmacy 020 8985 1717 

Borno Pharmacy 020 8981 0600 

Hackney Council numbers 

General number 020 8356 3000 

Council tax enquiries 020 8356 3154 

Parking enquiries 020 8356 8877 

Waste removal 020 8356 6688 

Tower Hamlets Council numbers 

General number 020 7364 5020 

Council tax enquiries 020 7364 5002 

Parking enquiries 020 7364 5003 

Waste removal 020 7364 5004 

Local councillors/MP 

Local councillors (Victoria) 020 8356 3373 

MP (Meg Hillier) 020 7219 5325 

Library 

Hackney Central Library 020 8356 4358 

Bethnal Green Library 020 7364 3492 

Victoria Park 

Park Services (24/7) 020 8985 5699 

Victoria Park rangers 020 7364 4172 

Travel 

National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 

Congestion Charge 0343 222 2222 

Transport for London 0343 222 1234 

Vet 

Goddard's, Well Street 020 8986 3918 

PDSA, Bow 020 8980 5011 

Wanstead Veterinary 020 8989 7744 

Hospital 

The Hackney Vet 020 8533 6554 

LoveEast is proud 

to support local 

businesses. If 

you do contact 

someone after 

seeing their 

advertisement 

on these pages, 

please mention it 

to them when you call. 

Why advertise with us? 

Every month the magazine is delivered to 

10,000 households in E9, E8, E2 and E3, as 

well as to local shops, restaurants and cafés in 

Victoria Park, Hackney Wick, Broadway Market 

and Roman Road. Readership runs into many 

thousands more (between 25,000-30,000). 

The magazine is full of great articles and 

essential information and is a handy guide 

to local businesses and services, as well as 

giving details about what’s on in the area. It’s 

something to keep through the month and 

is unlikely to go in the recyle bin along with 

doordrop leaflets. It's therefore a very effective 

way to promote your business to a targeted, 

local audience. 

If you would like to advertise, please contact 

us at: 

07752 288 405 

sales@nutshellpublications.co.uk 

Twitter: @LoveEastMag 

Facebook: facebook.com/LoveEastMag 

Next issue – May 

Copy deadline – 5 April 

38 LOVEEAST

VITALITY RUN HACKNEY 

8TH MAY 2016 

SIGN UP AT 

WWW.STFH.ORG.UK/HACKNEY 

@STJOHOSPICE 

TEL: 020 8525 3200 WWW.STJH.ORG.UK

Looking for an 

Accountant? 

Tax Tips 

on the Go: 

Download 

our TAX App 

FREE from the 

App Store & 

GooglePlay 

We can guide you in the right 

direction, call 020 8532 9843 

At Alan Patient & Co, we pride 

ourselves on being friendly 

and helpful, but also extremely 

professional. 

Our first consultation is free, 

giving us an opportunity to 

explain exactly what we can do 

for you. 

We offer a full range of services, 

but you can in effect “pick and 

mix” the services which suit you 

best. 

Whether you find accounting 

daunting, expensive in terms of 

your time, or just plain boring, 

we can find a solution tailored 

to your business needs. 

Our clients vary from: artists 

to antique dealers, bookmakers 

to builders, hypnotherapists to 

haulage contractors, plumbers to 

publishers and trainers to types 

of dancers. They all have their 

own unique requirements and 

we aim to make their lives a 

little easier. 

Alan Patient & Co 

Chartered Accountants • Registered Auditors 

9 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD • Tel: 020 8532 9843 

www.alanpatient.com • Alan Patient & Co @alanpatientco Alan Patient & Co

April 2016

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