 In times of crisis different communities can find themselves targeted and the victims of hate crime.
We saw this on a few well-reported occasions with the Chinese community at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Russians do not support this war being carried out in their name. Many Russian speakers are not Russian. Indeed, many have been seen in recent days at anti-war protests standing side by side with Ukrainians.
All of us must do everything in our power to bring people in our communities together at this horrible time.
Tomorrow (Wednesday, 16 March) we will be celebrating the best of Havering's small businesses and the entrepreneurs leading them.
The Havering Small Business Awards 2022 will be presented at a ceremony to be held at the Premiere Cinema in the Mercury Mall, Romford.
It has been a tough couple of years for businesses across the country, but we have seen so many shining examples of local businesses not just surviving, but giving back to their communities and standing out as beacons of hope.
Thank you to the many thousands of you who took part in the awards, whether that was by nominating a business, or voting for the finalists.
According to the latest Government figures there were 853 COVID-19 infections in Havering last week. National figures showed a surge in infections and a rise in hospital admissions.
So please continue to take care, keep washing your hands, wearing a face covering in crowded spaces, and testing if you think you have caught coronavirus. If you haven't been vaccinated yet, or received your booster dose, it's not too late.
A further push on vaccinations is due in early April when over-75s and the clinically vulnerable will be offered a fourth shot, or a fifth in the case of people with severely weakened immune systems.
Lastly, if you want to contact me directly, you can email me.
Cllr Damian White
Leader, Havering Council
The Mayor of Havering, Cllr John Mylod, has planted a tree to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
The young tree was planted at Langtons Gardens in Hornchurch on Friday 11 March, the 70th day of the year, to symbolise each year of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Last November, all 32 of London’s Boroughs’ Mayors each received a tree sapling from The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE at a ceremony in Hyde Park.
The project honours Her Majesty’s 70th year of service and promotes The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) initiative.
The QGC is a unique tree planting programme created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee with a focus on encouraging the planting of trees to create a legacy which will benefit future generations.
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 In the UK, a violent man kills a woman every three days.
That's why yesterday (14 March) the Mayor of London launched the Have a Word campaign.
To tackle the problem we must challenge unacceptable male behaviour, which often leads to violence.
Every single man can play a part in making women and Havering safer.
Challenge sexism and misogyny. Whether it’s on the streets, in a group chat, at home, or in the pub, raise your voice.
Watch the powerful campaign video and share it with your friends and family.
If you are concerned about British nationals who need assistance in Ukraine, support is available to British nationals through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office helpline. It is open 24 hours, 7 days a week on +380 44 490 3660 (from the Ukraine) or 01908 516666 (from the UK).
If you are concerned about non-British family members in Ukraine then the Ukraine Family Scheme allows family members of British nationals, UK settled persons and certain others to come to or stay in the UK. There is more information on this scheme on the Government's website.
Yesterday the Government announced that UK individuals, charities, community groups and businesses can also now record their interest in supporting Ukrainians fleeing the war through the new Homes for Ukraine scheme.
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The Mayor of Havering, Cllr John Mylod, led a ceremony for the Commonwealth Flag raising at the Town Hall in Romford yesterday (Monday, 14 March).
The theme for Commonwealth Day 2022 was ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ highlighting how the 54 countries in the Commonwealth family are working together to achieve goals like fighting climate change and promoting good governance.
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Healthwatch Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham and Havering, are working together to learn more about people's experiences of living with Post Covid Syndrome (Long COVID) and the support that they may have received.
If you have Long COVID, or think you may have it, please complete their survey. It will be open until 31 March.
It will take around 10 minutes of your time. Everything you tell Healthwatch is confidential and can help make NHS services better. If you have any questions, please contact Healthwatch.
- Havering Council is no longer publishing its weekly COVID-19 report. Reports are now being published monthly with the next one due in April. These reports will be available on Havering Council's website and also highlighted in future editions of this newsletter.
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Life Education Trust and Havering Council are organising an event for teachers and teaching staff in Havering.
The Havering Festival of Education, will run from Monday 21 March to Thursday 24 March from 4pm with inspirational guest speakers with an educational background. There will be in-person and virtual sessions, plus guest speakers.
All in person sessions will be held at New City College, Ardleigh Green Campus, Ardleigh Green Rd, Hornchurch RM11 2LL.
The event is free to join and you can choose to attend as many sessions as you would like. Speakers will include Dame Alison Peacock and Tom Bennett, OBE.
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The local elections will take place on Thursday 5 May.
All Havering residents who are registered to vote in local government elections can take part, including European Union citizens.
There is still time to register to vote if you haven’t already.
Local elections give everyone the chance to vote for a local representative for the next four years.
Whoever you choose to vote for, it’s important that you register by 7 April so you can have your say in our borough’s future.
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 Charity Havering Mind is organising a parent support group for parents of young people aged 11 - 25 with mental health challenges.
The six-week programme starts tomorrow (Wednesday 16 March) and is held online via Zoom between 6 and 8pm.
To register, email your contact details or call 01708 457040.
Moon Over Buffalo is a farcical comedy by Ken Ludwig set in 1953. While Charlotte and George Hay are on tour in Buffalo, New York they receive word that Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee performance. They might just have one last shot at movie stardom after all.
The play will be performed nightly at 8pm from tomorrow (Wednesday, 16 March) until Saturday, 19 March, at The Little Theatre, Methodist Church Hall, The Drive, Harold Wood, RM3 0DU. There will also be a matinee at 2.30pm on Saturday.
Tickets are £8 and you can buy online from the Guildonians website or by calling 07762 132620.
Havering Antique and Collectors Club meet on the third Friday of each month. Its March meeting will be on Friday 18 March at 7.30pm when the speaker will be Paul Atterbury from BBC Antiques Roadshow. His subject matter will be: Eastern Dreams - The Victorians obsession with the Orient.
The event takes place at the Harold Wood Neighbourhood Centre, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood. Find out more on the Club's Facebook page.
Harold Wood Reading Friends Knit and Natter meet every Friday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Harold Wood Library in Arundel Road. Bring your knitting and join the chat.
Also on Fridays at Harold Wood Library between 2.30pm and 3pm you can join Baby Bounce sessions for children up to two years old.
Singing nursery rhymes has been proven to help children develop their language and pre-literacy skills. By using rhythmic language and repetition, children learn how words are formed, supporting the early stages of language development.
Visit the library on Friday afternoons or call 01708 434975 to find out more.
Litter picking
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The storms last month played havoc along the Thames foreshore in Rainham. The highest tides in at least the last 15 years brought in a mass of plastics.
On Saturday 5 March four volunteers helped Thames 21 Clean-Up facilitator, Steve Catchpole fill 80 sacks with 3,660 plastic bottles from the reed beds at the Concrete Barges which are situated on the River Thames just off Coldharbour Lane in Rainham (pictured).
Due to the volume of rubbish that still needs collecting, another visit on Saturday 26 March from 10.30am until 1.30pm has been arranged to pick up other plastics. Can you spare a couple of hours to give a helping hand? If you can, contact Steve by email.
Volunteers will be meeting at Riverside Carpark, Coldharbour Lane, Rainham, RM13 9YB (before the landfill security building. If you have your own equipment, gloves and wellingtons or sturdy walking shoes, please bring them.
Comedy on stage
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Tom Wells award-winning, comedy, The Kitchen Sink will play at Queen's Theatre Hornchurch from this Thursday (17 March) until 2 April.
Things aren’t going to plan for one Yorkshire family. Martin’s milk float is falling apart and something’s up with Kath’s sink.
Billy’s trying to get into art school with a portrait of Dolly Parton.
Sophie’s dreaming of her black belt whilst Pete, a local plumber, is quietly falling in love. Amidst the dramas and the dirty dishes, something has to give…
Tickets can be booked online.
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Havering Council is running a series of engagement roadshows across its housing estates in the coming weeks.
They are to recruit community-minded tenants to get involved, sharing their thoughts and ideas, or joining a participation panel or focus group to help with vital decision-making for an estate.
Sessions for this week include one in Malan Square, Rainham, this Thursday (17 March), between 10am and midday, and another in Macon Way, Upminster on the same day between 1pm and 3pm.
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Last autumn Transport for London (TfL) consulted on proposals affecting bus route 497 in Harold Hill and Harold Wood.
The options were to either extend the route to serve bus stops between Gooshays Drive and a new terminus at Dagnam Park Square, or withdraw the service entirely.
Over 400 responses to the consultation were received and TfL has now completed its analysis of them and has published its report.
As a result, TfL has made some amendments to the original options. It now intends to extend route 497 to Dagnam Park but will withdraw the Sunday service. It is anticipated that these service changes will take place this Summer.
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HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is warning that criminals are attempting to obtain customers’ Government Gateway logins and other personal details.
This is to enable scammers to register for Income Tax Self Assessment and submit bogus tax refund claims before pocketing the repayment.
Individuals, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, are being targeted on social media platforms by fraudsters seeking to ‘borrow’ their identities. In return, the individual is promised a cut of the tax refund ‘risk-free’.
Handing over sensitive personal information to criminals like this, even inadvertently, risks individuals involving themselves in tax fraud, and having to pay back the full value of the fraudulent claim.
You should therefore only deal with HMRC directly, or through your tax advisor in relation to any Self Assessment tax refunds.
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