INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S WEEK

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S WEEK
Events in Tower Hamlets 6-14 March 2010
Supported by Tower Hamlets Council and Tower Hamlets Partnership

This week we will be celebrating womens week, a lot of the events are during office hours but do try and go along. As a fighter to support women in politics I hope as many people as possible can get engaged.

VOICE – Votes for Women – looking at the past and to the future

During International Women’s Week in Tower Hamlets a diverse range of community and women’s groups across the borough will be focusing their celebrations on Women and the Vot320e. Events will explore the history of women’s involvement in politics – from the struggle for emancipation to 2010 – and a look at what the future holds. The underlying aim of the events will be to inspire those unheard women’s voices in our communities to be heard and encourage women to use their vote.


SATURDAY 6 MARCH

WOMEN’S APPRECIATION DAY
ELM Women’s Link, Muslimaat UK, Rainbow House Children’s Centre London Muslim Centre, 46-92 Whitechapel Road E1 1JX
10.30am-3pm FREE 020 7650 3000/3022

Exhibition about Women in Politics throughout history focusing on key women of achievement, the Suffragette movement, recent women Prime Ministers, and emerging figures. Invited guest speakers will discuss issues affecting local women and how they have made changes happen, stalls with information providing support and advice, and refreshments.


MONDAY 8 MARCH

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY TEA PARTY
The Teasmith
6 Lamb Street, Spitalfields E1 6EA
2pm-4pm FREE 020 7247 1333

Come and enjoy a wide range of teas with special tea tasting sessions and cakes to celebrate International Women’s Day. www.teasmith.co.uk

‘Fragments’ exhibition of drawings by Juliette Vivier www.juliettevivier.com
Open 6 March – 4 April 11am-6pm each day.

DISCOVER LONDON
Lincoln Area Regeneration Group
The Linc Centre, 70 Fern Street, Bow E3 3PR
10am-3.30pm Tkts £1.00 020 7538 2553
In collaboration with Belton Way Children’s Centre, Taakulo Somali Organisation, Bow Common Bangladeshi Cultural Association.

Coach Trip to the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street to take a look at the past, present and future electoral journey of women against the back-drop of some of London’s historical and present houses of power. There will be a special tour guide and translators. Event open to all. Tickets allocated on a first come first served basis.


TUESDAY 9 MARCH

CULTURE KITCHEN
Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), Zacchaeus Project,
Walter Newby Centre, Bethnal Green Methodist Church,
Approach Road, E2 9JP
10.30am-3.30pm FREE 020 7481 9004

Event highlighting the need to give women a voice about climate change. Workshops and activities will offer women the opportunity to learn more about the issues and how to express themselves creatively about their own experiences in relation to climate change. The event will be fun with positive, practical ideas of what women can do around food and food growing and provide a showcase for what has already been achieved. The aim is to raise awareness of gender and climate change issues. Includes tour of community garden and refreshments.

TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR CHINESE WOMEN
East London Chinese Community Centre
Trussler Hall, 78 Grundy Street E14 6DF
1pm-3pm FREE 020 7538 5528

Training workshops on 9, 10 and 11 March for women in the Chinese Community to discuss the nature of democracy and provide a basic understanding of political ideologies and voting rights. The workshops are aimed at Chinese women in Tower Hamlets to encourage them to vote and understand British government and will be conducted in Chinese so that participants may discuss & debate political issues.

VISIT & TOUR THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
Heba Women’s Project
164 Brick Lane E1 6RU
9.30am-2pm FREE 07960 124262

There will be two group visits to the Houses of Parliament on 9 and 10 March with a guided tour focusing on the history of women in politics. There are 20 places available on each visit open to Heba beneficiaries and women from the general public. At Heba during International Women’s Week they will also be discussing the struggle of the Suffragettes and looking at different electoral systems around the world.

WOMEN AND POLITICS
Neighbours in Poplar and SPLASH Politics
St Vincent’s Portacabin, Gill Street, Poplar E14 0EH (9 March)
Will Crooks Community Centre, 1-3 Wigram House, Wades Place E14 0DB (10 March) 12pm-2.30pm FREE 020 7515 8362

Two events on 9 & 10 March in local Community Centres with music and stalls and local Councillors sharing their journey into politics. These events will be focusing particularly but not exclusively on Somali and Bengali women who will be asked about issues on which they would like to have a voice.

ACHIEVING VISION & CHANGE
Pritchard Road Day Centre
Marian Place, off Pritchard Road, Bethnal Green E2 9AX
11am-3pm FREE 020 7364 1032

A fun, interactive day with entertainment and an exhibition looking at why women accessing mental health services are less likely to use their right to vote and how to encourage them. An opportunity to share experiences and participate in a survey about future voting processes. Raffle & Refreshments.

WOMEN…VOTE!
St Hilda’s East Community Centre
18 Club Row, E2 7EY
11am-2.30pm FREE 020 7739 8066
In partnership with Friends of Arnold Circus, Bishopsgate Institute, The Women’s Library and Bethnal Green Collaboration Project.

This event will creatively express the importance of women’s right to vote and include an exhibition ‘Women…Vote!’ exploring the historical context of women’s fight for the right to vote, a poster making workshop using the theme of the exhibition, and guest speakers. The event will also seek to find out how women perceive women leaders of today as compared to those of the past. A mock election will enable women to vote on which female role model would be best to rule the UK today.

WOMEN’S MULTICULTURAL DANCE DAY
St Nicks Lunch Club, Neighbours in Poplar, Poplar HARCA
Aberfeldy Centre, Aberfeldy Street E14 ONE ( 9 March)
Burcham St Centre, 96 Burcham Street E14 0SH (12 March)
11.30am-2pm FREE 07947 798685

Events for older women. Come along for an afternoon of dancing delights, learn some Bollywood, ballroom or even line dancing, have a free light lunch and find out about women in politics.


WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH

WOMEN AND DEMOCRACY
Jagonari WERC and Wapping Women’s Centre
183-185 Whitechapel Road E1 1DW
10am-1pm FREE 020 7375 0520

Two seminars will be run on 10 & 11 March, one in English, one in Bengali, about Women and Democracy. These events are targeted at women and young girls in the Bangladeshi community. Guest speakers will include local women Councillors and there will be workshops on democracy and the role of women in a democratic society with an emphasis on equality and voting.

A WOMEN’S DAY
Kollun, 55 Ben Jonson Road, E1 4SA
9.30am-3.30pm FREE 020 7790 0010

Local women Councillors and the Prospective Parliamentary Candidates have been invited to be on a panel to discuss local issues of concern to women and the importance of voting. Power point presentations and posters about women in politics, with refreshments.

ENTERPRISING WOMEN OF TOWER HAMLETS
Stitches in Time, Limehouse Project
Dora Hall, Dora Street E14
11am-4pm FREE 020 7987 6163

Celebrating local women and the vote past and present with textile workshops, guest speakers, a display of inspirational work and a healthy lunch. Participants will be able to create their own fabric badge, sewn and decorated, about voting in order to encourage women to vote in the forthcoming elections. A textile screen will also be created with the image of Sylvia Pankhurst.

WISEWORDS POETRY OPEN MIC NIGHT with Apples & Snakes
Vibe Live @ the Vibe Bar, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane E1 6QL
7.30pm Adm £3 on door (£2 for those doing floor spots) 020 7247 3479

Get your VOICE heard at the all-female open mic night. If you fancy yourself as the next big thing on the poetry scene, jive on down to Vibe Live at the Vibe Bar and take the proverbial mic (but arrive in good time to ensure a slot). Fronted by the buoyant LIZ BENTLEY (‘A female Ivor Cutler’ – The Scotsman), and featuring guest artists LUCY LEAGRAVE and DEANNA RODGER, this is another hot product from top poetry promoters Apples & Snakes http://www.applesandsnakes.org/ 020 8465 6154

TRANING WORKSHOPS FOR CHINESE WOMEN (see Tuesday)

VISIT & TOUR THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT (see Tuesday)

WOMEN AND POLITICS (see Tuesday)


THURSDAY 11 MARCH

PRINT YOUR SLOGAN
Prick Your Finger
260 Globe Road, E2 0JD
4pm-7pm FREE 020 8981 2560

Prick Your Finger are working with local groups who wish to voice the concerns of isolated women in Tower Hamlets, and hand printing their slogans in big bold letters, in any language, on to bags or T-Shirts. Stencil prints will be made by PYF and participants will choose the colours, sign their slogans and customise their items with embroidery or drawing. The prints will form a window display at the Prick Your Finger shop during International Women’s Week and a Preview with all the groups will be held on Thursday 11 March 4pm-7pm. All welcome.

INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN
John Scurr Community Centre
1a Bekesbourne Street, Limehouse E14 7JQ
10am-2pm FREE 020 7790 3113

Exhibition of photography by local women about Julia Scurr, Sylvia Pankhurst and the Suffragettes and a video about the major historical events that took place locally – ‘Poplar Rates Rebellion’ 1921, ‘Battle of Cable Street’ 1936 – and made positive changes.

TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR CHINESE WOMEN (see Tuesday)

WOMEN & DEMOCRACY (see Wednesday)


FRIDAY 12 MARCH

WOMEN VOTE NOW!
Poplar Harca, LARG, Indymedia 3, Ocean Somali Community Association
Burdett Centre, Masjid Lane, off Walwood Street E14 7BW
11am-3pm FREE 020 7538 2553

Celebration and Open Day with presentation and performance about the Suffragette movement by young women from local youth group and a mock polling station. Officers from the Electoral Reform Services will give advice and guidance on voting, the importance of registering and using your vote. Guest of honour Sarah Castro MBE will open the proceedings and speak about her experience of women’s voting rights in Cuba and her personal struggle and the importance of exercising your right to vote. There will also be stalls, refreshments, exercise demonstrations, dancing and a crèche.

WOMEN’S CELEBRATION DAY
Somali Women’s Development Project
Tredegar Community Centre, 333 Morville Street E3 2DD
12 noon-4pm FREE 020 8980 9935

A celebration with the local Somali Women’s Community and Bangladeshi Women’s Group for all local residents and their families with cultural activities and local Councillors.

WISEWORDS BOOKFEST 12 & 13 March
The Women’s Library, Old Castle Street E1 7NT
2pm-10pm each day www.thewomenslibrary.ac.uk
Tickets: £12 per day/£20 for 2 days or £4/£3 concs per talk before 5pm,
£6/£5 concs per talk after 5pm.
Available in advance and on the door 020 7320 2222 moreinfo@thewomenslibrary.ac.uk

The Wisewords Bookfest celebrates women’s writing presenting authors with their new and recently published books. Come along and spend an enjoyable day meeting writers reading and discussing their work. Each session lasts one hour with a half hour break in between for refreshments and the opportunity to buy books.

On Friday 12 March the authors will be Tamsin Bradley & Emma Tomalin / ‘Dowry’, Kavita Ramdya / ‘Bollywood Weddings’, Dreda Say Mitchell and Claire Seeber on Crime writing, Clare Mulley / ‘The Woman Who Saved The Children’, and Kat Banyard launches her new book ‘The Equality Illusion’.

On Saturday 13 March the authors are Joy Howard and six poets from the Grey Hen Press with their new anthology ‘Cracking On’, Kia Abdullah new writer with Laura Longrigg, Cathi Unsworth / ‘Bad Penny Blues’ and Elizabeth Wilson / ‘War Damage’ on writing thrillers, Maggie Gee / ‘My Animal Life’ with Yasmin Alibhai-Brown / ‘The Settler’s Cookbook’. And to round it all off a wonderfully funny session with well known comic and writer ‘Shazia Mirza’.’Columnist of the Year’.

The Wisewords Bookfest is produced by Alternative Arts with The Women’s Library.

WOMEN’S MULTICULTURAL DANCE DAY (see Tuesday)


SATURDAY 13 MARCH

MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Account 3, LEC
3 Birkbeck Street E2 6JY
2.30pm-4.30pm FREE 020 7739 7720

Seminar for local women on practical local politics, showing how most non-career politicians have entered politics through a burning passion for a political issue, and how to make a difference and have a say locally; with representatives from local RSLs, the PCT and local authority to demonstrate the range of ways you can have your say. Exhibition and activities for young people on ‘Women in Politics’ followed by a workshop looking at issues of exclusion and making a difference. Please book your places in advance. Crèche available.

SOMALI WOMEN and POLITICS
Somali Integration Team
Bancroft TMC, 12 Wickford Street E1 5QN
12noon-4pm FREE 020 7790 2650

Event to motivate and support women and their understanding of politics with young Somali poet and stories about how women in Britain fought for the right to vote and the challenges and barriers that they faced. Dancing, Singing & Refreshments. All women welcome.

WISEWORDS BOOKFEST (see Friday)


SUNDAY 14 MARCH

BANGLADESHI WOMEN’S STORIES
Bishwo Shahitto Kendro
1 Woodham Gardens, Vallance Road E1 5BN
2pm-4pm FREE 07984427989

Come and tell us your story about the day you first voted. A group of Bangladeshi women will share their experiences and focus on the barriers they faced to voting. The Suffragette movement of East London based at 198 Bow Road and lead by Sylvia Pankhurst and Zolie Emerson will be discussed and Victoria sponge cake and tea will be served in their honour.



Please note that this programme of events in Tower Hamlets for International Women’s Week may be subject to alteration and it is advisable to ring and check beforehand. All venues are accessible to wheelchair users.
To receive this information in large print please contact: info@alternativearts.co.uk.
The International Women’s Week programme is co-ordinated for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets by Alternative Arts. www.alternativearts.co.uk

Cllr Dr. Anwara Ali has today left Labour and joined the Conservative Group on Tower Hamlets Council.

Cllr Dr. Anwara Ali has today left Labour and joined the Conservative Group on Tower Hamlets Council. Cllr. Ali was the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing on Tower Hamelts Council and represents the Bow West ward. Leader of the group Cllr. Peter Golds is delighted that Cllr. Ali has joined the Conservative group and looks forward to working with her. Cllr. Ali issued the following statement: - “I have been a lifelong Labour supporter, but I believe the country cannot afford five more years of Gordon Brown.“As a GP working on the frontline in the largest practice in the East End, I have become increasingly disillusioned with Labour's failure to reform the NHS. The past decade has seen this Government waste millions of pounds on bureaucracy in hospitals.“Gordon Brown's obsession with top down targets and a tick box culture has ruined the morale and goodwill of the national health staff. Ill health and early death in the East End is a direct result of Labour's failure to bring real reform to the NHS.”"I feel I cannot continue to serve the people of Tower Hamlets whilst I am part of a Labour party in the borough that is racked by divisions and splits unable to deliver services to the most needy people.” The Conservative group now numbers 9 members and remains the official opposition on the council.

Local info

http://mytowerhamlets.co.uk/

2010 ANNUAL FUNDRAISING DINNER

GUEST SPEAKER: Richard Barnes (AM) Deputy Mayor of London

Mile End East Ward in Conjunction with

POPLAR & LIMEHOUSE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION

2010 ANNUAL FUNDRAISING DINNER

Monday 1 March 2010, 7.30 PM FOR 8 PM

Naz Café Restaurant, 46-48 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RF
TICKET INCLUDES A Three COURSE Indian BANQUET AND DRINK ON ARRIVAL
DINNER TICKETS : £30 PER TICKET FOR MEMBERS AND £40 PER TICKET FOR NON MEMBERS

GRAND RAFFLE WILL BE HELD TICKETS £10 PER STRIP FURTHER DONATIONS ACCEPTED

RSVP: FREEPOST RLZJ-JRKU-GHSC POPLAR & LIMEHOUSE CONSERVATIVES, 13 PLYMOUTH WHARF, LONDON, E14 3EL
I WOULD LIKE ____ TICKETS FOR THE ANNUAL DINNER ___TICKETS FOR RAFFLE (RAFFLE TICKETS AVAILABLE IN ABSENSE)
I ENCLOSE A CHEQUE FOR £ _____ MADE PAYABLE TO Conservative Party or contact for bacs payments

PLEASE PROVIDE NAMES OF ATTENDEES AND ANY DIETARY REQUIREMENTS.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT: EMAIL MEE.Conservatives@gmail.com

Cllr Ahmed Hussain ON 07903-834-953, Caroline Kerswell on 02074270803

Special Guest

http://www.magnusthemasseur.co.uk/

Magnus Agugu
I have agreed to be the after-dinner masseur. And will be donating to the Raffle.

Save the Date 1 March 2010 Fundraiser

GUEST SPEAKER: Richard Barnes (AM) Deputy Mayor of London Mile End East Ward in Conjunction with POPLAR & LIMEHOUSE CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION2010 ANNUAL DINNER1 March 2010 January 2010, 7.30 PM FOR 8 PMNaz Café Restaurant, 46-48 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RFTICKET INCLUDES A Three COURSE Indian BANQUET AND DRINK ON ARRIVALTICKETS : £30 PER TICKET FOR MEMBERS AND £40 PER TICKET FOR NON MEMBERSRSVP: FREEPOST RLZJ-JRKU-GHSC POPLAR & LIMEHOUSE CONSERVATIVES , 13 P LYMOUTH WHARF , L ONDON , E14 3ELANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT:Cllr Ahmed Hussain ON 07903-834-953, Caroline Kerswell on 02074270803 EMAIL MEE.Conservatives@gmail.com

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park & Ackroyd Drive Green Local Nature Reserve Annual woodland craft and funday May 2nd 2010 between 11am and 4pm

On May 2nd 2010 between 11am and 4pm Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park & Ackroyd Drive Green Local Nature Reserve will be running this very popular event for the 5th Year. The Friends pay for this event entirely from their own resources and it costs over £3000. They run the event to enage people in the Park and provide an exciting way for visitors to explore and get to know to the Park. This is not a money making venture for the Friends. Apart from small charges for things like facepainting and the bouncy castle all the activities are FREE! This year the Friends resources are more limited when compared to previous years. At this stage we're unable to be as extravagant as we have been in previous years. They are looking for the following: Musicians/band (acoustic)Craft and activity stalls - please suggest/offerFace painters + Henna tattooistsStewardsCake makersVolunteers to 'man' stalls i.e. tea and registration, etc Any offer of help would be very much appreciated, even if it's only for part of the day.

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park & Ackroyd Drive Green Local Nature Reserve
To get involved email: thcemeterypark@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.towerhamletscemetery.org
Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is truly the historic green heart of Tower Hamlets. 33 acres of Broad leaf woodland in a disused 19th century cemetery, surrounded by tower blocks and estates, where 1000s of people live. The Cemetery Park has an outstanding variety of wild plants and animals as well as plants which give clues to its history.

Invitation to Olympic Park by Hugh Robertson MP with Cllr Tim Archer

Visit to the Olympic park I went on a tour of the Olympic Park this month thanks to Hugh Robertson MP(Shadow Sports & Olympics Minister). Two things strike you as you go round; firstly how it’s really taking shape and secondly how it’s nearer (geographically) than you think to Tower Hamlets and this constituency. When you drive past the entrance on the A12 towards Walthamstow, it feels like it’s near but a few miles away. When you visit the site and leave by the exit nearest to Canary Wharf, you realise that it’s nearest point to us is just meters away from the Town Hall. So it’s all the more disappointing that just 3% of the workforce on the site is actually from Tower Hamlets.Even though we have the highest rate of unemployment of anywhere in England we are losing out to other host boroughs when it comes to local residents getting jobs there. Unemployment locally is more than just a passing thing due to the recession – it’s more structural than that. Locally, more needs to be done to give local unemployed people the skills, the attributes and the incentives to get local jobs when they become available.

Letter Published in East London Advertiser 28 January 2010

I am amazed to read that Jim Fitzpatrick MP is blasting Boris over housing. If I were a Labour MP housing would be one of the many things I would not want to talk about - giving their appalling record on it.

What Jim Fitzpatrick fails to mention is that this Labour government has built fewer social homes year after year than were ever built under the last Conservative government. Their record on housing is appalling. We have 23,000 people on the housing waiting list in Tower Hamlets, 14,000 of whom are living in over-crowded conditions thanks to Labour. Whats more the state of repair is shocking, blocks due to be demolished 3 years ago are still standing with only reinforcement pins holding on balconys and death trap corridors with wires exposed and fire escapes blocked.

Perhaps Jim should look for other issues to thrown stones about. That is after all whether or not he is still standing as the Labour candidate in Poplar. The last leaflet he was dishing out failed to mention this or Gordon Brown. Strange that isn't it?

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&pnum=&refresh=kR078oQ1z03M&EID=94b131d2-c6e8-4560-bcd8-0a1fd16d56f4&skip=true page 18

Building Bridges in Tower Hamlets for Women

Today I met with an organisation to pursue an opportunity for women to connect and learn about each other, the idea would be that women should learn about each others’ cultures primarily from each other. Ideas inculde finding local women who would be prepared to talk about some aspect of their lives or work – e.g. faith, history, food, fashion. Asking women involved with existing projects in Tower Hamlets to come and tell everyone else about them enabling discussions on various topics of interest in small groups. Finding women who are able to perform musically, or bring their favourite music on CD perhaps If necessary, bringing in one ‘inspirational speaker’ per event and/ musicians from outside.

These projects are just what we need in Tower Hamlets to bring forward society and help bridge the gap of poverty and culture.

In Court with Honourable Jackie Glass

Sometimes opportunities come up and you have to grab them. This inspirational experience came to me in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was invited to join Honourable Jackie Glass (Of OJ Simpson Trial fame) in Court for the morning.

With stark contrast to the UK, the action, the efficiency and the agility was pronounced. I really think I took away a lot which will help me with my Masters in International Law.

I thank the kindness which allowed me to be involved that morning.


Testing the hot seat.

Gap between the rich and poor, we need aspiration not deprivation

You have to stop and ask yourself why at the end of 13 years of Labour government is the gap between rich and poor wider than at anytime since the Second World War?

Government reports on poverty in the UK show that the children of the poor are destined to live much harder and shorter lives than those of the wealthy. The poorest parts of the country are included in Tower Hamlets, no where more so than the area I hope to represent - Mile End East.

Residents there have been abandoned by Labour and want change. I hear it on the doorstep constantly. The truth is that the Labour party has an interest in keeping people's aspiration limited, this should not be he case, if you work hard it is possible to achieve anything, coming from one of 8 children I want people to know this.

Labour cannot for any longer claim to be the party of aspiration when its failure to tackle the causes of poverty has blighted so many lives. Here in Tower Hamlets we are only too aware on this. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1246333/Gulf-rich-poor-grown-Labour-widest-WWII.html

Many thanks

Caroline Kerswell
Conservative Candidate for Mile End East