London Borough of Waltham Forest

Our wildflower meadows are looking great at this time of year! And most importantly, they are supporting bees and other precious pollinators across the borough in the summer months.

This meadow in St James Park, Walthamstow is blooming thanks to the dedication of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and local schools, who have been working on planting, greening and increasing wildflower coverage over the last year. They were supported by Wildways – and you can get the latest on how this pioneering council led initiative is helping local people access nature and green spaces in the link below.

We want residents to enjoy our wonderful parks and green spaces in the hot weather! 🥵 🌳 ☀️

But please remember that barbeques are not permitted in parks and public spaces as they are a safety hazard, destroy grass and risk causing wildfires. Anyone caught lighting a barbecue in a park or open space could face a fine or, in more serious cases, prosecution. So please act responsibly when visiting out parks during the heatwave.

The London Fire Brigade has more info on tips to stay safe via the link in first comment.

We are marking London Climate Action Week by highlighting the great work of one local group making it easy for residents to access sustainable materials at the fraction of the cost of buying new. 👚 🎨

Forest Recycling Project is hosting two sales events this week offering brilliant discounts on both reclaimed paint and textiles:

📌 7 The Sidings, Leyton, E11 1HD: Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 June (10am to 4.30pm). Shop fabulous quality reclaimed indoor and outdoor paint featuring major brands such as Dulux and Farrow and Ball, priced from just £1.50.

📌 2c Bakers Avenue, Walthamstow, E17 9AW: Friday 26 June (10am to 4.30) and Saturday 27 June (10am to 2pm). Discounts of up to 50 per cent on a huge amount of fabrics including quality linens, silks and home furnishings.

Find out more in the link in the first comment.

Today, Monday 22 June, is Windrush Day. To mark the occasion, the Waltham Forest Windrush Community Consortium held a community observation ceremony at Fellowship Square.

Windrush Day marks the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948 and recognises the invaluable contributions made by African-Caribbean people and their descendants to the social, cultural, economic and civic life of Britain.

This year’s community ceremony brought together representatives of Waltham Forest’s Windrush communities, civic leaders, residents, artists, elders and young people in an act of remembrance, reflection and celebration.

Handy guide to the hot weather this week:

🚨 the Heat Health Alert for London has been upgraded to Red (Weds/Thurs this week), the highest possible. This means there is risk to the entire population, not just vulnerable people. The Met’s weather warning is set to Amber until Wednesday.

🆘 the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol is active. If you see someone sleeping rough, alert them to outreach teams who will support them with welfare advice, access to cool spaces, water and sunscreen and access to emergency accommodation. Alert via Streetlink: https://orlo.uk/iYsg8

❤️ Reach out to vulnerable people you know to make sure they’re OK. People especially vulnerable in hot weather include people over 65, children, people with underlying health or mental health conditions, and pregnant people.

😎 Stay cool at one of our cool spaces across the borough – indoor spaces with free drinking water and toilets. Find them on our website: https://orlo.uk/MdMWH

💨 The Mayor of London has issued a high pollution alert for today. Residents can do their bit by using public transport more frequently, driving less, car sharing, turning your engine off when you’re not moving, and composting (rather than burning) garden waste. More info: https://orlo.uk/z8A5C

ℹ️ Make sure you’ve read every single tip for staying well in the heat – on our website: https://orlo.uk/LPj1f

RingGo will be replaced by MiPermit as Waltham Forest’s parking permit provider from Wednesday 1 July 2026.

Parking enforcement of permit bays will be temporarily suspended between Sunday 28 June and Wednesday 1 July. While existing scratch cards and active RingGo permits will remain valid until they expire as normal, new permits, renewals, and visitor permits can be purchased via the MiPermit mobile or desktop app, by post and over the phone after MiPermit goes live on Wednesday 1 July.

Existing Ringo customers should receive new login instructions from MiPermit between Monday 29 June and Wednesday 1 July, please contact [email protected] or call 0203 092 0112 (option 3) if you do not receive this email.

Frequently asked questions 👉 https://orlo.uk/Vd4BV

This week William Morris Gallery hosted the amazing Stories & Supper for a special Refugee Week event, Warm Words.

This fantastic evening included poetry, film, food and conversation from refugees and people seeking asylum. It was part of the borough's celebrations for Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

Stories & Supper are part of the William Morris Community Residency and meet every week at William Morris Gallery to share stories, food and laughter.

Find out more about Waltham Forest's Refugee Week celebrations via the link in the comments.

Photos by Dewi Natalegawa for William Morris Gallery

Waltham Forest Music Service invites students aged 14 to 18 years-old to a two-day songwriting course, designed to help turn their ideas into original tracks. Whether you play an instrument, write lyrics, or love to sing, this course will help develop skills and confidence.

Taking place at the Walthamstow School for Girls, Church Hill, Walthamstow, E17 9RZ on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 July, tickets are £85 per student unless you book before Wednesday 24 June and save £10 with our earlybird offer. Deadline for bookings is Wednesday 8 July.

Sign up today 👉 https://orlo.uk/EXig6

Father’s Day is tomorrow 💙

If you’re a dad or male carer with a child under 5, Dads’ Club is a great way to meet others, chat, and spend time together with your little one.

We know how valuable it is to talk to other dads, whether you’re sharing tips, swapping stories, or just enjoying being around people who understand.

Dads Club is free to attend, and runs every Saturday from 10am to 12pm, taking place at one of four locations each week:
👨‍👧 20 June – Best Start Family Hub, Leytonstone, E11 4LF
👨‍👧 27 June – The Lloyd Park Centre Grow Wild, E17 5JW
👨‍👧 4 July – Best Start Family Hub, Chingford, E4 6EY
👨‍👧 11 July – Lea Bridge Library, E10 7HU

💙 For more Best Start in Life sessions and parent groups, visit our event pages, 🔗 link in comments.