Skip to main content

Forest Gate Community Assemblies

Overview

The Community Assemblies will identify and discuss how best to address challenges in your area. The assemblies give you and your neighbours direct influence to create a shared vision for the place where you live, work or learn and to help shape its development and growth. This will be your chance to set priorities, establish community projects for your neighbourhood, influence decision making, and have a greater say in how local funding of approximately £100,000 will be spent.

Click read more to find out about how you can get involved in your local assembly and how to use this platform.

Background

Forest Gate Community Neighbourhood is made up of 2 electoral wards: Forest Gate North and Forest Gate South.

The previous cycle of Forest Gate Community Assemblies were allocated £25,000 to spend on improving the local area from September 2018 - October 2020. The following 3 priorities were set at the assemblies :

Greener and Cleaner Environment
Crime and Antisocial Behaviour
Community Celebrations and Community Spaces

A summary of the community projects delivered and materials of the previous assemblies can be seen at: www.newham.gov.uk/communityassemblies

How to use this platform:

We will use this space to invite you to actively contribute in many different ways on how funding is spent on community projects to improve your local area and to also inform you about the progress of the projects. The timeline illustrates the different stages of engagement, both past and present. Only the current stage is open for contributions, but you can also review past engagements and see what is coming up in the future.

As an overview, the overall timeline of engagement will follow the staged outlined in the cycle below

Cycle of assemblies:

How else can you engage with the Forest Gate community assemblies:

We would like local residents to join the Community Assembly Working Groups for each Community Neighbourhood area. To find out more about how you can get involved visit the Working Group page

Contact us

You can email us at CN.Forestgate@newham.gov.uk and add ‘Community Assembly’ on the email’s subject line or call us on 020 3373 0856, from Monday to Saturday, between 10am - 5pm. You can also keep up to date via the council's social media pages on Facebook , Twitter, and Instagram.

Post Assembly content

Presentations for each Community Assembly will be uploaded here following each meeting.

Phases

Phases overview

Phase 1: Submit Priorities & 1st Assemblies Registration

Submit Priorities & 1st Assemblies Registration

Phase 2: Voting on Top 3 Priorities

Voting on Top 3 Priorities

Phase 3: Top 3 Priorities Announced, Project Ideas & Registration for 2nd Community Assembly

Top 3 Priorities Announced, Project Ideas & Registration for 2nd Community Assembly

Phase 4: Registration for 2nd Community Assembly and Questions for Community Projects

Registration for 2nd Community Assembly and Questions for Community Projects

Phase 5: Vote on Community Projects

Vote on Community Projects

Phase 6: Announcement of Chosen Projects

Announcement of Chosen Projects

Phase 7: Progress on Community Projects & Registration for 3rd Community Assembly

Progress on Community Projects & Registration for 3rd Community Assembly

Phase 8: Progress on Community Projects and Registration for Final Community Assembly - Evaluation Round

Progress on Community Projects and Registration for Final Community Assembly - Evaluation Round

Announcement of Chosen Projects

August 6, 2021 11:00 PM - September 1, 2021 11:00 PM

Projects successfully voted to be taken forward and funded are shown below:

1: Youth Led - Forest Gate Planting Project £8000

2: Creating an environmentally friendly open space £20000

3: Creating a new home for The Magpie Project and other community groups £20000

4: Going Green - Green the high street: Woodgrange Road and Upton Lane £16000

5: Woodgrange market - a community space £5000

6: A new nesting raft and nesting box for ducks in Forest Lane Park £350

7: Permanent Rainbow Crossing on Woodgrange Road - LGBT+ Visibility £7250

8: Greening concrete-dominated estate in central Forest Gate £5000

9: Bio-diverse corridors £5000

10: Make the most of what we’ve got £3500

11: Odessa Park Improvements £5000

12: Signposts and Trails to Playgrounds £5000

12 projects

Amy Ross5 years ago Magpie Project community hub at the Hamfrith CentreThe Magpie Project is a charity based in Forest Gate which supports women with children under 5 who are living in temporary or insecure accommodation, in Newham and surrounding boroughs. We have been ‘living’ at Forest Lane Lodge on Magpie Close for the last two years, however our numbers have grown massively during the pandemic, and we have outgrown the space. We urgently need a new venue for our mums and their young children to come and play, make friends, and seek help to address the multiple issues they face. Meanwhile, the Hamfrith Centre has been left derelict for the last two years and is currently a drain on council resources and a concern for neighbouring communities. We would use the money from the Community Assembly to transform the Hamfrith Centre into a beautiful and welcoming space for our mums and minis. As well as returning to building to its original purpose as an early-years space, we plan to set up a community laundry, community kitchen, and community garden, which would be available for local neighbours to use. The space would also be available for other community groups to hire, either for monetary payment or with services to our community (hours of volunteering, cleaning, cooking, or workshop spaces for our mums).We are working in partnership with Newham council to bring the Hamfrith Centre back into use as a warm and welcoming community space, and an asset to the area. Funding from the Community Assembly would help to put our Magpie community and the wider Forest Gate community back at the heart of our local area.

CHIGOR CHIKE5 years ago This project is to create a new environmentally friendly open space in the centre of town to give local people the opportunity to stop and rest. This will be at Emmanuel churchyard which is already a familiar space to the public, jointly maintained by the church and Newham Council. Two years ago, as part of a Newham Council backed initiative, daffodils were planted at the churchyard of Emmanuel Church. This new initiative would be an extension of that. It would require clearing a part of the churchyard and making it more accessible to local people. Removing the hedge to open up the space visually, planting new flowers and preserving some of the existing wild flowers. Such an attractive environment would foster cleanliness and discourage casual waste disposal in the area.This transformation of the space would greatly enhance the general area, improve the mental wellbeing of local people and be a positive addition to the environment. Opening up the space would bring out the historic church building out of its shell and enhance the town centre.We would expect an average of twenty people each day which with repeated usage would come up 100 people /week and 5,000/year

Anonymous Participants5 years ago This idea is proposed by the Newham Conservation Volunteers. The project will build a new nesting raft and nesting box for ducks or other waterfowl for the large pond located in Forest Lane Park E7. The raft is intended to replace one installed by NCV approximately 10 years ago (which is now showing signs of wear). The raft and nest will be built by Newham residents and will benefit every visitor to the Park who is interested in wildlife and may ignite an interest in other park users. In addition it will benefit waterfowl who will have a safer place to nest during the season and to rest out of season. The raft will be built by NCV’s volunteers (Newham residents) and will teach simple carpentry skills to those who do not already have them.

Suz Hu5 years ago Local priority:Public Spaces and BuildingsIssues: Reduced play and socialisation amongst families and young people; Our ‘pocket playgrounds’ are little known about, whilst the larger ones are over-crowded especially at peak times; Decreased custom for local businesses; Back and side streets look dull and uncared-for. Proposal:Enhance awareness of playgrounds by way of colourful signposts at key junctures and painted trails which lead from nearby businesses.It is envisaged that: the colourful signposts would be more visible to children, so that residents and visitors to Forest Gate can easily find our playgrounds; the colourful trails would be designed in such a way to avoid looking like they have been lifted straight out of a school playground: instead, their design would not only encourage children to interact physically with them and therefore extend the opportunity for open play, but also be enjoyed by everyone as street art (images below are merely illustrative); and the participating businesses would explain that the trails lead to nearby playgrounds, if queried. The Community Assembly funding would be focussed on a flagship pocket playground located near an appropriate local business willing to participate, to act as a showcase, with a view to later rolling the project out across Forest Gate (from funding outwith the Community Assembly scheme) such that all playgrounds would have colourful signposts and all pocket playgrounds would have colourful trails.Benefits: More outdoor play benefits physical and mental health; Greater use of pocket playgrounds relieves capacity at the larger ones and connects local families, improving socialisation and sense of community; Increased interaction between the local businesses involved and the community may lead to more custom; More colourful streetscape is a reminder that Forest Gate is a family-friendly area and brightens it up, helping it to feel safer. Delivery:I am a proud and proactive Forest Gater keen to improve and reclaim our public spaces, with a particular focus on play areas.I am also an experienced project manager, and have already discussed with Newham’s Highways & Sustainable Transport team the likely costings as well as potential issues that I had identified such as legal, policy, and health and safety considerations. The head of that team has confirmed that they would take responsibility for ensuring that the flagship project meets all of those considerations, that installing signage is routine work, and they already have substantial experience in implementing colourful markings such as the pedestrian crossing between the Stratford and Westfield shopping centres, and the rainbow crossing for Forest Gayte Pride festival. He also confirmed that the team endorse the project’s objectives, and are keen to deliver it under my direction.I therefore believe that this flagship project can be delivered successfully, and would be grateful for as much support as possible. Please vote! Thank you.UPDATE: 1 November 2021Originally, the pavement trail was going to be just geometric / abstract designs. However, I was keen to reflect the Afro-Caribbean community culture living near the project playground and, after some enquiries, I was connected to a long-term Forest Gate resident of part-Guyanese descent who creates and sells vibrant and fabulous clothing with prints that are based on typical designs found on Kente fabric (a traditional African cloth). We came up with various concepts but, as anticipated, the frontrunning contractor advised that it would be costly to proceed with her original wonderful designs. We have therefore been working to simplify these for the pavement trails.In parallel, I have been liaising closely with LB Newham’s Highways & Sustainable Transport team to research the best materials / methods for the pavement trail taking into account cost and longevity. The current likely options are thermoplastic vinyls and methyl methcrylate paint. We have also been researching potential contractors to install it, as well as contractors to design and install the signs (ideally, I would like to proceed with a bespoke design that I have yet to see anywhere, that I think is more accessible and child-friendly). We have a meeting with one potential signs contractor this week.UPDATE: 23 February 2022The Highways & Sustainable Transport team and I continued to research the best materials / methods for the pavement trail, as it was difficult to get a clear answer until we were finally connected to the right person at the frontrunning contractor… some four months after first asking to speak to them! We have decided to focus the budget on thermoplastic vinyls for the trail on Station Road as this has more foot traffic. We are looking into alternative (future) funding options to create the rest of the trail (which is on a side alley) via stencils and spray paint. We are also exploring the option of continuing the middle section of the trail into a wall mural, which will give the whole concept far more impact: this aspect is currently being discussed internally within different teams at LB Newham so the decision is out of my hands! This would likely also be achieved through stencils and paint, as the side alley and wall do not require the same hardiness as Station Road. I have been trialling different spray paint options in preparation.Despite contacting dozens of potential contractors for both the pavement trail and the signs, we have been left with just one viable contractor for each respectively. There have been lots of delays in clarifying their quotes, but we have just instructed the trails contractor and should be shortly finalising the quote and instructing the signs contractor.To maximise the budget, we have further amended the trail designs. I am thrilled with the vibrant designs, and hope the local community is too!UPDATE: 16 June 2022The pavement trail was installed on Station Road and down the alley alongside Little Diamonds nursery on 19 April and, even as they were going down, we received positive comments on how they brightened the streetscape. Since then, we have had overwhelmingly positive feedback on the pavement trail both as a wayfinding element that invites interaction and also as a piece of street art. I walk through the area most days and frequently see children interact with the trail designs. I have also been informed by many local families that they will use Eric Road playground (and the adjoining sports court) now that they know about it.A separate contractor was used to install the signs at the junction of Dames and Talbot Roads. Due to significant errors on their part, these signs were not installed until 27 May and 16 June 2022. We now have colourful signs that show the way to Eric Road playground and The UP Garden, and also to Dames Road playground.Due to the higher cost of the thermoplastic vinyls for the pavement, we had to concentrate the trail on a smaller area. I have applied in the 2022/2023 Community Assembly scheme to continue the trail right up to the playground via wall murals. I am pleased to confirm that the people of Newham have voted my new project through, which you can find at https://newhamco-create.co.uk/en/ideas/wayfinding-wall-murals.

Polly Banwell5 years ago Improving the facilities and environment of Odessa Park will have significant impact on it's current users and local community. It aligns with all three of the priorities voted for in Forest Gate; Cleanliness & Waste, Nature & biodiversity and Public Spaces & Buildings. By providing additional seating, tidying and replanting the overgrown areas as well as installing better play equipment this park could be an inviting and cared for green space benefiting all local residents.

Rob DesRoches5 years ago Since we created the London's first rainbow crossing in 2017, fourteen London Boroughs have installed permanent rainbow crossings showing unity and support for the LGBT+ people living within the community. Our proposal to install a permanent rainbow crossing aligns with the priority of Public Spaces and Buildings: improvement to public spaces making them more appropriate for the wider community.According to the data, Newham has one of the highest incidents of Homophobic and Transphobic incidents recorded in London. LGBTQIA+ solidarity, allyship and visibility is more important now than ever before. To show that Newham is supportive, and a safe place to "Live, Work and Stay”, the crossing shows a commitment to the LGBT+ community well beyond Forest Gayte Pride. It also acts as a sign that Homophobia will not be tolerated.We are also looking to erect pop-up boards/banners in key areas around the site location, to indicate the importance of visibility safety and solidarity.Our original link to share for the submission is:Support this project and vote for a 'Permanent Rainbow Crossing on Woodgrange Road - LGBT+ Visibility'.

Laura Brooking5 years ago Greening and providing a more people-friendly space in the Brooking Rd/Moore Walk/Dimond Close estate, introducing trees and low-maintenance plants to improve the environment in an unloved area at the heart of Forest Gate, currently dominated by bare concrete and parked vehicles, and suffering from fly tipping and litter. The plan is to populate bare soil and unloved patches of grass with trees and low-maintenance shrubs, providing shade and greenery, and introducing planters and seating to create usable outdoor space, particularly for homes without gardens. Planters around the car park would improve, define and protect pedestrian access and walkways, while narrowing the car park to reduce driving speeds – and providing seating. At present concrete bollards line pedestrian walkways, with nowhere to sit but brick walls. Using brickwork and/or low-maintenance planters, I propose improving the estate entrance from Woodgrange Road, so it looks less like an unloved industrial estate and more like a cared-for housing estate.These measures would improve the estate environment for residents and visitors, reduce antisocial driving, littering and improve care for the estate, encouraging more residents to enjoy the space, benefiting mental and physical health, and start to rebalance the space to put people at its heart.

Melina Paesler5 years ago This project creates meadow-flower corridors connecting existing green spaces throughout North Forest Gate. This project builds on the Low-Traffic-Zone containers and creates meadows along roads associated with our schools and the the Healthy Streets initiative. Combating the pollution created by auto-traffic, new pavers with no tree allocation spaces and asphalt that cover most of the spaces around our schools. We would seed existing green spaces with meadow plants that support diverse insects, recruit local businesses and residents to contribute outdoor space planters. Using the planting space from Forest Lane Park, along the streets passing Forest Gate Community School (FGCS), Earlham Primary School, St. James School, Woodgrange Infant School and Godwin School and reaching Wanstead Flats. Creating loops of green corridors from Forest Lane Park. Conducting workshops/seed distribution events to bring together stakeholders. Then we would seed existing green spaces with meadow plants that support bio-diversity.The creation of corridors of meadows will work towards improving air quality, will give wildlife the safe havens and utilise neglected spaces. Creating meadows that are not manicured landscapes allows for pollinators and wildlife to nest and created homes that are not disturbed with damaging chemicals etc.

Myanah Saunders5 years ago Our project aims to improve the local street environment through planting.Woodgrange Road and Upton Lane form the main north/south high street in Forest Gate. The northern part has some planters and beds but from the Osborne Road junction to the Whyteville Road junction there is no street greenery at all. Our proposal is to rectify this by installing and maintaining planters including some dwarf trees. The work would be carried out by local volunteers including businesses, residents and schools.The outcomes will be a more attractive environment which will:• give residents a greater sense of well-being• enhance residents’ pride in their surroundings• reduce pollution and street litter• enable local volunteers to make a positive contribution to the area• offer opportunities for volunteers to socialise and reduce isolation.

Shofa Miah5 years ago Youth Led - Forest Gate Planting ProjectImproving Community spaces, Nature, Biodiversity & Green spaces.Led by Newham based Youth Mental Health Charity – Ashok’s Vision International (1193446)We will use our permanent Woodgrange Market platform, as a weekly pop up workshop for creating handmade planters. Partnership with local experts to make planters created from recycled wood and then plant them in Forest Gate spaces. Creating an aesthetically pleasing spaces for ALL residents to benefit from. The planters will be distributed from our market stall– Creating a mini enterprise in line with our charity Vision (providing resources and engaging young people in the community)The aims of the project will be to support young people to learn about the importance of green spaces and empower and enable them to create a cleaner and greener borough where everyone has access to nature, clean air and pleasant spaces to rest, relax and enjoy.Forest Gate Planting Project – Will highlight Newham Youth in a positive light. Our Youth Volunteers have already managed to do some extraordinary work in the last 2 years with minimum funding – The reason for this was our passion, local knowledge, clever use of resources, spaces and opportunities around us. We hope In the future other boroughs, locally, nationally and international - Will learn and aspire to be like Forest Gate. Youth are often highlighted in a negative light in Newham, we oversee the talented and hard- working individuals who are doing progressive work. The pandemic has also been a cause of concern – but we have demonstrated that if young people are given the Vision, guidance, tools and adults around them are supportive - They strive to do the best for themselves, their community and wider society.

Laura Glendinning 5 years ago Woodgrange market place – a community space. This market was set up by residents and continues to be run by volunteers, encouraging community and new business ideas. Recently through two art installations the marketplace has become a facilitator for projects, bringing people together from all parts of the community and giving pleasure to many people as they walk through. We would like to continue this by creating a performance space in the market where people can watch, listen and enjoy music and other artists. We want to create a place where people can meet each other sit for a while and relax in a safe place. Our aim would be to make a sustainable performance space for busking and to produce a short repeatable pantomime in December encouraging as many people as possible to be involved. Pre COVID the market had regular music events which were popular and well attended, and we would like to build on this experience.

Zara Peters5 years ago The aim is to start a tree pit adoption scheme in Forest Gate. We are lucky to have many trees across the streets of Forest Gate though currently most are used for rubbish and dog waste. I have delivered a huge amount of greening work in FG before and know I can galvanise the community with this new scheme. The aim is to recruit at least 30 households to adopt a tree pit close to them or close to somewhere they work in the local area. I will secure and install with the help of each household a mini garden around the tree pit – this will help increase natural biodiversity as well as vastly improving the look and feel of the area. As the tree pits are in communal areas it will impact for more than the 30 households involved in the project – I would suggest around 300 local residents will receive benefit from the scheme. By engaging local people to take care of just one tree pit it means the workload is manageable and I’ve seen first-hand how taking care of undesirable public spaces discourages fly tipping and general dog waste. I have a proven track record within FG of being able to deliver such a project. The tree pit adoption scheme aligns with cleanliness and waste and increasing nature and biodiversity. It will reduce waste by creating small gardens which would act as a deterrent for rubbish and dog waste. It will increase areas beneficial for bug life and insects improving the overall green footprint.As I’ve mentioned I have worked on greening FG in the past and it’s something I’m passionate about. I started the Instagram account @theflowerstarter which is dedicated to the project – here you can find before and after shots of the areas I’ve worked on and helped recruit huge numbers of local residents to be involved. My greening endeavour was self-funded at first, later into my work I secured funding from the council which helped broaden the greening project – the areas are now all taken care of by locals and they’ve continued to remain as beautiful little gardens in what were otherwise neglected areas of Forest Gate. I managed to secure donations of money and supplies from local businesses and people which helped spread the funding much further than I had originally planned. If successful I aim to promote the tree pit adoption scheme via local groups I have connections with, community newsletters via the community garden and library, and my neighbours who came on board in my original greening campaign are connected with the local mosque and church. The great thing about greening is that it knows no boundaries – young or old, woman or man, any nationality can enjoy a garden that takes place of a neglected area that attracts rubbish. By starting a project that works in our public spaces it also ensures that everyone can have access and receive benefit from the scheme. I started the tree pit adoption scheme and kicked off on Station Rd - we created 9 tree pit gardens this day. It was really lovely with lots of neighbours coming out to help and promising to take care of their chosen tree pit. I created some diy tree pit kits - I put together the treated wood, screws, compost, plants, bulbs and bark chip. This feels like a better way to fulfil the rest of the project though just at test stage for now. So far we’ve taken over around 17 tree pits across FGN and FGS. We planted hundreds of spring bulbs, they’re just popping through now so we all can’t wait to see the pretty flowers against the grey pavement.

Filters

Total posts: 12

There are 12 projects available.

Selected zero tag filters.

Selected zero tag filters.

Upcoming and ongoing events

0 events have loaded.

No upcoming or ongoing events are currently scheduled.

Past events

Forest Gate Community Assembly - 23rd February 2022
Event date: February 23rd, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.
Zoom
Read more
Forest Gate Community Assembly
Event date: November 1st, 2021 from 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM.
Zoom
Read more
Forest Gate Community Assembly
Event date: July 14th, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
On-line via Zoom
Read more
Forest Gate Community Assembly - Online evening session
Event date: April 14th, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM.
Online
Read more
Forest Gate Community Assembly - Online morning session
Event date: April 14th, 2021 from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM.
Online
Read more

5 events have loaded.