A Newham Greenways & Waterways Circular Walk

Yesterday Gill and I went on a wonderful 3 mile circular walk in Newham, starting in West Ham Memorial Recreation Park E15 (once the home of West Ham FC). We walked through the Park to join the Greenway footpath (in the footsteps of Gandhi) then turned left along the Channelsea river toward 3 Mills Green Park. Passing the former Channel 4 TV "Big Brother" site (and long lost "bridge of shame")

We paid our respects at the "Clasping Hands" statute, which in more normal times we would have held a remembrance event last week on April 28 for Workers Memorial Day.

Next we walked past 3 Mills (LBTH) then along the River Lee towards Bow Creek. At the Twelve Trees Crescent junction we crossed over the river and walked along the other side. .

This stretch toward Cody Docks is very much an unknown and unused gem. I love the Shopping Trolly sculpture in shape of DNA double-helix structure. After Cody Docks you walk through a industrial estate (past West Ham bus depot) then through some estates to rejoin the Recreation Park.

West Ham CLP Canvass & Social: 6 October 2019 at Cody Dock

UPDATE: for West Ham ward members.

London Labour Party have sent West Ham CLP 45,000 Sadiq Khan leaflets which we must deliver before a General election campaign is called. Our Ward has 4300 to deliver.

We have split the ward into 20 different delivery routes. If you can do a route that will be great but if you can only deliver to your own street that is fine.

Please contact Cllr John Gray if you wish him to drop off leaflets and routes.

Tomorrow (Sunday 6 October) at 1pm we are meeting outside ATL Café, 125 Plaistow Rd, London E15 3ET to leaflet then at 3pm we will go to the Labour Party Social in Cody Docks.

If you want to pick up leaflets to deliver later then please meet us at 1pm at ATL or 3pm at the social.

This leafleting will also help Labour with the General election (whenever this is but we all hope it is soon)

Ronald Valentine Higgins - East End Docker, Footballer, Trade Unionist & Lancaster Bomber Gunner

On Sunday 23rd June there was a Newham Labour Party "meet the candidates" BBQ in Cody Docks, Canning Town. Party members met potential candidates standing for selection in 2014.

West Ham MP Lyn Brown was the special guest.  Cody Docks is an amazing regeneration project but even this was out shined on the day by the 3 generations of the Higgins family from East Ham.

I first met 90 year old Ronald Valentine Higgins (born 14 Feb 1923) several years ago at another Labour Party BBQ on Wanstead Flats. Ron has had a pretty incredible life. He started his working life in the famous Thames Iron Works, which was not far away from Cody Docks and the home of West Ham FC. He later played for West Ham and Leyton Orient FC. Since he was a semi professional footballer, he was not eligible to compete in the 1948 London Olympics, even though his running times matched that of the leading British competitors. He also managed East Ham FC.

Before this he served in the RAF during the Second World War as a gunner on Lancaster Bombers. He took part in 32 missions. The life span of an average Lancaster Bomber crew was only 20 missions. They had to complete 30. After the War and football, Ron worked in the Docks and became a GMB convener.

Picture of me, his son also called Ron, Cllr Forhad Hussain, Cllr Terry Paul then below Ron Senior and Hanif Abdulmuhit (picture taken by Ron's Grandson Paul).

I think we were all really proud and humbled to meet Ron.

Newham Councillors Bike Ride

The picture collage is from this mornings bicycle ride of Newham Councillors and local residents which was led by members of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC). I think there was in total 14 Newham Councillors that turned up for the ride which started at the View Tube cafe which overlooks the Olympic Park in Stratford.

The ride had been organised by Newham Cycling Tzar, Cllr David Christie.  The weather was lovely (as it always is in Newham of course) and cycling around the beautiful waterways and historic buildings of our borough was great fun and fasinating.

I had cycled into work from Forest Gate to Bow for over 10 years and I had thought that I knew all the good cycling routes but I was totally wrong.

We ended up at with tea and coffee at the "Docklands Community Boat" in Cody Dock (named incredibly after American cowboy and showman Buffalo Bill).

I think that Newham has a fantastic future not only a place that people want to work, live and stay but also visit, explore and enjoy.

I will post more pictures on Facebook next. Update: Check link here for album.