Warming rooms with a programme
Heating costs are a major problem for some families. To support those who can no longer cope with these high costs, Barking and Dagenham has set up warming rooms, including at Kingsley Hall and the mosque in Barking. Anyone can go without registering. In addition to a pleasant environment where you can meet your neighbours, there are also a few programme items on offer, such as knitting instruction and Zumba.
A lot of money invested in land
Now that the plan to relocate Billingsgate and Smithfield Market to Dagenham has been buried, it is not only the Borough that is discussing how to proceed. The costs of the project had continued to rise, but even abandoning it is expensive. 308 million has already been invested in the purchase and preparation of land.
After 94 years since their formation, the Pipers have found it hard to attract new, younger members and they decided to bow out on Remembrance Sunday (10 November 2024), with a final farewell performance.
Riverside project to be doubled
The gigantic new build project ‘Barking Riverside’ with 10,000 flats, seven new schools, 21 hectares of park and sports areas is breathtaking. 2,700 flats have already been occupied and 1,000 more are currently under construction.
The development company overseeing this project has now presented new plans that go far beyond the approved 10,000 flats. The total number is to grow to almost 20,000, four additional schools are to be built and two parks. The plans are already so concrete that they can be discussed by the city council.
Dagenham Girl Pipers give up
A huge fire broke out in a residential and commercial block on Freshwater Road in Dagenham on 26 August. The professionals tackled the fire with 40 emergency vehicles and 225 firefighters, and drones were also used to investigate the situation and fight the fire.
225 firefighters deployed
A huge fire broke out in a residential and commercial block on Freshwater Road in Dagenham on 26 August. The professionals tackled the fire with 40 emergency vehicles and 225 firefighters, and drones were also used to investigate the situation and fight the fire.
Partnership association Witten invited to the international youth camp ‘We Are Nature’ in Mallnitz, Carinthia
Rents: breathtakingly high
Living in London is an expensive pleasure. Overall, the UK has high housing costs. The national average is £1246 per month. All East London boroughs are above this average, with Havering being the cheapest at £1338. In Barking and Dagenham, you’ll have to fork out £1404. If you move to the sought-after Tower Hamlets, on the other hand, you will have to pay £2185 per month. This is according to the Office for National Statistics.
Shredding unit for bulky cardboard boxes
England’s first public shredder for cardboard boxes has been installed in the Barking Riverside development area. 2,000 new flats have been built in the area, with 8,000 more to follow. Many of the furniture and appliances required for this are delivered in cardboard boxes. The public shredding plant is not just about shredding the cardboard, the system also includes a pipe system through which the shreds are extracted for recycling.
28 parks and green spaces
Our twin city is one of the greenest boroughs in London: 28 parks and green spaces with a total area of 463 hectares are available. That’s as much as 1000 soccer pitches. Now the city is asking all citizens which parks they use and how they like them. And above all, it is asking for suggestions on what can be improved, what should be done for safety and whether accessibility can be improved. The survey will run until March 31, when it will be the turn of the administration and planners to put the suggestions into action.
Barking & Dagenham Witten Club e.V.
Fredi-Ostermann-Straße 1
58454 Witten, Germany
email: info@barking-dagenham.de
