Saturday 11 February / 10.00am to 8.00pm / Glass House, 118 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 7EE

The LOVETANK presents A FREE fun and thrill-packed day of events, workshops and panels for queer migrants and queer ethnic minorities. 

Tuesday 14 February / 6:00 to 9:00 pm

Positive East's regular monthly Movie Nights are on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Come along and enjoy a film in the company of others living with HIV, enjoy a warm welcome, a hot meal, and maybe even some popcorn. This time, for an alternative Valentine’s Day and to mark LGBT+ History Month, they will be screening the classic British 1996 coming of age romantic comedy ‘Beautiful Thing’ set on an estate in 90s Thamesmead.

Tuesday February 21 / 6:00 to 9:00 pm 

Screening of the short film, “The Ward – Revisited”.  In 1993 Gideon spent a number of weeks photographing the Broderip and Charles Bell wards at the Middlesex Hospital. The Broderip was the first dedicated AIDS ward in London.

After the film, there will be a chance to share our own experience of living with HIV. There will be a tasty hot meal served between 6.30 and 7pm, with vegan and gluten free choices, plus soft drinks and juice. Email nick.maxwell@positiveeast.org.uk for more information.

Positive East's monthly group for gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (open to cis and trans men) living with HIV. They meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month – social meetings, films, speakers, discussions or just getting together with other people living with HIV.

Wednesday 22 February / 7.00 to 9.00pm / St Margaret’s House, 21 Old Ford Road, E2 9PL

Come together to mark LGBT History Month’s 2023 theme ‘Behind the Lens’ in Tower Hamlets with the Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF), who will be presenting a range of short films celebrating LBTQ+ older women in front of and behind the camera, plus Q&A with the director of WOFFF!

National HIV Testing Week / 6-12 February

Positive East's friendly and professional Testing and Prevention Team deliver in-person HIV & STI testing at community venues across East London including their building in Stepney Green, libraries, bars, pharmacies and sex-on-premises venues. They also offer assisted testing through Zoom and Microsoft Teams by posting out test kits and guiding you on how to accurately take a sample and read the results.

As you get older it’s not unusual to spend more time on your own, particularly if you’ve lost loved ones or your health isn’t what it used to be. Reengage's have launched rainbow call companions: a free telephone befriending service for LGBT+ people who are lonely, isolated or in need of companionship and feel they would benefit from a friendly phone call every week or two. This is a service specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender plus (LGBT+) people aged 75+ who would like to speak to someone who’s also LGBT+. 

As supplies of the vaccine are currently limited, the immunisation programme is currently focused on gay men who:

• Have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the last year.
• Regularly have sex with new partners.
• Are current users of PrEP.
  

The NHS are rolling out the vaccine and are contacting eligible users as supplies become available. For more information contact the London Monkeypox Helpline: 0333 2423 672 / Open: Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm / Sat-Sun 9am - 1pm 

Do you need help with:

• The cost of living crisis? Dealing with Spiralling Energy Costs, Financial Assistance Advice, Household Budgeting tips, Food Banks, Warm Centres, Coffee Mornings
• Living with Infections Post Covid? Winter Flu Support, Vaccinations, Other Viruses
• Mental Health?: Support and Befriending

LBTH in collaboration with the NACRC (Newham African Caribbean Resource Centre) are presenting workshops, support and advice for Black Caribbean residents. All services are free! For more information, please call 07863101 045 / 07862 026 892 or email david_nacrc@yahoo.co.uk

East London Cares is a community organisation, working across Hackney and Tower Hamlets to tackle loneliness by bringing older (65+) and younger people (18+) together to share time, laughter, friendship and new experiences. They do this through their Social Clubs Programme (group get togethers) and Love your Neighbour Programme (1-2-1 Friendship matching). Check out their video here to see their work in action!

East London Cares are always on the lookout for; New neighbours, Community partners and Referrals partners. If any of the above sounds interesting to you or your community please email them at hello@eastlondoncares.org.uk or use their referral link here.

North East London NHS are working with Healthwatch and Maternity Voices Partnerships to better understand the choices women and pregnant people are making when it comes to maternity care. They aim to understand whether people felt they could make choices about their maternity care and why they chose to have their care in their chosen hospital, birth centre or a home birth. Part of this work includes an online survey. Please complete it and tell them what you think.

Safe Connections Community Hub aims to support people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts to access the right service at the right time. They offer a safe space for people to talk about their feelings and concerns. The Connectors provide a mixture of emotional and practical support and tailored signposting to help meet the individual’s needs. Anyone wanting support can call the free helpline number: 0300 561 0115 and speak to a Connector. Alternatively, people can email: safeconnections@mithn.org.uk to request a call at a convenient time for them.

For more information, contact suicidepreventiontraining@mindchwf.org.uk

For LGBT+ history month, elop invites you to exercise (mind and body) across the month and get fundraising! The funds that #execrcise4elop generates will enable elop to continue and improve their life-changing and life-saving work. They provide a range of mental health crisis prevention, mental health workshops & low-cost counselling services to LGBT+ people, plus a range of support groups, befriending, youth and LGBT+ family projects, along with community events and activities all offered in a safe and supportive environment for members of the community.

elop and the Tower Hamlets LGBT+ Forum are keen to engage with LGBT+ Parents & Carers and Parents/Carers of LGBT+ Young People who live, work or study in Tower Hamlets! They want to run an event in 2023 aimed at this group to improve LGBT+ inclusion in Tower Hamlets schools. If you are a LGBT+ Parent/Carer or Parent/Carer of an LGBT+ young person please contact Lauren Steele on lgbtforum@elop.org

Every Tuesday 4.00 to 5.45pm - LGBT+ Over 50 Social Group

Every Tuesday 6.00 - 8.00pm - LGBT+ Social Support Group

elop's groups have returned to *face-to-face* meetings in the borough! Join their fun, friendly and non-judgemental safe space to meet new people and discuss LGBT+ topics! Email events@elop.org to register in order to attend the groups.

The Tower Hamlets Women's Network would like to invite you to become a member. They aim to create a programme to raise the profile of women in the borough, share ideas and explore current issues impacting women in the borough. Membership of the Network is open to women who are local residents and who are members or staff of local women’s groups and VCS organisation.

Wednesday 8 February / 1:30 to 3:30pm / Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, E2 6HG

Are you aged 50+ and live in Tower Hamlets? Would you like the chance to have your say about services in the borough? The Tower Hamlets Older People’s Reference Group is a forum of older people which meets regularly and is open to anyone over 50 who lives or works in Tower Hamlets. It aims to promote the consultation of older people and their engagement in the design and delivery of services intended for them from the NHS and the local authority and to give older people a voice in all matters that concern their life in LBTH. If you want to find out more, please contact Grace Patient at grace.patient@ageukeastlondon.org.uk

Thursday 2 March / 12.00 to 2:00pm / Christ Apostolic Church Top Floor, Devons Hall Powis Street, E3 3HJ

This event will highlight the impact of the projects across the borough of Tower Hamlets, share best practice, inspire other faith settings, highlight partnership working between faith groups and LBTH and celebrate the role of faith in public health. Speakers to include members of Tower Hamlets Public Health department and local faith leaders. Free refreshments, networking slots and a chance to speak to the Action Plan Project Leaders.

Wednesday 29 March / 5.30pm / Positive East, 159 Mile End Rd, Bethnal Green, E1 4AQ

New to Tower Hamlets? Looking for more LGBT+ groups and events? Come and find out about the Tower Hamlets LGBT+ Forum! They would like to welcome anyone who is interested in getting involved to come along from 5.30pm to find out more over a cup of tea, possibly a game or a short quiz. You are also welcome to stay for the forum meeting which starts at 6pm. 

For more information or further questions please email lgbtforum@elop.org

The Equalities Hub is key to the new direction for the Council’s equalities provision, providing a central strategic focus, responding to the community’s needs and issues. The Hub will be vital to bringing about a more coordinated approach to equalities in the borough. If you want to find out more on how to get involved or if you have information you would like to share with the networks please get in touch.

Through this programme Digiroots will support you in building your brand, website, social media and marketing strategy from the ground up. Digiroots have designed a programme for startups with a social benefit for society. You can be a business or a non-profit - if your activities benefit others, the digital accelerator programme is for you!

The Festival of Communities is a collaboration between Queen Mary and local-based organisations. The activities at the Festival are designed for local families to learn something new or try something different. These varied activities range from hands-on experiments, sharing stories and views, interacting with demonstrations and trying out new things.  

Queen Mary University are looking for projects to take part by designing and running their own hands-on activity. The Centre for Public Engagement team at Queen Mary are on hand to offer advice on your engagement activity design through Festival information webinars, 1:1 advice sessions and a ‘How to design a Festival of Communities activity’ workshop.  

The festival will take place on Saturday 10 June & Sunday 11 June. Community organisations can apply for up to £200 to cover some of the costs of taking part and delivering an activity over weekend. Deadline 30 March

Opening Hours Tuesday - Thursday 9.30am to 3.30pm / St. Hilda's East Community Centre, 18 Club Row, E2 7EY

Join OITIJ-JO Collective at their new premises at St. Hilda's. OITIJ-JO are serving up delicious breakfasts and lunches and a variety of hot drinks. Children eat for £1.50! They also have Valentine's Day special this month. TheOITIJ-JO Collective provide catering for events for community groups and others. For more information, email info@oitijjo.org

Praxis Community projects, a charity for Migrants and Refugees is seeking possible options to share premises, preferably in East London. Ideally, they are looking for around 3,000-3,500sq ft. For further information, email: elodie.roman@praxis.org.uk

Mondays / 1.00pm to 3.00pm  / Better Stepney Astro Turf

New Tower Hamlets Tigers Football Sessions, targeting isolated communities and residents with mental health conditions. Playing football is a good way to form social connections and stay healthy whatever your age gender or ability. Join these sports community football sessions by WHU in partnership with East London NHS Foundation Trust & LBTH. Opportunities to train in level 1 coaching. Equipment provided. Applications for training kit now open. Limited Spaces. Free to attend!!
To register, please contact brenda.phillips1@nhs.net / 07767392067

Also, check out this brilliant film from the Mayor of London about Tower Hamlets Tigers FC, which started in 2007 through a partnership between the council and Mile End Hospital for Mental Health. Meet some of the incredible people who make it all happen!

Mondays and Tuesdays (until 20 March) / 10.00am to 1.00pm / Osmani Centre, 58 Underwood Rd, E1 5AW

Eligibility: 19+, unemployed and in receipt of benefits, have the right to live and work in the UK. The Osmani Trust will provide Free Vodafone SIMs, each loaded with 20GB data plus unlimited calls and texts to be used over 6 months to each learner who completes the course. For more information and eligibility, email eet@osmanitrust.org  or call 0207 247 8080

Tuesday 7 February / 1.00 to 4.00pm / On Zoom

As part of Race Equality Week at London Youth, this training introduces culturally competent youth mentoring, allowing new and experienced mentors to develop confidence in mentoring young people of colour. Exploring styles of youth mentoring used to navigate systemic biases. Attendees will reflect on why, and how youth mentoring can be successful when supporting Black and Global Majority youth in navigating structural barriers. Note: This training free to members of London Youth*

Details of training on London Youth website can be found here: *Become a London Youth member to access training here.

Wednesday 8 February / 6.00pm to 9.00pm / Amnesty International Human Rights Centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EA

Wen (Women’s Environmental Network) in collaboration with Platform, invite you to an evening exploring what climate justice would look like in our food system and why taking an intersectional feminist approach is key. They will be showcasing the findings from the Just Food and Climate Transition (Just FACT) "Blueprint Publication", led by London Leap, and the Feminist Green New Deal food policy paper.

Tuesday 7 February / Managing your charity's finances through the cost of living crisis: Kick start your financial management review by joining this free webinar with the Charity Finance Group (CFG), where they will provide you with some tips on managing your charity’s finances through the cost of living crisis.

Thursday 9 February / How to manage rising energy costs, what next for charities? Following the government’s review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, join the NCVO and Utility Aid to understand what this means for charities and keeping costs down in the face of the energy crisis.

Friday 31 March / Big Advice Day: The FSI’s quarterly Big Advice Day is a chance for you to speak to an advisor about pretty much anything charity-related - and it's free! You'll be able to arrange a time with your advisor for your session (to be held either online or over the phone). The only criteria to access free one-to-one advice is that you need to be a member of the FSI with an income of under £1 million. Register your interest here.

13, 14 & 16 February / 10.00am to 12.00pm / Bookings are open for Family Cycle Training. This Family Cycle Training course is a 3-day course of 2-hour daily sessions. This is a bespoke course for families of maximum 6 riders per family. The course is not suitable for complete beginners. All riders must be able to cycle independently. 

Tower Hamlets One to One Cycle Training: Whether you’re a complete beginner who would like to start cycling, or a regular cyclist looking to increase your confidence to cycle on-roads, Bikeworks will tailor a session to your needs and what you want to achieve.

15,16 & 17 February / 12,13 & 14 April / 1 & 2 June / 10.00am to 3.00pm / Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, E3 4PX

The Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park will be following the Forest School ethos, by providing child-led sessions in an outdoor environment and facilitating a wide range of Forest School and bushcraft activities. The children will have a choice of activities and games to join in with, and there will be plenty of opportunities for tool use, free play and relaxation. Activities are suitable for children aged 6-14.

Wednesday 15 February / 12.00 to 3.00pm / Locksley Community Centre, Dora St, E14 7TP

Thursday 16 February / 12.00 to 3.00pm / Tramshed Community Hub, Digby Street, E2 OLS

Tower Hamlets Homes's health and wellbeing festivals are back! Get a health MOT, fitness taster sessions, mental health advice, support with cost of living and more! For more information, email: community.partnerships@thh.org.uk

Friday 17 February / 10.30am to 1.00pm

Free eight-week course for residents of Tower Hamlets to learn about healthy eating and gentle exercise to help with managing the following conditions: Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypertension
To book a place on a course, make a referral, or find out more about Good Moves, please email nimom@safh.org.uk or telephone 07944966141

Thursday 23 February / 11.30am to 3:30pm / ELM (East London Mosque), Ground Hall, 82-92 Whitechapel Rd, E1 1JX / FREE entry

Get the best advice from experts from a variety of industries/sectors. Newark Youth London have various providers from a range of industries coming along to advice, provide guidance to youths wanting to apply for job roles in: Dentistry, Opticians, Railway work, Civil Service, NHS trust, IT sector representatives, UCAS Guidance, Mock Interview for medicine, Oxbridge advice, Local JCP, Princes-Trust and apprenticeship help and support. This event is aimed for 16 to 25 year olds.

For more information, email: mubeen.rajabali@newark.org.uk.

Tuesday 21 February / 11.00 to 1.00pm & Thursday 23 March / 2.00 to 4.00pm

This free 2 hour training is suitable for anyone interested in learning about suicide
prevention. Topics covered will include: Increased understanding of suicide, skills to promote supportive communication, increased awareness of the needs of a suicidal person, essential practical knowledge, skills to effectively and confidently support a person at risk of suicide. For more information or to book on to the
training, please email: suicidepreventiontraining@mindchwf.org.uk

Starting Friday 24 February

Are you energetic and want to work with children in a nursery or school? Or perhaps you are already doing that and want to progress up the career ladder? Account3 is offering a 12 week, NAFC Cache accredited course / Level 1 award for caring for children. If this sounds like you, Account3 may be able to help. Please email training@account3.org.uk to make an appointment to discuss your options.

This early engagement is the start of the discussion which will support the production of a new Local Plan. Your input is a valuable part of the preparation process for and will inform the development of new policies to help shape the future of the places we live. LBTH have created an interactive StoryMap platform which provides a summary of the challenges, opportunities and key policy themes that will be developed to ensure the needs and priorities of the community are put first. 

The council will be hosting webinars, in-person public engagement sessions and drop-in sessions throughout February that will be open to anyone who has an interest in the new Local Plan. At these meetings, LBTH officers will be present to discuss the project and respond to any comments or queries. The council's early engagement on the new Local Plan will run until Wednesday 8 March 2023.

On 30 January, Mayor Lutfur Rahman officially launched The Mayor’s University Bursary Award at Queen Mary University.

The Mayor’s University Bursary Award will support eligible students with living costs at university. Eligible students can apply for a £1,500 payment to support with costs associated with their undergraduate studies, including accommodation, books and resources. The total funding of £600k will support 400 students in the first year.  

LBTH has partnered with the charity, Trees for Streets, to make it easier for residents to fund tree planting in streets and parks across the borough. The Mayor of London is also match funding each tree sponsored in the borough between now and March 2023, to fund another tree that will be planted in a priority location.

This is just one of a number of innovative strategies the council is using to increase its tree population, to help reduce air pollution, absorb carbon, improve mental and physical wellbeing and generally make Tower Hamlets a nicer place to live.

Many of us are worried about the increase costs on our bills, fuel and food this winter. There are little things we can all do at home to help minimise costs as well as accessing some of the below support available.

LBTH have produced a leaflet, 'Keeping well in winter' giving us tips on how we can all beat the winter blues, look out for each other and stay warm and well.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and others from Covid-19 now and any future waves. Thousands of people in the borough are continuing to come forward every week to get their first, second or booster doses. There are more sites than ever across the borough for you to get the next vaccine that you are due for. Please check the council website to find out where you can get your jab.

LBTH are currently rolling out the spring booster programme (for all over 75s and those aged 12 years and over with weakened immune systems) and the programme for children aged 5 to 11 years old, to protect children from future waves. All vaccine information is available on the council website.

For regular updates from our Director of Public Health, Somen Banerjee, please click here. If you have any enquiries about activities or events, please email PH-HealthProtection@towerhamlets.gov.uk or call the council vaccination helpline on 0207 364 3030

The new proposed Mayor's Community Grant Programme funding aims deliver services between October 2023 to March 2027 and will include the following five themes: 

• Tackle the Cost-of Living crisis- Focusing on improving financial and economic wellbeing of residents
• Accelerate Education- Focusing on improving educational attainment and development of children and young people
• Culture, business, jobs and skills- Focusing on increasing employment and skills opportunities for socially excluded residents
• Invest in public services- Focusing on improving wellbeing of residents and reduce isolation and inactivity amongst older people
• Empower Communities and fight crime- Focusing on addressing inequalities experienced by people reflecting different equality groups and address community safety issues impacting residents

Information on the new proposed funding, survey and workshops will be updated on a dedicated webpage and on the council's social media channels. 

Deadline for applications: Friday 10 February @5.00pm

New grants have been launched today by Sustain as part of the Food for the Planet project. The grants aim to support communities to campaign and advocate to make food in their area better for people and the planet. Applicants are encouraged to propose their own ideas for great local action, but should focus on areas that have a big impact locally

Green and Resilience Spaces Fund

Deadline: 5.00pm on 10 February 2023
Grants of between £250,000 and £750,000 are available to funds large-scale, innovative enhancements to green and blue spaces and the wider public realm that will strengthen London's climate resilience, increase biodiversity, improve access to green space, build green skills and promote health and wellbeing. Applications for Round Two of the fund are now open. 

Migrant Advice and Support Fund 

Deadline for applications is 9.00 am on Monday 27 February
The Mayor has launched new grants programme for organisations providing specialist advice and/or holistic support to migrant Londoners. Grants will be available between £10,000 to £30,000 for single organisations and up to £70,000 for partnerships. Funding is for an initial 6 months of activity, with the possibility of extension. Find out more and apply.

Building Strong Communities Fund - Round 3 

Deadline: 1.00pm on Monday 13 March 2023
Round 3 of the Building Strong Communities fund is now open to receive applications. The total funding pot is £200,000 and will be made up of small grants of between £1,000 to £6,000. Grants are available for equity-led groups with an annual turnover of £0 to £50,000. Apply now!

Deadline: Friday 3 March @5pm

Lloyds Bank Foundation's focus is to support small, local, specialist charities with an income of £25,000–£500,000 with their three-year unrestricted £75,000 grant and support to develop. Lloyds will support charities that understand the complexity of the issues people face and are best placed to make a genuine difference to people’s lives. 

Lloyds will be holding a Funding webinar & Q&A on 12 January 2023 from 2-4pm to go through the eligibility criteria and answer any questions that you might have. You can register for the webinar here.

The Inspiring Communities Fund will offer grants of between £100 to £5000. The fund is for Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) residents and local community groups. The initiative is for great ideas to improve your neighbourhoods. They are keen to fund local based social activities that bring people in THH together. You can apply for funding to support local events, projects and activities. Want to start a Community Food Garden? Or set up an exercise class to benefit others in your neighbourhood? This is your chance.

Do you run a community group or any small organisation that supports One Housing or Riverside residents? One Housing have made £250,000 available in 2022/23 through their new Community Fund to help fund projects that promote opportunities and wellbeing and tackle poverty in our communities. If you’ve got an idea that could make a difference, they want to hear from you.

The 30th year of the Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs (DBACE) gets under way with applications open from Tuesday 31 January. This could be your chance to secure: Up to £20,000 investment to start or grow your enterprise;
Membership to MeWe360's Incubator programme, including 12-months of business support with MeWe360 and Deutsche Bank's high calibre industry & business mentors. DBACE offers a range of fantastic resources to support you with your application.

The National Databank provides free mobile data, texts and calls to people in need via Good Things Foundation’s network of local community partners. Think of it like a ‘food bank’ but for internet connectivity data. Community organisations can apply to access the databank, enabling them to provide data to people in their communities who need it.

This funding aims to help communities across the UK to address climate change.

National Lottery Community Fund are looking for projects that focus on the link between nature and climate. They want to fund projects that use nature to encourage more community-led climate action. The NLCF expect these projects to bring other important social and economic benefits. Like the creation of strong, resilient and healthy communities or the development of ‘green’ skills and jobs.

Grants of between £300,000 and £500,000 are available, with grants of £50,000 to £150,000 over 12 to 18 months also available to constituted groups or clubs, voluntary or community organisations, registered charities, CIOs, SCIOs, CICs and more. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Grants of between £300 and £10,000 are available for charities, voluntary groups, schools, and local authorities in England to carry out projects that will improve their local community. The aim of the grants programme is to support communities to thrive by funding projects that build strong relationships in and across communities. The deadline for applications is ongoing.

Do you require support with putting together or reviewing funding applications? The East London Business Alliance (ELBA) is a charity brokering opportunities to connect the corporate and community sectors. They are currently offering volunteer support to organisations who need help with writing and reviewing grant funding applications.

Employee volunteers from across ELBA's member companies have offered their time to assist charities to complete applications to the many funds that have emerged as a response to the current crisis. They are able to assist you with writing the application and/or reviewing a completed application. In some cases, they may be able to write a grant funding application on your behalf.

Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions, please contact Orlaith: orlaith.mcguinness@elba-1.org.uk