Paralympic Games

Transition Leytonstone Community Garden site

New community garden and a new view of the Paralympics closing ceremony

Transition Leytonstone Community Garden Launch

Sunday 9th September 2-4 pm

Transition Leytonstone Community Garden siteTransition Leytonstone have been given permission by the London Borough of Waltham Forest to develop a piece of land in Leytonstone town centre into a community garden, and this Sunday will be the first meeting at the site. Everybody is welcome to go along and give ideas and offer help.

The London 2012 Changing Places Transform is also supporting the project.

Location: Between the footbridge and 113 Harold Road Leytonstone (follow Church Lane past the tube station and keep going past the car park and the children’s playground).

View the Paralympic Closing Fireworks from the top of St John’s Tower

Sunday 9 September, 10pm until  12.30am 10 September

St John’s Church, Church Lane, Leytonstone, E11

Sunday sees the Paralympic Closing ceremony and if you’re not one of the 80,000 lucky ticket holders to the Olympic Stadium, St John’s Church Tower offers a unique opportunity to watch the fireworks that will bring to a close this amazing summer of sport in the East End.

Book your tickets — places are limited so it’s essential you do book — for this event which includes live classical music in church first and FairTrade refreshments on the tower (good filter coffee and proper hot chocolate, and both chocolate chip and ginger biscuits). There’s also smartphone reception on the tower, and one guide can give a commentary on what is happening (or bring your own, only 3G — there is no free wifi). Binoculars are provided (or bring your own) and cameras are welcome. You need sensible shoes and clothes as the climb to the tower is quite narrow, but worth the effort for the stunning view at the top.

The event is a church fund raiser so the price is £50 per ticket (all included and all goes towards the remaining debt for the recent works on the tower).

Booking

Places are limited so please let RoseMary Warrington know as soon as possible if you are interested on E:
bookings@stjohnleytonstone.co.uk

Olympic Park London01

Paralympic Games and Jubilee Park opening

MandevilleToday’s the day when the Paralympic flame comes to Waltham Forest just before it moves on to the Olympic Stadium for the opening of the Paralympic Games.
The Paralympic flame will start its route at the Lea Valley Ice centre then go up Lea Bridge Road and right into Orient Way to the new Jubilee Park (the former Marsh Lane Playing Fields) in Leyton, which will be officially opened tonight.

There will be a fun fair in Jubilee Park, food and drink and local acts. The event is open 5-9pm and the torch is expected at 7.30pm. You don’t need tickets and entrance to the park is free.

For details of the Paralympic flame route and opening of Jubilee Park see the London Borough of Waltham Forest Big6 website.

If you have tickets to the Paralympic Games and your travel instructions advise using Eton Manor Gate (the nearest entrance to Leyton), see this page for directions to Eton Manor Gate. I’ve ahd a report that Eton Manor gate is not open for the Opening ceremony. Do follow the advice from the Paralympic Games (London 2012) though.

If you’re travelling from outside the borough see the right hand margin and foot of this page for links and travel updates from Transport for London and the Highways Agency.

Maps of the Olympic Park

  • Map of the Olympic Park (London2012 map in .pdf format you can print off and showing the main facilities)
  • Olympic Park on Google Maps (If you don’t know the area, beware, some people have tried to gain a marketing advantage by marking up the Olympic Stadium wrongly on Google Maps, the correct location is near to Stratford Station).
Hollow ponds Leytonstone

Happy Bank Holiday

Hollow ponds LeytonstoneThe Paralympics starts next week with the torch relay coming to Leyton on Wednesday evening to coincide with the reopening of the former Marsh Lane Playing Fields as the Jubilee Park. Entrance is free and there will be lots of activities to take part in.

If the weather is nice — and some sun is promised for the weekend — taking a boat out on Hollow Ponds is always a good way to enjoy the weather and you can buy teas, coffees, ice creams and quick food from three places by the pond or pop over the road for a full meal at the Sir Alfred Hitchcock Hotel.

Eel and Pie House Harrow Green LeytonstoneLeytonstone shops, restaurants and cafés would also welcome your custom, with a wide range of food on offer including English, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Romanian, Turkish/Greek/Mediterranean in the town centre, not forgetting the stylish Horizon Patisserie, through to the new Lithuanian Shepherd’s Inn pub right next door to a traditional East End Eel & Pie House in Harrow Green. And lots more besides.

Art exhibition

Although the Stone Space is closed for a summer break until 29 August, there’s a four week art exhibition in the temporary space outside Leytonstone tube called ‘Present’, so if you haven’t been already don’t miss it! The exhibition runs from 20 August to 17 September.

Saturday 25 August

The Lion Heart Market

… will be outside the Red Lion again this Saturday. The Lion Heart Market offers vintage, craft and hand-made and ‘not on the high street’ products from local people. The market is open from 10am to 6pm, and it costs nothing to browse! There’s wheelchair access to the pub and garden, a ground floor disabled toilet.

Thursdays

Sunset Tours at St John’s Church

The sun is setting earlier now so don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the stunning views from St John’s Church on their Thursday evening tours.

Looking ahead

Sunday 9 September, 2-4pm

Launch of Church Lane Community Garden

Church Lane Leytonstone, between the footbridge stairs and 111 Harold Road.

A chance for local people to come and see the proposed site and to contribute their ideas and sign up to get involved.

Sunday 16 September

OlivesCar Free Day

The annual Leytonstone Car Free Day is organised by the London Borough of Waltham Forest and will be on Sunday 16 September. There will be a mix of entertainment, local stalls and a French market.

Have a great Bank Holiday!