Winter Toy Appeal reaches 4,500 children in poverty
It has been a record year for a Winter Toy Appeal that delivers gifts to children experiencing extreme poverty in North and East London. This year the appeal, which is run by the Local Buyers Club in partnership with Location Location, has collected enough toys for around 4,500 children and a massive amount of food for Hackney Foodbank. Vicky Bibiris, who helps to run the appeal, said: “It was touch and go there for a while – with just a week to go we didn’t have enough toys
Singing releases same ‘love’ hormone as sex
Has the dip in temperature set your mood to blue? Research into the health benefits of singing shows it could be just the think to perk you up! Did you know singing improves your sense of wellbeing, reduces pain, improves breathing, speech and posture? Since the dawn of time singing has been a way of marking community life – celebrating births, deaths and work. In many less technological societies it’s a central way of bringing people together. As a famous Zimbabwean proverb
Platform: The new London venue transforming attitudes to gaming
If you thought gaming was the pursuit of geeky teenagers in dark and dingy bedrooms – think again! A new venue in East London is drastically changing perceptions; offering a place to play video games that’s light, open, focused on food and drink and designed for social interaction. Platform was set up in Shoreditch six months ago by brothers Tomaso and Niccolò Portunato, Lucas Weintraub, Jo Highfield, and Guilllame Borkhataria. The friends have all have been playing video ga
Three brilliant ways to spend Small Business Saturday
The perfect antidote to Black Friday and Cyber Monday takes place this weekend and it looks set to be super lovely. Prepare yourself for Small Business Saturday on December 7! We’ve been genning up on what’s on and have put together suggestions for three brilliant ways to spend Small Business Saturday that offer the best local makers and sellers, the most festive vibe and fabulous food! 1. HEAD TO OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET where members of the East End Trades Guild will be sell