HotDigitalOnline – Weekly Community Update for Africans in Newham

This Week’s Big Themes

Newham is busy this week: the council is pushing for safer e-bikes, libraries are buzzing with the Festival of Stories, and community hubs like NACRC in Plaistow are packed with dance, drama and social nights for our African and Caribbean community.

Let’s break it down.

Local News & Council Updates

E-Bike Fires & Delivery Safety Charter

Newham Council is calling for a London-wide “Food Delivery Charter” to tackle the rise in dangerous fires caused by illegal or unsafe e-bike batteries. The idea is to encourage major delivery companies to assume greater responsibility for bike safety and rider training.

For many in our community working in food delivery or living in shared housing, this is a real safety issue fires can spread quickly in crowded blocks.

What you can do:

If you use an e-bike, avoid cheap, unregulated batteries and chargers.
Never charge bikes in hallways or blocking fire exits.
Share safety advice with riders in your family, church or WhatsApp groups.

New Affordable ‘Airspace’ Homes on the Way

Newham’s “green airspace” housing programme has planning approval for extra, 100% affordable homes built on top of existing blocks at sites like St Matthew’s Court (Stratford) and Folkestone Road (East Ham).

These new homes are designed to be energy-efficient, helping with both the housing crisis and high energy bills an issue many African and Caribbean families in the borough feel every month.

Newham Data Shortlisted for Inspiring Young People

A Newham project, “Newham Data”, has been shortlisted for a Tech Impact Award for inspiring young people to explore careers in data and technology.

That’s big news if you’ve got teens or young adults who are into STEM, coding or IT – it shows there are pathways into high-skill jobs right here in the borough.

Culture & Storytelling – Festival of Stories Is Here

From 13–23 November, all 10 Newham libraries are hosting the Newham Festival of Stories – a borough-wide celebration of storytelling, art, performance and community. All events are free.

This is a perfect moment for our Ghanaian and wider African community to share our stories, accents and heritage in public spaces.

What’s On: 14–21 November

I Love My Newham – “Still” (Exhibition & Performance)

When: Friday 14 November, 6:00–8:30pm
Where: Beckton Globe Library, Kingsford Way, Beckton, London E6
What: Exhibition and performance evening as part of the Festival of Stories – exploring place, memory and identity.
Why it’s good for us: Great for teens, creatives and adults who want to see Newham through different eyes – and maybe spark ideas for our own African diaspora stories.

Kitchen Stories: Recipes of Belonging

When: Saturday 15 November, 2:30–4:30pm
Where: Beckton Globe Library
What: A participatory workshop using food and memory to explore belonging and home.
Why it’s good for us: Perfect for Ghanaians and Africans who know food is history – waakye, jollof, kenkey, fufu – all carry stories of migration, family and faith.

Women on Screen – Representation in Media

When: Tuesday 18 November, 6:30–7:30 pm
Where: Canning Town Library
What: Panel event on how women are portrayed across film, TV and journalism.
Why it’s good for us: Brilliant for young women and girls in our community who dream of working in media, writing or film – and for anyone who cares about how Black women are seen on screen.

Writing Poetry with Daljit Nagra

When: Monday 17 November, 12:00–1:00 pm
Where: Manor Park Library
What: Free poetry workshop with an award-winning poet.
Why it’s good for us: A gentle way into poetry and performance for youth and adults bring your Ghanaian, Nigerian, Somali, Caribbean, Sierra Leonean perspectives to the page.

The Sound Hive – Interactive Sound & Light Installation

When:
- Wednesday 19 November, 3:00–6:00 pm – Plaistow Library
- Thursday 20 November, 3:00–6:00 pm – Forest Gate Library
Who it’s for: Children under 11 with parents/guardians, plus families.
What: An immersive sound and light artwork created with local children, part of Culture Within Newham.
Why it’s good for us: If you’ve got little ones, this is a magical way to spend an afternoon and let them see that their borough is creative and that their ideas matter.

Ongoing Community Activities at NACRC (Plaistow)

Newham African & Caribbean Resource Centre / Barking Road Community Centre

627–633 Barking Road, Plaistow, London E13 9EZ

Weekly activities include:

African Dance (Over 50s) – Thursday 10–11 am (Free)
Judo (All Ages) – Wednesday 8–10 pm & Friday 6–8 pm
Social Night/Recreation (Adults) – Friday 8–11:30 pm
Lunch Club (Over 50s) – Wednesday & Thursday 10am–3pm

This is our hub – a place to stay active, meet people, and keep African & Caribbean culture visible in Newham.

Opportunities & Ideas for the Week

If you’re a parent:
Take the kids to The Sound Hive or a Festival of Stories workshop, and then share your own childhood stories from Ghana or across Africa with them.
If you’re a creative:
Bring a notebook to Kitchen Stories or the poetry workshop – these are ideal spaces to build material for songs, spoken word or radio features.
If you’re over 50:
Try African Dance at NACRC or the lunch club – it’s exercise, company and culture all in one.
If you’re into tech or future careers:
Keep an ear out for opportunities linked to the Newham Data project and the council’s push into tech and data careers for young people.

Share Your News

If your church, business, youth group, or community project has an upcoming event, please submit it to us by Wednesday of each week so we can include it in Thursday’s roundup.

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