The Westminster Reporter - Issue 140 by Westminster City Council

THE WESTMINSTER

Issue No. 140

Creating opportunities for all in Westminster

MARCH 2022

PROUD OF WESTMINSTER Keeping our streets clean and safe

HELPING HANDS Protecting those most in need

The Westminster City Council Magazine

REPORTER

Your new food waste recycling service The food waste recycling service is expanding across Westminster during 2022. You will soon receive your roll of liners, kitchen bin and outdoor food waste bin. Why are we doing this? Wasting less Food waste generates harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Using this service will help reduce waste and tackle climate change.

Renewable energy Your food waste will be used to create renewable energy to generate electricity to power the national grid and heat for homes.

For further information: foodwaste@westminster.gov.uk www.westminster.gov.uk/food-waste-recycling www.westminster.gov.uk/climate-action-plan

Biofertiliser Food waste will also be transformed into a biofertiliser, which will be used on farmland to grow more food.

CONTENTS

The Westminster Reporter is published by Westminster City Council, Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP. Designed by Westco Communications, Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP. Printed by MBA Group Ltd, MBA House, Garman Road, London, N17 0HW. Printed on FSC® certified material. Please recycle The Westminster Reporter. The Westminster Reporter wrapping is made from a compostable potato starch – it’s better for our environment and can be disposed of in your usual waste collection or in a composter if you have one. For more information on recycling call the Environmental Action Line on 020 7641 2000. If you would prefer not to receive future copies of The Westminster Reporter please email reporter@westminster.gov.uk, call 020 7641 6000 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm or write to The Editor at the address below. To discuss editorial matters, please contact: The Editor, Westminster City Council, Westminster City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP. Email: reporter@westminster.gov.uk Minicom: 020 7641 2948

4–5 Council Updates The latest from the council plus the Leader’s Column

7 Braving the elements Whatever the weather, our communities stand strong

8–9 Proud of Westminster Working together to keep our city clean

Advertising: please contact Claire Appleby on 020 7641 3388, or cappleby@westminster.gov.uk

Reference copies of The Westminster Reporter are available in large print and audiotape format. To have a free copy sent to your home call 020 7641 6000.

A safer city A strategy for protecting women and girls

10 – 13 Cover story: City for All How we’re building a smarter, greener, vibrant and thriving Westminster

City Lions at Easter Art and engagement opportunities for the city’s young people

21 Check out our Libraries Much more than just a place for books The Vitality Mile The landmark foot race returns!

22 – 23 Council Services How to get in touch with our teams

@CityWestminster

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

/CityWestminster

A place to call home Providing new lives for those most in need

Westminster City Council’s email newsletters are a great way to stay up-to-date with the latest news, offers and events. For more information about the range of newsletters visit westminster.gov.uk/newsletters @CityWestminster

MyWestminster Access council services anytime, anywhere

18 – 19

The Westminster Reporter is delivered to homes throughout Westminster. Also available from libraries and leisure centres.

For general enquiries about the council, call our switchboard on 020 7641 6000.

Night Stars The volunteers helping people throughout the city end their nights right

Westminster City Council does not endorse any product or service marked as an advertisement in this publication.

If you encounter delivery problems, please call 020 7641 6000.

March 2022 – Issue 140

COUNCIL UPDATES

Keep informed Our website is updated daily with the latest information and advice. You can also sign up to our regular newsletter at westminster.gov.uk/newslettersignup

Make your vote count On 5 May, Westminster takes to the polls in the 2022 Local Elections, your chance to have a say in who represents you and your needs at Westminster City Council. Paying Council Tax in Westminster doesn't mean you're automatically eligible to vote. Make sure to check our website to find out if you're properly registered. Following a statutory review of the electoral arrangements, this year the number of wards in the borough will decrease from 20 to 18 and the total number of councillors across the City of Westminster will be reduced to 54. It’s vital that you make your voice heard in these elections and registering to vote has never been easier.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Find out more about registering to vote at westminster.gov.uk/about-council/democracy or call the electoral services team on 020 7641 2730 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

See an issue? Report it! We know a safe and clean Westminster is a round-the-clock job, so we are encouraging everyone to play their part in keeping it a great place to live, work and play. If a resident or visitor finds an issue, they can tell us through the ‘Report it’ form on our website. We can be notified of street problems such as potholes, faulty drains and street lighting, or environmental issues such as stray dogs, fly-tipping and unsafe footpaths. We also want people to report anti-social behaviour, food safety issues, housing conditions and planning breaches. To let us know about issues big and small and to get progress updates, visit westminster.gov.uk/report-it

Helping with the cost of living We know that many people are worried about the rising cost of living in 2022, including rising energy bills. We want to provide as much support and help as possible to our residents. Our website contains a wealth of help and guidance, including practical advice on how you can cut your energy use at home and other ways to save money.

LEADER’S C O L U M N

Find out more at westminster.gov.uk/advice-andfinancial-help-residents

Setting our Council Tax We are doing all we can to help local communities by delivering value for money services. That’s why the council’s cabinet has proposed freezing the general element of its Council Tax for 2022/23 with a 1% Adult Social Care precept increase that is ringfenced to fund our adult social care services for residents. The council’s budget will be approved at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday 2 March, after this edition went to print. See our website for full details.

An exhibition called ‘Windrush Generation: Unsung Heroes’ is coming to Harrow Road Library on Windrush Day, Wednesday 22 June, celebrating the lives of the borough’s Windrush heroes. The Windrush Taskforce is asking those who lived through this period to contribute to the exhibition by sharing their experiences and artefacts, such as passports, photographs, letters, travel tickets, newspaper clippings, books, suitcases, clothing, Dutch pots, records and any other notable items from the Windrush Generation, along with their stories.

As the economy recovers, we are doing everything we can to support jobs for local people – such as this issue’s cover star, Thidarat Kaha who recently featured her sustainable fashion range as part of our popup initiative (see page 12). We’re also there to pick people up when they need help, such as Westminster’s rough sleepers (see page 18). COVID-19 has been hard on everyone and the cost of living is rising. That’s why we’re proposing to freeze the Council Tax to keep at least one bill low. I hope you enjoy this issue and thank you to the brilliant residents who make this city special.

If you would like to contribute to the exhibition please contact windrush@westminster.gov.uk

It’s people such as street cleaner Carlton (page 8) who make Westminster such a great place to live (people are always telling me how much they appreciate our cleaning crews). Every day they deliver a world-class service and when emergencies strike – such as floods or the recent storms – Carlton and colleagues are there to restore our city.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Spotlighting the Windrush Generation

As we emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, we are working hard on what matters to our residents – clean streets, affordable housing, help to get a job and support for the vulnerable. These are all at the heart of our new blueprint for Westminster – City for All.

CLLR RACHAEL ROBATHAN LEADER OF WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL

COME AND CREATE IN

WESTMINSTER We have a wide range of creative short courses for anyone wanting to explore their creativity or for those wanting to upskill in particular areas: • Ceramics • Art • Floristry • Graphic Design • Photoshop • And more

ENROL NOW www.waes.ac.uk

info@waes.ac.uk | 020 7297 7297

Braving the elements However bad the weather, Westminster’s sense of community stands strong THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

The amazing community spirit showed by residents and businesses was in full force recently as London experienced some of the most severe storms in recent years. Along with our partners, we worked hard to keep council services running as normally as possible while at the same time working with all communities to keep the city as safe as possible in the difficult conditions. Cleaning teams and City Inspectors were out across Westminster clearing debris and assessing damage to buildings and construction sites. They worked closely with the emergency services to isolate incidents and make them safe for residents. In particular, we’d received reports of a number of fallen trees blocking roads, which were cleared as quickly as possible. Outreach teams encouraged rough sleepers to make use of additional beds put in place at shelters, and we made sure to look after and care for our most vulnerable residents. As a result, care homes reported no issues and day care settings remained open.

Perhaps most inspiring of all, despite the storm, registrars were able to marry nine couples as planned in what must surely be a day to remember for all. SAFETY IN WESTMINSTER

Proud of Westminster A shared effort to keep the city looking its best We want everyone in Westminster to be proud of the area in which they live in. We all have a part to play in making this happen, from our amazing team of street cleaners, to residents and visitors in all parts of the city. We know how proud our residents are of their local neighbourhoods and we are doing everything we can to support them. By disposing of waste correctly and making a communal effort to keep the city looking its best.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

We have launched Proud of Westminster to support our residents and businesses to recycle more and dispose of waste correctly, encourage people to act more sustainably and to keep our streets clean and safe. We take our role in keeping the city clean very seriously, taking a holistic approach by linking together enforcement, cleaning and sustainability work. Recycling and waste disposal is easy, and collectively we can reduce how much waste we produce, find ways to reuse materials or recycle them to protect our environment. Recycling and disposing of waste correctly makes a real difference. We have also introduced a weekend rapid response street cleansing service focusing on residential streets in response to more than 140 street sweeping requests received over the past year. The introduction of new Electric Assisted Vehicle bikes also helps to keep our streets clean, reduce carbon emissions and reduce noise.

Find out more at westminster.gov.uk/ proud-of-westminster

Carlton, one of our hard-working street cleansing team

GREENER AND CLEANER

Our waste fleet is making the switch to green energy

Check before you chuck

Keeping our streets clean is a priority in Westminster. Every year, we collect 6,650 tonnes of litter from bins and 12,350 tonnes swept up from the ground. Our streets are regularly swept and washed to maintain a high standard of cleanliness across the city 24 hours a day by 300 street sweepers. If you see anything that needs our attention, such as fly-tipping, report it via our website.

The amount of waste people create is constantly increasing and has a harmful effect on our natural environment. You can help by reducing, reusing or recycling the amount of waste you throw away in the rubbish – just check before you chuck.

westminster.gov.uk/report-it

We need the help of residents and businesses to recycle more – everyone has a part to play. westminster.gov.uk/check-beforeyou-chuck

Food waste recycling expansion

Bulky waste collection service

We introduced a food waste recycling trial service for around 7,000 households during autumn 2019 and this service has continued to run ever since, collecting over 690 tonnes of food waste to be recycled in total. Following the success of the trial, we will be expanding the service to every home in Westminster throughout 2022 where suitable.

We can collect fridges, sofas, cookers and much more, book a bulky waste collection service with us for £31 for up to six items. westminster.gov.uk/collections/ how-dispose-bulky-waste

westminster.gov.uk/food-wasterecycling-expansion

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Street cleaning services

GREENER AND CLEANER

Making a City for All Understanding the needs of our residents is an important part of shaping the services we provide Our refreshed City for All strategy is a vision for a smarter, greener and cleaner city with thriving, vibrant communities that everyone – residents, workers and visitors alike – can contribute towards. The strategy is divided into four main pillars which, either taken individually or as a cohesive whole, set out our plan to make Westminster a world-class, inclusive city of which we can all feel proud to be a part.* *Text correct at time of going to print.

Vibrant Communities Our City for All strategy aims to improve the life of every Westminster resident – from giving our younger communities the best start in life, to being part of the biggest building scheme of new affordable homes in south Westminster in more than 50 years. Residents and visitors should feel safe wherever they are in the city and everyone should be encouraged to live healthier, longer lives.

Designed a new early help service to improve children’s communication skills. Launched the WelcoME app to better meet the needs of visitors to our offices with accessibility requirements. Decreased the number of people sleeping rough in Westminster by nearly 50% since 2019. What’s planned next

Through our investment of £3.75m in housing, employment, and mental health, we are committed to tackling inequalities in our communities made worse by COVID-19.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

We have also continued to improve the service offered to social housing residents by increasing the number of housing officers by one-third and doubling the number of repair surveyors.

Other ways we’re building vibrant communities

Libraries such as Victoria offer activities and events for all ages CITY FOR ALL

Continuing to build affordable homes and support others to do so across the city. Involve local communities in planning processes.

Residents planting flowers as part of Church Street’s new 'Green Spine'

We are planning to be a net zero carbon council by 2030 and a net zero carbon city by 2040. To hit those targets, we’ve consulted with residents and businesses to create an achievable Climate Action Plan. Since 2019, we are proud to say we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 11.9%. To keep us on track, this year we will establish a Climate and Air Quality Alliance of volunteers to shape our approach to tackling the climate emergency and assessing our progress. By 2023, we intend to present a robust Climate Adaptation Plan future proof and protect our city from climate change and extreme weather events.

Became the first local authority in the UK to install 1,000 electric vehicle charge points. Worked with resident groups to improve the air quality around Marylebone station. Created safer spaces around schools and encouraged active travel to and from schools. What’s planned next Becoming the first local authority in Europe to charge our electric waste collection vehicles with the energy generated from our own waste. Completing the roll out of the food waste we collect across the city. Retrofit council buildings to cut up to 20% of their emissions.

With mental and physical health as our priority we will ensure our streets, parks and open spaces are safe and clean. To improve air quality, we have introduced fully electric street sweeping vehicles on our West End’s streets and will begin to introduce electric vehicles into our waste collection fleet.

Other ways we’ve gone greener

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Greener and Cleaner

CITY FOR ALL

Thriving Economy Westminster’s economy is critical to London’s success. City for All will ensure that Westminster has a thriving economy, reinvigorating our high streets and helping our young people find career paths.

Other ways we’ve boosted our economy Created over 100 apprenceship opportunities through the Kickstart programme.

During the pandemic, we’ve helped businesses access £230m in grants and more than £1bn in business rates relief. Whether providing one-to-one advice for startups, offering venues for impromptu festivals, or helping companies of all sizes find affordable office space in the heart of London, Westminster continues to attract forward-thinking brands and innovative businesses. We’re also enabling the local workforce to grow by partnering with different sectors to support residents seeking new education, training and employment opportunities. Thanks to this ongoing programme of investment, residents and visitors will continue to benefit from Westminster’s employment, cultural and leisure opportunities while sharing in the economic growth that comes from a city with a thriving economy.

Revitalised vacant shops throughout the West End with pop-up stores. Rolled out the al-fresco dining scheme meaning more than 900 businessess were able to stay open during the pandemic. Revitalised ten vacant shops across Oxford Street, Regent Street and Mayfair with pop up stores, with our partners to feature over 25 up-and-coming brands and start-ups. What’s planned next Consultation on more outdoor dining schemes across the city. Develop the future of the Oxford Street District in response to residents’ views.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Ebury Edge is encouraging small businesses to serve their local areas

CITY FOR ALL

Our Innovation Challenge participants brainstorming ideas to improve the city

We want Westminster to be a global centre for innovation using new tools and technology. From assisted living technology for those living with dementia, to making it easier to connect with council services, a smart city will improve lives for residents, businesses and visitors alike. The provision of full-fibre broadband for all social housing residents makes transacting with council services smoother than ever. We've also introduced the MyWestminster Digital Card and to build on this, we will be piloting the use of a virtual wallet for residents (see page 14 for more on this).

Developed the Tech Lions programme for young apprentices interested in software and data analytic careers. Made sure 1 in 4 children received a laptop or computer to continue learning during lockdown. What’s planned next To work with housing associations to roll out full-fibre broadband on our estates. Pilot assistive technologies to support residents’ wellbeing. Find out more about our City for All vision via our website at westminster.gov.uk/city-for-all

CITY FOR ALL

Our Digital Academy provides bootcamps for residents, Digi Days for schools, and a digital skills hub for businesses and residents ensuring everyone has the opportunity to develop their skills. Westminster is also leading the way in smart technology with pollution monitors and flooding sensors helping to keep the city safe and clean.

Other ways ways we’re making the city smarter

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Smart City

Westminster’s services at your fingertips Accessing our services has become quicker, safer and easier for residents thanks to the new MyWestminster web portal In a smart city, council services should be available for you to access when and wherever you need them. This is why we’re excited to launch the new MyWestminster portal. This ‘onestop shop’ web portal means residents can access a number of council services, starting with libraries and City Save offers.

Taking less than ten minutes, you can register your details and gain instant access to our services. The portal saves you time and convenience, as you will only need to provide your information once and do not have to travel to collect membership cards. On top of that, we have gone green. Once registered, you can download the digital card and save it to your Apple and Google Pay wallets. This not only reduces instances of single-use plastic, it also saves you from having to collect a membership card in person. If you’re not yet confident with all-things digital, then don’t worry. Our libraries will be hosting a series of workshops so that you can learn more about the portal. Finally, you can continue to use your physical library and City Save cards alongside the new digital one. Find out more details and register for your MyWestminster Digital Card at westminster.gov.uk/mywestminster

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

REG IS TE RING FOR MY WE S TMINS TER P ORTAL

SMART CITY

Working together to end violence against women and girls

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

A strategy that has been researched and created with survivors Nationally, we know that on average two women are killed every week by a current or former partner while one in five women have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16. This issue also takes place here in Westminster and it is estimated to affect one in three women and girls at some point in their lifetime. This is why we have partnered once again with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to launch our ‘Violence Against Women and Girls’ (VAWG) strategy. Building on the nationally recognised best practice work that has been taking place in Westminster since our first VAWG strategy in 2015, we are continuing to put this societal issue at the heart of our work. SAFETY IN WESTMINSTER

What is violence against women and girls? Locally and nationally, we have adopted the United Nations’ definition of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), which states: ‘Any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.’ Visit our website to read our VAWG Strategy at westminster.gov.uk/vawg

MY TH There is nothing we can do to stop violence against women and girls.

FAC T VAWG is the product of learned attitudes and behaviour. By eliminating gender stereotypes and promoting a culture of respect and equality at home, at work, in communities, and across society we can work together to end VAWG.

The stars keeping us all safe Our volunteers will be available in even more parts of the city Following the success of our most successful street safety initiatives, Soho Angels, we are expanding the service across Westminster. The volunteers, now called Night Stars, will form part of our wider Night Safety campaign and they will be starting their expansion in March across areas such as the Strand. Working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and the St John Ambulance service, volunteers ensure anyone who is lost or afraid gets the help they need. Forensic psychology student Emmanuella Fadire heard about the initiative at a volunteer fair: “It was explained how they worked with all manner of people including LGBTQ+, BAME, women, children and disabled communities – groups who often frequent the area of Soho

as they believe it to be a safe space. When I heard this, I was inspired to join right away!” Emmanuella says she loves the variety of the role but especially enjoys talking to people to make them feel comfortable and safe, “whether that be through a smile, a short conversation, offering advice or even just listening to what someone has to say.” The toughest part of her job is seeing how vulnerable people can get, especially those who are seriously hurt or who have had their possessions stolen. “I worry for those people,” she says, “so we definitely do the best we can to help them.” Our volunteer explains that it is not all serious and there is a lot of light-hearted banter with revellers on a night out. “Sometimes they just want to try on my hi-vis jacket!”

Encouraging others to volunteer, Emmanuella adds, “You’ll always have an entertaining story to tell, and most people are incredibly pleasant – it feels so rewarding to interact with them.” With her shift over at 5am, Emmanuella heads home to relax and reflect on the night. “On shift, I often learn a lot of random historical facts – such as The Seven Noses of Soho,” she says, “but that’s another story...” We need your help. Can you spare one Friday or Saturday night a month to join the Night Stars? Find out more at westminster. gov.uk/night-safety

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Our Night Safety volunteers are there to protect anyone needing help

SAFETY IN WESTMINSTER

A place to call home Westminster faces a bigger challenge from the issue of rough sleeping than nearly any local authority in the country. It is devastating to see people in need and we are determined to do everything we can to help

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

With a budget of more than £7m being allocated for our rough sleeping services, our commitment to preventing homelessness and improving response times has never been stronger. During the last year, working with our partners, we helped more than 650 rough sleepers move to safe accommodation. One of those was 52-year-old Mrs A (identity protected) who found settling in a hostel difficult after having been sleeping rough. Westminster Compass Team, a St Mungo’s commissioned service, quickly identified her needs and the support they could offer. With psychological care at the forefront of their approach, the team spent time building a relationship with Mrs A to fully understand her mental health and learning disability needs. Today, Mrs A is very happy to be living in one of our Housing First units for people with complex needs, saying: “Now I’ve moved in here, I can get on with my life.” We have also offered routes back in to training or work with Beam – an employment service dedicated to helping the homeless. Beam says that 81% of people using its service successfully start work with an average full-time salary of £28,000. One client, Lawrence, was living on the streets when he was referred to Beam. A crowd-funding campaign was immediately set up to help him get on track to become a trained railway engineer. Lawrence is delighted the £4,500 raised was enough to cover the training, travel and equipment to start his journey. StreetLink is an initiative that encourages the public to get involved by connecting those sleeping rough with local services. IMPROVING LIVES

When 30-year-old refugee Sammy made a self-referral, he was given a place to stay the next day due to the quick reporting by StreetLink to Westminster’s outreach team. Sammy is now settled in a North London flat and his dream to work in security is being made possible by a Home Office integration loan to support his Security Industry Authority training. We are continuing to work closely with our prevention team and partner organisations to help those who are sleeping rough get off the streets and into accommodation. To find out more about our work, visit westminster.gov.uk/rough-sleeping

CHANG E THAT KE EP S G IVING Rough sleepers need help not only when it’s cold but all year round. Here are a few ways you can help: • A smile, a wave or even a chat can go a long way to improving someone’s self-esteem. • If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough, please alert StreetLink via their app, their website (streetlink.org.uk) or by calling 0300 500 0914 • Aggressive begging can be reported on the Met Police website at met.police.uk

St Mungo’s

The Passage

West London Mission

0 20 3856 6000

0 20 7592 1850

0 20 4530 7800

info@mungos.org

volunteering@passage.org.uk

office@wlm.org.uk

mungos.org

passage.org.uk

wlm.org.uk

Look Ahead

The Connection at St Martin’s

Turning Point

0 20 7766 5544

0 20 7481 7600

getintouch@lookahead.org.uk

services@cstm.org.uk

turning-point.co.uk

lookahead.org.uk

connection-at-stmartins.org.uk

0 333 010 4600

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YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY DONATING TO, OR VOLUNTEERING WITH, REGISTERED HOMELESS CHARITIES SUCH AS:

IMPROVING LIVES

City Lions this Easter Have fun and explore your creative side during the Easter holidays with our youth network City Lions is for the young people of Westminster, whether you live or attend school in the area, you are eligible to attend our fun-packed programmes throughout the year. We hold a range of free in-person workshops that aim to help young people between the ages of 13 and 16 explore their own creativity and expand their horizons.

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Here’s what's happening in the run-up to the Easter holidays…

C I T Y L I O N S CREAT IV E CO L L E C T I VE IS B ACK With 2022 well underway, we wanted to share and celebrate the creativity of Westminster’s brilliant young talent and showcase how art, in all its different forms, can be used to express themselves. After the successful turn out of our 2021 artists, the Creative Collective is back and looking for art of any type from sketches to sculptures that respond to the following themes: Love and Unity, Climate Change, Your Future, and Equality. The winning pieces will be showcased in a variety of exhibitions later this year. Last year’s Creative Collective can be viewed in our Virtual Exhibition. Visit citylions.org/ students/creative-collective-virtual-gallery/

HO LIDAY ACTIVITIE S Our programme will include a wide range of activities for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/ or Disabilities (SEND). Do let us know if you need additional support or have access requirements and we will adapt to include you.

FRE E FO O D S UPPO RT OVE R THE HO L IDAYS Free places and food will be provided for those eligible for free school meals. Access to affordable fresh food is available at The Abbey Centre and Westbourne Park Pantries. Find out more at yourlocalpantry.co.uk

Visit citylions.org for updates on the latest opportunities or sign up to our monthly newsletter. You can also visit ourcity.org.uk to see what’s coming up in Westminster – new activities are added daily! CITY LIONS

Check out our libraries Our historic libraries bring people together and offer learning opportunities and space for people of all ages and every background We are currently building new libraries at Seymour Leisure Centre and Church Street as part of the redevelopment of those sites. We are also updating the library at Paddington and the lease at Mayfair will be extended. We also have a free online service with more than 40,000 titles available to read on your computer or phone, while Victoria’s new business library provides a hub for local entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground with coworking spaces, workshops and advice all to hand. Find out more about our libraries on 020 7361 3993 or at westminster.gov.uk/libraries and sign up for our regular newsletter to stay informed about the latest events and offers.

After 1,000 days, runners are again able to participate in the famous Vitality Mile The world’s most iconic mile run is back this year. The Westminster Mile will follow a spectacular route in central London, starting on The Mall, running alongside Horse Guards Parade and onto Birdcage Walk before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace. It was first launched in 2013 by London Marathon Events in partnership with Westminster City Council as a legacy event from the 2012 Olympic Games. In 2019, it broke the world record for the number of finishers at a timed mile event with over 9,000 people taking part. The run is for all ages and abilities with mile events for families, schools, adults, and many more.

WHY NOT TAKE PART IN THE RUN? The 2022 run takes place on Sunday 1 May. It offers an opportunity to run, jog or walk through some of the most famous landmarks in the world. Participants can also visit the Vitality Wellness Festival in Green Park with additional attractions to enjoy. Entries are now open and cost £8 for adults and £6 for 12 to 18-year-olds. Children aged 11 and under can take part for free.

SAFETY IN WESTMINSTER

Learn more and register by visiting the website at vitalitywestminstermile.co.uk

The Vitality Mile is open to runners from all age groups and abilities

THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

Vitality Mile is finally back

Your council services How to get in touch with the council department you need General Contact Details 020 7641 6000 responsewcc@westminster.gov.uk westminster.gov.uk Adult Education

registeroffice@westminster.gov.uk westminster.gov.uk/birth-and-death-certificatesmarriages-and-citizenship Business Unit 0 20 7641 2070

info@waes.ac.uk

businessunit@westminster.gov.uk

waes.ac.uk

businesswestminster.com Cemeteries

0 20 7641 1444 or 020 7641 1175

0 20 8567 0913

adultsocialcare@westminster.gov.uk

parks@westminster.gov.uk

peoplefirstinfo.org.uk Animal Welfare THE WESTMINSTER REPORTER | WESTMINSTER.GOV.UK/REPORTER

0 20 7641 7500

0 20 7297 7297

Adult Social Care

Births, Deaths and Marriages (Register Office)

Children and Family Information Service 07971 625 922

awarden@westminster.gov.uk

fis@westminster.gov.uk

westminster.gov.uk/animal-welfare

westminster.gov.uk/children-and-education

Anti-Social Behaviour

Council Tax

0 800 358 3783 (freephone)

0 343 178 2743

housing.enquiries@westminster.gov.uk

westminstercounciltax1@secure.capita.co.uk

westminster.gov.uk/housing

westminster.gov.uk/council-tax