Ding dong

On Wednesday September 9 London will celebrate ‘Ding Day’, to build up a sense of community among the capital’s cyclists.

On the day, cyclists are asked to greet each other with a ‘ding ding’ of the bell, turning the city into a symphony of bicycle bells. If you are greeted, you must ‘ding’ back.

Ding Day is now in its second year and its organisers hope the idea will help celebrate cycling in the city and create a fun experience for cyclists and residents.

The day has backing from the London Cycling Campaign, Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy and your local cycling councillors.

De Beauvoir's "king of the world" wins gold

Phillips Idowu from De Beauvoir Estate last night won gold in the World Championship tripple-jump final, with a huge leap of 17.73 metres.

His hard won success shows every young person that you should never give up on the goals you set yourself. Idowu had to settle for silver in Beijing, but last night was able to say: "I’m the king of the world."

And there's more to come from him yet. He told reporters: "I still have a dream of being the Olympic champion".

Enforcement in action

The owners of Scooterden have been forced by Hackney Council to remove a huge unsightly advertising poster they'd erected without permission on Tottenham Road.

Residents on Tottenham Road had complained to councillors that the advertising sign did nothing to help improve the local environment.

Colville Summer Party

Colville's summer party, organised by the Colville Estate Tenants & Residents Associationn (CETRA), was yet again a massive success.

With some fantastic sunny weather, a live DJ and probably the biggest bouncy castle you're ever likely to see, local kids had fun all afternoon.

The party ended with one big football match played by kids of all ages and skillfully refereed by Maggie Worster from CETRA (players pictured above).

Congratulations to all the organisers and to the weather.

Things for young people to do this summer

Young people across Hackney will be within easy reach of activities throughout the summer, as the Council steps up its commitment to making Hackney a good place to grow up.

Hackney’s Youth Summer Activities programme provides details of the many offerings available for young people to live, learn, participate, play, relax and enjoy in the borough this summer.

It’s part of a £3.7m commitment over the next two years for positive activities for young people, including arts, sports and outdoors; schemes for those interested in youth enterprise, leadership and social action; and school holiday activities.

The programme includes six-weeks of hip-hop dance, music and art at Hoxton Hall; football at Kingsmead Community Sports Club; a parks tennis tournament; youth clubs; and Access to Sports, which specifically targets groups of 8-19-year-olds.

A free photography workshop for those aged between 13 and 25 also takes place at the Blue Hut, Provost Street, every Tuesday between 3.30pm and 9pm.

Hackney Youth Service has also launched a brand new website this summer. Young Hackney has been created exclusively for young people, by young people. It's a place to post your own articles, make music and find out what’s going on in the borough.

To give us your views about the new website and be in with a chance to win an iPod Nano or a scholarship in media or music production at Point Blank Studios, visit www.younghackney.org and enter an easy competition.

For more information about summer activities for young people in Hackney visit the Council’s website: www.hackney.gov.uk/summer-activities

The missing bollard returns

Local members of the London Cycling Campaign pointed out that the bollard on the cycle lane from Middleton Road on to De Beauvoir Square had been removed, and cars had started using the lane to go onto Middleton Road from De Beauvoir Square.

We're pleased to say the bollard has now been replaced by Hackney's Streetscene department.

Our thanks go to the speedy response of Council officers.

De Beauvoir Square front page news

De Beauvoir Square makes it onto Hackney’s front pages once again, with Green Flag status awarded for the quality of the open public space, the splash in Hackney Today.

The coverage of the Square follows front page coverage of this year’s successful Party in the Park.

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