Forest Gate's community newspaper, the Forest Gate Times, has made it's latest edition available for download in portable document format (PDF).
Click here to get your copy.
If you don't have the latest version of Adobe Reader, the program needed to open PDF documents, you can get it here.
The Forest Gate Times web site is under development and they hope to have it up and running in the near future.
Nina Panayas, a teacher at Godwin Junior School, is officially the best teacher in the country. Even Tony Blair says so.
Ms. Panayas beat more than 100 teachers from across Britain to win the National Teaching Award.
The Prime Minister unexpectedly visited Godwin school on Wednesday October 22 to congratulate Ms. Panayas on her success. Tony Blair presented her with the award during an assembly and spent nearly an hour talking to staff and students.
Councillor Graham Lane, Cabinet Member for Education and Training, said: "This is a marvellous achievement on Nina’s part and is testimony to the calibre of teaching staff in Newham.
"Educational standards in Newham are improving and will continue to improve thanks to the hard work of our teachers and the innovative work going on in our schools."
Headteacher Tom Canning, who made the nomination, said: "She is charismatic and inspirational in the classroom. She can make the most extraordinary concepts seem simple.
"She has a spark in her that can reach out to every child in the room. They bond with her extremely quickly and many of them come back to see her even after they’ve left us.
"When I nominated Nina I knew she would win. No one could beat her. To say that she is outstanding would to be to underestimate her value."
As part of the judging process one of Ms. Panayas’s lessons was observed by the judges, and the headteacher, parents, governors and children were interviewed before a decision was reached.
She will receive a prize package of cash and equipment worth over £25,000 for her school.
Nina Panayas will take over as headteacher of Godwin Junior School, Cranmer Road, E7 in January when current headteacher Tom Canning moves to another school in Newham.
A Police operation against prostitution and kerb-crawling in Forest Gate has caught 33 offenders in just 4 nights, along with 2 prostitutes, a drunk driver and man wanted for burglary.
Around 20 officers were involved in the operation, which was focussed around the Green Street area. A simlar scheme netted 42 kerb-crawlers in July and police say another sweep will be carried out before Christmas.
A police spokesperson said, "Kerb-crawlers encourage prostitutes to work in the area. That isn't nice for local residents." She added that as many working girls are also drug users they attract dealers into the area, which in turn fuels associated street crimes like robbery. Kerb-crawlers also approached local female residents, which caused distress.
Police are asking Forest Gate residents who are concerned about prostitution in their neighbourhood to contact them on 020 8217 5313.
A 21-year old man from Forest Gate is one of three people arrested following the theft of six Aston Martin cars estimated to be worth £500,000 from a dealer in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Nathan James, of Rutland Road, has been charged with burglary, driving without a licence or insurance and "aggravated vehicle taking." He is being held in custody following a magistrates court hearing.
James and the others were arrested following a police chase that at one point led to the Blackwall Tunnel being closed. Police say they have recovered 4 of the stolen cars.
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