HWHPRA

Licence Application – Morris Dancer Public House

Darren Wise — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 04:22:43 +0000

The council has received notice from Omo Mase Ltd to apply for an alcohol licence at the former Morris Dancer Public House. Residents have until 11 May to write in with any objections to licensing@havering.gov.uk

Further details can be found here on what you need to provide if you object to the issuance of the licence.

https://www.havering.gov.uk/business-havering/licences-street-trading/3

In order to make a representation. The council will need:

your name and address
the name and address of the premises about which you are making representation
the licensing objective(s) that you think will not be met if the application is granted
the reason(s) for your view and any evidence in support
your telephone number so our licensing officers can discuss the matter with you if necessary

We have also obtained a copy of the application and have attached it here for your information.

Omo Mase Application summary

Please do let us know whether you are for or against this application so that when it comes to the licensing committee we can make representations to the committee members.

Please email us or copy us in at the following email addresses when emailing licensing:

councillorbrian.eagling@havering.gov.uk

councillormartin.goode@havering.gov.uk

councillordarren.wise@havering.gov.uk

We have also written in with our concerns about this application.

Cllrs Brian Eagling, Martin Goode, Darren Wise

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The Canterbury Tales’

Darren Wise — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:32:28 +0000

The Canterbury Tales’ at The Little Theatre, Harold Wood – Geoffrey Chaucer’s creation about storytelling pilgrims

‘The Canterbury Tales’ is a collection of stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer. We are bringing you a new adaptation – in modern English – by Nick Warburton. Our Canterbury Tales, directed by Lucy Green, will feature The Knight’s Tale, The Miller’s Tale, The Wife of Bath’s Tale, The Pardoner’s Tale, The Friar’s Tale and The Franklin’s Tale. It will certainly be a lot of fun!

Performances are 8pm nightly on 17-20 June plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets just £9 from guildonian-players.sumupstore.com or call 07762 133620 to reserve and pay on door.

This production is entered in the Havering Drama Festival of full length plays, run by Havering Arts Council, which Guildonians have won for the past two years with ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’ and ‘Leading Ladies’ – will it be a hat trick?!

If you fancy a jolly good laugh, come to The Little Theatre! (RM3 0DU)

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Councillor Role Activities

Darren Wise — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:30:51 +0000

What Elected Councillors Can And Can’t Do

Havering’s 55 elected councillors set the overall direction — rules, priorities, and spending — but they don’t run services day to day. That work is carried out by council officers

Here’s a what councillors in the London Borough of Havering are responsible for.

What our councillors do:

1. Represent you and your area

Councillors are elected to speak on behalf of residents in their ward (local area).

They:

Listen to your concerns and raise them with the council

Attend meetings with residents and community groups

Speak up for local needs when decisions are being made

2. Help solve local problems (“casework”)

This is one of their most visible roles. They can:

Chase missed bin collections, fly-tipping, or street cleaning

Push for repairs to council housing or report private housing concerns

Raise issues like potholes, broken streetlights, or unsafe areas

Help with complaints about council services

They don’t fix things themselves—but they can push officers to act and keep you updated.

3. Set Council Tax and the overall budget

Councillors decide:

How much Council Tax residents pay each year

How the council’s budget is divided between services

For example, they may debate whether more funding should go to:

Social care

Libraries

Parks and green spaces

Youth services

4. Decide policies and local rules

Councillors agree the policies that guide how the council operates, such as:

Housing policies

Parking rules and permits

Waste and recycling policies

Environmental and climate strategies

These policies shape how services are delivered across Havering.

5. Make planning and licensing decisions

Councillors sit on committees that decide:

Planning applications: e.g. new housing developments, extensions, or major building projects

Licensing: e.g. pub and bar opening hours, taxis, and other licensed activities

They must follow planning law and consider evidence — not personal preference.

6. Scrutinise and hold the council to account

Councillors check that the council is doing its job properly. They:

Question decisions made by senior councillors or officers

Review how services are performing

Investigate problems and suggest improvements

This is often done through overview and scrutiny committees.

7. Appoint leadership and key roles

Councillors:

Elect the Council Leader (who leads the council’s political direction)

Appoint committees and positions of responsibility

Help shape the council’s leadership structure

8. Work with partners and outside organisations

They often work with:

Local charities and community groups

Health services (like the NHS locally)

Police and safety partnerships

Even though they don’t control these organisations, they can raise issues and push for action.

9. Support community projects and funding

Councillors may:

Help local groups apply for grants

Support community initiatives and events

Promote improvements in their ward

Some councils also give councillors small local budgets to support projects.

10. Act in a regulatory and standards role

Councillors help ensure fairness and proper conduct by:

Sitting on standards committees (handling complaints about councillors)

Following a code of conduct (rules about behaviour and conflicts of interest)

Making decisions in a fair, legal, and transparent way

What councillors cannot do

They have important limits:

1. They don’t manage staff or operations:

They cannot instruct bin crews, assign individual jobs, or fire employees.

2. They don’t control police or most transport:

These are overseen by the Mayor of London and bodies like Transport for London.

3. They must follow the law:

They cannot ignore national legislation or cut legally required services like adult social care.

4. They are not all-powerful individually:

Most decisions are made collectively through committees or full council meetings.

5. The Havering Mayor is ceremonial:

The Mayor mainly represents the borough at events.

6. Real decision-making power lies with councillors and the Council Leader.

Who should you contact?

Your councillor:

For local issues like housing, bins, roads, or antisocial behaviour

Your MP:

For national matters like benefits, immigration, or tax (e.g. HM Revenue and Customs)

Transport bodies:

For buses, trains, and major roads, contact Transport for London

In simple terms

Councillors represent you, set the rules, decide spending, and hold the council to account.

Council staff carry out the work and deliver services. Understanding this split makes it much easier to know who can actually help — and how decisions affecting your area are made.

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Supporting the Army Benevolent Fund for our Veterans and their Familie

Darren Wise — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:54:40 +0000

My name is Vanessa Zopp, and I am writing as a long‑standing local resident and small business owner to ask, very respectfully, for your support with a charitable challenge for our veterans and families. On 6 – 7 June 2026, I am taking on the Cateran Yomp, run by the Army Benevolent Fund, which is described as one of the toughest charity endurance events in the UK. It is in the Scottish wilderness around Blairgowrie and challenges participants to walk 54 miles in 24 hours – so basically walking a double marathon half in the day and half in the night- my secret challenge as a solo ultra-hiker is to make it! A silent army of veterans and their families struggle every day with dignified grit: the purpose of my fundraising is to raise awareness and help make the transition into civilian life less brutal and more stable—for those who went away, those who waited, and those who will meet and love them as friends, partners, lovers, children, brothers and sisters, colleagues, students, etc. Every step taken raises vital funds to ensure the Army Benevolent Fund can continue to support soldiers, veterans and their families – for life.

You can read more about my fundraising and motivation here:
https://events.armybenevolentfund.org/fundraisers/vanessazopp/cateranyomp2026

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Harold Wood Library Update

Darren Wise — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:20:52 +0000

There was a wonderful turnout of support at the recent meeting to hear the latest update on the progress to re open the library. The Harold Wood Foundation is currently negotiating a realistic rental agreement for a seven year lease with council officers. A formal request has also been submitted to the Planning Department to have the Library included on the local Heritage list which would give long term protection against any future development or demolition. Thank you to all our community for your support as we continue to move forward.

Rachel Grimwood

Details of the presentation and a template letter to encourage residents to write into the Council Planning Department to get the library on the local Heritage List can be found below

HWF Presentation (2) (2)

The Three Key Areas to Include in the Letter

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Havering Dementia Carers Support Group (HDCSG)

Darren Wise — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:39:19 +0000

For over 10 years, Havering Dementia Carers Support Group (HDCSG) has been a lifeline for local people living with dementia and the carers who support them every day.

What We Do

HDCSG provides a safe, welcoming and supportive space where:

People living with dementia can take part in stimulating games and activities designed to support memory, communication and wellbeing.

Carers can connect with others who understand their journey, reducing isolation and emotional strain.

Both carers and those they care for can enjoy outings and social events that bring joy, dignity and normality to everyday life.

Why We Need Your Support

We rely on donations to continue running our group. Your contribution will help us to:

Pay for our meeting hall so we can continue offering a regular, safe space.

Fund activities, games and resources that stimulate and engage those living with dementia.

Organise trips and social events that provide meaningful experiences and precious moments of happiness.

Ease the burden on carers by giving them support, companionship and respite.

The Impact of Your Donation

By donating, you are:

Helping reduce loneliness and isolation.

Supporting carers who give so much of themselves every single day.

Improving quality of life for people living with dementia in our community.

Ensuring this vital local service can continue for years to come.

Every donation — large or small — makes a real difference.

Together, we can continue to provide comfort, connection and care to families facing dementia.

If you are able to support HDCSG, please consider making a donation today by scanning the QR Code below:

Warm wishes, Havering Dementia Carers Support Group (HDCSG)

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The Carovan of Love

Darren Wise — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:53:29 +0000

So for those who don’t know me, I’m Daniel and on Monday November the 11th 2024 at precisely 4:16am, the world lost a true angel, my beautiful Fiancé Caroline, to colorectal cancer. My aim now is to raise as much money for Saint Francis Hospice as humanly possible, by walking Caroline’s ashes over 5000 miles, from the St Francis hospice in Romford, back to her hometown of Kumasi in Ghana to take her home, to rest. Please follow my journey as I endeavour to do so. And for now here’s a little back story to Caroline’s plight.

Caroline was rushed into hospital in the April 2021 with extreme abdominal pain. The doctors rushed her in for an emergency operation, due to the fact her bowel had ruptured. She was told if she had entered the hospital just a moment later, she would have died that very day. Thankfully though the surgeons managed to give her life saving surgery. She then had to do some tests, and was told by an oncology consultant at Queens Hospital Romford, that the tests results had shown, that not only did she have cancer of the bowel, but also cancer of the liver too. The consultant then proceeded to tell her that she only had 6 months to live. To which Caroline replied “no I will beat this, and I will be your case study” the consultant told her “I admire your faith, but I’ve never seen anyone beat cancer this aggressive”

She was then put through 12 rounds of extensive chemotherapy, which ended in the December of 2021. On January the 17th (which coincidentally is also today’s date) 2022 Caroline had her final scan, and much to her consultants amazement and Caroline’s delight, her cancer in the bowel and liver had all but disappeared. Caroline was now in remission.

I met Caroline in January 2023 and we hit it off straight away. I was struck by her beauty, her kindness, her selflessness, her zest for life, along with many more admirable qualities. She was everything I’d ever wanted in a partner.

Unfortunately 6 months later, in the July 2023 some results came back from a test (she used to have bimonthly check ups) that the cancer had Manifested in her lungs and her Consultant advised that she should undergo chemotherapy again. She was told this time it was going to a revolutionary chemotherapy treatment that was coming over from that United States, and that she would be the only one in the UK receiving it and she indeed would be a case study. Caroline accepted the treatment and got started in the August of ’23. Initially it was supposed to be 3 months of treatment, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. It really took it’s toll though and due to the fact that some weeks she wasn’t strong enough, and her blood cells were down, she couldn’t attend treatment, so in fact it lasted 5 months until December 2023. Just after Christmas2023 (our first and only Christmas together) Caroline and I went to see the consultant, to get some scan results. The consultant sat us down and said “I’ve really good news” at this point I was so excited to hear what she had to say. “The cancer has reduced dramatically and is at much lower levels than it was earlier in the year” she continued. Immediately I replied “I thought you were gonna say it’s gone” to which she replied “it’s never going away Daniel”. You can’t imagine how deflated I felt at that moment, after thinking it had disappeared to then hear that. I am actually crying right now thinking about it. She was then given the option to carry on with treatment or to take a break. Caroline chose the latter as the chemotherapy really beat her up, and she needed some rest .

Caroline could see I was down and when we left the consultants office, she smiled and said to me “hey, don’t worry about it. I’ve proved her wrong before and I will do it again”. That was typical of Caroline’s strength and attitude. I remember thinking, she is right and my mood lifted straight away.

Caroline, then suggested we go on holiday to Tenerife for some winter sun and to celebrate her improved health. Whilst we were there I proposed and to my delight she agreed to be my wife. Unfortunately a few days in to the holiday, Caroline was getting abdominal pains, and was suffering from constipation, something that would later last for 6 months. And for those 6 months she couldn’t empty her bowels without the use of an enema.

When we returned home, the consultant told her it was the cancer in abdomen causing her the pain. She was subjected to more tests and was set to start some more treatment in the spring of 2023. This didn’t stop Caroline returning to the gym though, as the gym was her safe place, she used to get up at 4 am to attend the gym most mornings and I believe without her fitness she would never have lived as long as she did.

Around late March early April ’24, she began to get a pain on the bridge of her nose, and I remember saying to her “you’re holding your nose a lot, what’s up” and she replied “hayfever I think”. In hindsight I think she knew it wasn’t, but Caroline had a way of always trying to protect her loved ones. So much so, that one time we were in hospital for a week or so and a family member called her, to ask where she was, because they hadn’t heard from her in a while, and Caroline replied “in Chelmsford at Daniels” I then asked her why she didn’t tell the truth and her reply was “why worry them” again so typical of Caroline.

Anyway, her consultant was concerned about the pain on her nose and ordered in for some tests and scans. Then in late April she had a consultant meeting, where she was told there was a lump in her brain the size of a satsuma and that she would need a biopsy to see if it was cancerous. She was also told, that if it was cancer she wouldn’t see Christmas of ’24. 2 months she waited for the biopsy, and then 2 weeks for the results. So basically 2 and a half valuable months lost of no treatment at all. all the while the cancer was growing in her lungs, her lymph nodes and her brain. After the biopsy she was put on another course of chemo for her lung cancer and it knocked her badly, so bad that she refused to do it again as she believed it would kill her, and if she was to die she wasn’t going out like that.

In the late August, Caroline lost most of her sight and this was the thing that affected her the greatest, and the only time, through the whole ordeal I witnessed her mood drop slightly. She used to say “I can cope with anything, but please don’t take my sight” she was then told by her consultants, radiotherapy was key to reducing the tumour, she was very apprehensive after her previous chemotherapy session, but was assured the radiotherapy would not be as aggressive. And with the thought of losing her sight completely on her mind, she accepted the radiotherapy treatment. This did indeed improve her vision, but physically she had lost so much strength it really took it’s toll once more. She had been 70 kg in late April, she was now 50kg and had to summon all of her strength to get through it. Unfortunately after the radiotherapy, she was pretty much housebound apart from trips and stays in the hospital, which were horrible experiences, sometimes she was left in corridors for over 40 hrs, the NHS is on its knees, but the staff were always amazing.

Her strength had deteriorated rapidly day by day, for example it could take her 30 minutes or more to walk from her bed she had made up in her front room, as she could no longer tackle the stairs, to her toilet which was a mere 8 meters or so walk. We used too put dining room chairs out so she could take breaks en route to the toilet, as she was so determined to get there by herself and she would stubbornly refuse help. She had so much dignity.

Monday the 4th on November ’24, she told me “I think I need to go to the hospice, not for long though, just for some symptom management” I told her “what ever you need to do, we will do it babe” and we rang the hospice and they got her a bed the following Wednesday.

We left Caroline’s home in Barking on Wednesday 6th of November and I remember as I wheeled her out of the front door in her wheelchair, catching a glimpse of her face as she looked back into her home. I could see she was thinking “I hope I see you again” I then told her “not to worry, we will be back babe” as I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her, and she then put her hand on mine without saying a word.

We arrived at St Francis hospice Romford, and were greeted by the staff, who were all so absolutely wonderful and welcoming. We were then taken to her room, and luckily I was allowed to stay with her 24 hours a day, which I did… Unfortunately she was now in rapid decline, and each hour took it’s toll. By the Saturday I was told by the Dr that we had entered end of life stages as she wasn’t eating or taking in much fluids. Caroline and I managed to have a very short but beautiful conversation that day, which ended in our declaration of love for each other and a beautiful tender kiss on the lips (something we hadn’t done for a while as she was so scared of infection)
Unfortunately it was one of the last conversations we ever had because soon after, she had gone into an almost comatose state. And that’s how she stayed until her final passing on Monday the 11th of November. Remembrance day..11:11 such a perfect day for her to leave us. I miss Caroline more than I could ever put in to words and I plan to live out the rest of my life in honour of this remarkable human being who brought so much love and joy to the world

Anyway thank you for reading and please stay tuned and share my story, as I share it with you. I will need all of your help to get my charity event off the ground. I promise you all it will be epic and I am so appreciative of all your help and support. But for now…

God bless

If you want to help Daniel raise funds for St Francis Hospice then go to his go fund me page –

https://www.gofundme.com/f/london-to-ghana-5k-mile-walk?attribution_id=sl%3A3eea0c95-70d0-4d84-ad0a-865d49cea5c4&utm_campaign=natman_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp14_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwVERDUAPzF6RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe2aBLYRsmAZNYHW0akrrIDe4oh6BhdX0YvfVuGeppJRGHhV6vsAS7UzoEbRs_aem_p5C0-DyyASmYvATw4btVDA

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Stephen Moffat’s The Unfriend is coming to Harold Wood!

Darren Wise — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:11:10 +0000

Stephen Moffat’s The Unfriend is coming to Harold Wood!

March 11-14

Guildonian Players are delighted to bring you Stephen Moffat’s new dark comedy, only just available for amateur theatre. First performed in Chichester in 2022, transferring to the West End where Lee Mack took on the lead role, it’s a hilarious and satirical look at middle-class England’s disastrous instinct always to appear nice!

While on holiday in 2021, Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa, a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful. They agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they?

When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. Too late, they learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London! But how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming, well, a bit impolite? Because guess who’s coming … to murder!

Performances are 8pm nightly on 11-14 March plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee. Tickets just £9 from guildonian-players.sumupstore.com or call 07762 133620 to reserve and pay on door.

If you need a jolly good laugh, come to The Little Theatre! (RM3 0DU)

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Gallows Corner Jan 2026 Update

Darren Wise — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 07:16:39 +0000

We provide the latest update received from TFL with regards to the Gallows Corner project

January 2026 Gallows Corner newsletter final

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Harold Court Primary School

Darren Wise — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 13:27:58 +0000

Friends of Harold Court Primary and Nursery School would like to thank our local community for the very generous donations for our Christmas Just Giving Tree campaign in 2025. Donations from our local community of toys, gifts and food were distributed to our school community by staff this Christmas period to support our parents and children and spread Christmas joy. This is the second year we have collected for our school community and the smiles were amazing.

The school continues to run a food bank throughout the year to distribute to families in need.

We accept all donations from the local community of tinned and dry food, cleaning and toiletries at our school office at Harold Court Primary School.

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