EastSheenMatters

and a second one on 27 June 2026 to be posted shortly

The Rt Revd Dr Martin Gainsborough, Bishop of Kingston, presided and preached at All Saints on Sunday. He is seen here with Fr Alex Barrow, Team Vicar at All Saints.

Below parishioner Lorna Hawthorne speaks of her July drive with an ambulance and aid to Kyiv and the free concert at the Church on Sunday 14 June at 6pm. See the programme below.

Richmond Council announced on 1 June 2026 as follows.

Forest is a company which operates dockless electric bicycle rentals. We have a new agreement with Forest to be the sole operator of dockless rental e-bikes in Richmond upon Thames.  From 1 June 2026, Forest e-bikes will be available to rent in the borough, with Lime gradually withdrawing their fleet of e-bikes.

Forest e-bikes are already available in neighbouring boroughs, providing residents and visitors with a large contiguous operational area from Richmond. E-bikes continue to grow in popularity with over 1.5 million trips made in Richmond in 2025.

The agreement with Forest permits them to deploy e-bikes into our designated parking bays across the borough. The new arrangement means that:

• More bikes will be available in the borough, making it a more reliable travel option
• Designated parking spaces will make it easier to find a bike and encourage considerate parking
• Forest staff will be on duty in the borough to respond quickly to any issues that arise

How to hire a bike

To hire a Forest bike, simply download the Forest app and register with an account. The app enables you to locate, unlock and pay for your ride. You must be over 18 to register. 

Parking

View a map of the designated parking locations. The blue dots show locations where e-scooters will be deployed, the green dots show locations where Forest hire bikes will be deployed. Users of both schemes can park in any of these bays. Users can park Forest bikes outside the designated locations, and must ensure that the bike does not cause a nuisance or obstruction.

Residents will be watching this development. The Council decided in favour of Forest; it is more profitable for the Borough. BUT on the face of it responsibility remains firmly with the user. So

i) will Forest remove abandoned bikes speedily; ii) will Forest ensure that bikes cannot be manipulated to avoid speed controls; and iii) that they cannot freely be used as transportation by miscreants.

Previous questions about preventing them being used on pavements, speeding and going through traffic controls have been ignored. Will there be any improvement in cycling behaviour?

Mortlake Community Association (MCA) and Mortlake Church of England Educational Foundation, which runs Mortlake Hall, have formally come together as a single charity. This step was announced at the MCA Annual General Meeting on 21 May 2026 and marks a positive and strategic move for both organisations.

The newly merged charity will operate as Mortlake Community Association, with the venue continuing to be known as Mortlake Hall. Founded in 1980, MCA has a long history of working to reduce isolation, promote inclusion and empower people in and around Mortlake through a wide range of activities. Mortlake Hall, a 19^th-century former school building, has for many years been the home for many of these activities, while also serving as a well-used venue for children’s clubs, a variety of classes and other organisations through private hire.

Mortlake Hall remains a welcoming venue for the whole community. Bringing the two organisations together creates a single charity with a permanent location and a more sustainable future. It strengthens governance, improves long-term planning and ensures that the value of Mortlake Hall as a shared community asset is protected.

This merger is designed to be supportive and continuity-focused. Existing bookings, hires and relationships will continue as normal.

Looking ahead, the ambition is to build on strong foundations. With a permanent home, the charity plans to carefully expand its community activities at Mortlake Hall, while respecting existing users and ensuring the Hall remains a vibrant, shared space. Mortlake Hall will be a place people can visit every day to meet friends, take part in activities and feel part of the local community.

The charity remains committed to supporting activities beyond its own. There are after-school groups and holiday clubs for children, one specialises in singing and dancing, the other on art and crafts; children’s birthday parties; gardening classes for adults, public meetings hosted by the Council, SW London and St George’s Mental Health Trust for Barnes Hospital; English as an Alternative Language classes, Mensa tests – an enormous range of activities for all ages. And it is open for more!

The Association is grateful for your continued support and involvement. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the merger in more detail, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

30 Mullins Path Mortlake SW14 8EZ. info@mortlakecommunityassociation.org.uk 07494297690

With thanks to Johnny Weir and Kate Woodhouse, MCA Trustees.

The Wimbledon Qualifying Tournament for 2026 will take place from Monday, 22 June to Thursday, 25 June at the Community Sports Centre, Bank Lane, Roehampton. 

The tournament will feature both gentlemen’s and ladies’ singles competitions, with players needing to win every match across three rounds to earn one of the 16 main draw places. 

The event is a significant opportunity for rising stars and seasoned pros to compete for a chance to participate in the prestigious Wimbledon Championships.

Gillian Ross, a member of the Sheen Artists Group, has had her painting for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition accepted. Congratulations to Gillian on a major achievement.

The Exhibition opens on 16 June 2026 and runs until 23 August.

James Druce is raising money for the Mortlake with East Sheen Parish with an inaugural concert of the Christchurch Consort on 26 June 2026.

The Christchurch Consort is a dormant professional choir based in East Sheen, London. It is holding its inaugural concert on the 26 June 2026, showcasing English part-song and religious music from Renaissance to Contemporary – celebrating the anniversaries of John Dowland and Benjamin Britten.

Although buying a ticket to the concert is a great way to offer support, they are seeking an extra injection of funds to ensure the success of future concerts and outreach projects across South West London.