EastSheenMatters

Councillor Nancy Baldwin, Mayor of Richmond upon Thames for the year from May 2026, kindly agreed to be interviewed for this posting on EastSheenMatters. She has long had an interest in communities and the voluntary sector. After her previous term as Mayor in 2019 – 2020 she was appointed as Council Spokesperson for Communities, Equalities and the Voluntary Sector. She was instrumental in the Borough’s accreditation as a Borough of Sanctuary.

The focus of her year as Mayor is based on these interests.

The photo below reflects one of her passions. The St. Mary’s Ukrainian School opened in Ham in May 2023 with support from Richmond Council. It provides additional support for refugee children and families, who have fled from the Russian invasion. The school operates on Sundays offering Ukrainian language lessons as well as classes in Ukrainian literature, history and geography, allowing pupils to keep up with the Ukrainian national curriculum alongside their mainstream UK education.

The two borough charities, which the Mayor has chosen to support this year are: Cocoon Care After Care (www.cocooncareaftercare.org.uk ) and Skylarks (www.skylarks.charity )

Cocoon Care After Care focuses on care-experienced young adults aged 18–28 who live, study, or were previously looked after in the London Boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, or Hounslow. They offer practical, financial, and social assistance to help them transition successfully after leaving care. This includes help with day to day living, easing emotional and financial pressures, and reducing isolation which many young people feel when they leave care. Priority is often given to those aged 21+ who have no alternative sources of funding or support.

Skylarks provides free services and support for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with additional needs, and their families. Based in Richmond for twenty years, Skylarks provides a variety of activities, workshops, therapies and training as well as advice, information and support for the whole family. They offer support and advice relating to all aspects of Education for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Cllr Baldwin is keen to emphasise that she is a civic mayor which is ceremonial and entirely apolitical. Along with championing their borough and their chosen charities, a civic mayor is responsible for chairing council meetings with impartiality – something Cllr Baldwin considers crucial to the role

If you are a local organisation who would like a visit or have a business which would like to support, promote or organise an event in support of the Mayor’s work or for further information contact her office at Mayor of the Borough – London Borough of Richmond upon Thames   

Two Forests (one burnt) and a Lime still unmoved

Saturday 12 September 2026 

More than thirty independent food and drink businesses across East Sheen will take part in the Sheen Food Fest on Saturday 12 September, as the event returns for its second year, celebrating the vibrant cafés, restaurants, pubs, delis and eateries that make East Sheen one of south west London’s hidden food gems.

Visitors can explore the high street, discover somewhere new and meet the passionate people behind the businesses that help make SW14 such a fantastic place to eat and drink.

Every ticket includes five Taste Tokens, redeemable for five complimentary tasting portions at participating venues. Hungry for more? Every venue will also be serving a specially created Food Fest Special for just £5.

Collect your event map from the designated collection point (to be confirmed) from 10am, then follow your own foodie trail around the delicious destinations of East Sheen! Participating venues and opening times will be clearly marked on the map, allowing you to explore at your own pace.

Time: 10am onwards (individual venue opening times are shown on the event map)

Transport: Mortlake Train Station • Bus routes 33, 337, 493  • Limited local parking

Ticket Prices

Early Bird

Adult (includes five Taste Tokens): £6.60 ( £6.00 + £0.60 booking fee) 

Family of Four (includes 20 Taste Tokens): £22.00 (£20.00 + £2.00 booking fee)

Standard 

Adult: £7.50

Family of Four: £25.00

Book tickets in advance:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/eastsheenbusinessretailassociation/2300459

Media Contact: Adrienne D’Souza – East Sheen Village 📧 esbrachair@gmail.com 📱07876 453166

Further Information: Follow @eastsheenvillage on Instagram • sign up for the East Sheen Village newsletter (http://eepurl.com/ibDmfv)

A couple of burnt bikes fired up on Tuesday at Palewell Common Drive.

Police arrested some miscreants.

As of Thursday Forest had not been as fast as the Police!

Jill Ross’s Fox escaped to the Royal Academy

There is no notice about how long these roadworks are going to be at the junction of Sheen Lane and Shrewsbury Avenue, nor is there any information on the Richmond Council Roadworks Bulletin.

80 metres single carriageway for a one metre hole!

And today the Council Digest tells us:

Sheen Lane, East Sheen two-way temporary traffic signals Outside 188 for Cadent Gas utility works. Estimated completion date 19/08/2026. Contact: Cadent Gas 08000 159 057.

Whether you’re a seasoned musician or just love to jam, come along every second Thursday of the month for an evening of great tunes and community vibes at the Barnes Home Guard Club.

✨ Event Highlights:
7:00 PM – Open Mic
8:00 PM – Jam Session
9:00 PM – More Open Mic Performances

Bring your instrument, your voice, or just your love for music! Everyone’s welcome—whether you’re performing or simply enjoying the show.

Questions or Ready to Perform?
Contact Patrick at pjboundy2@gmail.com to reserve your spot on the open mic.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of the magic at Sheen Live Jam Night!

Members – free, Guests –  £5

Sheen Live Jam website – https://sheenlivejam.github.io/slj/ 

76A Richmond Park Road, London SW14 8LA

Bernard, journalist, BBC documentary producer, author, playwright, badminton champion and boules enthusiast died last month and his funeral was last week.

Tom, BBC film director, author, playwright, hockey player (national team), cricketer and rugby player (Oxford Blue) died in March 2026.

They were the best of friends. Both came to East Sheen in the 1970s and worked at the BBC for about 20 years. Both had wives who became Richmond Councillors – Tom’s wife Eleanor as Mayor in 2000-01 and Mona as Deputy Mayor in 2018-19. Sadly both wives died before their husbands – Mona in 2019 whilst still Deputy Mayor and Eleanor in 2023.

Both Bernard and Tom made a huge impact on East Sheen following retirement.

Bernard wrote historic plays about East Sheen starting with ‘The Fall’ which commemorated the 150th anniversary tower collapse of Christ Church. The play told the true story about the collapse of the church tower a month before the scheduled opening ceremony as remembered and narrated by the assistant architect Thomas Hardy who, along with all others involved, had to be cross-examined in court – and who afterwards decided to quit architecture and become a novelist. Bernard also wrote ‘Cosmo’ about a local artist of that name who fought in the trenches in WW1 and wrote letters home and received replies – the whole correspondence having been recently unearthed by a grand-daughter who lived in East Sheen.

In addition, Bernard in 1998 was tasked by the Mortlake with East Sheen Society (MESS) to identify a Millenium project and then implement it. He did so with panache – a boules piste on Palewell Common – he had to apply for planning permission from the Council (which he received) and then bring together a team of MESS members and our local badminton club (run by himself and Mona) to prepare the ground for the works which were funded by the Council.

Tom not only wrote plays about East Sheen but filmed some of them. He wrote and filmed ‘The Magus of Mortlake’ which commemorated the 400th anniversary of the death of Dr John Dee and which featured Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Walter Raleigh, Shakespeare, Marlow, Ben Jonson and explorer Martin Frobisher. He made a film about the newly discovered air raid shelter at St Leonards Court, which has now been shown at least 250 times to audiences from primary schools plus a few adults – and he made a film featuring residents who had stories to tell about their parents in WW2. He also made films about our restauranteurs Leonardo and Rosa, our station-master Daniel and his newspaper seller, and our favourite builder Michael. Last but not least he made a film about Eleanor as Mayor.

Is there anyone left in East Sheen who can fill the gaping hole they have left behind? If so, please come forward.

Contributed by Tim Catchpole
Chair, Mortlake with East Sheen Society

Teddington Nub News reported (24/7/2026) concerns about the illegal use of e-bikes across the borough at the last Teddington and Hampton Wick Police Liason Group meeting.

This issue has been raised regularly by EastSheenMatters over the last 18 months and over the last year at East Sheen Police Liaison Group and Mortlake and Barnes Police Liaison Group with no successful outcome. The standard response is lack of resource or the difficulty of intervention.

Cllr Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council is now quoted as saying: “I am happy to raise this issue with the Metropolitan Police and seek assurance that enforcement activity is consistent across London and appropriately resourced…………. there are increasing concerns about illegally modified e-bikes, excessive speed, riding on pavements and the use of e-bikes in connection with anti-social behaviour and acquisitive crime.”

“The legal position on enforcement sits with the Police as cycling on the footway (pavement) is an offence under Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835, unless cycling is specifically permitted. This applies equally to electrically assisted bicycles.

“I therefore agree that this issue should continue to receive attention at the most senior level and I am happy to raise residents’ concerns with the Borough Commander Mr Daniel Knowles where I will seek assurance that enforcement activity is applied consistently across the borough and that local concerns raised through Police Liaison Groups are reflected in operational policing activity.

About time too one might think but will anything actually be done?

“In terms of the boroughwide hire e-bike scheme, the Council’s new contract with Forest places obligations on the operator to address non-compliance and complaints promptly, including through the issue of warnings and penalties for misuse as well as ensuring the Council has access to real-time monitoring information.”

Can we be told how that will work in practice so that the public can report non-compliance, make complaints and learn how to identify wrongdoers?