Labour and Co-operative councillor Miriam Mirwitch for our backbench opinion series
It’s been about six months since I was elected as a Labour and Co-operative councillor for Hoe Street ward and it’s a privilege to serve this diverse, generous and vibrant community.
I and my fellow councillors, Ahsan Khan and Andrew Dixon, have a lot to be proud of in our area, from the Waltham Forest Hub and the beautiful St. Mary’s Church to community organisations like Walthamstow Toy Library and Church Hill Road Gardeners.
A particular jewel in our ward – and indeed our borough – is Vestry House museum. So many residents enjoy its rich archives, informative exhibitions and beautiful gardens and I am immensely thankful for the wonderful volunteers, community groups and staff who support it.
This is why I want to reassure residents that Waltham Forest Council has no plans to close Vestry House. In fact, the council is committed to more investment, new partnerships and work to make the building more accessible. This project is a really exciting opportunity to ensure that a wonderful asset in our borough can be enjoyed by even more of our community.
The current building and archives are unfortunately inaccessible to many residents with disabilities. Additionally, the current collection of objects stops in the 1950s. There is a rich and diverse modern history in Waltham Forest that we want to also see reflected in and expressed at Vestry House.
The council is currently working with community groups and heritage experts to draw together some options for the future. They have been meeting with local historians, volunteers and more.
As councillors we want to make sure that resident’s voices are heard front and centre in this process and we’ll be working hard to make sure that your concerns are heard and addressed. There will be a consultation this spring where even more residents can share their thoughts and you can also send questions and feedback directly to [email protected].
The history of our borough deserves to be celebrated and its future looks bright too, especially with Soho Theatre Walthamstow and a new lido on its way soon. I’m so proud to live in Waltham Forest and to be able to work to support our incredible community.
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