Community is an overused word (and its intended purpose can easily become misleading because of that), but it’s still the best one we’ve got to describe groups of people bound by shared interests, goals, beliefs, locations etc.

You’ll often hear Hackney Wick & Fish Island referred to as a community, but, as the area continues to undergo drastic changes, trying to pinpoint a unifying common identity can end up suggesting more about what divides us.

Is the ‘real’ community the warehouse-dwelling artists, the born-and-bred locals, the floating boaters, the incoming next generation? Is there a shared thread that can ever genuinely unite the various tribes who all call this place home?

That challenge is one we’ve attempted to tackle by publishing The Wick over the years - showcasing the incredible variety of lived experiences around here in such a way that everyone can feel proud of being part of this unique and dynamic…er… community.

It’s also why we meet every last Wednesday of the month at the CIG & Social Drinks (the August edition takes to the water, aboard The Milk Float on Wed 26th Aug, see below for more info), and now why we’re launching a new section on thisisthewick.com where readers and in fact all locals can interact.

In recent years, of course, a lot of this kind of thing has happened on the big social networks, and has been subject to the well-documented issues that come with running passionate groups on unpredictable, attention and metric-hungry commercial platforms.

What would be preferable is a digital extension of the local pub, community centre, gig venue, club or place of worship, not just another profile in a shouty social media feed - and that’s something we feel well places to provide, as the area’s free cultural media publication.

Ultimately, the idea is that the online conversations quickly move out into the real world, with meet-ups, meals, events and other things that involve bonding with those around us. But first, reaching the critical mass of participants which make any such community feel lively enough to want to join takes time, so rather than just opening it up and seeing what happens, we’ll be inviting a 100+ of the most engaged readers of this newsletter as our early adopter VIPs (look out for an invite email landing in your inbox later today).

It’s an experiment, but do go and check it out, as it really is up to you to make sure the online community is useful, friendly and exciting. If you don’t get a VIP invite later, don’t worry, more people will be invited in the weeks ahead, and once logged in (it’s free) you’ll be able to chat, see special deals and offers, help us with editorial topics and debates and loads more.

We’re down to the last 50 copies of the limited edition 160-page hardback The Wick Book, so if you’ve been meaning to get a copy, or gift one to a friend, now really is your last chance. We’ve also been emailing previous purchasers of the book for their feedback, and in the process identified a number of people who have checked the ‘local pick-up’ option, but have been waiting for a postal delivery. If you bought a book and have not received it yet, please get in touch, as we can check whether you are on the wrong list and make sure to get yours sent out to you asap…

♻️Sign up now for a spot at the Canal Clean-Up and Community Paddle with Moo Canoes and Barge East. Combining with Wick Wednesday this month on Wed 26th Aug, let’s all help keep the local waterways looking their best while enjoying some time on the water ourselves. Choose from a canoe or kayak, or join in by walking the towpath alongside the river. They'll provide litter pickers, bags, gloves, buoyancy aids and safety equipment. Sessions run from 12pm–7pm, and there’s a free pint afterwards for volunteers. Spots are filling up fast, so don’t hang around!

🎉Two More Years are celebrating their 5th Birthday Party on Sat 15th Aug, a chance to raise a glass and have a good old knees up to celebrate the much-loved space. Also there’s the latest Artist in Residence Closing Party at 7pm tonight, Wed 12th Aug, celebrating the last day of Kat Hayes’ month-long exhibition 'Not As It Was’.

🎤HOLD SPACE: Open Mic Night is at HWK London on White Post Lane tonight from 6pm, Wed 12th Aug. Organised by Make Poetry Weird Again, they bring an inclusive, pay-what-you-can night of poetry and spoken word. The eve opens with a gong session followed by poet Kristal Sisodia, live typewriter poetry in the courtyard, and 15 open-mic slots (five minutes each, sign-ups on the door on a first-come basis). Proceeds support the upcoming Hold Space Festival in October.

✍️Also tonight, Wed 12th Aug, is the first edition of The Slackers Writing Saloon at Algha’s Plantroom. From 7- 11pm this is “a place for the procrastinators, the missed deadlines, the half-written poems, the midnight writers and the prose yet to be written”. Hosted by queer writer/editor Fopé Ajanaku, every second Wed of the month is dedicated to getting that writing out there, culminating in a slacker showcase this autumn.

🖼️Over at Bow Arts this week, have a peek at a live art exhibition on Thurs 13th Aug, as artist Lydia Newman presents Sand Suit 4.0, a free performance bringing together wearable sculpture, movement, and spoken text to explore pressures on the human body. Also this week, get your hands ink-stained on Sat 15th Aug as artist Chloe Cooper leads a Risograph Printing Workshop, guiding you through layer separation, colour overlapping, and stencil techniques.

Check out local culture reviews, features & interviews every week on thisisthewick.com

🎶This week at the Wick’s LVLS there’s Nijama Nights, a special fundraiser supporting sickle cell awareness and research, on Thurs 13th Aug. The night will feature live performances from emerging artists, a mix of R&B, neo-soul, afrobeats, rap and more. The energy keeps rolling through to the weekend with a free canal party on Fri 14th Aug.

🕺Beirut Groove Collective Summer Club are at Grow on Fri 14th Aug. Lebanese vinyl diggers Ernesto Chahoud and Natalie Shooter take over the decks, spinning an eclectic mix of 1960s Arabic garage, Ethiopian funk, psych, and vintage Middle Eastern disco.

🛁Go have a boogie at Eastway Baths on Sat 15th Aug as Bliss Out brings an eclectic vinyl selection to the bathhouse space.

☀️Soulstice: Day to Night lands at Colour Factory on Sat 15th Aug, bringing together soulful house, UK garage, amapiano, and disco.

🔊End the weekend with a bang at Riverside East Drum & Bass Brunch on Sun 16th Aug. DJs: Jumpin’ Jack Frost, Uncle Dugs, Mampi Swift, Brockie, Kenny Ken, V Dubz and Epidemik Kru.

🏛️City Hall has launched the Draft London Plan Consultation Online Drop-in Sessions, running throughout August via Microsoft Teams. If you care about how development, infrastructure, and green spaces will evolve across East London over the next two decades, these free drop-in sessions let you hear directly from City Hall planners and submit your questions in advance.

👕Local collective U SHIRT by NN now have an online U SHIRT marketplace. Buy artwork and designs from artists. Send them your T-shirt. They will print it into a USHIRT and send it back to you. After cost, 80% goes to the artist. Win Win Win. Win for the artist, they get paid. Win for you, you get a USHIRT. Win for the world, we don’t make more clothes. Check it out here.

🚀Discover Creative Careers has launched a fresh chapter as an expanded UK-wide initiative designed to make creative careers accessible to all young people (ages 11–24), particularly those from underrepresented communities. Delivered by the Creative Careers Collective, the updated platform connects students, educators, and industry leaders with hands-on work experience opportunities, career resources, and pathways into the UK's creative economy.

💁🏼‍♂️ All grassroots community organisations based in Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets or Waltham Forest are invited to partner with Students’ Union UCL to strengthen your organisation through skilled student volunteering. From one-off projects to year-long partnerships including group volunteering, co-created research and volunteering events, the Students' Union's Social Impact Team connect local charities and community organisations with passionate UCL students to support your goals. Fill out the referral form to speak to the team and find out more about the opportunities.

📌The Line is recruiting a new Chair of Trustees. The voluntary role has a three year term with an option to renew. The time commitment is approx. 1-2 days per month, leading 4 board meetings per year. Apply by 7th Sept by emailing your details to [email protected].

🌱Hackney Green Futures - Jobs, Skills & Sustainable Careers will take place on Wed 26th Aug at Teesside University London, Here East. The free event will bring together employers, apprenticeship providers, colleges, universities and training organisations to showcase opportunities in the green economy, including live vacancies, apprenticeships, training, careers advice, demonstrations, workshops and free LinkedIn/CV headshots. The event is aimed at 16 to 30-year-olds, but everyone is welcome.

🔪 Barge East are looking for a tenant for a newly built commercial kitchen within their secure food production hub in the centre of Hackney Wick. The space would suit an independent caterer, food producer, baker, meal prep business or anyone developing food products who is looking for a dedicated production base in East London. For more info, photos or to arrange a viewing, email [email protected].

📕 The Wick Book is a limited edition 160-page hardback historic record, looking at 15 years of culture, community and change in the neighbourhood through the pages of The Wick. We’re now down to the last 100 copies.

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