Welcome

This week we've got everything tree-related in Finchley, a peek inside Liz Taylor's Hampstead mansion and Passover greetings including a great gluten-free cake recipe.

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And Spring is in the air.

🌳 Tree's Company, Finchley

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From secret arboretums to a pocket-sized forest and a digital tree-tracker, Finchley’s leafy life is thriving in surprising and delightful ways.

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Tiny Forest, Mighty Impact

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Tucked along Mutton Brook, Finchley boasts its very own Tiny Forest— a pocket-sized patch of biodiversity planted with over 1,800 native trees in a single day. That’s right, Finchley folk rolled up their sleeves and gave nature a helping hand, turning a strip of land into a thriving, leafy haven. It made the BBC London news - video here. It’s not just for the birds and the bees - this little forest is a big win for climate, community, and school kids learning hands-on about nature. Small but mighty, indeed.

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The Secret Life of Avenue House​
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If you’ve ever wandered the grounds of Stephens House and Gardens and felt strangely calm, thank the trees. The Avenue House Arboretum is one of Finchley’s lesser-known gems, with rare and exotic specimens quietly growing behind the scenes. It’s not just a garden - it’s a living museum, lovingly restored and protected. A perfect place to contemplate your existence or, at the very least, enjoy an above-average sandwich in leafy surrounds.

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Find Your Favourite Tree (Literally)

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Did you know you can track every single tree in Finchley (and beyond) from your sofa? The London Tree Map is a gloriously nerdy tool that lets you explore over 900,000 street trees, including those right outside your door. Pop in your postcode and discover what’s growing on. Whether it’s a hornbeam, London plane, or trusty oak, this digital canopy connects us to our urban forest in an unexpectedly addictive way.

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So whether you’re planting, strolling, or scrolling, Finchley’s trees are working quietly on our behalf—cooling our streets, cleaning our air, and occasionally offering the perfect branch for a squirrel’s acrobatics. Go on, give one a pat next time you pass. They’ve earned it.🌳

Events

KIDS

Wednesday 16th April

​Barnet Youth - Jewellery Making Seniors | Wed, Apr. 16 | 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm | Finchley Youth Theatre, N2 9ED | Free | Unleash your inner designer, and let the magic of jewellery-making inspire you. Create one piece from a range of different jewellery types, including earrings, necklaces and bracelets in this workshop.

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Sunday 20th April

​Easter Egg Hunt | Sun, Apr. 20 | 11:00 am to 12:30 pm | Friends of Bury Lodge Park, Bury Street West, N9 9JN | £5 | Find 6 numbered egg shapes hidden around the park to win a prize, arts and crafts included in entrance price. Meet the Easter Bunny. Face painting, refreshments and ice creams available. Age range 3-9.

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OLDER PEOPLE

Wednesday 23rd April

The Power Of Swearing | Wed, Apr. 23 | 8:00 pm | The Ann Owens Centre - Age UK Barnet Oak Lane, N2 8LT | Free | Talk by Professor Catherine Loveday, Why we swear and how the use of taboo words can deeply affect the way we think, act and relate to each other, plus why swearing can make us feel better. Email.

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NATURE

Sunday 27th April

​Nature Walk - The Geology of Hampstead Heath | Sun, Apr. 27 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | Whitestone Pond, Hampstead Heath, NW3 | Free | Join the group for a guided walk all about the Geology of Hampstead Heath and how that affects our experience of the area. The walk will meet near Whitestone Pond.

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COMMUNITY

Tues 15th April

​Finchley Quiz Night | Tue, Apr. 15 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Malt & Hops Bar, 891 High Road, N12 8QA | Just £3 pp | Weekly, fun quiz night for everyone. Picture round, different categories, live music round. Prizes must be won, including a £50 bar tab.

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MUSIC

Friday 18th April

​Colindale Barnet Folk Club Presents Hunter Muskett | Fri, Apr. 18 | 7:45 pm | The Bull Theatre, Barnet, EN5 5SJ | £7 | The Bull Theatre's monthly Folk Night in the studio bar is cosy and welcoming, with a great atmosphere and excellent musicians.

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Saturday April 26th

​The Silencerz | Sat, Apr. 26 | 8:00 pm to | The Bull Theatre, Barnet, EN5 5SJ | £17 | What would April be without some April madness? The brilliant ska band The Silencerz are back at the Bull Theatre for fun, drinks, music and singing and of course dancing. Originals and classic tracks performed by this fantastic 7 strong band.

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THEATRE

Thursday 17th April

​Pirates Love Underpants | Thu, Apr. 17 | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | £14 | Based on the beloved book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort. These pirates SO love underpants. Join the swashbuckling party of pirates on their quest to find the fabled Pants of Gold for the Captain’s Treasure chest.

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Sunday 27th April

​Flare Path | Sun, Apr. 27 | 7:30 pm | Incognito Theatre, 106A Holly Park Road, Friern Barnet, N11 3HB | £11 | First performed in 1942, "Flare Path" is a deeply moving portrait of people at war and was inspired by the playwright’s own experiences in the RAF.

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Thursday 24th April

​Just Between Ourselves by Alan Ayckbourn | Thu, Apr. 24 | 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | From £20 | Five birthdays. Two unhappy marriages. One possessive mother. London Classic Theatre return with Alan Ayckbourn's bittersweet tale, navigating the tightrope between comedy and tragedy.

Events - Book Ahead

Thursday 1st May

​Pets to Nests Webinar | Thu, May. 01 | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm | Online | Free | Did you know? Many spot-on flea treatments contain pesticides now banned for outdoor use. This means that not only can a single monthly dose kill 25 million bees, but it is also having serious detrimental effect on garden bird populations. Join the talk with Dr. Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, a post-doctoral researcher specializing in ecotoxicology and conservation ecology.

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Tuesday 6th May

​Sip N Paint At The Windsor Castle Pub | Tue, May. 6 | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | The Windsor Castle Pub, N2 | £30 | Sip ‘n Paint with Art Stuff by Lyla is a fun, relaxed evening of guided painting. No experience needed - just sip, paint, and take home your masterpiece.

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Sunday 22nd June

​​East Finchley Festival 2025​ | Sun, Jun. 22 | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Cherry Tree Wood, 88 Summerlee Ave, N2 9QH | East Finchley Festival returns stronger than ever in 2025 hot off the heels of their 50th anniversary. Look forward to an afternoon of music, food, drink, shopping and fun for all.

Local Lowdown

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Upgrading

• Star-studded real estate. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's former Hampstead Heath mansion is up for grabs at £4.5 million. The three-bed 1950s property, where Hollywood's golden couple lived for a decade after their 1964 marriage, sits within the historic 18th-century Squires Mount estate.

Being kind

• Mitzvah magic. North London's kindness movement, Mitzvah Day, celebrated 20 years of good deeds. Kerem Primary School in Hampstead Garden Suburb scooped the 'Outstanding Youth Achievement' award for supporting Sebby's Corner charity and North London Hospice. What started as a Jewish community initiative now inspires year-round acts of generosity across faiths and generations.

Flowing

• Burnt Oak Brook is liberated. The once-constrained stream in Watling Park is now meandering freely after a bold rewilding project. The narrow concrete channel, a relic from the 1950s, has been removed, allowing the brook to rediscover its natural path. This is part of the Action for Silk Stream initiative.

eBiking

• Commuter alert. Non-folding e-bikes now have a TfL ban across most services, including Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, and DLR. The decision follows safety concerns and strike threats, with TfL citing increased fire risks from converted e-bikes. This comes after several incidents, including a February explosion at Rayners Lane station. Folding e-bikes remain welcome.

Flowering

• Flower power. A Giant Butterbur has made its debut at Heath Extension ponds. This impressive plant towers up to 1.5 meters tall, making it one of the Heath's largest botanical residents. Head there and check it out. 🌼

The Finchleyite: Passover Baking

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Passover arrives in Finchley hot on the heels of Eid and overlapping with Lent - Easter itself landing right in the middle of the eight-day Jewish festival.

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At its heart, Passover / Pesach tells the ancient story of freedom: the exodus from slavery in Egypt. Seder night, which happened last Saturday (and Sunday for some, is a highlight - a storytelling feast where tradition meets joy around the table.

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This is a festive time for many in our diverse borough, and in the lead-up, homes buzz with spring cleaning and culinary prep. It’s a gluten-free haven, with matzah replacing bread, and bakes like my go-to: Flourless Orange and Almond Cake (trust me, it’s a winner). Covid learning – socially distanced Orange and Almond cakes; make them in muffin cases. This recipe makes around 24.

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By now, the Seder is over—but the spirit of the season lingers. Chag same’ach, Finchley. Spring is coming.

Editors' Note - From Sasha

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The last three weeks has been non-stop traveling to events; Association of Association Executives in Brussels, BSAVA in Manchester, Advertising Week Europe and The Business of Events.

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I increasingly see that business events - in whatever sector - are communities.

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It’s brilliant peeking into the world of small animal vets, various associations, advertising, media, tech, policy

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And Finchley is my community. It’s a privilege to write Finchley Now with my partner-in-community, Tessa.

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Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

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You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

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​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze