Welcome

This week we've got a royal visit to East Finchley, a local cat doing extraordinary public service - and don't forget to book for the North London Chorus Summer Concert.

Enjoy the cooler weather, Finchley.

🪴Royal Approval Blooms in East Finchley

East Finchley welcomed a very special visitor this week when HRH The Duke of Edinburgh toured local gardens and community spaces as patron of The London Gardens Society.

The Duke began at the Kids Garden Club in Hampstead Garden Suburb before visiting David Broome’s House and Garden on Church Lane, N2. The garden has won Best London Small Back Garden five times.

From there, the Duke walked down Church Lane with Mr Broome and a small entourage, stopping to speak with neighbours, the local church priest and staff at Jennie Mann Florist. The group also passed the Church Diggers garden beds.

The visit continued at The Windsor Castle pub, which opened specially for the occasion. There, the Duke met 2026 Best Licensee champions Arina and Eamon, as well as local customers.

He then walked to Leopold Road Community Garden, where he met volunteers responsible for transforming the space. The garden was named London Community Garden Champion in 2025.

Two pupils from The Archer Academy, who were working towards their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, were also given the surprise of their lives when they had the chance to speak with him.

Representatives from the London Gardens Society included Sue Medway MBE, Sir Ghillean Prance, Nicholas Evans, Andrew Babicz, John Greco and Anne Gerrish.

The Mayor of Barnet, Zahra Beg, and Barnet’s representative Deputy Lieutenant, Martin Russell MBE DL, also attended.

So East Finchley – and of course the surrounding area – was garden-tastic this week, celebrating not only East Finchley’s award-winning gardens, but also the strength and spirit of its local community. 🪴

Events

ARTS

Monday 29th June

​Meet the Author - Charles Harris for National Crime Month | Mon, Jun. 29 | 6:00 pm | West Hampstead Library, Dennington Park Road, NW6 1AU | Free | Join Charles Harris, award-winning film director and best-selling crime writer, to explore the stories behind his favourite crime books for National Crime Reading Month.

Monday 6th July

​Lauderdale House: Photographic Competition 2026 | Mon, Jul. 6 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, N6 5HG | £3 | Lauderdale House's annual photographic competition is back. Whatever your ability, you can enter up to 6 prints for a chance to be selected for the August exhibition. The overall winner earns their own free solo exhibition at Lauderdale House.

COMMUNITY

Sunday 5th July

​Big Fair | Sun, Jul. 5 | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3 1DL | Free | Once-a-year event in Hampstead with over 110 stalls selling artisan crafts, designer fashions and international food and drink. A fantastic family day out with a funfair, the Sport Zone and a Circus School for children, all to a background of great live music on the Big Stage.

​Cally Fest 2026 | Sun, Jul. 5 | 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Caledonian Road, Islington, N1 1EF | Free | Join a vibrant celebration of the creativity, diversity and community spirit that make Caledonian Road so special.

MUSIC

Saturday 4th July

​North London Chorus Summer Concert | Sat, Jul. 4 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | St James Church, Muswell Hill | £25, £21, £13 (concessions £2 off) | North London Chorus performs a triple bill of works by Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn), Schubert and Mozart. It promises to be an evening of dramatic choral storytelling.

​Shakers Re-stirred | Sat, Jul. 4 | 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Incognito Theatre, 106A Holly Park Road, Friern Barnet, N11 3HB | £11 | Carol, Adele, Nicky and Mel work in a bar that is worse than hell! Welcome to the 80s, where every town has its Shakers, the oh-so-trendy cocktail bar where everyone wants to be seen.

NATURE

Saturday 4th July

​Buzzing Barnet: Heritage in Bloom - Rewilding Gardens for Pollinators | Sat, Jul. 4 | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm | 71-79 High Road, East Finchley, N2 8AQ | Free | Discover how to create wildlife-friendly habitats, plant herbs in a pot to take home, explore the heritage of local green spaces and enjoy arts and crafts. Part of the Pollinators, Pathways and Historic Walks of Finchley initiative by East Finchley Community Trust and the Finchley Pollinator Project.

OLDER PEOPLE

Monday 6th July

​Talks: Getting to Grips with your Tech at Age UK Barnet | Mon, Jul. 6 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | The Ann Owens Centre, Age UK Barnet, N2 8LT | Free | A series of useful talks as part of Age UK Barnet's free weekly digital support sessions, on Mondays from 2pm to 4pm at the Ann Owens Centre.

Wednesday 8th July

​Understanding Memory Loss | Wed, Jul. 8 | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | The Ann Owens Centre, N2 8LT | Free | A special evening session for carers, family members, health professionals and support workers. Join Professor Catherine Loveday, neuropsychologist at the University of Westminster, for an accessible talk on the lived experience of dementia-related memory loss: how it affects thinking, behaviour and confidence, and the latest advice for supporting someone's memory.

THEATRE

Friday 3rd July

​The Lost Girls of Highgate Cemetery | Fri, Jul. 3 | 7:30 pm | Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, N6 6PJ | £16 | A moving and thought-provoking play devised and performed by local community group Theatre in the Square, staged at Highgate Cemetery.

Events - Book Ahead

Wednesday 15th July

​Comedy Preview: Jonny Pelham and Sara Barron | Wed, Jul. 15 | 7:45 pm to 10:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | £15 | Jonny Pelham and Sara Barron preview new works in progress ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe. Expect new ideas, bold jokes and big laughs.

Thursday 16th July

​Belsize Community Choir Summer Concert | Thu, Jul. 16 | 7:30 pm | Belsize Square, Belsize Park, NW3 4HJ | Free | You are warmly invited to the Let the River Run concert, with music from classical to movie soundtracks and from all over the world. Dimitri Kennaway (piano) and Anuj Thakar (percussion) accompany the choir.

Sunday 20th September

​Rabbit & Rey and The Lost Things | Sun, Sep. 20 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | artsdepot, North Finchley | £13.75 | Ever felt like the world is playing hide and seek with your stuff? One moment it is there, the next it is gone: your toy, your glasses, your book, even your ideas. Come and meet Rey, an imagination expert and glorious misplacer of everything, and by their side, Rabbit.

Local Lowdown

Revamping

• The UK's first shopping mall is turning 50 in style. Owner Hammerson has submitted plans for a striking modern facade at Brent Cross, built back in 1976, promising a cleaner, more recognisable frontage that stands out day and night. If Brent Council approves, it could be finished by late 2026.

Excelling

• A pop superstar has given a Camden school a shout-out. Swiss Cottage School has been named among the world's top 10 for the World's Best School Prizes, and Harry Styles, whose friend teaches there, sent a video congratulating pupils, families and staff on an amazing achievement.

Cooling

• London is finally bracing for hotter summers. The Mayor has launched Heat Ready London, a citywide plan to retrofit high-risk homes, add greenery and expand cool spaces, and Sadiq Khan now hints he may relax guidance that discourages air conditioning in new builds.

Building

• More specialist school places are on the way. Barnet has approved urgent, quick-build modular classrooms at three schools, Mapledown, Queenswell and Oakleigh, to ease a shortage of places for children with special educational needs by September. The £3.65m scheme is funded by a government grant.

Saluting

• Barnet said thank you to those who serve. The council marked Armed Forces Week with a curry reception hosted by the Mayor, Cllr Zahra Beg, in partnership with the RAF Museum. The Armed Forces flag was raised at Hendon Town Hall on Monday 22 June.

The Finchleyite: Harriet the Cat

A Barnet cat who has helped save the lives of ill pets has been named blood donor of the year by the Royal Veterinary College.​

Harriet, an eight-year-old tabby, has given blood 12 times since joining the college’s donor programme in 2021.

Her donations have supported cats needing emergency transfusions at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals in Hertfordshire.

Owners Nick and Anne Cook described Harriet as quiet and reserved, but said she takes donating in her stride.

The annual award recognises exceptional donors. More than 120 dogs and 60 cats are enrolled in the programme, which enabled over 700 transfusions last year.

The RVC thanked the owners, describing their pets as “superheroes”.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

I've been in Glasgow this week running our paediatric conference - DFTB26. It was an absolute blast.

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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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze