November 2026
Dear neighbours,
Welcome to the autumn edition of the NGAG newsletter.
It’s an interesting time to be part of this community! TimeOut recently proclaimed that Newington Green is the third coolest neighbourhood in the UK and the 33rd coolest in the world. That’s great, but we want to ensure that our Green is a place where everyone feels welcome and included. With that in mind, read on for 2027 priorities, updates and the new businesses that are shaping our community.
Welcoming refugees- 2027 priority
The government has finally announced further details of its plans for a new refugee community sponsorship programme. The scheme will enable community groups to support refugees fleeing conflict and persecution to settle in the UK and build a new life.
As trustees, we have decided that Newington Green Action Group should aim to be among the first community groups to take part. We will be bringing together a group of volunteers in the new year to prepare to support the resettlement of a refugee family.
If you would like to get involved, email us at community@newingtongreen.org or watch out for future newsletters.
Environment sub-committee
On Thursday 17 September, the NGAG Environment Sub- Committee facilitated an informal public meeting with Mildmay local councillors. It was well attended by residents from both Islington and Hackney and discussion focused mainly on the Mildmay Liveable Neighbourhood. Residents welcomed several positive changes, including the new NG Primary School entrance and the works on King Henry’s Walk. People also raised difficulties, in particular speed humps and traffic diverted onto boundary roads, including the roads around Newington Green itself, which sits on the edge of the scheme.
This was an informal meeting, and council officers were not invited. But it was a valuable chance for residents to share their experiences directly with councillors, and we’re grateful to everyone who came along. The Environment sub-committee will continue to work with both councils and would love to hear from you on any creative ideas on how to enhance the environment around Newington Green and make it better and safer for the community.
Email us at enviroment@newingtongreen.org and we’ll keep you updated as the conversation continues.
Carols on the Green 2026
Carols on Newington Green is back! Join us for a festive celebration with music, carol singing and more.
Thursday 10 December @ Early Bird
From 4.30pm
Save the date- more details coming soon on our instagram.
And why not make an evening of it? After the carols, head over to The Mildmay Pantomime. Tickets available here.
Chair of Governors wanted - Growth Learning Collective
The Growth Learning Collective, a federation of two maintained community primary schools (Newington Green Primary and Rotherfield Primary), is looking for a new Chair of Governors.
This is an opportunity to use your skills and experience to make a real difference to children and families across De Beauvoir, East Canonbury and Newington Green.
Our Chair Jenny is the current co-chair. Find out more about the role here and contact her on jk@newingtongreen.org if you’re interested.
Ping pong in action
The new outdoor table tennis table has quickly become one of our community's favourite gathering spots, drawing players of all ages, from curious kids picking up a bat for the first time to seasoned grandparents with a mean serve. Whether you're up for a friendly rally or a spirited match, grab a bat and come join the fun. Bats and balls are available for free from Early Bird so anyone can have a go!
We’d love to see the table in action! Share your photos and videos of the best rallies on social media and tag us @newingtongreenaction. We’ll be cheering you on and perhaps featuring some in a future newsletter.
Welcome to new businesses
Founded by local resident Ann-Marie Kinlock, KindHaus offers a combination of flexible childcare, dedicated workspace and a cafe designed for adults and kids. With morning and afternoon sessions and a date-night special every Friday, parents can drop their under-5s at KindHaus and work in a separate room just a few metres from their kids. Trained and qualified childminders look after the toddlers; wifi and quiet space is available for the parents. “There are lots of freelancers and consultants living round here and we felt they needed more flexible childcare than traditional nurseries offer,” said Ann-Marie. There’s also a 20% discount at the cafe for newsletter readers.
A newly opened arts and crafts café, at 119 Newington Green Road, the Nest & Cup offers coffee, cake and creativity, with activities such as pottery painting, design a tote and slime kits. After-school and Saturday creative clubs are on offer, the space can be rented out for birthday parties, private events and workshops and collaborations with local artists are welcomed.
Having spent years working with children, owner Emese Burjan is a firm believer in the power of community. “I didn’t want to create just another café. I wanted to build a welcoming space where creativity becomes a way of connecting people,” she says. To celebrate the opening, The Nest & Cup is offering 10% off to readers of this newsletter. Simply mention the newsletter when visiting to enjoy the discount.
Inspired by Montréal, a new neighbourhood wine bar and buvette has just opened right by Canonbury station. They take bookings but also leave space for walk ins. The owner, Cat, moved from her corporate background to run a pop up wine bar in North London before moving into this new venue.
Local Contacts - Helping Get Things Actioned
We often hear from residents about local issues and a lot of times they don’t know who to ask for help. We've expanded our local contacts directory to make it easier to find the right people to contact at Hackney and Islington councils, the police and other local services.
If there's something you'd like to see improved in the neighbourhood, please get in touch with the relevant contact and let them know. You're also welcome to copy us into your emails. We can't follow up every issue individually but we're keen to help make sure local concerns are heard and will do what we can to chase responses and push for action.
STEWY Mary Wollstonecraft print
Prints of Mary Wollstonecraft, the 18th century pioneer, feminist and NG resident are available to buy on our website as of today.
Created by STEWY, the prints are based on the stencil on the side of Newington Green Meeting House. One of the prints is part of the Government Art Collection. Only ten are available, and every penny will go to The Wollstonecraft Society, a wonderful charity promoting human rights, equality and justice.
Finally, we believe that strong communities are built when people have opportunities to meet, understand each other, support one another and play an active role in shaping the place they live. Thank you for being part of the Newington Green community. Let’s work together to keep our area special, vibrant and inclusive.
In solidarity,
Team NGAG