Out now! The Slice issue six has arrived
The Slice’s sixth issue is a celebration of East End culture past and present, from Limehouse’s lost Chinatown to the drag artists shaping contemporary queer performance.
The sixth edition of Tower Hamlets’ only independent free magazine is now available at stockists across the borough, showcasing the rich heritage and ever-changing culture of East London with content from our family of community news titles, Roman Road LDN, Bethnal Green LDN, Whitechapel LDN and Poplar LDN.
As a social enterprise, The Slice Tower Hamlets uses journalism to strengthen the community by exploring ideas about home and identity and helping people connect.
The sixth edition of The Slice pays homage to the swathes of migration that have shaped Tower Hamlets. Features range from the remarkable story of Ayub Ali Master and Shamsul Haque, who escaped indentured servitude in Sylhet to establish the Bangladeshi community in the East End, to the rise and fall of Limehouse’s lost Chinatown.
In London particularly, it’s all too easy to feel isolated, disempowered or emotionally closed-off. Good journalism opens up the heart. It reminds us of our humanity and gives people courage and hope.
Tabitha Stapely
Shining a light on working-class communities, there’s also a double-page spread dedicated to the history of Lakeview Council Estate, a soaring 11-storeyed marvel of modernist architecture built after the Blitz ravaged 46,482 homes.
This issue’s cover story delves into the resurgence of drag in the East End, from glittering karaoke in Cockney boozers to confrontational political satire at community hubs. While RuPaul’s Drag Race catapulted drag into the mainstream, East London has a rich history of queer performance which a new generation of trailblazing artists is bringing back.
Editor-in-Chief of Social Streets, Tabitha Stapely, said: ‘Journalism is so much more than creating content for insatiable platforms. It’s about creating connections, understanding and solutions.
‘In London particularly, it’s all too easy to feel isolated, disempowered or emotionally closed-off. Good journalism opens up the heart. It reminds us of our humanity and gives people courage and hope.
‘Readers often tell us that we’ve been a “lifeline”, from new people moving into the area to those who feel invisible in our community – that’s why we do what we do. We’ve just got to make sure we can become financially sustainable. I’ve made it my life work to prove that a community can collectively fund its own journalism without being at the mercy of a large corporation that could cut local reporters at any moment.’
The new issue coincides with a time of financial hardship for our independent publication. Producing high-quality journalism is costly. We rely on small monthly donations from readers and organisations, ensuring we are accountable only to our community and not to corporate sponsors or grant providers.
However, the economic crisis has impacted revenue from small businesses, who are tightening their belts to weather the storm and we face a significant shortfall this year.
To survive, we have launched an appeal to raise £12,000 by this autumn. If just 166 readers became £6 members, we can bridge our funding gap.
Over the past year, we’ve brought you critical stories about our borough, highlighted inspiring local initiatives, and trained young journalists who have gone on to get jobs in national papers.
We need your support to continue our role as Tower Hamlets’ only independent news publication. Your membership will help make us sustainable – and keep our community voice.
Ten thousand free copies of The Slice Tower Hamlets are being distributed around the borough right now. Find a local stockist here.
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