‘It’s Time To Restore Civic Pride Something That Should Bind All of Our Communities Together.”
Reform UK candidate for Marshalls and Rise Park Ward-Bailey Nash-Gardner today writes in the Havering Daily.
Across Romford and Havering, from Marshalls Park to Gidea Park, there is something that should bind all of our communities together.
It is civic pride.
Whether it’s our historic market town of Romford or the unique character of areas like Marshalls Park, Rise Park and Gidea Park, each part of our borough has its own identity and story to tell.
But in recent years, that sense of pride and belonging has been allowed to fade. Neglect and declining standards have taken their toll, and it is something that can be seen and felt across Havering.
That is what I am determined to change.
I want to restore local identity and revive civic pride across our borough.
Civic pride is about how a place looks and feels. It’s about the condition of our parks, whether broken infrastructure gets fixed quickly, and whether our town centres feel welcoming and safe.
There is a well-known idea called the broken windows theory. When small signs of neglect like litter, vandalism or broken fixtures are left, it sends a message that nobody cares. And when people feel that nobody cares, more problems begin to follow.
We are already seeing this in parts of Havering, where issues are reported but too often left unresolved.
These may seem like small things, but they shape how people feel about their community every single day.
And when pride disappears, everything else starts to slip.
It’s time to raise standards again.
That means focusing not just on the big decisions, but on the small details that make a real difference. Because civic pride starts with visible action.
When people see their area being cared for, they respond in kind. Communities become safer, stronger and more connected.
But civic pride is also about identity. It’s about knowing who we are and where we come from.
That is why I will push to restore the historic town crests of Romford and Hornchurch. These are not just symbols, they are reminders that Havering is not just another borough, but a collection of proud and distinct communities.
This is not about politics for the sake of it. It is about restoring a simple but important principle.
Havering should be a place people are proud to call home.
Because when civic pride is strong, people take greater care of their area, local businesses thrive, and standards rise across the board.
But it starts with leadership that genuinely cares.
My mission is to revive that sense of pride, from the smallest details on our streets to the symbols that represent who we are.
To ensure Havering is not just a place we live, but a place we are proud of.
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Well said ,a young man standing in front of the electorate to change the borough for the better ,you are a true resident of Havering and we are lucky to have you stand in this Election for Reform lets hope we can fly the golden Eagle with pride in our Borough and that we get the park gates locked at night for security .Good luck in your endeavours and we look forward to hopefully seeing you as MP and on the front bench in the future .
Like most young men supported by Rosindell, and enamoured by them, he will rapidly be discarded.
The ‘new Damien’, you mean… 😁
So, that’s it, is it ?
Plaques of old town crests ?
I guess it makes a change from flags on the Town Hall roof, though…
Nothing about how he intends to restore this ‘civic pride’, just empty platitudes and meaningless rhetoric about Havering being unique. You’d almost think he’s been programmed what to say by Mr Rosindell.