A new film about the groundbreaking journey and impact of Clyde Best - the first black football superstar of the modern TV era in England, who also went on and became a soccer legend in the North America Soccer League (NASL), too - premieres in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park this month.

Recruited from Bermuda in 1968 to play for West Ham United when he was only 17, Best faced blatant racism and torment from fans, but met the adversity with excellence, and in the process became a legendary goal-scoring striker and role model as he made his immeasurable impact changing UK culture and attitudes in the 1970s.

Featuring in-depth interviews with many of football’s most respected legends, Transforming the Beautiful Game is a first-hand account of how Best’s journey shaped the future of soccer worldwide, and the inequalities that linger in professional sports today, featuning words from the likes of Ian Wright, Geoff Hurst, Viv Anderson, Garth Crooks, Rodney Marsh, Howard Gayle, and Harry Redknapp.

With his proud connection to West Ham United, Transforming the Beautiful Game is showing for a limited time at Sadler’s Wells East from Wed 25th - Sat 28th Mar. Book tickets here.

💐 There’s an ideal way to celebrate Mother’s Day this Sun 15th Mar at Park Kitchen & Bar on East Bank with a special three-course menu for £32 or two-courses for £27.50 and say thank you in the most delicious way. Enjoy a seasonal starter, a roast, Cornish hake or risotto for mains, and top it all off with an indulgent dessert. Book here.

❓The latest exhibition at UCL’s Urban Room, Manifesting, opens tomorrow night Thurs 12th Mar using sounds, text and design to question exclusion, imagine belonging and explore whether a space can be a manifesto. Can an institution hold the people it historically excluded, and if so, what would its future look like? Find out at a series of diner and roundtable discussions in the weeks ahead. Runs to 20th Jun.

🍵 East Asian homeware, fashion, premium tea and and artisanal teaware comes to Fish Island with the opening of brand new boutique Gohobi today, Wed 11th Mar. Look out for 10 days of tasty opening offers to celebrate, including 10% off storewide, free gift sets worth £50 when you spend over £30 and a series of Taiwanese tea tastings.

🪑 The Giant London Flea Market is back, taking over the QEOP Multi-Storey Car Park at Here East once again on Sun 22nd Mar with over 100 traders in vintage home decor, preloved bargains and sustainable shopping, plus food and drinks at Canalside for when you get peckish.

🍽️ QE Dine is the new monthly dinner date residency turning Fish Island’s Unlock into a communal celebration of queer culture. Tomorrow, Thurs 12th Mar (and every second Thursday of the month) sees a collaborative menu from local queer chefs, with Zoe Argiros (Ottolenghi, Acme Fire Cult, The Clink) specialising in live-fire and modern fine dining, Robert Ninebob (Little What You Fancy) known for community-led food culture and refugee support initiatives, alongside Unlock’s acclaimed Head Chef Emanuele Esposito, DJ Spectrum on musical duties and your fabulous host MC, Rhys’ Pieces.

🚲 There’s a brand new cargo bike hire location outside Oslo House / Bad Coffee provided by OurBike as part of the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN). You can carry up to 100kg including kids, pets and cargo, with 1 hour free if you are a local resident and 3 hours free for local businesses and sole traders, too. Book and unlock using the OurBike app.

🔊 Group Therapy brings a special showcase from their chief minister Aniko to Colour Factory this Fri 13th Mar alongside Sef Kombo and Nicky Summers for Afro Tech and Afro House all the way.

☘️ There’s a strong Irish contingent in town for the JWY & Friends St. Patrick’s Day Takeover high-energy day-to-night takeover at CRATE Brewery on Sat 14th Mar. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early with Little O, BLKCNVS, BK86 and loads more.

🎂 Marking a fantastic four formidable years of parties at Grow during International Women’s Month on Sat 14th Mar, Girlz B Like have invited NYC-based consummate selector DJ Mihoko for her long-awaited debut. Expect a hypnotic journey through reggae, disco, boogie, soul, afrobeat, hip-hop and house, delivered with heavyweight finesse, plus your fave Girlz B Like selectors, too.

🎶 Mr. Scruff's Miniature Arena Tour comes to Giant Steps at The Bath House this Sun 15th Mar as the man with the tea and the tunes, known for his marathon sets that span everything from soul to hip-hop, lands in the Wick. The event is in support of the Music Venues Trust and Save Our Scene.

🎛️ Get your leftfield musical fix at a very special Mesh:Social event in the DIY surrounds of the Not For Sale Gallery on Fri 20th Mar. With an ambient start segueing into party vibes later on, you’ll hear sets from Giulia Tess, Brecon, Drum & Lace and Anthony Faulkner.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Cook for Change is a free, seven-month program for social entrepreneurs running community food projects. The scheme aims to help you grow, develop more sustainable models, explore ways to generate income, and support more local residents, especially concerning food insecurity. Successful applicants will take part in a three-day bootcamp in June, get pitch training with Google, and receive one-to-one support from industry experts to develop their business plans. Apply by Fri Mar 20th.

💼 Today, Wed 11th Mar, marks the final deadline to apply for the prestigious annual Manufacturing Futures 2026: Fashion District Innovation Challenge. Emerging SMEs and innovators with technological or sustainable solutions can compete for financial support and a year-long desk membership at The Trampery Fish Island Village.

🌉 Local businesses impacted by the protracted closure of Roach Point Bridge can challenge their VOA valuation for potential rates reduction. Business rates payers just must submit their challenge as early as possible and certainly prior to the reopening of the road or bridge. Check your eligibility now.

💦 Stratford based conservation and moorings cooperative, Surge Coop, are running a crowd funder to continue tackling the rapid growth of pennywort on the Channelsea river in Newham, by acquiring a new boat. It will enable volunteers to directly support the vital waterway ecosystem and all those connected to it - but hurry, there are only 2 days left on the crowdfunder.

📦 Book now to attend Enterprise4Good’s How to Become an East Bank Supplier...or Not! Understanding Supply Chains on Tue 17th Mar at Sadler's Wells East's Park Kitchen & Bar. The event aims to break down the procurement process, helping local businesses navigate the dos and don'ts to understand what it takes to get a foot in the door and securing contracts with East Bank partners including the BBC, V&A and UCL.

📈 UCL School of Management and London College of Fashion (UAL)’s free, 6-week intensive growth programme Business Builder Programme is back for 2026. Designed specifically for East London SMEs with 1–4 employees, the course provides a Smart Goal Action Plan, expert mentorship, and a certificate of completion. Apply by Fri 27th Mar.

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