Pen to Print: Tea & Tales – Heathway Heritage with Elaine Spires

Please note that this event will take place at the My Heathway Shop in Dagenham Heathway Shopping Mall, RM10 8RE.

Dagenham Heathway is historically at the commercial and civic heart of the Becontree Estate and Dagenham communities. Plans for investment and regeneration could ensure it becomes a retail and leisure hub for new Dagenham communities.

Joined by Local Author, Elaine Spires, this workshop provides an opportunity for residents and former residents to explore what they enjoyed about Heathway in the past and to share their valued memories and stories with new and future generations of Heathway residents and visitors. Elaine will share her experiences of growing up in the local area and the creative process of turning memories into creative writing for her novels.

There will be tea and talk but also an opportunity to share your tales and creative responses by sending a post card to future residents – highlighting experiences from Heathway’s past.

If you have any accessibility requirements, please directly get in touch with us at pentoprint@lbbd.gov.uk

Booking is essential and you will be asked to present your booking confirmation upon arrival.

Pen to Print and our partners shall not be liable to attendees for any injury, loss or damage of or to personal equipment belonging to the attendees or any indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever arising out of the attendance of the event.

Pen to Print and our partners reserves the right to cancel, delay or postpone the event for any reason, including adverse weather conditions, an emergency situation or unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances out of its reasonable control. In such cases, the event organiser will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible.

The National Year of Reading 2026 is a UK-wide campaign designed to inspire people to make reading a regular part of their lives.

We all understand the benefits of reading and how it expands our minds, builds confidence and fuels creativity, yet fewer people are doing it. With growing distractions and limited time, reading for pleasure is declining across many groups.

This national campaign aims to change this by reconnecting reading with everyday culture. It is not about guilt or obligation, it is about showing that stories, ideas and imagination have a place in everyone’s daily life. Click here to find out more!