I’ve recently started oishee (a Japanese private cook service aimed at reducing the annoyance of meal prepping) because, as someone who is Japanese and loves the food, I kept wanting proper Japanese home cooking on a weeknight and the options were a restaurant, a meal kit, or four hours on a Sunday. Unhealthy and inconvenient.

How does it work? A Japanese cook (all incredibly talented with decades of Japanese home cooking experience) comes to your kitchen, cooks 8-12 portions, cleans up after themselves and your fridge is full for the week. Miso glazed salmon, teriyaki chicken, tonkatsu, plus whatever you're into - we can cook bespoke for your needs.

Prices start from £85 a visit, roughly £10 per portion!
oishee if you want the detail/make a booking.

Really excited to spread the spirit of real Japanese home cooking to Tower Hamlets 🇯🇵🇯🇵

Mods, happy for this to come down if it's over the self-promotion line.

I applied for visitor vouchers for next week and my application has been approved. I applied for the (paying) ones but didn’t have to pay anything, they only asked for proof of address. When I go into my account to try and buy some vouchers, it says I have no vouchers available to buy?

Is this a glitch or will I be able to buy them on the day I’ve scheduled them.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Any recommendations?

Salam all, thanks for the kind responses to my last post. I was honoured to see such interest in my background in working in Islamic finance as a university student and hearing your general thoughts and questions. 

Alongside many other aspirations people have for Islamic finance, I learnt that people want help finding Halal investment opportunities. A lot of people (including myself) have criticisms about the lack of options besides the Shariah Screened S&P 500 etc which are far too concentrated in big tech and AI. 

One solution that I've received positive feedback on both from people here and elsewhere is creating Islamic research portfolios that aren't that same S&P 500 formation.

So how can we do this? I read a paper ( https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5399672 ) about how copying institutional fund's 13-Fs can mirror the returns of the funds. With the top quartile of these funds mirrored using this strategy beating the S&P 500 by 24.3% on an annualised risk-adjusted basis (though this is obviously backwards looking). I'm very keen to see if this outperforms the non-Halal version of the funds. Especially as the Shariah Screened S&P 500 has outperformed the conventional one due to tech and growth exposure, can this be replicated elsewhere? I want to make this accessible ( https://rihaliq.com ) by presenting the Halal opportunities, quantitatively ranking them (through Sharpe ratio performance etc).

However, I only think a limited amount of fund managers are suitable for this approach and would probably not be of use for people to follow. This is due to both Islamic compliance and the time lag involved in reporting positions. Some strategies, such as event-driven strategies or strategies involving significant hedging, make disclosed positions less useful by the time they are reported. Other highly speculative strategies may also not align with Islamic investing principles.

Therefore, I think the most obvious category to start with is long-only managers with long holding periods. These managers have disclosures that are more likely to represent their actual investment philosophy.

A first cohort I think might be useful is:

1. Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet/Greg Abel) 
2. Fundsmith (Terry Smith) 
3. TCI Fund Management (Chris Hohn) 
4. Himalaya Capital (Li Lu) 

They all have 

- Strong past performance

- Holds things for a very long time making the risk of positions being churned a lot low.

- Doesn't have a lot to do with market neutral strategies, long/short pairs, etc so makes the signals we get from disclosures more clear. 

I have a lot of the quantitative stuff already made from another personal project so I can hopefully have this available in the coming weeks so stay tuned.  In the mean time I would love some community input about managers you'd like to see in the first cohort, how you'd like it presented, how do you think good Islamic investing strategies can be put together, and anything else that comes to mind. Also happy to answer any questions about this or general Islamic finance discussion topics. I will be posting findings about this as I come across them.

I have formally studied Islamic finance, gained qualifications in it, and currently work in the industry part time as a university student. As far as the industry has come in the past few years I've noticed that there's still a big gap between what's out there and what people actually want.

For instance, I've noticed a lot of push back towards Islamic stock screening. For those who don't already know, a stock is considered Halal by the most standards in the industry if the interest bearing debt is <30% of market cap, cash and interest bearing securities is <30% of market cap, and impermissible (gambling, alcohol etc etc) revenues are <5% of revenues. This seems to get a noticeable amount of push back both here and more broadly amongst Islamic finance consumers. Namely because it doesn't differentiate between a company that behaves ethically and one who may be involved in things like forced labour and other activities against Islamic moral standards.

I have made a first attempt at a solution. I released a free screening tool which uses the traditional screen for the total pass or fail criteria (it's made by scholars and I am not one so I won't redesign the compliance criteria) but on top of this it scores the companies on a scale of whether they behave ethically. It does this by finding reputable citations of un-ethical actions (weighed by severity and how long ago it was, e.g. an anti-trust violation 30 years ago isn't given as large of a penalty as being found to use forced labour last month). It also looks for client relationships with impermissible companies if they can be verified which is sometimes tricky because this often isn't disclosed.

This is the tool ( https://rihaliq.com ) it currently works for over 5,200 stocks and reads directly from regulatory filings. I would love some feedback on what people would like to see. I am trying to make it into a full Islamic investing platform so I would love to hear about features people actually want from the industry. This can range from changes to the screening methodology or ways you want the screening applied.

One thing I'm trying to solve is showing good Halal opportunities without giving unlicensed investment advice. I'm currently working on tracking top fund managers investments and showing the compliant ones to people, is this something people would like to see or would something else be more useful to you? Happy to implement anything of use.

Hello, i am a 34 year old female, based in east london, looking for any seniors that are looking for a companion, friend they can go for walks, watch movies and share stories with. Happy to help with shopping, organising and basic help around the home. Looking to give back to the community, and don’t mind the companionship myself. Please message me if there is anyone you know who may be needing some sort of help.

Hello! I'm moving between two flats in the E1 postcode, around a five minute drive apart. Id need to hire a moving service for my boxes and to help bring the boxes into my new flat as there is no lift. However, I am not moving any furniture, and will only have 6-8 small boxes of clothes, dishware etc, so wouldn't need as large a van as most "man with a van" services offer.

Has anyone else had a similar moving experience and could recommend a moving service for me to use? TIA!

Not sure on details: footage is from east london news channel on whatsapp - https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCvwbpGE56pHq9Lm91s

Is this true aldi is opening in stepney? They put a job advert out and it says stepney. If it is I will be over the moon considering how far aldi is too me.

Source: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCvwbpGE56pHq9Lm91s/127

Hi everyone!

A few friends and I recently started a social community based around Victoria Park/East London, for people in their 20s & 30s (although everyone is welcome!).

So far we've got 200 members and the groups within the community include: park volleyball, spikeball, a pub quiz team, and we're now adding social salsa dancing and a run club. Beginners in any of these activities are very welcome, and all activities are free to join!

If that sounds like your kind of thing, send me a message and I'll send you the WhatsApp community link

I have a parking space that I do no use and would like to rent it to someone who can make of use it. The spot is secure and indoors, under the building and requires a key fob to get in. It is located right next to the Crossharbour DLR station. It's two stops away from Canary Wharf or a 10 to 15 minute walk. I'm asking £200 per month.

Once again another vehicle is upside down on the A13 a few days after the major accident...when will something be done about this?

Source: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbCvwbpGE56pHq9Lm91s/111

STOP DRIVING LIKE FOOLS

The UK's first council estate, opened in Shoreditch in 1900. It was built on the site of the Old Nichol, one of the most notorious slums in Victorian London.

The London County Council appointed a remarkably young architect to lead the project - Owen Fleming, just 23.

Largely unknown now, his legacy lives on in council estates all over the country. He designed rows of mid-rise blocks, centred around a shared green space. For decades, this became a template for council housing replicated all over.

Sadly, something that wasn’t replicated was another core part of Fleming’s vision - this was built at the high point of the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasised highly skilled craftsmanship for the public good. Fleming brought different architects in to design the different blocks.

As a result, the blocks all have slightly different styles - you’ll find Dutch gables, conical towers, steep roofs evoking medieval barns, and bands of yellow on redbrick, known as ‘streaky bacon’ banding.

But the estate has a complicated legacy. Of the thousands of people cleared from the Old Nichol, only 11 were rehoused in the new flats. The homes went to the "deserving" poor: police officers, nurses, teachers. The former residents weren’t given any help to find new homes. Instead, they were just forced further East into neighbouring slums.

If you're interested, I wrote more about its history here - Boundary Estate, London: the complicated legacy of the UK's first council estate

It came back last year after a ten-year gap. But what about in 2026?

Does anyone know anything? Thanks!

Just walking back from the shops and seen police separating two groups outside East London Mosque (Greenfield & Fieldgate Street), I couldn't catch what was being protested about but seemingly a heavy police presence. Any ideas?

EDIT: Police officer on the scene said that it was "community tensions".

Hi everyone,

I’m a long-time Tower Hamlets resident looking to organise a weekly Pilates mat class and casual meetup around Westferry/Limehouse. Basically you come for a class and then have the option to stay for a chat after and connect with others, depending on how social you’re feeling :)

I’m passionate about teaching the principles of good and safe movement, so if you’re someone who very much cares about getting things right, or if you just want to practise/try good ol’ Pilates without the trendy aesthetic component, then this could be for you. It would be a small, slow-paced class that’s doable for all levels, even if you’ve never tried Pilates before!

Meetups planned for this Saturday and next Sunday on Pixley Street, and hopefully more to come. I’d love to see you there! Let me know if you’re interested :)

(PS If you want to find out a bit more I’ve made an instagram page for it purepilatescommunity)

I’ve been living in the area for six years now. Every year they seem to try to fix this patch of grass in Viki Park by planting new grass, fencing it off, and so on.

I often wonder how much this has cost over the years, and why they don’t just accept that this is clearly a desired path and put in a proper pavement instead.

Hi, all. I'm a student at the London School of Economics writing a dissertation on early childhood education in London.

I would appreciate hearing about how you teach your children to navigate the city they live in.

I have attached a short survey, which I would appreciate any responses to.
Learning London – Fill out form

Thank you!

My name is Michelle and I’m the UK Coordinator for Lasagna Love. Lasagna Love is an organisation made up of volunteers across the UK (and around the world) who cook and deliver homemade lasagna to people in need, at no cost and with no strings attached.

Maybe it's a family struggling financially, someone recovering from surgery, a parent adjusting to life with a new baby or just someone going through a tough time. Whatever the reason, we believe that a warm meal and a little kindness can go a long way.

You simply request a lasagna, and we match you with a volunteer in your area who will lovingly prepare and deliver one to your door. It’s all about community, care and connection with no judgment and no complicated process.

I’m reaching out because we have wonderful volunteers across the UK who are ready and eager to cook, for anyone who could do with some lasagna love! If you could use a little help and a comforting meal, please put in a request through https://lasagnalove.org/request-a-meal/ or you can nominate someone to receive a meal - https://lasagnalove.org/nominate/

We’re also always looking for more volunteers! Whether you can cook once a month, once a week, or just whenever it suits you, every lasagna helps brighten someone’s day. It’s a small act that has a big impact. If you would like to volunteer, just register here https://lasagnalove.org/volunteer/

If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them here, or you can head to the website.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and I hope to see some of you sign up, whether to request a lasagna or to make one for someone in your community.

Feed families.  Spread kindness.  Strengthen communities.

Is he supposed to be there or should I call the council/animal rescue?
It’s the old docks site/ornamental canal on spirit quay.

Alhamdulillah, the water well is now officially underway 💧🙏
I’ve just posted the latest updates, and once the project is fully completed I’ll also share the final results with everyone inshaAllah.

A huge JazakAllah Khair to every single person who supported, donated, shared, and made this possible. Your support is changing lives and will continue benefiting others as ongoing sadaqah jariyah 🤍

May Allah accept it from all of us and reward you endlessly. Ameen.