Love Your High Street
Love Bakers Arms
Commissioned by Waltham Forest Council
Saturday 14 February
Bakers Arms, Waltham Forest
A Valentine’s Day celebration of local shops, sustainability and community
Love Bakers Arms celebrated the Bakers Arms area on Valentine’s Day, bringing together local businesses, residents and visitors to share the stories, skills and values that make the area special.
At the heart of the day was The Bakers Arms Walkround, a guided walking tour of local businesses. With demonstrations, special offers and activities across the high street, visitors were invited to explore the area, shop locally and discover the creative and sustainable businesses based in Bakers Arms.
Described by the people who work here as lively, fun and diverse, Bakers Arms is a place full of community richness, knowledge and curiosity. With its bustling vibe, strong sense of connectivity, and a community that is loyal, supportive and friendly, it’s a high street shaped by the people who live and work here.
Bakers Arms is a lively crossroads where routes to Stratford, Hackney, Leyton and Walthamstow meet, and many people pass through every day. Love Bakers Arms shone a light on the town centre’s mix of shops, small businesses and charity stores, with a focus on sustainability. Visitors discovered opportunities to take part in craft, mending and sustainable fashion, and met the makers and businesses behind the strong local community already here.
Short Films with Local Businesses
Reel from the Tour : The Bakers Arms Walkround
Photo Gallery
What happened on Saturday 14 February
‘The Bakers Arms Walkround’ - A Guided Tour
A guided walking tour led by stylist and slow-fashion advocate Paula O’Connor visited local shops, studios and community spaces featured in the Love Your High Street: Love Bakers Arms short films, which were screened during the event and shared online. The tour included stories of craft, sustainability and local history and finished at a local café.
In-store activities included:
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Clothes mending surgery and styling tips at Age UK
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Meet the Maker block printing demonstrations at Leyton Green Studios
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Pop-up Community Apothecary at the Hornbeam Centre with remedies for sale and herbal teas to taste
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20% discount on reclaimed paint at Forest Recycling Project
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Textile window displays created by Age UK volunteers
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Short films screening at Age UK throughout the day
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Special Valentine’s “red rails” curated from shop stock
The free event invited people to explore Bakers Arms in a new way, whether they were local residents or visiting the area for the first time.
About the Project
Impact
Love Your High Street: Love Bakers Arms brought together 12 local businesses to celebrate sustainability, practical skills and the value of shopping locally.
54 people took part in the guided Bakers Arms Walkround, with additional visitors engaging with demonstrations, activities and special offers across the high street throughout the day. Online we had over 15,712 views and 624 interactions with our digital content.
The project also produced a series of short films, reels and portrait photography featuring local business owners and community spaces. These digital assets provide participating businesses with content they can continue to share, extending the reach of the project beyond the event itself.
At the centre of the project were the businesses and people who make Bakers Arms what it is. Their generosity, stories and creativity helped create a day that genuinely celebrated the places and people that shape the area.
As textile artist Naila Ahmad of Leyton Green Studios reflected:
“Being part of the Love Bakers Arms campaign was a joy. Bakers Arms truly lived up to its name with so much love and community spirit. The sun was shining, the turnout was fantastic and I loved sharing my block printing and textiles with such a supportive local crowd. A beautiful day for our community.”
Acknowledgements
Love Your High Street: Love Bakers Arms was delivered by Artillery CIC in collaboration with Waltham Forest Council, local businesses and creatives. Commissioned by the London Borough of Waltham Forest and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the project celebrated local enterprise, sustainability and community connection.
Love Your High Street: Love Bakers Arms would not have been possible without the creativity, energy, and support of our brilliant team and community partners.
We would like to thank:
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Laura Martinez Da Silva, our content creator, for producing the wonderful reels and portraits that capture the stories of local businesses and residents. www.lauramartinezdasilva.com
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Paula O’Connor, stylist, slow-fashion advocate, and co-founder of The Reloved Club, for inviting and interviewing participating businesses, and shaping the programme for the tour. www.therelovedclub.co.uk
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All the participating businesses and interviewees, whose stories, craft, and community spirit make Bakers Arms special:
Carey, Age UK
Naila Ahmad, Leyton Green Studios
Zara, Forest Recycling Project
Aeron, PDSA
Jayne and Odhran, The Community Apothecary, The Hornbeam Centre
Andy, WP Wakefields
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The London Borough of Waltham Forest
Project Partners
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Image Credits: © Laura Martinez Da Silva 2026