North London Chinese Association 北倫敦華人協會

From the Viny Poon: Connecting People, Creating Impact — Celestia Magazine: Viny Poon is a highly accomplished community leader and talented networker, recognised for her exceptional ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. She is deeply committed to volunteering and supporting vulnerable individuals, driven by a strong sense of fairness, compassion, and social responsibility.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Viny led a dedicated team of volunteers in delivering food parcels to those in need and donated significant quantities of personal protective equipment (PPE), face masks, and thermometers to elderly residents, community centres, schools, hospitals, and care homes. She also established a support network for the local Chinese community in Bexley, which included organising online Mandarin tuition for children.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the community, Viny was honoured with the “Bexley Heroes” Award, presented by the Lord Mayor of London Borough of Bexley.

She was also the first Malaysian woman Councillor Candidate who had stood in the local Council Elections in Bexley previously.

Viny remains actively involved in Safer Neighbourhood meetings held quarterly and works closely with homeless individuals, women affected by domestic abuse, and mental health service users, helping them access support and resolve their challenges effectively.

She currently serves as a Trustee of the East and West Music Festival and the North London Chinese Association.

She’s also a Trustee of the Chinese Information and Advice Centre (CIAC) and a Founding Member of the Malaysia Association of United Kingdom (MAUK)

Viny is the former President of the Lions Club of London Covent Garden (2022–2023).

She sponsored the formation of The Lions Club of London St James’s which had its Chartered Night at Kensington Palace in May 2023.

Viny also successfully chartered the Lions Club of London West End in June 2024. She also served as Lions Club Zone A Chairperson for 2024–2025 and had recently sponsored the formation of another new club, the Lions Club of London Soho.

Passionate about preserving cultural heritage, Viny enjoys building volunteer teams to organise and promote traditional Chinese festival events, strengthening community ties and encouraging cultural exchange. Alongside her community work, she is actively engaged in the import and export of food and beverage products and is dedicated to mentoring young people, helping them build their careers and develop their leadership potential and future opportunities.

From the Sky News: Heatwave latest: Amber weather warning for extreme heat extended by Met Office | UK News | Sky News

The June heat record was broken more than once yet again on Friday – and it was the third day in a row a new high had been set. Temperatures will start to cool in the coming days, but a heat warning has been extended for parts of the country.

Rare red warning and record-breaking heat – what to expect today

If you’re just waking up (that is, if you managed to get some sleep), another scorcher is on the cards today, with a rare red weather warning in place across parts of the country.

What records could fall?

Temperatures are expected to head into the mid-30s, with the heat expected to surpass the all-time temperature record for June, which reached 35.6 in Hampshire in 1976.

There is even a small chance temperatures could reach near 40C on Wednesday and Thursday, closing in on the UK’s all-time record of 40.3C, which was measured in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, in July 2022.

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge says they are flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely in London or the South East.

“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range.”

Tuesday’s highest temperature was logged at 34.6C in Wisley, Surrey.

People dip their arms into the fountains at Trafalgar Square to cool off.Pic: Reuters

Red warning to come into force, with amber alerts in place

The red warning takes hold from 9am today until 9pm on Thursday, affecting the following regions:

• East Midlands
• East of England
• London and South East England
• South West England
• Wales
• West Midlands

Meanwhile, an amber warning remains in place until 11:59pm on Thursday for the following regions:

• East Midlands
• East of England
• London and South East England
• North West England
• South West England
• Wales
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and Humber 

Red heat health alerts also in place

Red heat health alerts have also been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the East of England, East Midlands, London, the South East, the South West and the West Midlands, and amber heat health alerts for the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and The Humber.

The alerts are in place from 1am on Wednesday to 11pm on Thursday, and mean “adverse temperatures are likely to impact on the health and wellbeing of the population”.

Meanwhile, the Met Office says a combination of extreme heat and humidity could impact public health, infrastructure, power and water supplies, and cause heat-related issues for multiple sectors.

It also warns of an increase in water safety incidents as people are more likely to visit coastal areas, lakes or rivers.

Hundreds of schools to close

The extreme temperatures over the next two days are also expected to cause issues at schools across the country, as some shut early or close entirely to protect pupils.

Somerset Council says almost 100 schools across the region will be fully closed, while around 100 in Buckinghamshire will at least be partially closed.

In Gloucestershire, council data shows 86 schools will be at least partially closed. 

Children at some schools have also been told they can wear their PE kit rather than full school uniform, which can include long trousers and blazers.

Rail disruption

Transport bosses have urged people to avoid travelling over the next two days and have warned those who are to “prepare for a disrupted journey”.

Avanti West Coast will continue to run fewer services than usual until Thursday, adding that there is a “risk of further disruption”, while Chiltern Railways has axed more than half of its services until Friday “to ensure the safe operation of the railway”.

Eurostar has also cancelled four trains running between London and Paris over the next two days due to “expected adverse weather”.

What should I do to stay safe?

NHS advice for coping during a heatwave includes keeping out of the heat when possible, cooling down with cold food and drinks and closing windows and blinds during the day to keep the heat out of living spaces.

The Met Office also advises to drink plenty of fluids, avoid any exercise between 11am to 3pm when the sun is at its strongest, and close curtains in rooms facing the sun. 

It says if you are going out, you should take water, stay in the shade, and wear sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.

For anyone taking a dip in the water, the advice is to enter gradually, avoid jumping or diving straight in to reduce the risk of cold-water shock, go to a supervised swimming area and float on your back if you get into any difficulty in the water.

Follow here: https://www.newham.gov.uk/carersweek

Book for free: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/stmarksbeckton/2222454

Our Chairside Chat series is back and we are excited to announce a special fundraising event with two remarkable humanitarians!

Dr Naseem Ghazali, a trustee of MERCY Humanitarian UK is an Oral & Maxillofacial-Head & Neck Surgeon that has done humanitarian work in Cambodia, Nepal, Morocco, and Gaza. She is joined by Dr Mariam Karimi, an anaesthetist who has worked with NGOs in Tanzania, Myanmar, Thailand, Gaza, and South Sudan.

🗓 Saturday, 13 June 2026
⏰ 2PM – 5PM
📍 Education Malaysia (Malaysia Hall), London,
W2 3ST.
🎟 Tickets: £20 | Students: £10
📲 Scan the QR code to purchase or via:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-GB/ticketing/chairside-chat-with-humanitarian-series-3
☕️: Light refreshments provided 🧁

Join us to listen, learn, and be inspired! 🤍