Location
Widows and Orphans International is located in the heart of Dagenham, a suburban town in northeast London, forming part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.
Dagenham has a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-language population. Dagenham's roots lie in the industrial and manufacturing areas - from smelting ore to car manufacturing and manufacturing of British Army weapons. However, recent years have seen an expansion of the service industries with, the expansion of the railway network coming close home. It is also the gateway for the 2012 Olympic games. Dagenham is a short distance away from London’s financial district and London City Airport which serves 29 destinations across the UK and Europe.
London is a metropolis of 7.5 million people. As Europe's largest city it boasts some of the finest art and science museums, theatres, palaces, parks, attractions... the list is endless.
You will never run out of things to do in London. And if for some reason you do, the whole of Europe is on your doorstep with cheap flights from London's five airports to hundreds of destinations.
Living Costs
Life for students in London can at first be daunting. The cost of living is high but there is no shortage of jobs and many of London's wonderful attractions are free or heavily discounted for Students. Here is an example of current prices in London (in pounds sterling) for some common goods and services:
Accommodation
£60 to £80 per week for a room in a shared house. See our Accommodation section for more information.
Weekly grocery bill
Around £25 pounds, but prices will vary dramatically depending on where you shop.
Eating out
From £3-5 per head at a noodle bar or £5-10 per head for a curry in Brick Lane. Again, prices will vary depending on the type of restaurant or cafe you visit.
Fancy a pint?
A pint of beer in a London pub will cost you between £1.60 and £3.00 again depending on the beer and where you drink. If you purchase beer from the supermarket the cost will be as little as 70 pence per pint.
Entertainment
At nearby London Docklands cinemas, you can watch as many movies as you want for under £10 per month with a annual pass. A single film will cost approximately £4.50. Many London clubs are free to enter up to a certain time in the night, then a cover charge of between £2 and £15 pounds may be required.
Transport
The cost of transport in London is expensive, however, these costs can be minimised by using an Oyster Card and using London's famous and efficient bus network where possible. The cost of a single fare anywhere in London on a bus is £1. The off-peak cost of an London Underground fare from CTL to Central London (15mins) is £1.50.
Working in London
Students are officially allowed to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week. No doubt the City and surrounding areas will provide you with anything from bar work to waitressing to part-time office work or, if you have experience in other areas you could find employment for up to 20 hours per week in one of these.
The mininum wage is currently £4.10 per hour. Tips in restaurants and bars can account for up to half your weekly wage. Accounting and banking positions can pay in excess of £30 per hour.
Discover London
There are countless attractions and events in London: too many to list. Here are some of the key attractions in close proximity to the College. See the side bar for more ideas on how to spend your time in London:
London Docklands
The 'Manhattan of London' and one of the largest financial district in Europe boasts some of the biggest names in the world of finance plus a great range of bars, restaurants and cheap cinemas.
Hoxton and Shoreditch
Currently the trendiest place on the planet and home for many cutting-edge designers, rock stars and technology companies, ShoHo as it is known, is a 10 minute journey from CTL, where you can catch a movie, party all night at 333, Herbal, Cargo or any number of clubs or just hang out at a lounge bar or pub.
Spitalfields Market
A little further down the road, Spitalfields Market, near Liverpool Street Station, is a huge indoor complex of food, fashion and fun. Not far is Bangla Town on Brick Lane - the place to go for a cheap Indian meal, which doubles as an enormous street market every Sunday. Here you can buy anything from a bagel to a bicycle for next to nothing.
Colombia Road Flower Market
Every Sunday nearby Columbia Road is transformed into an oasis of colour and scent where East Enders trade their wares in this quaint street market.
City of London
Right on our doorstep is the the City of London. This is the financial capital of Europe and once the walled Roman city of Londinium. 'The City' generates more wealth than the Netherlands, and trades more Euros than the rest of Europe. Here history and business are closely entwined and there is no shortage of attractions and events - from St.Pauls Cathedral in the west to the Tower of London in the east. If you want to make it big in business and finance anywhere in the world - a job in the City in mandatory.
Hackney Fields -
A few miles north of the College are Hackney Marshes where David Beckham learn't his skills as a child. This area will be the centre of the world in 2012 when London hosts the Olympics until then it will remain one of London's great recreational open spaces.