The Brent Magazine - Issue 159 - Spring 2019

SPRING 2019 • ISSUE 159

NEWS • VIEWS • WHAT’S ON • LOCAL INFO • FEATURES • ARTS & CULTURE

the

Brent Your magazine about life in Brent, published by Brent Council

It’s good to talk Mental health matters tackled by local residents COMPLETE ’S OUR READER A SURVEY FORO CHANCE T ON D N O L 0 5 2 £ WIN UTLET DESIGNER O VOUCHER GE SEE BACK PA

New Troubadour Theatre to open in Wembley Park

IN THIS ISSUE...

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NEWS

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A round-up of the latest news in Brent COULD THIS BE THE FUTURE BRIDGE PARK?

20 + 31

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Have a look at plans for the new centre KEEPING FIT AND HAVING FUN

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We speak to some FunFit Families DON’T JUST SURVIVE – THRIVE!

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Find out what Brent Council is doing to support mental health WHAT IS EARLY EDUCATION?

TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

KEEP FIT WHILE HAVING FUN

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Have you used your free childcare allowance?

IT’S TIME TO TALK…BREXIT

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The Brent Council Time To Talk event discussed Brexit JUSTICE FOR JOSH

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Josh Hanson’s family appeal for your help to find his killer A BREATH OF FRESH AIR The best sustainable travel options in Brent

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THE FUTURE OF ST RAPHAEL’S ESTATE

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St Raphael’s could look very different in the future

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL IN BRENT

FIGHTING FIT

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Jo De Souza shares her passion for helping others

JUSTICE FOR JOSH

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FIND YOUR SPACE

twitter.com/Brent_Council

YOUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING

ADVERTISING SALES advertising@brent.gov.uk

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We speak to the Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board

The Brent Magazine is available in large print and audio tape.

Please call 020 8937 1234

PRODUCTION EDITOR Middleton Mann middleton.mann@brent.gov.uk

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A snapshot of the affordable spaces in the borough

Brent Customer Services 020 8937 1234 www.brent.gov.uk

EDITOR Sarah Whyte sarah.whyte@brent.gov.uk

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Find out how your council tax money is spent

www.facebook.com/BrentCouncil

Issue No. 159 Spring 2019 Distribution queries and editorial: tbm@brent.gov.uk

COUNCIL BUDGET SNAPSHOT

ARTS AND CULTURE

THE POWER OF READING

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Theatre, music, events and more WHAT’S ON

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Classes, fitness and opportunities near you GET READING AND GET AHEAD

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The Reading Ahead programme has helped thousands of Brent residents

Published by Brent Council Brent Council does not accept responsibility for any goods or services offered by advertisers. Publication of an advertisement does not imply recommendation by the council of goods or services advertised.

Printed on 100 per cent FSC paper. Please use your local paper bank when disposing of this magazine and other paper. 72326BDU09/15

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THE FUTURE OF BRIDGE PARK

Building a better Brent despite the funding squeeze Deep and sustained central Government funding cuts to local councils across the country continue. In Brent’s case, by 2020 the cash we receive directly from central Government will have been cut by 79%. For another year we’ve needed to make really difficult decisions about what we can afford to protect.

Unfortunately, with much of our remaining income now coming from local taxes, instead of from central Government, we need to increase council tax. The vast majority of council’s across the country are doing the same.

I won’t pretend that finding an extra £1.66 a week will be easy, and I know that this will be a pressure many of us could do without. In return, my commitment to you is that this council will continue working in the best interests of everyone who’s made Brent their home.

Despite the financial pressures, we want to build a better Brent – a borough in which every resident has every opportunity to succeed.

Working with our partners and communities every step of the way, the new Borough Plan is our roadmap to make a real difference to the lives of local people. You can read more on pages 33 as we focus on building a better Brent and spending public money for the benefit of everyone in the borough.

£500,000 boost for culture and creative groups Creative individuals and groups can now bid for a share of a new £500,000 grant scheme to lead their own cultural activities during Brent’s year as London Borough of Culture 2020.

People can apply for grants of up to £3,000 while organisations can pitch for up to £10,000. This could be for projects of all shapes and sizes and across all art forms.

Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture and Leisure, Cllr Krupesh Hirani, said: “This fund is a fantastic opportunity for the diverse and creative communities in Brent to be part of such an exciting programme.”

Lois Stonock, Artistic Director of London Borough of Culture 2020, said: “We are keen to see partnerships across the borough and would also encourage Londonwide organisations to apply in collaboration with grassroots community-based organisations to do something spectacular over 2020.”

There will be three rounds to the 2020 Culture Fund with the first deadline on 18 March, 2019. For more information visit www.lboc2020.com.

Light bulb moment to cut carbon emissions and save cash

Cllr Muhammed Butt Leader of Brent Council Cllr Krupa Sheth, shining a light on energy saving plan 21,000 new LED street lights installed across Brent are set to save taxpayers £850,000 a year and slash carbon emissions by 62%.

The state-of-the-art lights were fitted over a 12 month programme that

finished in February.

The £850,000 saving is the highest of any of London’s 32 boroughs to have used the new bulbs.

The new street lights are more clearly focused on brightening pavements and roads, with a natural white light to improve road safety and visibility for residents and visitors.

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Brent’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “By 2030 we will have saved over £9million by installing 21,000 LED street lights in Brent, more than any other London borough. Our street lighting programme is an important part of our work to make Brent safer, cleaner and greener.”

NEWS HEATHROW CONSULTS ON PLANS TO ALLOW 25,000 EXTRA FLIGHTS A YEAR Airport bosses from Heathrow are consulting on the proposed expansion of the airport.

The consultation is open until 3 March 2019. Have your say at www.brent. gov.uk/consultation

MAYOR TO HOST GALA FUNDRAISING DINNER

Young musicians hitting the right notes as finalists revealed Six talented junior musicians will battle it out for the sought-after ‘Brent Junior Musician of the Year’ title this March.

More than 60 solo players and singers, aged between 8 and 12, entered the competition. Judges from Brent Music Service (BMS), Joss Campbell and Eric Angus, were hugely impressed by the quality of the playing and singing they heard.

The six junior musicians who’ve made it through to the final are: • Saul Cuthbertson (Recorder - BMS Recorder Ensemble) • Yuv Dattani (Voice - BMS Intermediate Choir North) • Marvin Kaluarachchi (Saxophone - Brent Concert Band) • Appolonia Margetson (Voice - BMS Intermediate Choir South) • R’wan Robertson-Yebovi (Trumpet - Brent Concert Band) • Japesh Shah (Piano - BMS Intermediate Orchestra) The concert to decide the winner takes place on Wednesday 13 March at 7pm at the Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College in Harlesden.

Last year’s winner, Sam Hopkins

A dinner to raise money for the Mayor of Brent’s chosen charities is set to be held on Friday 5 April. The evening will feature a three-course meal, entertainment and exciting auction lots.

Sufra is a local charity which provides a lifeline for people in crisis, including families living in extreme poverty. The READ foundation works to create school places in the developing world for children affected by poverty. Tickets area available to buy at www. brent.gov.uk/mayor

RENEW YOUR GARDEN WASTE SERVICE You can sign up or renew your garden waste service easily by visiting www.brent. gov.uk/gardenwaste.

The service costs £60 for collections that take place from April to March. If you are renewing your service, please do so by the 31 March, to make sure your service runs seamlessly from April onwards. If you are signing up for the first time, the council will need to deliver you a bin before you can use the service.

GET INVOLVED IN THE GREAT BRITISH SPRING CLEAN Want to take part in the Great British Spring Clean? Interested residents can organise clean up days between 22 March–23 April.

Register your interest by emailing: recyclemore@ brent.gov.uk

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NEWS

Have your say on new ward map of Brent BURNT OAK

Residents are being encouraged to comment on proposals for new council ward boundaries within Brent. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is proposing changes to every ward boundary, with the exception of Kilburn.

Boroughs like Brent are divided into smaller wards. Each ward elects its own councillors to represent the area.

Occasionally the boundaries of these wards are reviewed to make sure that each councillor represents a similar number of people. These reviews are conducted independently by the Local Government Boundary Commission.

The commission’s report suggests that Brent should be represented by 57 councillors, six fewer than currently, and have 22 wards, one more than now.

Under the draft proposals Brent would

COLINDALE

KINGSBURY KENTON

PRESTON ROAD

WEMBLEY PARK

NEASDEN CRICKLEWOOD SUDBURY

WEMBLEY

CHURCH END WILLESDEN GREEN

EALING ROAD

KILBURN

HARLESDEN KENSAL RISE

QUEEN’S PARK

be divided into 13 three-councillor wards, and nine two-councillor wards.

Carolyn Downs, Chief Executive of Brent Council said, “Given the increased population in Brent and the huge amount of regeneration, it is clear that the ward map of Brent needs to change. The question is: are these proposals from the Boundary

Commission the right ones? I encourage everyone to have their say.”

Professor Colin Mellors, chair of the commission, said: “Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Brent and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government for local people.”

Once the commission agrees its final recommendations it will lay a draft order in both Houses of Parliament. If Parliament agrees the proposals the new wards will come into effect at the council elections in May 2022.

The consultation is open now and closes on 15 April 2019. Have your say at https://consultation.lgb ce.org. uk/node/14501 or by emailing your comments to reviews@lgbce.org.uk.

Parents urged to cut their children’s sugar intake A campaign to reduce the amount of sugar eaten in Brent and reduce the risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and painful tooth decay has been launched by the NHS. Children in England are eating 2,800 more sugar cubes than they should do each year on average. That’s eight cubes more than they should be eating every day. This national problem is also a big issue in Brent with more than a quarter of children overweight by the time they start school in the borough.

To combat the problem the NHS’ new Change4Life campaign is encouraging everyone to think smarter about sugar. They have put together some tips to help make some simple swaps when you next go to the shops, exchanging items that are high in sugar for products that contain less of the sweet stuff. There’s also a handy Food Scanner app which shows you what’s really in the food you’re buying.

For more information, visit: www.nhs.uk/change4life To find out more about what is being done to improve health in the borough, read the interview with Cllr Farah and Dr Patel, Chairs of the Brent Health and Wellbeing Board on page 36.

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The amount of sugar consumed by children is growing across the UK

NEWS Village School exhibits at the Acava Gallery Artwork from pupils at The Village School was on display at the Acava Gallery earlier this year.

The students worked with Actionspace, an organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities in developing studio practice and opportunities in the visual arts.

The exhibition included paintings, drawings and 3D installations.

Brent Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, opened the exhibition at the Acava studios in Barham Park.

The new Troubadour theatre opens its doors this summer

Funding on tap Community groups can bid for up to £3,000 to pay for local projects through Affinity Water’s community engagement programme.

To apply for your share of the cash go to www.affinitywater.co.uk/ communityengagement. Deadline for applications is Friday 24 May.

Dodgy handbags cost Kilburn shop £1,200

FINED

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre opening Summer 2019 An exciting new arts venue is coming to Brent this summer. Located within the historic former Fountain Studios, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre will boast a 2,000 seat performance space, a modern bar and restaurant, as well as an open air terrace. Among its inaugural productions, the venue will host the acclaimed National Theatre production of War Horse in Autumn 2019.

A shop owner on Kilburn High Road has been fined £1,200 for selling fake handbags and purses.

Seventy branded items that were suspected of being counterfeit including Prada, Gucci, and Burberry handbags and purses were found when council trading standards officers raided 231 Kilburn High Road.

The shop owner and Director of Pinkheart.com Limited, Mr Jacobs, was found guilty on five charges of possessing counterfeit accessories for sale.

Cllr Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “People who sell counterfeit goods threaten the safety of people who buy from them and cost our economy billions of pounds every year.”

If you know of a business selling counterfeit goods, please report them to trading standards by calling 0345 404 0506.

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Daughter of would-be Hitler assassin shares emotional story Ilana Metzger, the daughter of the last surviving person to try to kill Adolf Hitler, spoke at an event for Brent residents to mark Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Day 2019.

Henry Wermuth was 19 years old when he attempted to derail a train carrying Hitler.

While being held prisoner at a Nazi labour camp in Poland in 1942, Wermuth heard that the Nazi leader would be passing and broke out of the camp to pile logs and stones onto the tracks.

Wermuth’s assassination attempt was unsuccessful.

But he survived until the end of the war and was liberated from the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1945.

His story was one of many inspirational testimonies Brent residents heard as they joined in an evening of reflection with those who have been affected by the Holocaust and other genocides around the world, including Bosnia, Cambodia, Darfur and Rwanda.

Ilana Councillor Miller, Cabinet Member for Community Metzger Safety at Brent Council, said: “Brent continues to remember all those who have suffered and died in genocides around the world. It is my hope that we all take this opportunity to think about how we can prevent these tragedies from happening.”

Henry Wermuth tried to kill Hitler

Young A-listers power up in Wembley A new drama school, which aims to empower young people, is being set up in Wembley by local actor, writer and director Samuell Benta.

Samuell, who went to Copland Community School, launched Young A-Listers in February at St John’s Community Centre in Crawford Avenue. Samuell has starred in BBC’s Silent Witness and also created the hit YouTube show All About The McKenzies.

The drama school is open to children aged 9-17 and alongside acting, improvisation and role play pupils will learn personal development and public speaking skills. For more information visit www.youngalisters.com

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Kenton pupil talks her way into final Princilla Agyemang of St Gregory’s Catholic Science College has been crowned the 2019 “Speak Out” Challenge Brent regional final winner.

More than 740 students entered the regional stage of Jack Petchey’s “Speak Out” Challenge which is the world’s biggest youth speaking event. Princilla, age 14, won £100 and a place at the finals in July with her speech ‘Taboo love’. Second place went to Nabiha Shaikh, from Alperton School, and 3rd place to Dhamen Khalif from Ark Elvin Academy.

New Harlesden community centre and social housing gets the go ahead A £28 million plan to build much-needed new social housing and a new community centre in Harlesden has been approved by the council.

Knowles House in Longstone Avenue is set to be redeveloped by Wates Residential with work expected to be finished by winter 2021.

149 new homes, a community centre and homes designed for independent living will all be built on the site.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, said: “Our Knowles House redevelopment will help homeless residents move away from bed and breakfast accommodation and into more settled and secure homes.”

Cllr Harbi Farah, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, added: “This project will see more homes for people with care needs being housed under Brent’s New Accommodation for Independent Living (NAIL) scheme. We aim to support people to live independently for longer and NAIL gives people that freedom and choice.”

Live updates on Northwick Park Hospital waiting times The waiting time to see a doctor at Northwick Park Hospital A&E is now available through a new web page.

The London North West University Healthcare Trust webpage at https://lnwh. nhs.uk/right-care also shows the number of people currently waiting and the waiting time at Ealing Hospital.

Remember, if it’s not an emergency, don’t go to A&E. Find out more about alternatives to A&E in the Health and Wellbeing Board article on page 36.

❤ ❤ ❤

.❤ ❤ What is..❤ ❤ PRIVATE FOSTERING?

❤

Have you, or someone you know made an arrangement to look after someone else’s child for more than a month?

If so, you could be fostering privately!

Brent Council has a responsibility to ensure that all children in Brent are being cared for properly and that carers are supported.

If you know of, or are caring for a child who is being privately fostered please let us know.

ostering www.brent.gov.uk/privatef uk ov. t.g fostering@bren 020 8937 4538

foster Brent SPRING 2019

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Duchess visits Mayhew Animal Home in Kensal Green The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, made her first official visit to the Mayhew Animal Home, in Trenmar Gardens, after becoming its patron in January.

During the visit the Duchess met Mayhew chief Caroline Yates, Mayhew staff, volunteers and members of the community who have been helped by the charity.

The royal mum-to-be learned about the various projects run by the respected animal charity during her tour and met some of the cats and dogs currently being looked after at the centre.

“The Duchess has long understood the connection between animals and community welfare and has supported various animal rescue centres in Los Angeles,” the Palace said in a statement.

Three times a charm for Brent Carers Centre For the third year running, Brent Carers Centre have won the 2019 Social Care Awards for Best Independent Carer Support Service.

The award recognises outstanding service and innovation within the field of social care.

Anne-Marie Morris, Chief Executive Officer of Brent Carers Centre, said: “Winning this award for the third year running is unbelievable, we are all so very pleased and excited to be acknowledged for the quality of our work!

We know that competition is very high in London, so to have won this award for the third year running is something really special to us.

Thank you so very much!”

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Anne-Marie Morris, Chief Executive Officer of Brent Carers Centre

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GCSE results in Brent outperform London and national averages Secondary schools in Brent have outperformed the London and national averages at GCSE, according to newly published figures.

The proportion of Brent students achieving 9-4 (A*-C) in English and Maths is 69.7% which is above the national average (64.4%) according to data from the Department for Education. For the first time Brent pupils also beat the London average (67.9%).

In addition Brent’s ‘Progress 8’ score, which focuses on how much progress pupils have made between their primary school and

GCSE results, shows Brent students making more than half a grade more progress in each of their eight subjects than students nationally.

For the second year running, Brent has the second highest progress score out of 151 local authorities in England.

Cllr Amer Agha, Cabinet Member for Schools, Employment and Skills, said: “Our pupils and teachers work extremely hard throughout the school year and these results are testament to all their commitment and dedication.”

£150million stadium boost to Brent economy Events at Wembley Stadium are boosting Brent’s economy by £150million and supporting 1,800 jobs, according to a new report from auditors Deloitte.

The report shines a spotlight on the huge benefits that Brent’s local economy receives in the form of hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in new homes and jobs for Brent residents. It’s more evidence that people from all corners of Brent are being given new opportunities to live, work and learn with ambitious plans for thousands of new homes and new jobs from Stonebridge to South Kilburn and Harlesden to Alperton.

Cllr Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Highways and Planning, said: “New investment in Brent is

bringing in new jobs and new homes which benefit people from all corners of our borough.

Having the iconic Wembley Stadium based in Brent is a huge source of pride for our residents and we all benefit from the millions of visitors it attracts every year from all over the world.

Thanks to our work alongside Wembley Stadium, our residents are getting new opportunities to work and learn across Brent. Of course we will also continue to take tough action to tackle anti-social behaviour and minimise match day inconvenience for residents too.”

In January, Brent Council agreed new measures to protect parking for residents around the stadium on event days and tackle the misuse of the permits by non-residents.

Events at Wembley Stadium support jobs and growth in Brent

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NEWS Brent Return ofCommissioning the meadowsGroup Clinical

Government urged to Save the date – Wednesday end housing benefit to 19 November 2014 The Brent Health Partners Forum rogue landlords

The meadow areas in 24 of our parks will soon be growing again. Residents will notice an increase in colour in our meadows, as we will be sowing wildflower seeds this year and you may notice an increase in theservices number of Date: Do you to talk about health Rogue landlords who fail councils’ ‘fit and proper’ testswant should bees, insects and butterflies. not receive housing benefit, Brent Council urges in government.

Brent? Would you like to hear how Wednesday We are proud to confirm that The council, which is known for its zero-tolerance thestance NHS is changing in the borough? there will be no pesticides 19 November 2014 against rogue landlords, is calling on the government change Thentosave the date and attend next of used in the the preparation the law that currently allows rogue landlords to be paid housing Time: health partners forum. these wildflower areas. Look benefit even if they don’t meet licensing criteria.

6.00pm – 8.00pm out formembers photos andofvideos of The forum Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and brings together (Registration open the areas being prepared this thethat local community with representatives Welfare Reform, said: “It’s completely unacceptable and refreshments month. the NHS, authority landlords who flout the rules and cause misery forfrom thousands of the local served from 5.15pm) and voluntary sector to discuss health tenants across the country receive housing benefit. I have written and social care issues in Brent. to the Minister urging him to act on this issue.”

Venue: “We need the law on our side to help us protect tenants’ rights Public Spaces Protection Orders are set to be The event is organised

by NHS Brent To be confirmed and drive up standards in the private rented sector. In JanuaryCommissioning Brent introduced into some Brent parks in the run up to Clinical Group which is received a grant of over £100k, which we’ll be usingresponsible to provide for planning summer the council moves to tackle anti-social and as designing further support for private tenants in the battle against rogue and ensure Brent’s parks are free for many health services behaviour in the borough. landlords. But we need government to make legislative change so visitors to enjoy. The protection orders enable the that we have all the tools we need.” council to fine anyone caught doing anything more information please email: brentccg.engagement@nhs.net or call 020 8795 6107/6122 If you are For a Brent landlord who lets out shared accommodation, antisocial in Brent’s parks £100. apply for a licence online at www.brent.gov.uk/prslicensing

Protecting our parks

Attention all landlords

Properties wanted Since 1968 Shepherds Bush Housing Association has been a trusted part of the local community, now managing more than 5,000 homes. For 25 years, we’ve been managing, maintaining and guaranteeing rents for landlords.

We are looking for properties in all areas on GUARANTEED or PRIVATE rent. Cash incentives offered.

GUARANTEED RENT SCHEME

PRIVATE RENT SCHEME

• Advance monthly rent • No management fee or commission – we pay what we quote • • Grants funding advice • No void works if the property becomes empty within lease (exceptions apply)

• Yearly contracts • Guaranteed Rent* • Tenant referencing for your chosen tenant • Free photo inventory • 24/7 repairs service** and furniture supply • Full Management or Rent Collection

Contact us to discuss your options and to arrange a no obligation visit Landlords hotline: 020 8996 4271 psateam.sbha@sbhg.co.uk www.sbhg.co.uk/landlords

* exceptions apply ** charges apply

The home of guaranteed rents

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NEWS

Stonebridge ‘virtual pod’ is the real thing for adult learners A ground-breaking learning pod in Stonebridge that uses virtual reality as a teaching tool is the first of its kind in London.

The Brent Start Stonebridge Centre on Morland Gardens is the only adult community college in the capital with a ‘virtual pod’ – a new type of classroom where students experience learning in an innovative way through virtual and augmented technology. Learners can be transferred to anywhere at any time around the world and use their virtual experiences to help them with their learning and development.

The virtual teaching can be applied to a wide variety of Brent Start courses, from ESOL, Maths, English, Digital Skills, Employability, as well as courses for adults with learning difficulties.

Cllr Amer Agha, Lead member for Employment and Skills, said: “ It’s wonderful news how Brent Start is bringing learning and teaching into the 21st century. To experience any scene anywhere in the world during any era and learn from that experience is truly is an amazing way to learn.”

Funded by Brent Council and the Greater London Authority, the virtual pod also boasts a ‘Wonderwall’ where learners can immerse themselves in an environment that uses lighting, sound and imagery that they can interact with and explore.

Digital careers fair aims to find the high street of the future

19 people discovered living in 4-bedroom semi-detached house

A digital, creative and media careers fair to connect job seekers with local employers and large national tech organisations is set to take place at Brent Civic Centre on 19 March.

Local residents can meet top employers and learn about the careers, courses and apprenticeships on offer.

Before the event, teams of young, talented tech entrepreneurs will be pitching their ideas for the high street of the future. More than eighty Brent residents, from sixth forms, colleges and job centre networks, are working with leading tech companies, such as Amazon, to develop their own tech businesses and generate ideas to rethink the great British high street.

The teams will have their ideas judged by a panel of local residents, employers and council leaders. The fair is open to everyone keen to learn more about the tech sector, talk to hiring employers and meet the winning team. Register for free at www.techmixmag.com/brent or email tix@ techmixmag.com.

A dawn raid found 19 tenants, which included two children, living in a 4-bedroom semi-detached house on Nathans Road, Wembley.

Brent’s licensing team discovered a garage that had been illegally turned into two bedrooms with a makeshift partition wall; a shed in the process of being converted into what appeared to be another bedroom and dodgy and broken smoke alarms. The 19 tenants were paying the crooked landlord £1,000 per week.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, said: “A landlord making £4,000 a month by exploiting tenants like this is committing an offence. Brent will not hesitate in taking those responsible to task. The licensing scheme requires landlords to meet certain standards and a landlord or agent who rents out to tenants without a licence is breaking the law.”

If you suspect that someone is renting out an unlicensed property in Brent, please report them anonymously at www.brent.gov.uk/reportaproperty

RAID

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Cash available for community projects Ashford Place’s Side Door café in Cricklewood received £69,000 to create a new community space to prevent social isolation. Danny Maher, CEO of Ashford Place, said “NCIL money helped us to review our current space and The Mayor of Brent design a new flexible opened Ashford Place’s community space.” new Side Door café Cllr Shama Tatler, Community groups hoping to deliver Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Highways and Planning, said: “It’s great projects which help local residents to see residents getting together to and improve their neighbourhood access these funds to improve their local are now able to bid for the next area. I’d like to encourage more residents round of Neighbourhood to apply for NCIL to help deliver more Community Infrastructure Levy community infrastructure projects.”

(NCIL) funding Visit ‘Spending CIL’ at www.brent.

The NCIL fund is money the council gov.uk/cil and submit your applications has collected from developers building by 30 June 2019. For help, email in Brent. Last year 81 local projects NCIL@brent.gov.uk. shared a £3million pot.

Market to launch in Wembley Park this spring

A new market will open its doors to shoppers in Wembley Park this spring. The new market will play host to a community of businesses and brands across lifestyle, fashion, wellness and food and drink. Wembley Park Market is the latest addition to a vibrant new Wembley Park, following the recently opened Boxpark Wembley and the upcoming Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. If you’re an independent business looking for a space, email wpm@ wembleyparkmarket.com.

Outstanding Kensal nursery first to get UNICEF gold standard children’s rights award College Green Nursery in Kensal Rise is the first nursery in the UK to be awarded the gold standard in the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award.

The award recognises schools and nurseries that put children’s rights first. Children are respected, nurtured and they are able to thrive.

The College Green Nursery School was praised for their vision and their passion for children’s rights. Some of the strengths that were singled out include their “extremely confident and articulate children who are very collaborative and cooperative with one another”, a “very strong focus on safety, inclusion and diversity” and that

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“children take an active part in all that happens at the nursery”.

“This is an amazing achievement for a nursery which is already deemed outstanding by Ofsted,” said Cllr Amer Agha, Cabinet Member for

Schools, Employment & Skills. “The teachers, parents and children have all worked extremely hard to achieve this gold standard and I’m proud to hear that they are the first in the UK to receive this award.”

BRENT SUPPORTS LGBT+ ADOPTION AND FOSTERING Contact us on 020 8937 4538 or email fostering@brent.gov.uk to find out about adopting or becoming a foster carer.

brent.gov.uk/fostering

@BrentFostering

adopt Brent

MY COMMUNITY

Could this be the future Bridge Park?

Residents in Stonebridge could see a New Bridge Park Centre, with modern flexible community facilities, affordable work spaces, jobs and better leisure facilities

L

ast month, an enhanced proposal for the Bridge Park was given to go ahead by the council’s cabinet. Subject to getting planning permission and resolving a legal matter regarding the land title for the site, the old leisure centre will be replaced with a new community hub with:

More than double the originally allocated community space – which will include meeting rooms and flexibility for other functions

bigger car park – A now with 72 spaces

A modern enterprise space to support local businesses and jobs

Children’s soft play area and party room

Up to 104 new homes to help vulnerable residents live independently A swimming pool – now with six lanes dditional space for a ‘clip A and climb’ climbing wall Café

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Four court sports hall Toning suite Consultation rooms

Sauna and steam rooms A larger gym with at least 80 stations and the ability to divide the space to create a separate gym to meet local needs Studios Changing facilities

The old Bridge Park Leisure Centre as it stands now

MY COMMUNITY

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE ARTISTS’ IMPRESSIONS OF HOW THE NEW BUILDING COULD LOOK The council wants to work closely with residents on this exciting proposal and residents will get a chance to influence designs.

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture and Leisure, said:

“We are a step closer to delivering a hub that caters for the needs of residents now and in the future. Brent has a growing and aging population and the new independent living homes in this proposal together with the additional housing that the neighbouring Unisys buildings will bring, once rebuilt, will help many residents. The community could soon get to enjoy a local swimming pool, better community facilities and modern flexible business spaces right on their doorstep.”

Visit: www.brent.gov.uk/BridgePark to find out more about this exciting proposal.

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HAPPY & HEALTHY

Keeping fit and having fun With childhood obesity continuing to grow across the UK, we visited the Unity Centre in Harlesden to find out more about FunFit Families

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he Young Brent Foundation won a £402,000 grant from Sport England to run the FunFit Families programme which supports Brent residents to be more physically active and lead a healthier lifestyle.

“This programme is all about having fun, bringing families together but also about changing behaviour to lead a healthy life now and in the future,” says Sandra White, Interim Chief Executive of the Young Brent Foundation.

With sessions running in Harlesden, Kilburn, Stonebridge, Sudbury, Willesden Green, Barnhill and Dollis Hill more than 1,000 Brent families will have taken part in the FunFit Families project by 2022.

Germaine Ellis is a fitness instructor and runs the FunFit family activities in the Unity

Centre. Germaine said: “The kids and families love it! That’s the main thing really, as long as the kids are having fun.”

Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing said: “FunFit families is a brilliant project and it’s great to see so many children and parents taking part across Brent.

We are working hard to support Brent residents to be healthier, happier and more independent with a range of activities from free swimming to under-16s during school holidays to our B.Active leisure discount card which reduces prices on swimming, squash, aerobics, yoga and other activities at our sports centres.”

If you would like to sign-up to FunFit families visit: www.youngbrent foundation.org.uk To find out more about how you can #GetYour30 minutes of exercise a day and improve your health visit: www.brent.gov. uk/heartbeats

Your

Shout Karolina Szarszewska

from Harlesden said: “This project is a great way to spend time with the kids and to learn new sports”

Bogdan Kozik from Harlesden said: “Being with my family brings us together more, especially at the weekends. It’s better than just spending time at home and it gives you a chance to burn some calories. We live just across the road from the centre so it’s also easy to get to.”

MY HEART BEATS FOR

BRENT Pola- enjoyed the tennis session

Pom pom workouts with Karolina and Pola

Kasia Czapska from Harlesden said: “The scheme is run really well. It’s a great project and the children enjoy it here. I hope there will be more like this.”

Karolina Szybowska who lives with her family in Harlesden, said: “I like coming here and playing tennis and British bulldog, it’s a lot of fun.”

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HAPPY & HEALTHY

Don’t just survive - thrive!

The old stigma surrounding mental health is being actively challenged in Brent through an exciting new social movement called Brent Young People Thrive

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hildren and young people are at the heart of Brent Young People Thrive (BYPT) which aims to raise awareness of mental health and associated issues among children, young people and their families. Through the project the views of young people are listened to with themes identified which are then used to inform the development of local mental health services. The hope is that with this new knowledge and support, young people in Brent will feel empowered to challenge the stigma around ill mental health and, if required, seek help early.

Macsen Brown , 16, from Kilburn said: “The crucial factor in making BYPT an excellent project is the fact that it is absolutely led by the young people. With help and guidance, we come up with solutions and ideas for the various issues Macsen Brown , 16, faced by young from Kilburn people across Brent. BYPT gives young people, which are the group affected by mental health the most, a voice in the debate and an opportunity to speak up.”

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Rae Tarbox, 16, from Brondesbury Park said: “Due to the invisible nature of many mental health conditions, many people are not receiving the support that they need. As a young person, I hope that I can be a voice for my generation to communicate that we want to talk about this and end the stigma that surrounds it because it is preventing people from being able to access help, and that can all be changed if we start having open conversations about mental health.

“I have met lots of wonderful young people who are interested in improving their communities. I hope to continue to talk to students and teachers at my school about the importance of mental health and to ensure that young people have a support network.”

BYPT is funded by Brent NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and is reaching out to schools, community groups, GPs and local organisations to change the perception and experience of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Cllr Mili Patel, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Not only does this help to minimise the stigma

“It’s good to see this initiative helps young people open up and talk about their mental health within a safe space”

Teenagers at one of the BYPT workshops

surrounding mental health issues but it’s an opportunity for young people to recognise the signs and help their fellow peers and the wider community.”

If you are concerned about your wellbeing or that of a friend, your child or young person, please speak to your GP, school, a trusted person. To find out more about this initiative, search Brent Young People Thrive or visit CAMHS & Me at camhs.cnwl.nhs.uk.

IT'S

Time to Talk

TO TALK TIME

HAPPY & HEALTHY

about parents’ mental health The emotional wellbeing and mental health of parents was the main topic of discussion at a special Time to Talk event at the Civic Centre in February.

The evening featured talks, lots of discussion, information and guidance to help parents find out more about better emotional wellbeing, and to recognise mental health issues they may face.

Cllr Hirani, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture and Leisure, said: “With one in four adults likely to experience mental health issues at some stage in their life, it is important that people know how to keep their mind healthy.

“There are a lot of things we can all do to help improve our mental wellbeing and the council provides support, guidance and events to help people who need it.”

“With one in four adults likely to experience mental health issues at some stage in their life, it is important that people know how to keep their mind healthy”

FIVE TIPS TO HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH Most of us know what steps we need to take to manage our physical health – eating well, exercising and generally keeping active – but do you know what it takes to have good mental health and wellbeing?

Each day you should try to:

1. CONNECT Connect with friends, family, neighbours, colleagues or your local community.

2. BE ACTIVE Get out and move!

Walk, run, garden, dance – find something you like to do.

3. TAKE NOTICE Take notice of your surroundings, and notice how they make you feel.

4. KEEP LEARNING Try something new, rediscover something old. Read a book, make a new meal, learn a new game, set yourself a new challenge and follow it through.

5. GIVE Do something nice for someone. It feels nice to know you have brightened someone’s day.

To find out more ways to look after your mental health, or to find support locally, visit: www.brent.gov.uk/mentalhealth.

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MY COMMUNITY

What is Early Education and why is it so important?

E

arly Education is the learning that children have in their early years, before they reach the school age of five years old.

Research shows that children as young as two benefit from high quality early education. This is particularly important for disadvantaged children such as those from low income households or with additional needs. Early education helps children to be ‘school ready’, making sure they have the right skills to transition easily when they reach formal school age and start attending primary school.

Early Education is available from a variety of settings, such as Nurseries (school and

private) and Childminders. Children are exposed to a range of learning that will support the development of early language skills as well as the all-important personal, social and emotional skills that will support children as they grow and develop. They learn key skills that will support them long into later life.

Brent Council believes that every child deserves the best start in life and encourage parents to take up their free entitlements.

In Brent, children eligible for the two-year-old scheme will be notified by post by a letter, postcard or golden ticket, which they then take to a setting of their

choice. For the 30-hour scheme, parents will need to apply online at www.gov.uk/ apply-30-hours-free-childcare.

For more information and details of eligibility criteria, visit www.brent.gov.uk/childare. earlyeducation@brent.gov.uk 020 8937 2462/3010 For support in finding childcare, visit www.brent.gov.uk/cfis cfis@brent.gov.uk 020 8937 2462/3010

FREE EARLY EDUCATION Do you have a child aged 2, 3 or 4? If so they could be entitled to free early education and childcare.

• Two year olds are entitled to 15 hours free early education (for eligible families).

• ALL three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours free early education from the term after their third birthday until their fifth birthday or the start of primary school.

• Three and four year olds are entitled to a further 15 hours (30 hours in total) free early education from the term after their third birthday (for eligible working parents).

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MY COMMUNITY Valentina Popa has used the scheme for the past year and a half.

Valentina’s son Sebastian has been at Willow Children’s Centre Nursery in Wembley since he was two when he had access to 15 hours of free childcare. He is now entitled to the 30 hours free early education for three year olds.

Sebastian has global development delay and his nursery has been able to support him, taking his various needs into account. With the nursery’s help and working with a range of other professionals such as physiotherapists and speech and language therapists, Sebastian has started walking and he is now using consonants as well as vowels.

Nursery has allowed Sebastian to gain a level of independence, giving him routine as well as giving him the opportunity to make

friends, and learn and play with other children.

Valentina said: “This scheme has been a great help to both me and my son. Having 30 free hours has helped me to return to work.

“It’s also been great for my son’s development. He has gained so many more skills since he started going to Willow Children’s Centre Nursery.

“I know my son is in safe hands as the teachers have looked after my son the same way I was going to look after him.

“Everyone I have spoken to about the scheme thinks it’s a great idea. I would recommend this to all eligible parents of young children.”

Contact the free entitlement team to check your eligibility and how to access free childcare.

Valentina Popa and Sebastian use the scheme to attend Willow Children’s Centre Nursery

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MY COMMUNITY O IT'S TIME T

TALK

YOUR SHOUT ADELINA BREBENE, WEMBLEY PARK “I am worried. The future is so uncertain and no one has a clue where we’re going.

As someone from the EU, this makes it very hard to prepare. I found the Time To Talk event helpful. I’ve tried to do my own research into how to protect my status in the UK but I couldn’t find what I needed. Having experts explain was helpful, and now I can pass this information onto other people in the same situation as me.”

ALAN HENNESS, PRESTON ROAD “We have people from all over the world living in Brent.

A big concern for me is that many of them will lose their jobs or feel unwelcome.”

OMAR J ALI, WEMBLEY PARK “I’m worried about trade after Brexit. The UK has already neglected the Commonwealth which brought us closer together with countries across the world. I am concerned that, once we’ve left the EU, there will be no way back.”

LOOKING FOR MORE GUIDANCE ON LIFE AFTER BREXIT? g about the An information evenin will be held e em Sch ent EU Settlem on 27 at the Brent Civic Centre ncil Cou nt Bre March. Check the for e pag ok Facebo further details.

...Brexit!

As The Brent Magazine goes to print, the UK is due to exit the European Union on the 29 March. But the terms on which we will leave are still uncertain

W

hat we do know is that it will have big consequences for the people of Brent, and especially for EU nationals who must now apply to a settlement scheme to protect their right to stay. That’s why the council brought residents together to discuss Brexit and to raise any concerns or questions.

Attendees at the ‘Time To Talk’ event heard from a series of speakers as well as taking part in a workshop about their biggest Brexit worries, as well as how communities and the council can work together to resolve these concerns.

Cllr Tom Miller, Lead Member for Community Safety, spoke at the event. He said: “Many people in Brent are rightly

concerned about Brexit.

We have more EU nationals living here than any other London borough and they want to know Cllr Tom Miller what will happen to them after March.

“While the situation is still far from clear, we’ve been working hard since June 2016 to give EU nationals in Brent the information they need. The public meeting was an important opportunity for us to listen to how they are feeling and what more we need to be doing as a council to support them. EU nationals make a tremendous contribution to our community and I am clear that Brent must remain open and welcoming to people of all backgrounds, regardless of what happens over the coming months.”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE A EUROPEAN CITIZEN

Residents expressed their concerns at the It’s Time To Talk event held in January at the Brent Civic Centre

If you are an EU citizen living in the UK, you will need to apply to the EU settlement scheme to keep the rights you currently enjoy.

From 30 March you can complete the application form online or through a dedicated app.. To apply, you will need: • proof of your identity • proof of your UK residence • your relationship to a family member from the EU living in the UK, if you’re from outside the EU • details of any criminal convictions The deadline for applications is 30 July 2021.

For more information, visit: www.brent.gov.uk/yourcommunity/stronger-communities/brexit

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Keep up with the latest council news and information RECYCLING & ENVIRONMENT

HOUSING

BUSINESS

ALERTS

PARKING

LIBRARIES & CULTURE

NEWS & EVENTS

Subscribe to our e-newsletters at www.brent.gov.uk/stayconnected

MY COMMUNITY

Justice for Josh In October 2015, Tracey Hanson received the call every parent dreads.

Her son, Josh, had been murdered in an unprovoked knife attack shortly after arriving at the RE Bar in Hillingdon

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peaceful Saturday evening meeting with friends had turned into a nightmare.

An unprovoked attack left Josh, 21, with a stab wound to his neck which tragically

killed him.

Days later, Shane O’Brien was named by the police as a murder suspect and they issued a wanted poster with a £10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution.

After skipping the country on a privately chartered plane three weeks later, Shane O’Brien was arrested in Prague for criminal damage but used an Italian alias, Enzo Mellonceli, and was released on bail. In 2018, Shane O’Brien was added to Interpol’s most-wanted list and the reward increased to £50,000. But despite 15 potential sightings, he still hasn’t been caught.

Josh Hanson’s mum and sister, Tracey and Brooke Hanson, have worked tirelessly to get justice for Josh, setting up the Justice for Josh campaign and the Josh Hanson Trust.

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The Brent Magazine spoke to Tracey and Brooke about their fight for justice.

Brooke said: “We want people to know that it is important to stick together and not be afraid to share information if you have heard or seen something.

Tracey said“We don’t want to scare people, but this could happen to anyone. If it was you, you would want the same thing that we want, justice. Josh was a kind, generous, caring and hardworking young man. He had a zest for life with his life ahead of him. His chest tattoo said, ‘family first’, we’re all one family and not just our immediate family, but our friends, work colleagues and the community.”

The Justice for Josh campaign has received support and backing from many people including the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan and Deputy Mayor, Sophie Linden.

Tracey said: “We’ve been working around the clock to get justice for Josh distributing the wanted poster worldwide and asking the public to display the posters. On the third anniversary of Josh’s murder we handed out

over 10,000 posters at tube stations which got us media attention and more awareness for Justice for Josh. To date, we have handed out over 50,000 wanted posters.”

Cllr Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities, said: “You can help to get justice for Josh Hanson. Please share the police’s wanted poster for the suspect of this sickening unprovoked murder. And if you know anything that could bring justice for Josh, please call Crimestoppers or the police.”

Tracey and Brooke are on the look out for Brent businesses to help support the Justice for Josh campaign.

Tracey said: “A lot of issues around knife

MY COMMUNITY

Mum Tracy (far left) and sister Brooke Hanson are working tirelessly to get lead suspect Shane O’Brien arrested and prosecuted for the murder of Shane (above)

crime involve mental health, and our charity workshops focus on art therapy alongside recreational and skill-based activities. We’d like to hear from tilers, plasterers and carpenters who can help in our workshops.”

“It would be great to have support from Brent businesses to secure a place where we can deliver anti-crime workshops. It could be warehouse space or a high street.

If you have some free space you can offer us, we would put it to good use.”

“We also need help developing our website and people who’ve had charity experience to act as trustees. Our contact details are on www.thejoshhansontrust.org”

ANY INFORMATION? Have you got information that could help bring the suspect to justice?

• Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 (100% anonymous and confidential) • Call the Police 999/101, or incident room on 020 8785 8099 Find out more about the Justice for Josh campaign by using • #justiceforjoshhanson or by visiting: • Twitter: www.twitter.com/JusticeForJoshH • Facebook: www.facebook.com/240702JoshHanson • Instagram: www.instagram.com/thejoshhansontrust

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CLEANER & GREENER

A breath of f Dirty air affects everyone who lives and works in London. The Mayor of London has called it a public health emergency contributing to 9,000 early deaths every year

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child born in London in 2010 will lose two years of life expectancy because of air pollution.

Unfortunately, Brent is not immune from London’s toxic air problem especially given major transport routes – such as the North Circular Road and numerous A roads and rail lines – cutting across the borough.

So here we take a look at the ways we can all do our bit to help cut air pollution and improve our health by changing the way we travel.

Get active Brent Council provides free cycle training courses to suit your individual abilities.

Tina Goodwin, from The council offers free Queens Park, signed up cycle training courses to a free cycle training course last year and said, “I grew up in Devon and after cycling there, cycling in London was a different experience. My children had cycle training at school, and I booked a session online to give me more confidence. The instructor was great and

‘Walking and cycling are not only great for the environment, but are also amazing ways to improve our own physical and mental health’

CLEANER & GREENER

f fresh air talked to me about what I wanted to achieve, and we went on a quiet road to learn. It really helped me, and I’d recommend it to anyone who is nervous about cycling.”

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Cllr Sheth says walking Environment, and cycling are good for us said: “Walking and cycling are not only great for the environment, but they are also amazing ways to improve our own physical and mental health. It is not just dirty air that is bad for us, being inactive contributes to 1 in 6 deaths. Short journeys, like walking to the shops, cycling to work or walking the kids to school all count.”

To book a free cycle lesson, call 0845 6520421 or visit: www.cyclinginstructor.com.

Lime Bikes Lime Bikes, a dockless electric assisted bike hire scheme, has also launched in the borough. Download the app to book a bike online.

London Ultra Low Emission Zone

Join a car club

On 8 April, the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will come into effect in the central London Congestion Charge Zone. There will be a daily charge (£12.50 for cars, vans and motorcycles, £100 for buses, coaches and lorries) for people who drive into the zone unless their vehicles meet new, stricter emissions standards designed to tackle toxic air.

From October 2021, the ULEZ is set to expand from the inner London area to the North and South Circular Roads.

Why not shift from private car use to car club use?

There are three car club operators in Brent: Zipcar, Nick Sanett is a regular user of Drive Now Enterprise and DriveNow. Nick Sanett from Brondesbury joined DriveNow in December. He said, “DriveNow is an affordable way to drive a nice car in London and there are lots of electric vehicles you can use. It’s great because you can park in lots of places and don’t have to return it to one fixed location.”

Electric charging points Cllr Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “Electric vehicles produce no harmful exhaust emissions and there are over 2,500 electric cars registered to addresses in Brent. There are 26 street charging points in the borough and the council will be installing 100 more later this year to make electric vehicles a convenient option for residents.”

Find out more about electric charging points by emailing: transport.strategy@ brent.gov.uk.

Diesel parking charge To reduce air pollution, Brent Council is introducing a supplementary charge for resident parking permits to encourage diesel vehicle owners to switch to less polluting vehicles. From April 2019, there will be a £50 surcharge on parking permits for diesel vehicles.

Cllr Tatler at a new electric charging point

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HOUSING

The future of St Raphael’s Estate Talking to St Raph’s residents about what they want for the future of their estate

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ost of St. Raphael’s was built more than 40 years ago.

Residents have told the council that, whilst they love the community they live in, things could be a lot better, with some concerns about anti-social behaviour, general cleanliness and infrastructure like roads and green spaces.

Over the coming months, an independent organisation will work with residents on St. Raphael’s Estate and community groups to draw up proposals on how to improve St.

Raphael’s, whilst increasing the amount of much-needed housing in the borough. Drop in sessions are being held on the estate, to give residents the chance to talk to senior council staff and councillors individually, and public meetings have been held for wider debate.

As a starting point for discussion, the council has proposed two options.

Both options would improve St. Raphael’s and increase housing in the Have your say on the future of the St Raph’s estate

“We’re excited to be working with people on St Raph’s and will be guided by them on the future of the estate.”

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borough. Option one would see new buildings added as infill (eg. building new blocks of flats) and some refurbishment to existing buildings (eg. increasing the height of buildings).

Option two is for a comprehensive redevelopment of the estate which would be subject to a vote of eligible residents who live there, in line with the London Mayor’s rules on ballots.

If residents choose option two, they will play a major part in redesigning the area including the number of new homes, community facilities and the layout of the roads.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, said: ‘We promised to give residents a say over what happens where they live. We’re excited to be working with people on St. Raph’s and will be guided by them on the future of the estate. St. Raph’s is their home and they know what improvements are needed for the long term. Like all councils, Brent has a chronic shortage of genuinely affordable housing and this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to improve life on the estate whilst tackling Brent’s housing crisis.”

For more information on the proposals, visit www.brent.gov.uk/straphs

t fi g n i t h g i F

HAPPY & HEALTHY

ve and o b a o g o h ple w o e p heir t e r n a o e k r c e a h b t t , to ge unity s m r e m h o t c o y p r l e e In ev y to h t u d f o l l ple a o c e p e h e t s d o n h t o f bey ne o o s i a z u o S feet. Jo De Jo De Souza

Jo De Souza works as a volunteer to help people who a re sick, stigmatised or lonely

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’ve lived and worked in Brent for three years and in that time I’ve seen so much change.

Communities can be wonderful when they are nourished but they can also leave people feeling alone and isolated. My aim is to help people who are sick, lonely or stigmatised in the community and help them to become fully involved in community life.”

You may have seen Jo at Willesden Sports Centre, where she was a Sports and Development Manager and is well known for her successful GP referral scheme or at The Gym Group Wembley Central where she is an Assistant General Manager. Wherever you see Jo, you can be sure that she is working hard to promote a healthy lifestyle.

“In addition to my day jobs, I aslso work with the NHS and with Brent talking therapies to help local residents deal with invisible, yet very real, illnesses like anxiety and depression.

“For those who have mobility conditions, I work with the Pentecostal City Mission Church Dementia Café, delivering special chair-based exercise classes and have a lot of fun in the process. Some of the best people I have ever met have come from these classes. I also work closely with CAD Brent and we are aiming to make Brent a dementia friendly borough by 2020.”

Jo does most of her work for the community as a volunteer and is always keen to help more people.

Jo said: “Nobody is beyond help. I try my hardest to ensure that nobody is left behind, untreated, alone and in despair. Where there is poison, there is an antidote as they say, and I believe community ties and support to be the strongest antidote of them all.”

If you would like to find out more about any of Jo’s initiatives or to get involved, contact her on jolanta.desouza@thegymgroup.com.

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MY COUNCIL

COUNCIL BUDGET SNAPSHOT This year sees the rise of council tax bills by £1.66 a week to help protect vital local services. Here, we explain why…

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s government money paid to local authorities continues to decrease, councils, including Brent, are relying more on the income that local businesses pay through business rates as well as income from residents through council tax.

In 2019/20, the council’s funding will come from Council Tax Business Rates Central Government

Our biggest challenge

35%

21% 44%

For several years now, the funding Brent receives from central government has been significantly falling. Since 2010 the council has saved £164million and by 2020 the money we receive directly from Government will have been slashed by 79%. This is equivalent to cutting annual spend on core services from £920 per resident in 2010 down to roughly £550 per resident today.

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At the same time, demand for council services is increasing as we have more elderly and vulnerable people as well as more young children in the borough.

Overall, Brent will be forced to find around £40million in savings over the next four years.

What does the rise in council tax mean for me?

Increasing council tax bills by 4.99% will enable the council to bring in an extra £5.8 million a year. However, the money raised by this tax increase is relatively small when

you compare it to £164m the council will have had to save from its budget since 2010.

By increasing council tax, the council can ensure that every resident is looked after. It will make sure that the council can continue to invest in the services and priorities that matter most: protecting our most vulnerable; children, families and schools; making Brent safer; bin collections; and parks and open spaces.

The modest increase includes a 2% rise for adult social care which is spent on our most vulnerable and elderly residents.

By 2020, funding from central government will be cut by 79% since 2010 while: Our population aged 80 and over has risen by 33% since 2011 The under 10s population has increased by 14% since 2011 2010/11

The council has made £164m in savings

2018/19

Brent

8 : 36 : 18 AM

Where did my council tax money go in 2018/19?

Adult social services

More than 4,100 elderly and vulnerable adults receiving social care from the council

Children and families

48,249 pupils being taught in Brent schools 221 new school places created 95% schools good or outstanding and best GSCE results ever

Recycling and disposing of rubbish

More than 122,000 households rubbish collected

24,399 cases of illegal dumped rubbish cleared up

Creating jobs and transforming Brent

5,327 planning applications processed in 2018 and 72 apprenticeships confirmed via Brent Works

Cleaning and looking after streets More than 26,000 streetlights maintained

315 miles of streets and pavement maintained 2,586 potholes filled or repaired

Maintaining parks and open spaces 985 allotment plots across 22 sites 110 parks and open spaces maintained

Libraries and leisure centres 2,536,835 library visits 1,753,790 leisure centre visits

*** THANK YOU ***

WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE? The council has an ambitious Borough Plan for the future of Brent. Focusing on five priorities for the next four years, the Borough Plan is the council’s commitment to spending public money for the benefit of everyone in the borough and building a better Brent.

“Our vision up to 2023 is to make our borough a place that is better, stronger, safer and cleaner. Working with our partners and our communities every step of the way, the Borough Plan makes sure we achieve our vision and we are working towards making a real difference to the lives of local people.”

Cllr Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader, Brent Council A BOROUGH WHERE WE CAN ALL FEEL SAFE, SECURE, HAPPY AND HEALTHY

A CLEANER, MORE CONSIDERATE BRENT

STRONG FOUNDATIONS

Building a Better Brent

EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED

A FUTURE BUILT FOR EVERYONE, AN ECONOMY FIT FOR ALL

THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ARE: • Every opportunity to succeed • A future built for everyone, an economy fit for all • A cleaner, more considerate Brent • A borough where we can all feel safe, secure, happy and healthy • Strong foundations SPRING 2019

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BUSINESSES

Find your space Brent is open for business and low-cost affordable spaces are being made available for local entrepreneurs to help establish themselves

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he council has negotiated with developers to give Brent residents priority for use of dozens of creative studios and low-cost workspaces in new developments across the borough.

Fashion designer TJ Chaudhry, from Alperton, has been running her business for more than 25 years and now works from an Artist’s Studio Company location also in Alperton.

TJ said: “I have always had my studios on the other side of London due to affordability, even after calculating travel costs. When I moved into these studios, I was happy to be not only a part of the Artists’ Studio Company

Artist’s Studio Company 243 Ealing Road, Alperton, HA0 1QL One of the most recent additions in Brent this year is managed by Artist Studio Company, an 11,000sqft workspace, alongside 440 new homes, in the Network Homes Hills waterside regeneration scheme.

London-based charity the Artist’s Studio Company manages the workspace in Alperton, supporting a mix of artists and craftspeople, from start-ups to mid-career creatives.

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but back in Brent where I can give back to the community that I am so much a part of. The other creatives are from all walks of life and some of the friendliest people I have met.

It’s so uplifting to be around so many other like-minded people.”

Artists’ Studio Company has a rolling two-year competition where one studio is available rent-free to artists within the borough. The first winner was Yoni Alter, who lives in the same development as the flats above the studios. He will be running workshops for children as part of the London Borough of Culture celebrations.

Yoni said: “I’m very pleased to win as the studio will allow me take my artistic practice a

step further and produce the larger-scale pieces that I always wanted to produce.”

Councillor Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Highways and Planning : “Brent is home to a community with huge talent and creativity, but many people are held back or priced out of the area because of the lack of affordable workspaces. We are delighted to be able to provide fantastic local studios to reverse this trend and helping to provide a long term, affordable home for a range of creative entrepreneurs in the borough.”

If you are looking for a workspace that’s right for you, get in touch with business@brent.gov.uk.

Fashion designer TJ Chaudhry’s studio is in Alperton

BUSINESSES

Second Floor Studios & Arts Wembley Park, HA9 0GJ The 26 studios are on the ground floor of some of the new homes being built in Wembley Park with more than half of the tenants from Brent. Every summer, creatives are encouraged to give back to the community such as providing classes for the wider community to learn new skills and outreach activities in local charities and schools.

SEIDs (Social Enterprise Ideas Development) Empire Way, Wembley, HA9 0RJ SEIDs Hub is a ‘social enterprise community centre’ offering business advice, mentoring, workshops, joint working space and collaboration opportunities for those who have a social enterprise or social business idea. Launched in January this year, SEIDs exists to help people turn their business ideas into reality and create self-employment opportunities and dignified work for those who are in work and out of work.

The Granville 140 Carlton Vale, NW6 5HE In August 2017, South Kilburn Trust in partnership with Brent Council and Greater London Authority carried out extensive refurbishments of The Granville building, reopening it as a new enterprise centre in May 2018.This flagship venue is home to local microbusinesses and SMEs from a mix of sectors, including the creative industries, as well as some education and professional service companies.

ACAVA Honeypot Lane, NW9 9BS ACAVA manage five live/ work studios secured in the section 106 for the redevelopment of Alpine House.

Acme 733 Harrow Road, NW10 5BQ Acme manage 12 ground floor artist studios secured in the section 106 as part of the redevelopment of 733 Harrow Road.

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HAPPY & HEALTHY

Your health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing boards are central to the vision for a more integrated approach with health and social care in Brent

E

stablished and hosted by local authorities, health and wellbeing boards bring together the NHS, public health, adult social care and children’s services, including elected representatives and Local Healthwatch, to plan how best to meet the needs of local people and tackle local inequalities in health.

We spoke to Cllr Farah and Dr MC Patel, who chair Brent’s Health and Wellbeing Board, to find out more about what it is, what it does and how they are hoping to tackle health issues in Brent.

“The Health and Wellbeing Board brings together the senior representatives from the council, the Clinical Commissioning Group and Healthwatch Brent,” says Cllr Farah, Brent Council’s Cabinet Member for

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Adult Social Care and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board. “We look at key health issues affecting residents and try to address those issues through health and wellbeing campaigns. We also find ways to improve the care and support services we provide to

interests of patients. I’m one of a number of clinical directors on the board and help to ensure that we have a clinician’s perspective guiding all the work that we do. We need to work efficiently and in a cost effective way, while ensuring that residents continue to

‘We look at key health issues affecting residents and try to address those issues through health and wellbeing campaigns.’ residents in the borough.”

Dr MC Patel, a Brent GP and vice-chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board says: “My role as part of the board focuses on service improvements and acting in the best

Cllr Farah and Dr MC Patel, the Chairs of the Health and Wellbeing Board

get the best possible service. And, of course, we are residents too.

“While diabetes and childhood obesity are national issues, we also have significant problems with these issues in Brent.

A Health and Wellbeing Board meeting

LOCAL HUBS If you are unable to get an appointment with your local GP, your next point of call should be one of these local hubs.

Evening and weekend appointments are available with GPs in Brent via GP access hubs. These hubs offer evening and weekend appointments for patients registered with other practices in the area.

WILLESDEN HUB

Roundwood Park Medical Centre Robson Avenue, London NW10 3RY Monday to Friday - 4-8pm Saturday - 12noon-4pm

According to the latest available data, 7.1% of the Brent population has a diagnosis of diabetes and this is projected to rise to 15% by 2030. 13.8% of reception age children are obese, against a national figure of 9.6% .

However, childhood obesity is not just a problem for social services, this is a problem which can start before children begin school.

Many of our campaigns are about prevention rather than cure. We want to educate people and let them know that there are ways that they can minimise the risk of becoming diabetic or ways to help prevent obesity, by eating well and exercising regularly.

“In terms of children and adults with mental health needs, we need to improve their outcomes so across the borough we are

CENTRAL MIDDLESEX HUB Park Royal Medical Practice Acton Lane, London, NW107NS Monday to Friday - 4-8pm Saturday – 10am-2pm

TEMPORARY NORTHERN HUB The Stag-Hollyrood Practice 82 Stag Lane, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 5LP Monday to Friday - 4-8pm

KILBURN HUB

Staverton Surgery 51 Staverton Rd, London NW2 5HA Monday to Friday - 4-8pm Saturday - 10am-2pm

WEMBLEY HUB

Wembley Centre for Health and Care, 116 Chaplin Road, Wembley, HA04UZ Monday to Sunday - 8am-8pm

strengthening the level of support we provide for children’s mental and physical health services.”

Cllr Farah adds: “In addition to this, we also want to improve the services for people with learning difficulties and conditions such as dementia as well. In Brent we have the ambition to be a Dementia Friendly borough by 2020, and to achieve this there is a dementia steering group which includes a range of partners, including people with dementia, who have created a clear strategy for Brent. We have arranged training for people to become dementia friends, and we want as many people as possible from all walks of life to access this training “We want people to be able to live well and

to be as independent as possible for as long as they can be. One of the council priorities, overseen by the health and wellbeing board, is to develop more supported living and extra care housing which will allow vulnerable residents to continue to live in and be an active part of the community. We also want to make sure that people don’t need to go to hospital unnecessarily. If people do need to go to hospital, we want to get them safely home as soon as are deemed medically fit so they can recover in the comfort of their homes.”

Dr MC Patel said: “We want Brent to be the best borough there is. Brent is a lively, thriving borough and we have great developments being built. It’s a really exciting time but we need to use our limited resources in a constructive way. Every year we are tasked to work more effectively and make better use of the resources that we have. We want to deliver cost effective services which are sustainable and the Health and Wellbeing Board plays a key part in that.

HEALTHWATCH BRENT Healthwatch Brent is here to help local people get the best out of their health and social care services. Healthwatch Brent runs, coordinates and supports events, projects and activities as well as and gathering information and feedback from patients and serviceusers. You can contact Healthwatch Brent by calling 020 8912 5831

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Arts & Culture

>> Theatre >> Music >> Dance >> Comedy >> Exhibitions >> Cinema >> Talks >> Tours

MARCH

EXPLORING THE DIVERSITY OF BLACK MUSLIMS IN LONDON

The Son

20 FEB-6 APRIL THE SON

This highly anticipated UK Premiere follows the sold out Olivier Award-winning The Father and critically-acclaimed The Mother by Moliere Award-winning playwright Florian Zeller, directed

by Michael Longhurst.

Kiln Theatre. £10-£32.50. www.kilntheatre.com/whats-on.

MARCH WINDRUSH 70: BRENT’S PIONEERING WINDRUSH GENERATION Exhibition exploring Brent’s Caribbean heritage through the eyes of its residents. Intimate portraits of Brent’s Caribbean community by artist and photographer Nadia Nervo offer an insight into their daily lives.

Community Wall, Brent Civic Centre. 8.30am-8pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Free. museum.archives@ brent.gov.uk. 020 8937 3600.

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A unique insight into the voices of Black/African and the Afro-Caribbean Muslim community in Britain. The exhibition is an embodiment of inter-generational memories and experiences of life in Britain as a Black Muslim in London from 1960 to the present-day.

Community Wall, The Library at Willesden Green. 9am-8pm Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Free. museum.archives@brent.gov.uk 020 8937 3600.

FRIDAY 1 MARCH OF LOVE AND LAW – WITH LIVE Q&A Screening of the award-winning documentary looking at the human rights work of a law firm in Tokyo. The Lexi Cinema.

6.30pm. £8.50-£10.50.

SUNDAY 3 MARCH MET OPERA ENCORE: LA FILLE DU REGIMENT

Donizetti’s frothy comic opera mixes humor with a rush of buoyant melody and notorious vocal challenges. The Lexi Cinema.

2pm. £25-£30.

TUESDAY 5 MARCH

SUNDAY 10 MARCH

TEDDY PENDERGRASS: IF YOU DON’T KNOW ME BY NOW WITH LIVE DIRECTOR Q&A

CABARET AT KILN THEATRE

Known as the Black Elvis, Teddy had a glittering R&B career until fate intervened. The Lexi Cinema.

6.30pm. £8.50-£10.50.

THURSDAY 7 MARCH CULTURAL CRISIS AROUND CARE

Join us for a talk and panel discussion on the cultural crisis around care, with former Guardian journalist and writer Madeleine Bunting. This talk will be moderated by Rachel Dedman, curator of the exhibition ‘A Thousand Hands: Legacies and Futures of Care in Brent’. The Library at Willesden Green. 6.309pm. Free. museum.archives@ brent.gov.uk 020 8937 3600.

Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton return to Kiln Theatre for a one-off cabaret event, including performances from Jim Broadbent, Michael C Fox, Derek Jacobi, Clive Rowe and Jamael Westman.

All proceeds go to support Kiln Theatre’s artistic programme and Creative Learning work. Kiln Theatre.

6pm. £75-£125.

FRIDAY 15 MARCH BLACKMAIL: ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S AND BRITAIN’S FIRST TALKIE

A terrifying and innovative tale of deceit and murder in Depressionera London. The screening begins with an introductory talk by film historian Will Bird.The Library at Willesden Green. 6.45-9pm. £3.

Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

Met Opera Encore

ARTS & CULTURE

acclaimed novel about a rebellious young girl who does all the things a girl like her is not supposed to do.

Accompanied by a performance of classic Arabic songs by Lina Shaheen, a Syrian musician, and a slideshow by illustrator Olympia Zographos. The Library at Willesden Green. 6.30-8pm.

Free. libraries@ brent.gov.uk.

020 8937 3400.

Free. libraries@brent.gov.uk.

020 8937 3400.

Ace Cafe Ace Corner, North Circular road, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD 020 8961 1000, www.london.acecafe.com

Brent Civic Centre Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ

Harlesden Library Plus Craven Park Road, Harlesden NW10 8SE

TUESDAY 26 MARCH

Kingsbury Library 522-524 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury NW9 9HE

KINGSBURY COFFEE MORNING: A THOUSAND HANDS

THURSDAY 21 MARCH

Join us for a fascinating talk about the exhibition ‘A Thousand Hands: Legacies and Futures of Care in Brent’ with curator Rachel Dedman. The exhibition tackles the interrelated histories of care and migration in the borough.

Kingsbury Library. 11am-12noon.

Free. libraries@brent.gov.uk.

020 8937 3400.

HOW SYRIA INSPIRED MY NOVEL: THE UNEXPECTED LOVE OBJECTS OF DUNYA NOOR

THURSDAY 28 MARCH

Cabaret, starring Imelda Staunton

Syrian-Dutch novelist and former BBC journalist Rana Haddad talks about how her childhood and teenage years in Syria inspired her

THE GIRL FROM STATION X

Elisa Segrave joins us to discuss her book The Girl from Station X. Kilburn Library. 6.30-7.30pm.

VENUES

Kilburn Library 42 Salusbury Road, Kilburn NW6 6NN

SATURDAY 30 MARCH MET OPERA LIVE: DIE WALKURE The second opera in Wagner’s Ring Cycle, live from Lincoln Centre, New York. The Lexi Cinema. 5pm. £25-£30.

FROM FRI 5 APRIL EASTER BREAK FAMILY MATINEES

Daily screenings of current family friendly films throughout the school holidays. The Lexi Cinema. £3-£5.

Lexi Cinema 194B Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3JU 020 3011 5523, www. thelexicinema.co.uk

The Library at Willesden Green 95 High Road, Willesden, London NW10 2SF. 020 8937 3400, www.brent.gov.uk/lwg

Kiln Theatre 269 Kilburn High Rd, London NW6 7JR 020 7328 1000, www.tricycle.co.uk

Wembley Library Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ

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The character of Demi, a half Nigerian-mortal, half Olympian-child

THE HALF GOD OF RAINFALL PR Weaving poetry with storytelling, The Half God of Rainfall takes place in a tiny village in Southern Nigeria and follows Modupe, a beautiful woman, who draws the unwanted attention of the Greek and Yoruba Gods, and her son Demi, a half Nigerian-mortal, half Olympian-child. We caught up with the playwright, Inua Ellams…

In a couple of sentences, how would you sum up the play?

I like to think of it as an epic story about maternal love and basketball. But it sheds light on many different issues... gender and power, “good” and “evil”, the global “west” and the global “south”, the changing nature of religion and spirituality, the dangers of sports fanaticism, serial sexual abuse and female solidarity.

The play weaves together Greek and Yoruba mythology. Why was it important to you to draw on different cultures?

reveals the many ways in which individuals and families became rich and stayed rich over the centuries. Kingsbury Library.

11am-12noon. Free. libraries@brent. gov.uk 020 8937 3400.

STADIUM EVENTS

25 APR-17 MAY

FRIDAY 22 MARCH

THE HALF GOD OF RAINFALL Inua Ellams (The Barber Shop Chronicles, An Evening With An Immigrant) writes this

England v Czech Republic SUNDAY 31 MARCH Checkatrade Trophy Final SATURDAY 13 APRIL Antony Joshua v TBC SATURDAY 4 MAY SSE Women’s FA Cup Final SATURDAY 11 MAY

MONDAY 22 APRIL TUESDAY 23 APRIL

Vanarama National League Promoton Final

WASTED

SATURDAY 25 MAY Sky Bet League Two Play-off Final For more information visit www.wembleystadium.com

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A film showing in honour of International Earth Day, this documentary looks at the problem of food waste and over consumption, and offers creative solutions. The Lexi Cinema.

6.30pm. £5-£7.

KINGSBURY COFFEE MORNING: BANKERS AND FAT CATS FROM WILLESDEN TO STANMORE

The slightly surprising story of serious money in Metroland, from a medieval tax collector and a Tudor carpetbagger to Drummonds Bank and the Dukes of Chandos. Our own local history

contemporary saga that weaves poetry with storytelling in a majestic, chaotic journey across mythologies that transports us from a tiny village in Southern Nigeria to the further reaches of our galaxy and beyond.

NancyMedina directs. Kiln Theatre. £10-£32.50.

29 APRIL-20 MAY LEXI FILM SCHOOL

Hosted screenings of lost gems, world cinema classics and undersung heros. The Lexi Cinema. 6.30pm. £7-£9.

ARTS & CULTURE

ALL PREMIER AT THE KILN THEATRE I am a third culture kid, which is to say I am of many cultures. The things I make are reflections of myself and my background.

I am also invested in challenging simplistic perceptions of my country of birth [Nigeria] and in showing how rich and vibrant its cultures are. We are exposed to an ocean’s worth of stories about Zeus, but only a drop of Sango, one of Nigeria’s thundergods. In this play, I wanted to try and show them on equal footing.

At a time when there is so much division on national issues like Brexit, do you think art has the power to bring different groups and communities back together?

Good marketing puts different groups of people in a room.

Art has the power to start and deepen conversation and understanding. Therein lies the possibility of reforming communities.

What do you hope people take away when they leave the theatre?

That Time’s Up. That is, the time when men stayed silent in the face of clear wrongdoing is over. It up to all of us to begin conversations with each other, and with our most internal selves.

Playwright Inua Ellams, who wrote The Half God of Rainfall

The Half God of Rainfall is on at the Kiln Theatre from 26 April to 17 May.

sexuality across the ages is directed by Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham. Kiln Theatre. £10-£32.50.

18 OCTOBER-23 NOVEMBER WAR HORSE

The National Theatre’s acclaimed theatre production War

Horse is coming to the newly built Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre as part of an international tour for a limited run in October. Directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris.

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Tickets start from £15.

Visit www.troubadourtheatres. com/wembley-park to book ticket and for more information.

The Wife at the Kiln Theatre

UNTIL 26 MAY

30 MAY-6 JULY

A THOUSAND HANDS: LEGACIES AND FUTURES OF CARE IN BRENT

WIFE

This interactive exhibition, in partnership with Kiln Theatre, explores the inter-related histories of care and migration in Brent.

Exhibition Space, The Library at Willesden Green. 9am-8pm Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. Free. museum.archives@brent.gov.uk 020 8937 3600.

When it comes to identity, gender and unrequited love, how do societal expectations and pressures change over time? Samuel Adamson (The Light Princess, National Theatre, Gabriel, Shakespeare’s Globe) maps a constellation of four queer stories within four generations in one family. The world premiere of this captivating study of SPRING 2019

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ARTS & CULTURE

What’s On ARTS & CRAFTS POTTERY FOR WELLBEING

Learn to create unique designs from initial idea to finished glazed pot or model. 12 week course suitable for adults who have mild to moderate learning disabilities. New Millennium Day Centre, 1 Robson Avenue, Willesden. From 24 April, 10am-1pm. £158, concessions available. brent.start@brent.gov.uk.

KILN FORMED GLASS COURSE

Suitable for absolute beginners, this 13 week course offers an introduction to glass cutting, fusing and slumping, and making leaded or copper foil glass panels. New Millenium Day Centre, 1 Robson Avenue, Willesden NW10 3SG. From 24 April, 3-6pm. £172, concessions available. brent.start@brent.gov.uk.

SUGARCRAFT: SPECIAL OCCASION CAKES

For those who want to learn more about sugarcraft and cake decoration, this 10 week course is suitable for anyone who has completed completed the beginners level course. Brent Start, 1 Morland Gardens, Stonebridge. Saturday 27 April, 9.30am-12.30pm. £132, concessions available. brent.start@brent.gov.uk.

GET CREATIVE WEEK: CROCHET AND KNITTING CLUB

Kilburn Library. Tuesday 14 May, 10.30am-12.30pm. Free. libraries@ brent.gov.uk. 020 8937 3400.

Kingsbury Library. Thursday 16 May, 10.30am-12noon. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

I WAS MOST EXCESSIVELY DELIGHTED

An illustrated, dramatisationby actor and speaker Karin Fernald compiled from the diaries and watercolours of the young Queen Victoria. Please book in advance via www.brent.gov.uk/events The Library at Willesden Green. Thursday 25 April, 6.30-7.30pm. £2. Book via www.brent. gov.uk/events.

CHILDREN PERFORMING ARTS CLUB

From magic shows to dance workshops.

A free performing arts activity club for children. Kingsland Hall, Wembley Park United Reformed Church, The Broadway, East Lane, Wembley.

Saturdays during term time, 10am-12.30pm. Free. creative. performance@yahoo.co.uk.

PARENTS AND TODDLERS PILATES AND NUTRITION CLASS

Pilates fitness session for parents, grandparents, childminders, nannies, Come and join our relaxing session with your child. Yellow Pavilion, Wembley HA9 OEG. Wednesdays, 9.30-11.30 and 11.30-12.30. £5 per class. christineandmelissa@gmail.com.

BRENT DOLPHINS SWIMMING CLUB Brent Dolphins Swimming Club aims to promote the teaching and coaching of all aspects of swimming, including teacher training and lifesaving for those aged 5 and over. Vale Farm and Willesden Sports Centres. Sunday to Friday, 7-10pm. From £25 per month. info@brentdolphins.org.uk..

>> Your guide to what’s on

STEM CLUB

Fun learning workshops for children aged 8+ in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Space is limited so reserve your place. Wednesday 6 March, 4-5pm, Harlesden Library Plus. Wednesday 27 March, 4-5pm at Ealing Road Library. Free. Book via www.brent. gov.uk/events.

CODE CLUB

Reserve your place at the library now as space is limited. For children aged 8-11.

7, 21 March and 4 April, 4-5pm at Wembley Library. 14, 28 March and 4 April, 4-5pm at Kingsbury Library. 6, 20 March and 3 April, 4-5pm at The Library at Willesden Green. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY FUN WITH THE BOOKSTART BEAR

For under 5s. Enjoy nursery rhymes and stories and make a Mother’s Day card.

Daily morning sessions at Brent Libraries between 25 March-1 April. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events..

AUTISM FAMILY WORKSHOP

Come play and celebrate autism awareness week. For ages 2-5. Wembley Library. Thursday 4 April, 10-10.45am.

Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

INDIAN MUSIC WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCE FOR FAMILIES

Join musicians Vinod Kerai and Ajay Srivastav for an exciting musical workshop to learn about the maths behind music. Bring empty jars, beads, boxes, pots and pans, anything to make a noise with! Ealing Road Library. Wednesday 10 April, 2.30-4pm. Free.Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

SPRING ANIMALS HOPPING AND BOPPING

Craft fun for children aged 5 – 11.

10-16 April, 2.30-3.30pm at libraries across Brent. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events

BABY DISCO PYJAMA PARTY!!

A fun sensory music and dance session, wear your PJs, onesie or party costume! All children must be accompanied by an adult, suitable for under 5s, siblings under 10 welcome. The Library at Willesden Green.

Friday 24 May, 11.30am-12.15pm and 12.30-1.15pm. Tickets:

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Adults and children £2.50 each in advanced. Tickets on the door £3.50 each. Book via www.brent.gov. uk/events.

EALING ROAD FILM CLUB

Film screening for children, featuring A Wrinkle in Time and Teen Titans.

Go! To the Movies, Ealing Road Library.

6 April, 11.30am-1.30pm and 18 April, 2.30-4.30pm. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

LEARNING THROUGH ARTS CREATIVE IDEAS: TIN FOIL EASTER EGGS From circle loom weaving to tin foil Easter eggs, join us for a craft session.

For children up to 12 years, under 10s must be accompanied by an adult.

The Corner, Wembley Library. 11am1pm 12-18 April. £2 suggested donation per family. Booking required, please email events@learningthroughthearts. co.uk or call 07510 917 517.

FORESTERS SASH CRAFT

Learn about the Foresters Friendly Society who worked together to help those in need and make your own sash to take home! Ages 3+. Kingsbury Library. Monday 8 April, 2-4pm. Free. museum.archives@brent.gov.uk 020 8937 3600.

EXPLORE LEARNING: A SPRING IN YOUR STEP

Children can jump straight into this comprehension workshop and learn some fantastic skills they can apply to any text they read. For ages 7-9. Ealing Road Library. Tuesday 16 April, 12.301.30pm. Free. Book via www.brent.gov. uk/events.

FAMILY LEARNING

With three themes, these art workshops will show you how to make 3D decorative frames, puppets, and turn trash into treasure. For parents/carers and children 5-11.

Harlesden Library Plus, Wembley Library and Kilburn Library.

9, 13, 17 April, 2.30-4.45pm. Free.

Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

COMMUNITY HARROW HARMONY SPRING CONCERT 2019

Music by Vivaldi, Handel and Howard Goodal, with three traditional African songs, pieces from Queen and Jai Ho from the Slumdog Millionaire. Guest

ARTS & CULTURE If you would like your event included in these pages, submit the details at www.brent.gov.uk/events

at’s on in Brent during Spring 2019 soloist will be pianist Anna Lightbown.

Saint Cuthbert’s Church, Carlton Avenue West, HA0 3QY. Saturday 23 March, 19.30pm. For tickets, call 020 8861 4017 or email boxoffice@ harrowharmony.co.uk. £12 (£6 for under 18s).

BRENT CONNECTS

With sessions in Kilburn, Harlesden, Wembley, Willesden, Kingsbury and Kenton, Brent Connects forums give you a say on the local issues which matter to you. Tavistock Hall, Main Hall, 25 High Street, Harlesden NW10 4NE. 7-9pm. Free.

DEMENTIA CAFÉ @ CITY MISSION HUB Dementia Café @ City Mission Hub provides a weekly space for those with memory loss and dementia and their carers to socialise, get involved in activities and recieve support.

City Mission Hub, 2 Scrubs Lane NW10 6RB. Every Monday (except bank holidays), 10am-1.30pm. Free. dementiaproject.cmh@outlook.com.

DEMENTIA CAFE - WILLESDEN SPORTS CENTRE

Dementia Café is a place for people with dementia and their carers to relax, socialise, do activities and get support. All ages are welcome.

Willesden Sports Centre Donnington Road, Willesden NW10 3QX. Tuesday 5 March 2019, 1pm-3pm. Free.

HPAwillesden@1life.co.uk.

GROWING CLEMATIS

Learn how to grow clematis in gardens, pots, balconies… and everywhere else!

The Library at Willesden Green. Tuesday 5 March, 6.30-7.30pm. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY: WHAT IS AUTISM AND THE AUTISM SPECTRUM?

An informative and interactive talk about children and young people with autism. We will share our experiences of working with autistic children and young people, their successes and how we can continue to offer support.

Wembley Library. Tuesday 2 April, 12noon-1.20pm. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

POETRY AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP

A safe space to discuss, write and perform poetry. Each workshop will focus on a particular theme/ technique, and will include writing exercises and an opportunity to perform to the class. The Corner, Wembley Library. 12, 26 February and 12, 26 March, 6.30-8.30pm. Free. wembleypark.com/the-corner.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Brent is celebrating International Women’s Day, Friday 8 March, 9am1pm, Grand Hall, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ. The event will include a keynote speech, a panel debate, a variety of information stalls and the opportunity for networking. FREE to attend. For more information, contact Natalie Gordon, Equality Officer, equality@ brent.gov.uk or 020 8937 1231.

PLAYING AND LEARNING WITH CHILDREN WITH AN AUTISM DIAGNOSIS

An informative discussion to support you interacting with your child or a child you know with a diagnosis of autism. Wembley Library. Wednesday 3 April, 10-11am. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

HEALTH & WELLBEING MEMORY LOUNGE

A safe, fun meeting place for people with dementia and their carers, and others wishing to improve their memory. Preston Community Library.

Mondays, 2-4pm. Free. bunce.linsell@ gmail.com.

HEARING VOICES PEER SUPPORT GROUP

Peer Support Group for people living with hearing voices and unusual beliefs. Top floor, Ashford Place, 60 Ashford Road. Second and fourth Tuesday of the month 1.303.30pm. Free. Engagementbrent@ hestia.org.

EASTER WELLBEING, CHOCOLATE BUNNIES AND EGGS

Join us for another event with healthy chocolate fan, Aneta aka The Wellness Designer. The Library at Willesden Green. Tuesday 2 April, 6.30-7.30pm. £2. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

OVER 50S FREE COMPUTER CLASSES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

A free, weekly computer class for older people. Elders Voice, 181 Mortimer Road, Kensal Green, NW10 5TN. Wednesdays, 1-2pm. Free. annas@ eldersvoice.org.uk.

GET CREATIVE WEEK: PAINTING FOR OVER 50S

Art groups suitable for all abilities. Ask in the library for full details. Ealing Road Library.

Tuesday 14 May, 10.30am12.30pm. Free. Book via www.brent.gov.uk/events.

SPORTS MAMBO CITY TUESDAY SALSA

Mambo City Presents Tuesday Salsa. It’s fun, friendly and everyone is welcome, from beginners and improvers to intermediates. Ark Academy Bridge Rd, Wembley. Tuesdays, 7.30-8.30pm. salsa@mambocity.co.uk.

EVENING YOGA CLASS

Mid-week wind down with a restorative blend of Hatha and Vinyasa flow. Suitable for all abilities.

The Reading Room in The Library at Willesden Green, 95 High Rd NW10 2SF. Wednesdays, 7-8pm. jessie@fullerflow.co.uk.

COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS

Yoga classes at Preston Community Library. All abilities welcome.

Preston Community Library, Carlton Avenue East, Wembley HA9 8PL. Wednesdays, 7.30-9pm, and Sundays, 9.30-10.30am/7.30-9pm. samantha. warrington.yoga@gmail.com.

VINYASA FLOW YOGA

Vinyasa Flow Yoga to release stress and rejuvenate the body. Education Room, 2nd floor, Willesden Green Library. Mondays, 7-8pm. hello@olimpiamargalus.com.

GLADSTONE PARK TENNIS LEAGUE

Friendly, competitive singles tennis matches for men and women of all standards. Enter by Monday 18 March.

Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill Lane NW2 6RJ. 21 March-8 May. info@localtennisleagues.com.

PILATES IN BARHAM PARK

Get fit for free with OurParks. Barham Park. Wednesdays, 6.30-7.30pm. Free.

BOOTCAMP

Get fit for free with OurParks. Free.

Queen’s Park, Kilburn NW6 6SG. Thursdays, 10-11am.

Stonebridge Rec. Saturdays, 10-11am.

One Tree Hill Rec Ground, Norton Rd HA0 4QR. Thursdays, 6.45-7.45pm.

Roe Green Park. Saturdays, 9.30-10.30am.

Roundwood Park, Harlesden Road NW10. Wednesdays, 6.30-7.30pm.

QUEENS PARK BOX FIT

Get fit for free with OurParks. Queen’s Park, Kilburn NW6 6SG. Sundays, 10-11am.

SPRING 2019

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JOBS & SKILLS

Get reading and get ahead Thousands of local residents have discovered the joys of reading for pleasure thanks to a programme run in local libraries

R

Olha Ovcharenko joined the Reading Ahead programme iin 2018

44 brent magazine the

SPRING 2019

eading Ahead is a national programme, run by The Reading Agency, designed to help people improve their reading skills and develop a love for reading. It challenges people who may not feel confident reading, to choose and finish six books and rate and review them when they have finished.

More than 5,500 people have finished the programme since it began in Brent six years ago.

Olha Ovcharenko, from Queens Park, completed the course in 2018. Olha said: “I was finding it difficult to get into reading before this programme. I started by reading adapted books that are aimed at people who are learning English. I finished my six books last year and I’m looking forward to doing the challenge again this year.

Queens Park resident, Rosi Valletta also completed the programme last year. She said: “It’s an amazing programme and there isn’t too much pressure. You have a choice, you can read books, articles or magazines and six is a good number.

“I would recommended this programme to everyone who would like to read more but lacks the confidence to read in English.”

Cllr Amer Agha, Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills said: “Reading Ahead is a brilliant programme and it’s wonderful to see so many people using it to help improve their reading skills. Reading is a vital life skill but is also a fantastic pleasure so it’s great to see so many people using their new skills to help others get involved.”

There is still time to join in with the Reading Ahead challenge for this year. People who complete their reading diaries before June will be in with a chance to win prizes.

To find out more about Reading Ahead go to your local library.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS CHANGED THE LAW AROUND HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION From 1 October 2018 any property rented out to five or more unrelated people requires a Mandatory HMO licence.

DON’T GET PROSECUTED...

License your property now: www.brent.gov.uk/prslicensing

E NC sing en

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It’s the law.

A LICE ET

A p pl y o nlin

You now need a licence to rent in eight Brent wards

G

?

D R O L D LAN AGENT?

Dudden Hill Harlesden Kensal Green Kilburn Mapesbury Queen’s Park Wembley Cen tral Willesden Gre en

n t. g o v.u k

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Apply online

www.brent.gov.uk/prslicensing SPRING 2019

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EU CITIZENS STAY INFORMED

If you are an EU citizen, you and your family members will be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 31 December 2020.

Why apply?

The EU Settlement Scheme will allow you and your family members to continue to live, work and study in the UK. It means you continue to be eligible for: public services, such as healthcare and schools public funds and pensions British citizenship, if you want to apply and meet the requirements The EU Settlement Scheme will fully open by 30 March 2019. But there is no rush, you will be able to apply until 30 June 2021.

For more guidance and information visit gov.uk/eu-settled-status EU Settlement Scheme – January 2019

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2019

READER SURVEY

12. At present, are you...?

Employed full-time Employed part-time

Brent Magazine is currently published four times 6. The a year, would you like to receive it more frequently?

YES

7.

Self-employed full-time Self-employed part-time

NO

Long term sick or disabled Retired

If YES, how often?

Student Unemployed

8.

Other Prefer not to say

Would you like to see The Brent Magazine made available in any of the following (please select all that apply)?

Doctors Surgeries Gym’s/Leisure Centres Shopping Centres

13. What is your ethnicity?

Asian or Asian British Black or Black British

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Community Spaces Other, please state where

Mixed background White or White British Other ethnic background Prefer not to say

9.

What one thing would you do to improve the magazine?

14. Do you live, work or go to school in Brent?

ABOUT YOU

10. Are you...?

Male 11.

Female

Yes – I live/work/go to school/college in Brent No – I live/work/go to school/college

elsewhere

Prefer not to say

Please complete the details below and post this page to:

What is your age?

Under 16 16-24

45-54 55-64

25-34 35-44

65-74 75+

TBM Survey, The Brent Magazine, 4th Floor, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ. Alternatively, go to www.brent.gov.uk/tbmsurvey and complete the survey there.

If you would like to be entered into the prize draw to win a £250 shopping voucher, please give us your contact details: Name Address Email Tel number The deadline for entries is 1 April and the winner of the prize draw will be notified shortly after.

All completed surveys will b entered into a p e draw to WIN A £rize VOUCHER to sp 250 e the London Desi nd at gn Outlet in Wemb er ley Park.

the

2019

READER SURVEY On a scale of 1 -10 how would you rate The Brent Magazine,

with 1 as ‘poor’ and 10 as ‘excellent’?

1.

would like to know what content interests you and is relevant to your 2. We life. Please select your top five Brent Magazine interesting subjects.

Regeneration Eating healthier and staying active Waste and recycling Adult social care Children and families Information for older people Community news (i.e. not council news) Crime and anti-social behaviour Housing Arts and culture Guest columns from local residents Guest columns from other public services i.e. the Police and NHS Service information from the council and partners such as the Police or NHS Public notices about highways, legal and in a condensed form

DON’T KNOW

DON’T LIKE

LIKE

3. 3. How interested are you in the following?

do you like most about 4. What The Brent Magazine?

Availability Frequency Easy to read Articles Other (please specify below)

do you like least about 5. What The Brent Magazine?

stories – short news items of what’s been News

happening in Brent

Availability

Features – longer articles on a range of topics as listed in Q1

What’s On listings – community events in Brent

Easy to read

Leader’s column Arts & Culture – theatre, music, dance, comedy, exhibitions

Other (please specify below)

Frequency Articles

PTO TO FINISH SURVEY

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Apprenticeships

We are extremely proud to call Brent home and hope you continue to enjoy our unique mix of news, views, features, competitions, and arts and culture.

2019 marks 21 years since the first edition of the magazine and it has come a long way since then. Our goal is always to produce a publication that truly represents Brent, from the serious issues and big decisions, to the many community events, and Brent’s amazing characters and people. To continue improving the mag, we’d like your feedback – what’s going well, what you like, and where you think we can improve.

You can help us to develop The Brent Magazine by taking this short reader survey. Your views are really important to us – so if you could spare a few minutes the whole team would really appreciate it.

Once you have completed the questions on these pages, please post them back to us. If you would rather complete the questions online, please go to www.brent.gov.uk/tbmsurvey.