Neighbours' Paper Issue 69

Neighbours Paper ’

Issue No 69

Putting the People of Ealing First Summer 2014

MiniHolland?

Also in this issue: Ealing Hospital Update Free Legal Advice Centres Ealing Studios Food Banks Summer Festival Dates

Free

Plea Tak se e On e

Acton | Ealing | Greenford | Hanwell | Northolt | Perivale | Southall

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E dito rial NP Editorial Team

Contents Contents Editorial................................................ 2 Summer Events.................................... 2

This edition looks at the new money for cycling in the borough. Sadly money is not so flush for some residents, as our article on Food Banks explains. Read about some positive ways of resolving difficulties through free legal advice and the Ealing Mediation Service. We have articles on the popular D of E Award programme for young people, our film heritage in Ealing and we have also listed the many summer events that take place every year in the borough. Don’t miss out!

Ealing Gets £15M for Cycle-Friendly .

Improvements..................................... 3 Ealing Notes......................................4-5 Ealing Mediation Service.................... 6 Ealing Foodbank................................. 7

Sum m er Events in

Hanwell Carnival and Show: Saturday 21 June Ethorne Park, FREE. A fun day in the park, 12.00noon to 6.00pm. Carnival Procession from Hanwell Community Centre at 11.00am to Elthorne Park. Music, Dog show, Sport, Craft, Petting Farm, Zoo and more...

Party in the Park: Sunday 22 June, Pitshanger Park 1.00pm to 9.00pm. £2, free for kids.

Bring a picnic or enjoy food from the ‘gastrodome’ tent. Games, sports, arts & crafts, music and dance by local schools on open-air stage.

Music continues in Beer Tent through evening. See www.pitshanger.org.uk.

Greenford Carnival: Saturday 28 June, Ravenor Park 12.00noon to 7.00pm. £2 or family £5. Children 12 and under free. Entertainment, Activities, Live Music, Dance, Food Stalls, Markets, Funfair and more...

Ealing Blues Festival: Saturday/ Sunday 19/20 July, Walpole Park Biggest dedicated Blues event in Britain. Local and International Performers. Shows from 2.00–10.30pm.

Tickets at gate. £5 per person, £8 both days. Children 12 and under Free.

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Ealing Equality Council....................... 9 Ealing Studios..................................... 10 Duke of Edinburgh............................ 11 Ealing Hockey Club.......................... 12

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Ealing Beer Festival: Wednesday 2July to Saturday 5 July, Walpole Park 12.00noon to 10.30pm (Sat until 6.00pm) Ealing by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), £2 for members, £4 for non-members. Hundreds of Ales shipped in from around the country.

Acton Carnival: Saturday 5 July, Acton Park 12.00 to 7.00pm, £2, or family £5.

Children 12 and under free. Carnival Procession Woodlands Park 12.00 to Acton Park. Entertainment, Activities, Live Music, Dance, Food Stalls, Markets, Funfair.

The London Mela: Sunday 31 August, Gunnersbury Park FREE. 1.00–9.00pm Europe’s largest outdoor Asian festival. Contemporary and Classical Asian Music, Sports, Markets, Funfair, Food from around the world and more.

Ealing

Legal Advice....................................... 8

Ealing Comedy Festival: Friday/Saturday 11/12 July Walpole Park. Top Comedians. Gates open 6.30pm. Shows 7.30-10.30pm, £19 per show. Book at www.ealing.gov.uk.

Email: editor@neighbourspaper.com Editor: Tom Whiting (020 8840 5740) Treasurer: Judy Breens Writers: Arthur Breens, Judy Breens, Mas’ooda Canfield, Foluso Dawodu, Nell Fox, Will French, Michael Holmes, Shakuntla Joshi, Eric Leach, Robin Marshall, Ricky Singh, Tom Whiting Designer: Jamie Anson

Ealing Jazz Festival: Wed 23 to Sunday 27 July, Walpole Park 30th Anniversary!

Local and International Performers.

Shows from 2.00–10.30pm. Children 12 and under Free. £4 entry per day Wed/Thursday, £5 Fri–Sunday, £8 Saturday+Sunday. Also Fringe Events in other venues.

Webmaster: Sonia Nimley Advert Designer: Sandy Anson Printer: Pollyprint Ltd, 263 Northfield Avenue, Ealing W5 4UA, 0208 579 1441, www.pollyprint.co.uk Advertisement rates: Single Box £25, Double Box £45, Triple Box £70

For full details see: www.ealingsummerfestivals.com Putting the People of Ealing First

Next copy deadline: 31st July 2014

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Ealing gets £15 Million for Cycle-Friendly Improvements by

Transport for London has promised Ealing Council ‘up to £15 million’ for a long-term project to turn the town centre into a Mini-Holland and make it as cycle-friendly as equivalent Dutch towns.

We want the money!

A total of £100 million was made available through Boris Johnson’s Mayor of London cycle scheme, with 18 outer London boroughs putting forward proposals for cycle-friendly projects in competition for the funds. Ealing failed to win the major pot but was pledged a reduced amount.

Ealing Council’s 32-page proposal ‘Ealing Mini Holland’ was backed by Leader Julian Bell, who said. ‘Ealing has the potential and ability to become a cycling exemplar in its own right... a place where mass cycling can become a reality.’ The original plans included a cycle route for Uxbridge Road, a link to the new A40 superhighway, and segregated cycle paths and towpath improvements.

According to John R, a long-time local resident and devoted cyclist, Ealing’s original bid was ambitious but lacked strategic synergy across the whole borough. ‘It’s great that the focus is on improving cycling facilities in Ealing, but I do wish the council would consult local cycling organisations in more detail before ploughing money into schemes which look good aesthetically but direct funds away from more crucial areas.’

Could he be referring to the new cycle parking hub at Ealing Broadway Station? All prettily lit up at night, with a lovely state-of-the-art roof – but would the £200,000 plus have been better spent on segregation of cycling lanes and safer traffic junction access for Ealing’s cyclists? And what about the muddy towpath tracks where punctures due to rough gravel and shards of broken glass are a weekly occurrence for our local intrepid cyclists (including this writer!)

Kingston 1 Ealing 0

Neighbours’ Paper has learnt that the scaled down funds have been a huge disappointment to the Council, but their intention is to go ahead with their plans while looking for alternative sources of top-up funding to deliver their entire programme.

Tom Whiting

Local leaders need to consult cyclists

Interestingly, in the bid by one of the three winning councils for the £100 million – Kingston’s – a cycling boardwalk by the Thames formed the major plank of its cycling improvement scheme. Not a gravel path nor a broken bottle in sight! Also part of

Putting the People of Ealing First

Anyone for segregated lanes in Ealing?

cycle

Kingston’s winning bid – heavily ironic this – was a plaza outside Kingston Station featuring ‘new cycling routes, cycle-only boardwalk, either fixed or floating...’ More like ‘pie in the sky’ for our own impoverished Ealing Broadway Station and its planned improvements, whenever those will come to pass.

We should be lobbying our local councillors for where we, as local cyclists, want the funds for improvement to be spent. Join your local cycling group and find out how you can campaign for a better deal. See, for example, www.ealingcycling.org.uk or tel: 07956 490 714.

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Ealing Notes: Ealing Hospital UPDATE

Eric Leach and others from the Ealing TUC Save our NHS Campaign track health news carefully and attend all meetings of the Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group (ECCG). So far there’s no reprieve for either Clayponds or Ealing Hospitals, which are to be replaced by a ‘cottage hospital’ for diagnosis and rehab. This could be run by a private company like the Urgent Care Centre (UCC). No medical operations, no maternity services, no A & E. 82 beds within 3 wards in private rooms are planned, rather like a private nursing home.

Meadow House Hospice will remain. In 2015, North West London NHS plans to close the new Ealing Birth Unit where 2,915 babies were born in 2013. But how will other hospitals cope when these 358 Ealing Hospital beds go, along with Clayponds beds and the 498 Charing Cross beds?

Latest news is that there are no extra maternity beds elsewhere and that Northwick Park and Central Middlesex are among the worst in the country for A & E delays. We all knew this ‘plan’ is not feasible.

Maybe the ECCG knows this too. Twice the Chair has let down the Senior Action Group Ealing (SAGE) meetings in Ealing Town Hall.

Recent figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK has fewer than 3 hospital beds per 1,000 people, compared to over 6 in France and 8 in Germany. That’s before the next round of NHS cuts. WE MUST KEEP FIGHTING! To receive the ‘Our NHS In Crisis’ monthly newsletters, email eric@leachet.demon.co.uk. To join the Save our NHS Campaign, email eveturner@btinternet.com.

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Ealing Broadway Station After the public outcry against Crossrail’s plans for Ealing Broadway Station, things have moved fast. In April, Crossrail unveiled new ideas at a meeting in Parliament organised by Angie Bray MP. These improve on Crossrail’s original ‘industrial canopy’ design but questions persist, particularly about arrangements for passengers to leave or arrive at the station, whether by public transport, private vehicle, or on foot. There is no provision for the picking up and setting down of passengers. Crossrail hope to publish new plans shortly and the public will have just 3 weeks to respond. Check www.saveealingcentre.com for the latest information.

Warren Farm Latest Warren Farm is the 61 acre public sports field beyond the canal and Fox pub in Hanwell. Sadly, on May 13th Save Warren Farm Campaign lost its Judicial Review application against Ealing Council in the High Court.

Campaigners had questioned the Council’s processes that led to the agreement to lease the land for 200 years at no rent, and the loss of two thirds of the land to QPR’s exclusive use. These decisions, along with the unsympathetic mass and design of the proposed buildings, caused outrage to residents across the Borough. Why would Ealing give away priceless open land in return for nothing more than QPR managing the remaining third of the site for community use?

Will any of Ealing’s open spaces now be safe? The Campaign is now considering its appeal option.

Sign the petition and see more details at www.savewarrenfarm.com.

Putting the People of Ealing First

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photos:

Shaz Moghaddam and Tom Whiting

Words: J udy B reens with Arthur B reens, Eric Leach , SJ, Will French

Problems with new pond in Walpole Park

Town Cramming: Upping the Targets

Recently a picture appeared in the Ealing Gazette with Councillors Mahfouz and Bell standing in the yet to be filled pond in Walpole Park. For Arthur Breens this innocent picture sent alarm bells ringing. The old pond had shallow margins. The water would barely cover a toddler’s nappy if he/she fell in. A parent could easily step in and step out affecting an efficient rescue. The new pond from bottom to edge is 1100 mm. Very difficult for an adult to clamber out after a rescue. Worse, the design depth of the water next to the edge is 770 mm. This would cover the mouth and the nose of a toddler creating a high risk of drowning.

It takes between 20 and 60 seconds to drown. Didn’t anyone consider this key factor when designing this pond? At the time of writing the Chief Executive and the Leader are reading the learned papers that Arthur has sent them. Have a look when you pass Walpole Park – contact your Councillor if you see danger.

The Greater London Association (GLA) wants to raise housing targets across London by 23%. The target for Ealing – which already has one of the most ambitious targets in London – will be raised by 45%. Ealing will be expected to turn out 1,297 new homes every year for the next 10 years – far more than nearby Hounslow or Richmond.

No one knows why, and surprisingly, our Council Leader says he agrees. It is hard to see how so many new homes can be squeezed into a well developed borough like Ealing without harming the character and appearance of existing neighbourhoods, conservation areas and town centres. The ambitious programme will also put huge pressures on our schools, health services and transport.

Rising housing costs are hitting people hard, but with vast tracts of brownfield land elsewhere in London and the UK, is the only way to solve the problem to destroy what people value so much in Ealing? Objections to excessive housing developments have intensified across the Borough in recent years. Expect more local groups to organise themselves into saying ‘NO’.

Ealing Fairtrade Awards The First Ealing Fairtrade Awards Event by the Ealing Fairtrade Group has been launched. Awards are designed to be presented to businesses and organisations in Ealing that are doing most to promote, sell and use Fairtrade products. Please nominate your workplace, private childcare, supplier, retail outlet, food outlet, college/university, accommodation and school/ nursery by sending your entry of a maximum of 50 words, plus an optional photo, describing the Fairtrade products you use, sell or promote and why you should win in your category, to info@ealingfairtrade.org.uk. Deadline 31 July 2014. An award ceremony will take place in the borough this Autumn.

Playing Out Recently we came across a closed Wyndham Road W13 with children playing out. They were having such fun! After chatting to the locals we discovered that details are on www.playingout.net.

Apparently Ealing Council are really helpful over this initiative. They allow temporary street closures FREE and provide advice and the equipment needed in a ‘Play Street Box’. Contact Renee Mccaw of Transport Planning Services. Tel: 8825 8415 or email mccawr@ealing.gov.uk. There’s a thought for the long summer holidays.

SPECIAL OFFER: A1 Large Format & Plan Printing from £3.00 263 Northfield Avenue, Ealing, W5 4UA Tel: 020 8579 1441 sales@pollyprint.co.uk www.pollyprint.co.uk twitter: @pollyprint

Putting the People of Ealing First

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G etting along with Neighbours by

Constant conflict can ruin lives for those who can see no way out of disagreements. If you’re experiencing problems with a neighbour – or indeed any other member of the community – it can sometimes be difficult to resolve matters through speaking to them directly. This is when mediation can help. It’s a process that helps people communicate effectively and without conflict by providing a safe environment and the support of trained mediators.

Early intervention is key Ealing Mediation Service (EMS) is a charity that provides mediation to all residents of the borough. The process is wholly independent, impartial and confidential. Its scope is wide ranging but focuses primarily on disputes involving antisocial behaviour, noise nuisance, clashes of lifestyle/culture, etc.

Experience suggests that early intervention in such disputes can be effective in preventing escalation,

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Robin Marshall, Chair

helping encourage tolerance and promoting harmony. Volunteer mediators with EMS are all professionally trained and come from personal and occupational backgrounds as diverse as the community they serve.

of

Ealing Mediation Service

the whole borough. Two part-time permanent paid staff (with local knowledge and 20 years’ experience) administer the service and support a team of over 40 unpaid volunteers – trustees, community mediators and publicity ambassadors.

Formal Agreement Mayor of London Award Mediation is voluntary: both parties must be willing to engage. Mediators will initially meet each side individually to understand, in confidence, the underlying problems. Each party gets an equal say, whilst the role of the mediator is not to make judgments nor even to put forward suggestions, but to allow each party to make their case to the other and to then work through the key issues. Mediators will help them explore the options that might help resolve those issues; at the end, if there’s an agreement, it may be written down and signed. It’s not legally binding, but it removes ambiguity and gives the outcome an element of formality – which can be helpful. The agreement should cover how the parties will communicate in future so that should further disputes arise they may be better able to resolve them themselves.

The service is based at Greenford Community Centre but operates across

Putting the People of Ealing First

Cases may be ‘self-referrals’ by residents themselves or referrals from the many agencies with whom EMS works in partnership. These include: Ealing Council; the local police; registered social landlords and other voluntary sector organisations. A Council representative from the ASB Team is a member of the Board of Trustees. EMS has received a Mayor of London‘s ‘Team London Award’ for ‘outstanding contribution to improving the quality of life for Londoners’.

To find out more, see www.ealingmediation.org.uk or call 020 8575 9500.

[Editor’s Note: Ealing Mediation Service costs are covered by grants from various organisations. There is no charge to Ealing residents.]

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This discussion is vital as foodbank parcels are for emergencies and are not regular gifts. Three parcels only in 6 months is the guideline. Foodbank in no way replaces state benefits.

One thousand mouths fed

by

Nell Fox of Ealing Foodbank Steering Group

by N ell Fox of Ealing Foodbank Steering Group

A recent report stated that nearly 1 million people in Britain have needed to use a foodbank in the last year, including 100,000 in London. Although the UK is the 7th richest country in the world, today many people are struggling to afford even that most essential of goods: food. There are a number of reasons – benefits cuts and delays, job loss, rise in living costs, low pay.

Local community foodbank Set up in 2013 by local churches, Ealing Foodbank provides emergency food

Photo: Shaz Moghaddam

for people in crisis in Ealing borough.

The foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network, designed to be run and supported by the local community for the local community. Non-perishable items of food are donated by supermarket shoppers, schools, local businesses and churches. Residents of the borough in crisis can collect a Foodbank voucher from agencies such as Social Services, Ealing Advice Centre and Job Centres. This referral process is designed to ensure that only those in genuine need access the Foodbank. When they bring their voucher to one of the Foodbank cafes, they receive a parcel of food that will provide balanced meals for them and their family for 3-4 days.

At the Foodbank people can sit down and have a chat over a cup of tea with one of the volunteers about their situation. Volunteers are trained to be able to point people to other organisations or agencies that may be able to help them to move on from the crisis they are currently in.

Putting the People of Ealing First

Since opening its first café in Acton in October 2013 Ealing Foodbank has provided food for over 1,000 people including 400 children. Cafes are in Greenford Methodist Church (Mondays), Hanwell St Mellitus Church (Wednesdays), Southall St Anselms Church (Thursdays) and Acton Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship (Fridays). Further cafes are planned over the next few months.

Chris Sutton, chairman of the Ealing Foodbank Steering Group says, ‘The public have been amazingly generous.

People come out beaming from ear to ear, overwhelmed with the food they have been given.’ Chris has recently been nominated for an Ealing Gazette Pride In Our People Award.

A ‘lifesaver’ The kind of comments heard at Foodbanks are: ‘We aren’t scroungers.

We are just struggling to cope at the moment’ ‘These foodbanks are lifesavers’. ‘Thank you from the bottom of my heart.’ ‘I was embarrassed to go to Ealing Foodbank but I was welcomed and made to feel OK.’ ‘Thanks so much to all the volunteers for helping people like me.’

To find out more, to donate or to sign up as a volunteer, see www.ealing.foodbank.org.uk or call 07769 759756 (office hours).

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Free Legal Advice

by J udy

1. Ealing Equality Council (EEC) operates two services from The Lido Centre (corner Northfield Ave/ Mattock Lane) Ealing, London W13 9LA, www.ealingequalitycouncil. org.uk. Tel: 8579 3861 or 8280 2253. a) Community Advice Programme (CAP) Free advice is provided at Lido Centre on a drop-in basis by qualified legal practitioners, assisted by trained volunteers from Ealing Law School: University of West London. It operates on alternate Saturdays from 11.00am to 1.00pm. Call the EEC or email d.stewart@ealingrec.org.uk. b) Ealing Equality Council (EEC) also offers free legal advice to all by appointment only on weekdays on issues of equality, discrimination and human rights. Debt, immigration, benefits, employment rights, family law are included in all issues covered.

For an appointment, phone between 9.30am and 3.30pm or walk in between 10.00am and 3.30pm to book. Advice Clinics take place at outreach locations in Acton, Hanwell, Southall, Perivale, North Greenford and Northolt as well as at Lido Centre.

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2. Ealing Advice Service offers an advisory website. It also offers free, confidential and impartial information and advice by telephone on issues including Debt, Housing, Health, Benefits, Employment, Immigration and Family issues. Call on Mon-Fri 10.00am5pm (to 7.00pm Wednesdays). Call 03000 12 54 64. If necessary the service will refer you for an appointment local to you with a specialist advisor. www.ealingadvice.org

3. The Disability Advice Bureau (DAB) 44 South Ealing Road W5 4AQ is for people with disabilities (including with mental health problems) Tel: 8840 8573 See: www.ecil.org.

The Carers Centre (next door) for people caring for other people. Tel: 8840 1566 Both offer advice on Debt, Housing, Health, Benefits, Employment, Immigration and Family issues.

4. Ealing Council Community Benefit Team. This is part of Ealing Social Services Adult Service Team at Perceval House Uxbridge Road Ealing W5 2HL. A telephone advice Service on Benefits is offered to all. Face to face meetings and individual casework with advocacy can take place on a referral basis, if necessary involving home visits. The team works a lot with older clients needing homecare services.

For advice and more details: Tel: 8825 8555 and visit www.ealing.gov.uk.

Putting the People of Ealing First

B reens

5. Christians Against Poverty is an award winning free debt counselling service. The HQ is in Bradford and there is a local centre in Ealing. It helps all regardless of religion. A debt coach will visit your home, help you make a realistic budget, negotiate with creditors and support you until you are debt free. Tel: 0800 328 0006 or look at www.capuk.org.

6. Southall Rights Legal Advice Centre: 54 High Street Southall Tel: 8571 4920.

This Centre regrets it can no longer be free.

Staffed by qualified lawyers who are experienced in social welfare law, the cost is ÂŁ20 for 15 minutes and ÂŁ35 for 30 minutes. It is open weekdays from 10.00am-6.00pm and specialises in issues of housing, debt, immigration, employment rights, family law, benefits and general civil litigation.

Phone or call in for appointment.

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Ealing Equality Council by

Ricky Singh , Director

Imagine that you have run up debts that escalated as you used different High Street loan companies with interest rates in the 1000+% range. This was the experience of a young friend of an NP Team member. The Community Advice Programme (CAP) helped her become completely debt free. She gained free advice from one of their lawyers who took on her case using legal aid.

This is one example of the service that Ricky Singh directs. He writes…

Ealing Equality Council (EEC) was originally formed in 1963 and has delivered help to Ealing residents for the past 50 years and more – providing advocacy in both generalist and specialist advice by working with the Community Advice Programme (CAP) and the Ealing Law School, University of West London (UWL) for over 21 years.

‘You’re Welcome Here’ EEC started as Southall International Friendship Association, formed by the local residents, churches, trade unions, political groups, and others. Its slogan was ‘you’re welcome here’. It was formed to counteract the antagonism

Kwame Akuffo and H ilary Panford with UWL students and volunteers .

shown to Asians and other non-white groups who came from the old empire to the Mother Country seeking work, many of them having fought in the Second World War alongside their fellow British Citizens from the UK and from all corners of the British Empire.

A rude awakening greeted many migrants to our shores here in the UK, who were drawn to the west London area because of the shortage of workers. Migrants living in various parts of London were drawn to the industrial estates of Southall to fill the vacancies that existed, and to help rebuild Britain after the war.

Easy access to quality legal advice EEC’s services are a ‘one stop shop’ providing free specialist, casework and advocacy via our partnership with Solicitors, EEC volunteers, CAP, and the Ealing Law School.

Residents are entitled to a full range of appropriate advice and support.

EEC’s legal advisers are representative of the various ethnic groups, religions, disabled, sexual orientation etc who reside in the London Borough of Ealing.

Putting the People of Ealing First

Kwame Akuffo, of the Ealing Law School, UWL is the Chair of the EEC and CAP. He co-founded the Community Advice Programme (CAP) as a partnership between the Ealing Law School and Ealing Equality Council.

The service uses volunteer lawyers, as well as Ricky Singh (Barrister), Director of CAP and EEC and Hilary Panford, Senior Lecturer, Ealing Law School.

CAP is now acknowledged to be one of the most successful community law clinics in the country. In 2013, in recognition of the 50 year Anniversary of EEC’s service to West London, Kwame was awarded the OBE. In the same year Ricky was awarded an Honorary Degree by the University of West London.

Mission Statement The EEC wants to ensure that people experiencing disadvantage and deprivation have easy access to quality assured legal advice, enabling them to cope with commonly encountered problems experience by the disadvantaged. Tel: 8579 3861 or visit www.ealingequalitycouncil.org.uk.

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Ealing Studios: a 21st Century Film-Making Hub Story & Photo

by

Michael Holmes

Ealing Studios celebrates its 112th birthday this year since the television and film production company and facilities began film making in 1902. The site, adjacent to Ealing Green in West London, was purchased by Will Barker in 1902 as a base for film making. Having reached its centenary in 2002, it is the oldest continuously working studio facility for film production in the world.

Ealing Comedies One of the best known works to have come from the studios was The Ealing Comedies, a series of film comedies. The series ran between 1947 and 1957. Other series included Hue and Cry, first produced in 1947, followed by Barnacle Bill in 1957 and the final Ealing Comedy, Davy.

Among the series of classic films produced between 1949 and 1959 that made a name for the studios included Kind Hearts and

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Coronets, Passport to Pimlico, The Lavender Hill Mob and of course The Ladykillers.

Film-making courses The Met Film School, London’s leading provider of film-making courses, now operates from the premises, offering BA and MA degrees as well as parttime courses, and utilises one of Ealing Studios’ original sound stages as their on-site studio space.

Having invested £50 million in redeveloping the site, Ealing Studios plan to complete a new state of the art, film and television studios. This will benefit those going into film and television and cement Ealing Studios’ position as a world class film & television production organisation for many years to come. With such film and television making facilities in Ealing, people from all walks of life, both local and non-local residents, will benefit from a range of opportunities and expertise at the site.

The Tardis comes to town The studios were taken over by the BBC in 1955 and Ealing started appearing in television programmes like Doctor Who and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Since 2000, Ealing Studios has resumed releasing films under its own name, including the revived St Trinian’s franchise. In the past decade, films shot here include the first of a number of popular zombie movies, Shaun of the Dead.

More recently shot at the studio was an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, featuring Dame Judi Dench, Rupert Everett and Academy Awards winner Colin Firth, and the acclaimed TV drama series Downton Abbey.

Putting the People of Ealing First

In particular, young people will be encouraged to take up creative subjects such as art and media leading to a film and television career with a world facility here in Ealing on their doorstep.

The future looks bright Anyone looking for a career in this sector can rent the facilities and produce some outstanding work. This will not only keep Ealing Studios on the map as a state of the art and next generation studio; they will also be supporting the future of the British film and television industry.

Please see www.ealingstudios.co.uk and www.metfilmschool.co.uk or tel: 8832 1933 for more information.

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Local student thrilled by Duke of Edinburgh experience by

I first got involved with DofE through school. I did the DofE because I wanted to experience camping, and wanted a bit of freedom to explore the outdoors. If your school does

not give you the option of doing the DofE, you can go on the website and see where the closest one is.

You will do 2 practice expeditions and one final (real) expedition. You can do the Bronze award if you are 14. For this you will do 2 days of trekking and 1 night of camping. For Silver you need to be 15. This will be 2 nights and 3 days. Finally, for Gold you do 4 nights camping and 5 days walking. This may seem like a lot as you do 6 hours of walking for Bronze – trust me, I had the same reaction when I first heard about it! But time flies by as you are talking and singing with your friends as you

Mas’ooda Canfield

walk up hills, and run to the finish line.

The DofE not only taught me how to navigate and write route cards but also gave me beautiful scenic opportunities that we do not have in our day to day lives. It is also recognised worldwide and you can put it on your UCAS form [for university applications] and this will make you stand out.

As well as possibly receiving an award from the one and only Prince Charles(!) if you complete the DofE Gold, overall it is an amazing experience and I’m glad I did it.

...Editor’s Notes on DofE The Duke of Edinburgh Award is the world’s leading achievement award for young people, aged 14 to 24.

The aim is to enable every young person, whatever their background and circumstances, to reach their full potential through a balanced, accredited programme of activities that develops the whole person, in an environment of social interaction and teamwork.

These activities encompass voluntary work in the community, physical and social skills development (e.g. in music, sport) and outdoor expeditions. The Award is delivered annually under special license by nearly 500 partner organisations, who in turn support over 11,000 DofE

centres including schools, colleges, youth clubs, voluntary organisations, young offenders institutions and businesses to run the DofE.

life-enriching award scheme.

For more information see www.dofe. org, email London@DofE.org, or call the regional office on 7630 9092.

Last year, across the UK more than 300,000 participated in the scheme, with a third going on to achieve the Award.

Globally, nearly a million young people currently participate, with over 8 million involved since its inception in 1956.

It’s obvious that the benefits of having an award accreditation when it comes to applying for university or seeking employment will stand participants in good stead. NP welcomes the ongoing success story of the DofE and is delighted that students across the borough continue to take part in this worthwhile and

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Ealing Hockey Club Developing tomorrow’s stars Meet a club driven by junior achievement. NP reporter Michael Holmes talks to Jeff Moores, a founder and Director of Coaching for Ealing Hockey Club, and finds out why this sport is proving to be so popular among young people in the borough: May I start by asking a bit about the history of the club & why it was launched?

The club has claims to be the oldest women’s club in the country and it is believed it was founded in 1888. In the following years there were 35 members and an annual ball was held at Ealing Town Hall. A few matches were played on a field off Gunnersbury Lane against other teams in the first years of its existence. By 1897 the club fielded two elevens and played other teams in south-east England. We (TotalHockey, a coaching company) reformed Ealing Hockey as a community interest company to fill the void left in Ealing.

How many members does the club have on record to date?

We are now standing at 138 juniors and expect at least 200 from September 2014 when we start playing our league and cup matches. Bear in mind we started in September 2013 with 35 juniors!

In what way has the club had a positive impact in Ealing?

Getting all those juniors wanting to do competitive sport. A couple of schools where we send our level 2 coaches to teach in curriculum time have told us

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that the children are more attentive in classes. So it’s not just a physical benefit.

Has the club won any major trophies or leagues? Not yet, however the 1970s and 1980s were the most successful era for the club, the first National title coming in 1986 with the National Indoor Championship followed in successive years by victories in the National Outdoor Championships in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Ealing went on to represent England in the European Clubs’ Championship in 1988, 1989 and 1990.

A number of notable Internationals played for Ealing in this era.

Any of the current members planning to play for the national team?

I hope so! We range from ages 7 to 15, so there is time. We do have a former England U18 and an England U21 on

Putting the People of Ealing First

the coaching staff, so we understand what is needed and are able to support those potential national players.

Where does the club see itself in the coming years?

It would be nice to return to the times when Ealing was competing at national and international level, but we want to remain a junior club and feed those players into senior teams at nearby clubs that we have strong ties with. Our heart lies with ensuring this is a family club, welcoming to all and satisfying the completive need to win matches and trophies. Our lead coaches are all professional coaches, coaching at County Academy and Regional Performance Centres.

Further information, visit www.ealinghockey.com.