Neighbours' Paper Issue 72

Neighbours Paper ’

Issue No 72

Putting the People of Ealing First

Spring 2015

WILL YOU BE HEARD?

Also in this issue: Why Vote?

Day Centres under threat The Boys’ Brigade Twinning with Palestine Ealing’s Tourist Attractions

Free

Plea Tak se e On e

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

Contents Contents Editorial................................................ 2 To Vote or Not To Vote..................2 & 3 Ealing Notes......................................... 4

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To Vote or Not To Vote: Will French, a seasoned and local campaigner, explains why he is voting, while graphic designer Jamie Anson, a voice of young Ealing says why he’s not.

The Next Big Thing............................... 5 Health in Ealing.................................... 6 Saving the Solace Centre.................. 7 Boys’ Brigade....................................... 8 Friends of Sabastiya............................ 9 Ealing as a Tourist Destination.......... 10 Queen of the Suburbs....................... 11 The Story So Far................................. 11 Sport Ealing........................................ 12

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Why I’m NOT voting I find politics baffling. The problems that preoccupy politicians make politics impossible for me to believe in. Things need to change to create a fairer, problem solving political process we can all benefit from. To achieve this, I say we should protest against the system by not voting in the coming May General Election.

Right now “democratic politics” just aren’t good enough, so in protest I’m not going to participate.

General wisdom says the reason you vote is to indicate your preference about how your Government is run. Without voting you accept ‘anything could happen’. I have two problems with this argument:

1) I am not able to select the policies I like and dislike and apply them to a favoured party

2) ‘Anything could happen’ happens anyway. There are U-turns galore in Government and politics.

It’s so confusing you can’t keep track of what parties claim they would do as against what they actually do when they get into power.

The turnout for the 2010 election was only 65%. If participation this time drops below 50% the value of the Election would drop and the new Government would have less power.

Say the Conservatives win again with 37% of the vote on a turnout of just 49% of the population. This would mean just 18.13% of the entire population would support the Conservatives and over 81.87% of the country would not. This would demonstrate the level of national disillusionment with the whole system and bring about major and long needed reforms to create a fairer, more problem solving based democracy. Then people (including me) could actually get behind it.

Editor: Tom Whiting (020 8840 5740) Treasurer: Judy Breens Writers: Jamie Anson, Judy Breens, Manjinder Chijargh, Foluso Dawodu, Martin Eady, Will French, Michael Holmes, Tony Plews, Colin Standfield, Tom Whiting Designer: Jamie Anson 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

E dito rial

This edition seems an exceptionally mixed bag. Looming over us is the General Election on 5 May. It is difficult to be happy with politicians. Our Government constantly reminds us that the country is in debt and we must cut back, while the super rich bankers and others seem to do very nicely thank you with no cutbacks or pay freezes! So it seems a ‘bit rich’ when because of Government cuts our own Council has to consider closing Heller House, Carlton Road or the Solace day centres that are support services for the most vulnerable in our community and their carers. Cuts also affect the NHS and even our Hospital is under threat. In contrast, there are those wonderful volunteers that bring good things to peoples’ lives. Read about Perivale Concerts, Palestine Twinning and the Boys’ Brigade.

There is also some information on Ealing old and new! Meanwhile two NP contributors pose the question ‘Is it even worth voting at all?’

But despite all, we do urge everyone to vote. We also always seek article contributions and volunteers. We would love to hear from you.

Next copy deadline: 31st April 2015 2

By NP Editorial Team

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Neighbours Paper gives two views Why I AM voting Few people exceed my dissatisfaction with the way our country and our town halls are run. Once in power, governments from both parties show they care just for themselves and their friends. Remote and secretive, they pass unfair laws and make bad decisions. If only they went away, and let decent people like me get on with our lives!

The trouble is, that ain’t going to happen. All societies have rules. For most of our history, these have been the rules of force. The strongest - the king - got his way, at least until he came up against someone stronger. The poor, the weak, women, children, minorities, religious dissenters counted for little.

the debate continued ...

Now, look how things have improved since Emily Pankhurst’s time - the NHS, clean air, broad-based prosperity and much more. Nothing’s perfect, but none of this would have happened without elected governments. Failed states around the world illustrate the alternatives.

So while no party deserves my vote, I know things would be much worse if decent people like me turn our backs and leave the greedy or powerhungry bullies to have it all their way.

Our votes hold them back. Don’t waste yours on May 5th.

Our history is also of bigotry, bullying, censorship and worse. In the king’s name you could be enslaved, press-ganged or transported to the end of the earth.

Jamie: It’s interesting you say no party deserves your vote. Surely that’s a problem that needs fixing for starters. It sounds like you’re playing a game just to keep it going while on the other hand knowing the game would be a hell of a lot better if we changed/updated the game. This makes you part of the problem not the solution...

Will: We might agree the rules need to change. The question is by who?

Two possibilities: (i) by people within the system or (ii) by someone outside it. Option (ii) has 2 sub-options - (a) through an external intervention (the US led by GW Bush?) or (b) national revolution maybe like the French 1789 or the Russian 1917. Neither is very attractive to me. Isn’t it better to put our trust in option (i)?

Jamie: If there was someone saying the rules needed changing then we’d have someone to vote for. The Scottish referendum was a prime example. People were voting against Westminster not England.

Things changed only after centuries of struggle. One fight between the king and the barons put an end to random arrests. Another brought us Parliament. Centuries later, mass protests won all men a vote, not just the richest. Suffragettes next secured votes for women too.

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Ealing Notes:

By J udy B reens

Haven Green In the last edition Will French described the history of Haven Green and the pressure it’s under. Here he describes how two recent decisions by the Planning Inspectorate look likely to up the stakes.

The first stems from last September’s public inquiry into planned changes to the Green ahead of Crossrail. These would have widened the pavements, and created a counter-flow cycle lane on the east side of the Green. Objectors said the Green is protected by national legislation as Common Land for future generations to enjoy as open space. The Government inspector agreed and refused to approve the Council’s proposals. Only existing footpaths can be resurfaced.

This is unlikely to be the end of the matter. The Inspector declined to rule on the legitimacy of the cycle hub and racks that stand on the Common Land. We believe objectors are looking at other routes to resolve this. In addition, Ealing looks sure to have to do something to accommodate the 40% increase in passengers passing through the Green once Crossrail opens. Their consultants predict that if nothing happens overcrowding will be unacceptable.

The second decision concerns the electricity substation which has stood largely unused for over 5 years on the Green. The Inspector said ‘the substation obstructs the views of the common and is an alien feature within the landscape’. He added ‘it is an urbanising feature in an essentially open setting’. The substation must now be removed and the grass restored to its previous condition. More on www.friendsofhavengreen.com

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Day Centres under Threat Ealing Council, facing a huge budget cut from central government are considering closing the Day Centres for Disabled and Elderly people. Last time we reported on Heller House Respite Centre for Disabled Children.

On that Centre a Consultation is still in process.

But Councillors have voted to close, in May, Carlton Road Day Centre on the borders of Acton and Chiswick that serves more than 30 users with profound and multiple learning disabilities. It provides a full day care service allowing parents and carers time and respite from the rigours of day to day caring for a profoundly disabled son or daughter, thereby preserving their health and wellbeing and allowing them to care longer and better in the long term; (thereby saving the state the expense). This Centre is uniquely equipped to offer space to socialise with friends and peers plus individually tailored sessions including Physiotherapy, Art, Music and Dance Therapy. All staff are now facing redundancy. Ealing Council are assessing each user and propose to offer an individual budget to the carers to provide alternatives, ‘signposting’ them towards “suitable alternatives” to the Carlton Road day service. These services are mainly non-existent within the borough for people of such a profound level of disability. Couldn’t the Council be a little more creative by helping the experienced longstanding and professional staff team to continue their service somehow? Are Ealing’s most vulnerable residents to be sacrificed by officers’ lack of creative thinking and a chance to make a few £millions by selling property in Chiswick? The answer so far, seems to be yes.

Concerned? Contact Ealing Carers’ Centre 020 8840 1566

Putting the People of Ealing First

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The Next Big Thing: 9-16 The Broadway Words & Photo

by

Will French

New plans to develop land on the North side of Uxbridge Road in Ealing town centre have been published.

They concern much of the site the Council and Glenkerrin wanted to develop in 2008 before a Government Inspector and the Secretary of State decided the impact on the town centre would be too devastating.

The new proposals are a huge improvement on the original plans.

That scheme would have meant demolition of everything between the station and Springbridge Road and the construction of giant towers across the railway. What’s more, its huge complexity and the fact it was financed by dodgy Irish banks that later went bankrupt, would have led to a long period of uncertainty similar to the Cinema site but much worse.

Returning to sanity?

Instead, the old Arcadia building has been refurbished and seems to be trading extremely successfully. We are now faced with a much more viable development on the rest of the land, that developers call 9-42, The Broadway. Despite some concerns, the new plans could make a real contribution to Ealing. They are an example of what good town centre management could achieve.

The chief worry is the scale of the new plans and their appropriateness to the Town Centre. The most contentious element will be the visual impact of the 18 storey tower. This may not be too obtrusive when seen from the Uxbridge Rd as the tower is set back by the railway. More critical will be the view from Haven Green where it will be visible

Latest Plans behind the trees. This will undoubtedly change the feel of the Green, although the existing views in that direction across the back of the shops are pretty poor. If the detailed design is good, the tower’s rhombic footprint is an opportunity to make the new backdrop quite interesting to look at.

High rises for the high road Anyway, in practical terms, those unhappy about the height of the development will find it very hard to oppose. The Council has already committed itself to high-rise developments here and in the rest of the town centre. The Borough supports the London Plan’s raised target - from 890 new homes a year to 1300 - much of it in our Town Centre.

Everything

must

Go !

central site in the Borough’s major town centre. Much more effort is required to reinforce this role. Other town centre functions that could have a place here include hotels, office space, and leisure activities like the historic Ealing Club. Why isn’t Ealing exploiting its really unique cinema and music industry and cultural heritage?

For more info and to comment on these plans email info@9-42TheBroadway.com Also see www.saveealingscentre.com

Elsewhere, I have been quite impressed with the thought given to the design details and the materials that will be used in the new buildings. A good effort seems to have been made to reflect what is already in Ealing.

However, it will be very unfortunate to lose all the remaining Victorian/ Edwardian frontages on this side of the Uxbridge Road. Amidst the awfulness of frontages like WH Smith, there are some survivors of Ealing’s heyday that have great charm. These include Snappy Snaps, the Maplin store, and Carphone Warehouse.

The Town Centre Conservation Appraisal says they contribute to the area and national planning policies suggest they should be protected.

A better mix of uses Another point is that the new development will provide only new shops and homes. This is the most Putting the People of Ealing First

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Health in Ealing by

Colin Standfield

It’s very difficult to tell what is going on in Ealing’s health services. The local Clinical Commissioning Group is supposed to be in charge but they, like all CCGs in NW London, are in thrall to Shaping a ‘Healthier’ Future – ‘We have to do this because Sa’H’F says so’. And managers from the Hospital are forever going off to Northwick Park for meetings with Sa’H’F, where they presumably get their instructions.

And I thought Sa’H’F was just the name the former NHS North West London gave to a scheme to axe 4 A&Es and sell off land for luxury flats.

Apparently, even though it was fatally flawed from the beginning, it has a life of its own. And some clout.

Closure of 2 A&Es The trouble is, it has made a right mess of the health services in Ealing and across the NW London Sector.

Looking at the weekly A&E figures, as I have been doing for months now, you can see that London performs better than the England figure – but only if you take out North West London, the area blighted by Sa’H’F (see graph).

And the reason for that, a logical observer would rightly observe, is that 2 A&E Units were closed ‘earlier than we had originally planned’ without any community back-up services available (as was promised) because these were ‘still in their early stages’.

Surge in demand for A&Es So the remaining Hospitals have had to cope with the surplus; but this was just

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the beginning of a perfect storm, with a cost-cutting programme of bed closures leading to an inevitable shortage and Government cuts to Local Authorities meaning that patients, especially the elderly, could not be discharged into community or social services care. Then in November the NHS started putting it about that there was a ‘surge’ in demand for A&E: ‘417,000 last week compared with 389,000 for the same week last year’. They did not say that in June the system had coped with 460,000 - but that would spoil things.

I got very angry very often in November: the figures simply did not back this up. The average weekly increase over 2013 since August is 3.15% - the equivalent of fewer than 8 attendances per day per Trust. But you would have thought the sky was falling in.

Putting the People of Ealing First

Don’t panic - join the queue So we had 2 unplanned A&E closures, a bed shortage, reduced community care and Corporal Jones shouting ‘Don’t panic!’ And bed shortages mean that A&E cannot admit patients, so they stack up and go over the 4-hour target. Then the ambulances stack up on the ramps or have to be diverted – it got to the stage where blue-lights had to phone Northwick Park to see if they could get in!

At a recent meeting with the management, I was told that they are preparing a 5-year plan for Ealing – so no immediate closure; but that Maternity would certainly be going this year as it would become ‘unsafe’.

Don’t ask me to explain how one of the safest Maternity Units in the area suddenly forgets how to be safe.

More from Ealing Save our NHS. eveturner@btinternet.com

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Saving the Solace Centre Words

and

Photo

by

Tom Whiting

A mental health drop-in centre in Ealing that was threatened with closure by the Council has won what appears to be a reprieve.

Mental health issues affect 1 in 4 in the UK. Having a mental illness is tough enough, but feeling isolated, alone and with nobody to turn to when suffering a crisis is worse still. A hospital bed for a mentally ill patient costs £450 a night, with an average stay of three months. So what’s the alternative?

Finding Solace The Solace Centre in Bowman’s Close, West Ealing has been operating since 1992 and provides the only out of hours open-door care facility for mentally ill adults, 365 days a year, in the borough.

Back in November, Ealing Council announced plans to close the centre and save an estimated £104,000 on its running costs. Since then there have been demonstrations outside the Town Hall and a 1,600-strong petition against closure, with backing from the likes of comedian Jo Brand (a former psychiatric nurse) and local MP Angie Bray.

Difference between life and death According to Councillor John Ball, ‘The Solace provides very good value for money as it prevents many users from needing expensive acute care and prioritises early intervention.’ A user of the centre, who asked not to be named, added: ‘There is nowhere else for me to go. I will end up back

The Solace Centre in Bowman’s Close, West Ealing at the hospital. It’s the difference between life and death for me.’

Plans to close the centre were due to go before Cabinet for approval in January, but Neighbours’ Paper has learnt that this has been put back, according to a Council spokesperson, ‘in the light of new proposals that came out of the consultation process.’

Permanent or temporary reprieve?

Campaigners need to be vigilant and continue to lobby their MPs and seek justice in the running of their local health care services. Earlier in the year there was a tragic death involving one of the users of the Solace at Ealing Broadway Station. This only serves to spotlight even more the need for readily available support structures to ensure disadvantaged people have a future.

Impact on other areas Targetting and closing day care

Putting the People of Ealing First

centres for the vulnerable across the borough might save Ealing Council some money in the short term, but the longer term impact on other parts of the health care system that need to fill the vacuum – GP surgeries, hospitals, care homes, home carers, and others – will just mean transferring the social and financial burden to other cash-strapped areas.

So it’s in the interest of all health care staff, as well as the general public, to put a stop to all these threatened closures and demand a rigorous and cohesive forward plan for all areas of the local health care system to work in unison.

To sign the petition and keep up to date with developments, visit www.saveoursolace.co.uk.

To contact the Solace Centre, call: 020 8567 6189 (after 3pm), email: 1solace@tiscali.co.uk.

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Still Sure and Steadfast by

Tony Plews, Captain, 10 th Ealing Company, The Boys’ B rigade

The Boys’ Brigade was the world’s first uniformed organisation for boys.

We opened in 1883 in Glasgow and 131 years later we’re still going strong, welcoming boys of all ages to come along and enjoy sports, games and a wide range of challenging and exciting activities.

All BB companies are attached to Christian churches and, in amongst the laughter and fun, we encourage our Boys to grow into young men of integrity who are respected members of their community. We do this using a simple format that focuses on physical, social, spiritual and skills-based development.

Sir Alex Ferguson There are over 50,000 BB members throughout the UK, and many lifelong friendships have been forged as the Boys move up through the ranks together Sir Alex Ferguson, for example, is a proud ex-Brigade lad and still attends reunion dinners. Our leaders are volunteers and most served as Boys themselves and are keen to ensure that each new generation has the best possible BB experience.

All BB companies have an extensive programme that includes sports, games and badge-work (First-Aid, life-lessons, etc): many offer camping,

gymnastics, expeditions and more specialised activities, including The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which dovetails perfectly into our system.

Self-respect and reverence The Brigade has a central core of selfdiscipline (hence our use of a smart and practical uniform) and most companies still practice military-precision drill, and some have their own Bugle & Drum Marching Band. In many ways, The Boys’ Brigade is a very traditional organisation - we use old-fashioned words like ‘self-respect’ and ‘reverence’ - but a constant influx of new Boys keeps us modern, young and forward-looking.

There are four BB age groups: Anchor Boys (6-8 years), Junior Section (9-11), Company Section (12-14) and Senior Section (15-18).

The younger Boys’ programme focuses on fun and learning to play together.

As the members move up through the company, they are encouraged to take on more responsibility, and the

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Putting the People of Ealing First

oldest Boys concentrate on developing their leadership skills.

We hold local and national intercompany competitions such as football, athletics, band, drill, and gymnastics, and Boys are encouraged to develop their skills and interests for the benefit of the whole company (often the older Boys help to teach the younger members).

Boys with a capital B The welfare of each individual Boy remains at the heart of everything we do. Our founder, Sir William Smith, encouraged us to type the word with a capital B to remind us that the Boy is central to our organisation.

Our motto has always been ‘Sure and Steadfast’ and in a fast-changing world you will find that The Boys’ Brigade holds a strong balance of old-fashioned values and youthful enthusiasm.

You can find your local BB company on our website and every Boy will be made very welcome. See www.westlondon.boys-brigade.org.uk.

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Hanwell friends of Sabastiya

By Martin Eady

What is HAFSA? HAFSA is a twinning organisation set up to forge a link between the people of Hanwell and the people of Sabastiya in Palestine. Twinning brings friendship and understanding and encourages visits and grassroots educational and cultural links between the two communities Why Twin with Sabastiya?

Palestinians in the West Bank have been living under military occupation since 1967. They feel isolated and forgotten by the world. A friendship/twinning link offers the people of Hanwell a better understanding of the situation and culture in Palestine and would give the people of Sabastiya a window to the outside world. The idea originated from a ‘Palestine Day’ held in Hanwell.

Where is Sabastiya?

Sabastiya is a small Palestinian town located on a hill in the Nablus Governorate of the West Bank, eight miles northwest of the city of Nablus. It is surrounded by a fertile valley, where figs, olives, almonds, grapes and other fruits and vegetables are grown.

Sabastiya: Then and Now In Sabastiya you can see ancient ruins and feel the power of seven successive cultures dating back 10,000 years: Canaanite, Israelite, Hellenistic, Herodian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.

According to religious tradition, the head of John the Baptist was found here. Once a popular tourist attraction, the area is being economically strangled as a result of the Israeli military occupation. Today Sabastiya is a town with a population of a little over 3,000, with a Muslim majority and a small Christian presence. The people of Sabastiya go to Nablus for hospital treatment and to study at university. Many olive groves surround the town and are used to produce fair trade olive oil. The women make olive oil soap and also jam from the many fruit trees growing there. There are several youth groups and football teams, two boys’ schools, two girls’ schools and two kindergartens.

suffered by the people of Sabastiya and to abuses of human rights.

So come and join us!

By joining you get information about our many activities and events and receive our regular bulletin. Membership is £5 per year. Send cheques payable to HAFSA to: Hafsa Treasurer, 9 Cardiff Road, Hanwell, London W7 2BW).

E-mail: tayportturtle@yahoo.com or visit www.hafsa.org.uk.

What are our aims?

To promote and foster friendship and understanding between the people of Hanwell and those of Sabastiya.

To encourage visits by individuals and groups to and from the linked communities, including children and young people and the development of personal contacts.

To promote and encourage twinning projects between Hanwell and Sabastiya particularly of an educational and commercial nature (i.e. local crafts and produce).

We are not a political organisation, but we will draw attention to the hardships

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Ealing as a Tourist Destination: St Mary’s Church, Perivale

By Foluso Dawodu Esq .

Photo

by J ohn

Ross

The name Ealing owes its linguistic source from ‘Gillingas’ (the people of Gilla), who may have been AngloSaxon settlers. Over the centuries, the name has changed, and has been known as Yealing, Zelling and Eling, until Ealing became the standard lexicon in the nineteenth century.

The Railway comes to Ealing Back in the eighteenth century Ealing was mostly made up of open countryside and fields, where the main occupation was farming. With the building of the Great Western Railway in the 1830s, which was central to the opening of a railway station on Ealing Broadway in 1838, the next few decades saw better transport links, including horse-drawn buses as well as trains, meaning that people could more easily travel to work in London but live in what was still considered to be the countryside.

During the Victorian period Ealing became a major town, intrinsic to the economy of the United Kingdom.

This meant that roads had to be built, drainage provided, schools and public buildings erected. The man responsible for much of all this was Charles Jones, Borough Surveyor from 1863 to 1913. He also designed the Town Hall, both the present one and the older one that is now a bank, on the Mall. Ealing Broadway became a major shopping centre.

St Mary’s Church, Perivale Now in the 21st century, Ealing is one of the more desirable places to live in London, as well as a potential tourist destination for visitors from the UK and abroad. One such tourist attraction is St Mary’s Church in Perivale. Dating back to about 1135, it is a Grade I listed building. The list of rectors extends back to 1337 - the first one drowned in the nearby River Brent. The church contains several antiquities, including the ‘Myllet’ brass dating from 1500 and wall memorials from as early as 1623, in addition to hundreds of old photographs and drawings of this beautiful building, illustrating its history.

The church is very small, with a capacity of only 70, because Perivale was, until modern times, a correspondingly tiny hamlet. In 1881, for example, there were only 34 people living in the parish.

By the 1920s, it comprised only 5 farms and associated buildings such as the Hoover factory, before economic

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Putting the People of Ealing First

transformation around the 1930s with the development of Western Avenue.

However, St Mary’s was effectively ‘cut off’ from most of the population by the Western Avenue development.

It was vandalised in 1972, and fell into disrepair. At one point in time, its fate was uncertain, and planning permission was sought to convert it into an art gallery and studio.

First-class music venue In 1976, it was eventually ‘rescued’ by Alan Gillett and friends who established a Charitable Trust, known as Friends of St Mary’s Perivale. Hugh Mather took over the Chairmanship of The Trust in 2005; since then, its musical programme has been transformed. It’s now a flourishing centre, serving Ealing and West London, with an enviable reputation for first-class classical concerts and other events. Find out more on www.st-marys-perivale.org.uk

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Find out about the Queen of the Suburbs Ealing: A Concise H istory

by J onathan

Oates

There have been many histories of Ealing, but none provide a brief chronological account of its development from its Saxon origins to being Queen of the Suburbs and then becoming a multicultural suburb of Greater London in the early 21st century. This book fills the gap.

Focusing on ‘Ealing proper’ - not the neighbouring districts to which it was joined before 1863 and to which it became attached from 1926 to 1965 - it describes the major changes and

major personalities, the key events and places which have shaped Ealing’s history. The book draws on diverse sources such as the vestry minutes, medical officer’s reports, census abstracts, local diaries and newspapers and is illustrated throughout.

For much of its history, Ealing was a village to the west of London, but even then it was not isolated, with residents having links with the capital, especially as regards work. The impact of national events, such as civil war and world

The Story So Far: An Arts & Story Trail On 31 January, I visited the Dominion Centre in Southall for ‘The Story So Far’.

Acton Arts Forum received Arts Council funding to provide an ‘Arts & Story Trail’ linking libraries, galleries, theatres and local artists within the borough.

Rachel Pepper is Project Coordinator.

Dance and calligraphy There were launch speeches from Deputy Mayor Harbhajan Kaur Dheer, Councillor Patricia Walker and Librarian Carol Stewart. Later, two young girls enacted dances in ‘Shavanarthanalayan Indian Dance’ and Dr Amar Ahmad’s troupe performed their fusion of ‘Sufi-Jazz Music & Words’.

I encountered Hassan Al Jarrah at the ‘ARK Arabic Calligraphy’ taster session where he wrote people’s names

using a combination of traditional wood pens and Sharpie permanent markers. His naturally visual strokes proved quite popular with spectators.

Music, theatre and art stalls ‘I Goddess Creation’ focused on Maritta Bansield who has been creating ceramics since the 1980s including tableware, stoneware and earthenware. Designer/Illustrator Misha Zaccour held an exhibition. Her assistant, Itala Attieh, encouraged everyone to draw an anthropomorphic animal. With colouring pencils, I created a cat-faced, dog-pawed hybrid in shirt and trousers.

Carl Gabriel, the Ealing based Carnival artist was present. We discussed the traditional Caribbean craft of wirebending and his bamboo framed, tissue

Putting the People of Ealing First

wars are dealt with as well as more parochial concerns, such as rebuilding the parish church when it collapsed in 1729. There is information about housing, religion, transport, politics, crime, famous people, work and leisure. The book does not aim to be the last word but it will have fulfilled its function if it provides an outline of Ealing’s history.

It is available at Waterstones and WH Smith in Ealing and is priced £12 99.

by

Manjinder Chijarh

papered and PVA glued sculptures.

Appreciating local history Hanwell based historian David Blackwell’s ‘Transport along the A4020’ (Uxbridge Road) presented developments of the Ealing borough through black-and-white images from the 1800s onwards. He said it was refreshing talking to ‘someone young who appreciates local history.’

‘The Story So Far’ was a compelling exhibition of the thriving, artistic presence in Ealing. You can also take part. A taster workshop takes place on Thursday 23 April from 4:30pm to 6:30pm at Acton Library, W3 6NE. For more information, visit www.actonforum.org or contact Rachel Pepper on 0208 993 6158 or rachel@actonforum.org.

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Sport Ealing For many years sport has play an important part in our lives because of the benefits it brings through economic, social change and health. In this article I’d like to highlight the positive impact that sport has had in Ealing.

Ancient origins of sport The origins of the word sport date back to the French word ‘desport’ meaning ‘leisure or recreation’, with the English definition formed around the 1300s being ‘anything people find interesting or entertaining’ Certain artifacts suggest that the Chinese engaged in sporting activities around 2000 BC with Gymnastics appearing to be a popular sport in the ancient years.

Sport leads to better health Strong scientific evidence indicates that whatever our age, being physically active can help us lead a healthier lifestyle. Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions, including coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems and musculoskeletal conditions.

With that in mind it’s no surprise to find so many talented and successful people doing sport in Ealing. For example the Fab 3 who took part in the London 2012 Olympic Games set an example for future sportsmen and

women from Ealing to follow (see Neighbours’ Paper issue 63, page 12).

There was also of course the Perivale Athletics Track which was included in the London 2012 Olympic Games Pre Training Camp Venue Guide published

by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

Boost to Ealing’s economy Building on Team Ealing’s success, the economic value of sport to Ealing has become very lucrative. With all forms of involvement from sports participation, sport/class subscription fees, sportswear, education, sports equipment, employment and volunteering opportunities – these provide a very healthy boost to Ealing’s economy.

www.totallysporty.com www.ealingaltogether.com/activitiessports On a personal note, I continue to experience positive change through sport through football, swimming and running, and would strongly encourage you to take part in sport in some form or another. This is because the activity will help you lead a healthier lifestyle, while sport in general improves community relations. That can only be good for Ealing.

Another example of the influence of sport in the borough is the hugely successful Ealing Half Marathon, with many local residents taking part in running and contributing through volunteering to help make the event a success.

Find a sport that suits you There are of course a number of sports played here in Ealing and to find out one that suits you, the following websites might be useful. www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200087/sports_ and_leisure

Celebrating 1989

25 years

2014

Quality Property Ser vices in Ealing

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Putting the People of Ealing First

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Michael Holmes