Neighbours Paper ’
Issue No 77
Putting the People of Ealing First
Summer 2016
Children's Ward To Close Also in this issue: Neighbourhood Forums West Ealing Parking Ealing Council’s CEO Angry Workers Gurnell Leisure Centre
e e r F ease
Pl One e Ta k
Acton | Ealing | Greenford | Hanwell | Northolt | Perivale | Southall
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E ditoria l Summer is back in Ealing! We look at the many exciting summer events below and at canoeing and croquet. Great summer pastimes! We highlight our Council team and new Chief Executive, also Neighbourhood Forums. There are concerns about Haven Green, the closure of Ealing Hospital Children’s
By NP Editorial Team
Editorial................................................ 2
Ward and what is happening at Gurnell Leisure Centre.On a lighter side is an article on rats and in contrast, another on our Queen who is 90 this year! We would love new writers. Please get in touch with our Editor if you would like to join the team or write for us!
Events Around Ealing.......................... 2
Summer Events Hanwell Carnival and Show: Sat. 18th June. Ethorne Park FREE A Fun Day in the Park 12.00 noon 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 26th June: Pitshanger Park 1.00PM – 9.00PM £3, 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 Eat Drink Ealing Sat 2nd-Sun 3rd July at Ealing Common Food meets arts at Ealing’s new foodie festival – jam-packed with entertainment and delicious eats. Nibble and lounge on hay bales or wander around varied food stalls in the main bandstand…. a walking banquet, celebrating the best food and produce in West London. £3 per person Greenford Carnival: Sat. 2nd July Ravenor Park. 12.00noon - 7.00PM FREE. Entertainment, Activities, Live Music, Dance, Food Stalls, Markets, Funfair and more…. Ealing Beer Festival: Wed 6th July - Sat. 9th July Walpole Park 12.00 – 10.30 PM (Sat until 6.00PM) Ealing by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) £3 for members £5 for non- members. Hundreds of Ales shipped in from around the country. Ealing Comedy Festival: Thurs 14th & Fri 15th July Also Wed 20th to Fri 22nd July Walpole Park Top Comedians. Gates open 6.30PM Shows 7.30-10.30 £22 per show. 2
Contents Contents
Acton Carnival: Sat 9th July Acton Park: 12.00 – 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…. One Youth Festival Sat 16th July Ealing & Hillingdon's biggest FREE festival for 13-18 y/o with live music, BBQ, games at Bara Hall Park, Hayes. See www.acts29.org.uk/one-youth-festival for more info.
Neighbourhood Forums...................... 3 Ealing Notes......................................... 4 Ealing CEO........................................... 5 Parking................................................. 6 Gurnell Liesure Centre........................ 7 Heritage Museum................................ 7 The Queen........................................... 8 Rat in the Wall...................................... 8 Angry Workers..................................... 9 Plaques............................................... 10 Croquet.............................................. 11 Canoe Club....................................... 12
Ealing Blues Festival: Sat/Sunday 16th/17th July Walpole Park Biggest dedicated Blues event in Britain. Local and International Performers. Shows from 2.00PM – 10.30PM Tickets to book £5.50 per person, £11 both days £ 7.00 on gate Children 12 and under Free. Stalls, Markets, Funfair and more….
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Ealing Jazz Festival: Sat 23rd & Sun 24th July Walpole Park Local and International Performers. Shows from 2.00 – 10.30PM Children 12 and under Free. £5.50 entry per day w/e £11 if booked. £7.00 on the door. Possibly Fringe Events in other venues. London Mela: Sadly, there is no London Mela this year. Ealing Summer Festivals Info See www.ealingsummerfestivals.com for full details and to book tickets. Ealing Autumn Festival Watch out for the Truth & Reconciliation Art Exhibition touring all Ealing Borough Libraries in the Summer and Autumn months plus the Summer Reading Challenge and participation in a Public Collage. Young people can sign up for Arts Award activities. Visit www.ealingautumnfestival.co.uk
Putting the People of Ealing First
Facebook.com/NeighboursPaper Email: neighbourspaper@hotmail.co.uk Editor: Tom Whiting (020 8840 5740) Treasurer: Judy Breens Writers: Jamie Anson, Arthur Breens, Judy Breens, Foluso Dawodu, Michael Holmes, Eric Leach, Sonia Nimley, Greg Phelan, Valerie Rudd, Ruth Sisley, Mike Tiley, 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 Next copy deadline: 31st July 2016
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Want to plan your Own Neighbourhood? By Eric Leach , Chair, West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum The 2011 Localism Act seemingly granted local people a chance to set out some planning guidance for developers in their local neighbourhood. The vehicle for this is a Neighbourhood Forum. The forums are run by volunteer local residents. So far over 1,800 of these forums have been set up in England. Over 400 Neighbourhood Plans have been drafted. There are currently three active Neighbourhood Forums in Ealing – Central Ealing, West Ealing Centre and Greater Central Acton. The London Plan Neighbourhood planning is more complex in London than in the rest of England. Only in London do we have a regional spatial plan – The London Plan (TLP). Most London boroughs have Local Plans and of course nationally we have the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). So our Neighbourhood Plans in Ealing must broadly conform with the Local Plan strategy and must conform with TLP and the NPPF. The Greater Central Acton (so called
CANforum) was ‘Designated’ by Local Government in November 2015. The Central Ealing and West Ealing Centre forums are more mature and both have created draft plans. Both are currently embroiled in public consultations. Later this year Ealing Council and then an external examiner will check that these two plans meet legal / legislative requirements. Once over these hurdles Ealing Council will then organise both a business referendum and a residents’ referendum for each Neighbourhood Plan. These two referendums are required because both Neighbourhood Areas were designated by Ealing Council as ‘business areas’ in 2012. If over 50% of those who vote in both business and residential referendums say yes, then the plan is accepted and becomes the legal development plan for the area. West Ealing The West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Area is made up of some 3,500 homes and over 350 businesses. The vision underpinning the Neighbourhood Plan is to create an attractive, accessible and commercially successful centre with a
diverse and well-balanced retail and leisure able to cater for the needs of the West Ealing residents as well as those from the wider area. The plan identifies 15 policies. 11of these policies apply to specific sites. Another policy identifies local heritage assets which the forum wants to be preserved and maintained. These ‘bottom up’ planning initiatives in Ealing come at a time when ‘top down’ planning from all levels of government is coming under increasing criticism. Many Ealing residents feel that their quality of life views are being ignored by government. Only time will tell whether Neighbourhood Forums will in some way give a stronger voice to those who live and work in a neighbourhood. More details West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum: www.wecnf.org. Central Ealing Neighbourhood Forum: www.centralealingforum.com Greater Central Acton Neighbourhood Forum: www.canforum.org Neighbourhood Planning: http:// planningguidance.communities.gov.uk
£15 Putting the People of Ealing First
x100 Business Cards Single Sided
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Ealing Notes:
Compiled By J udy B reens
Save Haven Green open space Haven Green in Ealing was, until 1876 owned by the Church Commissioners who passed it onto the then Ealing Board (later Council). It still has covenants governing its status. It has been designated as common land since 1845 but has been used as a common for hundreds of years. As the present owners of the common, the council have a duty to uphold common land law. Ealing Council have however been gradually and unlawfully expropriating small sections of the green for their own purposes: bus layby, substation, cycle racks, cycle hub (excluding cab shelter) CCTV masts, wide pavements to accommodate the bus stops (but not pedestrians.) Ealing Council now seeks to deregister the area of Haven Green used as a cycle hub built in defiance of common land legislation in order to accommodate and make legal the cycle hub they built there in 2012,
without permission and without any exchange land as compensation. Friends of Haven Green strongly oppose this application as Haven Green is an open space reserved for relaxation and recreation by local residents, not a bus station or a cycle hub. The re-design of Ealing Broadway station to accommodate Crossrail was an opportunity to build a state-of-the-art transport hub and exchange with buses, cycles, trains and pedestrians all within the station area without appropriating common land. Sadly, this was not done, but the solution is not to put all these buses and cycles on Haven Green! The pollution levels on Haven Green already exceed safety levels. It is now impossible to cross the green from Ealing Broadway to Castlebar Road without obstruction from bicycles, buses and people waiting for buses on pavements. F o H G has over the last 4 years forced
Ealing Hospital Children’s Ward to close Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is pressing ahead with plans to close the Charlie Chaplin Children’s Ward and children’s A & E at Ealing Hospital on June 30th. Eve Turner, from Ealing Save Our NHS, said “If this cut goes ahead the CCG will be responsible for long delays in seriously injured or ill children getting treatment. We totally
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By Greg Phelan of Friends of Haven Green
reject the claims by local Health bosses that it is safe to close the Children’s ward at our Hospital. We believe that children may die as a result.” Ealing CCG says ambulances will simply take children elsewhere, but 93% of children are taken to hospital by their families, not by ambulance so serious delays would inevitably result. The nearest hospitals with a Children’s A&E service are Northwick Park, Hillingdon, West Middlesex and St Mary’s Paddington. All quite a distance. For now, Urgent Care and out-patient services for children will remain. But for how long? Maternity has already closed and these next closures are part of the plan to prepare for eventual closure of 300 beds and the adult A&E at Ealing Hospital. See www.ealingsaveournhs.org.uk.
Putting the People of Ealing First
the council to acknowledge the status of the green and their duty to preserve its status, Nevertheless, they continue to attempt to salami slice sections of the green in this latest attack on common land. We continue to oppose the council both in the courts and via the Planning Inspectorate. Please support us by writing to the Planning Inspectorate. See www.friendsofhavengreen.com.
9-42 The Broadway Last Spring, we reported on an unpopular planning application to destroy a large part of our historic town centre and replace it with huge ugly modern buildings. We can now report that this has been called in by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. There will be an Inquiry to consider the application with reference to local, regional and national planning policy and conservation area legislation. Historic England will make representations detailing their very strong objections to the application, as will Save Ealing’s Centre, Ealing Civic Society and other community groups. All these groups thank the public of Ealing for the massive support given to their campaigns. See: www.saveealingscentre.com
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Ealing’s got a CEO! By Jamie Anson
for issues in the borough, national issues are dealt with by our MP’s and MP’s are separate from the local council. In the council cabinet there is also the Mayor of Ealing. He plays a ceremonial support role similar to the Queen.
I recently heard about the recent appointment of Paul Najsarek as Chief Executive Officer of Ealing. I hadn’t heard of Ealing having a CEO and wondered what a CEO does, especially when you have councillors in charge of making decisions. With a bit of research I learnt about our local Government structure.
Officers are employed members of Ealing council who instigate the demands of the cabinet. The Chief Executive, is the person in charge of the officers. As chief executive, Paul Najsarek has to work with Julian Bell our council leader. While their jobs are fairly separate they will have regular meetings to discuss progress and share opinions. This means they need
The local council is divided up between councillors and officers. Councillors are elected officials (by us) who are there to represent their constituents. A select few make up the Cabinet which make the decisions on what needs to be done. Councillors are only responsible
a strong connection so all sides of the council are on the same page. To compare the council structure to a school system: • Councillors are the class reps/PTA • Councillors in the cabinet are the school governors • Chief executive officer is the headteacher • Officers are the teachers You can find out more information yourself at: https://www.ealing.gov.uk/ info/201044/councillors http://www.directory.londoncouncils. gov.uk/directory/ealing/
Officers
Chief Officers (gets things done in:) • Policy and Performance • Environment and Leisure • Adult Services • Business Services group • Children and Families • Corporate Resources
Chief Executive Officer
• West London Alliance Leader • Regeneration and Housing
Paul Najsarek
Cabinet (decide things on:) • Policy, Community and Economic Development • Safety, Culture and Community Services • Housing • Prosperity, Skills and Employment • Finance, Performance and Customer Services • Transport, Environment and Leisure • Children and Young People • Health and Adults’ Services • Chief Whip
• Safer Communities • Customer Services • Regeneration and Planning
• Housing • Environment Customer Services • Assistant Director of Core HR and OD
Leadership (run the cabinet) • Council Leader - Julian Bell • Deputy Leader - Ranjit Dheer • Group Leader x2
Councillors Other Councillors Each ‘ward’ of Ealing is represented by 3 councillors
Sources: http://www.directory.londoncouncils.gov.uk/directory/ealing
Mayor Cllr Dr Patricia Walker - Ceremonial support role in the cabinet Scrutiny 7 other councillors who keep the cabinet in check
https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201044/councillors/567/cabinet
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West Ealing: Ageing and Parking By Arthur B reens Recent developments in West Ealing have reduced access to car parking for shoppers. To the north of the Uxbridge Road, multi-storey or surface car parks have been built on. As we get old we use the car more, when before we walked. Carrying loads becomes more difficult. We understand this but for those who are young fit and vigorous it requires some empathy. It is the same for new technology. I’m really struggling with a new computer operating system at home. If I am struggling, then the banking system is working overtime to ensure hackers don’t get into their customer systems. Big retailers like TK Max and Talk Talk have suffered invasion. There is a deal of secrecy in the industry about the extent of fraud. So why should we be forced
to open up our bank details to a private company RingGo to pay for parking? 30 minutes only My councillors tell me it is easy. But they are young and don’t drive. And they haven’t bought me a mobile phone and spent 5 hours showing me how to use it. South of the Uxbridge Road there are some 30 stop and shop bays with a limit of 30 minutes. Our problem is that it takes a while to get to the shop you need and return in time. The 30 minutes is rarely enough. Of course you can extend this by paying RingGo for up to 2 hours. But there’s the rub. The group in most need is most discriminated against. I’m not such a dope. I could cope with an Oyster type system where I prepaid and pressed my card on a pad when I entered and left a parking bay. Have the council been sold the scheme by a slick salesman and we don’t matter? More private and less public parking Worse, more public parking is being sold off.
Dean Gardens car
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park in
West Ealing
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Hey, not even to the highest bidder! The new gold plated Holiday Inn in West Ealing said that there would be no need for car parking when they applied for planning permission. Yet we find the council have done some deal with the hotel giving them 19 spaces in Dean Gardens car park thereby reducing access to the public! Of course the Council deny us access to the payment information. Commercially sensitive? My foot! Putting the people of Ealing first In a proposal to open up the wasted space behind the Library for car parking, 5 bays have been sold to the private company that run the library services. These should be freely available for customers of all businesses in West Ealing. Why is the council so partial to business deals and why does it consistently fail to put its citizens first? Why the secrecy? Yes, this article is written in anger because no one seems to want to answer these questions. Council remains silent. This punter now goes to Waitrose or Lidl in Hanwell where car parking is free. Don’t forget, it is not just the shopper that will lose. West Ealing shops will also lose custom.
Hanwell & Ealing Heritage Museum
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By Tom Whiting
Take a trip down to the bowels of Hanwell Community Centre and prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Here you will find a veritable Aladdin’s Cave of memorabilia from 1900s onwards, displayed with loving care by lifelong Hanwell resident, gardener and amateur historian, David Blackwell. View eight hundred pages of Hanwell’s history, including maps and photos, collated with the help of the Urban District Council minute books and other public and private sources. Also the local history of Greenford, Perivale,
Southall and Northolt. Marvel at the Corgi and Matchbox vehicles dating back sixty years, David B lackwell antique weighing scales and meat slicers, Bakelite radios and televisions, 60s hairdryers, vintage gramophones and cameras, 1907 Singer sewing machines, ribbon typewriters, 1920s tricycles, and even a 1890’s gaslight. Plus much more. Schools are encouraged to visit the museum as a resource for their history lessons.
and his fascinating array of collectibles .
Opening times: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 11am to 3.30pm, other days by appointment. Groups welcome. Adults £2, children £1 Call 0208 579 0178, 07889 033 201 email davidblackwell99@gmail.com or visit Hanwell & Ealing Heritage Museum on facebook.
Gurnell Leisure Centre Redevelopment Boon or Burden To The Local Community?
By Tom Whiting
In a protracted and often heated public debate held on 19 May, Ealing Councillor Bassam Mahfouz alongside several council project development officers outlined the council’s plans to close the existing Gurnell Leisure Centre in April 2017 for two years until a brand new centre is built along with six new blocks of flats from developers subsidiary to construction firm Wilmott Dixon.
sketchy in the extreme, with not even the ground development plans being coherently presented. The public deserve more clarity on this going forward.
Of the £38 million investment by Ealing Council to redevelop its ‘flagship’ leisure centre, a £25 million contribution will come from allowing developers to build 450 private rental units, a proportion of which, according to Councillor Mahfouz ‘would be for social housing.’
There was consternation amongst locals present on a number of issues, including the footprint of the new development on the existing Metropolitan Open Land space, the reduction in sports playing area, in particular the football pitches, the effect of removing the existing open-air car park in favour of an underground car park – and its impact on parking on adjacent residential streets – increased traffic and in particular that guarantees (or not) of the new flats falling into the social housing bracket and not falling into the hands of overseas buyers and greedy landlords. The information provided appeared
To sign the petition to build affordable housing on site: www. change.org/p/ealing-council-buildaffordable-housing-on-the-gurnellleisure-centre-site-west-london. Further public consultation dates: 9 June, 14 July, 6.30-8.30pm at Hathaway Primary School W13 0DH. See www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201137/ sports_and_leisure/2122/gurnell_ leisure_centre_redevelopment or email gurnell@ealing.gov.uk.
Are you 50+ sociable & unattached?
Club West
meets for pub lunches, coffee, walks, outings, quizzes, meals out, etc contact Mike 020 8992 6134 or www.clubwest.org.uk
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Tribute to the
Queen
'avuncular' affection towards all visitors to date. She is always ready to make everyone feel at home, irrespective of real or imagined social stratification.
By Foluso Dawodu ESQ
St John’s Church Mattock Lane
Queen Elizabeth II is a woman steeped in tradition and is a cornucopious emblematization of the rich British heritage and culture in both her “modus vivendi” and “modus operandi”. She has offered a warm welcome to all ethnic nationalities under her domain into one harmonious and synchronized
nation. Her sterling qualities of cerebral alertness and universal popularity are to be admired down the years. One of the qualities even a casual visitor that came before the royal presence cannot fail to recognise is her lavish
We in Ealing congratulate the Queen on this auspicious occasion of her 90th year and wish her long life and happiness in the golden times ahead. [Ed: Do keep an eye out for a number of events happening in Ealing around the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations on the weekend of 11-12 June, including street parties and indoor and outdoor activities.]
The Rat in the Wall One of our contributors, Valerie Rudd, tells the story of how a resourceful approach to her MP led to action being taken against an unwelcome intruder… On 20 November 2015 I had a new gas meter installed. Later I thought I had a gas leak, but it turns out the smell came from my drains which thankfully I could get to. Unbeknown to me while I was trying to clear my drain my neighbour had sent for Thames Water to clear his drain, which was connected to mine, and thankfully this was successful. On 29 November I heard a banging noise in my cavity party wall on the ground floor. I had no idea what it was, but it sounded like a rat. Thames Water couldn’t help this time but they did put in a new grating at the end of the drain run.
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I phoned the Pest Control at Ealing council and was told I would have to book in as they could not give me an early appointment. On 2 December I paid for a Pest Control private firm who informed me they couldn’t get access to the wall to get the rat out, and instead put a poison container down my outside drain. Still the banging continued. I decided to take my problem direct to my MP Stephen Pound who then notified the Pest Control people at Ealing Town Hall. I rang the town hall to make an appointment for Pest Control, only to be told I couldn’t see anyone or make an appointment until I paid upfront over the phone by card. Not happy with this, I decided to come down to
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Anyone
seen
Stephen Pound?
the town hall in person. At last, I saw someone in authority who recognised my name through information given to them by Stephen Pound, whom I had previously contacted directly. The lady who spoke to me was very helpful and from this direct action I got something done at last. This resulted in an inspection visit on 14 December by the Pest Control people from the council. Some time in February, the rat stopped banging around in my cavity wall. I had no idea what happened, but was greatly relieved it all came to an end.
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How the West Can Be Won! By Sonia Nimley
and
Angry Workers
Angry Workers is a group started by two activists who work in factories in Greenford and Park Royal that want to challenge unfair practices and create a network where workers can support each other. Two years ago they moved out to Greenford for the cheaper rent and wider availability of work. They navigated a landscape dominated by zero hours contracts and populated by unscrupulous agencies, cagey unions, riddled with red tape and economic pressure, leaving some open to exploitation. All of this is documented in a lively publication, Workers Wild West. A (they wish to remain anonymous as they’ve lost work in the past for their actions) finished a job and realised she hadn’t received her holiday
pay from the agency. A colleague had the same experience and wanted help with writing a letter. They heard about a few others in the same boat and at around £400 per person, things started to add up.
‘I said instead of writing a letter we could go all together as a group of ten people and confront them in the agency. We tried phoning and they were fobbing us off, telling us different things and relying on the fact that people don’t have so much confidence, or their English is not so good.’ They took some placards to the agency, refused to leave until it was sorted out and an issue that was dragging on for months was resolved in under an hour. ‘The nice thing was, it was just that two Hungarian women stepped up, spoke and did their thing. It wasn’t like everyone else took over. Just having them there, really gave some impetus to the whole thing.’ Further examples include getting people from the community (including a priest) to convince a visa agent to refund a colleague £10,000, and temps at a distribution warehouse for a large supermarket who refused to sign the new contracts when their employer wanted to stop the time-and-a-half overtime pay. If workers say, ‘oh nothing can happen, nothing can change, no one does
Angry
anything,’ Angry Workers counter, actually this is written down. ‘Just to know that it happened is quite an important thing and it wouldn’t be reported anywhere else.’ Angry Workers distribute at Job Centres and outside factories and have screened contemporary documentaries in Greenford about workers fighting for their rights in Argentina, Germany and the UK, offering space for self-education, support and discussion. Current concerns include the impending closure of Gurnell swimming pool (see article on page 7) and the redundancies at Greenford Depot as a result of the new wheelie bins. W says, ‘The most recent migrants that come don’t know much about the history. In the 1970s people had to fight to be accepted in this area, so we want to put up stuff about that.’ 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of Grunwicks – a strike against the exploitation of newly arrived workers (especially Asian women) in a film processing factory in Willesden, North West London and that spirit survives today. For more information about Angry Workers and to read Workers Wild West visit www. angryworkersworld.wordpress.com.
workers want happy workers
Personal Computer Solutions Quality Service - Upgrades & Custom - Built PCs
50 Northfield Ave, Ealing W13 Tel: 8567 3800 Fax: 8567 6668 Email: pcsols@dircon.co.uk
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Discover Your Local Commemorative Plaques By Mike Tiley, Ealing Civic Society
Would it surprise you to know that there are just under 30 commemorative plaques for famous people and buildings in Ealing and that this number is gradually increasing? Plaques are categorised as: • Ealing Civic Society (ECS) Plaques which are either green wall plaques with white lettering • English Heritage (EH) Plaques
B lue plaque commemorating the the Rolling Stones started out. which are blue with white lettering. • Other plaques which have been erected by a variety of organisations in various colours. From Fred Perry to Winnie The Pooh ECS Green and Bronze Plaques commemorate famous people such as Fred Perry and Spencer Perceval, characters such as Winnie The Pooh and buildings such as the first Waitrose shop which would not be eligible for the well known EH Blue Plaque scheme. There are now six EH Blue Plaques in Ealing which is a big improvement on the mid 1980s when we first moved to Ealing when there was only one! Famous names include Sir Michael Balcon at Ealing Studios and Fred Perry at his former home in Pitshanger Lane who also has an ECS Green Plaque at the Brentham Club where he learned to play tennis. EH rules only permit one Blue Plaque per person. Adam Faith and Sid James There are 15 ‘Other’ plaques in Ealing
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Putting the People of Ealing First
famous
Ealing Club ,
where
which include two ‘unofficial’ blue plaques in Ealing to Lady Byron by the main entrance to West London University and to Frank Richards, the author of the Billy Bunter books in the Ealing Broadway Centre, which look very similar to the EH Blue Plaques at a glance and have ‘taken in’ many people! Some other famous people commemorated by the ‘Other’ plaques include Adam Faith the pop singer and Sid James the comedian who both lived in Ealing. Find out more I hope that you will enjoy discovering Ealing’s commemorative plaques. The only complete list with details and photos of those plaques can be found on Ealing Civic Society’s website as follows: www.ealingcivicsociety.org where you can select ‘awards & plaques’ on the top bar and then ‘Plaques’ on the left hand margin.
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Ealing CROQUET By Ruth Sisley Ealing Croquet Club is a friendly, local croquet club located in Lammas Park, Ealing London W5, only a short distance from South Ealing and Ealing Broadway stations. The club, which is run by its volunteer members, has three well-maintained lawns and welcomes newcomers as well as experienced players. The game is played mainly in the summer (from the end of March until early October) but the club is open all year. Regular club sessions are held on Tuesday mornings, Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons but members can book lawns and play at any time. Winter play is subject to lawn maintenance and the weather. Croquet can be played as lightheartedly as it can seriously, from the back garden to international level. There are a few basic skills to learn, of course, but most people get the hang of these within a few minutes. At Ealing Croquet Club both Association and Golf Croquet are played and some of their variations. New members are welcome to join the Club for casual play just as much as those wishing to learn the more challenging aspects of the sport. Social and competitive The club offers opportunities for social croquet, internal competitive croquet, league and other interclub croquet. Some members enter Croquet Association Tournament
Events and the club hosts some each year. For those wanting to take up the game seriously, the club has qualified coaches and runs both introductory courses and offers individual coaching. Courses are also available at the Croquet Academy (near Brighton) and a number of other clubs Is Croquet the game for you? Few sports cater for as wide an age range as croquet and can be played by men and women as equals. If you can walk, you can play. You can only manage to play for 45 minutes? There is a game for you. Want to stretch yourself? You can play from dawn until dusk. True, it’s not aerobic. The heart rarely races. Ice baths are not necessary. But if you are keen you may walk up to 10 miles a day. The best level of play requires considerable skill, a good range of shots and tactical awareness but put aside any thoughts that it has to be a complicated game. The basic skills are quick to learn
Croquet is a game
and these will be sufficient to give you immediate fun. Â Fancy having a go? All you need is an interest to try something new and a pair of flat shoes (trainers). National Croquet Day is Sunday 5 June To find out more about taster sessions your local club is organising, call 07890 465 685 or email players@ealingcroquet.org for more information. To learn more about Ealing Croquet Club see www.ealingcroquetclub.org.
for all ages
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Canoeing and Kayaking in Ealing By Michael Holmes I talked with Louise Heather, Chairman of Ealing Canoe Club, to find out more about the West London organisation.
To start with Louise, what’s the difference between a canoe and kayak? Michael, each vessel is a small craft one would paddle through water. The canoe is referred to as a lightweight narrow boat normally pointed at each end and open on top. The kayak is similar in design, however the paddler’s seat in the deck lies under a flexible covered cockpit to prevent water from entering or ejecting the paddler when the boat rolls. The term ‘roll’ means the paddler can capsize the vessel but then emerge upright from the water again without getting out of the kayak and continue with the route. Being able to roll is an essential part of any kayak training. What benefits would you say there are to paddling in a craft? Paddling provides strong health benefits. For example, using the single oar with blades at both ends means rotating the arms in such a way that helps physically strengthen the upper body. Such exercise also helps the heart and improves blood circulation around the whole body. It can also be peaceful and meditative on calm waterways, or exhilarating on more challenging routes. So different styles derive different benefits.
When did the club start and what’s the membership like? Ealing Canoe Club dates back to the 1960s if not earlier. Now based in Perivale in West London, it is a kayak racing club. Training sessions take part 3 times a week and members regularly attend races. Although the club is traditionally a racing club (marathon and sprint), the club also helps promote other canoe sports and caters for beginners interested in kayaking. There’s a good mix of attendees from adults to kids who participate for the enjoyment of paddling, racing and take part in endurance events such as Devizes to Westminster. Many members support this ultra marathon of 125 miles.
Paddling is both social and competitive, with many health benefits .
Thompson is now 17 and holds 4 course records at Nottingham where the national sprint series is held. Most juniors compete in the Geoff Sanders Trophy, with several winning prizes over the last two years. Not to mention the London Youth Games which the club encourages 8 to 18-year-olds to enter. This is essentially a mini-Olympics in London, laying a platform to the mainstream games and other major competitions. Such incentives provide Have there been any major a social foundation for attendees and achievements amongst members? help build and strengthen communities, Yes, We have a junior who joined the club at 12 years and promptly became especially Ealing. the UK indoor sprint champion and For more information about the club, is now in the GB junior squad having competed at the World and European please visit www.ealingcanoeclub.org.uk. junior championships last year. Trevor
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