Neighbours’ Paper Issue 83

Neighbours Paper ’

Issue No 83

Putting the People of Ealing First

Winter 2017/18

TRIMMING THE THIN BLUE LINE Police Stations to Close!

Also featuring: Public Transport & Disability Winter Advice Noticeboard Save Ealing Hospital Ealing Civic Society Ealing Foodbank ROAR Awards

e e r F ease

Pl One e Tak

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

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E ditorial

This time we look at some sobering issues. How will cutting police stations affect policing? We tackle disability and transport issues. NP Team member, Judy Breens writes "After an ankle operation I needed to use a wheelchair for a while. Buses are accessible because of their ramps for the purpose, but it is impossible to use the underground stations in Ealing at all (no lifts) so the rail system is virtually out of bounds for wheelchair users. Bearing in mind UK current law rules public places must

Contents Contents Editorial................................................ 2 Events Around Ealing.......................... 2

be accessible, how does TfL get away with this?” NP asked a local Disability campaigner to write of her experience using buses (page 10). We also have articles on Ealing Civic Society and Friends of St Mary's Perivale milestone years and updates on various issues.

At this time, we warmly thank all our readers and advertisers, without whom there would be no Neighbours’ Paper.

We wish all our readers and advertisers a very Happy Christmas and New Year!

Policing in Ealing................................. 3 Ealing Notes......................................4-5 Ealing Civic Soc. Celebrates 50 yrs.... 6 Winter Advice Noticeboard............... 7 Ealing Foodbank................................. 8

Northfields Mission Hall....................... 8 Ealing ROAR Awards........................... 9

EVENTS AROUND EALING Northfields Christmas Night Market, Saturday 2 December 6-9pm.

Kingsdown Methodist Church Hall, Northfields Avenue: Free Entry: live music, fabulous shopping and delicious food all from our amazing local businesses.

7-11 February 2018 The sixth Ealing Music and Film Festival will continue our annual celebration of Ealing’s Cultural Heart, bringing a mix of music and film to lighten February’s dark days – and aiming to support Ealing’s young artistic talent through our scholarships and various outreach projects, both in schools and on the concert platform.

• Music: our superb music line-up brings together the Tippett Quartet (returning to the Festival by popular demand), the brilliant young violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen and our Artistic Director Julian Gallant, for a more intimate launch concert, followed by the everpopular Ealing Youth Orchestra and Ealing Symphony Orchestra. Again, by popular demand, Emilie Capulet, Head of Classical Performance at the London College of Music, will start the programme with a free lunchtime piano recital and our local Love2sing Choir and the LCM Junior College will extend our programme of 2

Ealing Animal Charities Fair, Saturday 3 March 2018 10.30am – 4.00pm.

40th Anniversary! Hanwell Methodist Church , Church Rd, Hanwell London W7 1DJ. Many participating societies.

Great guest speakers, Information, gifts, lunch, refreshments, Admission FREE. Details 020 8567 6739 and www.ealinganimalsfair.london. performances by local musicians. Blues fans will be delighted to hear that the Ealing Club will present another blues gig at Ealing Broadway's iconic Red Room, scene of early performances by the Rolling Stones, Yard Birds and a host of other 60s bands.

On the buses in my wheelchair....... 10 Friends of St. Mary's Perivale............ 11 Be Sport-Active in Ealing.................. 12

Neighbours’ Paper Subscribe for a year: Just £4. Send a cheque to The Publisher, Neighbours’ Paper, 12 Waldemar Avenue W13 9PY 020 8579 4847 Twitter.com/NeighboursPaper Facebook.com/NeighboursPaper Email: neighbourspaper@hotmail.co.uk Editor: Tom Whiting (020 8840 5740)

• Film: a new film with unique Ealing connections, Suburban Steps to Rockland: the story of the Ealing Club (Certificate 15) will be screened as part of the Festival - this will be only the second public screening of this film (the premier was at London’s Barbican Centre and sold out weeks in advance so don’t miss the opportunity to catch it in Ealing!). We also include a repeat of last year’s highly successful tour of film and TV locations in North Ealing. There’s plenty for everyone to enjoy! And remember that as a Charity, the festival surplus will again be used to support young local student musicians and artists.

Full details and tickets available at www.ealingmusicandfilmfestival.org.

Ealing Music and Film Festival reserves the right to change programmes and artists.

Putting the People of Ealing First

Treasurer: Judy Breens Writers: Judy Breens, Hilary Beavis, Foluso Dawodu, Will French, Robert Gurd, Michael Holmes, Eric Leach, Thelma Leach, Tony Miller, Jacqueline Swords, Sian Vasey, Rosemary Wallis, Tom Whiting Designer: Jamie Anson Cover: Ealing Police Station 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: 30st January

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Controversial Plans for Policing in Ealing

By Eric Leach The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and Metropolitan Police Service (MOPAC) states that Policing costs throughout London over the next four years need to be cut by £200 million. MOPAC plans to close down an astonishing 361 Police facilities in London – 11 of them in Ealing. .

Public Consultation and Meeting MOPAC has just completed a public consultation on ‘Public Access and Engagement Strategy’. I attended the MOPAC meeting held in Ealing Town Hall on 14 September 2017 aimed at describing and discussing this strategy.

It was an awful meeting. We couldn’t read the slides, there was no sound system so many citizens could not hear what was being asked or answered.

MOPAC should have run the meeting – not the local uniformed Police Officers.

There are over 250,000 adults living in Ealing. MOPAC managed to attract less than 100 attendees. Not good enough.

The draft strategy claims that many of us no longer report crimes. I wonder why? Maybe it’s because over many years we have been less than impressed waiting for hours in the tiny reception space at Ealing Police Station with no-one even acknowledging our presence. Or might it be because we have reporting allegations of a crime or crimes and got no response from the Police?

Ealing and Southall Police Stations Will Close We will be left with just one ‘24/7 front counter’ – in Acton - to serve 340,000 citizens across the 21 square miles of Ealing. This is totally inadequate, dangerous and irresponsible.

MOPAC also wants to merge Ealing, Hounslow and Hillingdon Police Forces.

It wants to close down Police Stations in the latter two towns except for leaving just one in Hounslow and one in Hillingdon. Three ‘24/7 front counters’ to serve 860,000 citizens across 96 square miles (Ealing/Hounslow/ Hillingdon) is also inadequate, dangerous and irresponsible.

The Mayor’s Office sees the future of Police/citizen communications in the online and social media domains. ‘Dedicated Ward Officer Hubs’ were also mentioned. It took about an hour into the meeting for the audience to discover that these hubs would not have front counters/ public access. No simple or detailed descriptions of the function or features of the hubs were given. Asking citizens to comment on these undefined hubs was and is a waste of time.

Capacity Concerns For the hundreds of Ealing Police and support staff, Acton Police Station is clearly not big enough to accommodate all these needs.

Being situated three and four miles from high crime and deprived communities in Southall and Northolt, Acton Police Station is a long bus ride, bike ride and car journey through built up/congested areas.

So where will Police Officers have to carry out their face-to-face interviews and activities? In their cars? In a local café? On the pavement? In a park? In the lobby of a hotel? In citizens’ homes? And how will the lost police cells be replaced? More at www.london.gov.uk/mopacpublications/public-access-strategy

Ealing Police Station

is about

to lose all those offices

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Putting the People of Ealing First

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Ealing Notes Ealing Save our NHS On Saturday 30th September 2017 Ealing NHS protests were once again a TV news item, this time on ITV National News at both 6.00PM and 10.30PM! Around 1,000 protesters marched from Southall and Acton Parks to a Council organised protest rally on Ealing Common about our local hospitals.

Many people still do not realise that NHS England’s 2012 “Shaping a Healthier Future” proposals remain in place to downgrade Ealing and Charing Cross Hospitals from General to Local Hospital status, removing 500 beds. If this goes ahead, all operating theatres would be closed, there would be no surgeons and no blue light A&E services. The only services in each “Local Hospital” would be provided through out-patient specialist clinics with 50 beds for observation, rehabilitation and the frail elderly. The Urgent Care Centre would remain but serious cases would be transferred to other hospitals’ A&E departments. How neighbouring hospitals would cope is impossible to imagine. Beds are very limited in all North-West London NHS hospitals now.

NWL A& E performance has

£15 4

Compiled by J udy B reens

for handsome salaries.For more information and to sign the Council Petition www.ealing.gov.uk/soh and www.ealingsaveournhs.org.uk STOP PRESS NEWS! NP has just heard that NWL NHS has refused the funds needed to progress these plans. More next time.

Ealing’s Central Library

also plummeted since units were closed at Central Middx and Hammersmith in 2014. Ambulance staff report huge admittance problems when they bring casualties. Rally speakers included local MPs, Hammersmith and Ealing Council Leaders, local doctors and Ealing Save our NHS. This is a really serious situation with the plans branded “unwise and unsafe” by all speakers. Even worse, N.W. London NHS has distributed thousands of leaflets in Drs surgeries, pharmacies and elsewhere stating Ealing Hospital is not closing but merely “existing services will change”.

Addressing this, Ealing Council Leader Julian Bell said “To strip out vital services, reduce number of beds by 80% and still call it a “local” hospital is pure spin and we’re not falling for it”. Neighbours’ Paper agrees. It is high time NWL NHS abandoned these dangerous plans. Far from being “clinically led” as claimed, they are being implemented by Ealing Clinical Commissioner Group (CCG) members who are cynically trying to implement Government cuts in return

x100 Business Cards Single Sided

Putting the People of Ealing First

Plans to downgrade the library are unveiled via a planning application that sets new lows for weasel words and doublespeak. The existing facility, refurbished for over £3m by the Council under 10 years ago, is condemned as ‘unorganised and cluttered ‘. We’re told Ealing’s new ‘library offer’ will be “a cross between an Apple store and a Library” and that by ‘reducing its floor size and book number by two thirds, the library can operate with the highest level of efficiency’. This ‘upgrade’ will have a new ‘active frontage’ and a ‘more friendly, front door’. Other “enhancements” relocate the Local History section to a desk in West Ealing Library and the Borough’s archive material to storage. The ‘surplus’ space and long-term linked peppercorn lease achieved from this ‘optimisation’ will be surrendered to the owner (British Land) to let commercially. Speculation is rife on the Council’s real reasons behind this seeming betrayal of Ealing’s interests. Application plans, expected to be waved through, can be viewed on the Council’s planning webpage (application No 177280FUL).

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Ealing Notes continueD Heller House

By Jacqueline Swords, Parent campaigner Good news! Earlier this year, Ealing Council made the welcome decision to build in the borough a new respite centre for children and young people with severe disabilities. This will replace the much-loved Heller House in Southall, which for years provided respite to some of Ealing’s most disabled and challenging children. This magnificent achievement was the result of a hard fought campaign and a 12,000-strong petition by Ealing residents. Many of you will have signed. Thank you so much!

As a result, Ealing Council agreed to put £1.5 million into building a new respite centre for children and young people which will benefit children and their families for years to come.

Over the past six months a reference group of parents, campaigners, Special Educational Need school staff and Mencap have been working collaboratively with council officers from the Children and Disabilities Team, alongside the council architects to help design a purpose-built building and garden which will meet the needs of children with severe physical disabilities as well as those who have autism and challenging behaviour. The new build, is a six-bedded respite centre and will be located in Northolt. We are hoping the respite centre will be open in late 2018. It’s brilliant too that Heller House has been renovated to provide flats and is currently providing accommodation for families in need in Ealing whilst its future is deliberated.

We’re delighted that the October referendum into the Central Ealing Neighbourhood Plan(CENP), developed jointly by local businesses and residents, produced a decisive result in favour.

92.4% of Residential voters voted YES (of 2838 votes cast, 17.2% of eligible voters), and 91.5% of Business voters (59 voted, 45.4% of the eligible businesses).

Tony Miller (Chair) writes “For the first time in a London borough, we’ve started a process where the local community – businesses as well as residents – can exercise its legal right for a decisive say in how development should affect our town. This is a significant milestone towards greater local democratic influence on the planning decisions affecting us all. CENP already has legal force. Before the end of the year it will be adopted and officially incorporated into Ealing’s Local Development Plan, helping to ensure its policies will influence the way Ealing looks and works in the years to come.”

CENP policies are based on four themes: the economy, our built and green heritage, transport and culture and community. Planning applications must be determined in line with the Local Development Plan, the Mayor’s London Plan and National Planning Guidance unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The Forum is now considering how the

Putting the People of Ealing First

various projects in the plan can be taken forward. More details on www.centralealingforum.com.

As we go to press the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Forum (WECNF) has decided to go ahead to referendum on the heavily modified London Borough of Ealing version of the West Ealing Centre Neighbourhood Plan.

More at www.wecnf.org

LAST MINUTE NEWS! A new Ealing Video Channel is launched for Ealing! It is in its early stages and is an exciting initiative.

It was created and is run by Ealing residents. Recent coverage has featured the CENP Referendum, the Save Our Hospitals March, the Ealing Half Marathon and Save Our Heritage/ Woolworths façade, West Ealing.

Check out www.exposurebox.com.

West Ealing Centre Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) A CPZ is proposed in streets south of West Ealing Broadway down to Leighton Road. A consultation of residents produced a very narrow YES majority in this area where shop staff park their cars. Shahid Iqbal of Ealing Council claims businesses were consulted but sixty are very adamant they were not.

This is against the law and a row has erupted which may lead to a legal challenge.

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Ealing Civic Society 50th Anniversary

By Robert Gurd, Chair of ECS The story of Ealing Civic Society starts early in 1967 when two local residents decided that a new amenity group was needed for Ealing. Challenges were expected to arise from proposals for local government reorganisation about that time, which affected London in particular. Also, an imminent threat to Ealing arose from the GLC's plan to create a new metropolitan centre to compete with Kingston and Uxbridge.

Town centre redevelopment The true nature of the threat came to light with the plans for redevelopment of Ealing town centre. The fledgling society was faced with the enormous challenge of defeating – which it and other nearby residents’ groups did successfully – both the Council and powerful developers over a bypass scheme and a concrete monstrosity proposed for the centre of Ealing.

Ten years ago, we were discussing plans for Dickens Yard hoping that these would result in a sympathetic development behind the Town hall. The development is now looming and the architecture is not very sympathetic to that of Ealing despite our best efforts to persuade the developers, St George to do things differently.

Cinema site The saga of the cinema site has been running since 2004 when the first planning consent was given for redevelopment of the old UGC

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Cinema in the Uxbridge Road. The cinema – save the facade – was sadly demolished by the then owners, Empire Cinemas, but the site remained in limbo which resulted in the Council taking Compulsory Purchase Order action, together with their development partner Land Securities, to wrest control from Empire. Land Securities gained planning consent for their scheme which included an eight-screen cinema, some cafés, a small square and a large number of flats. The land was sold on to St George last year who have recently received consent for a revised scheme involving more residential and less retail than the original scheme.

Arcadia Centre Ten years ago we were faced with the prospect of plans for rafting over the railway tracks and a large tower block at the Arcadia site. The Council granted consent but with Save Ealing's Centre we got the application called in and eventually defeated at a subsequent public inquiry in 2009.

Benson Elliot later acquired the site, redeveloped the old Arcadia Centre and set about ambitious plans for redevelopment of the rest of the site.

The scheme proposed a tower block overlooking Haven Green, sweeping away most of the existing buildings on the site. The Council again agreed the scheme despite strong objections from ourselves and national heritage groups and we had to fight for another public inquiry. The application was called in

Putting the People of Ealing First

again by the Secretary of State for determination at an inquiry which was due to be held in May. This was called off at the last moment because the site had been sold to British Land.

There are many other examples of smaller but just as unsuitable developments around the Borough where we have been fighting on a number of fronts to prevent the worst cases but we have not always been successful. Despite these setbacks the need for a strong Civic Society has never been greater and new members are always welcome. For more information see www.ealingcivicsociety.org.

The

old

Arcadia Centre: when we

could actually read the clock !

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Winter Advice Noticeboard

By Tom Whiting

Ealing Foodbank

Drop-in day centre for homeless and other disadvantaged people.

1 Berrymead Gardens, W3 8AA. Tel 020 8992 5768 www.actonhomelessconcern.org

Ealing Advice Service Information and advice on a wide range of domestic issues including housing, welfare benefits, debt, immigration, unemployment, mental health and community care.

Lido Centre, W13 9LA. Tel 03000 12 54 64 www.ealingadvice.org

Ealing Age UK Free, independent and confidential advice about issues affecting older people and their carers.

135 Uxbridge Road, W13 9AU. Tel 020 8567 8017 reception@ageukealing.org.uk www.ageuk.org.uk/ealing

Ealing Churches Winter Night Shelter Emergency dormitory-style accommodation for up to 14 guests, for those who are sleeping on the streets and the vulnerable. Season runs 25 November 2017 to 31 March 2018.

All Saints Vicarage, Elm Grove Road, W5 3JH. Tel 07930 378263 office@ecwns.org.uk www.ecwns.org.uk

Emergency food for local people in crisis, donated by local schools, churches, businesses, supermarkets and individuals. See article on page 8.

Tel 020 8840 9428 or 07769 759756 info@ealing.foodbank.org.uk https://ealing.foodbank.org.uk

Ealing Mencap Working with and for people with learning disabilities. Breaking down barriers to overcome isolation and to change lives.

Enterprise Lodge, Stokedove Way, Greenford UB6 8TJ. Tel 020 8566 9575 www.ealingmencap.org.uk

Ealing RISE Community support based service offering a pathway to rehabilitation from the use of drugs and alcohol.

99-103 The Broadway, West Ealing W13 9BP. Tel 020 8567 4772 ealing@cgl.org.uk www.ealingrise.org.uk

Ealing Samaritans Run by volunteers, 24-hour confidential and emotional support for people experiencing feelings of distress, despair or suicide.

26 Junction Road, W5 4XL. Tel 020 8560 2345 www.samaritans.org/branches/ ealing-samaritans

Ealing Soup Kitchen Charity that runs a free regular weekend soup kitchen for the homeless and vulnerable. Also Monday and Friday drop-ins for clothes, food, practical help, and with a hairdresser and doctor on site.

St John’s Church, Mattock Lane, W13 9LA. Tel 0208 566 3507 (ext. 7) www.ealingsoupkitchen.org Putting the People of Ealing First

Ealing Specialist Advice Centre Free, confidential advice to carers or adults with additional needs.

135 Uxbridge Road, W13 9AU. Tel 020 8579 8429 www.ealingsas.org.uk

Easy Project – Ealing Outreach drug and alcohol service for young people. Confidential advice, assessments of specific needs, one-toone sessions and targeted group work.

Westside Young People’s Centre, Churchfield Rd, W13 9NF. Tel 020 8810 1528, 07500 667 492 EASY.project@cri.org.uk www.changegrowlive.org/youngpeople/easy-project-ealing

Home Start Ealing Support, friendship and practical help to Ealing parents who are going through challenging times.

Hanwell Children’s Centre, 25A Laurel Gardens, W7 3JG. Tel 020 8842 1617 www.homestartealing.org

Mind in Ealing and Hounslow Advice on mental health and illness. Befriending scheme, housing support, advocacy scheme.

48 Hartington Road, Southall, UB2 5AX. Tel 0208 571 7454 info@mind-eh.org.uk www.mind-eh.org.uk

Free legal and energy saving advice surgeries, clubs and groups such as chess, sewing, knitting, and venue hire. Aims to promote values of equity, inclusiveness, participation and cooperation.

99 The Broadway, West Ealing W13 9BP Tel 020 8566 4099 info@welshore.org.uk www.welshore.org.uk 7

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Foodbanks make a difference

By Thelma Leach Every day many people in the UK face a sudden financial crisis – loss of a job, delays or sanctions of benefit, an unexpectedly large bill, a child needing a new pair of shoes…. In these circumstances help with food expenses can make a big difference.

This is where Ealing Foodbank can help.

The Foodbank operates in five different borough locations: Acton, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt and Southall. All are staffed by volunteers and part of the Trussell Trust – a charity with 400 foodbanks nationwide.

Northfields Mission Hall, 1920–1940

By Rosemary Wallis The popular GP Surgery by Dudley Gardens in Northfield Avenue has an interesting history. It served as a mission hall for at least three decades, attended by many generations of young local children.

Connected to St John’s Church Mattock Lane, in the 1930s its Superintendent was Miss Gardner.

She, like all of her teachers, was single, mainly because of the slaughter of single eligible young men in World War One. Every Sunday, between 3pm to 4 pm, small children arrived to sit on small chairs, placed around small

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Clients are referred from a number of different agencies – Job Centres, GPs, charities like the Salvation Army, Children’s Centres, Social Services.

These supply clients with a voucher to redeem at any local Foodbank Cafe for three days’ worth of emergency food supplies. The Cafés are welcoming places where volunteers talk with clients and help by signposting them to further sources of practical support and advice with the long-term problems, that probably precipitated the original crisis.

All the food given out by the Foodbank comes from donations from local

round tables, all headed by an always gentle teacher. They told simplified stories from the Bible, whilst the children viewed Victorian paintings 'Suffer the little Children to Come unto Me' and 'The Lord is my Shepherd'. A sing-song followed, accompanied by Miss Gardner on a pump organ - 'I am H.A.P.P.Y' or 'Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam'. From a raised dais Miss Gardner preached a message of learning to love and give.

Small illustrated texts were distributed and put in each child's bible. Then a hug from their teacher, followed by a short walk home to Mum and Dad.

people and businesses, schools, churches, mosques, etc. You may have seen collection boxes at local supermarkets, such as Waitrose and Sainsbury’s. All food donated should be non-perishable and in date – this means mostly tinned or dry produce and long-life milk and fruit juices. There is also a need for items such as shampoo, toilet paper, toothpaste (and toothbrushes!).

For more information see: https://ealing.foodbank.org.uk

being destroyed by an unexploded bomb just outside the front door, in Northfield Avenue. People crowded around the crater, with the intact bomb aslant at its bottom. The frustrated policeman was ignored when warning there might be a delayed explosion.

There was also a street gun shell embedded in its neighbour's side wall, 1 Glenfield Road. The building survived but a passing young teenage boy didn't.

Two outings took place annually.

In the Summer, a trip to Petersham Park, where children laughed and ran, never avoiding cow pats; while in the Winter, there was tea at Miss Gardner's home in Ealing Common.

In WW2 the building narrowly missed

Putting the People of Ealing First

the mission hall, now northfields gp surgery

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Ealing ROAR Awards17

By Foluso Dawodu ESQ As the curtain draws on 2017, Ealing Council celebrates the amazing individuals and groups who ‘go beyond the call of duty and make our communities and surroundings a better place to live for everyone’.

The ROAR awards (Recognising Outstanding Achievements of Residents) dinner, prize-giving ceremony, buffet and entertainment took place on Friday 20 October at the Victoria Hall in Ealing’s Town Hall. This annual event attracted the great and the good of Ealing and was musically supported by performances from The Golden Age Choir and a stage performance by Abba Sensation.

As the name suggests, the awards recognise outstanding contributions by individuals or groups in the borough.

There are four categories: outstanding

contributions by individual resident, outstanding contributions by individual resident under 25 years, outstanding contributions by any group recognised and/ or supported by Ealing Council, and outstanding project by any group or individual. The event is supported by various contractors and other sponsorship groups.

The outstanding contribution by individual resident was won

by Melville Perry, with Surinder Dhanjal as the runner-up.

The outstanding contribution by individual under 25 was won by Bollo Brook Youth Centre anchored by Shuaib Abdille, Hussein Mohamed and Abdiaziz Roble, whilst the runner-up was Anton Gabriel.

Medlar Farm Estate Hub In a related development, Ealing Council in synergy with the Medlar Farm Residents Association opened a hub at the Estate to facilitate effective communication links between Northolt residents and the Council on matters relating to tenancy, security, caretaking, waste disposal, traffic and other connected issues. The office hub was established to speedily help inform the Council of these needs, without the residents in this part of the Borough having to go through Council Headquarters in Ealing. The commissioning took place on 4 October 2017 to the delight of all residents.

The Chairman of Medlar Farm Residents Association, Victor Campbell played a prominent role in the establishment of this hub thanks to his drive and determination.

In the group category, Walpole Close Gardening Club was picked as the winner whilst the runner-up was PeniOaks Residents Association.

The awards ceremony, which first began over a decade ago, was well attended with the Mayor of Ealing, Simon Woodroofe and other counsellors. Also in attendance was Steve Pound MP for Ealing North and other dignitaries.

We want to commend the Council for this noble act to recognise merit in the community.

ROAR Award attendees at Ealing Town Hall.

Putting the People of Ealing First

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On the Buses in my wheelchair

By Sian Vasey When I was 22 I got my first powered wheelchair and suddenly I was floating on air, enjoying the sheer magic of being able to rampage around the borough freely.

The discovery of accessible buses wasn’t quite such an instantly ecstatic affair. It takes some time to learn the ropes and get the hang of bus routes, but also the constant setbacks imposed by unnecessary access barriers, and the attitudes of drivers and fellow passengers go a long way to taking the joy out of a new-found freedom.

Overall though, there is no doubt that being able to use local buses has transformed my experience of living in Ealing. You just can’t beat being able to grab an E2 opposite the town hall, going two stops and

Competition for bus “wheelchair space”

arriving home, instead of labouring and bumping through the tedious stretch of office blocks and hotels.

Buggy problems My early experiences included ramps being regularly out of order. One freezing Boxing Day three number 70s sailed past me indicating that their ramp was no-go as I waited outside Morrison’s. Finally, I got a 207 to Ealing Broadway and took a taxi. The ramps are still problematic from time to time, particularly the E3's, but undoubtedly, the biggest problem for me is buggies using the wheelchair space.

C’mon driver!

The next biggest problem is rude and ignorant drivers and when the two come together – well, the discrimination just goes wild. Buggy users are supposed to fold up the buggies when they vacate the wheelchair space, but usually they just get into the aisle. On one occasion I was on board, the buggies had done just that and this made the driver very angry, not with them, but with me. When we got to my stop he vacated his cab, walked down the aisle to the wheelchair space, muttered something to me and then jabbed his finger at the blue sign next to the space. This is the sign that says that buggies should vacate the wheelchair space when a wheelchair user needs it, which is to say, it did not remotely back up his point. Meanwhile he said nothing to the buggy users whatsoever.

Training needed Another driver once followed me out

onto the pavement as I left the bus.

His mission was simply to give me the completely bonkers information that I am not allowed to ride the bus.

Duh! How inclusive is that? Another driver took me one-stop and then told me I had to get off as there was already a buggy on board. I refused, all the passengers vacated and eventually so did the buggy. I could go on and on with experiences like these, but instead I’ll just say I wish TfL, or the bus companies organised better, or even gave some training about disability for their staff.

The good news is that, in July, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling that bus companies must take positive action to support wheelchair users when they need the space. See: www.tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility and www.transportforall.org.uk

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Friends of St Mary’s Perivale 40th Anniversary

By H ilary B eavis St Mary’s Church Perivale was founded in the 12 th Century. It would have looked different then with an earthen floor, no windows and probably a thatched roof. The chancel was added around 1250 and the vestry and wooden tower about 1510. It is well worth a visit.

After over 800 years, St Mary’s was a constant but because of serious structural concerns it was closed for worship in 1972 on the retirement of the Rector of Perivale the Rev. Walter Hobday. The Church Commissioners declared the church to be redundant, but to remain consecrated.

A new church, St. Nicholas, had been built in the 1960s to cater for the rather larger residential area of Perivale, thus leaving St. Mary’s cut off from the new parish by the busy A40 road. Seriously concerned, Alan Gillett, a Chartered Surveyor and lifelong resident of the borough, led a steering group of local organisations to press for the church to be used for the

community. ‘The Friends of St Mary’s Perivale’ was created in 1976 as a registered charity with Alan as Chairman, having persuaded the Church Commissioners to lease St Mary’s to the Friends on a 99-year lease at a peppercorn rent, as the Friends had no money! The Friends then started organising a wide range of community events, such as Flower Festivals, Exhibitions, Supper Concerts and Recitals, as well as repairing and restoring the church and churchyard.

It cannot be stressed too strongly to present-day audiences at every concert, that without the untiring efforts of 'The Friends' in the early years, this successful venue for pianists and instrumental concerts would not be possible today. For more information, see www.st-marys-perivale.org.uk.

In 2005 regular programmes of piano recitals and concerts were introduced enabling St Mary’s to become the renowned classical music venue it is today. There are also occasional services for special celebrations. It must be remembered however that ‘The Friends’ had no funds initially and reserves were only increased slowly for maintenance and necessary improvements.

The Perivale book is available from Pitshanger Bookshop and Waterstones, Ealing Broadway.

Putting the People of Ealing First

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Read NP Online at www.neighbourspaper.com

Be Sport-active in Ealing!

By Michael Holmes A sports centre for everyone.

Elthorne Sports Centre (ESC) really does provide a number of activities ranging from Active Holiday Activities to Online Training. Let’s look at some of the ways to get involved!

Sport for the community Based in Hanwell this long established sports centre is part of the ‘Everyone Active’ brand and part-managed by Ealing Council. The brand name is built on a strong reputation for delivering well-managed leisure facilities, which have proven to encourage everyone to be more active. Whether it’s the state-of-the-art gym equipment, sports and club facilities, Swim England accredited swim programmes or fun activities for children; Everyone Active has something for the entire community to enjoy.

According to Everyone Active: ‘We’re enthusiastic about being active and staying healthy and we want you to be, too. We’ve made it our mission to encourage more people to participate in regular activity resulting in happier lifestyle and a strong community.’

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Improve health and wellbeing As for ESC, it prides itself on being a community-focused sports centre, with a passion for improving the health and wellbeing of Ealing. ESC offer a wide range of facilities to appeal to different people and to help get them get active in different ways. As well as gym and fitness facilities, and team sports such as football, badminton and netball, the centre also offers a wide choice of children’s activities, from trampolining to hosting children’s parties.

Also at ESC, an Exercise Referral scheme is in place, which is a great way for people with long-term health conditions to increase physical activity levels and improve health. The scheme can help with a wide range of health conditions, including high-blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, overweight or obesity, depression or anxiety, and osteoporosis, amongst others.

Sports funding Finally, ESC along with the local

Putting the People of Ealing First

Stay healthy through regular gym exercise in Everyone Active centres . authority provide support in sourcing and obtaining local funding for sport and physical activity. They have helped secure thousands of pounds from organisations such as Sport England and the Big Lottery Fund to provide brand new facilities and activities at ESC for the community to enjoy.

The funding ESC has achieved has helped to deliver a wide range of services and facilities not only at their centre but also elsewhere, including Healthy Schools Activity Programmes, Tennis, Roller Sports Programmes and Archery Programmes.

For more information please visit: www.everyoneactive.com/ centre/elthorne-sports-centre/