August / September 2015

FREE ISLEWORTH, BRENTFORD, OSTERLEY & CHISWICK

AUG-SEP 2015

FESTIVAL FEVER with London Mela

EXPLORING THE WILDERNESS

Learning with Forest School

BUSINESS INSPIRATION with Cotton Twist

Birthday Celebrations in Chiswick � Dining in Brentford Summer Fitness in Feltham � Learning with NumberWorks’nWords

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With a beautifully refurbished bar, dining room & riverside terrace, the Royal Oak is a hidden gem in Isleworth and the perfect place to relax over a meal or a leisurely drink.

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner?

Looking for the perfect place to hold your Christmas party?

Festive Fayre Meals 30th Nov to 23rd Dec (excl. Sun) for groups up to 50 Mon to Wed – 2 courses £18.50 or 3 courses £21.50 Thurs to Sat – 3 courses £23.50 Christmas Day Luncheon – 4 courses £55.00 Book your work or family Christmas meal with us by 30th Sept and receive 10% off your meal just mention Out & About magazine.

To receive more information and the full menu please contact Adrianne – I will be happy to assist you with your plans.

The Royal Oak, 128 Worton Road, Isleworth TW7 6EP | 020 8560 2906 theroyaloakisleworth@btconnect.com theroyaloakisleworth royaloakisleworth.co.uk

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CONTENTS EDITORIAL & DESIGN Editor Nisia Studzinska editorial@outandaboutmag.co.uk

Regulars 6

12 Words

Soil by Alex Lockwood

13 Book of the Month

Design Nine8Nine

West London Reads

ADVERTISING SALES

14 Hen Corner

Harvest Time

18 Local History

Head of Sales Claire Eccleshall claire@fhwem.com

On local education

26 Business Matters

Hounslow Chamber of Commerce

PUBLISHER FHW Events & Marketing Ltd 1 Times Square, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1LF www.fhwem.com Tel: 020 8770 3177

Features 6

15 Miracles of Green Clay 16 Cotton Twist

Inspiration and ideas

20 London Mela

Isabella Harding isabella@fhwem.com Teresa Whitfield teresa@fhwem.com

HOUNSLOW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Chief Operating Officer Sally Smith London Borough of Hounslow Chamber of Commerce Ltd Spring Grove House, West Thames College London Road, Isleworth, TW1 4HS sallysmith@hounslowchamber.org.uk Tel: 020 8326 6416

Festival Fever

22 British Furniture

At Willow & Hall

23 Explore the Wilderness

Forest School adventures

24 NumberWorks’nWords

Supports your child

34 Top Hat Cleaners

A family business

Food 11 Birthday Celebrations

At Sam’s Brasserie and Bar in Chiswick

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Pottery and Ceramics

Find your local workshop Summer beauty

Directors Ross Feeney ross@fhwem.com

Published by: FHW Events & Marketing Printed by Direct Colour ©2015 FHW & out&about magazine.

While we endeavour to make sure that all published information is accurate, the publishers cannot be held responsible for mistakes or omissions or any loss resulting from non-publication of an advertisement. While all reasonable care is made to ensure accuracy of information, the publisher accepts no responsibility for the views or claims made by any of the contributors, advertising or editorial content included.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of ‘out&about’ or the editor. Terms and conditions apply. Please recycle your magazine.

Pleasures of Reading

With Torin Douglas

One Over The Ait

Dining in Brentford

Sport 9

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Super Saturday of Sport

Summer fitness in Feltham

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LONDON BOROUGH OF HOUNSLOW

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www.hounslow.gov.uk\ BIGSUMMER @LBofHounslow

www.facebook.com/ hounslowcouncil

LOCAL BUSINESS

ONE OVER ON ALL THE PUBS A lovely riverside pub in Brentford, One Over the Ait provides a relaxed environment for dining and drinking.

One Over the Ait provides the perfect environment for an evening out. It’s spread over two fantastic floors, with plenty of outdoor space too, making it the perfect place to catch up with friends over real ales and first-class food. One Over the Ait gets one over on other pubs in Brentford thanks to its superb views of the Thames. You can grab a seat on one of two great balconies to enjoy fresh air with your ale as well as those vistas of one of the world’s most famous rivers.

Fresh, seasonal, locally sourced produce is the order of the day at One Over the Ait, where you can expect delicious dishes a cut above standard pub grub. The focus here is Ad JUL 15.pdf 6/7/15 on homemadeOOTA British cuisine, but there are 12:48:44 plenty of

intriguing twists on the menu too, bringing exciting new flavours to the table.

If you’re just popping in for a swift drink, there’s a premium line-up of brilliant beers at the bar – including Fuller’s favourites brewed just down the road in Chiswick.

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LOCAL NEWS

BOOKS MATTER Torin Douglas on the pleasures of reading When our grandsons, aged 4 and 2 and a half come to visit us, the younger one has a little ritual. He goes straight to a small shelf of children’s books, picks one out and asks if we can read him a story. The older one, who usually heads straight for the train set or fire station, then wants to join in the reading. It might be The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch, or Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas or a Mog story or The Jolly Postman series by Janet and Allan Ahlberg - all the ones our own children loved and we couldn’t bear to give away. We kept them in a trunk, waiting for this new generation.

Who knows how long this ritual will continue? When will rival attractions woo them away from books? For the moment, it’s great that they like stories and in Chiswick there is no shortage of places to foster children’s love of books. Chiswick Library in Duke’s Avenue W4 has a great

THE POWER OF POTTERY AND CERAMICS

children’s section, with lots of space and regular as activities. Waterstones in Torin Dougl Chiswick High Road also has a thriving children’s section. Its success reflects industry figures showing an 11 per cent rise in sales of children’s books last year. Both are active partners in the Chiswick Book Festival, which every September has key sessions devoted to children. Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Pratchett, Cressida Cowell and Anthony Horowitz are just some of the top children’s authors who have spoken at previous festivals.

This year, there will be a whole morning devoted to Alice in Wonderland, marking its 150th anniversary, including readings and a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party!

Even the oldest children’s books can find a new audience. also be coming to our television screens this autumn as the production company that brought us the Great British Bake Off is now searching for Britain’s Best Budding Potter in The Great British Pottery Throw Down.

Claire Ireland encourages us to build I have been teaching a variety of courses over the last ten years whilst I have been a resident artist at the London Museum of Water and Steam in Brentford. I have noticed that the desire to be creative is stronger than ever which has resulted in the increase of students wanting to enrol in good quality adult education courses.

Ceramics is proving to be one of the most popular subjects, the Turner Prize Winner Grayson Perry, one of the most notorious potters in the world is partly responsible. His work has gained an enormous amount of public attention, which has impacted massively on the larger world of ceramics. Ceramics will

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So it’s very forward thinking of the London Museum of Water and Steam to establish and support a Ceramics Workshop as part of their ever-expanding education programme. As an experienced tutor and maker, I have devised a course to help develop ideas and skills for students with previous experience in clay but also a range of projects to introduce beginners to the diversity of the medium. Clay is a wonderful material to work with; the possibilities and techniques are endless. A truly versatile medium that seems to reflect its makers personality.

www.claireirelandceramics.com

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Cover Image Front cover photograph taken by Naomi Gabrielle Photography. Naomi is a South London based Event & Commercial photographer; for all enquiries please contact Naomi via her website; www.naomigabrielle.co.uk or 07730883607

EDITOR’S TIPS Don’t Miss the Great River Race The 2015 Great River Race will again be run upstream from London Docklands to Ham. The gruelling 21 mile course attracts both the true racer and the leisure rower. Around 300 crews from all over the globe take part, all traditional style with a minimum of 4 oars or paddles and carrying a cox and passenger.

WELCOME Outside the leaves on the trees constricted slightly; they were the deep done green of the beginning of autumn…”

Ali Smith, The Whole Story and Other Stories Late summer is a special time. Even though it feels like an ending to smoky days in the sunshine, it is also very much a beginning. The warmth in the air still hangs like apples for harvesting, school starts and another year of childhood and adolescence hits the ground running. We squirrel away the memories of summer adventures, holidays on beaches, mountains, on campsites, in the back yard, to see us through the cooler days ahead. Enjoy watching the light, foliage, families and the communities around you change like the colour of leaves in preparation for autumn.

Keep memories alive. A special memory for out&about recently has been our involvement and sponsorship of the Osterley Park Run and the Bedford Park Festival, both amazing community events, which bring people together in celebration and growth. This month’s issue is all about celebrating, foraging, exploring and learning.

Nisia editorial@outandaboutmag.co.uk

Watch the Great River Race from Chiswick Pier on Saturday 12th September. Chiswick Pier is a wonderful vantage point for spectators so come along and enjoy the BBQ and refreshments whilst watching the race. The race begins at Docklands at 10.45 am and the first boats should be passing Chiswick Pier by 12.50pm with the winner arriving at Ham at around 13.45 pm.

Nisia

Check details on www.chiswickpier.org.uk

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MON 27 JUl–FRI 21 AUg

URBAN AMBUSH SUMMER CREATIVE PROJECTS FOR 8–18S

Week-long creative projects in loads of artforms, from Parkour to graffiti art.

At Watermans – your local arts centre

Book now! watermans.org.uk

OSTERLEY BOOKSHOP SEPTEMBER REVAMP & RENEWAL SALE All September absolutely ALL books under £8

HALF PRICE!!

Out-of-print, secondhand, classics, 1st editions - in fact everything you need to cosy up for the winter!

If you don’t know our stock you’ll be surprised by the quirkiness of our taste.

A bookshop for those who don’t want to read

only what the big publishers are hyping and the newspapers are reviewing.

Surprise yourself with a book you didn’t know existed!

Easy parking. Seven days a week. 9.30 - 5.30 We’re in the old railway station: 168A Thornbury Road, Osterley TW7 4QE Tel: 020 8560 6206 Piccadilly Line and H28 bus.

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10/8/09 09:58:45

LOCAL BUSINESS

SUPER SATURDAY OF SPORT Get Active in Feltham now and sometimes its just about discovering them. Super Saturday of Sport makes it easy,” says Kirsten. The Chiswick event attracted thousands in 2014 and featured sporting celebrities including the Olympic gold medal rower, James Cracknell, pioneer of freerunning Sebastien Foucan and TV presenter, Kelly Cates.

“The fantastic success of the Chiswick event in the last two years has made the expansion possible. It is my dream to have Super Saturdays all over London one day – so to grow into Feltham this year is incredible.”

Thousands more Hounslow Borough residents will be able to discover their sporting passion with a second Super Saturday of Sport being planned for this summer. The completely free sport and activity event will take place at Feltham Park on August 22 with the backing of the Hounslow Council.

If you would like to get involved please contact Kirsten Longsdale chiswicksportsday@gmail.com

Super Saturday aims to showcase local sports clubs and inspire all ages to discover or re-discover their sporting passions. The Rugby World Cup is fast approaching and the 2015 events will highlight the Borough’s close connection with the RFU and its ‘Festival of Rugby’ series.

Super Saturday of Sport was founded in 2013 by Chiswick resident, Kirsten Lonsdale after making a personal commitment to help deliver the London Olympic legacy.

“I am so passionate about people finding the activity that makes them tick. There are so many options for all ages

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“What’s most impressive about Sam’s is the sourcing of some extremely good ingredients, from the bread to the waiter.”

AA Gill, The Sunday Times

10 Years in Chiswick After 10 amazing years, Sam’s Brasserie and Bar is being refurbished and renovated.

Both the restaurant and bar will be closed from Sunday 4th October – Sunday 11th October.

This all-day every day, informal neighbourhood 100-seat brasserie with an adjacent 55seat bar is looking forward to the next 10 years and beyond.

11 Barley Mow Passage, London W4 4PH

020 8987 0555

LOCAL BUSINESS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU Sam’s Brasserie and Bar is celebrating 10 years in Chiswick, here Sam reflects on his journey And presents…

I think I will buy all of the team several drinks to say many thanks! They deserve a party more than anyone. I am also buying some new super comfy dining chairs, which I am rather overexcited about.

Why have you decided to refurbish Sam’s Brasserie?

Genuine. Hospitable. Individual.

I think considering the place is 10 years old, it still looks pretty good, in fact we still get people commenting on the original design. However, restaurant designs have moved on and I want to give Sam’s a new lease of life. The original design and look did us very well for the first 10 years but now I have to think about the next 10 years and hopefully even longer.

10 years is a nice round number…

Would you do anything differently?

Describe Sam’s Brasserie in 3 words

It makes me feel very proud - proud of everything we have achieved and proud that we are still here.

Where are we to find you at 10.00 am and 10.00 pm?

10 am probably having a coffee and catching up with emails or chatting menu ideas with my chefs. 10 pm either still on the floor or collapsed at home with a glass of red.

Do you still remember the first day of opening at Sam’s Brasserie?

Yes. I was so nervous before we opened for the first time. The first customers came in and suddenly it all happened! The next few hours were a blur - then we were sitting having a beer afterwards!

I would say to myself to enjoy it more and to not get so worked up and stressed. Restaurants can be all consuming and sometimes I think I should have enjoyed the ride more!

What’s your favourite thing on the menu right now?

I think it has to be Rick Stein’s recipe for Goan Fish Curry- I just love the balance of flavours in this dish and it is one of the dishes that makes me smile as I eat it.

Late summer months mean…

An Indian summer, long lazy lunches, cold crisp white wine and good food with friends. Hopefully the start of outside tables and dining at Sam’s!

What has been the highest and lowest roller-coaster ride at Sam’s in 10 years?

I think the highest has to be when we won the Evening Standard Best Value Restaurant in London. There was a huge awards event at The Dorchester and we got a standing ovation from everyone in the room. It still gives me goose bumps when I think about it. The lowest has to be the recession, having to make very tough decisions to allow us to survive and for a while I was worried we wouldn’t make it.

There is a birthday party coming up (we love parties) what’s the line up?

Well we are working on a major refurbishment for end of August, early September and so we might have a closing down party and a re-opening party, yet to be confirmed but we will of course let you know!

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GUEST WRITER

SOIL An extract from a novel in progress, The Fire Bible by Alex Lockwood He digs the soil and finds broken ceramic, old tins, old bones.

Weeds woven round bits of fabric, taken root with what is buried. Intricacies of blue cotton, red twine and creep. They told him not to wait for the soil to be clean. How much longer can he clear rubble and glass before planting?

into that silence they will walk, and find there was no need for language in the first place, and all of their wrongs were made this way, and they will be animals again, good animals, as Emerson told them all to be, in a book that no-one, in the future, will be able to read.

The ceramic he puts in a bucket, with an idea to make a mosaic. Triangles from Staffordshire, Chinese pastorals, cobalt blue. Sometimes he can make out the scene—a willow tree, the dinner bench, a memory of his father. Glazes of deep dropping leaves, hushed wonder underneath, and then the thought of beefburgers and beans every Saturday. What he wouldn’t give now for what he stomached then.

Later that night he is thinking of a jigsaw, of the type his father used to keep on a large plywood board under the sofa in the living room or, if it were too large, on the glasstopped dining table that they never used. Destiny must surely come together like a jigsaw, like an island through the fog approached on a jig, as Columbus must have done approaching the Americas. With his eyes tightly closed, he puts together memories to see what the image releases. He thinks specifically of animals, and yet there is no hint in his childhood that he would keep an animal sanctuary. Is there?

He cried at the death of their pet budgerigar. They had a cat called Sylvester after the cartoon. He also cried when he first saw Bruce Dern in Silent Running and the destruction of the biospheres, those cute little TV-like robots Dern trained to tend to the plants. What were the images? What were they?

His fork crashes into metal. He scrapes out a tin. Gives it a rattle. Sometimes they are occupied with nondescript pieces, of everything rusted. That is not to say useless. The tins he keeps seeds in, anything of value. The metal goes in the wheelbarrow. He’ll find a use for it. Their new farmhouse will be built from such gems of scrap. His next trowelling pulls out something odd-shaped. It is caked in the calcite he collects for purifying water. He stands. He aches. He arches, looks up at the hill that used to be covered in primroses, the sing-songers say. He haunches over the calcite bucket and cleans it off.

He laughs. Or cries. It’s an old toy. He wets and rubs the soil with dirty fingers. A cow. A toy cow. He turns it round. Not plastic. Metal. There’s something broken off, where a pin used to be. He rubs its udders, blister pink. He stands again.

He will give it to her, a gift. They haven’t had gift-giving for a long time. He looks up. The light has changed. The soil under his feet gives, deepens. Back on the high ground he picks up a piece of stone, flat as a writing board, although its edges are sharp, and it is heavy. He wipes it with his sleeve, dries the surface of the damp in the air. He puts it down while he goes seaward to find a piece of chalk among the cliff ends. All along this coast the rock is chalky, so it is not long until he finds a piece he can write with, and goes back and sits down and picks up the stone, the slate, the tablet, and begins to write on the surface those words that he wants to rid himself of. Words that are also deeds. Words that will no longer be needed, as there are less to speak them, and no need to speak them, or no desire to, at least not in the world. If in the beginning there was the Word, then in the end, which is also a new beginning, there will be no words at all, no communication, they will be as mute as pelicans, the psalms will all be blank pages, there will by no hymns but the hymn of the heartbeat, there will be a great silence, and

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He wakes Esther. They do not sleep deeply any more, and this has become obvious in their drawn faces, even more obvious in their misunderstandings of imagination and reality. They have not gone so far, however, to lose sense of the danger of this. It takes Esther a little while to want to come back; a few seconds. But she does. The dreaminess leaves her face, her eyebrows narrow. She half relaxes, half angers as it becomes clear there is no emergency.

‘What is it?’

‘When you were a child,’ he begins. ‘Can you remember when you knew what it is you had to do with life?’

Dr. Alex Lockwood is a writer living in Newcastle. He writes about human-animal relations across species lines and the importance of narrative to understanding who we are. He teaches journalism and creative writing and was most recently published in Like the Wind, a magazine about running.

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LOCAL BUSINESS

WEST LONDON READS Colin Field writes on why Chiswick Book Festival is such a big attraction

even created local best-sellers like David Miller’s short story collection,’ That Glimpse of Truth’. Chiswick Book Festival is the highlight of my year. You never know whom you will see or what amazing conversations you will hear.

In the meantime here are some local books that are out this year for you to read: The Avery-Stripes by Thomas Kennedy The Catalyst by Helena Coggan Different for Girls by Jacquie Lawrence An English Spring by Cormac Murphy O’Connor Fallout by Sadie Jones In The Mood For Healthy Food by Jo Pratt The Last Act of Love by Cathy Retzenbrink Pinkoes and Traitors by Jean Seaton

West London has always been a centre for the biggest authors.

Patrick Hamilton, Virginia Woolf and W.B. Yeats name only a few. Last year, Bryan Appleyard wrote a book called ‘Bedford Park’ which was a fictionalisation of the area and the authors he had discovered had lived there. This year saw the release of ‘The Avery-Stripes’ by Thomas Kennedy, which was also set in Bedford Park. The book’s characters are based on Kennedy’s favourite literary figures. There is just something about West London that inspires the arts and brings creative people together. The affect of this creativity is that there are cultural events being held all year round to cater for these artists and the people who love them. The biggest of which is Chiswick Book Festival.

It’s the seventh Chiswick Book Festival this year. It is ‘the’ thing to do in September. It has had Children’s Laureates, Samuel Johnson Nominees and the biggest and best names of contemporary literature. There is something there for everyone: from fiction fanatics to world war readers. It is the chance to listen to and meet your favourite authors. Last year, I was asking a member of the audience if they were enjoying themselves and it turned out to be Clive Cussler on his holiday!

Waterstones in Chiswick 220-226 Chiswick High Road London W4 1PD Tel: 020 8995 3539

Mary Portas, Max Hastings, Matt Haig, Anthony Burgess are just a few of the names who are set to be on stage this year.

There will be an Alice in Wonderland morning for the children and a session on the 75th anniversary of The Blitz. There are refreshments available all weekend; the cake and tea are divine.

There is something for everybody. You can make a whole weekend of it. I work in a nearby bookshop and it is something that everybody talks about all year round. The festival has

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LOCAL BUSINESS

REAPING IN THE REWARDS With Sara Ward at Hen Corner I love this time of year; it feels like a reward, with holidays to refresh us and a new term to refocus us; the sunny days feel almost stolen as the evenings start to draw in. However, the rewards of this season are so much more than the weather.

It’s harvest time and we can enjoy the fruits of our labour.

The tiny seeds that we tucked up safely in the soil back in April will be proudly presenting their trophies. A rainbow of tomatoes, melons, peppers and beans are yielded from the raised beds whilst elsewhere in the garden the vine is heavy with grapes, the plums are fit to burst and the apples are ready to press. This year we have high hopes for our pear trees, they had suffered from a fungal disease, pear rust, for many years and whilst I tried several treatments, I just couldn’t shift it. Research revealed that the culprit that was responsible for this reoccurring infection was a nearby juniper tree but we haven’t got one in our garden and it could have been anywhere in quite a wide vicinity.

It was only in passing that a neighbour told us that she was removing her juniper tree as it was diseased and whilst I was sorry that she has lost a tree, I have been thrilled to see the change in our pear trees. I think I’ll give her some fruit as a thank you.

Each year I seem to be more prepared for the first couple of weeks of September, yes, I need to make sure that the kids are ready for school in smart uniforms with new pens and pencils for the fresh term, but our London Harvest needs careful planning. Unsurprisingly, it’s Urban Food Fortnight from 11th – 27th September, the perfect time to celebrate our bounty but within the celebration of the bounty there is a lot of work to be done. The honey is harvested from the bees in the first week of September allowing us to treat them for Varroa whilst it’s still warm, then it’s Cider Sunday, followed by Pick and Pickle, our preserving course on Friday 18th September, £70.

As the children go back to school, we can offer a wide range of lessons that support their curriculum and help them understand where their food comes from, do get in touch if you know a school that might like our help. With both our courses and schools programme, we can all understand more about where our food comes from and how we can start to turn our own urban corner green.

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LOCAL BUSINESS

FRENCH GREEN CLAY Judyta Zyrek on the secrets of perfect skin How to use it?

You can make a cleansing face mask using green clay. You will need: • 1tbs of green clay • 1tbs of room temperature boiled water • 2 drops of chosen essential oil (Tee tree and lavender are very good anti - bacterial oils) • Ceramic or glass bowl (avoid using metal)

Green clay is one of those cosmetics ingredients that you must have in your home, especially if you suffer from oily and problematic skin that is prone to breakouts. It is exceptionally useful when you want your skin to look fresh and clean before big night out. Many women and men have tried the green clay mask and have fallen in love with it, why?

It’s quite simple, green clay has brilliant properties acting as an absorbent on your skin, which means green clay not only draws out impurities, toxins and excess oil but it also neutralizes anything in your skin that promotes black heads formation such as bacteria.

Mix the ingredients together to a smooth paste by adding water slowly, add 2 drops of desired essential oils and spread finely on your face area, avoiding the eyes. The mask should be thick, covering all the troublesome areas, keep it on for approximately 10-15min and wash it off with lukewarm water. Apply moisturizer afterwards.

Please note that if the mask is left on for longer, you may feel your skin becoming itchy, that’s because green clay mask tightens your skin and should not be kept on for long periods of time. Do not re use or store the mask once it has been made.

What is green clay?

Green clay (Illite) is formed from volcanic and plant residue below the surface and it contains traces of minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron oxidizes which gives its green colour through, dolomite, silica, manganese, phosphorus, silicon, copper and selenium. The best quality of green clay comes from France, which has not been subjected to any pollution.

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LOCAL PROJECT

COTTON TWIST The rise of the Mumpreneurs

Maybe it’s just where I am right now but I seem to be surrounded by inspiring women who are setting up their own businesses. Or is it just me? Because I’m setting up on my own, I’m looking at everyone else in the same boat - a bit like being pregnant and suddenly noticing lots of other pregnant people. Or is it that modern life is enabling, empowering or possibly even forcing more women with children to start their own businesses rather than stick to working in more conventional jobs?

The term mumpreneur has been kicking around for a few years – it’s a pretty awful term, joining ‘playdate’ on the list of words that I use but cringe at myself in doing so. Somehow it manages to have a belittling edge; it says something like ‘you’re doing it on the side.’ A nice little hobby job. But all the mumpreneurs I know are taking their business enterprises very seriously.

I see them on the nursery run – like my friend who has just started importing baskets from Senegal (www. artisanne.co.uk) – we chat about how hard it is to do it all; the paperwork, building the website, the marketing and organizing the shipping. In our previous conventional jobs, we were able to focus on one aspect of a business and had a budget with which to do them in uninterrupted time.

Sometimes I co-work with a local friend who is setting up an online portal for refugees. We sit at our computers in companionable silence and then have our own water-cooler moments to break up the day. That’s the one thing I really miss about ‘conventional work’; the colleagues and the shared annoyance at a bad manager is something I look back at fondly… but I don’t want to go back. I also don’t want to feel embarrassed or disparaged for making this choice. I’m trying to create my own job, on my terms, around our family life.

Being a mumpreneur may sound like a bit of a cliché but for many of us it’s the natural choice. If things go well then we’ll be snapping up all the other talented people out there who want a flexible job around their children because we know there’s a great, untapped talent pool out there!

Alexis Allan has just started Cotton Twist with her business partner (and fellow Mum) selling eco crafting kits – perfect for party bags fillers and rainy day activities.

Available on www.cottontwist.co.uk and via www.notonthehighstreet.com

Then, picking my daughter up from school, I see a friend whom I’ve been helping out with twitter. She set up her own business (www.saltskin.net) designing and selling brightlycoloured animal-print wetsuits after walking idly on a beach one day and asking herself why children’s wetsuits looked so black and boring. Her background didn’t prepare her for this but that doesn’t mean that she can’t do it. She is doing it and doing it well!

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Costco WholesaleThe is aannual membership dedicated toisbringing our membership warehouse fee for Standardclub, Individual Membership £25 (plus VAT). members quality goods and services at the lowest possible Executive Individual Membership is an additional £30prices. (plus VAT) upgrade fee

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Individual Membership experience a pleasurable one. obtainedTo before purchases made.please provide your employee ID card or current pay slip to prove your As an Airport Employee you qualify for Individual Membership. join Costco andcan startbesaving IndividualPLUS Membership employment, a current utility bill (gas, telephone, electricity) or a bank statement addressed to your home. The annual membership fee for Standard Individual We areAs confident in£25the quality and value our Costco products, and stand behind them an AirportisEmployee you qualify for Individual Membership.

To join Costco and start saving please provide your employee ID card or current pay slip to prove your accepts cash, debit card, cheque Membership (plus VAT), which includes aof complimentary card for yourwe spouse or domestic partner.

PLUS current utility bill (gas, telephone, electricity) or a bank statementExpress addressed to your home. The annual membership fee for Standard Individual or American with ouremployment, guarantee ofasatisfaction.

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The annual membership fee for Standard Trade Membership is £20 (plus VAT). Executive Trade Membership is an additional £30 (plus VAT) upgrade fee a year.

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LOCAL HISTORY

TEACHING LOCAL FOLK A THING OR TWO Linda Lingham Taylor on local education It was William Forster’s Education Act of 1870 which marked the moment when the British government at last took the education of the nation’s children seriously, if only at an elementary level (although it was ten more years before school attendance became compulsory for 5 to 10 year olds). And this was just the start of a long-drawn out process towards the free comprehensive system of education, which we take for granted today.

Before 1870, education for the masses, including the poorer inhabitants of Isleworth, was more a matter of charity than of right. The Charity School Movement had begun in the late 17th century and a hundred years later combined with the Sunday School Movement to provide elementary education for the poor: the ‘3 Rs’ of reading, writing and ’rithmetic plus a fourth, and most important: religion. Any more than that, it was believed, would make the working classes discontented with their lot.

However, some schools which later became charity schools had been founded earlier, particularly what became known as the Isleworth Blue School, one of the oldest Church of

England schools in the country. It was established by 1630 following an endowment of £20pa from Elizabeth Hill, who wanted to help ‘Young girls … not vagrants or bastards, but fatherless and without friends’. The school appears on the Moses Glover map of 1635 in Lower Square and by 1669 it provided training in ‘reading, ciphering, knitting, spinning, sewing … cooking and housewifery.’ In 1715, a new school was set up in the Town House, following a bequest of £100 from Dr William Cave for the education of 40 boys and 20 girls.

In 1786, Mrs Sarah Trimmer, a noted educator, followed Robert Raike’s ground-breaking Gloucester model and founded a Sunday school in Brentford – Sunday being a good day for school as many children worked on the other six. Mrs Trimmer opined that such schools would aid selection of the children of the ‘respectable’ poor for charity schools, whilst those considered vagrant and delinquent were consigned to industrial schools or that lowest of the low, a dame school. These were generally run by a poor widow, who, for a fee, was often little more than a childminder for working parents.

The Old Blue School

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LOCAL HISTORY In its turn, Mrs Trimmer’s Sunday school inspired the vicar of Isleworth, William Drake, to establish one in Isleworth too, in 1796, which became The Green School (charity schools were known by their coloured uniforms, in Isleworth’s case, blue and green). Funds were provided by bequests from Elizabeth Lawrence in 1794, John Robinson of Wyke House in 1802 and John Sermon, in 1828. This charity school began in a house owned by the Duke of Northumberland in Church Street near the Isleworth Flour Mill and in 1815 it adopted the National System of education. By 1823, Mrs Glossop, the then vicar’s wife, had converted it into a free day school.

The National Society of the Church of England was one of two early 19th century voluntary bodies, the other being the non-conformist British and Foreign School Society, which established ‘National Schools’ or ‘British Schools’ to provide a Christian education for the poor. Both organisations operated the Monitorial System with older pupils passing on lessons by rote to the younger children, generally little more than the 3Rs plus practical skills to enable boys to find work and domestic skills for girls. The Blue School introduced the National System in 1813 and the school was enlarged in 1841, when a second storey was built in 1858.

Charity schools had by now become day schools and charged ‘school pence’ for their services: the Blue School, 2d to 6d a day, although the girls’ National school in Brentford (Mrs Trimmer’s Sunday School of old) still had sufficient subscriptions in 1843 to keep school pence down to 1d, though shopkeepers might be charged 4d and market gardeners and publicans paid up to 15 shillings quarterly. In 1858, The Green School was further endowed by Charlotte Florentia, Dowager Duchess of Northumberland, once governess to Princess, later Queen, Victoria and in 1859 her son, the duke, built a new school at the bottom of Park Road, adjoining the churchyard of All Saints.

In 1870, the Education Act established elected School Boards to build state elementary schools to supplement the ‘voluntary’ schools, retaining the monitorial system and school fees. By 1900 a national elementary system had been established, education becoming free in 1891 and the leaving age raised to 12 by 1899. But less than three quarters of children attended on any given day as almost 300,000 were still regularly employed and teachers often condoned girls’ absences to ‘help at home’. Even as late as 1930, only half of 5 to 7 year olds attended school.

The Blue School became an elementary boys’ school when the girls moved to a new building in North Street in 1870 but when the old Blue School closed in 1939 they were reunited in a junior mixed school. The Green School was converted into a Free School in 1892 but retained the atmosphere of an old-fashioned charity school with over half the 70 girls receiving free clothing.

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Sarah Trimmer

In 1902 Local Education Authorities replaced school boards and all schools, including church schools, were funded through the rates. In 1906 a new secondary Green School was opened by the Duke of Northumberland at Busch Corner. Bertha Croal, its first headmistress, remembered ‘a very quiet country road’ – this was before the Great West Road and Spur Road were built, with fields to the north and blossoming apple trees to the west. The grounds of Marlborough House came up to the school boundary (the old Marlborough school not being built until 1932) and to the south there were market gardens.

A lot has changed since then, not least the smothering of those fields and orchards by housing and the massive increase in road traffic. In 1918 the school leaving age was raised to 14 and in 1944 to 15 (and to 16 in 1972). We have seen grammar schools and secondary modern schools replaced by comprehensives and even ‘academies’. Gone are the scratchy pens once dipped into inkwells and blackboards and chalk dust are now replaced by computers and white boards. And we await the next ‘educational revolution’ but our hopes still rest with our children who are, after all, the nation’s future.

lindalinghamtaylor@gmail.com

www.outandaboutmag.co.uk

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LOCAL BUSINESS

MAD FOR MELA The London Mela has reinvented Mela outside of South Asia, out&about finds out how

The London Mela is the largest South Asian arts festival in Europe, started by Artistic Director, Ajay Chhabra and Julian Rudd in 2003. The Mela takes place on Sunday 6th September in 30 acres of Gunnersbury Park in West London and is a unique, critically acclaimed, one off show, which showcases the best in classical music, British Asian urban artists, dance, comedy and cabaret, Asian-influenced street theatre and circus; with a third of the audience from nonAsian communities, it is a truly inter-cultural family event with something for every generation of every community.

Its audiences have grown from 60,000 in the early years to 92,000 at its peak. Ajay Chhabra has been the driving force behind the creative vision and development of the London Mela since its inception. An established highlight in the capital’s cultural calendar, it is one of the only Melas in the country to commission new work.

This year the London Mela will also host Magic Mela, a kid’s zone. One of the highlights will be the performance, Navrattan - A Quest for the Lost Gems.

Created by Nutkhut’s co Artistic Director Simmy Gupta, it is based on the children’s stories of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1542 – 1605) and his favourite advisor, Birbal. Navrattan will use interactive performance

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elements, including shadow puppetry and traditional Kathak dance, along the path of the trail to entertain family audiences. Each participant will leave with a keep-sake of their adventure with Akbar and Birbal. There will also be workshops for children, inspired by Akbar’s love for maths, geometry, science and astronomy. The workshops will intertwine these educational elements in a fantastical but informative way that will be sure to delight young participants. Navrattan will certainly take you into the mysterious world of the Mughal as The London Mela will take us on a colourful, wild and creative cultural experience.

Proudly and poignantly, Ajay Chhabra affirms, “The London Mela 2015 offers unique productions with many artists choosing to make their London and UK premiers at this years event. Many of our audiences have direct links with Nepal. This years event will have a poignant focus on the country and with its diaspora community in the UK - both through the effects of the Earthquake and the commemorative links of 200 years of service to the British crown.”

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LOCAL BUSINESS

A SPACE LIKE NO OTHER Willow & Hall arrive in Chiswick with quality, handmade British furniture come inside

Frustrated with the lack of availability of high quality British furniture at affordable prices, Sarah Massouh founded Willow & Hall. With their focus as an online retailer, Willow & Hall chose to invest entirely in the design and making of their items. This enables their customers to purchase inspirational living and bedroom furniture, c o m e lovingly handmade in Britain using the finest materials, for exceptional value.

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Upon entering, customers immediately recognize that this immersive shopping experience is like no other‌One where the many facets of handcraftmanship are brought to life in a fun and engaging, yet informative way. The whole family can willowandhall.co.u indulge the delights of the sumptuous designs, experience T his in y the arrayw ofacustomisable options and handpick their perfect fabric in the curious haberdashery room. The showroom is somewhere a smile is created and at every turn there is T hata w something unexpected! ay

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LOCAL BUSINESS

FOREST SCHOOL Heidi Magill, founder of Nature Links explores the beauty of the outdoors

and get dirty. They have so much fun that they don’t realise they’re also filling their heads with knowledge, learning how to be creative and critical thinkers, developing social, physical and cognitive skills, raising their self-esteem, experiencing personal challenge and gaining the crucial skills they will need to be successful, independent participants in society.

Forest School is a holistic approach that focuses on child-led learning, self-esteem and emotional wellbeing. It doesn’t have a strict curriculum and is an inclusive learning process guided and inspired by the children. It’s now broadly agreed by parents and professionals alike that play is a critical element of child development. When children are in a state of play it becomes a safe way for them to try out ideas and explore.

I am passionate about play and have spent my career celebrating and defending its benefits. In 2012 I moved into the Forest School world and trained as a Level 3 Leader, then founded Nature Links, a not for profit social enterprise, to fuse together my passions for early education, play and Forest School. So how does Forest School work? A qualified Forest School Leader takes the children to the chosen setting. It might be the local woods, a park, a field or a small garden.

Usually the children will attend weekly over an extended period of time to encourage a deep connection to the space.

Visiting regularly means that children notice all the small changes in the environment as the seasons roll by. Best of all, unless there’s dangerously high winds or lightning forecast, it happens outside all year round!

Nature Links provides Forest School and outdoor learning activities for children, we are always thinking about future generations. How best to equip them with the life skills they will need and how to connect children with their local natural environment so that they can enjoy it and in the future protect it. The outdoors is such a special place that every child should experience its beauty and magic.

The outdoor learning approach has been going strong in Scandinavia since the 1980s and their education system is consistently rated as one of the best in the world.

Bridgewater College brought the concept of Forest School to the UK in 1993, and the movement is now spreading across the country. There are outdoor nurseries and kindergartens, independent Forest Schools and Forest School Leaders popping up in woodlands, schools and children’s centres. Operations like Project Wild Thing are encouraging organisations worldwide to team up and encourage more people to get outside.

I’ve loved working in schools for over ten years but since experiencing the freedom and benefits of working outside, there’s no going back. Learning outside feels free and unhurried. We enjoy the time together away from adverts and screens. The Forest School approach allows children to do the things children are supposed to do: explore, have fun

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LOCAL BUSINESS

KNOWING WHAT WORKS out&about chats to Jason Hobbs As the name suggests NumberWorks’nWords offers tuition in both Mathematics and English. Both start at Reception with English progressing through to a reading age of 12 and Maths continuing on to GCSE. All students are offered a Free 1 hour initial lesson where they’re assessed and they get a chance to experience the system first hand. The assessment results are discussed in detail with parents and a plan is made targeting any areas of weakness. The entire programme follows the National Curriculum and can just as easily be used to extend the brightest of students as well as help those who are struggling. “For just £26/hour you get something really special, and we are cheaper than many of our competitors,” says Jason.

Jason Hobbs, owner-manager of the latest NumberWorks’nWords branch in London, grew up in New Zealand not too far north of the capital Wellington. “I can remember standing at the end of the driveway growing up and looking across to the nearby mountains and thinking it was such a nice view, it’s certainly a lot different to the view from my front window nowadays.” While studying for a degree in Engineering, he worked as a founding tutor at the newly opened local NumberWorks’nWords centre, until then he’d never considered being a teacher. After Teacher’s College and teaching for two years in NZ, he moved to London at the end of 2001. His last post was 8 years at Notting Hill & Ealing High School of which 5 were also served as a KS3 Head of Year. “It was always part of the plan to open a NumberWorks’nWords centre,” and so in September 2014 that is exactly what he did.

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It is a place where learning is fun. Children love coming to NumberWorks’nWords because it offers a success based programme. “We want every child to feel more confident about themselves as a learner.” Achievements are rewarded both with treats and varying levels of certificates and the students themselves can easily see the progress they are making. The amount of feedback offered to both parents and children is really quite impressive; many parents come along each week and discuss with Jason what’s been happening at school and then chat about what was achieved in the lesson and what requires more time.

NumberWorks’nWords Chiswick is towards the east end of the High street, very near the Chiswick Lane - High Road intersection. Lessons are offered throughout the week until 7p.m. and on Saturdays until early afternoon. “We like to be flexible, some independent schools finish their terms earlier than state schools and in those cases, there are parents who are changing lesson times to happen during the day.”

There is a large behind the scenes network of people who help to keep NumberWorks’nWords as a global company at the top of their game. The programme is continually being honed and refined in response to the ideas of the centre managers and the experts at Head Office in NZ. Little wonder why there are over 12000 students attending NumberWorks’nWords centres throughout the world each week!

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HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

MEMBER NEWS West Thames College has the Hair Factor West Thames College is a hot bed of creative talent and this was nowhere so evident as at our annual hairdressing competition, The Hair Factor. Students worked on a variety of themes ranging from Disney characters to The X Men to create stunning styles. The event was sponsored by businesses including The Fantastic Hairdressers Group and judged by stylists from local salons as well as our partners from L’Oréal, represented by Sara Eardley. Sara commented, “The technical ability, creativity and passion on show were a joy to see and by giving these students a platform to show their work means that this will only increase their confidence.”

West Thames College can help you to find eager, well-trained candidates for your business through our apprenticeship courses. We offer apprenticeships in: • • • • • • •

Hairdressing Beauty Therapy Business Administration Customer Service Accounting Catering & Hospitality Construction trades

If you are interested in finding out more about apprenticeships and the financial support available, please contact our apprenticeship advisors on employers@west-thames.ac.uk

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www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

Osterley Park Fun Run

Sponsored by Hounslow Chamber of Commerce and out&about Magazine.

Hundreds of people crossed the finishing line at the Osterley Park 10k Fun Run on Saturday 20th June, which raised money for the memorial fund set up in memory of murdered teenager Alice Gross. Following a warm up with the crowd, Alice’s mum, Ros Hodgkiss and MP for Brentford and Isleworth, Ruth Cadbury were among the stampede of runners on the grounds of the National Park Trust.

Starting and finishing by Osterley House, the twoand-a-half lap course around the picturesque grounds surrounding the lakes also included a loop of the private gardens. All runners were given a medal and goody bag on completion. The race is brought to the borough by the team who organises the award winning Ealing Half Marathon, which takes place on Sunday 27th September 2015. West London’s only fully road closed event looks to be another huge success attracting up to 7,000 entrants.

For more information go to wwww.ealinghalfmarathon.com.

www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

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HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

MEMBER NEWS Summer Exhibition at the Musical Museum Not to be missed; weird, wacky, eccentric and ingenious everyday inventions from 1851 to 1951 and original posters from World War One at the Musical Museum in Brentford.

Come and enjoy guessing what a range of over 200 objects were designed to do. Maurice Collins has gathered an outstanding range of curious inventions including an eye massager, a portable navigator, moustache protectors and a Victorian Teasmade. The items will be displayed alongside the museum’s fascinating collection of mechanical musical instruments. Original World War I posters are also displayed to mark the centenary of the First World War. Exhibition is on until 31st August 2015.

www.musicalmuseum.co.uk

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www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

Broadcasting Services in Chiswick

On Tuesday 23rd June the Minister of State for the Digital Economy, Ed Vaizey, attended the official opening of the international entertainment group MTG’s new transmission centre in Chiswick. In his speech, Vaizey, thanked MTG for the vote of confidence in the UK, demonstrated through the investment in the transmission centre and the jobs it has created.

MTG can trace its beginning to the launch of the channel TV3 in 1987 which broadcast to Sweden, Norway and Denmark from the UK via satellite. Today, MTG operates 115 channels, available in 143 countries. The popularly named TV Triangle, here in West London, is a major hub for the global entertainment industry, the largest outside the US. Matthew Hooper, MTG EVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications said in his official opening day speech that, “International companies like us are proud to call this home. The 29 languages spoken in MTG’s office alone prove the point of how international this industry is.”

The transmission centre uses technology never previously deployed in Europe and at the moment of opening provides 60 channel feeds to 22 countries. It is the second transmission centre MTG has opened since 2010, when it opened a new facility in Riga, Latvia and its third in the UK, having previously operated from Camden and West Drayton. For the first time since 2007, most of MTG’s 400 UK staff now work in the same building, with almost a quarter working with the broadcast facilities.

www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

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HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

PAST EVENTS The Regeneration Game

May saw Hounslow Chamber of Commerce hosting a Regeneration Summit in the Hock Cellar on the 14th May at Fullers with guest speakers, Bill Grimsey, the retail guru and Jackie Sadek of UK Regeneration.

Bill spoke about the changing face of the high streets and the change in shopping habits, with the trend towards online shopping for mundane daily goods. However, when consumers do go shopping they want a pleasurable experience. Hence, the high streets will change to adapt to the ‘click and collect’ society. Hounslow Chamber has long been lobbying this point and have promoted the idea of ‘Destinations’ that are places to enjoy and participate in.

Jackie spoke of her new appointment to the Cabinet Office to work as policy adviser to cities minister, Greg Clarke.

Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of the Council, echoed how regeneration is a joint venture between public and private sectors and it is excellent how well Hounslow Chamber and Hounslow Council are working together for Hounslow’s regeneration in a pragmatic and open fashion. The event was able to take place thanks to Ballymore and Fuller Smith & Turner and guests enjoyed the presentations, followed by a Punjabi buffet and lashings of Fuller’s delicious beer.

Exporting for Business The Regeneration evening was closely followed by an afternoon and evening of events with the emphasis on exporting on 10th June at the Holiday Inn, Brentford Lock.

The day started with the Hounslow Business lunch, which attracted about 40 guests for the usual mix of informal business chat between members and the wider business community. The business lunch led into the Export workshop at 2.00 pm, a joint event with Richmond Council and Kingston Chamber of Commerce, which featured speakers from UKTI, UK Export Finance, Moore Blatch, sector legal specialists, Menzies, JSI Logistics and Hounslow Council. The latter part of the afternoon concentrated on China and India with fascinating insights into both countries from Mark Hedley of CBBC and Praveen Pandy of the London Chamber of Commerce Asian business associating, culminating with a short talk

by Mark Ormiston of Ormiston Wire, a five generation business based in Isleworth, already au fait with exporting practice. Hounslow Chamber, as a satellite of Surrey Chambers, is able to offer help with export documentation.

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The workshop was made possible thanks to Hounslow Council and Invest Hounslow.

A drinks reception followed, then a three-course dinner with guest speaker, the red braced economist, Justin Urquhart Stewart who spoke, in his inimitable irreverent fashion, for about 20 minutes about the state of the economy and the future. With many thanks to our sponsors: Moore Blatch, HSBC and Pernod Ricard. In the words of Paul Davies, Operations Director of Co-Innovate at Brunel University, “I would just like to put on record my congratulations to you for another excellent event and dinner. Well done.”

www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

HOUNSLOW CHAMBER

EVENT SCHEDULE Date tbc

6.00 pm

Table Football Tournament 2015 iBurbia Studios, 3 Heathfield Terrace, Chiswick W4 4JE Teams of 2: £30 plus VAT, single tickets: £20 plus VAT Evening sponsored by iBurbia, Sound Moves and Willmotts

6th August

9.00 am - 10.30am

Hounslow Business Breakfast The Moon under Water, 84-86 Staines Road, Hounslow TW3 3LF £5 for a full breakfast including tea/coffee

20th Aug

9.00 am -10.30 am

Business Breakfast at the Bulldog 556 London Road, Ashford TW15 3AF (large car park!) £5.00 for a full breakfast including tea and coffee Joint event with Spelthorne Business Forum and Surrey Chambers

3rd Sept

9.00 am - 10.30am

Hounslow Business Breakfast The Moon under Water, 84-86 Staines Road, Hounslow TW3 3LF £5 for a full breakfast including tea/coffee

9th Sep

12.45 pm

Hounslow Business Lunch The Sun PH, 148 Hanworth Road, Hounslow TW3 1UG Free Lunch

10th Sep

5.30 pm - 7.30 pm

Heathrow Business Summit – procurement workshop to engage with the Heathrow supply chain West Thames College, London Road, Isleworth TW7 4HS Please contact 01823 326800 or www.Heathrow.com/businesssummit

17th Sep

9.00 am - 10.30 pm

Business Breakfast at the Bulldog 556 London Road, Ashford TW15 3AF (large car park!) £5.00 for a full breakfast including tea and coffee Joint event with Spelthorne Business Forum & Surrey Chambers

23rd Sep

12.45 pm

Chiswick Business Lunch Chiswick Moran Hotel, 626 Chiswick High Road W4 5RY Free Lunch

If you would like to attend any event please contact Sally Smith on 020 8326 6416 or sallysmith@hounslowchamber.org.uk or visit www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

Hounslow Business Awards Dinner 2015 The third annual Hounslow Business Awards in association with Hounslow Highways culminates on the 9th October with a gala dinner and awards ceremony at the prestigious Hilton Hotel Syon Park.

Hosted by radio presenter Neil Bentley, the glittering evening will see the 2015 award winners announced. The evening will begin with a champagne drinks reception, followed by an exquisite three course meal with wine and coffee. The awards ceremony will

take place after dinner and will be followed by a live band through to 1am. The awards dinner is not just for our business awards finalists, it is also a great opportunity to network, host clients or reward staff.

Last year over 150 guests attended the awards dinner with tickets selling out well in advance. For 2015 individual tickets can be purchased for £85 + VAT, tables of 10 for £795 + VAT and Premier Tables for £995+VAT – for more information and to book tickets please email Isabella Harding via isabella@fhwem.com

www.hounslowchamber.org.uk

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020 8569 9278, sales@burchells.co.uk

Tailor made events with a personal touch

FHW is a boutique events and marketing agency working with corporate and private clients in London and the South East. Our highly experienced team can help plan and deliver your next event or marketing campaign. Our team has over 30 years expertise in delivering high profile, high quality events and marketing activities: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Corporate events Private dinners Charity fundraisers Marketing campaigns Social media

For an informal chat, call us on 020 8770 3177

www.FHWem.com

LOCAL BUSINESS

A DRY CLEANER WITH A DIFFERENCE Mike Moran tells out&about why Top Hat Cleaners cares about clothes and the community in Chiswick Top Hat Cleaners has been part of Chiswick since my parents opened the business in 1968 and we still work to my Dad’s motto, “We clean to a standard not a price.” We have unrivalled knowledge and skill and most importantly, we care about clothes and items that need cleaning or repairing. We care about our staff and the community that has supported us for the past 47 years.

Street Party in Chiswick The Devonshire Road Street Party is on Sat 12th September at 10.30 am to 4.30 pm

We use the best of everything so if your clothes don’t feel quite right or look a little dull bring them to us and we’ll help to inject new life into them. We’re open every day apart from Sunday from 7 am – 6 pm but I’m here with the door open from 6 am if you need to drop something off on your way to work and of course we have the Auto Valet for you to use 24 hours a day! We also offer a tailoring service for the smallest moth hole repair to dress fittings and suit alterations; no job is too big or small for Anna our tailor, who has years of experience and expertise.

Our new Hammersmith branch houses our laundry department so we can offer a quality bed linen service which includes the dry cleaning of duvets and of course a cracking shirt service. We use top range machinery (Meile) and the best chemicals so that your clothes receive top quality treatment. If you ever need any advice about your clothes, then we always give honest advice, even if that’s sending you home to wash it yourself!

20 Devonshire Road Chiswick W4 2HD 020 995 9813 289 King Street Hamersmith W6 9NH 020 8741 2581 www.tophatchiswick.com Twitter: @tophatw4

20 % Discount

Each year the majority of the shops and businesses on Devonshire (and a few invited friends) put on a street party as a way to promote all the different independents that make up Devonshire Road. The idea is multi fold, of course we want to attract new customers but it is also a chance to say thank you to the local community that supports us throughout the year. We also take the opportunity to raise a little money for a great local charity, this year we are supporting W4 Youth with all the proceeds from the Hog Roast going directly to them as well as monies raised by the shops on the day. We will again be laying an excellent artificial grass surface for the activities to use, with the music playing, the smells of food being prepared, children running around you’ll feel some of what makes Devonshire Road special all year round.

Present this voucher when you drop and pre -pay for your items

Excludes Suede & Leather cleaning and Items sent to The Hand Bag Spa. Valid until December 31st 2015

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www.outandaboutmag.co.uk

LITTLE OLD BRENTFORD

BIG NEW AMBITIONS After narrowly missing out on promotion to the Barclays Premier League last season, this year we’ll be doing everything we can to go one better. There’s never been a more exciting time to watch The Bees. And you can be there.

2015/16 SEASON TICKETS NOW ON SALE From £419 Adults, £309 Seniors, £269 Young People, £115 Juniors.

brentfordfc.co.uk

#BIGNEWAMBITIONS

ASHTON HOUSE SCHOOL

ASHTON HOUSE SCHOOL

50/52 Eversley Crescent Isleworth Middlesex TW7 4LW

50/52 Eversley Crescent Isleworth Middlesex TW7 4LW

Want toagive your child a Choosing school for your child?

Choosing a school for your child? first class education?

Ashton House School has for the past

Ashton House School has for the past a happy, 80 years beenfrom offering highpurposeful quality primary education to children environment with high academic standards and an education the surrounding areas; enriched by to children from enrichingprimary broad-based curriculum which aims at a purposefulthe environment with high surrounding areas; enriched by ‘adding inordinate value’ to each child’s learning. academic standards and an inspiring, a purposeful environment with high broad curriculum. We have an We have academic an and excellent exam andand scholarship standards an inspiring, excellent exam scholarship record and our assessment data makes us a highly record with the vast majority of broad curriculum. We have an achieving independent school. children moving on to the school excellent exam and scholarship

80Ashton years been offering high quality House School offers

of their choice. Our academic

record the vast majority of Contact us for thewith latest results on our latest record certainly makes us one of

International Benchmarking (IBT).

They the highest achieving independent children moving onTests to the school

ashtonhouse.com

schools West London.at Ashton showinthat students

School are of their choice. OurHouse academic achieving at a very high level and are competitive record certainly makes us one of Be inspired: with children anywhere around the world. the highest Find out how we can help your child today.achieving independent schools in West London.

Be inspired: Find out how we can help your child today.

To find out more call us on

or visit our website:

020 8560 3902

ashtonhouse.com

Come and meet our committed and caring staff.

They are passionate about helping children achieve their best.

To find out more callCRESCENT us on or visit our website:MIDDLESEX TW7 4LW 50/52 EVERSLEY ISLEWORTH

8560 ashtonhouse.com T:020 020 8560 39023902 F: 020 8568 1097 E: principal@ashtonhouse.com