Palmers Green & Southgate LIFE March/April 2017

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Palmers Green

Southgate

LIFE

March / April 2017 Edition Issue 35

The founder of the NSPCC • Reverend Benjamin Waugh

Fairer funding for Enfield • The over 50's forum

Fostering in Enfield • Giving children a better future

Image supplied by Enfield Council Local Studies and Archive

Southgate Green in days gone by

33 Southgate

Green today

the NSPCC h, founder of Benjamin Waug

welcome We have had an exceptionally busy start to the year at Anthony Webb. January saw a dramatic rise in the number of properties we had for sale, in fact, according to Rightmove, we were the number one agent for new instructions in Palmers Green.

This increase was partly due to people actioning New Year decisions but we also saw some of our investors selling their rental properties. The latter opens up opportunities for first time buyers, currently the busiest sector of the property market in London. We are pleased to say that many of our properties had gone under offer within a matter of weeks. My team are dedicated to keeping a constant eye on our properties performance online and in person. This enables us to provide feedback to our vendors to ensure that their property grabs the attention of buyers.

I predict that the Palmers Green property market will remain stable throughout 2017 despite Brexit.

Affordability is pushing out Londoners to the suburbs and, with our excellent transport links, Palmers Green is a popular destination. Towards the end of last year there was an uplift in the number of rental properties available as investors had rushed to acquire property before the new stamp duty tax came into effect. This saw a stabilisation of rents locally. However, the rental market remains strong and demand is high particularity for one and two bedroom apartments. If you are thinking about becoming a landlord or own a property that you are considering letting out please talk to a member of our team. They are trained in all the latest legislation and you can feel confident that your property is in safe hands.

Special thanks to all our columnists and the local businesses that support our magazine through advertising, this months sees the launch of our "Right up your street" column on page 15. If you run a business from home why not contact us to see if we can help you raise local awareness.

Tony Ourris

Martin McKelvey

Director / Editor at Large tonyourris@anthonywebb.co.uk

Office Manager martin@anthonywebb.co.uk

Theo Kyriacou

Emily Berry

Sales and Lettings Negotiator theo@anthonywebb.co.uk

Property Manager lettings@anthonywebb.co.uk

Kat Georgiou

Panayiota Kyriakides

Property Manager lettings@anthonywebb.co.uk

Administrator

Leo Morales-Joannou Administration Assistant

If you are interested in advertising a local service or business please get in touch or if you have a local story or article that you would like featured in our magazine please contact ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Have a great Easter.

Tony

Tony Ourris Director Anthony Webb Estate Agents

Ellie Sales

Claudeth Whyte

Magazine Editor ellie@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Advertising Manager ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

Anthony Webb supporting local schools, charities and local action groups to enrich our community

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

A view from City Hall

by Joanne McCartney AM

Don’t reverse the remarkable transformation in London’s schools E: joanne.mccartney@london.gov.uk www.joannemccartney.com Tel: 020 7983 5524

There has been a remarkable transformation in London schools over the last 15 years with our children’s attainment rising dramatically. Now 92% of London schools are rated as good or outstanding and outperform every other region in the country. Head teachers, teachers and support staff can be justifiably proud of their and their pupils’ achievements.

But now funding pressures on schools threaten these improvements. The government is proposing a new schools’ funding formula which will see 70% of London’s schools face budget cuts - the largest reduction in funding in the country.

This proposed cut must also be seen in the context of other funding pressures. A recent report from the Institute of Fiscal

Studies found that additional cost pressures for schools equated to an 8% real terms reduction in per-pupil funding between 2014-15 and 2019-20, and no school that gains under the revised formula will gain enough to compensate for these increased cost pressures.

The National Audit Office has warned of a risk to educational outcomes as a result of these funding pressures. As around 70% of a school’s budget is spent on staff, funding reductions are likely to mean fewer teachers and support staff who are the major factor in children making progress and achieving good results.

There are other challenges too. Too many of 16 year olds (around a third) do not achieve a grade C in maths or English, and although London does relatively

well, there is still a significant attainment gap for the most disadvantaged students.

A projected 165,000 extra school places are needed by 2025 and over half of London’s head teachers are over 50, many expecting to retire in the next few years.

Every child deserves a good education and without the right qualifications and skills they will not make the most of their potential and access good quality jobs in the future. At a time when employers are warning of skills shortages, amplified by concerns over Brexit, we should be investing more in education and vocational training. The government needs to think again about its plans to cut funding to London’s schools and ensure that all schools nationally have the resources they need.

Introducing local artist Barbara Strong Barbara has no formal Artistic training. "I've always been able to paint. It’s a desire, almost compulsion. But as a single mum helping unemployed people, I was too busy surviving and supporting other people’s dreams, not my own.”

After an active journey of personal change, overcoming fear and doubt, she finally acknowledged, she was an Artist and at 48, kids grown up, she sold her London home, travelling for the first time, between Goa, S.E. Asia and Nepal, immersing herself in local communities and language, studying Buddhism and discovering the Artist within her.

“Initially, I had no idea of my ability, style or what to paint, so I painted my new world, the scenery, people and culture. My work is simple, colourful, vibrant and honest, with a photographic quality. I’m quite spontaneous, yet drawn to fine details. Travel and weight restrictions have affected my work. I use colour pencils, but paper is heavy, prone to damage. I love pastel but it smudges easily. Acrylic paints on canvas roll is most practical. My style is changing with an imaginative quality emerging in realistic scenes.

I’d like to paint much larger, experimenting with abstraction, oils and inks.”

“My work and its purpose is heavily influenced by the humbling generosity of the world's poorest people,

sharing their homes, families and food with me, touched by their good humour during extreme hardship. I was deeply moved by the terribly low status, heavy burden and struggle carried by Women.

Their strength has utterly inspired me. I’ve also met incredible people, selflessly helping the most vulnerable communities. Realising how lucky I was to have all I have and wanting to help, I made a commitment. Every penny of the sales of my artwork will be given directly to people and groups I personally know to enable them to help others” “A year after that commitment, the Earthquake hit Nepal (May 2015) Nepal epitomises everything that has humbled me. I fundraised and have visited Nepal three times since, allocating funds and monitoring its impact. The need or enthusiasm to help has not dwindled, only the cash. People use their individual skills to help, and mine is to paint, so I’ve built a body of work that represents Nepali life, its people and my journey, both literal and artistic, solely to raise funds.

I return to Nepal on completion of this exhibition.

Please visit Anthony Webb to see exhibits of Barbara's work throughout March and April, You can also keep up to date with her activities on her Facebook page

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Join us at Barbara's exclusive gallery launch on Tuesday 7th March from 7pm-9:30pm.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

“The only voice that reached him was the cry of a child” the tale of Reverend Benjamin Waugh

by Ellie Sales At 33 The Green in Southgate you will find an imposing three story building, used today as a nursery.

A blue plaque adjacent to its entrance tells us that the Reverend Benjamin Waugh lived in a house on this site when he founded the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1884.

Originally it was a lovely old three-storied house. A flight of 8 stone steps led up to an attractive doorway. The brick arched windows looked out from a front wall clad in greenery. The building was also the home of Barclay’s bank until 1926 when it was demolished in 1927 before being rebuilt.

Benjamin Waugh was born, the son of a saddler in Settle, Yorkshire, on February 20 1839. His mother, Mary, was known around the town as “the Good Samaritan” but The Rev Benjamin she died when Waugh was the first Benjamin was only director of the NSPCC eight years old.

(Picture courtesy of the NSPCC archive) Of fragile health, he was sent to Southport at the age of 14.

His health gave concern that he would not be strong enough for a church career, but in 1862 he managed to study for the ministry and attended theological college in Bradford before moving to Newbury, Berkshire. Then in 1866, following his marriage to Sarah Boothroyd in 1865, he moved to London working as a Congregationalist minister in the slums of Greenwich. Waugh became appalled at the deprivations and cruelties suffered by children. Critical of the workhouse system, the Poor law and aspects of the criminal justice system as it affected children, he

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wrote a book (The Gaol Cradle, Who Rocks It?, 1873) urging the creation of juvenile courts and children's prisons as a means of diverting children from a life of crime.

In Greenwich he created a flourishing church, founded a “Society for Temporary Relief in Poverty and Sickness” and set up a day home where working mothers left their children. Between 1870 and 1876 he was elected to the London School Board where he heard parents making excuses for not sending their children to school.

That became the basis for his focus on establishing a society benefiting children and their needs. At the time the rights of parents were sacrosanct and they were the sole arbiters in respect of the health of their child.

By 1881, he and his family had moved to Southgate Green, where he took over the Ministry of the Independent Chapel in Chase Side.

In 1884, he founded the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to children.

The London body's first chairman was veteran social reformer Earl Shaftesbury. It evolved to become the NSPCC some four years later in 1888, with Waugh as its first director and Queen Victoria as its first patron.

The NSPCC lobbied to create the Children's Charter, which made harming a child an offence. In 1885 The Criminal Law Amendment Act was passed, giving rights to children, and Waugh secured the insertion of a clause giving magistrates power to take the evidence of children too young to understand the nature of an oath.

In 1887 at the age of 48, he retired from his ministry to devote himself exclusively to philanthropic labours. Waugh led the society for 21 years with tremendous energy. His flowing locks and bearded countenance, gave him the appearance of a missionary. He was a great organiser, a fine speaker and a man of candor and fairness. He confronted officialdom in matters of injustice to children and, when he did so, his supporters would say he was on the “Waugh-path”.

In 1905, owing to ill health, he relinquished the directorship of the Society

Benjamin Waugh with some of his twelve children circa 1889

and died at Westcliff in 1908. His wife Sarah, who took a keen interest in his work, lived on into her 94th year and when she died in 1932, 8 of their 12 children still survived.

On 5th November, 1934, the blue plaque in Waugh’s memory was unveiled by Lord Ulleswater, with the Mayor of Southgate in attendance. The Reverend is honoured by another plaque just a mile or two away at Christ Church Congregational in Friern Barnet Road where he was the founder Minister (1883-87).

In 1884, the Society had one inspector and dealt with 147 cases. By 1889, the NSPCC had 32 branches nationwide looking out for children suffering neglect and abuse. In the society’s first five years it helped nearly 4,000 children and the estimate is that, by now, it has touched the lives of more than 10 million.

NSPCC - www.nspcc.org.uk

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Councillor’s Corner

by Cllr. Bambos Charalambous

Hospice Care Cllr.bambos.charalambous@enfield.gov.uk Tel: 020 8379 2653 Benjamin Franklin coined the phrase “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” and whilst much is said about the latter, many people find it hard to talk about death and dying. There is naturally much sensitivity in talking about death from people including health professionals, friends and even family. Few people want to discuss what happens when we have shuffled off this mortal coil. One place where death and dying are not taboo is the hospice.

Medical professor Atul Gawande in his moving, best selling book ‘Being Mortal’ strongly advocates the benefits of end of life palliative care and champions the cause of hospices. He points out that if you were to ask most people how they would like to spend their dying days they would say, in familiar surroundings, with loved ones and in as little pain as possible. He goes on to explore the services provided by hospices and the experience that patients have in the weeks and days leading up to their death.

We have a hospice day centre in Barrowell

Green, Palmers Green which is run by the North London Hospice. The building has won awards for its architectural design and for sustainability. In the building the specially trained hospice staff and volunteers provide health and care services for patients and also emotional and practical support for carers and the families of patients. North London Hospice also provides services for patients in Barnet and Haringey.

It is desperately sad to discover that a loved one is dying but it is doubly heart breaking when that loved one is a child. Although not in the borough of Enfield, Haven House is a specialist children’s hospice in Woodford Green that provides services for local children and their families with life limiting illnesses.

In partnership with Enfield Council, Haven House Children’s Hospice has set up a Home Toy Loan service providing specialist toys to parents of life limited children.

Both North London Hospice and Haven House provide a invaluable services that make terminally ill people’s lives and that of their

families and carers a little bit better. The services provided are free of charge. According to research from HospiceUK regarding funding, children’s hospices receive on average just 10% of their income from the NHS whilst the adult hospices get 30%. It is therefore no surprise to discover that both these amazing organisations are charities and they rely on round the year fund-raising to keep their services going at a time when the public sector and the NHS are facing cuts.

When you consider the services that these organisations provide I’m sure that you’ll agree that they should be supported. If you want to find out more about these organisations their websites are www.northlondonhospice.org and www.havenhouse.org.uk. Whilst I hope that none of us have cause to use them, it is very reassuring to know that, even when facing a terminal illness, there are people out there who can provide much needed care and support.

Parliamentary Comment

by David Burrowes MP

It’s time we gave our children the relational tools they need to stay safe david@davidburrowes.com Constituency: 020 8360 0234 A recent report from the Women and Equalities Committee uncovered the extraordinary scale and impact of sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools today. 59% of girls and young women aged 13–21 said in 2014 that they had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year, whilst 41% of UK girls aged 14 to 17 who reported an intimate relationship had experienced some form of sexual violence from their partner. Children of primary school age are beginning to learn about sex and relationships through exposure to hard-core pornography, while 60% of 1318 year olds have reported being asked for a sexual image or video of themselves.

Too many vulnerable children are growing up without any meaningful contact or understanding of healthy relationships. They know about trauma and not trust; conflict and not commitment. We need to build their resilience and relationships for their sake and future generations. We cannot stand by.

Schools have an invaluable role to play in

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www.davidburrowes.com Westminster: 020 7219 5414

developing our young people’s relational health and skills. Unfortunately, they are currently not fulfilling that responsibility. In a survey of over 2,000 pupils last year it was found that 46% had not learnt about healthy relationships, 44% had failed to learn about when a relationship was abusive and, shockingly, 43% had never been taught about the responsibility for getting consent, nor their choice in giving consent.

I am therefore leading a cross party amendment to have Relationship Education as a compulsory part of the national curriculum and taught at all schools. It will focus attention on the root causes of harassment, violence and sexism. It will teach the basic relational knowledge, skills and values that all young people need for adolescent and adult life. These are as essential as literacy and numeracy and are based around the values of equality and respect. Relationship Education will provide a reference point for developing healthy relationships; teaching young people about conflict management and consent. It

will directly address the epidemic of pornography online, challenge a culture of sexting and peer pressure and extol the importance of quality relationships upon physical and mental health.

Teaching materials would of course need to be age appropriate and respectful of religious backgrounds. Parents would be fully involved in how relationships education is taught.

Relationships would also provide the foundation to sex education which would no longer just be an inadequate biology lesson about the mechanics of sex.

This amendment is the first time politicians across parties and different sides of past debates about sex education have come together, alongside leading children’s and relationships charities and children and young people campaigning organisations, to unite so we can build resilience and healthy relationships in all our schools.

It’s time we gave our children the relational tools they need to stay safe.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

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Local family help raise over £3,000 for Noah's Ark Children's Hospice by Steve Kelly Recently we held a fundraising Magic Night for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

Noah’s Ark look after over 150 families across our local area who have a child with a life threatening or life ending medical condition. in hospitals. The event raised over £3,000 birthday the latter happened in an instant but such an amount would not have been and she could not recover so sadly her possible without the generosity of our host character, voice and heart were lost to us Eimear Walsh and her wonderful venue forever.

The Winchmore.

We do fundraisers each year to support So a big thank you to her and to all our families who need help to get through donators, for the long term fundraising aim similar experiences. We know how could be realised in the next year or so. fortunate we were to have the staff and The plan is to have a respite centre where ethos of Noah’s Ark guide us through her families can come stay and rest away from life and death with their dedicated the stresses of their own home and have specialists and remarkable volunteers. trained dedicated staff to act as carers and Rachel and Steve Kelly with volunteers from the What has humbled us again as we did this allow parents to be parents, helping them hospice event is the strength of our local find the reserves of emotional and physical community, of friends and family but also energy they so desperately need to vitally that of local businesses big and Our first child Jessica was born with a rare manage their child’s life. small. They have helped enormously by medical condition which meant she was at My personal hope is that long term such a providing, when they can, products and threat every day from losing her life due to place will become an integral part of the gift vouchers, which in turn allows us to her chest muscles being so weak. She community as a whole and allow our next draw in people’s attention to raising could easily have a blockage and stop generation to grow up with a greater money and awareness of Noah’s Ark and breathing or suffer severe brain damage understanding and value on life. their outreach work in families’ homes and from a lack of oxygen. Just after her sixth If you would like to participate and learn more please visit the Noah’s Ark website for all the ways you can get involved in what I’m sure will be a huge part of our community’s future at www.noahsarkhospice.org.uk

Fairer funding for Enfield Petition

by Montagu Meth, Over 50's Forum Chairman Just as the Prime Minister is now seeking a fair deal to exit the EU, so the Over 50s Forum is seeking a fairer deal from Ministers who decide the government funding for Enfield.

We have now been told that we’ll remain underfunded until at least 2020, but this gives us more time to make our case to Ministers for fairer funding - while the cuts go on.

For the coming financial year the basic government grant to Enfield council to maintain its wide range of services for every resident has again been cut by £24.7 million. Ministers have said it will be cut again in the following two years by an additional £31.4 million. This is a 42% reduction in income.

Since 2003-04 successive governments have robbed Enfield of at least £100 million. At the same time cost pressures on the council are rising for adult social care, for transporting children with special educational needs and providing homeless families with temporary accommodation.

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Because the grant for the next financial year has been cut to £108.9 million the Forum executive has decided to continue gathering signatures to its Fairer Funding for Enfield petition. In doing so we hope to influence Ministers now setting up a local authority “needs assessment” team to determine future policy.

I could give many examples of how Enfield comes off second best compared with other councils, but you almost certainly will not know that in 2015 Enfield topped a nationwide league table drawn up by Shelter, the homeless charity, listing the number of Enfield families facing claims by landlords to re-possess their property.

Yet the Government’s Homelessness Prevention Fund has only granted the borough £537,296 this year, while Westminster council is receiving £7.971.080; Lambeth £2,738.530 and

Kensington and Chelsea £2,151,703.

Pressure on the council to provide emergency shelter is almost certain to increase following the latest arrival of a Hertford Road-based company called Eviction Aid - which claims to be a tenant eviction specialist aiming to “put landlords first”. It will offer a ” free no obligation consultation” to landlords wanting their property back - often to secure higher rents.

Finding homes for homeless families has almost doubled from £23 million in 2011/12 to £41 million in the last financial year and it will be higher still this year.

Signing our petition online is simple and easy. Please go to www.change.org – search Fairer Funding or better still call our Forum office 020 8807 2076 for petition forms.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Champions of our community Celebrating the people that make our community great!

Champions of our community - Kindly sponsored by Gordon Thomas Goodlooking Optics and Good Looking Happy People Enfield.

Credit Andrew Pro

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r ons to Tasfia (Yea Many congratulati r he on ol, ho d Sc 10) from Broomfiel rmance at the phenomenal perfo ey SpeakOut tch prestigious Jack Pe Her clever and Final.

Challenge Enfield d s both moving an original speech wa perience has humorous. The ex as ed her confidence; massively increas g to tin en es pr of nt well as her enjoyme nce. an audie

Do you know someone that you would like to see featured here?

Elizabeth Dobbie Congratulations to at the vo r lunteer team and the rest of he ey Th y. tor va er ns Broomfield Park Co Enfield in Bloom by ard aw received a gold ural ceptional Horticult in the category 'Ex '. ity un mm co contribution to the

Eimear Walsh at A big thumbs up to hosting a charity for e or The Winchm ildren's Hospice.

Ch k Ar event for Noah's over ÂŁ3,000.

The event raised

Please get in touch with our team, contact ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk

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Well done to Dani Gavriel who cut off her long locks in support of the Little Princess Trust wh o children with canc make wigs for er, she raised over ÂŁ1,220!

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

What are the advantages of a small, through school? by Debbie Simmons In January Palmers Green High School (PGHS) welcomed their new Headmistress, Mrs Wendy Kempster, who joined them from Loughborough High School. During her career, Mrs Kempster has held a wide variety of posts in a range of schools across the country.

Wendy sees great advantages to a small, through school for pupils from ages 3 to 16 and explains below why she thinks a small school has so much to offer.

Palmers Green High School is an academically selective, small, suburban girls’ school. Girls can join the school at age 3 in our Pre-prep nursery and continue their education right through to age 16 when they leave us to join their chosen sixth form. We are the only independent girls’ school in the area that can offer this ‘one school ethos’.

So what makes the 3 to 16 experience so valuable?

A small, through school can deliver on many key aspects: • Small class sizes – there is a marked difference in pupils’ performance in classes of 20 or less.

• All children are well known by all staff. No hand goes up unnoticed and no voice is unheard.

• In a small school there is capacity for a personalised approach for individuals as

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their needs are well known and they can develop at their own pace.

• Concerns of a pastoral or academic nature are picked up and dealt with more quickly.

• More of the school community have the chance to shine.

• The lower and the senior schools are fully integrated. This creates a true ‘family feel’ with the older girls really adding value to the experience of the younger girls and vice versa.

• Transition is seamless. It avoids the stress of transferring to a new school at a young age.

This last point is a real strength of the 3 to 16 setting. Pupils move seamlessly through the different key stages whilst remaining in the same familiar surroundings of their school.

They are able to stay with their friends and, because the teachers know them, their learning is continuous. This all removes the uncertainty of joining a new school for the secondary phase.

Some girls do join us from local primary schools at the start of Year 7. They settle in very quickly

and make friends easily in our welcoming environment. A PGL activity course is organised early in the Autumn Term to ensure that the Year 7 girls form strong relationships as they embark on life at secondary school.

PGHS has very good links with many of the top sixth forms in the area. PGHS girls are welcomed by these institutions on the basis that they achieve excellent GCSE results (72% of GCSE/IGCSE grades were A*/A over the last five years) and that they are very well prepared for this transition at post -16.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Meet Enfield Foster Carer Trudy Pye My husband Keith and I have been fostering for 34 years and during this time we’ve fostered over 60 children.

We foster for Enfield because this is our own community and working with the local authority means we can work directly with the children from our community that need help.

We enjoy fostering. It is hard work, challenging at times and in different ways - especially with behaviour and emotions.

Sometimes they have so much going on they have to get through all of that first before they can

trust you. It may take time, but when you achieve a breakthrough it is so rewarding. They’ve all got potential. Even when they may be difficult to engage with or present challenging behaviour, there is still a glimmer of hope. Most of the time, they don’t believe in themselves unless you believe in them.

it’s worth all the hard work you put in. To be a foster parent, being non-judgemental, having a big heart and having a spare bedroom is essential. You have to be there for the children through thick and thin because that is exactly what they need. At the end of the day, with your hard work, you can get back far more than what you give.

Sometimes you don’t think that you’ve changed their lives. But when a positive change happens

If you are interested in giving children in our community a better future be an Enfield Council foster carer. Contact Enfield Council Fostering Service today call 020 8379 2831 or email fostering@enfield.gov.uk

Foster with Enfield Council Earn up to £450+* a week

Enfield’s children in care and Enfield Council foster carers can achieve more together

Help children in care reach their full potential

Make good use of your spare bedroom

Benefit from our excellent training and 24/7 support

* Amount you earn can vary depending on your placement

020 8379 2831 Fostering in Enfield

fostering@enfield.gov.uk @fosterenfield

www.enfield.gov.uk

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Bringing local businesses and people together This month sees the launch of our new column supporting the local businesses that work from home. We often hear about businesses on our high street but more and more people are choosing to set up their own business from home.

The convenience of working from home can be very appealing, especially for those with younger children. We hope that this column will encourage the owners of small independent local businesses to get in touch with us to help increase the local awareness of your services.

Claude and Ellie like nothing better than talking to small business owners and helping them to spread the word about the services they have to offer. If you would like to be part of this new venture than contact us on ads@palmersgreenlife.co.uk and advertise your business in our new ‘Right up your street’ column.

Sustainable Catering that doesn’t cost the earth! by Ellie Sales Palmers Green and Southgate Life magazine met up with Sonya Meagor, the founder of eco cuisine, based in Palmers Green. Eco Cuisine is an award winning ethical, sustainable, organic catering business providing event, corporate and private catering in London and beyond.

Sonya set up her business in 2009 and lives in Palmers Green. We wanted to find out more about how she successfully runs a business from home.

What’s the best thing about working from home?

Having the flexibility to work when you want is a great advantage. I'm lucky enough to have use of a room in our house as an office. This enables me to separate my admin time away from the kitchen at the Millfield Theatre. This helps me to focus on what needs to be done on our busy kitchen days and leave admin. at home which I can do in the evening or at the weekend if necessary.

What are the downside of working from home?

I'm not sure there any to speak of. Other than the temptation to do house chores!

How do you attract new business working from home?

The majority of my business is driven through social media, word of mouth, my own website and networking. Maintaining the highest levels of customer service is a priority for me to ensure that all my customers are happy and return as well as recommend me to others. We have a growing number of returning Corporate clients too.

What is the ethos behind eco cuisine?

The name eco cuisine is derived from – Eco means “living things in relation to their environment” and cuisine meaning “a style of cooking primarily influenced by the ingredients that are available locally or through trade”. At eco cuisine we aim to cook great tasting food, while respecting the environment we live in. I am passionate about; • Using organic, free-range or traditionally reared produce from sustainable farming methods. Animal welfare is one of my primary concerns when sourcing quality meat.

• Using wild, organic, sustainable fish and seafood • Using British produce whenever possible to avoid food miles • Considering the re-use and/or recycling of the items we use for each event • Not using GM food items • Not using intensively farmed produce

Do you have many local clients or is most of your work in town?

We do have some local corporate clients such as Premier Workspace Services in Enfield, their company upcycles office furniture and are also focused on sustainability. Most of our work is in town and as our company continues to grow we now use the Millfield Theatre kitchen. We offer clients big and small bespoke services including; • Corporate catering – breakfasts, working lunches and of course all the other event catering you would expect • Sandwich/wrap platters • Fork and finger buffets, hot or cold • BBQ’s • Conference catering • Event catering • Private catering for 16 people and above – dinner parties, barbeques, birthday parties, Christenings, funerals and wedding catering at venues and in your own home from as little as £10 per head for a hot buffet delivery. Clients are pleasantly surprised at how affordable we are, even though we use high quality produce.

Please visit their website to find out more www.eco-cuisine.co.uk or call Sonya on 07773 298269.

You can arrange a no obligation tasting or enquire about making a booking.

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• Four bedrooms • Edwardian period house • Living room • 28ft kitchen/diner • Three bath/shower rooms • Many period features • Close to shops/station • Rear garden

• Four bedroom terrace house • Two bath/shower rooms • Two receptions • Beautiful kitchen/diner • Ground floor utility/cloakroom • 146 sqm of floorspace • Popular location • Front & rear gardens

£780,000 Freehold

£775,000 Freehold F SA OR LE

New River Crescent Palmers Green, N13

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New River Crescent Palmers Green, N13

• Four bedrooms • End of terrace house • Two receptions • Kitchen/diner • Two bath/shower rooms • 65ft rear garden • Close to shops/station • Desirable location

• Four bedrooms • Edwardian end of terrace • Two receptions • Extended kitchen/diner • Great location • Many original features • Off street parking • South/westerly garden

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Hamilton Crescent Palmers Green, N13

Fox Lane Palmers Green, N13

£729,995 Freehold

£825,000 Freehold

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

F SA OR LE

F SA OR LE

• Semi-detached house • Three bedrooms • Two receptions • Kitchen/diner • Double garage • Off street parking • CHAIN FREE

• Two bedroom 2nd floor flat • Purpose built development • Living/ding area • Contemporary fitted kitchen • Secure gated parking space • Video entry phone system • Close to shops and station • CHAIN FREE

£600,000 Freehold

£450,000 Leasehold F SA OR LE

Hazelwood Lane Palmers Green, N13

F SA OR LE

Norfolk Avenue Palmers Green, N13

• Two double bedrooms • First floor maisonette • Spacious living room • Modern kitchen • Loft space • 113 year lease remaining • Own front door • Own rear garden

• One double bedroom • Ground floor converted flat • Good size living room • Modern kitchen and bathroom • Cellar • Double glazing • Close to shops/stations • Own rear garden

The Walk, Fox Lane Palmers Green, N13

Green Lanes Palmers Green, N13

£420,000 Leasehold

£385,000 Share of Freehold

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Centre Stage celebrate its 18th Anniversary Centre Stage School of Performing Arts, established in 1999, is celebrating its 18th Anniversary this year. Founded

by Principal Carole O’Shea, this part-time school for 4 to 19 year olds, which runs on Saturdays in Southgate, has become a fixture in the lives and development of hundreds of young people in and around North London.

Centre Stage offers drama, singing and dance classes with a body of skilled and dedicated industry professionals as its core staff. Centre Stage also produce many internal performance opportunities and numerous external projects for students to get their performance buzz from!

Each year culminates in the Centre Stage Oscars, an evening dedicated to rewarding pupils with the recognition they deserve. CS Patrons and renowned vocal coaches Carrie and David Grant select and award the Voice of The Future trophy and also offer the Outstanding Achievement Scholarship yearly.

These include Pantomimes, the ‘Festival of Plays’, Dance Troupe and Cabaret Evenings and also UpStaged Theatre Company, performing at the Edinburgh or Camden Fringe Festivals and previously in the National Theatre Connections Programme.

The Young Centre Stagers have two morning sessions available now and produced another wonderful Show Weekend featuring both YCS Groups with over 40 young students taking to the stage! A brand new Show Choir has also been launched, to work on vocal technique and close harmony with singers aged 8 and above. These invaluable opportunities have seen individuals blossom, talents nurtured and new skills discovered.

Carrie and David are far more than just a name on the website. Their children have been attending Centre Stage for over 12 years, with their eldest daughter having just graduated from Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

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Recent alumni include The Voice semi-finalist Vangelis Polydorou, mentored by Boy George.

Sean Delaney, who graduated from RADA and made his professional debut in two plays at the Hampstead Theatre and Marcus Fraser, who trained at Bristol Old Vic and starred alongside Sir Kenneth Branagh and Rob Brydon at the Garrick Theatre and has just finished filming for the new ‘Transformers’

movie, to be released later this year. Young Tom Stoughton has also appeared on our screens recently as the young Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Sherlock’ (pictured).

Centre Stage’s next production will be ‘Seussical’, an entertaining family fun musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss at the Millfield Theatre, 6th - 8th April. For more information about this show and the school, please visit www.centrestageuk.com.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Meet Emily Berry, Property Manager at

When did you join the team at Anthony Webb?

Oct 2015.

Where did you work prior to Anthony Webb?

When I finished my degree I started working in an Estate Agency in Camden as a lettings negotiator. The role helped me understand how estate agents operate and I really enjoyed being part of a team. During that year I realised that I wanted to specialise in property management as I enjoy building relationships with tenants and landlords. I began looking for a new job and that’s how I ended up at Anthony Webb!

So what do you enjoy the most about being a property manager?

No two days are the same and every day

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presents new challenges. One day I will be dealing with a leak or broken appliance, and the following day I could be dealing with noisy neighbours. It’s very important to prioritise my time and manage the expectations of Landlords as well as the requirements of tenants.

What are the key benefits to having a rented property managed?

Using an estate agent can really take the stress out of renting your property. Not only are we very particular when it comes to referencing but we also use our own judgment when it comes to selecting tenants for our landlords. We are trained throughout the year to keep up with the latest legislation such as Right to Rent checks and the How to Rent Guide. There is a lot of paperwork related to renting properties such as timely Gas Checks, EPC, and Tenancy Deposit Insurance. At this time of year you’d be surprised at how many broken boilers we encounter, however with our bank of trusted trandsmen no job is too big or too small, keeping both tenant and landlord happy. We are also happy to deal with insurance claims that may arise.

What happens when something goes wrong?

From time to time there can be issues such as

unpaid rent, we have procedures in place to ensure that any late rent is flagged up immediately. We will start be contacting the tenant by phone and 99% of the time it’s a simple hic-up at the bank. If our calls go unanswered we proceed with e-mails and formal letters. We are a member of the NLA (National Landlords Association) who support agencies when more serious issues occur, fortunately for us this is rare.

What does a fully managed package include?

We have packages to suit each of our landlords including; referencing, renewals, right to rent checks, inspections, professional inventories, maintenance, gas safety checks, EPC’s we can even offer guaranteed rent, and landlords insurance. Keeping our landlords and tenants happy is our number one priority.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?

I love going to the cinema, eating out with my friends, playing and watching basketball not to mention my technical jazz and hip hop dance classes in Stratford, let’s just say I like to keep myself busy!

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21

Fox Lane and District Residents Association by Paul Mande Fox Lane and District Residents’ Association (FLDRA) has been around since 1978 and is the sole voluntary body representing residents’ interests living within an area spanning Southgate and Palmers Green: bounded by Bourne Hill, the Bourne, High Street N14, Cannon Hill, Aldermans Hill and Green Lanes. Spread across parts of four council wards, around 10,000 people live here.

Our aims are to safeguard the environment in which we live, and support, oppose or question where necessary, proposed changes and building schemes that may affect residents’ quality of life. We also aim to encourage a spirit of neighbourliness.

The most notable issues currently are, Cycle Enfield, where we raised some concerns; the shortage of school places – we have campaigned actively for more; and the redevelopment of the Fox Pub, which if done well, could turn a rundown site into a superb local asset as well as providing some much needed new homes. However, we are wary that overdevelopment could impact adversely on the neighbourhood.

Many of our members are also active in protecting nearby public spaces such as Broomfield park, Conway Road Recreation Ground and maintaining the character of the Lakes Estate Conservation area.

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We hold three four or open meetings each year as well as the Annual General meeting and summer and Christmas parties. At most events there is a guest speaker, with police officers and ward councillors often in attendance, to report, advise and answer questions. This is a good opportunity to voice any concerns you may have. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 26th April at 7:45, in Burford Hall behind the United Reform Church in Fox Lane and our speaker will be talking about refugee families in Enfield.

You can join online at foxlane.net following the link to membership; or by post writing with your name, address and subscription to the Membership Secretary 26 Lakeside Road, London, N13 4PR.

Whilst our meetings are open to all, please join. Membership per household is £5.00 per year, due in January. Without this, we would not be able to function. Being a member also enables you to participate in our democratic process and to be kept in touch via a weekly email and regular newsletter.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

8882 7888

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LE T TO

LE T TO • Five bedrooms, character home • Two bath/shower rooms • Spacious kitchen/diner • Off street parking • Offered unfurnished

• First floor apartment • Two bedrooms • Living/dining room • Bathroom/en-suite shower room • Allocated parking space

Aldermans Hill, Palmers Green, N13

£2,500 per calendar month

£1,600 per calendar month

TO

TO

LE T

LE T

Fox Lane, Palmers Green, N13

• Three bedroom house • Spacious extended • Four bedrooms • Detached house with garden kitchen/diner • Close to station and shops • Hazelwood • Two receptions • Offered part furnished school catchment area • Available from mid April • Available 11th March

Crothall Close, Palmers Green, N13

£2,000 per calendar month

£2,000 per calendar month

TO

TO

LE

T

LE T

Hazelwood Lane, Palmers Green, N13

• Spacious first floor one bed flat • 18ft living room • Modern kitchen and luxury bathroom • Offered furnished • Close to Southgate station/shops

• One double bedroom ground floor flat • Kitchen/ diner with appliances • Sole use of back garden • Available 11th March • Offered unfurnished

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Bourne Hill, Palmers Green, N13

Fox Lane, Palmers Green, N13

£1,200 per calendar month

£1,200 per calendar month

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Sri Lanka, the pearl of the Indian Ocean

by Anne Johnstone Scott’s Travel your local Worldwide travel experts, serving our clients for over 80 years.

Scott's Travel, 3 Broadway, Southgate, N14 6PJ Tel: 020 8882 0141 www.scottstravel.co.uk Set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, the tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time. It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature’s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt.

Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location. Within a mere area of 65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years.

Last October I was lucky enough to visit a handful of exclusive resorts on the Island with luxury travel provider Elegant Resorts. Our six night trip began with an overnight stay in Colombo at the Retro-chic boutique hotel Casa Colombo. With only 12 suites, each with its own distinct colour hues, layout and character, this 200 year old Moorish mansion offers clients an ideal base from which to explore. Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes, ruled successively by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. That heritage is reflected in its architecture, mixing colonial buildings with highrises and shopping malls.

From Colombo we took a short flight to Mattala in the Deep South. Nestled among dunes and trees at the ocean’s edge was our second destination, Chena Huts, opened in 2015. Here we enjoyed a marvellous safari adventure; daily game drives will get you close up and personal with elephants, exotic bird life and most likely leopards. You’re also within walking distance of the beach and a lake (where you might be lucky enough to see elephants bathing). When not out and about on a wildlife quest you can relax in your plush accommodation in one of the 14 elegant cabins, each designed with earthy interiors and sumptuous soft furnishings. Each cabin has its own private deck and plunge pool but for me, travelling alone, I was not brave enough to take the plunge in case the local wildlife joined me!

By day three I was ready for some rest and relaxation at the stunning beach hotel Amanwella located in Tangalle. Each spacious suite – built on the gentle palm-shaded hillside – benefits from a host of luxurious amenities including a contemporary living space, a spacious terrace and a sparkling aqua plunge pool. With coconut palms swaying above the

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golden sandy beach, what better way to relax than enjoying the view from their infinity pool.

By day four we were back on the road enjoying a cultural visit to a local potters studio where I even had the opportunity to throw a pot of my own. In the afternoon we visited the Mulgirigala Rock Temple, dangling off a rocky crag 16km northwest of Tangalla and nestled away among a green forest of coconut. I would recommend visitors try to go early when it's not so humid as the climb was tough going. It is well worth visiting with amazing colours within a series of seven cleft-like caves on five different terraced levels.

Our last night concluded with a stay at Amangalla an immaculately restored, impeccably managed 150-year-old landmark hotel, presiding over Galle’s historic fort.

Decorated with period antiques including fourposter beds, pettagama chests and planter’s chairs, the rooms overlook the Fort’s quaint lanes, ramparts or the hotel’s 200-year-old gardens. With beautiful beaches, great food, shopping and stunning scenery this Sri Lankan city makes for a revitalising getaway.

There is so much to see, experience and explore on this fascinating island. April and September offer the best odds for good weather countrywide. A twin centre break is an excellent way to take in the culture and wildlife that Sri Lanka has to offer. If, on the other hand, you wish to delve deeper I would recommend a guided tour company to ensure your experience is as comprehensive and comfortable as possible. Do not hesitate to pop in to talk to me about my trip if you are considering visiting Sri Lanka and would like to find out more.

Sri Lankan de corative potte ry is an ancient legac y

Amanwella, Sr

i Lankan stilt

Prices for two people travelling this October start from £7,280 experiencing all four of the luxury hotels on my trip and including flights and transfers Casa Coloumbo for 2 nights, Chena Huts one night all inclusive, Amanwella 2 nights, Amangalla 2 nights

fishing

Chena Huts, getting closer to nature

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Male Grooming Tips for 2017

by Kiri from Fabulous Hair Company Fabulous Hair Company 382 Green Lanes, N13 5PD Tel:020 8886 7070

Welcome back: I can’t remember a colder winter and I'll be glad when spring finally arrives. To help celebrate the opening of our Male Grooming area at the Fabulous Haircompany, I decided to dedicate this month's column to guys and how to keep looking good.

Become a regular at your hair salon.

Make your next appointment while you’re in the salon, and keep it. Don’t wait until your hairs too long and out of shape. Be proactive, not reactive. Guys, hair is your crowning glory make sure you look like a king all the time.

Find a salon you trust to take away the anxiety of not knowing the outcome of your haircut.

Know which hair products work for you. With so many new hair products for men choosing the right product for your hair has become a lot more confusing, so make sure you know what each product is for. Ask your hairdresser to recommend a product suitable

for your hair type.

Bearded. Beards have been with us for a couple of years now and look like they’re here to stay at least for a little while longer. One thing for certain is that beards are shorter and more tamed. I would recommend a regular trip to the salon for a tidy up and if that’s not an option invest in a good quality beard trimmer and some beard oil to moisturize and keep that beard looking pristine.

Clean shaven. You must feel like a minority with so many guys wearing a beard. Learning the basics of a wet shave is important.

Prepping your skin beforehand with a shave

oil will help the razor glide over your hairs, while soaking the blades in warm water will help your pores expand, allowing the hair to come off your face with less redness and irritation. Aftershave balms will cool and soothe the skin.

Big eyebrows aren’t the problem. Big eyebrows are popular, the problem is when they join in the middle. I should know as it was a problem that cursed me through my adolescent years. Thankfully, nowadays it's very acceptable for guys to have their brows groomed. Many salons offer this service so don’t be shy just ask.

If you have any questions that need answering quickly, please email me at kc@fabuloushaircompany.com and I will get back to you soon as I can why not visit www.fabuloushaircompany.com.

Is your whiplash injury still bothering you?

by Nicola Forward, your local Amatsu Practitioner.

If you’ve ever had whiplash you’ll remember just how painful and debilitating it is.

It’s not just the stiffness and soreness, which is bad enough, you can have problems just moving normally, lying down and sitting up.

Most people’s symptoms disappear completely after a few weeks. But for some the pain can just go on, and these are the people that I tend to meet.

So what is whiplash? A car accident is the most common cause, but it could be any event where your head is suddenly flung forwards and backwards or from side to side.

Quite often there are no immediate symptoms, but they come on the next day and may get worse. Some people get headaches and pains down their arms or between their shoulder blades.

Get checked out. It is very important in the first instance to get fully checked by a doctor to rule out any damage that may need a surgical intervention. If all is well it can then take six to

eight weeks before your symptoms ease and you get back to normal.

This can be very frustrating.

How Amatsu helps. A series of Amatsu sessions can help speed up your recovery by realigning you and easing out the strains and tensions that have been set up through your body.

Amatsu client, Kaye was exhausted when I met her. She just hadn’t been able to find a comfortable sleeping position since her accident seven months ago. After our third session she had her first good night and her recovery continues with our weekly appointments.

If your symptoms have lasted for more than eight weeks, like Kaye’s, then the whiplash strains may have gone deeper into your body.

Amatsu is especially effective in these cases because we work not only with your external structure, but also with the effect that these enormous whiplash forces can have on your spinal cord and internal organs. Your liver in particular is relatively large and very dense and if this weighty organ is jolted severely it can sprain its own suspensory ligaments causing tensions elsewhere.

Over to you. If you or someone you know is suffering with whiplash your Amatsu Practitioner is trained to assess and rebalance your entire body, including your neck!

Mobile: 07720 81 01 01 Email: nicolaforward@aol.com www.amatsutherapyintl.com Give me a call and you could benefit from my “3 for 2” offer to start you off on the road to recovery.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

www.homecarepreferred.com 8882 7888

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Enigma and the game of learning a language

by Laura Scaramella Learning a language is like a game, not necessarily because it is easy, but because that should be the spirit when you attempt it.

Have you seen the film The Imitation Game? This is about Alan Turing, an English mathematician and computer scientist who worked for the Government at Bletchley Park and helped cracking intercepted coded messages, which helped defeating the Nazis. Interestingly, what Turing says in the film is that cracking the code is just a game, a puzzle game.

But a language is also a code and my advice to you is to treat the learning like a game that you enjoy, be it Sudoku, crosswords, or any other puzzle.

One of the common problems of second language students is listening

comprehension. The spoken language is very different from the written one, utterance of words is affected by speed, volume, accent, and so on. However, if you are listening in my class you will be advised to play like Alan Turing. The listening is not simple, it has to have a natural flow so that students practise hearing the ‘real’ spoken language. At first nothing makes sense, same as your jigsaw puzzle when you first start. However, the idea is not to understand it all, in fact any single word that you will understand is a bonus. After the first listening students start working on breaking the code. In the film, Turing realises that all message have

some words in common, so this is his starting point, so if your audio track has prosecco in it, you might start to piece together that people are at a party or at the bar. During the second listening you might capture other individual words and when added together it starts to make more sense; the more you listen and the more pieces you can put together to get the full picture. Before you know it all of the pieces start to fall into place. This is of course true for a single listening but also for the all process of learning a language.

Do not forget that it is just a game and enjoy the challenge of it while doing it.

New Italian classes, including complete beginners, opening after Easter, places are limited, please get in touch soon to avoid disappointment. Contact Laura on 07941 092593 or email laura@parlaitaliano.co.uk

Palmers Green Tales by Jenny Bourke www.palmersgreentales.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/331208790354294/ or just go to Facebook and look for Palmers Green Tales and ask to join the group.

Our twitter address is @PGTales Susan Mehmet and myself have produced a sequence of films this month, which is a new departure for us. The films are about one doctor’s working life within the NHS. Dr Martin Blanchard is a recently retired NHS consultant and he talks about his background, becoming a doctor, setting up a Psychiatric Day Unit, changes in service, the Iron Mountain and finally how to run the NHS. There are 6 short films in total. Martin is actively involved with local groups which are trying

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to ensure the NHS is able to thrive in the current climate. The groups are Defend Enfield NHS and Health Campaigns Together. He also has links with NCLSTP-watch.

If you would like to learn more about Defend Enfield NHS they have a Facebook group and their meetings are outlined there.

have in the present climate. I have found some great photos and I also used a book by local author Gary Boudier called A-Z of Enfield Pubs part 2, which is a mine of information.

Please contact palmersgreentales@gmail.com if you have any interesting stories to tell.

John Sollis is making a film about the Fox pub and he is looking for people who have known the pub and been frequent customers there for a considerable length of time. I have already done some research at our Local History Unit based at the Dugdale centre, which we are extremely lucky to

We are also planning films about local artists via creative exchange and the Conservatory in Broomfield Park. The voluntary group who run the Conservatory are both knowledgeable and hard working and we hope to be filming their work in and Plant sale during April.

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

TALKIES COMMUNITY CINEMA HERE SUBURBAN FILM FESTIVAL 2017 HERE SUBURBAN FILM FESTIVAL in April 2017 is about the interests, people and places in Enfield. HERE is not in the West End, Southbank or Shoreditch. HERE in the suburbs we aren't the swanky super-rich, the celebrity glitterati or bearded hipsters. HERE is where the cinema creatives of London produce their best output. HERE is where life is a rich diversity of race, religion and culture. HERE is where most of London lives.

5 APRIL - 7.30 THE FOX, N13 4JD

LEAVE TO REMAIN

Local director Bruce Goodison, a Bafta-winning filmmaker introduces his film about the little-known issue of teenage asylum seekers who arrive in Britain alone. Real refugees played leading roles and worked on the crew.

7 APRIL - 7.30 BOUNDS GREEN BOWLS CLUB N11 2DD

WOMEN IN SHORTS

Short film format is where the skills of filmmaking can be most creative. The evening celebrates the work of local talent, including actor Kate Braithwaite, local actor, stars in, curates and introduces the night.

19 APRIL - 7.30 THE FOX, N13 4JD

ROOM

Introduced by its development producer Rosanne Flynn, Oscar winning film Room showcases the incredible work of Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, making it both an unforgettably harrowing and undeniably rewarding experience.

20 APRIL - 7.45 DUGDALE CENTRE, ENFIELD, EN2 6DS

THE WARRIOR

Oscar Winning director Asif Kapadia introduces his visually stunning first feature film.

An Indian warrior, while working as an enforcer for the heartless master of the Rajput people, has a crisis of conscience, renounces violence and seeks redemption.

26 APRIL 7.30 THE FOX, N13 4JD

PREMIERE OF TALKIES’ SHORT FILM COMMISSIONS

The festival finale - five new films from talented young film makers, commissioned by Talkies, have their premiere screening at this very special event. The films are all shot in Palmers Green and include tales of magic tricks, letters from inside a demented football fan, medical anxiety and gloves left on park railings...intrigued?!

Visit Talkies’ website for tickets and further information www.talkies.org.uk HERE SUBURBAN FILM FESTIVAL 2017

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Mortgage interest relief – changes from April 2017

by Alex Chrysostomou Alexander Associates, your local accountant 24A Aldermans Hill, Palmers Green, London N13 4PN Tel: 020 8882 6611 Fax: 020 8882 6621 Email: alex@alexassociates.co.uk Website: www.alexandersandco.com Question: I’m aware that there are changes to the mortgage interest we can claim on our rental income from April 2017, but don’t understand the rules entirely. Are we not allowed to claim mortgage interest relief anymore?

You are taxed on the profit made at your marginal rate — so a basic rate (currently 20%) taxpayer would pay tax of £1,600, a higher rate (currently 40%) taxpayer would pay £3,200, an additional rate (currently 45%) taxpayer would pay £3,600.

Answer: The change to mortgage interest relief was first announced in the 2015 emergency Budget and is known by some as the ‘Section 24 Tax’. Up until April 2017, you can deduct your mortgage interest (plus associated costs like arrangement fees) along with all your other costs before determining your taxable profit.

By the time the new measures have fully taken effect in April 2020, you will no longer be able to deduct mortgage interest costs from your taxable profits if the property is owned by an individual. (If the property is owned as a company, you continue under the old rules and none of this applies. I spoke about the benefits of owning properties through a company in one of my previous articles).

If we take the following example - £20,000 rental income, £10,000 mortgage interest costs, £2,000 other costs = £8,000 profit

From April 2020, if you remain within the basic rate tax band, (which will increase to £50,000 at that point), the change in rule won’t impact

you. However, for higher rate and additional tax payers, the new rule could potentially have a big impact on your tax liability. Following on from the above example, a higher rate taxpayer will see their tax liability increase from £3,200 to £5,200 and for an additional rate taxpayer from £3,600 to £5,850.

Essentially this change in rule will impact the higher earners and in particular those who are heavily geared. One option to help mitigate this issue is to set up a company and sell the properties to it – although this will trigger a stamp duty liability and potential capital gains tax. Another option may be to sell the less profitable properties that you own.

If you require more advice on how the recent changes will impact your tax position, feel free to get in touch.

If you have an accounting question for Alex please e-mail him directly he will be happy to assist you, alternatively Alexander Associates offer an initial free consultation, please contact them to find out more.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article should not be construed as legal advice and the information is offered for information purposes only. You should always seek advice from an appropriately qualified accountant on any specific accountancy enquiry.

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

In the Garden with Paul Knight Terraced Front Garden Contact Paul on 07957 942728 info@outside-designs.co.uk or visit his website www.outside-designs-shop.co.uk We were given the opportunity to re-design and build what was an unimpressive front garden that didn’t fit in, or compliment this recently refurbished property in North London. The brief from our client was to enhance the front of their home and make the garden and building blend together. They also wanted a grass area and lots more planting that would have interest through the seasons.

The existing garden was very drab and was almost completely covered in concrete and crazy paving.

The steps from the street to the house were not even in line with the front door and the front wall brick

type was a complete miss match to the bricks of the house.

It was old, very dull and we had to do something about it!

The first thing to do was to dig up the concrete, paving and knock down the wall.

This was quite a hard task, as concrete gets harder over the years and it was very thick. Under the concrete was building waste and poor soil. This took a few days of drilling, hard labour and many skips to take the waste away.

We matched the bricks for the new wall as close as possible to that of the house, which are much brighter and warmer. The new steps to the house was built in line with the front door and constructed using natural sandstone.

To cope with the steep slope of the garden we constructed two retaining walls using upright

timbers leaving us with 3 levels of garden. Tonnes of good soil was added to each area to improve soil quality and level the areas.

The middle section has become a good size lawn, which gives an instant splash of colour all year round to the site. The other two levels have been planted carefully taking into consideration the aspect which is full sun with a mixture of shrubs, various grasses and herbaceous plants which will give huge amounts of colour and structural interest.

The garden has only just been planted and I look forward to seeing all the plants starting to grow in spring and through out the summer when it will be ablaze with life.

Spring is just around the corner so it’s time to start preparing your garden with mulching and planning any new planting ideas.

Until next time, Paul.

Call us for all your garden needs; Garden design • Planting design • Landscape construction • Irrigation • Maintenance Follow us on Twitter outsidedesigns1 See our range of bespoke garden furniture at www.outside-designs-shop.co.uk

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The Big Choir, singing together to find a cure by Sharon Czapnik Down The Big Choir was formed in February 2016 to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and in particular The Francis Crick Institute in Kings Cross, a brand new, innovative research facility in London. Money raised from subscriptions & performances goes specifically to the scientists for research, and is not lost within the administrative process that can often be the case with large charities. To date we’ve donated £5,500 and hope to increase this considerably in 2017.

We’ve watched members make new friendships and generally have a fantastic time, both during sessions and socially. We’ll often go for coffee or to the pub quiz after sessions. We perform at local events and held a mince pie and mulled wine festive sing-a-long in December which was attended by 200 people, raising an additional £1,000 for the charity. We’ve also performed at Spire Cancer Centre in Elstree, and at the London Borough of Barnet Silver Sunday event where we had the pleasure of the Mayors’ company, singing along with us for several numbers.

We currently run two choirs, one on a Tuesday morning in New Barnet, the other on a Thursday evening in Hadley Wood.

Combined we have just over 60 members from all walks of life and varying ages from

teens to pensioners. Some members have belonged to choirs before, others haven’t sung since their school days. What we have in common is a desire to sing together and have fun with it whilst raising vital funding.

Our aim is to grow the choir and open sessions throughout the Borough. To enable us to do this we need to attract not only members, but additional choir leaders who might like to join this exciting venture.

We’ve all heard in the media about the benefits of belonging to a choir, and we can certainly vouch for the fact that even after a long days work, or a day at home with the kids, with very little energy to spare, a session with The Big Choir will leave you feeling invigorated, uplifted and energized. We cover a broad range of material, mainly pop

The Big Choir

from the 60’s to current chart numbers and hope to cover other genres in the future. Our members have access to lots of resources to help them with the learning process so that the fun can continue between their weekly sessions.

New members to the choir are always welcome whether you come on your own, as a couple, or a group of friends.

We look forward to meeting you and hope to welcome you into our lovely choir family. For more info please contact Sharon at thebigchoir.org@gmail.com or visit our facebook and twitter page @TheBIGCHOIRLondon

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348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Your Legal Questions Answered

by Fariz Uvais

Fariz Uvais is a consultant in the law firm Harper & Odell. Write in and ask your legal questions. Fariz will try and answer your questions in Palmers Green LIFE each month.

Send your questions to Harper & Odell, 61-63 St John Street, London EC1M 4AN or by email to farizu@yahoo.com.

I own a leasehold property in a block of flats and the freeholder has offered to sell us the freehold, but it is going to auction. Can you please explain why the freeholder has made this offer?

I am assuming that the freeholder’s offer was made to you by way of a notice under Section 5B of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.

If so, this notice gives you a right to replace the successful bidder at an auction collectively with other qualifying tenants. To be effective, the freeholder must have served the notice between four and six months before the date of the auction.

If the qualifying tenants wish to accept the offer the requisite number of qualifying tenants must do so within

the initial period specified in the notice. That is, at least 51% of the flats which are held by qualifying tenants should accept. Those accepting must nominate a purchaser to purchase the freehold on their behalf. The nominee purchaser could be a company that the participating leaseholders form to take over ownership of the freehold.

This is a complex area of law with many specific requirements, such as satisfying the criteria of being qualifying tenants and is also subject to fixed time limits. Therefore, it would be sensible to discuss your specific circumstances with a qualified professional so that you do not lose out on the opportunity to potentially purchase the freehold.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article should not be construed as legal advice and the information is offered for information purposes only. You should always seek advice from an appropriately qualified solicitor on any specific legal enquiry.

Harper & Odell Solicitors Property and Litigation Solicitors Established 1948

Specialist affordable property advice is only a phone call away.

We act for clients across London on all types of property matters.

Our focus at all times is to keep the client updated by communicating regularly via email and by telephone and we aim to achieve the best possible results at a reasonable cost.

Tel: 020 7490 0500 Fax: 020 7490 8040 61-63 St John Street, London EC1M 4AN law@harperandodell.co.uk

www.harperandodell.co.uk

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Introducing our team .... The Family Law Specialists

Christina Pieri

Karen Chapman

Martha Koumbas

Mena Ruparel

Marion Foley

Rene Panayiotou

Peter Vassila

Hi there, I hope that you are all well and like us looking forward to spring and longer and lighter days. It's funny, because no sooner had we returned to the office after the Christmas break that we were inundated with annual leave request slips from our staff who had already begun planning their holidays for the rest of the year - I really don't blame them as I love travelling overseas. As anticipated, we have been pretty busy with us recruiting our first male team member, Peter who has written an article for this edition. By Christina

THE COURT’S RECOGNITION OF PARENTAL ALIENATION DURING DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS by Rene Panayiotou For the Court to grant a divorce it must be proven that a marriage has broken down irretrievably, however in cases where there are children of the family, the relationship between the two former spouses may not be the only relationship to break down. Whilst parents should shield their children from their own personal grievances against the other parent, parental alienation is said to occur in 1115% of divorce cases.

Parental alienation occurs when a parent, often the parent with whom the child resides although this is not always the case, prevents a child from having contact with the other parent. Other forms of parental alienation include, bad mouthing, belittling or undermining the other parent in the presence of a child.

Parental alienation has already been recognised in many other jurisdictions. For example, in Mexico and Brazil parental alienation is regarded as a criminal offence. In the USA and Canada, the Courts have ordered and supervised

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various approaches to help re-establish the relationship between the alienated parent and child through ‘parenting co-ordinators’ and ‘bridging programmes’. A parent can even be financially compensated if it is proven that parental alienation has occurred. In a case, last year, a Roman Family Court in Italy fined a mother a sum equivalent to £26,000, which was to be paid directly to an alienated father as a form of compensation. It was proven that the mother had belittled the father in the presence of her children and that the mother had turned the three children against their father to the point where the youngest child did not want to see him again.

Parental alienation not only causes a child to become polarized but often means that a child adopts the negative views which in turn often causes the child to turn against the alienated parent.

Parental alienation has been recognised in the English Courts. The Court will often rely on independent social

348 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, N13 5TJ

Chapman Pieri Solicitors Tel: 0208 882 9850 www.cpfamilylaw.co.uk workers to ascertain the wishes and feelings of children when making a decision about child arrangements.

However, this often presents a problem in cases concerning parental alienation as a child’s wishes and feelings may be to reject any form of contact with the alienated parent. The English Courts have therefore stated that in extreme cases concerning parental alienation, the wishes and feelings of the child need to be put into context and will not overshadow the primary concern which is the child’s welfare overall. There is a problem in that whilst the Court can make an Order for one parent to make the child

available to spend time with the other parent, depending on the child’s age, it is sometimes impossible to force them to go if they are adamant that they do not want to especially if they are not being encouraged to do so.

In summary, it appears that whilst the English Courts do recognise parental alienation as a problem, monitoring and tackling the issue effectively is a whole different ballgame.

It is always advisable to try and shield children as far as possible as after all, it’s the parents divorcing one another not the children.

COVERTLY RECORDING CHILDREN IN FAMILY LAW CASES

by Peter Vassila By way of introduction, my name is Peter Vassila and I am a Paralegal at Chapman Pieri Solicitors. I am the newest addition to the team and the only male (apart from our male cleaner!)

For my first article, I would like to look at the issue of covertly recording the conversations of children for use as evidence in family law cases.

Regarding the legality of covert recordings in general, Section 36 of the Data Protection Act 1998 states that personal data used only for the purposes of that individual’s personal, family or household affairs are exempt from the data protection principles. This encompasses covert recordings made in order to obtain evidence for use in family law proceedings, which the law considers to be part of an individual’s personal or family affairs. However, one must bear in mind that whether such evidence is admissible in any given case will be a decision that is made by the Court based upon the specific facts of that case and the relevance of any such recordings to the issues at hand. The individual who has made the recordings should not assume that the Court will consider them relevant just because they do. It’s really not that simple.

One situation where a parent may consider it appropriate to covertly record their child is where a dispute arises with the other parent over the living or contact arrangements for the child. Section 1 of the Children Act 1989 provides that in cases such as this, where the Court is making a decision that effects the upbringing of a child, the welfare of that child will be the courts paramount consideration. In determining what would best promote the child’s welfare, the Court will consider a number of factors including the emotional needs of the child and any harm which they have suffered or are at risk of suffering.

When applied to covert recording, this child-centred

approach can give rise to decisions which may be very far removed from the expectations of the parent submitting the recordings for the Court’s consideration.

This is aptly demonstrated by the case of Re C (a child) [2015] EWCA 1096. In this case, a dispute arose between a mother and father over living arrangements concerning their daughter. The father sought to gather evidence to criticise the mother and went about doing this by sewing recording devices into his 7 year old daughter’s school uniform. The devices recorded the child’s conversations with a range of people including her mother, and school friends and anyone else she came into contact with over a period of around 18 months.

However, the father was prevented from using the recordings as evidence, because the Court took the view that his behaviour, in covertly recording the child’s conversations, was emotionally abusive and harmful to the child and the mother. In reaching this view, the Court took into account amongst other matters, the distress which the daughter would suffer were she to discover she was being monitored and the purpose for which she was being used (to criticise her mother).

The result was that the Court ordered that the couple’s daughter should live with the mother as the father’s behaviour was seen as demonstrating that he could not adequately meet the child’s needs.

And the moral of the story? Well, there are many, but perhaps the one that calls out the loudest is this: Whilst it may be tempting for one parent to covertly record their child in order to ‘get one over’ or to criticise the other parent, the mere act of recording may do nothing more than demonstrate a lack of sensitivity to the child’s emotional needs and may speak more loudly to the Court than any words unknowingly uttered by the child on a tape.

At Chapman Pieri Solicitors, we offer a no obligation, Fixed Fee Initial Consultation at £150 plus VAT. You will receive excellent advice from one of our experienced team.

Should you require any further information, please give us a call here at Chapman Pieri Solicitors on 0208 882 9850 to set up an Initial Consultation or alternatively you can email us at: info@cpfamilylaw.co.uk. Please have a look at our website where you will find a lot of helpful information: www.cpfamilylaw.co.uk. Address: Southgate Office Village, Block D, 286 Chase Road, Southgate, London, N14 6HF.

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