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Memorial Service.

On Saturday 4 August 2018 at 2.00pm, a memorial service is being held in the Metropole Theatre, Abertillery, South Wales for two Abertillery murder victims, 8 year-old Freda Burnell and 11 year-old Florence Little who were killed in Abertillery in 1921.Their killer, Harold Jones a.k.a Harry Stevens lived in Fulham, Putney and Hammersmith between 1946 and 1971 when he died. With a choir and town band performing at the memorial service there is expected to be over 250 people attending. There will be an expected 50 members of the 2 girls' family members attending from various parts of Britain. After the service there will be a re-dedication of the 2 girls' memorials at Brynithel Cemetery.Over the past 7 months, myself, Councillors Gill Clark and Julie Holt have raised nearly £3,400.00 towards the cost of restoring the 2 dilapidated memorials. We are still about £200 short of paying the memorial mason who has done the work at cost price and about £300 short of printing 260 memorial service programmes. These will consist of 8 pages each.We have now been given a donation to book the Metropole Theatre for the event. We  have also been kindly offered a donation of £300 towards the cost a buffet that will be held in the Metropole later in the afternoon.If anyone would like to consider making a donation for this worthy cause please contact me on 07989555376 or n.milkin@sky.comPlease google Florence Little/Freda Burnell  or Harold Jones - Killer for more information.Regards.Neil Milkins

Neil Milkins ● 2513d0 Comments ● 2513d

National Health Service breakdown and privatization: "Sustainability and Transformation Plans"

I'm deeply concerned that in the build up to the General Election there has been little discussion about the disastrous changes to the NHS being proposed by the local Sustainability and Transformation Plan, the "North West London STP" which covers 8 boroughs from Westminster to Hillingdon. These plans for the 44 "footprint" regions of England and Wales have been made in a secretive manner, with very little public information and are nothing more than plans to slash, trash and privatise our NHS.           But most worrying are large private healthcare companies and their lobbyists, such as Virgin Care and American healthcare companies including UnitedHealth, the previous employer of Simon Stevens CEO of the NHS, which will chase the UK's expenditure through the NHS using the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This pressure will inexorably lead to the American model of healthcare management which causes 50% of personal bankruptcies each year in the US. All the STPs call for "Accountable Care Organisations/Systems", a term which Americans recognise only too well. This system with low fixed budgets will be screwed down so that it does not meet the public need and it will turn the health provision in England and Wales into a two tier health system where the rich will pay and the rest of us will be left with a very poor, minimal NHS, like the American Medicare/Medicaid system.         I would urge all readers to contact their candidates and let them know that the public will not stand for the destruction of the NHS and all MPs must reject the STPs and reject the move to Accountable Care Organisations. These "new models of care" will end the NHS as a comprehensive service that provides the full range of care to all who need it, free at the point of need and fully accountable to the public (private companies will hide their waste as well as their profits).               Readers can find their candidates on the website. www.whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections

Una-Jane Winfield ● 2884d0 Comments ● 2884d

Imperial NHS Trust AGM on Wed 14th Sept: Charing Cross Hospital

“STP” closure of Ealing and Charing Cross Hospitals will be rubber-stamped at Imperial NHS Trust AGM: Wed 14th September at 17.15 at St Paul's Church, Hammersmith BroadwayDon't wait until “winter pressures” get NW London hospitals back in the news: Come and protest and ask questions now!The NHS “Sustainability and Transformation Plans” are the biggest cuts you've never heard of. Under the pretence that “virtual” treatments can be a proper substitute for care in A&Es and acute wards, the board of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust will wave through their recently published pipe-dream plans (https://www.healthiernorthwestlondon.nhs.uk/sites/nhsnwlondon/files/documents/stp_june_submission_draft.pdf) at their Annual General Meeting at St Paul's Church, Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith Broadway, at 17.15 on Wednesday 14th September.Come and protest outside the AGM at 16.45Come and ask questions insideRegister here (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/imperial-college-healthcare-nhs-trust-agm-2016-tickets-26515191652) and get a ticket to the AGM. It will be possible to register questions in advance, as well as ask them on the day.After the CEO and Finance Officer's presentations there will be 35 minutes to ask questions of the Chairman, Sir Richard Sykes, and all the senior medical and management team. This is an unprecedented “consultation” with the general public.After the end of the AGM the management team will stay on for another 35 minutes for individual conversations.Bring your facts and figures about your treatment. Challenge the fanciful assumptions of the STP. This is YOUR chance to politely show the directors of a major NHS hospital trust that for the Dept of Health the game's up!

Una-Jane Winfield ● 3150d0 Comments ● 3150d

So It Begins - The Attack on the Polish Centre

Forget the crumbling currency, the decline of global stock markets, the looming break up of the union, the immediate loss of jobs with many more to follow, the likely rise in interest rates and the cessation of all foreign direct investment in the UK. The far, far greater problem is the belief of every racist in the country that Brexit means that immigrants from the EU will at some point have to go home. Therefore, in their view, the vandalisation of the POSK centre and other similar acts that have been taking place across the country is not criminality but symbol of the will of the British people democratically expressed in the referendum.I'm Irish and therefore remain a proud citizen of the EU. I also have a profound love of Britain and believed it to be the most genuinely civilised of nations and one that the world owed a debt to. At the side of Britain at its finest hour where the men of the Polish RAF squadrons whose bravery and expertise were probably decisive in tipping the balance against the Luftwaffe. At Poland's darkest hour a few years later, Britain did nothing to help when the Russians took control of their country much to the chagrin of Winston Churchill. This part of London has an historic close connection with Poland and there can be no doubt that they have enriched this country due to their work ethic and culture - just like every single wave of emigrants in this country including my parents' generation from Ireland.Every person who hates the presence of foreigners in this country believes that the Referendum was about immigration because the leaders of the Leave campaign led them to believe it was they now believe that there will be a swift and steady departure of foreign workers.When this doesn't happen and indeed when the trade negotiations with the EU ends with the UK agreeing to continued freedom of movement of Labour as it inevitably will, there will be rage at this 'stab-in-the-back'. I use that phrase aware of its historical resonance. What essentially happened last week was the legitimisation of hate. Attacks on centres associated with foreign nationals, verbal abuse in the streets, banners displayed in the centre of towns saying 'Stop Immigration, Start Repatriaton' will become part of the fabric of our daily life. The fury that no meaningful change is taking place to the immigration rules will be a wave which the far right will be happy to ride. They will argue that it is not racist to demand repatriation as the referendum showed that this is the majority view. When it doesn't happen they will talk about sinister cabals in Government and finance combining to thwart the will of the people as politicians in the past did. What the Brexit vote shows is that lots of people will believe them.

Paul Corcoran ● 3225d1 Comments ● 3224d

Artist Call - Open Art Spaces 24 June - 3 July

Maybe you work with creative groups or have an unusual space for a show? Are you a painter, potter, printmaker? Do you design, make or build? We are calling all artists, galleries, art enthusiastic spaces, colleges and more to form part of Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham's artist festival.Open Art Spaces will give local artists, groups, and colleges the opportunity to showcase their work in unusual spaces, often that in which they create it. OAS is a chance for the public to meet artists as they open up their studio spaces and homes for visitors. Taking place annually in Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham, it is an event that also comprises an exciting programme of events and happenings in public spaces. The artists taking part encompasses a rich spectrum of art forms, from fine art painters and illustrators to silversmithing and textile craftsmen. Both established, emerging and artists' collectives form part. OAS is an exciting opportunity for art lovers to experience the cities true artistic life, and offers an exclusive chance to beginning and established collectors looking for unique yet affordable pieces.Application is open until mid May. Once registered you will be included on the Open Art Spaces website and in the leaflet, which will be distributed widely across the area and at London cultural venues. Posters, invite cards, social media and a PR campaign will also promote the festival.WHEN26th June - 3rd July 2016WHERE50+ venues across Kensington, Chelsea and FulhamFind more information and entry forms on www.openartspaces.com

Julie Brodsgaard ● 3326d0 Comments ● 3326d

LBHF Plastic Recycling Bags are TOO FREELY available

Not only are these bags are delivered to our front door but they are also available free to pick up by anyone, at the library on the Askew Road.As a result, we have residents from over the border in Acton (Davis Road, St Elmo Road, Valetta Road even as far as the Vale who casually stroll in to the library to pick up free bags. They then fill them up and sneakily dump their recycling AND rubbish on our roads for LBHF to pick up. When you live near a boundary, these things happen - like parking. I think it is about time the front desk staff at the library ask for proof of residence i.e. council tax bill or a roll of bags should be charged at £1. Why not? We pay for bags elsewhere now.I am getting increasingly fed up with seeing residents from Acton - some come as far as Acton Vale, dumping their rubbish or better still fly tipping where they choose. Most of the time this is on a street corner or in an alleyway and dustmen only pick up from outside an address. This 'fly tipping'results in piles of rubbish that grow daily and a special truck has to come and take it all away. This is after someone has to call or email the council to report it. Needless to say, this costs time and money.Believe me, I see this on a regular basis and I know who the usual offenders are and they should know better.Why can't people be more responsible? I am tired of our street being used as a dumping ground!

Marlene Plimley ● 3489d0 Comments ● 3489d

If you are parking at Tesco in King Street

A few weeks ago, we received a letter from Horizon Parking that our car had been parked illegally at Tesco, King St, Hammersmith. There was a CCTV image of the vehicle parked on the forecourt, but not inside a bay - a bit of a surprise as we have been customers since the store opened and had parked like this many times before. This was in "clear breach" of the signs on the forecourt, we were informed, so I drove to Tesco to check out the signs. For the first time ever, I did spot a sign stating "30 Minutes Free Parking". It was only on going close to this sign that I saw much smaller lettering underneath: "See signs for more details". I found one other sign (above the hole in the wall but often obstructed by delivery vehicles) that says a parking charge notice of £70 will be issued if "parked out of a marked bay". (There are three other ways drivers can incur this penalty, but too much detail for now...) I wrote back that I wasn't paying because the signs were not clear enough and that they had been introduced secretly, seeking to entrap motorists.  Horizon Parking responded, asking for proof that we had shopped at Tesco, King St, that day. They got that in the form of a bank statement detailing how much we had spent there that day. Then - result! - "I can confirm the Parking Charge Notice has been cancelled in full and no further action will be required in regards to this matter."Be warned...

Steve Anderson ● 3496d1 Comments ● 3496d