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Sunflower Summer Fete this Saturday 22nd June

For a fun day out for all the family, visit Southfield Primary's Sunflower Fete on Turnham Green, Chiswick (by Turnham Green Church) this Saturday 22nd June from 11am to 4pm.This year the theme for the children’s fancy dress parade which is always a highlight of the fete is ‘The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’ and there will be a prize for the best hat and outfit.Fete Attractions will include: a bungee trampoline and bouncy castle. Little ones will enjoy the face painting and other activities in the Children’s Craft Corner or try their hand at traditional games such as hook-a-duck while older children will love the football tournament, beat the goalie and old favourites such as the coconut shy – there’s something to amuse all ages.To bag a bargain, pay a visit to a variety of stalls selling everything from second hand books to plants, flowers, toys and bric-a-brac and do not miss out on the opportunity to participate in the Tombola to win some fantastic prizes. With a great selection of food and snacks on offer with tea and light refreshments, you can indulge your taste buds at the Sunflower Cafe, the Wyndham House barbeque, the Pimms Tent or try a selection of an eclectic mix of food from around the world from the International Food Stall - courtesy of the culinary skills of the school’s parents, while you enjoy the music from the jazz quartet. The Sunflower fete is supported by local businesses and organised by The SPSA (Southfield Parent Staff Association - registered charity 1015206) which works hard to raise funds for projects and much needed resources that enhance the children’s experience at school.

Marina Judith ● 4437d0 Comments ● 4437d

Volunteer with the Doorstep Library Network

Are you available Mondays, Tuesdays or Thursdays between 3.45-6.30pm during school term time?The Doorstep Library Network runs Doorstep Library Projects (DLP) on estates in Hammersmith & Fulham. Each DLP recruits volunteers to pay weekly visits to low-income families to read stories to their children and bring a choice of children books to borrow.Volunteers work in pairs, with each pair picking books to read with and lend to families. We visit families in their homes/ on their doorsteps, read a story with the children and lend them books for the week. Through the reading of stories to the children we also act to befriend parents/ carers, offering a listening ear and signposting suitable local services where appropriate.Volunteers will develop skills which will be useful for careers in education or social work and child care. All Volunteers receive initial and on-going training including:•           Introduction to poverty and social exclusion, and the overall aims of the Doorstep Library Network•           Aims and methods of the project •           Door-knocking and home visiting •           Personal safety•           Child protection policy•           Confidentiality and information sharing policies•           Local service provision and how to signpost these to families•           Reading methods, especially for children with learning/ behavioural difficultiesAll volunteers receive support and supervision throughout the placement.A strong grasp of written and spoken English is essential (you will be reading aloud to children and developing their vocabulary through conversations connected to the readings and talking with parents).Please contact us on info@doorsteplibrary.org.ukwww.doorsteplibrary.org.uk

Emily Oliver ● 4534d0 Comments ● 4534d

"China's love affair with England" - Daily Telegraph on line today 14th November 2012

Please read the following fascinating article:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/9663863/Chinas-love-affair-with-England.html...."I was visiting Mr Tang, who worked in research and development at a large pharmaceutical company in Shanghai, at his weekend retreat in Thames Town. A facsimile of an English country town – all half-timbered mock-Tudor buildings, cobbled lanes and Georgian terraces – which lies at the end of the Shanghai Metro Line 9, 25 miles from the city, Thames Town is a part of Songjiang New City – a sprawling modern conurbation that includes seven university campuses and what is claimed to be the largest shopping mall in the world. [...] Thames Town was originally planned as a community of 10,000 people, providing housing for staff at the numerous universities of Songjiang New City and for Shanghai commuters, but properties were quickly snapped up by wealthy buyers as second homes or investments. Only a third of Thames Town’s residents live there permanently, Mr Tang told me. ‘Professionals. A few government officials…’ The rest, like Mr Tang himself, live in Shanghai or elsewhere, visiting only at weekends.A jovial man of 50, dressed in jeans and a combat shirt, Mr Tang told me that he had visited England on a business trip in 2001 and fallen in love with it. When the opportunity came up to buy an apartment in one of the low-rise blocks that encircle Thames Town’s centre, he jumped at it.‘I like to get away from the concrete jungle,’ he said. ‘Lots of people come here at the weekend to savour the atmosphere, so they don’t have to pay for a trip to London. For me it’s a place to relax, drink tea and have family reunions.’ "Message: perhaps we don't have to build any high-rise apartments blocks next to the river. Rich Chinese REALLY want low-rise "mock Tudor", etc....

Una Hodgkins ● 4655d0 Comments ● 4655d

Re: scaremongering over Hammersmith Bridge

Please consider our wrong-headed planning policies: covering over the ground and removing soil!!Although it is not Government policy we need to reverse or at least slow down the present policy of "build, build, build" in London. The infill and "improvement" of properties in London continues unabated and increases day by day the run-off of rain into sewers and the risk of flooding as rain is not allowed to soak into the ground locally as it used to be.The front garden which an owner-occupier concretes over to provide off-street parking and the excavated basement means less grass and less soil to absorb rain water.Multi-storey tower blocks have deep excavated foundations and concrete rafts to support the structure above, but less soil beneath to absorb the rain.The accelerating construction boom in London in the last 100 years has caused a very significant loss of (1) the natural soil surface and (2) the volume of soil underneath buildings to absorb rain water. The water table sinks, the rain water ends up in the drainage and river system, and the overall effect is to remove rain water from the natural environment where it belongs.Do we really want a parched and flooding Thames Valley? That is the direction in which we are heading.The National Trust has repeatedly published reports about poor water management in the UK. The most recent report from a coalition of environmental charities called "Blueprint for Water" which includes the NT and RSPB can be found here:  http://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Blueprint_scorecard_pressrelease_6Nov12.pdfI note that "Blueprint for Water" does not have on its board any local authorities, district councils, the GLA or the urban planning profession, yet their planning decisions have an extremely important impact on water management. The problems in London are only the most acute form of the same disease.

Una Hodgkins ● 4655d0 Comments ● 4655d

Richmond Council to hold Referendum on Heathrow Expansion

Conservative-run Richmond Council is holding a referendum on the expansion of Heathrow Airport. It will be held before May next year and other west London councils will be encouraged to take part.The Council Leader, Councillor Nicholas True, said:“Richmond Council has again taken a united stance on an issue where people rightly expect us to put aside party bickering in local politics. We are all elected to fight for our residents - and there is no issue more important to them than this."I deeply regret that the nightmare vision of Heathrow expansion that had been so wisely laid to rest by our Coalition government has been resurrected. This time we must kill it off for good. As far as this Council is concerned it will be all-out war with the big money interests and slick-suited PR men peddling this foolish project. It is perfectly possible to deliver increased airport capacity in south-east England without expanding Heathrow. No-one in their right minds would consider building a new airport on the Heathrow site today - that must surely go for a new runway, too."Frankly, Richmond and other west London residents have had enough. They have patiently borne the scourge of Heathrow, with all the noise, pollution and risks, for decades. In 2010 they were given hope of permanent relief from expansion - they trusted the word of those who gave that promise and it should not be broken. "As their elected representatives we are not prepared to sit meekly and take incoming fire from the Heathrow lobby without giving our residents the chance to hit back and have their say. The proposed ballot will give the long-suffering people of west London an unprecedented opportunity to shout loud and clear to those that run the airport, and anyone inside government who may support them, that Londoners simply won’t take it. I hope that other boroughs will join us.”The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, added: “I warmly welcome the news of this ballot in Richmond. It is a positive step that people living in the vicinity of Heathrow and who would feel the impact of any expansion most acutely, are given an opportunity to have their opinions clearly heard. Londoners elected me on a platform of opposition to expansion at Heathrow and it is a mandate I am absolutely determined to defend. A third runway would mean more traffic, more noise, more pollution and a serious erosion in the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people. We need to rule out this option once and for all and quickly take forward a bolder, longer term solution capable of supporting the needs of the capital, namely a new hub airport ideally to the east of London."Will Hammersmith and Fulham Council follow Richmond's example ?

David Giles ● 4698d1 Comments ● 4689d

Closure of Charing Cross A&E - A good idea

Whilst I'm gutted about the loss of Central Middlesex which was one of the great hidden gems of West London I find it hard to be too bothered about the loss of A&E facilities at Charing Cross.Generally emergency facilities are widely abused by people in the country with much of their trade being in Friday, Saturday night drunks and people with non-emergency ailments who can't be bothered to book a GP appointment. If the latter have to travel a bit further to get to A&E they probably won't bother.Ambulance services are now better equipped than ever and paramedics better trained so a system in which you have fewer A&Es with better facilities makes perfect sense.The present Government has increased spending on the NHS in real terms and will continue to do so but because demand for services is ever increasing then savings have to be made somehow. Reducing A&Es seems less bad option. Staff costs are the biggest expenditure item and if doctors are going on strike at the suggestion that their pension entitlements might be reduced then services have to take a hit.Charing Cross is a great hospital but it never offered paediatric services any way so for many the A&E closure is irrelevant.Both H&F Council and local MP Andy Slaughter seem to be falling over each other in an effort to lead the campaign to 'save' Charing Cross. Neither of them will have any credibility unless they can come up with alternative ways the local NHS Trust can make the savings they need to.

Andy Jones ● 4796d10 Comments ● 4738d

Congratulations to Angie Bray MP for opposing the House of Hacks

by voting along with 90 other Conservative MP's and over 20 Labour MP's against Nick Cleggs' silly plans to replace the House of Lords by a new assembly 80% composed of members elected for a term of 15 years from lists of candidates selected by the hierarchies or headquarters of the political parties. People elected for a term of 15 years will not be accountable to the electorate. People selected by the hierarchies of the political parties will not be representative of or accountable to the electorate. They will be merely party hacks or apparatchiks. It will be the House of Hacks.The election of candidates from lists proposed by parties is reminiscent of  the "elections" held by Eastern European Communist regimes - not British democracy. It is a profoundly undemocratic and alien idea.Such an assembly will inevitably see itself as a rival to the democratically elected House of Commons. It will lead to disputes between the two houses, delays and compromises between the House of Commons and the House of Hacks on the other.And there is a high probability that the balance of power will be held  by small minority parties such as the Lib Dems or the Nationalists.And why do we want over 400 more professional politicans and all their associated costs and staff ? Can we afford them ?The US Senate only has 100 members.Many democratic countries work pefectly well with only one House of Parliament. Do we really need two ?Replacing the House of Lords is a very important constitutional issue. As such it should be subject to a referendum as was AV, joining the Common Market, introducing a London Mayor, the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly etc. If Scotland can have a referndum on independence, then the whole of the UK needs a referendum on replacing the House of Lords.Angie Bray has sacrificed her ministerial career for her principles.Well done Angie !

David Giles ● 4780d6 Comments ● 4758d

CYCLING 75 MILES...

... TO BEAT BLOOD CANCER On 1 April 2010, my son Jake was diagnosed with leukaemia. He was 20 years old. And suddenly the world went very dark indeed.    Even though he’s now in remission, 30,000 people every year in the UK get the same heart-stopping news. And go to that same dark place. That’s one person every 17 minutes. And I simply can’t just stand by and let that happen without trying to do something about it.  For the last two years, I’ve ridden the 52-mile London Bikeathon to raise as much money as possible for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. In that time, some amazingly generous people have helped me raise more than £4,500.  But knowing the nightmare that engulfed my boy for so long – and the dreadful pain he endured while he fought both the illness and the effects of the treatment – means that I can do nothing less than continue to ride against this truly awful disease.And this year I’m going the extra mile – well an extra 23 miles actually – by taking on the 75-mile Box Hill Endurance challenge. It takes place on 16 September and includes part of the Olympic cycling route. And Box Hill. A walk in the park it ain’t…These are difficult and uncertain times, but if any of you can donate even just a few pounds by going to http://www.justgiving.com/PaulHigham3 I’d be very grateful. OR DONATE BY TEXT It's really easy to donate by text too. And it's free! Just use the code JMGH55 and add the amount, then text to 70070 Please help us fight back. Help us beat this insidious, brutal and heart-breaking disease. Thank you so much And please forward this email to anyone you think might want to help. The more people who know about it, the better!Paul Higham(Goldsmith Avenue, Acton)

Paul Higham ● 4762d0 Comments ● 4762d

Ball/street hockey (children and adult beginners programme)

West London Ball Hockey Club presents this exiting new sport to the local community of Ealing.  "something different"  "Important:  We play with trainers not roller blades"We have just moved into this new facility  "Elthorne Sports Centre. Westlea Road, off Boston Road, Hanwell W7 2AD".This sport is hugely famous in Canada, Czech and Slovak. Our Values are; Respect, Sportsmanship, Considering others, Affordable, Family friendly, Fun.  These values resonate in our both, children's and adult beginners programmes.We are affiliated with UK Dek (Ball) hockey association. & International street/ball hockey association. "One of our Aim is to Celebrates multiculturalism by introducing children (boys/girls age 5-14 year) and adults (male/female) to this fast & active sport which is good for fitness and health.Our Children programme costs £16 per-child for the whole term(9weeks)or £3 per-session.  New term starts on the 21st of April 2012 from 09:45am - 10:45am, Saturday mornings. Equipment provided.  Coaching followed by a game. End of term prizes awarded.Our adult 14years+ beginners programme is for male & female.  It costs £5 per-person and £3 for students and unemployed.  We play every second Monday 08:00pm-9:30pm.  Equipment provided. Coaching followed by a game.To learn more about our aims, prizes for the children, and how do we ensure safe and fun environment for children and adults.Please contact: Nicky Rae on 07906 638 612 (for children's programme), OREmail: westlondonballhockeyclub@hotmail.co.uk for further details (you can also request e-brochure).Website:  www.londonballhockey.co.uk

Waseem Nayyer ● 4825d0 Comments ● 4825d

Live marriage debate in Chiswick this Monday...

On Monday 30th April 2012 at Gunnersbury Baptist Church in Chiswick, there will be an exciting and relevant, free public debate on the subject of the Governments recent proposals to redefine marriage to incorporate same-sex couples.Two top-class speakers with differing opinions will discuss this very important topic.1) Adrian Trett is Chair of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) + Liberal Democrats since the Coalition Government was formed, and the author of the original motion on Equal Marriage in the UK for Liberal Democrat Conference in 2010. His campaigning group has been working with our Liberal Democrat Ministers, in particular Lynne Featherstone MP to enable this issue to be brought on to the Government's agenda, now with the public consultation and hopefully for legislation to be passed by 2015 to enable equal marriage in the UK.2) Rev. David Robertson is the Pastor of St. Peters Free Church in Dundee. He is the Author of 'The Dawkins Letters' and regular conference speaker and debater for the Evangelical Christian Church. There will be a chance, during this debate for questions from the audience.Doors will open at 7.00 pm for a 7.30 pm start. Entrance to this debate is absolutely free although early arrival is recommended.Watch out for the formal publicity - fliers and posters!I hope you will support this important event,Many thanks,Laurence TruettDebate Coordinator

Laurence Truett ● 4860d2 Comments ● 4839d

Ball/street hockey (children and adult beginners programme)

West London Ball Hockey Club presents this exiting new sport to the local community of Ealing.  "something different"  "Important:  We play with trainers not roller blades"We have just moved into this new facility  "Elthorne Sports Centre. Westlea Road, off Boston Road, Hanwell W7 2AD".This sport is hugely famous in Canada, Czech and Slovak. Our Values are; Respect, Sportsmanship, Considering others, Affordable, Family friendly, Fun.  These values resonate in our both, children's and adult beginners programmes.We are affiliated with UK Dek (Ball) hockey association. & International street/ball hockey association. "One of our Aim is to Celebrates multiculturalism by introducing children (boys/girls age 5-14 year) and adults (male/female) to this fast & active sport which is good for fitness and health.Our Children programme costs £16 per-child for the whole term(9weeks)or £3 per-session.  New term starts on the 21st of April 2012 from 09:45am - 10:45am, Saturday mornings. Equipment provided.  Coaching followed by a game. End of term prizes awarded.Our adult 14years+ beginners programme is for male & female.  It costs £5 per-person and £3 for students and unemployed.  We play every second Monday 08:00pm-9:30pm.  Equipment provided. Coaching followed by a game.To learn more about our aims, prizes for the children, and how do we ensure safe and fun environment for children and adults.Please contact: Nicky Rae on 07906 638 612 (for children's programme), OREmail: westlondonballhockeyclub@hotmail.co.uk for further details (you can also request e-brochure).Website:  www.londonballhockey.co.uk

Waseem Nayyer ● 4839d0 Comments ● 4839d

Paid Study for Patients and Nurses of Parkinson's Disease

Hi There, I am currently recruiting Parkinson's patients and nurses of Parkinson’s patients taking place May 15th-16th, 2012. I realise many of you will not have PD yourselves, but perhaps you are a nurse or have a family member or friend who may be interested in taking part. We are looking for patients with Parkinson's disease that are currently using apo-morphine via a pre-filled syringe or pump and patients with Parkinson’s disease that are currently using pen injectors (‘Apo-go’). We are also looking for any professional nurses who work with Parkinson's patients. Respondents would be asked to look at a new medical device that would be used to administer apomophine and give their opinion on whether or not they feel the device is an improvement to current market products. They would not be given any medication of any kind or be asked to use the device themselves. The nurses would also be asked to look at the device and give their opinion as to its suitability. They would base this on their experience and interaction with Parkinson's patients.Any one that was interested would need to come to our branch in Hammersmith and spend an hour talking to an interviewer about the device. Patients and nurses alike would be paid £80 for their time and input. Alternatively, a donation of £80 to a charity of choice is also an option. Also, any booked referral will also be compensated with £20 extra.It would obviously not be appropriate for me to ask you for anyone's contact details, but I would appreciate it if you could pass this message on to anyone who you feel may be interested in taking part in the study and they can then contact me. Or if you know anywhere else that I can try, i.e support groups or forums I would be very grateful.Please feel free to call me on 0208 834 0785 or reply to this email reception@idea-research.net.Many ThanksJennifer and Willow

Dalya Ortanallama ● 4842d0 Comments ● 4842d

Live Kidney Donation - Please help increase awareness to save my mum and patients like her :)

Hello everyone,My mother has recently been diagnosed with end stage renal failure and is in need for a transplant. Last night I made a facebook page to try and increase awareness of live kidney donation in the hope of finding my mum a donor. I realise this is quite an unconventional approach but I have been overwhelmed by the response from my friends offering to be considered as donors and helping spread the word.I am not a regular user of Twitter but made an account today to try and spread the message even further than my Facebook network. As you can appreciate I will do anything to try and save my mum. So, I thought I would post the link on here too. We have lived in West London for about 30 years and mums renal team are based at Hammersmith Hospital. I was hoping that perhaps some of you might be willing to help increase awareness of live kidney donation by posting the FB page I have created for my mum on your own walls and Twitters (link below) or anywhere you can think of, in the hope of finding a donor for my mum and for patients like her. I think this is so important as not many people actually know they could be considered as donors and if they did, perhaps we could reduce the suffering people experience waiting for years on dialysis and save more lives. People don't realise that living with one kidney does not mean that life will be any different to what it would be with two.The link below takes you to the page I created if you are interested in helping out and I am contactable on http://www.facebook.com/TalulahDelilahhttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-find-a-living-kidney-donor-for-my-mum/345334168849821Thank you so much for taking time to read this.Natalia

Delilah Natalia ● 4864d0 Comments ● 4864d

Ball/street hockey (children and adult beginners programme)

West London Ball Hockey Club presents this exiting new sport to the local community of Ealing.  "something different"  "Important:  We play with trainers not roller blades"We have just moved into this new facility  "Elthorne Sports Centre. Westlea Road, off Boston Road, Hanwell W7 2AD".This sport is hugely famous in Canada, Czech and Slovak. Our Values are; Respect, Sportsmanship, Considering others, Affordable, Family friendly, Fun.  These values resonate in our both, children's and adult beginners programmes.We are affiliated with UK Dek (Ball) hockey association. & International street/ball hockey association. "One of our Aim is to Celebrates multiculturalism by introducing children (boys/girls age 5-14 year) and adults (male/female) to this fast & active sport which is good for fitness and health.Our Children programme costs £16 per-child for the whole term(9weeks)or £3 per-session.  New term starts on the 21st of April 2012 from 09:45am - 10:45am, Saturday mornings. Equipment provided.  Coaching followed by a game. End of term prizes awarded.Our adult beginners programme is for male & female.  It costs £5 per-person and £3 for students and unemployed.  We play every second Monday.  Next session is on Monday the 16th of April 08:30pm-10pm.  From May its going to be 8pm-9:30pm. Equipment provided. Coaching followed by a game.To learn more about our aims, prizes for the children, and how do we ensure safe and fun environment for children and adults.Please contact: Nicky Rae on 07906 638 612 (for children's programme), OREmail: westlondonballhockeyclub@hotmail.co.uk for further details (you can also request e-brochure).Website:  www.londonballhockey.co.uk

waseem nayyer ● 4868d0 Comments ● 4868d

Host a board for the Chiswick & Hammersmith NCT!

I know there are a lot of people who use this forum who complain endlessly about the proliferation of estate agents boards but I am hoping the curmudgeons will see the charitable good behind this request.  The kind chaps at Featherstone Leigh (W4) and Horton & Garton (W6 & W12) are giving a generous donation to our charity, the Chiswick & Hammersmith National Childbirth Trust (NCT) for each address that will host a one of their boards in the run up to our biggest fundraiser of the year - the Nearly New Sale (scheduled for 19 May @ Chiswick Town Hall, 10am - 12noon).  Over 500 local parents visit each Nearly New Sale where they can kit out their nurseries with preloved baby items at a fraction of their retail prices - an invaluable service for our local community.  The boards help get the word out about the sale whilst raising much-needed funds for our branch.  If you are willing to host a board for us, please PM me!  We would be so grateful!!    A bit more about the NCT:  we are the UK's largest charity for parents.  The NCT campaigns for a country in which parents are valued and supported so that they may build a strong society, believing that a child's early years significantly impact upon the future they help to shape.  We offer information and support in pregnancy, birth and early parenthood whilst campaigning to improve maternity care and ensure better services and facilities for new parents.  The Chiswick & Hammersmith branch is dedicated to supporting local parents, from bump to preschool, and hosting fun, family-friendly events in our neighbourhoods.  Lifelong friendships develop during our antenatal courses, expectant parents connect during our Speedbumps events, the home birth support group provides a warm, supportive environment for mums-to-be considering this option, whilst postnatal coffee groups create a welcome outlet for new and second-time mums. 

Jenn Irvine ● 4885d2 Comments ● 4879d

Mayor's referral - Hammersmith Town Hall redevelopment proposal

Despite all sorts of tweaking I still can't respond to messages on the Forum, so have to start a new thread, as follows:The Mayor of London was due to consider the application yesterday. However, SOS received this message from the GLA this morning:'Hammersmith & Fulham Council has withdrawn the stage II referral until further notice.  It means that the Mayor is not required to take a decision at this time.  The application is still live and therefore it may be referred back to the Mayor at a future date.  This will be at the Council's discretion.'There is no strict timetable for the Council to follow. The only procedural requirement for the Council is that it cannot issue a decision notice on this application until it has referred the application to the Mayor. Once the Council has referred it the Mayor, he has 14 days within which he must respond. Now the GLA has confirmed that the Council has withdrawn this referral. This simply means that the process is on hold. The Council cannot issue a decision until it has referred the application to the Mayor, and the Mayor will not respond as there is no current referral for it to respond to.  One possibility is that the Council will refer the application again in the New Year.  A second possibility is that the Council spoke with the Mayor or GLA officers and learnt that it would direct refusal. The Council then decided to withdraw the referral, allowing the applicant to withdraw the application. This would prevent the GLA making its Stage II report public.Any material changes would require the application to be taken back to the Planning Applications Committee.

Rosemary Pettit ● 4990d3 Comments ● 4960d

Hammersmith and Fulham Council Withdraws King Street Plans

David Walters has consistently misrepresented (1) the number of people who responded to Helical Bar and Grainger's "consultation" - actually a carefully orchestrated PR exercise and (2) the nature and selling price of the proposed flats.(1) The number of respondents at a public meeting in a tent in Lyric Square in July 2010 was very, very small - about 400 in all. The visitors were shown three plans which looked very similar and asked to choose between them. They were not encouraged to answer separately: "None of the above". The "consultation" was a "box-ticking" exercise, in order to include a "Report on Consultation" with the planning application, as the developers are legally required to do.(2) Early on we found out that Helical Bar and Grainger were using as their model riverside developments by St George's at Imperial Wharf (Sands End/Chelsea) and at Battersea Reach next to Wandsworth Bridge. These flats are sold over the internet to buyers seeking to invest in Luxury Investment Properties (LIP in the trade!) for between 500K and £4M (see for example flats at Kew Bridge development - also St George!) The owners hardly ever visit them. Not at all the "regeneration" of King Street which Hammersmith Council has trumpeted!In order to attract these ultra-rich overseas buyers the proposal included the horrendous footbridge over the Great West Road: the owners of the penthouse flats were to be given the illusion of their own "private" access to "their" riverside gardens - This is actually Furnivall Gardens, a metropolitan  open space created in 1951 for the people of Hammersmith.Crucial elements of the development have been misrepresented. The developers hoped to get away with their deliberate "economies with the truth". They have not!

Una Hodgkins ● 4989d0 Comments ● 4989d

Does anyone care??? Advice please.

Despite the fact that many emails and telephone calls have been made to LBHF Council nothing has been done to help a 70 year old profoundly deaf lady out of her current situation!She lives in sheltered housing but her flat is FULL of MICE despite 5 visits from Pest Control. Her health is suffering and her mental state is causing us some concern. In recent weeks she has been bitten by either a mouse or a rat, (when she went to retrieve an item dropped on the floor) for which she received medical attention. She threw a nearly new bed out, bought another bed but can't sleep in it because of vermin.She tried to put slices of bread in the toaster but a mouse jumped out of it! She was quite sick after this episode. The poor lady even went to a local B&B one night as she cannot sleep in the flat. She spent a night on the sofa but still couldn't sleep.I have telephoned and written to LBHF but despite promises no-one called to reassess her obvious needs. They expected her to 'bid' for another flat despite her disability and the fact that she has no computer. Anyway now at last someone in the Housing Office made a bid for this lady but there is no guarantee that she will be allocated another flat.I have been promised that someone would be in touch but all to no avail! No-one is returning my calls.She spends the day outside as she can no longer bear to live in her flat. I wonder how the staff at LBHF can sleep in their nice cosy beds at night with not a care in the world!This elderly lady is just a friend and we do try to call on her each time she rings in distress (which is often I must admit). We are also pensioners and not social workers but it would seem that we are doing their work for them!The lady's GP and the Pest Control people said she should get out of there immediately but where to?If anyone can suggest where we go from here your advice would be most welcome, we are just trying to help this lady but getting nowhere fast.

Jean F Fernandez ● 5122d12 Comments ● 5093d

Calling All Volunteers! The Orangery, Gunnersbury Park this Saturday 12noon-4pm

ORANGE ROCKCORPS: Gunnersbury Park Project Saturday 25th June 2011, 12 noon – 4pmGunnersbury Park, The Orangery, W5 4NECalling All Volunteers!Gunnersbury Park is a beautiful 75 hectare (186 acres) landscape of exceptional mature trees, open grass spaces and historic buildingsregistered as Grade 2* by English Heritage with 21 separately listed buildings.Orange and RockCorps have come together to help you to give something back to the community. Take part in Orange RockCorps and help transform the Orangery in Gunnersbury Park. Big old buildings don't come better than this!If you are free on Saturday 25th June 2011 between 12 noon - 4pm and would like to help the Orange RockCorps team to renovate the Orangery by painting, washing, scrubbing, varnishing and just generally having a jolly good old time, then all you need to do is register as a volunteer online at:  http://www.orangerockcorps.co.uk/ or call 0800 954 7625.  After you give your 4 hours, you'll get given 1 ticket to see some great musical artists.RockCorps is a pro-social production company. RockCorps uses music to inspire people to volunteer and get involved in their community. To date, over 45,000 volunteers have attended more than 20 amazing live music events. This is an opportunity not to be missed out on!!  This park exudes history, beauty and culture and this project will see the transformation of a currently disused building into a beautiful space. We guarantee you won't be disappointed. So come down and join the Orange RockCorps team as we take a step back in time! Note:• Registering online is essential: Only confirmed volunteers get all the details and a reserved place on the project.• You must be at least 16 years of age to participate in an Orange RockCorps project.

Rishi Joshi ● 5167d1 Comments ● 5124d

Warning for Streetcar users

I had booked a Steetcar between 7 and 8 am today, and as I had time at the end of my booking, despite there still being half a tank of diesel, decided to fill up.  However, when I went to pay, the cashier pointed out that the fuel card had expired at the end of March, which meant that I had to pay the £47.11 due.  I called Streetcar and was told that a refund would take 3 to 4 working days - interesting, because using internet banking I can now make an immediate transfer to anyone I choose within an hour, yet Streetcar apparently can’t, despite the fact that they are able to deduct funds from my account immediately I make a booking.  This situation is of course made more complicated by the fact that there are only three working days before the next long weekend begins.  I asked for an explanation as to why this situation had occurred, and was told that there had been a “massive problem” regarding the fuel cards, and that I was by no means the only one experiencing difficulties.  I pointed out that Streetcar had no difficulty in communicating with their members on other matters, yet hadn’t been able to warn us of this particular situation, despite the fact that it’s now nearly the end of April.  I can’t help wondering whether they are in financial trouble, but if they are, they should come clean instead of using their members’ funds to help them through their difficulties, which is what this amounts to.  So please be warned that if you have booked, or are intending to book, a Streetcar over the two bank holiday periods and need to fill up, you may well have to pay for the fuel yourself and can’t expect to be reimbursed for some considerable time.  In my opinion, Streetcar provides an excellent service, but this situation seems to show disrespect for their members, and is certainly less than honest.  I’ve made both ‘phone and email requests for an explanation of exactly what is happening with Streetcar but as I’ve waited all day and have so far had no response, felt that in fairness to other Streetcar members who may be unaware of this situation, I should post this warning without delay.

Arthur Owen ● 5226d1 Comments ● 5216d

Watch Brentford v Swindon for free!

Help out in the local community and receive a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to watch Brentford Vs Swindon Town on Saturday 9th AprilFootball Clear-Up has once again teamed up with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust to give Brentford FC fans the chance to take part in their second ‘Football Clear-Up’ event.The community based event offers football fans the opportunity to represent their club in the local community by volunteering for two hours on the morning of the match.  As a reward for their hard work, the volunteers will receive a complimentary ticket for them and a Junior Bee to the afternoons’ match against Swindon, where hopefully The Bees will be parading the JPT Trophy.To take part in Football Clear-Up and earn a free ticket, fans eighteen years and over, need to register at www.footballclearup.com.The ‘Clear-Up’ will be taking place at Riverside Lands, Chiswick. The event will see participants clearing debris and generally tidying up the area around the Chiswick Rugby Clubs Clubhouse in preparation for the all new 567’s Youth Football Tournament. The tournament is open to U7 to U14s and is being designed and delivered in partnership with Chiswick Community School, Old Meadonians FC and Lovell Partnerships LtdBrentford FC Manager Nicky Forster said, "The Football Club is delighted with this scheme, which reinforces our reputation in the community as a family club. Those taking part in Football Clear-Up will be rewarded for their hard work and commitment to the community, and I hope that the boys will put in a performance to make them proud”Andrew Bell, Managing Director of Football Clear-Up said, “We are pleased to be holding a second Football Clear-Up event with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. We held a fantastic event last year where we helped to ‘Clear-Up’ the boating arches under Kew Bridge. We are offering fans an alternative way of watching live football which for a family can be expensive”BFCCST Chief Executive Lee Doyle said, "The Football Clear-Up ethos is about being fan inclusive, irrespective of age, gender or social background. The Trust has always maintained its commitment to promoting inclusion and accessibility to the club. Football Clear-Up offers fans and families a fantastic and rewarding opportunity to show their support for both the Bees and their community”-ENDS-For further information please contact:Andrew Bell – Sports Clear-Up LtdM: 07872 921 741andrew@sportsclearup.comFor more details on how to enter your team into the  567’s Tournament please visit  www.brentfordfccst.com or call 0844 247 1889

Andrew Bell ● 5250d0 Comments ● 5250d

Dag Mauling at Ravenscourt Park Sunday at 15:45 - NEED HELP FINDING THE OWNERS

Yesterday at 15:45pm, one of my two small, white dogs was viciously attacked by another dog in the large dog exercise area at the north end of the park (near Ladybird nursery at the Goldhawk Road exit.)There were 3 adults: 2 men and 1 woman.  The woman appeared to be the owner (she was yelling at the dog as it ran after my dog as soon as we entered the dog area, clearly knowing it was dangerous) and she was thin, white, with long rather straight dark hair.  Her dog was black, appeared similar to an Alsatian but smaller and more narrow, perhaps because it was a puppy or another breed/mixed breed.  The dog had a long pointy snout and pointy ears.  The woman was with two men, one probably in his 40s, another maybe a bit younger and with a hefty white bulldog-type dog, who was not involved in the attack.The attack was quite brutal, with my dog being approximately the size of the black dog's head.  Immediately after the attack, the owner of the white bulldog said, "We've got witnesses.  Your dog attacked this one."  Clearly, this guy had been in enough trouble in his life to invent a liability-avoiding lie on the spot in the moment of attack.  Crazy.  The older man took the black dog and RAN OUT OF THE PARK, taking the back exit, and turned left onto Goldhawk Road.  The woman, other man, and white dog quickly waled away refusing to give any details and escapaing as quickly as possible.  I told her I wanted her details and she looked away and said it was not hers.  I think she was lying.  The man actually shouted at me that he hoped my dog dies.  He was quite rough looking, a thug type.  He and the woman crossed the zebra crossing outside of the park exit and turned west, walking west along the north side of Goldhawk Road.I had to take my dog to the emergency vet, and we are not sure he will survive the mauling.  I won't go into that any further because I am distraught.  But I am also angry.  Angry that these people, very rough, and probably regular visitors to the park, acted as they did, lied immediately showing they are at the ready to not take any responsibility for their actions, ran away like COWARDS, and mocked my dog as it was in my arms, severly injured.  I am tired ot chavs pushing all of us around, and there were many people around during this loud debacle.  Certainly, someone saw something.  If so, please contact me with urgency.  Or ask around to any families you know who might have been in the area.  I had to get to the vet and did not get any witness names.  But there were plenty, and I am asking you to speak up.I would like to say I am shocked, but I am not.  I have called the police and park police and am looking into CCTV and a private detective.  BUT I NEED HELP: IF ANYONE WITNESSED THIS OR THE PEOPLE RUNNING FROM THE PARK YESTERDAY AT 15:45-15:55 AT THE GOLDHAWK ROAD EXIT TO RAVENSCOURT PARK, PLEASE CONTACT ME. Thank You.

Lily Brown ● 5273d1 Comments ● 5263d

DOG MAULING: Sunday 7 March, 15:45 RAVENSCOURT PARK

Yesterday at 15:45pm, one of my two small, white dogs was viciously attacked by another dog in the large dog exercise area at the north end of the park (near Ladybird nursery at the Goldhawk Road exit.)There were 3 adults: 2 men and 1 woman.  The woman appeared to be the owner (she was yelling at the dog as it ran after my dog as soon as we entered the dog area, clearly knowing it was dangerous) and she was thin, white, with long rather straight dark hair.  Her dog was black, appeared similar to an Alsatian but smaller and more narrow, perhaps because it was a puppy or another breed/mixed breed.  The dog had a long pointy snout and pointy ears.  The woman was with two men, one probably in his 40s, another maybe a bit younger and with a hefty white bulldog-type dog, who was not involved in the attack.The attack was quite brutal, with my dog being approximately the size of the black dog's head.  Immediately after the attack, the owner of the white bulldog said, "We've got witnesses.  Your dog attacked this one."  Clearly, this guy had been in enough trouble in his life to invent a liability-avoiding lie on the spot in the moment of attack.  Crazy.  The older man took the black dog and RAN OUT OF THE PARK, taking the back exit, and turned left onto Goldhawk Road.  The woman, other man, and white dog quickly waled away refusing to give any details and escapaing as quickly as possible.  I told her I wanted her details and she looked away and said it was not hers.  I think she was lying.  The man actually shouted at me that he hoped my dog dies.  He was quite rough looking, a thug type.  He and the woman crossed the zebra crossing outside of the park exit and turned west, walking west along the north side of Goldhawk Road.I had to take my dog to the emergency vet, and we are not sure he will survive the mauling.  I won't go into that any further because I am distraught.  But I am also angry.  Angry that these people, very rough, and probably regular visitors to the park, acted as they did, lied immediately showing they are at the ready to not take any responsibility for their actions, ran away like COWARDS, and mocked my dog as it was in my arms, severly injured.  I am tired ot chavs pushing all of us around, and there were many people around during this loud debacle.  Certainly, someone saw something.  If so, please contact me with urgency.  Or ask around to any families you know who might have been in the area.  I had to get to the vet and did not get any witness names.  But there were plenty, and I am asking you to speak up.I would like to say I am shocked, but I am not.  I have called the police and park police and am looking into CCTV and a private detective.  BUT I NEED HELP: IF ANYONE WITNESSED THIS OR THE PEOPLE RUNNING FROM THE PARK YESTERDAY AT 15:45-15:55 AT THE GOLDHAWK ROAD EXIT TO RAVENSCOURT PARK, PLEASE CONTACT ME. Thank You.

Lily Brown ● 5273d2 Comments ● 5270d

Play to help real life victims of allegations

A fictitious teacher facing false allegations from her student will help real life victims thanks to a gala performance of an award winning play.  Profits from one night of the London run of Vivienne Franzmann’s hard hitting play ‘Mogadishu’ will be donated to Teacher Support Network.  “We are delighted to be involved with the play” said Teacher Support Network’s Chief Executive Julian Stanley.  “Not only will the performance help us to raise vital funds to continue supporting all teachers, but it will also help us put a spotlight on an increasingly important problem.”As the only charity of its kind in the country, Teacher Support Network offers information, counselling and support to teachers on a variety of issue, both in and out of the classroom, but the Chief Executive says that the play is not all make believe.  Allegations are a real problem for teachers.“We know from speaking to an increasing number of wrongly accused teachers through our Support Lines every year that these allegations not only cause severe emotional distress and anxiety, but also undermine confidence, have long-term mental health implications and may drive some teachers from the profession entirely.  In short, these allegations can wreck not just the careers, but also the lives of the teachers, their families and the reputation of the schools where they work.”The Coalition’s Education Bill, which has just received its second reading in Parliament, includes anonymity for teachers who have had an allegation made against them.The Charity Gala Performance of ‘Mogadishu’ will take place on Saturday 19 March 2011 at the Lyric Hammersmith.  To book ticket call 020 7697 2754 or go to www.teachersupport.info‘Mogadishu’ will be on at Lyric Hammersmith from 2 March 2011 to 2 April 2011.

Jason Harrison ● 5273d0 Comments ● 5273d

New book launch: Who was Jack the Stripper?

My second True Crime Story: Who was Jack the Stripper? will be launched at Abertillery Library sometime in March/April 2011. The book launch will coincide with a 1 hour drama/documentary to be aired throughout Britain and Europe focusing on Harold Jones, the killer of 2 school children in Abertillery, South Wales in 1921. (Google Harold Jones - The Welsh Killer, or Neil Milkins, or Jack the Stripper.)The documentary will be presented by television presenter and Kray Twins biographer Fred Dineage MBE and top British criminologist and criminal profiler Professor David Wilson. Jones was 15 when he murdered 8 year-old Freda Elsie Maud Burnell and 11 year-old Florence Irene Little in 1921. Jones was released from prison in 1941 having served 20 years for his crimes and owing to the turmoil of World War 11 he went off the police radar. During the times of the unsolved murders of 8 women in the Hammersmith district of London between 1959 and 1965, Jones lived in the Hammersmith district using various aliases. (He lived in Fulham, Putney and Hammersmith between 1947 and 1971 when he died.) Who was Jack the Stripper? examines the amazing links between Jones and the murdered women!Professor Bernard Knight who recovered and conducted the post mortems on all of Fred and Rosemary West's murder victims and "Taggart" creator Glenn Chandler have both read the manuscript for Who was Jack the Stripper? and have made positive comments on the amazing and startling coincidences linking Jones to the Hammersmith murders.Who was Jack the Stripper? is a follow up to Neil Milkins' top selling 2008 book: Every Mother's Nightmare - Abertillery in Mourning, which dealt in depth with the Harold Jones murders of Freda Burnell and Florence Little.Who was Jack the Stripper? will be distributed by:Neil Milkins, Rose Heyworth Press, 67 Arael View, Abertillery, Gwent NP13 1SU. Tel: 01495213744. n.milkin@sky.comemails and feedback welcomed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Forum Home

neil milkins ● 5323d2 Comments ● 5286d

Earn a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to see QPR vs Cardiff

Football Clear-Up has teamed up with QPR in the Community Trust give Hoops fans the chance to take part in their first ever ‘Football Clear-Up’.The community based event offers football fans the opportunity to represent their club in a two hour ‘Clear-Up’ to earn a free ticket for them and a Junior Super Hoop to the afternoons’ match.  The full details of the ‘Clear-Up’ will be released next week.To take part in Football Clear-Up and earn a free ticket, fans eighteen years and over, need to register at WWW.FOOTBALLCLEARUP.COM to enter the draw. Thirty lucky R’s fans will be selected to take part in the ‘Clear-Up’ and will receive a free ticket to the game in the afternoon vs. Cardiff City. As well as a free adult ticket, they will also receive one junior complimentary ticket to the big Super Hoops game against Cardiff later on that day.QPR FC Manager Neil Warnock said, "QPR Football Club is delighted with this scheme, which will further assist our work in the community. Those taking part in Football Clear-Up will be rewarded for their hard work and commitment to the community, and I hope that the boys will put in a performance to make them proud”Andrew Bell, Managing Director of Football Clear-Up said, “We are pleased to be holding QPR Community Trust’s first ever Football Clear-Up.  The support we have had from them has been fantastic. In the current financial climate watching live football for a family can be expensive, we are hoping to give football fans and their families an alternative way to get to the game”QPR Community Trust CEO Andy Evans said, "For the last 16 years QPR Community Trust has aimed to use the power of the football club to forge stronger & deeper connections with its community.  We believe that Football Clear-Up can further enhance these links and gives fans the chance to represent their club and get something back in return.”

Andrew Bell ● 5383d0 Comments ● 5383d

Check Your Health Save Your Life - Free NHS Health Checks

Your local NHS is now making it easier for you to stay healthier for longer, by introducing free NHS Health Checks to six local pharmacies from Wednesday 8 September.The Health Check is available to everyone aged between 40 and 74 and can see if someone is at risk of developing serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.During the quick 20 minute Health Check fully-trained pharmacists will ask questions about a person’s lifestyle, family history and current medication.  They will record a person’s weight, sex, height, blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol levels to get a result, which will be explained in full at the end of the check.  Everyone who takes the check will be given advice and information on improving their health.  Anyone who needs more specialist help will be referred to a GP, or a more appropriate NHS service.Dr David McCoy, NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Acting Director of Public Health, said: “In Hammersmith and Fulham around 13,500 residents are affected by heart disease, stroke, diabetes or kidney disease and sadly they account for 37% of deaths in the borough each year.  The good news is these health problems can be prevented, controlled, or even reversed, which is why we’ve introduced the free NHS Health Check at six community pharmacies.  “People who are overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure or cholesterol, and take little exercise are at greatest risk of developing the diseases Health Checks can diagnose. Even if you feel well it’s a good idea to be checked.  These common diseases and conditions often don’t have any obvious symptoms and are not picked up until it’s too late and that’s what we want to avoid.”You do not need an appointment to have a free NHS Health Check at one of the following six pharmacies:• Healthside Pharmacy, 90 Shepherds Bush Road. W6 7PD• Parmay Pharmacy, 122  - 124 North End Pharmacy. W14 9PP• Bush Pharmacy, 334 Uxbridge Road. W12 7LL• Westway Pharmacy, 11 Westway. W12 0PT• Fulham Pharmacy, 608 Fulham Road. SW6 5RP• Boots the Chemist, Unit 5 – 6 The West 12 Centre, Shepherds Bush. W12 8PPIn addition to offering NHS Health Checks at six local pharmacies, NHS Hammersmith and Fulham has organised teams of healthcare professionals to carry out the checks at a range of community events during the next 12 months.  Look out for information on the events online at www.hf.nhs.uk and in the local press.  Alternatively, if you are aged between 40 and 74, you can request to have a Health Check carried out by your GP. For information about Health Checks visit www.nhs.uk or call the national NHS Health Checks helpline on 0845 850 9850.  Alternatively, call NHS Hammersmith and Fulham’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0800 389 9092 to find out more about Health Checks locally.

Louise Tweddell ● 5455d0 Comments ● 5455d

A word of warning - no idea if this is true but..........

GPS AND MOBILE PHONES With all the new electronic technology - this experience gives all of us something to think about. GPSsomeone had their car broken-into while they were at a Football game. Their car was parked on the green which was adjacent to the football stadium and specially allotted to football fans. Things stolen from the car included: a garage door Remote Control, some money and a GPS which had been prominently mounted on the dashboard  When the victims got home, they found that their house had been ransacked and just about everything worth anything had been stolen.  The thieves had used the GPS to guide them to the house. They then used the Garage Remote Control to open the garage door and gain entry to the house. The thieves knew the owners were at the football game, they knew what time the game was scheduled to finish and so they knew how much time they had to clean out the house. It would appear that they had brought a truck to empty the house of its contents.Something to consider if you have a GPS - don't put your home address in it. Put a nearby address (like a store or gas station) so you can still find your way home if you need to, but no one else would know where you live if your GPS were stolen.MOBILE PHONESThis lady has now changed her habit of how she lists her names on her mobile phone after her handbag was stolen. Her handbag, which contained her cell phone, credit card, wallet... Etc...was stolen. 20 minutes later when she called her husband from a Pay Phone telling him what had happened, he said 'I received your text asking about our Pin Number and I've replied a little while ago.'  When they rushed down to the Bank, all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen cell phone to text 'Hubby' in the Contact List and got hold of the Pin Number.. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their Bank Account.Moral of the lesson: Do not disclose the relationship between you and the people in your Contact List.Avoid using names like Home, Honey, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mom, etc.... And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, CONFIRM by calling back.Also, when you're being text by friends or family to meet themsomewhere, be sure to call them back to Confirm that the Message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.

Carol Burge ● 5460d0 Comments ● 5460d

Hammersmith & City and Circle lines between Hammersmith and Edgware Road set for three week upgrade

• Closure between 24 July and 15 August due to Crossrail and LU station upgrade works  at Paddington • LU will take advantage of closure to carry out additional upgrade work Work at Paddington to help deliver Crossrail and an upgrade of the Tube station will mean London Underground’s (LU) Circle and Hammersmith & City line services will be suspended between Hammersmith and Edgware Road for three weeks this summer.The works at Paddington will involve the demolition of a disused taxi ramp and canopy that sit above the Hammersmith and City platforms and means that trains will not be able to operate in that area. London Underground will also take advantage of the closure to carry out essential renewal and upgrade works, which otherwise could have required weekend closures. These include: • Platform extension works to accommodate the new longer air-conditioned trains;• Installing energy efficient conductor rails; • Track replacement and drainage works. The closure will begin on Saturday 24 July and services will resume on Monday 16 August. Hammersmith & City services will operate from Edgware Road to Whitechapel while Circle line services will operate the old route. Rail replacement services will operate between Hammersmith and Edgware Road and there will be ticket acceptance on local bus and Tube services. If you wish to find out more or discuss this with someone from LU, there will be LU managers at Hammersmith (H&C and Circle) station on Wednesday 14 July from 07:30 – 10:00 and 16:00 – 19:00. I will be there.

Patrick Green ● 5511d2 Comments ● 5476d

Your Health 2010 - Come and join in the fun Saturday 3 July

Making this summer your healthiest everA brand new NHS health and wellbeing festival is taking place in Hammersmith’s Lyric Square and Theatre on Saturday 3 July.Your Health 2010 is running from 10am to 4pm and will be a mix of fun and serious debate on local NHS issues. With free drop-in health checks, interactive exercise sessions, and fun entertainment for children, the festival will be a one-stop shop for practical advice and information about health and wellbeing.Find out how to eat your way to better health, have your teeth checked, and get expert fitness advice. You can also drop in anytime to speak to local doctors, nurses, and health visitors about the NHS services in your area.There will be information on how NHS money is spent and the big plans for improving local services. If you have ideas about how to improve NHS care, you’ll be able to take part in a series of special workshops.  Leaders of the local NHS will be also taking part in an open debate giving local people a chance to ask questions about any aspect of the NHS. The debate starts at 1pm in the Lyric Theatre and will be chaired by Lord Victor Abedowale.Sarah Whiting, Managing Director of NHS Hammersmith and Fulham, said: “The festival is all about having fun, getting quick and easy health advice, and telling us what you think about the NHS and how we could improve. “Health is such an important issue and it’s vital that we get it right. Our plans to improve health in the borough need to be built on the views of residents and local doctors. This event is the start of a genuine discussion with local people about how to improve health services and address the financial challenges facing the NHS.”If you have a question you’d like to ask, or would like a free ticket to the open debate event at 1pm in Lyric Theatre, email communications@hf-pct.nhs.uk or telephone 020 3313 7254.For more information about the festival and the free workshops, click on www.yourhealthfestival.org.uk.

Louise Tweddell ● 5524d0 Comments ● 5524d

Send John Terry Home Today

Win or lose this afternoon from what I have seen over the last few days any hope that the England football team have of at least the sum of their parts rests on getting John Terry out of the camp. His unpopularity amongst fellow pros is well known and he clearly is at the root of all the difficulties the squad is experiencing at the moment. Still bitter at having the captaincy taken away from him by Capello he seems to be focusing on Shaun Wright-Philips who is Wayne Bridge's best friend. His abortive attempt to organise a 'team meeting' with Capello to try and force him to include Joe Cole in the team seems to have been thwarted by the lack of support from the senior pros such as Lampard and Gerrard. The problem is that the factionalism in the squad has clearly had an impact on the pitch.The man is poison and Capello probably would have got rid by now but for lack of available centre halves. With King, Ferdinand out and many of the possible alternatives such as Jonathan Woodgate and Curtis Davis ruled out before the tournament Capello's description of Terry's role as 'important' is based on necessity rather than enthusiasm.To me Terry has always been over-rated as a player and he regularly gets shown up in international football. He lacks pace, tactical awareness and ball distribution skills. The brave move for Capello would be to drop him and never pick him again - possibly too late for this tournament but if the current England team are to achieve anything it has to be done.

Ellen Kearney ● 5530d4 Comments ● 5525d

foster homes for cats/kittens urgently needed

As some of you know I foster cats for Hounslow Animal Welfare.  I have just had an urgent e:mail from the organisers which I have copied below.  If anyone can either foster or adopt a cat and/or kittens we will be most grateful.  Apparently there is major issue at the moment all over the UK with people irresponsibly NOT having their cats neutered and hence there being family after family of kittens needing homes.Fostering is a great alternative to adopting if you:a)  Don't own your own home and can't be sure you can give a cat a permenant homeb)  Don't have outside space and feel cats should have that access to the outdoorsc)  Travel alot on business (or pleasure!) as you can tell HAWs when you are not available to fosterd)  Can't adopt a cat for financial reasons (whilst fostering ALL vets bills are covered by the charity and if necessary they can supply you with food, litter and equipment to care for the animals)e)  Love to see kittens develop and play as you can have a succession of kittens forever!!!HAWs have a "no kill" policy but cannot take in any more cats or kittens at the moment due to a lack of foster carers and adopters, leaving the chances high of them having to be taken by other organisations who may well only keep them for 2 weeks before putting them to sleep as unwanted animals (yes, even kittens being put to sleep after 2 weeks).Here is the e:mail I received.  Please go to the HAWs website www.haws-animals.org.uk for contact information either for fostering or adopting.  In either situation you will need to be home checked but when I first offered to foster I was checked and had a cat within 48 hours - so, just think - by this weekend you could be playing with gorgeous kittens in your own home!!!!"There really is a crisis now with mothers and kittens all over the place and this is affecting all charities, not just ours.  We have mothers and kittens sitting in vets as we cannot find enough foster homes and we are aware of at least six mothers with kittens in gardens in Southall that neither Cats Protection nor ourselves can help at the moment.    We are not particularly asking if anyone could take a mum and kittens (although of course we would be ecstatic) but if you could take just one cat that would release a space for a family.Just for the record we recently attended the CatChar.org 10th anniversary party and both Celia Hammond and the lady who helps run Katz Castle said the whole welfare situation was almost out of hand (a lot of it due to people not neutering their animals) and could only get worse.So any bit of help would be appreciated so much   We can lend a pen if necessary."

Silvia Diaz ● 5550d1 Comments ● 5550d

The facts say we must vote Labour out of power

Since Labour came to power in 1997 the gap between the rich and the poor has widened. Labour has failed to tackle poverty.   Since Labour came to power in 1997 manufacturing output and jobs have declined at a faster rate than under the previous Conservative Governments. Industrial production continues to decline in the UK while it is increasing in USA, Japan, Germany, France, China, Canada, Italy and in the Eurozone as a whole.  The trade weighted value of sterling has fallen by about 25% since 2007 - a faster decline than when Britain left the ERM in 1992. The UK has world's second largest negative balance of trade second only to the USA which is a much bigger economy. In contrast China, Japan, Germany, France,  the Netherlands,  Norway, Russia, Sweden, Denmark and the Eurozone as a whole all enjoy positive balance of trade surpluses   Exports fell by 4.4% in January 2010 compared to December 2009. Between early 2008 and autumn 2009, GDP fell by 6.2%. The recession lasted 6 quarters longer than any other G7 economy.Labour Government spending as a share of GPP rose from 44% in 2006 to 52% in 2009- compared to 48% in Germany.The Labour Government’s projected deficit of £167 million is equivalent to 11.8% of GDP and the Government has no credible plans to reduce it. This compares with a deficit of only £6 billion when Labour came to power in 1997.The Labour Government’s budget deficit as a share of GDP is on a par with Greece's. It is the highest since the Second World War and will be the biggest of any G20 economy according to the IMF.The UK’s National Debt will rise from £617 billion in 2009/10 to £1,400 billion in 2014/15. It is now at its highest level since the Second World War. According to McKinsey the total indebtedness in the British economy as a share of GDP is the highest amongst 10 major economiesThe Labour Government is now spending 4 pounds for every 3 it receives in revenue.The Labour Government is now borrowing 25 per cent of what it spends. And 25 per cent of what the Labour Government borrows is spent on pay interest on the Government's borrowings. The Labour Government now spends 52 per cent of GDP which means that each worker on the private sector has to support and pay for at least one worker in the public sectorNearly 6 million on benefits dependent on taxpayers for their benefits.  Over 6 million on the public sector payroll dependent on taxpayers for their incomes. There 2.5 million unemployed and rising. Our rate of youth unemployment is the highest on record since the Second World War.Inflation is now running at 3.5% and interest rates are rising.These facts and figures make an overwhelming case for voting Labour out of Government and ensuring that a discredited and bankrupt Labour Government is not kept in power by any backroom deals such as a possible coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

David Giles ● 5592d6 Comments ● 5578d

Council Rich List - Why it matters

Whatever you think about the Taxpayers' Alliance it is hard to deny the importance of highlighting just how excessive pay in the public sector has become.I spent an evening in the company of the HR director of the firm I work for. We are a medium sized British company who are quite successful and have weathered the recession well. He told me that the main problem the company faces is staff retention in the face of recruitment from the public sector. We have lost three relatively senior executives over the last year to local authorities. All of them were relatively well paid but they moved because they were increasing their salaries, would get a non-contributory pension, would have longer holidays and shorter working hours. He expects more staff to leave in the coming year. On the other hand he never sees a CV that has been submitted from someone wanting to work with us from the public sector.It is pointless raising salaries because we would never be able to compete with what is on offer. He estimates that our profits are hit by about 20% due to the costs associated with retraining replacements and lost revenues from losing good people. This is a significant stealth tax which is strangling our economy.Before Labour came to power in 1997 public sector pay was significantly below the private sector average but people chose it because of increased job security and a sense of public service. Public sector pay increased dramatically because it was argued it was necessary to improve the quality of staff. Now it exceeds the private sector even without allowing for fringe benefits.People in the public sector should never get paid six figure sums - they simply can never be worth it especially when you remember the cost of their pensions to the taxpayer will run into millions of pounds. Private sector staff earn large salaries because the company owners think it is in the shareholders interest because of the revenues the person brings in. This doesn't apply in the public sector.The biggest problem with all of this according to our HR director is that in a few decades half the revenues that local government get will be going towards funding the deficit in the staff pension fund and services will have to be cut significantly. The next Government of whatever hue will have to grasp this nettle or the country is in serious trouble.

Ellen Kearney ● 5605d1 Comments ● 5584d

Getting a dr's appt

Will set the scene........I have flu, have had since Saturday and something I know a GP cannot treat.  However what has happened in the past, and I think is going to happen again, is it moves to my chest for which I have needed anti-biotics.So rather then wait until the day, I thought I would make an appt for anytime Thursday or Friday.......I hope by then the aches and pains of the flu will have subsided and I will feel up to walking round the docs.Ring the surgery, put on hold..............Me - Hello, can I make an appt for either Thursday or Friday pleaseReceptionist - there are none available for this week Me - Oh dear, thing is I have the flu which normally moves to my chest and in the past have needed anti-bioticsReceptionist - what is wrong with you?Me - explained had fluReceptionist - Do you have a temperatureMe - probably yes at the moment which is why I wanted the appt for later in the weekReceptionist - you cannot come round if you have a temperatureMe - Well I don't want to come round nowReceptionist - Do you want to talk to a doctorMe - No, not at the moment, I can deal with the flu Receptionist - We only have 24 hour in advance apptsMe - Sorry but what does that meanReceptionist - Ring Wed at 08:30 for an appt Thursday am, ring Wed at 13:30 for an appt Thursday pm, ring Thursday 8.30 for an appt Friday morning, ring Thursday 13:30 for an appt Friday pm.....but if you have a temperature you cannot come round.Me - ok, thank you very much.

Carol Burge ● 5651d2 Comments ● 5640d

There appears to be a real and sudden new danger to the Freedom Pass in London.  Downing Street need

There appears to be a real and sudden new danger to the Freedom Pass in London.  Downing Street needs to be sent as many signatures as possible on this petition. For those not so old, you might consider  that your time will come!Open the link at the bottom to sign the petition to keep the freedom pass, and send this on to anyone you can think of The three-year funding deal for the Freedom Pass agreed between Government and London's Councils in 2008 has been re-opened by theDepartment for Transport which is seeking ways to cut costs. As a result, London is set to lose £29m (half its agreed funding for  2010-11). Leaders of London's Boroughs are opposed to this re-opening of the  previously agreed three-year funding deal, and have said that, although they will endeavour to protect the Freedom Pass, the money will have to  be found SOMEWHERE. THERE IS CONCERN THE AXE MAY FALL ON THE FREEDOM  PASS, OR AT LEAST SOME ASPECTS OF IT. A Petition has been organised to demand that the Prime Minister  intervene to protect the Freedom Pass's funding, and every London resident who might be affected is urged to sign it. It has been  submitted by Barry Macleod-Cullinane of London Councils, and the wording on 10 Downing Street website reads- We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to intervene to secure  the Freedom Pass by protecting the previously agreed level of concessionary travel funding for London, for 2010-11, from the proposals  currently being consulted on by the DfT that would cut £29m of agreed funding for the boroughs, following the DfT's re-opening of a 30year funding deal in its third year. The deadline for signing this Petition is January 29, 2010 and,  currently over 6,000 signatures have been attached, but this is unlikely to be enough so if you feel inclined, DO join by using this  link:   http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/29m4freedompass/

Libby Kemp ● 5679d2 Comments ● 5679d

Tube closures affecting W6 this weekend

This weekend 24/25 October there is no service between West Kensington and Richmond or between West Kensington and Ealing Broadway on the District line. On the Piccadilly line there is no service between Hammersmith and Northfields or between Hammersmith andEaling Common or between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge. The Uxbridge branch of the Metropolitan line is not affected. Travelling between central London and Heathrow Airport?• For Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5 use the Heathrow Express to/from Paddington.• For Heathrow Terminal 4 use Heathrow Connect to/from Paddington or Ealing Broadway.• Valid Underground tickets covering all zones between 1- 6 will be accepted on the above services. Heathrow Express and Connect services start and finish at slightly different times to the Tube at weekends. Bear this in mind if travelling early morning or late evening. For further information, contact National Rail enquirieson 08457 48 49 50.Travelling between central London and Richmond?Use South West Trains between Richmond and WaterlooTwo London Underground replacement bus services operate:Service A for local journeys only: Hammersmith – Ravenscourt Park –Stamford Brook – Turnham Green –Chiswick Park – Gunnersbury – Acton Town –Ealing Common – Ealing Broadway (for the Central Line and Heathrow Connect) – South Ealing and Boston ManorService B: Hammersmith – Boston Manor (non-stop)For more information please go to:  http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/by-date.aspx?offset=weekend

Patrick Green ● 5777d0 Comments ● 5777d

NHS Hammersmith and Fulham’s AGM

Annual General Meeting 2009NHS Hammersmith and Fulham’s annual general meeting will take place on Monday 14 September 2009 from 5pm until 7pm at the Bordeaux Suite of the Novotel London West, 1 Shortlands, W6 8DR. The public meeting will offer a chance to hear about the progress your local NHS has made over the last year as well as its priorities and challenges for the future.Sarah Whiting, NHS Hammersmith and Fulham managing director, said: “We’d love to see as many members of the public who are interested in the current and future health of the borough at this year’s AGM as possible.“It’s a real chance to find out what your local NHS has been up to and how it plans to improve the health of the people living in Hammersmith and Fulham in the year to come.“It’s also the perfect opportunity to ask any questions you may have relating to the healthcare you receive, so make sure you turn up and have your say.”Those attending the meeting will also be able to hear an update on work being jointly carried out with the council and be able to pick up a copy of NHS Hammersmith and Fulham’s Annual Report and Public Health Report 2008/09.The AGM will also highlight NHS Hammersmith and Fulham’s role as one of two London primary care trusts to be rolling out the poly-systems model; which aim to radically transform the availability and quality of healthcare delivered outside of hospitals. If you would like to join us please email communications@hf-pct.nhs.uk or call 020 3313 7227 / 7226.

Louise Tweddell ● 5836d0 Comments ● 5836d

Free Swimming for Under 16s in Hammersmith and Fulham

Free Swimming for Under 16s Try it out until 31st August 2009 at the Janet Adegoke Swimming Pool in Bloemfontein Road, White City, or Fulham Pools in Norman Park, Lillie Road, Fulham. Whether your child is a serious swimmer or simply likes to splash – there’s every reason to take advantage of this exciting offer from NHS Hammersmith and Fulham.Download the registration at www.hf-pct.nhs.uk or look out for leaflets in libraries and sport centres across the borough.Simply fill out the registration form and take it to either of the two pools, along with a one-off £1 registration fee.  Children aged under 16 can swim with a parent or guardian at family sessions for free between 10.00am and 12noon daily.Those aged between nine and 16 can swim for free unaccompanied between 2.00pm and 4.00pm daily.Janet Adegoke Swimming PoolBloemfontein RoadShepherds BushLondonW12 7DBTube: White City White City and Shepherd's Bush Market.Bus: 283 and 288 Fulham Pools Normand Park Lillie RoadFulhamSW6 7ST Tube: Barons Court Bus: 74, 190, 430.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Terms and ConditionsChildren aged under eight and all non-swimmers must be accompanied in the pool by an adult swimmer. No more than two children per adult. Unaccompanied under eights will not be admitted to the pool. Free swimming may be limited if the pool is overcrowded. Female only swimming sessions available at the Janet Adegoke on Saturdays, between 4.00pm and 6.00pm. Registering for free swimming costs £1. You must register at the pool you wish to swim at. You will then be issued with a card that must be shown each time you swim. Registration is non-transferable. Family swimming is limited to one parent/guardian/carer at any one time.  Parents/guardians/carers do not need to register, however proof of identity is required.

Louise Tweddell ● 5843d0 Comments ● 5843d

Free Drama Workshops

Have you ever treated your voice as a primal reflex? Do you break your own habits to be honest with yourself? Would you like to know what organic theatre is and experience a state of presence?Three questions, three answers in one large event:Workshops, Film and Theatre - a package full of POLISH DRAMA!Polish deConstruction invites you to actively explore the physical and organic acting technique employed by The Bones Theatre during a three-day long workshop (11-13 May). These workshops are open to all and, thanks to support from the Hammersmith and Fulham Council, free of charge!The workshops culminate in a small performance, showcasing the outcomes of the earlier collaborative process, on Thursday evening (14 May). This will be followed by a short film screening and a discussion with The Bones Theatre as well as the Film Director Rafal Rakoczy.PROGRAMME:What: WorkshopsDate: Monday 11 - Wednesday 13 May 2009Time: daily 11am - 4pm (break 1.30-2pm)Entry: FREE! Limited places - please register online if you would like to attend the workshops: www.polishdeconstruction.org It is advised to attend all three workshops as they will be a continuation of one another. The deadline to register is 8 May.What: Workshops Presentation + Film, followed by discussionDate: Thursday 14 May 2009Time: 7.30pmEntry: FREE!Location:POSK (Polish Social & Cultural Association)238-246 King StreetLondon W6 0RFMore information & Workshops Registration:http://www.polishdeconstruction.org/polishdrama

Agata Smith ● 5943d0 Comments ● 5943d