Archives from March 2010

Primary school offers day - 93% get a school of choice

[Mar 29] Council statement: As demand for primary school places reaches an all time high, 93% of borough applicants have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools, with 80% getting a place at their first choice. Those who have not been offered any of their preferences will have been offered an alternative - or one from the waiting lists in the coming weeks. This year saw 2,325 parents applying to get their children into local schools, up by 7% from 2,238 in 2009. To meet the demand the Council is providing extra places at eight primary schools, including Orleans Infant and Heathfield Infant Schools.

29 March 2010 | news

Norman Jackson V.C - A Local Hero

bq. “I was young and cocky and thought I could do anything. But I did no more than anyone else would do.”

Norman Jackson was born in Ealing on 8th April 1919. When he left school he qualified as an engineer. Although he was married and in a reserved occupation, on the outbreak of the 2nd World War in 1939 he volunteered for the RAF and trained as a Flight Engineer. On 20 July 1943 Warrant Officer Jackson joined his first squadron, No 106 based at Syerston, in Nottinghamshire, flying Lancaster bombers.

He and his new crew settled down well together and by mid-November had completed 14 sorties against targets in Germany. On a trip to Munich on 24 April 1944 Jackson completed his required tour of 30 sorties when he flew with another crew whose own flight engineer was unavailable. Two days later, on 26th April 1944, when his own crew were listed to complete their own tour of 30 sorties, Jackson cheerfully agreed to fly with them although there was no need for him to do so.

25 March 2010 | around_town

Ever Wanted to be Fitter?

Fancy a bit of power walking, jogging, stretching and toning for FREE? This is one of many AHM-fitness groups across London which are community based, free of charge, and contains about 87.4% fun too! We meet on Saturdays at 10am at the Coach House café and finish with a cup of tea at the end. All you need to do is to fill in a health form on AHM and email back www.AHM-Go.com – it couldn’t be easier, so join now!

25 March 2010 | around_town

Event Reminder: Marble Hill Park Easter Egg Hunt

Explore Marble Hill House & Grounds and search for the clues to grab your Certificate!!

  • Good Friday 2nd April 10:00 - 16:00
  • Saturday 3rd April 10:00 - 16:00
  • Easter Sunday 4th April 10:00 - 16:00
  • Easter Monday 5th April 10:00 - 16:00

£2.50 per child (1 accompanying adult goes free)[1]

fn1. Includes entrance to the Main House

25 March 2010 | around_town

The Marathon De Sables: 1 week to go!

For 15 years I have wanted to do this incredible race and now it is imminent, less than a week away. I can’t quite believe it. All my training and work has been done and I’m just doing the odd run to keep myself confident and in shape. I now need to pack and build myself up mentally.

25 March 2010 | around_town

Bluff King Hal

The next time you are driving through Syon Park to the Garden Centre in search of ornamental fountains, Mexican chimeneas or calendars showing cute pictures of kittens consider this - you are only there because a king died.

19 March 2010 | around_town

Bogus Charities Continue to Operate in Our Area

This one is almost convincing. “Helping Arms” make claims to support University College Hospital. The company is registered with Companies House, not once but twice having previously been dissolved and only registered again in January 2010. According to the “Helping Arms” site they have applied to register the charity but there is no record on the charity-commission.gov.uk website. They have rulings against them by the Advertising Standards Agency and complaints from other parts of the country. For more information check out my original posting on this website

15 March 2010 | news

'F' is for Flooding

Those of us who live along the banks of the tidal River Crane in north St Margarets love our river. We build decking and jetties alongside it, our children paddle in it, we delight in the wildlife that lives along its banks. We keep small boats on it and every year in the summer we gather as a community to clean it out. We enjoy our river, and yet…

…when exceptionally heavy rain is forecast or high tides expected we begin to worry. We worry about the weight of the water racing down to the Thames and we worry about the incoming tide that is waiting to meet it. We worry about the 4 or 5 times a year when the river overflows into our gardens and covers our lawns with a thick layer of silt, plastic rubbish and grass clippings. Most of all - and even though it hasn’t happened in living memory - we worry about the possibility of our houses being flooded.

12 March 2010 | around_town

St Margarets Fair 2009 Charity Beneficiaries

Last October we told you that how 50% of the £14,000 profit from July’s Fair on Moormead was distributed between the four local schools. We asked you to nominate local charities who you thought might be deserving of sharing the remaining £7,000. Seven charities were nominated and their representatives came to our January committee meeting to tell us about their work. I’m sure you’ll appreciate that we didn’t reach our decision easily as there was no organisation that we felt didn’t have a good reason to receive some of the £7,000 we had available. We decided that three of the seven would be the main beneficiaries, but they were all deserving of some support. Here’s how the money has been distributed.

12 March 2010 | news

The Marathon De Sables: 3 weeks to go

I’d firstly like to say a big thank you to all those who have kindly sponsored me to do this mad race, please if you would like to help me raise money for F.R.O.D.O. then please visit my just giving site at justgiving.com/georgie-islip Thank you for all your support as it will keep me going through the tough stages of the race.

10 March 2010 | around_town

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