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PCA Newsletter 34 - December 2008 |
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A dry crisp evening provided the backdrop to this
year’s Light Up The Lane. Several thousand people
turned out to enjoy our traditional Christmas mix of
music and merriment and take the opportunity to
wander the Lane and meet friends and neighbours.
We’re not sure of the final total but several
thousand pounds was raised for local good causes,
including our friends at Meadow House
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Hospice. Fund-raising honours
went, once again, to John and Maria at Aristocat,
whose raffle raised £400, and Aspet Gregorians of
the Village Pantry who weighed in with a whopping
£825. Our thanks go to Martin Kelly and his
dedicated band of helpers whose efforts on the day,
and in the months preceding, make this such a
successful and much-loved event. Even PC Steve
Robinson of our ward police team (pictured) seemed
to be having a good time. “We’ve never seen him
enjoy himself so much”, said a colleague. |
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Annual General Meeting
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A lively open session followed the formalities at
this year’s AGM, featuring topics as diverse as the forthcoming
widening of the Lane to a proposal to build ‘composting toilets’
in the park. As expected, some strong opposition
was voiced to the ‘Streets For People’ scheme to widen the Lane,
particularly in relation to the proposal to take equal amounts
off both pavements. Some people feel this will have a
disproportionate effect on the southern pavement, which is
already narrower than its northern counterpart, and a flurry of
consternation was created when it was suggested that to conform
to regulations the amount to be removed from each pavement had
to be six feet compared with the four or so originally proposed.
However, Councillor John Popham has since confirmed to the PCA
that this will not be so – four foot per side it is. The mood of
the meeting was not, generally, supportive of the dissidents and
several speakers said they were prepared to sacrifice pavement
space in order to get traffic flowing along the Lane.
Other concerns included certain shop fronts, Councillor Popham
describing the Post Office frontage as “hideous”; the proposals
for Ealing town centre; the takeover of the park on Saturday
mornings by organised football and the muddy mess it generates
on local pavements; and the aforementioned toilets, although
nature will be not be called upon to perform this function: a
hi-tech superloo is to be installed in the next few months. |
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Singers
Wanted
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Ward
Forum Allocations
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Ealing Choral Society is seeking bass
and tenor singers to augment their choir. They’ve
just appointed a dynamic new Director of Music, Dr.
Jonathan Williams, so this seems as good a time as
any to get involved with this leading musical group
who perform both locally and at venues such as the
Wigmore Hall. Rehearsals are on Monday evenings –
contact 8993 0695 or email
enquiries@ealingchoralsociety.org.uk for more
information.
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Our ward councillors now have £40,000
per year to spend at their discretion, and this year
£27,500 has been allocated to projects in the PCA’s
‘area of benefit’. These include shrub bed
improvements in Pitshanger and Cleveland parks,
railings in Cleveland Park, preparations for the
superloo (mentioned elsewhere in this issue), and
£4,000 for the installation and maintenance of
hanging baskets along Pitshanger Lane.
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Slow
Ahead (Again)
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Our item in the last issue about the PCA’s
approach to the Brentham Club as a possible base for a youth
club (“Cautious Optimism For PCA’s Youth Initiative”) has met
with this response from the Club’s Secretary, Marlene Rose.
“I am writing on behalf of the Brentham Club Management
Committee, regarding an item in your Newsletter no 33. We were
surprised to read this item, since it gives the impression that
we are close to striking a deal between our two associations
regarding premises for a local Youth Club. I am afraid this is
not the case. Dean Horridge [the PCA committee member
responsible for the ’Fast Forward’ youth initiative – Ed.]
has had discussions with a sub-committee, but nothing definite
was decided. We would like to stress that the Brentham Club is
extremely supportive of youth in the area, we have excellent
coaching, playing and tournament facilities for young
footballers and tennis players.” The PCA Committee
is happy to make the Brentham Club’s position clear. |
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A Night
At The Races
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We reckon those Hanwell and Northfields Rotarians
are developing bit of a gambling habit! After last month’s “Race
Nite” they’re organising another (albeit with proper spelling)
for the Mayor, Councillor Ian Green, on Saturday, 7th February
in the Brentham Club, with the first race at 7.30 pm. Tickets
cost £12, which includes supper and two free bets, and are
available from Mark Howlett in the Mayor’s Parlour on 8825 8630.
All proceeds – which will be matched by Barclays Bank – will go
to the Mayor’s two nominated charities, West London YMCA and
Acton Homeless Concern. |
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Committee Ins And Outs
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Mike Blake has decided to call it a day as PCA
Treasurer after five years, citing pressure of work. Your
committee would like to express its appreciation of Mike’s work
and thank him for his stewardship of the association’s finances.
However, Mike is staying on the committee at least during the
handover to a new treasurer. Coming the other way are returnees
Barbara Boyle, who resumes her former position as Membership
Secretary following Pam Walker’s departure, and ex-secretary
Lynda Pullman who formalises her role as our ‘Distribution
Manager’ with a place on the committee. The
remaining role to fill is, therefore, the all-important
treasurer’s post. As the remainder of the committee have to
remove footwear to count beyond ten we’re looking for a
financially literate person who can not only record accurately
the income and expenditure of the PCA, but report concisely on
the state of our finances at committee meetings. Needless to
say, there’s a bit more to it than that but you’ll be offered
full training and support and will join a lively bunch of people
who like to have fun as well as make a difference to the place
where we live and/or work. Please contact our secretary Debbie
Edwards on 8998 2414 or email
debbie.edwards@pitshanger.org.uk. |
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Northfields
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Despite the gloom in the housing market, Northfields
has got a couple of things to celebrate. They’ve
been awarded the title of ‘Best Independent Estate
Agency of 2008’, and sales per branch are running at
three times the national average over the last few
months. The two are probably not unconnected, as the
citation for their award says “they have a great
grasp of the real skills needed in a tough market”.
The citation also mentions their “charity and
community work”, and on this theme the PCA is
pleased to announce a new sponsorship package which
will see
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Northfields put £6000 into PCA events
over the coming year. This will ease the burden of
having to arrange sponsorship for individual events,
and help ensure that basic event costs are covered
whatever the weather or attendance. |
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North
Ealing School Expansion
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Plans to expand the school from its current
two-form entry (60 pupils) to three have been unanimously
approved by the governors despite opposition by some in the
local community. A proposed new building will accommodate the
expansion and also re-house the nursery and reception classes.
Prior to the decision over 3000 households in the North Ealing
catchment area were canvassed, as was the whole school
community, in order to gain views and opinions. A lively public
meeting at the school heard fears that the school might lose its
unique ethos as well as concerns about the growth of traffic in
the area, particularly at drop-off and pick-up times. Close
neighbours of the school in Woodbury Park Road are worried about
the disruption that would be brought by the building work.
However, the governors decided that over-subscription to the
school, which could mean a possible return of temporary ‘huts’
if nothing is done, along with the opportunity to acquire some
21st century facilities merited their approval of the scheme.
The Council will now determine whether to proceed to the next
stage and, if so, the formal consultation and planning process
should begin in January 2009 with planned completion of the new
building in September 2010 and a gradual expansion year on year
to the full intake of 90 children by 2016. For more
information see the school web site. |
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Season
Of Goodwill
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This seems an appropriate time of year to seek
requests for grants from organisations in the Pitshanger area.
If you have a project that will benefit our community and needs
a bit of money please let us know by calling our secretary,
Debbie Edwards, on 8998 2414 or email
debbie.edwards@pitshanger.org.uk. |
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... and
Hamilton Pits At Ealing Golf Club!
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Our local club (behind the park) held its Christmas
Family Lunch last weekend and received a visit by
Santa with the usual sack of presents. Attention was
diverted, however, by the arrival of a helicopter
which landed on the fairway outside the clubhouse.
The reason for its presence was soon revealed when a
sleek Mercedes swept into the car park and out
jumped Formula One racing champion Lewis Hamilton.
He chatted to kids, signed autographs and posed for
photos before being spirited away in the helicopter
to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in
Liverpool.
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More prosaically, the club is holding
another ‘taster day’ for women on Tuesday 3rd
February. If you’d like to try your hand at golf or
just brush up your game call the club at
ealinggolfshop@aol.com or 8997 0937. |
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Season’s
Greetings
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Your committee would like to wish you all a merry
Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year. They tell us it’s
going to be a difficult one but the Newsletter hopes to help you
through it with the usual diet of bad puns and jokes. Just to
get you started (and in case the crackers disappoint) here are a
few ‘Credit Crunch Specials’, courtesy of Martin Kelly, who
tells us he’s worried about the butchers facing the chop, the
plumbers pulling the plug, the bookshop reaching the final
chapter, the gift shop wrapping up, the [Enough! Enough! It’s
starting to hurt – Ed.] |
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