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PCA Newsletter 40 - October 2009 |
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The Wars
Are Imminent
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Forget ‘Strictly Come Dancing’! This autumn the
Street Wars quiz competition is far more important. It’s part of
the Pitshanger Centenary celebrations, and sixteen streets will
be competing against each other to win the title of the
brainiest street in Pitshanger. Two heats will be held at St.
Barnabas Church Hall on Saturdays 17th and 24th October, in
which all sixteen teams – including two Pitshanger Lane traders’
teams – will take part. The ten teams with the highest aggregate
scores will go through to the final on Saturday 21st November.
Ian Hamerton will be the quizmaster on each occasion.
The entry fee of £8.00 per person covers all three rounds of the
quiz. Table snacks will be provided and beer, soft drinks and
wine will be available for purchase. There’s still time to get
involved and if you’d like to set up a team or want to know who
is organising one in your street please contact Tina Moonen on
8810 6497 or email
tina.moonen@pitshanger.org.uk. |
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Goodbye
and Hallo – part one
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The King is dead, long live the Queen! Ok,
ex-chairman Tim Sumpter isn’t really dead, just
overburdened by work, and new chair Karen Jacks
isn’t really a queen, just thinks she is. Karen’s
already Events Team leader, ultimately responsible
for Party In The Park and other events, and her work
rate, efficiency and leadership is admired and
respected by her colleagues on both the Events Team
and the PCA Management Committee. We look forward to
a period of benign rule, and a steep upward
trajectory of the PCA’s star.
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In the meantime, Tim is to stay on the
PCA committee to help boost the ‘Fast Forward’ youth
initiative, and members will surely join the
committee in thanking him for his hard work over the
four years of his chairmanship. |
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Goodbye
and Hallo – part two
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Light Up The Lane is no more. It is deceased. May
it rest in peace. In its twelve years it developed from an
impromptu late opening by the Pitshanger traders to the
large-scale event of recent years. The tenth anniversary a
couple of years ago was perhaps its high point, fireworks and a
snow machine providing a spectacular opening to the evening. As
one Events Team member said at the time, “What do we do next
year to trump this? A small nuclear explosion?”. It
has now been decided to return the event to its roots, an
evening of shopping, socialising and amusement for the local
community. So please welcome, for one night only on Saturday 5th
December at 5.30, the inaugural Pitshanger Christmas Fayre. The
Pitshanger traders will be augmented by local craft and charity
stalls, all offering you an opportunity to stroll, browse, meet
friends and chat, and pick up some interesting bits for
Christmas. Santa will be taking childrens’ Christmas orders
[still waiting for my helicopter – Ed.], there’ll be food and
drink aplenty (including, they say, a hog roast), singing,
dancing, and lots of other traditional Christmas delights. We’ve
agreed to the traders’ request that the tree lights are switched
on at the end of November, but we plan to add an extra sparkle
on the night. |
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Unfounded Rumours
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Double
Take
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If there was a world championship for
Chinese Whispers, the Pitshanger Lane team would be
hard to beat. The latest rumour to get out of hand
is that some of the Lane’s favourite shops are
closing due to a proposed 60% increase in rents.
While it’s true that a ‘For Lease’ sign has appeared
outside Robert Dyas (“we’re in negotiations”), Bee
and Walter Wyeth of the Pitshanger Bookshop – who
have had to reassure a stream of concerned customers
– wish to assure us that they have no intention of
closing. We are pleased to make the position clear.
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The introduction of double deckers on
the E2 route along Pitshanger Lane certainly ruffled
a few feathers. The concerns raised at the time
included irregular arrivals, potential damage to
trees, increased noise and loss of privacy for some
overlooked houses, flats and gardens. Now that the
double decker service has had a chance to settle
down, we’re keen to know what you think about it.
Have some of the initial problems gone away? Do the
double deckers deliver any advantages? Would you
prefer to keep the double deckers or go back to the
single decker service? Please let us know via email
to
pca@pitshanger.org.uk or in writing to PCA, 12
Sovereign Close, London W5 1DE, or air your views on
Pitshanger Voice.
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Pitshanger Memories
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Possibly the highlight of the Centenary
celebrations, this photo exhibition, curated by John
Waters, attracted over 700 visitors during its four
weekends at St Mary’s Church, Perivale. John scoured
local archives for photographs and wishes to thank
the Library in particular for making much
interesting material available. The exhibition will
undoubtedly be on show again, and if you haven’t
seen it take the opportunity to find out how
Pitshanger as we know it came about and view the
various incarnations of the Lane.
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As part of the Pitshanger Centenary celebrations the
PCA hosted a ‘Family Picnic in the Park’ on the
first Sunday in September. Over 200 families brought
along a picnic and enjoyed a sunny afternoon of fun
including arts and crafts activities, face painting,
family photos, lucky dip, storytime
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tent, games and entertainment along
with the ‘Pitshanger Memories’ photo exhibition and
a ‘through the decades’ childrens’ disco.
Former North Ealing School teacher
Helen Housego (pictured centre, with PCA secretary
Debbie Edwards and ex-chairman Tim Sumpter) was
presented with this year’s PCA ‘Pride of Pitshanger’
award – along with a cheque for £100 – in
recognition of her many years of community work,
particularly with young children. |
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Meadow
House Day
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Popstars Karaoke
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Pitshanger traders raised over £1200
for Meadow House Hospice (attached to Ealing
Hospital) by holding their second annual fundraising
day. Activities included a colouring competition for
children, tombola, and the ‘Pitshanger Memories’
photo exhibition. Organiser Walter Wyeth of the
Pitshanger Bookshop was delighted: “It was an
excellent day, Meadow House were very pleased with
the result, and we’re hoping to build on this for
next year”.
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Pitshanger Popstars is the annual pop
talent competition for young people that culminates
in an exciting finale at Party In The Park. Now it’s
going all grown up, holding an adults’ Karaoke
evening at the Brentham Club on Friday 16th October,
doors opening at 7 pm. Information and tickets (£10
each, to include table snacks) are obtainable from
Jenny (07921 081432), Sue (07980 858036) or Dom
(07850 009976).
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The
Ferrets Are Back!
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By popular demand, these sinuous masters of the
perspex tube will be doing their unpredictable thing at the
Brentham Club on Friday 30th October, starting at 8 pm. For the
uninitiated, ferret racing involves sticking four ferrets into
tubes and betting on which one comes out first. Sometimes they
simply don’t start; others will get to the end, take one look,
turn around and head on back. Come and see quite normal and
intelligent people going ape after losing £1.50 on a
recalcitrant ferret. Truly hilarious. Tickets, available from
Dave Wallis at
dave.wallis@pitshanger.org.uk or 8998 2203, are £10 each and
include a bangers’n’mash supper. |
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And Now
The Calendar |
Marler
Haley Anyone? |
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John Waters has capped his success with Pitshanger
Memories by producing a calendar based on photos
from the exhibition. It features thirteen pictures
of old Pitshanger dated from 1900 to 1950, and is
available exclusively from the Pitshanger
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Have you got any unwanted display
boards such as those manufactured by the
above-mentioned company? They were used in the dark
ages for exhibitions and meetings but have been
superseded by digital projectors and laptops. Check
in the storage cupboard where you work: the PCA can
find all sorts of uses and would love to give them a
good home. |
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Bookshop,
price £9.99 (postal envelope included). Be quick - it’s a
limited edition and they’ll sell out fast. As John
says, “It’s a great way to take a walk down memory
lane every month”. |
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Park
News
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The July issue of the Newsletter mentioned the
Council’s consultation on improvements to the playground in
Pitshanger Park. The budget for these is £51,000, funded by the
Government’s Play Builder programme. Based on the results of the
consultation exercise, the Council have come up with a final
design that includes more safety surfacing, an increase in the
grassed area, an aerial runway, a basket swing, a log/boulder
area, a timber balance trail, a stepping stone path and other
improvements. Your editor can’t wait to try it out! The design
is available for download from the PCA website
here. Elsewhere in the
park, the new Superloo has materialised, Tardis-like, on its
plinth near the tennis courts, but there is still some work to
do in the surrounding area before the first twenty pennies can
be spent. |
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Shedding
New Light
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Fitness
Training
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The PCA’s lighting director, Andrew
Dixon, has told us that the lights in the trees
along Pitshanger Lane will need replacing next year
at a cost of around £20,000. They’ve been pummelled
by pruning, bashed by buses, and will probably not
survive the trauma of the forthcoming road works and
street lights replacement. We’re looking for finance
for the renewal with PCA fundraising supremo Lynda
Pullman already twisting arms. We also need ideas,
and Andrew invites your thoughts on how we can
develop the display. Contact him at
andrew@adlight.co.uk.
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Member Rosanna Henderson is trying to
establish regular group fitness sessions in the
park, using a professional trainer. Sessions, which
cost £10 each, take place from 10.30am until 11.30
on Saturdays and Sundays in the area between the
tennis courts and the bowling green. A wide range of
activities is offered: for more details contact
Rosanna at
rosanna.henderson@ukgateway.net.
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