Posted on

Lots of free children’s activities at West Ealing Family Day on Saturday 22nd September

We’ve put together our best yet activities and entertainment for children at this year’s Family Day. So far confirmed:

Farmers’ Market in Leeland Road – Punch and Judy show from 11.30 – 12.30 plus fruit and vegetable printing and chalk street art

St James Avenue – OPEN Ealing stall for making ceramics – 10am – 4pm

St James Church – drumming workshops, magic shows and cookery lessons. Schedule so far:

11am Drumming workshop (40 mins)

11.45am Magic Show (40 mins)

12.30pm Drumming workshop (40 mins)

1.15pm Magic workshop (40 mins)

3pm Drumming performance (20 mins)

St James Church Garden 10.30am – 3pm Kids’ Cookery School – a chance for kids to make their own healthy meals.

Check our website for final details

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Where has all the fruit gone?

WEN Abundance is having a lean year for the first time since its inception 5 years ago with very little fruit on offer so far. We are by no means the only group suffering from a lack of Abundance, groups across London and the rest of the country are scaling down activities.  A mixture of a bumper year last year and mixed weather earlier on this year has resulted in fewer yields to date. 

Luckily for us we made lots of produce last year – including delicious new chutney recipes. All of which will be on sale at West Ealing Family Day on Saturday 22nd September.  Come along to our stall outside St James Church, St James Avenue from 10am – 4pm (providing stocks last!).

If anyone knows of any suitable fruit going spare, particularly apples for our fruit press to use at West Ealing Family Day please contact wenabundance@gmail.com

Posted on

West Ealing street filmed for end of the world! Well, not quite but local traders to feature in new short film

I was just about to turn into Melbourne Ave on Tuesday afternoon when my way was blocked by a young girl in a bright yellow hi-vis jacket.  Peering up the road I could see an ambulance so first thought there had been an accident. Then I thought, no, that’s not right and looked more carefully and saw filming going on.  I didn’t have time to stop and find out more but bumped in to Tony Luckhurst (who owns Luckhurst’s butchers) and he told me all about it. Apparently the film is called  Dregs and is about the world being saved by heroin addicts ie the ‘dregs’.  Here’s the blurb off the website (http://la-fin.com/dregs/):

 

DREGS

If the beginning of the world started with a bang then it ended with a very different sound. A sound so powerful that it made everyone tear their ears off in agony and roll their eyes back into their heads as the last traces of humanity were forced from their bodies. Now they stand frozen to the spot; ‘Statics’, controlled by the last sound they ever heard. Unless anyone or anything around them makes a sound, whereupon they turn en mass to destroy it, tearing at it with their bare hands until nothing remains, before reverting to their static state. This happened to everyone, everywhere, in that same final moment – everyone except the heroin addicts; the ‘Dregs’.

Watch the film to get sight of Billy Luckhurst ( above photo) and local hairdresser Nico Neo playing….Statics.

 

 

Posted on

Air ambulance in Dean Gardens – incident in Chapel Road

I’ve just walked back from OPEN Ealing and passed police cars and ambulances all over the place. Then I saw an air ambulance in Dean Gardens. It looks to me as if an incident took place in Chapel Road, location of a major fire last year, and someone was taken by road ambulance to the air ambulance which had landed in Dean Gardens. More information when we have it… think I’ve just heard the air ambulance fly over our house.

UPDATE – Saturday from Ealing Today website

Seems a man in his 30s was attacked in Chapel Road and left in a serious condition and then airlifted to hospital in east London.

Posted on

w7emporium – new delicatessen to open in Hanwell on Saturday

A while back I mentioned I’d joined the monthly cheese subscription from Claire Rosser at w7emporium and I’m delighted to say she is now opening her delicatessen on Saturday. It’s in Boston Road in Hanwell on the right hand side almost opposite Wickes (post code is W7 3TR). It opens at 11am and I’m definitely going along, not least because I’m going to collect my next monthly selection of cheeses.  Claire has worked fantasically hard to get this venture up and running and I wish her success and I hope lots of people can drop in and see and taste what’s on offer.

 

 

Posted on

Incident in Melbourne Ave West Ealing – alleged assault on a woman

Like many others I’m wondering why the top end of Melbourne Ave is taped off as a crime scene this morning. I’ve asked the police but no comment as yet I’m afraid.

I’ll update this as soon as I find out anything.

Update on Thursday

Police received a report of rape shortly after 03.15hrs today, 25 July, following an alleged attack in the vicinity of Deans Gardens, W13, at around 02.00hrs.

Local road closures were put in place and detectives from Sapphire continue to investigate.

There has been no arrest at this stage.

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Rent-to-own retailer taking over Peacock’s in West Ealing shopping centre

There’s been work going on in the old Peacock’s shop in the West Ealing shopping centre for a while but until yesterday I hadn’t been able to find out what is going in there. Now, thanks to a WEN colleague, I’ve found out it’s Brighthouse. To quote their website ‘BrightHouse is the nation’s leading rent-to-own retailer. Providing top brand household goods on low weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments and quick & simple credit.’

It’s yet another interesting reflection on the state of the local economy and how some large national retailers view West Ealing.  Brighthouse clearly sees a local market for rent-to-own rather than outright purchase when money is so tight. It’s good that the shop has been taken as it has left an ugly gap in the high street. What worries me is that the shopping centre is becoming unbalanced with an ever-increasing predominance of budget shopping, money lending shops and betting shops. All are fine but we need to find a way to make our hight street more varied to attract in as wide a range of residents as possible. Any form of ‘monoculture’ is risky and a budget shopping only high street is not good for the long-term health of West Ealing’s shopping centre.

As I’ve said before, WEN would like to work with the Council and landlords to find a way to use empty shops as business incubators or start-ups for small local businesses who want to try to make a go of it but cannot afford the high rents charged by landlords. This would bring back a better balance and a greater variety of shops.

Posted on

Local police warn of jewellery thief street scam

Message from local police:

‘We have had several unusual thefts and I wanted to make you aware so that you can pass it on to others and also in case you see the Suspects. 

The circumstances are that 3 Suspects, described as 1 male (40 – 50 years) and 2 females (40 – 50 years) of Romanian origin pull up in car (the latest vehicle used was a silver type estate) and they ask a lone female walking along the street for directions. Having obliged with directions the 2 female suspects get out of the car and keep thanking the lone female for helping them. This appears to be the distraction technique. One of the female suspects then puts a necklace, or ring (gold colour) on the lone female to thank her for helping them. At the same time the other female keeps thanking and thanking the lone female. Whilst the necklace is being put on the lone female (who normally say they don’t want it, but the suspects are very pushy) the lone female is relieved of her own necklace and rings, which have been high value.
I appreciate that people might question how could this happen, but these suspects are obviously professionals are targeting vulnerable people. Please be aware of this latest scam. I was personally very surprised when I spoke to witnesses at just how quick these suspects are at what they do. 
If you have any information at all that you think might be useful, or you see a suspicious vehicle that may fit the bill please contact police on 999. Alternatively, contact Cleveland Safer Neighbourhood team.’

Posted on

Vote For Ealing to win £10,000 clean up money

If you vote, Ealing might get a spruce-up for the Olympics…

We seem to have more votes already than all other boroughs – is that because we’re dirtier?

Team Ariel (Ariel detergent and stain remover) are putting up £10,000 to help spruce up five boroughs in time for the Olympics.


 Please vote by following the link below

http://www.supersavvyme.co.uk/pgcapitalcleanup/arielevent.aspx

(Thanks to Denise Davies for passing this on…)