Poetry evening at Waterstones in Ealing with Michael Horovitz and Pitshanger Poets on Wednesday from 7.30pm

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OPEN Ealing in conjunction with Waterstones in Ealing Broadway Centre present an evening of poetry with ‘beat’ poet Michael Horovitz, word artist Ursula Troche and guest appearances from the members of the Pitshanger Poets.

Tickets £5 (£3 standing) from OPEN and Waterstones. Starts 7.30pm. Call OPEN on 0208 579 5558 or visit Waterstones.

Michael Horovitz is an internationalist polymath, who has edited and published New Departures and coordinated the Poetry Olymics festivals for 50 years (http://www.poetryolympics.com). his magnum opus, A New Waste Land: Timeship Earth at Nillennium, was selected as Book of the year by D.J. Taylor in the Independent as “A deeply felt clarion call from the radical underground”. His artworks and picture-poems continue to be exhibited internationally, and he currently performs in a jazz poetry duo with Stan Tracey, as well as fronting the ebullient William Blake Klezmatrix band.

Paul McCartney has remarked that, “in addition to producing many notable poetic and musical works of his own, Michael Horovitz has worked tirelessly and selflessly over the past five decades to ensure an audience for his contemporaries. He’s lively, he keeps poetry accessible, and more than that… He’s a good laff!” And Margaret Drabble, that “Michael is an original poet, with an original voice. he’s always been an innovator, and is honoured as a free spirit and a creative force throughout the literary world. He also has persistence and stamina. Those of us who heard him upholding the standards of poetry and the praise of of Byron on the BBC ‘Today’ programme were delighted to witness that the hardened ‘Today’ interviewers had met their match. Horowitz is neither diplomat nor politician. He speaks from the heart. He has left an indelible mark on the course of British literature.”

Ursula ‘Equinox’ Troche: Word Artist with a motto: From Identity to Liberation poetry. Has performed at various venues eg. Greenwich Jazz festival, Arts for Human Rights Festival, the Colour of London Festival, Happy Soul Festival. Part of collectives like WAPPY, Theatre for Mankind, The Change Collective, Ibeji, etc. Poetry collections: Embraceable – Notes from Different Places called Home; origins and Other Issues. Performs for International Women’s Day 2012 at Charlton House.

 

Guest poets: From Pitshanger Poets in Ealing: James Priestman, Daphne Gloag, Nick Barth.

Work starts at Lido Junction on Monday

Ealing Council will start work next Monday (16th April) on putting in pedestrian crossings and other changes at the Lido Junction.  This is great news and will make an enormous difference to pedestrian safety for many residents. Nevertheless, please be aware of delays at this junction over the next 10 weeks.

Every effort is being made by the Council and their contractors to plan and progress the works in an efficient and timely manner in order to minimise the impacts on pedestrians, residents and motorists. Signs advising alternative routes for traffic are due to be installed in the coming days and wherever possible work will be scheduled to avoid peak hour traffic flows.

Your patience will be much appreciated whilst the work is being carried out and the end result will be a much, much safer crossing.

CCTV cameras being installed in Dean Gardens

I walk through Dean Gardens to OPEN Ealing most days and have watched the gradual installation of three CCTV cameras. The cameras are part of the response to the anti-social behaviour problems that have affected Dean Gardens over the last few years: street drinkers in daylight hours and an eclectic mix of people from across the borough at night. It’s particularly been the night time occupants who have been a major problem. I’m told the CCTV cameras are good enough to ‘see’ at night and, indeed, have spotlights that can be shined on people if necessary.

Before the decision was made to install CCTV cameras there were discussions about other options including additional streetlighting style lights, pieces of public art using light features and closing the park at night. In the end, CCTV was chosen and I hope it proves effective. It does, however, tackle the symptoms and not the causes. Dealing with the drink and drug problems and housing must surely be part of any long-term solution but that costs serious money and that is not likely to be found at times of severe cutbacks.

 

 

 

Calling tree lovers – can you help look after newly planted trees in West Ealing?

One of the new trees in Melbourne Avenue

If you live in the West Ealing streets south of the Uxbridge Road you may have noticed new trees being planted in our streets. Apparently, each year one third of Ealing’s wards get new trees and this year is Walplole Ward’s turn.  In order to get the maximum benefit from the annual tree budget the Council has just launched a tree warden initiative. If we residents volunteer to become tree wardens and look after these new trees for their first few years then the money saved by not paying contractors to do this means all the budget can be spent on trees. One of the tree warden’s tasks will be to water the tree/s with 2 litres of water once a fortnight from May to October, so not too onerous. Speaking as a tree lover I’m all in favour of this. So, my wife and I will look after the new trees in our street.

If you’re interested in volunteering to become a tree warden these are the streets with new trees where tree wardens are needed:

 

Glenfield Rd – 1 tree

Melbourne Ave – 6 trees

Coldershaw Rd – 2 trees

Carew Rd – 1 tree

Westfield Rd – 11 trees

Northfield Ave – 1 tree

Disraeli Road – 3 trees

Everyone who volunteers to become a tree warden will get training and the person to contact is Susan Wyatt – susan.wyatt@ealing.gov.uk

 

All are invited to a West Ealing ‘Gathering’ – Weds, March 21st, 7.30pm

It’s a social evening with a chance to meet neighbours and swap ideas for how you’d like life to be in our town.
Everyone welcome so do pass this on to neighbours, friends – anyone who has an interest in West Ealing.
Nibbles and drinks supplied. Just turn up.
Location: OPEN Ealing, 113 Uxbridge Road (corner of Culmington Rd), London, W5 5TL
Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm
Organised by: West Ealing Neighbours – the event is also a chance to catch up on our current activities

New gym in West Ealing

Tucked away almost out of sight at the top of the building at 2 St James Ave that backs on to Sainsbury’s is a new gym – Just Add Exercise. I wanted to find out more about it as it’s right at the top of my road and I was curious about its seemingly sudden appearance!

I met Matt Hook the owner and he was kind enough to show be round and explain his plans. At its heart is a gym area with a range of equipment from spinning bikes and treadmills to resistance machines with weights plus all sorts of other equipment to get you toned and fit. He offers a personal training service along with nutrition and weight loss advice, sports massage and physiotherapy.

Sitting alongside the gym is a 1,000 sq ft area for various exercise classes and, interestingly, drama. For as well as exercise this space hosts The Artists Theatre School on Saturdays when drama classes are run for all age groups. The Artists School was founded by Amanda Redman and classes are given by professional working artists.

Matt explained that it the gym is in part of what was once the Primary Care Trust offices above Sainsbury’s but some 3,000 sq ft  had become vacant a while back. This is well over twice the space at his previous gym in Ealing Broadway and obviously allowed him to expand his services. It has taken him a while to complete negotiations for this space but even after being open for barely a week it felt well established.

Peak gym membership is £18.50 a month and personal training is in addition. There are regular Pilates classes run by  Pilates Corps. They offer classes Mondays to Thursdays at a range of times across the day and the classes cost between £8 and £12 depending on how many you book and seniors (which probably now includes me!) get a discount.

So, welcome to West Ealing and more information can be found on their website – www.ealingpersonaltraining.co.uk or call 020 8567 8577

 

 

West Ealing – Dean Gardens update

Dean Gardens – Action Group update (January 2012)

We held the fourth Joint Action Group meeting today – this note summarises the up to date situation.

Since the earlier JAG meetings that started after the incidents in September, there has been considerable activity as we have previously reported.  We are now entering the phase where Dean Gardens is being rehabilitated into “day-to-day policing” rather than the “special measures” that we have seen.  This does not mean that the Police and Council eyes will be taken off the ball, but rather that we need to use our resources appropriately.

The police, council, and charities will continue to work closely together.  Patrols will continue to be made around the local retail outlets, off-licences and cafés in the area to ensure that there is minimum temptation – particularly in relation to alcohol consumption.  ASBOs will continue to be put to the courts (already a considerable number have been put in front of the courts and more are to follow).  These will curtail the known irresponsible troublemakers and the new ones on whom intelligence has been built since the intense joint action programme started.  The JAG meetings will continue – but will be held less frequently.

In summary:  Dean Gardens is being rehabilitated and is returning to normality as a safer place, day and night, a green space in West Ealing that is a central part of our neighbourhood.  As I have said before, of course we cannot guarantee this and therefore as residents we must all continue to watch and help.  If you are aware of any anti-social behaviour or drug related incident, you can report it by ringing 101 (this number is for all calls to the police other than emergencies – for which please ring 999).  101 will get you through to the Metropolitan Police who will pass the details to a duty officer in Ealing for collation by our intelligence team.

If you have any additional queries, you can contact our local Walpole Police SNT on 020 8721 2949 or email me at patrickchapman@btconnect.com.

Thank you.

Patrick Chapman, Walpole SNT Focus Panel Chair 27th January 2011

Blue Monday, St Nectaire and other fabulous cheeses available locally

Months ago I wrote about subscribing to Claire Rosser’s Hanwell-based W7emporium monthly cheese service. Shortly after that Brent opened Cheddar Deli in Northfield Ave and, blow me, we now have two fabulous local cheese suppliers. That’s pretty good going for West Ealing/Hanwell.

I’ve subscribed to Claire’s monthly delivery service since it started and it’s always a pleasure to open up the neatly packed paper bag with its cheese selection.  Last week we got six cheeses including the delicious St Nectaire from the Auvergne. I’m half way through the Bleu D’Auvergne and my wife has eaten the Camembert without me ever getting to taste it – never mind!  We’ve yet to try the mature cheddar and Leicester. And whatismore, Claire is planning to open a shop in Hanwell this spring and more news of that when it’s open.

Talking of open, at OPEN Ealing we have a monthly First Friday event when we have the opening of two new gallery exhibitions. For this we offer wine and cheese and this time the cheese has been coming from Cheddar Deli. Brent sells a fantastic variety of cheeses, is hugely knowledgeable about the cheeses he stocks and it’s a pleasure to hear him talk about where they come from and what they taste like.

I hope both succeed as that’s got to be good for both West Ealing and Hanwell.  Do please try them out and both have Facebook pages:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/w7emporium/223601020990051

http://www.facebook.com/CheddarDELI