DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2016
West Ealing Christmas Fair Saturday 10th December 12noon – 4pm
Come and join us for our Christmas Fair in Melbourne Avenue on Saturday 10th December from 12noon to 4pm. One of last year’s highlights was the singing from some great local choirs and we’ve got them back again – watch the video of last year’s Fair here
There’s something for all the family with face-painting, Father Christmas, and a nativity play. And watch out for our Abundance stall selling, apple juice, elderflower cordial, fruit butters and chutneys all made from locally grown produce – ideal for that little extra Christmas treat.
The West Ealing Workspace Hub needs you!
We’ve brought you a number of updates about plans for a co-working hub in West Ealing. Now called The Workspace Hub and based in St James House in St James Avenue, the project is gathering speed and they need your help to create the space that suits your business needs.
The architects Projects Office are designing the hub and will be leading a workshop on Wednesday 14th December. They want your input into the manifesto which will be at the heart of the hub’s development.
- What is important to you?
- What does your business need?
- What skills can you share or would you like to gain?
Join the workshop to get your ideas at the heart of West Ealing’s dynamic new workspace. After the workshop they will be holding a drop in session throughout the afternoon so drop in to explore the space and talk to the designers.
Register for the workshop for free .The workshop is 1-2pm plus a drop-in session from 2-5pm both on Wednesday 14th December at St James House, 105-113 Broadway, Ealing W13
If you can’t make it on the 14th you can keep up to date with the hub’s progress through their website where you can subscribe to their mailing list.
Have your say on new plans to tackle anti-social behaviour in West Ealing
Ealing Council wants to hear your views on its plan to create a West Ealing ‘protected zone’ (Public Space Protection Order- PSPO) as one of its steps to tackle anti-social behaviour associated with street drinking and drug use in West Ealing and Hanwell. We’ve written about these problems a lot over the past few years and this could be a good step in the right direction. There’s a more detailed story about this on the ealingnewsextra website and the actual consultation page of the Council’s website is here.
There are obviously arguments about whether this will simply move the problem elsewhere but on the whole this could be a really useful step in tackling the problems we are all too familiar with in West Ealing. So WEN encourages as many people as possible to respond to this consultation. The deadline for comments is 5pm 23rd December.
Dean Gardens Update
This is related to the above story in that Dean Gardens is a well-known hot spot for anti-social behaviour. Over the past year WEN and a wide range of other local stakeholders and organisations, including faith groups, Ealing Council, local housing associations and residents’ groups, .have been meeting to look at ways to improve Dean Gardens.
Earlier this year we managed to raise enough money to commission experienced landscape designers BDP to help us with ideas on how to take this project forward. They have completed their study and have presented some exciting ideas to the group.
The next step, which we have just begun, is to talk to possible funders about these ideas to see if we can put together a consortium of funders to turn these ideas in to a reality. This may take some time but we think it can be achieved. You’ve only got to look at all the development happening in West Ealing to realise that it will be important to the developers that Dean Gardens is an attractive and vibrant public space. So, with the Council’s support and support from the developers we might just make it happen.
We’ll be posting highlights from the BDP study and further updates soon on our Dean Gardens website so take a look there in another week or so for the latest news on progress.
Pathways’ plans to build on Northfields allotments
We had a great response to our recent vote about Pathways’ plans to build on part of the Northfields allotments, so our thanks to everyone who took the time to participate. As well as the actual votes we also had a lot of comments. This will all be a great help to the committee when it meets to make a decision on whether or not to support Pathways’ plans. We’ll let you know the outcome as soon as we can.
In the meantime, if you missed the exhibition of Pathways’ latest plans you can find them on their website.
Save Ealing’s Centre seeks donations to fight development plans
West Ealing Neighbours is a member of Save Ealing’s Centre (SEC) and SEC has put out a call for funds to pay a barrister to help it fight what it believes are inappropriate plans to redevelop this site right in the heart of Ealing Broadway. These plans have been called in by the Secretary of State for the Dept of Communities and Local Government.
Many of you will remember the previous battle over Glenkerrin’s plans for the same site. These plans were also called in and the Council’s decision to approve was overturned by the Secretary of State and some time later Glenkerrin went bust.
SEC is not against developing this site but wants it done in keeping with the character of the area. The Council is paying a QC to argue its case and SEC needs to raise £25,000 to pay a barrister to put its case.
You can find out all the details on SEC’s website.
Celebrating Ealing’s cultural heritage 8-12th February 2017
Now in its fifth year the Festival has a full programme of live music including The Blues Band’s Paul Jones and Dave Kelly singing at the Red Room, the birthplace of British rhythm and blues. The world’s most recorded chamber orchestra, the Ealing-based English Chamber Orchestra make a welcome return and feature in an impressive line-up of classical music across the Festival.
The film programme includes a screening of David Cronenberg’s Spider along with a guided location walk and film screening of historical comedy
drama Pride (2014), written by Stephen Beresford and directed by Matthew Warchus, at the ‘Island Triangle’,North Acton – the UK’s most filmed location.
Full details are on their website.
My West Ealing website coming soon
It’s been a while in the making but the www.mywestealing.com website is coming soon. My West Ealing is a new community resource and online space to connect with what’s happening in West Ealing. You’ll be able to connect with local people and businesses, and have your say about you’d like to see, do or change about West Ealing.
My West Ealing is the final project to come out of the ‘riot recovery’ fund set up after the 2011 riots. The aim of this new website is to become a one-stop shop for anything about West Ealing from events and advice services to local businesses, Council services and much, much more.
WEN’s website, blog and Facebook pages will keep going and will be just some of the many sites linked to by My West Ealing.
What, where and WEN
WEN is a group of some 400 strong made up of West Ealing residents, workers and visitors who want their town to be better for everyone.
Membership is free and available to anyone in the West Ealing community, irrespective of background, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, political orientation, faith/non-faith, or gender.
WEN was formed in November 2005. The group is run by volunteer locals, elected annually by WEN members. The group’s committee is made up of
Chair: David Highton
Treasurer: Andrew Cazalet
Vice-Chair: Eric Leach
Iyke Anthony
Diane Gill
Chris Gilson
Nick Greenhalgh
Jane Humphreys
Email: westealingneighbours@gmail.com
Web Site: www.westealingneighbours.org.uk
WEN blog: www.westealingneighbours.org.uk/WEN-blog