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The Grim Reaper could soon be in charge of Ealing’s heritage

Last night I attended the first Ealing Council LDF Advisory Committee Meeting. The Local Development Framework is our National Government’s ‘vehicle’ for Local Authorities to define their preferred use of land within their borders for the next 15 years.

Attendees attending the meeting who were allowed to speak were seven Councillors and a handful of Council Officers. I was one of a precious, small group of residents who were invited to attend as observers. It reminded me of attending a lap dancing club where you could watch the girls ‘dance’, but you were not allowed to touch them.

Chairing the meeting was Leader of the Council Councillor Julian Bell. He was on his first day of holiday from his day job at The Houses of Parliament.

Continue reading “The Grim Reaper could soon be in charge of Ealing’s heritage”

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Sell out last night for premiere of Opera Viscera’s Narcissus and Echo at OPEN Ealing

The first floor studio at OPEN Ealing was absolutely packed last night with over 100 people coming for the premiere of Opera Viscera’s Narcissus and Echo.  I make no claim at all to be able to write a review of the opera’s music and song but having managed to squeeze in right at the back I do know I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and did not find myself fidgeting or looking at my watch.  Without doubt it was what I would call a modern opera so some sharp edges and notes but totally listenable to and watchable. The sustained applause at the end said it all for me and talking afterwards to people who do know about opera the verdict was one of universal approval for a thoroughly well written and professional production.

And from one high note to another, if I put my OPEN Ealing hat on, I can honestly say the opera company brought the building alive during their three week stay. They showed just what a buzz there can be in this one-time office block if we can get the building full of people and activities. Opera Viscera gave us a glimpse of our future if we can make the venue a success and I like what I saw – and heard. Thank you Opera Viscera.

David Highton

 

 

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Calling everyone who lives and works in West Ealing – would you like to have your portrait painted?

Local artist Nadja Gabriela Plein is working on a series of
portraits of people who live and work in Ealing. She is looking for people
willing to sit for her in her studio at OPEN Ealing on the Uxbridge Road. The
pictures will be shown in an exhibition early next year.  Everyone she paints will be given a free photograph of their portrait.

Anyone interested in sitting for a portrait please contact Nadja at nadjagabrielaplein@yahoo.co.uk .. You can see Nadja’s work at www.nadjagabrielaplein.co.uk

David Highton

Portrait of Dorothy by Nadja Plein
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Local picture framing with a difference

I’ve been meaning to write this up for a while so have finally managed it.  If you’re ever looking for someone to frame your pictures keep in mind an outfit called Accession. Accession is a local social enterprise that works with highly marginalised long-term unemployed people. So, for example, their picture framing unit is based down at the West London Mental Health unit near Ealing Hospital.

One of our artists at OPEN Ealing uses them regularly and says they are good quality and excellent value which sounds good to me.

You can find out more about Accession at http://www.accessionpartnership.com/

David Highton

 

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Time to turn on the power: West Ealing street traders still without power

West Ealing's regular Saturday farmers' market

For well over a year, probably even two, the stalls in the weekly farmers’ market have been waiting to plug in their lights and equipment to the specially installed power points in Leeland Road. Some years back when Leeland Road was smartened up with new pavements power points were installed in some of the street bollards. The trouble is, so I’m reliably informed, the last time someone from the Council turned up to give access to these power points, which was some months ago, they had the wrong key and so this dismal saga still drags on.

On top of this, almost 18 months ago, the Walpole Ward Forum agreed to set aside about £10,000 to pay for power points in Melbourne Avenue for the traders there to use. As with Leeland Road the traders were more than happy to pay for the power they use but, as yet, almost a year after the completion of the improvements to Melbourne Avenue there is still no sign of any power points being put in.

This has been dragging on long enough. Please Ealing Council can this all be sorted out soon!

David Highton

 

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Flying visit to West Ealing by Boris Johnson this morning

I’ve just had a phone call from my wife Elizabeth to say she just came out of Wilkinson’s with some shopping and she walked straight into Boris Johnson who was doing a walkabout. I think Boris’s main reason for coming here was to visit the Lido Centre and hear about their London Ambassadors Recruitment project. The volunteer Ambassadors will be welcoming visitors to the Olympics and Paralympics.

David Highton

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Well attended WEN meeting last night on tackling drug dealing

Just a brief report back on last night’s meeting for the moment. We had about 30+ residents come along and we heard from the police and Council’s Community Safety team.

Some useful ideas came up about the importance of high-visibility policing, the need to document local hot spots for various anti-social behaviour (such as the bus stop by Dean Gardens on Friday nights and weekends) and an offer by the Community Safety team to walk round some of these problem spots with local residents so they get a good feel for why people feel able to deal drugs etc in certain places.

As ever, the question is will any of this happen?  WEN wants to keep a close eye on this so we plan to include a progress report on these ideas and initiatives at our next public meeting in the autumn.

We’ll publish fuller notes of this meeting soon.

David Highton

 

 

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Tackling drug dealing in West Ealing – WEN public meeting on Monday 11th July

We have some good speakers for our meeting on Monday so please do come along and find out not only what’s being done to deal with the local drug dealing problem but also what part the local community can play.

Our speakers are:

  • An overview from Superintendent Ian Jenkins
  • What’s happening locally – Sergeant Pinder Chana of Walpole
    Safer Neighbourhood Team
  • Getting the local community involved – Paul Dunn of Ealing
    Council’s Community Safety Team
  • How councillors can help – Councillor Nigel Bakhai

The meeting is at St John’s Church in Mattock Lane and starts at 7.30pm

David Highton

 

 

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Hitting the high notes – opera comes to West Ealing

Sitting quietly at the reception desk at OPEN Ealing this morning I heard wafting down two flights of stairs the unmistakeable sound of an opera singer practising her scales. She is the lead singer with Opera Viscera, a group of graduate musicians who have moved into OPEN Ealing for three weeks to compose, rehearse and then perform their brand new opera Narcissus and Echo in preparation for the company’s performances at this year’s Secret Garden Party.

Based on the classic Greek myth about love, vanity and decay this new young opera company is throwing open its inner workings and running a series of free opera related events culminating in the first ever performance of their opera on Wednesday 20th July at OPEN Ealing (this is £8 a ticket). The events are:

  • Friday 15th July Opera screening and discussion from 1-3pm  Free
  • Saturday 16th July Costume workshop for adults 1-4.30pm  Free
  • Sunday 17th July  Opera workshop for children 1-4.30pm  Free
  • Wednesday 20th July Performance of Narcissus and Echo 7.30pm £8 adults and concessions apply

For more details and to book your places for any of these online visit www.operaviscera.com

OPEN Ealing is at 113 Uxbridge Road Ealing W5 5TL (opposite the fire station) Tel: 020 8579 5558.

David Highton

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Tackling drug dealing in West Ealing – WEN public meeting Monday 11th July at St John’s Church in Mattock Lane from 7.30pm

I hope you will be able to join us at 7.30pm on Monday 11th July at St John’s Church in Mattock Lane to hear what the police and the Council’s Community Safety team are doing to tackle the problem of drug dealing in West Ealing.

For a while now we have been worried about reports of increased drug dealing on the side streets of West Ealing. The feeling is that the CCTV cameras along the Uxbridge Road have pushed it on to the side streets. We have been speaking to the police about this and feel it is important that they get an opportunity to let residents know what they are doing to tackle the drug dealing and in turn residents get the chance to ask questions.

We will have Supt Ian Jenkins along with the sergeants from the Walpole and Elthorne Safer Neighbourhood Teams as well as a member of the Council’s Community Safety Team. In addition to letting us know about tackling drug dealing we will also hear about the police’s work on street drinking problems and, in particular, their project with the soup kitchen at St John’s.

David Highton