Buying my eggs from Tony this morning he told me he’s on TV tonight – Epic Win on BBC1 at 5.25pm. His challenge is to use his feet to identify different types of meat! Can he do it? We’ll find out tonight. Good luck Tony.
Council helps riot-hit West Ealing traders
I attended a meeting of local traders last night at St James Church called by the Council to help those traders affected by recent the looting and destruction. It was well organised, well thought through and well attended not just by West Ealing traders but also by traders from South Ealing.
Council leader Julian Bell introduced the meeting and said over £100,000 had been paid out so far in the £1200 grants to affected shops and businesses across Ealing. He also talked about West Ealing being somewhat overlooked in the reporting of the looting and damage of that night. He gave a powerful description of the CCTV images of the determination of the looters to break into Seba Electronics and other shuttered premises. He said he has also asked the Borough Commander that the large screen just put up in Ealing Broadway displaying images of the rioters to help identify them be moved to West Ealing when possible.
The heart of the meeting was a mixture of Council staff and independent advisors talking about some of the key isues of concern to traders. Aileen Jones , Head of Planning Services, looked at any planning issues that might arise from traders changing their shop fronts to put in new shutters (Council leader Julian Bell said think about toughened glass – Sainsbury’s in West Ealing survived because the looters couldn’t break through its toughened glass front windows). There was useful information from an insurance expert on claims made under the Riot Damages Act of 1886 under which the Metropolitan Police may be liable to pay some of the costs involved. This one is a bit tricky because the Act is old and simply talks of loss and it’s not clear if that is just physical loss of goods and property but also loss of trading income if a shop has to shut for repairs etc.
Paul Dunn of the Community Safety team gave a very good overview of their work going round talking to the local traders and residents affected. He told of some residents of the sheltered accommodation just off the high street packing their suitcases for fear of having to be evacuated if the shops were set alight. His talk gave a very moving insight in to just how far the impact of the looting and destruction reached in to our community and what he and his team have been doing to alleviate people’s concerns and come to terms with what happened that night.
The final presentation was by Michael Sylvester, chair of the West Ealing traders group (WEB) and myself as chair of West Ealing Neighbours. Michael urged all the West Ealing traders to come to the next WEB meeting on Monday 5th September 6.30pm at St James Church. By working together local traders can have a more powerful voice and be more effective in working with the Council right across a range of important matters. I followed Michael and gave a brief run down of the plans for West Ealing Family Day on Saturday 24th September and how WEN will do all it can to encourage its members and all other residents to shop locally.
David Highton
Come and see local artist David Stokes at OPEN’s contemporary gallery tonight and until 30th August
Local artist, David Stokes an abstract impressionist, launches a one man show at the OPEN contemporary gallery tonight (Friday 19th August) from 6-9pm and then Monday to Saturday 11am – 5pm.
The show features ‘Violet’ from the 2008 series alongside more recent work referencing the countryside close to his home and places he has visited. The show runs until 30 August 2011.
David Stokes has lived and worked in Ealing for twenty five years and has a studio in Norwood Green. He studied Art and Design at Stafford College of Art and Fine Art at Manchester Polytechnic.
OPEN Ealing is at 113 Uxbridge Road, Ealing W5 5TL (opposite the fire station). Telephone 020 8579 5558.
Anti-riot cup cakes, pizza and a mural – OPEN Ealing helps restore a little community spirit
OPEN Ealing’s Jack Jones and friends spent part of Saturday painting a mural on the shutters boarding up the boarded up baby e shop on Ealing Green
.
‘ Yesterday we took to the streets to help reconstruct our community that has been rocked by this weeks events. I turned up at Baby e with a bag full of paints and we all set to work.
We were later unexpectedly joined by “bake for a better britain” who had made some amazing anti riot cup cakes and they did a great job of providing a happy atmosphere and conversation to the public while we busied ourselves with pots of paint and composition tweaking.
The pizza place next door even came out with pizza for everyone, which was equally amazing as the cup cakes. We had set up paper for the public to draw on, and who left many encouraging messages of support. thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to support us. For the first time in a while, I’ve been proud to say I am from Ealing.
You can read the full story and see the photos taken during the day at http://openealing.com/wordpress/
David Highton
Volunteers and musicians needed for OPEN Ealing
OPEN Ealing is looking for volunteers to help on its reception between 11am and 5pm daily in August and then also between 5-9pm from September. We are also looking for musicians who are interested in playing at our monthly lunchtime events starting in September.
This month we are busy with our 5 weeks of children’s workshops each weekday between 11am and 5pm. Then from September we will launch our autumn schedule for adults which includes a range of evening activities on most evenings in the week so need help on reception between 5pm and 9pm.
Reception is the public face of OPEN Ealing and the role covers:
- registering children attending the workshops
- registering adults attending classes and workshops
- booking in people wishing to attend the workshops and classes
- dealing with enquiries from the public both in person and on the phone
We are also looking for musicians who are interested in playing at our forthcoming series of monthly Friday lunchtime events. We can pay expenses and provide lunch. We are keen to have a wide range of music from classical, folk, jazz and more.
If you’re interested in volunteering please call us on 020 8579 5558 weekdays from 10am to 5pm or just drop in and visit us at 113 Uxbridge Road (opposite Ealing fire station). We’d be very happy to show you round and explain more about OPEN Ealing and the reception role.
David Highton
Pirates invade West Ealing
Sand castles, spectacularly coloured fish and a pirate ship – all a result of OPEN Ealing’s first week of summer holiday worshops for children.
With the beach theme for our first week we started off with a bang when we were oversubscribed for the first afternoon workshop which saw sand and PVA glue come together in weird and wonderful ways to create some imaginative sand sculptures.
Then on to elaborate and beautfully deocorated fish which would grace any aquarium and we faced fierce rivalry with two teams beavering away to become pirates for the afternoon. They ended up with their own pirate ship painted with a skull and crossbones on our specially constructed indoor beach.
Our only disappointment was that no one turned up to our two interactive storytelling sessions for under 6-year-olds. I think that may be down to us not explaining that it was much more than just storytelling. It would be mixture of storytelling and making all sorts of beach themed items like starfish and shells.
Anyway, I for one welcomed the sight of a cool glass of wine as we relaxed at the end of a busy but enjoyable first week of summer workshops.
David Highton
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
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
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
Time to turn on the power: West Ealing street traders still without power
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