This will be our second Family Day and it will be even bigger and better than last year! We have managed to secure Opera Viscera who will be at St James Church running a children’s workshop at 1pm and later on that day at 3.15pm there will be a performance by this exciting collection of young artists.
The Family day will stretch from St John’s Church on Mattock Lane to St James Avenue. There will be food, live music across several locations, an extended farmers market, children’s activities, WEN Abundance will be selling our popular jams and chutneys and for the first time our very own apple juice!
This is a great way to celebrate life and the community in West Ealing after the shock and destruction of the recent riots.
Fancy volunteering for some apple and pear picking?
WEN Abundance are coming into our exceptionaly busy phase with apples and pears coming out of our ears ready to be picked. If you are free, particularily during the daytime this week or next I would love to hear from you.
Most of our picking takes place in private gardens, we have equipment for you to use and will offer safety guidelines too.
We use the fruit in a variety of different ways from juicing through to making our own jams and chutneys. Any money we make from the sale of the produce is ploughed back into the project to help us buy equipment.
So if you want to help us reduce waste please offer up some of your spare time.
Contact me on here, or by email to wenabundance@gmail.com
Street drinkers in West Ealing move to Green Man Passage
Well it looks like the Police have been successful in moving the drinkers out of Dean Gardens; instead they seem to have taken up residence in Green Man Passage. For those of you not familiar with this cut through, it is accessed via Alexandra Road by Waitrose and takes you in-between the Cancer Research shop and Seba Electronics in West Ealing Broadway.
There are two Happy Child Nurseries based there which makes the experience even more unsatisfatory for those of us that drop of and pick up our children. I often walk in to the entrance of the Nursery passing groups of drinkers sat on the wall by the entrance. Rubbish is often strewn along the route and in a small passage near the baby Nursery.
At our recent public meeting Paul Dunn talked about potential solutions to this growing problem – including gating and locking this area at night. This can only be a good idea, but still doesn’t tackle what goes on here during the day, pretty much everyday.
Yesterday at the Alexandra Road entrance I witnessed addtional activity that I won’t go into to detail on here, but leads me to think that it’s not only drinking that is the issue.
If anyone has any ideas on what can be done, I would love to hear them.
Diane Gill
Supt Andy Rowell breaks down over Ealing Riots
At tonight’s special Council meeting myself, Gill and Allison witnessed Superintendent Andy Rowell, Borough Commander tell his side of the story…
Many questions have been asked about Police presence on the night of the riots and there have been criticisms too. What many people wouldn’t have even contemplated is that there were only 35 officers in Ealing Broadway on the night of the riots. Pleas for more assistance via the Resourcing Centre were met with ‘no resources are available’. Having already sent 37 of his specially trained officers to alternative London locations Supt Andy Rowell was unable to retrieve them to handle the ensuing riots on his own patch.
Supt Andy Rowell broke down when he re-told how the events of the night played out and how his officers were severely outnumbered attempting to deal with around 200 rioters in Bond Street alone. No riot shields, no helmets, no special uniform – nothing.
After listening to this compelling account of the Ealing riots spontaneous applause broke out amongst the chamber and for those of us sitting watching the live video link.
#hEALING – Riot Aftermath Fundraiser for Ealing
A fundraising event has been organised is being held on Friday 26th August as the New Inn, 62 St Mary’s Road, W5 5EX with all monies raised going to the Richard Mannington Bowes Relief Fund.
It all kicks off at 1pm and goes on until 11pm.
More details can be found on their Facebook page http://t.co/mFMJtMC
All quiet on the West Ealing front
After the prayer meeting on Ealing Green we had an early dinner in Carluccio’s. I booked a table knowing my son would be most upset if it was too busy. For the first time in the 7 years I have lived in Ealing the place was practically empty. And remained so until we left around 8.30pm. Walking back to West Ealing along Mattock Lane we stopped off to look at the preparations for the Shri Kanagathurkkai Amman Temple chariot festival tomorrow. We then carried on along the Uxbridge Road home – West Ealing was like a ghost town, incredibly depressing to see.
Let’s please support Ealing and the local traders however we can, they need us more than ever.
Police presence in West Ealing still strong
On my way home from work last night and on my way to work this morning I have seen a strong Police presence along West Ealing Broadway and funnily enough hardly any drinkers..
After the riots – What future for West Ealing Traders?
Walking along West Ealing Broadway this afternoon at the closed, boarded up shops I wonder if they will ever re-open?
Seba Electronics is a small family run business trading in the area for some 40 years; all their stock stolen in one night. Goldmine is the same. And whilst Blockbuster is no small independent it has a role to play on the corner of St James Avenue, an area well known to the Police for drug dealing. With Blockbuster on one corner and Farah now on the other this area was looking partially revitalised. There are also plans in place for a monthly craft market here starting in the Autumn, specifically placed in St James to help with this problem.
On a brighter note I went into Luckhurts and bought some fine quality meat at great prices – support your local traders in these difficult times.
The Quiet Opening of Cheddar Deli – Northfields Avenue
Amongst the mayhem and chaos in West Ealing over the past few days a new cheese shop has opened on Northfields Avenue. A local husband and wife team opened Cheddar Deli on Monday 8th August and seem to be doing a brisk trade. I went in yesterday and bought some manchego, jarslberg and quince cheese. Brent (the owner) was very helpful and let me taste the jarslberg as I wasn’t familiar with the flavour. My lunch today was delicious – I’ll certainly be going back for more.
They also offer a monthly, quarterly, twice yearly service. I’m not sure if this is delivered so best to go in and ask.
Apart from cheese they sell meats, home made tarts and a small range of top quality produce such as crackers, oil, jam.
Can’t sleep at 2.10am – Riots in West Ealing email exchange
Allan,
I agree about having a public meeting.
I can’t relax either.
I can’t compare this to anything that has happened in the whole of my life.
Surely troops will have to be deployed soon if this is repeated later today.
Anger? Just who do we get angry with? The government. The previous government. The Police. Ourselves – for allowing things to get in this kind of mess.
I guess the bankers will still get their £million bonuses.
Eric
PS I’m 67 today – it’s going to be a low key birthday
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There is a police presence now, so that is good. People are still making their way past them. Some of them caught buses and carried their goods away with them. The problem with this situation is that I don’t know what’s happening just a few buildings down the road so can’t relax and go to bed. Can we have a public meeting in support of the local people? It is all right for some for the youth to be angry, yet what about people like us? How do we get to express our anger?
Talking about Ealing on the news now.
Allan,
Yes awake.
Tesco Express is (or was) on the north east corner of Haven Green.
Sad to say I’ve been predicting rots in the streets for a while but in my wildest dreams I never expected this.
Very very worrying.
Take care – you are much nearer to this than I am. I spoke to my son near you to stay indoors.
Eric
Hi, Eric. Are you awake and following what’s going on on the high street? Several hours ago bunches of police cars were flying past, mainly towards the east. But once the hordes started coming down the roads carrying their goods from Blockbuster etc and since – a couple of hours now, I don’t know if there is a police presence in West Ealing or not. Now the Panasonic shop has been ransacked. There still seem to be young guys turning up in the side streets, covering their faces and then heading onto the main street or easy pickings. I would just like to know if there are any police in West Ealing. I haven’t bothered phoning anyone because what’s the use. Just keeping a lookout for break-ins and fires nearby.
Tesco Express Ealing Broaway gone. Where’s that? Think I saw some of the kids carrying bottles past mine. ONLY 5 POLICE ON SCENE IN EALING!!!!