Communities - Cranford

Hand in your old phone for cut-price festival tickets

2009-06-22T15:13:29Z

Music lovers can cash in their old phones for cut-price tickets to a festival in Cranford next month.

Anyone handing in a working mobile, which is less than five years old, will get £4 off entry to the Blastbeat Music Festival at Cranford Community College on Saturday, July 4.

]]> Canadian rockers The Mission District and UK band Go:Audio are headlining the event, organised by teenagers at the secondary school in Cranford High Street and other London schools.

The festival begins with a battle of the bands contest at 11am (doors open 10am), when local groups will vie for the chance to record an album in a professional studio.

Established national and international acts, including PROCEED and Home Star Runner, will then take to the stage between 3pm and 8pm.

As well as non-stop music, there will be fairground rides, smaller stage performances and family workshops throughout the day.

Anyone phones handed in on the day will be recycled, with profits going to help disadvantaged South African children. A quarter of profits from the day will also go towards the cause.

Tickets cost £8 in advance (call the college on 020 8283 4445 or visit www.blastbeat.tv/uktickets) or £12 on the door (£10 with a flyer).

Walk of Peace and Friendship 21 June

2009-06-14T19:18:12Z

There will be a chance to visit four places of worship in Hounslow on Sunday 21st June by joining the annual Walk of Peace and Friendship organised by Hounslow Friends of Faith. This year the event focuses on Hounslow West, a compact area with a rich variety of places of worship.

]]> It starts at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beavers Lane at 11.30 before moving on to St John's Mar Thoma Church in Cambridge Road for 12.40 and the Shree Jaralam Seva Hindu Trust in Barrack Road at 2.00 where lunch is available. The final visit is at 3.30 at the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in nearby Martindale Road.

'We regard it as a pilgrimage as we are visiting a number of places of worship on one day.' explained Bessie White, secretary of the group. 'We will meet representatives of the different faith communities in the borough and get to know them and their traditions in respect and friendship. Everyone is welcome to join us for all or any part of this event.'

Contact 020 8560 5887 or email info@hounslowfriendsoffaith.org. For further details about HFOF see www.hounslowfriendsoffaith.org

BNP get 2,700 votes as Tories top EU polls in Hounslow

2009-06-08T12:53:07Z

The British National Party received nearly 2,700 votes in Hounslow in the European elections.

The far right extremists polled more than five per cent of the total votes cast in the borough.

]]> The Conservatives topped the polls, with 13,926 votes (28 per cent), narrowly ahead of Labour, with 1,2578 (25 per cent).

The UK Independence Party finished third, ahead of the Liberal Democrats and The Green Party.

London-wide, the Tories received 479.307 votes, giving them three seats, ahead of Labour, who got 372,590 votes and two seats.

The Lib Dems, UKIP and Greens each secured one seat in the new parliament.

Hindu LIfe and Practice

2009-05-26T15:38:55Z

On Thursday 4th June there will be a chance to hear from the Hindu community in Hounslow about the basic philosophy and every day practices of Hinduism today. Hindus believe that God exists in everything in the universe and there is a responsibility to care for the earth in everything we do. Hinduism is the oldest of the world major religions and the third largest.

]]> The talk takes place at the Laxmi Narayan Temple, 60 Neville Close, Hounslow TW3 3BD at 6.30 for 7pm. Refreshments available. The event is one of a series organised by Hounslow Friends of Faith. For more information contact see www.hounslowfriendsoffaith.org or ring 020 8560 5887.

The Mission District to play at Cranford festival

2009-05-15T13:58:07Z

Canadian popsters The Mission District are among the bands lined up for a summer concert organised by pupils at Cranford Community College.

The rising, whose growing fan base includes celeb blogger Perez Hilton, will be joined by Go:Audio, with more bands yet to be announced, at theBlastbeat Music Festival on July 4.

]]> The event, to be held at the secondary school in Cranford High Street, will also feature a battle of the bands competition. It will be staged in conjunction with the school's summer carnival.

Tickets (costing £8 including entry to the carnival) are available in advance by calling 020 8283 4445 or visiting www.blastbeat.org/festival

Call to reduce violence

2009-05-08T11:58:36Z

Martin Luther King stated that the choice for mankind is not between violence and non-violence, but between non-violence and continued existence. An audience in Hounslow on 7th May were reminded of this at the Younghusband Lecture, given at the annual meeting of the World Congress of Faiths (WCF) held this year in the Sikh Gurdwara in Alice Way.

]]> The speaker, Samain Passanna Pragya, highlighted how hopes that the 21st century might be less violent than the 20th have already been dashed. The effects of greed and over consumption to the economy and of damage to the environment are becoming apparent, neither of which bring human happiness. Passanna's solutions, from her experience and study as a Jain nun included reducing poverty and seeing the other person's point of view. We need to work and train together to do this. Only in these ways can violence be reduced in communities, both locally and globally.

The speaker was presented with the book 'Beacons of the Light, 100 holy people' by Rabbi Jackie Tabbick, Chair of WCF.

Before the lecture, information was given about the Tony Blair Faith Foundation's multi faith campaign against malaria.

The World Congress of Faiths is an educational charity which works to develop better understanding, co-operation and respect between people of different faiths. For further information see www.worldfaiths.org. For information on the Tony Blair Faith Foundation see www.faithsacttogether.org.

Awards for star pupils at Cranford Community College

2009-04-15T09:57:31Z

Youngsters from Cranford Community College have been honoured at an award ceremony.

Eight pupils from the school in Cranford High Street picked up Jack Petchey Achievement Awards at the Paul Robeson Theatre, in the Treaty Centre, Hounslow High Street.

]]> They were among more than 80 pupils and teachers from schools across Hounslow who were recognised on the day.

The children, who were nominated by fellow students and teachers, were recognised for everything from good attendance to excelling at exams.

The winners from Cranford Community College were: Dalvinder Banga, Fatima Mahmood, Bhavik Bhatt, Esther Nicholl, Demi Howlett, Rosie Pearson, Ahaad Syed, and Rachel Hanson. Tracy Murphy won a leader award.

Changing the quality of the conversation

2009-03-31T20:01:36Z

The Bishop of London, the Rt. Rev. Richard Chartres met priests, ministers and spiritual heads from Chiswick to Feltham on Monday 30th March and advised them to 'be convinced, be humble, be joyful and look cheerful in your faith'.

]]> Opening his remarks on 'Living together in a multi-faith society' Bishop Richard noted that when he was appointed in 1995 there was little thought about contacts between peoples of different faiths. Now guests from other traditions are regularly invited to share in major faith events such as the recent installation of the new Bishop of Kensington, the bishop for the local area. However although inter faith meetings and consultations are more common there is still the tendency for the same 'usual suspects' as he put it, to meet and stay at the level of polite platitudes. People of different faiths do have many things in common in terms of creativity and moral values. There are also many areas where faiths disagree and we should be unapologetic about this. Speaking to someone from another faith 'changes the quality of the conversation' said the Bishop. 'See differences as an advantage, not a problem'.

Answering a question on how to involve young people Bishop Richard noted that there is always a problem of communication between the generations. He added that faith leaders should listen deeply and be prepared to adapt services and procedures.

Referring to the present economic situation he commented that people are aware of the spiritual dimension, but don't know how to put it into words. We must learn to develop a language and must not forget the poor.

Discussion afterwards focussed further on education and how faith group members can help bring religion to life by offering to visit schools as well as invite schools to visit places of worship. It was hoped teachers could be trained to learn about different faiths.

In addition to being the third most senior Anglican bishop in England, the Bishop of London is involved with ecumenical and inter faith bodies. He referred to his work founding St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in the City of London church destroyed by an IRA bomb. He invited Hounslow Friends of Faith members to visit the centre and consider how to carry out similar work locally.

The meeting was the second to be organised by Hounslow Friends of Faith following up on a similar successful occasion in 2008.

Father Michael Gill inducted as new rector of Cranford

2009-03-18T16:23:13Z

A train enthusiast and keen organist this week became the new rector of the Parish of Cranford.

Father Michael Gill held his first mass at Holy Angels in Cranford High Street yesterday, before making the short hop to historic St Dunstan's for his induction.

]]> The 49-year-old told the Chronicle he was looking forward to a fresh challenge, having spent 12 years in the south Wales parishes of Tonypandy and Clydachvale.

"Those parishes were quite small ex-mining communities so being on the outskirts of London will be very different," he said.

"But I was brought up in Birmingham and studied classics at King's College so I feel at home being in a large city again."

Fr Michael, who arrived in Cranford just over a month ago, enjoys 'anything to do with railways' and playing the piano and organ.

He's played the huge cinema organ at Leicester Square Odeon and has already popped into Brentford's Musical Museum to see its collection of instruments.

He said he was sad to leave his former parishes after so many years but was looking forward to getting to know the people of Cranford.

"When you've lived in a community for 12 years and got to know everyone so well there's always some sadness involved in leaving," he added.

"But I left with lots of happy memories and it's always good to have a new challenge."

It has been nearly eight months since Fr Luke Irvine-Capel left the parish last August, since when church wardens have arranged for a number of visiting clerics to lead services.

Restoration work to fix the crumbling stonework at St Dunstan's Church, in Cranford Park, was recently finished.

But money is still needed for repairs to the interior of the historic church, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book and is reputed to have London's oldest ringing bell.

Cranford Community College English lessons are 'outstanding'

2009-03-11T15:44:37Z

Pupils and teachers at Cranford Community College are celebrating after it was rated 'outstanding' for English.

The secondary school, in Cranford High Street, achieved top marks across the board for the subject in its latest Ofsted report, published this month.

]]> Inspectors, who visited in December, were impressed by initiatives including the English Excellence Evening, mentoring by sixth formers and the First Story creative writing project led by author William Fiennes.

Barracks soldiers to hold farewell parade

2009-02-25T16:41:51Z

Soldiers from Hounslow Barracks will take part in a farewell parade next Thursday, March 5, before heading off to Afghanistan.

More than 300 troops from the Second Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, will march along Hounslow High Street and up to the Civic Centre in Lampton Road.

]]> They will set off from Hounslow Bus Garage at 4pm, pausing at the War Memorial to pay their respects to fallen comrades.

During their year in Hounslow, the Second Fusiliers have taken part in the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace as well as running a number of local schemes like football training for youngsters.

They have teamed up with the council to offer a 'Junior Leadership Package' next Tuesday and Wednesday, including a mixture of fitness training and lectures.

• See next week's Chronicle for more about the Second Fusiliers' year at Hounslow Barracks.

Government defeated in Heathrow vote

2009-02-24T17:57:09Z

Plans to expand Heathrow suffered a fresh blow today as the Government lost a vote on expansion.

It was defeated 247-203 in a non-binding bill, introduced under the 10-minute rule by Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer, calling for the decision on a third runway to be made in the Commons.

]]> John Stewart, chairman of protest group HACAN, said: "This bill will not become law but the vote is yet another blow for a government already on the ropes over its plans for new runways."

The Government is not required to hold a vote over plans for a third runway and thousands more flights at the airport, which were approved by transport minister Geoff Hoon last month.

The vote follows last Thursday's protests in central London by pro and anti-expansionists.

Rival demonstrators called on Gordon Brown to either drop - or push ahead with - plans for a third runway.

Pressure group Campaign Against Climate Change (CACC) organised an opposition demo outside Downing Street, while pro-expansion group Modern Movement rallied support simultaneously at nearby Parliament Square.

Both groups said they were satisfied with the number of supporters although CACC saw a greater turnout with nearly 200 protestors attending.

Last chance to apply for £100,000 grants in Cranford

2009-02-23T17:47:42Z

There are just over two weeks left for residents to get their hands on a share of £1.5 million to make over estates in Cranford.

Hounslow Homes tenants have until March 13 to apply for grants of up to £100,000 as part of the council's Rainbow Project.

]]> The money can be used for anything from doing up your community hall to building a sports pitch.

For more information about the scheme, email katherine.tomkinson@hounslow.gov.uk or call 020 8583 2208.

You can also download an application form from www.hounslow.gov.uk or www.hounslowhomes.org.uk

Tributes for Heathrow union hero Fred Gore

2009-02-20T16:53:05Z

Tributes have been paid to one of Heathrow's most prominent trade union leaders following his death from a heart attack, writes Ailsa Dixon.

Fred Gore, 88, started out his career as an aircraft electrician for British European Airways in the early 1950s.

]]> But it was in his role as a shop steward for the Electrician's Trade Union during the rollercoaster negotiations of the 1960s and 1970s that the Stanwell man gained notoriety.

As industrial relations broke down across the country, the situation at Heathrow proved no different.

Fred's first memorable stand was leading a six-week strike by the electricians in 1961, which grounded the airline.

A few years later, Fred was involved in the infamous 1969 General Aviation Services strike that saw the airport shut down and BAA order injunctions on its own workforce.

On retirement in 1983, Fred managed an unemployment centre in Hounslow and became a Labour councillor in Spelthorne Borough.

He recently moved from Long Lane, Stanwell, to the Goring-By-Sea in West Sussex, where he died suddenly two weeks ago.

Mr Gore is survived by wife of 60 years Jean, five children, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Tornado steam engine pulls in the crowds

2009-02-20T11:12:30Z

Excitement levels reached fever pitch at Feltham and Hounslow train stations this weekend as spotters and families jostled together for the best view of two magnificent steam engines.

The beautifully restored locomotives, a Tornado No 60163 and an Orient Express lunch train hauled by a Merchant Navy Class Loco 35028, stunned the large crowds as they whistled through stations up and down the line on Saturday.

]]> The Tornado was lovingly created by enthusiasts over 18 years and is the first mainline steam locomotive to be built in 50 years.

Eddie Menday, of Feltham History Group, said: "The buzz at Feltham station was fantastic. I haven't seen crowds like that for a steam train since Winston Churchill's funeral train came through here."