The association held their first open forum last year and because of its popularity decided to do it again last night (10) in St Lawrence Church Hall, Bridle Road, Eastcote.
]]> The guest speakers were Jales Tippell, Bob Castelijn and David Knowles from transport and planning at Hillingdon Council.Mr Castelijn spoke about the Mayor of London's draft Transport Strategy, which was released last month, and how it would affect Eastcote residents.
Then, for the first half of the open forum, people asked questions about transport issues in the area.
Parking of commercial vehicles in residential roads, the problems with bus stops in Southbourne Gardens, speeding in Cheney Street and safety and speeding in Field End Road were a few of the issues raised.
In the second half of the open forum, more general questions about Eastcote were put to the ward councillors.
Some of the queries were about the problems with dog droppings in the Boundary Road/Lowlands Road area, hedges growing over pathways, salaries of council directors, the expansion of RAF Northolt, Initial House and Eastcote Library.
On Friday (6) all 300 of the year seven pupils and the teachers at the school in Wiltshire Lane, Eastcote, got dressed up for the school's annual book day.
Leigh Beauchamp, head of English, said: "Haydon's annual book day just continues to grow and inspire pupils and staff alike.
"With such a positive approach to reading and literacy pupils' reading has seen an increase of a staggering eight per cent since the day began three years ago.
"With many staff members also dressing up for the day the message is clear - reading is fun and important too.
"It has got bigger and bigger due to its success and now sixth formers also dress up as well as nearly all the staff. We hope to have a whole school one next year."
Pupils also won prizes for the best costumes and Joe Craig, author of the Jimmy Coates series ran a workshop on the day and there was also a pantomime in the afternoon, paid for by the PTA.
The victims, aged 20, were punched and kicked outside Sam's Chicken shop, in Field End Road, Eastcote, while waiting for a taxi home.
They had earlier enjoyed a peaceful night out at The Manor pub across the street when confronted by the group at 1.30am on March 7.
Lee Luke, 24, of Trevor Crescent, Ruislip, Eric Thomson, 19, of Mahlon Avenue, Ruislip, Jabey Bathurst, 21, of Brook Close, Ruislip, and Rikki Floyd, 21, from Northolt, all pleaded guilty to causing an affray.
They were due to be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday (6), but it had to be adjourned until December 4 because probation reports had not been prepared.
Floyd also pleaded guilty to assaulting Thomas Byrne, who was with his friend Leandros Liasides when attacked by the group.
James O'Connell, prosecuting, told the court: "This was an unprovoked attack outside a bar late at night.
"All of these defendants were involved in attacking the two complainants and the prosecution say the instigator was Thomson, who was seen throwing the first punch and starting the incident off."
Judge Anna Guggenheim QC was shown CCTV footage captured by a Hillingdon Council camera and was told police are seeking ASBO's against all four.
Mr Byrne suffered bruising to his left eye, cheek and nose, plus swelling to his jaw and a cut lip. He continued suffering headaches for some time afterwards.
Mr Liasides suffered fractured teeth, which requires ongoing dentistry, plus bruising and a cut lip.
Thomson will also be sentenced on an unrelated charge of converting criminal property and the absent Luke, due to also be sentenced for burglary, had a warrant issued for his arrest.
Roy, 79, and Jackie Redrup, 55, have lived in Field End Road, near the junction with Farthing Close, in Eastcote, for 15 years, but these freak accidents only started in 2006.
The latest crash happened on November 1, when an off-duty police officer careered through both their front garden walls before ending up on its side next to their house.
The second crash, in October 2007, involved a car hitting their hedge before flipping over it and landing on their neighbours' cars in their driveway.
Mr Redrup said: "The area has become an absolute danger to any pedestrian.
"In the morning and the evening there's a lot of traffic so the cars move slowly, but at night they travel at great speeds.
"In all the accidents the drivers said they suddenly lost control of their cars for some reason."
Mrs Redrup thinks excessive speed is the reason for the crashes and wants Hillingdon Council to do something about the road before someone is hurt.
She said: "This is a 30mph road and if the people who crashed had been doing 30mph or less they might have lost control of their cars but they wouldn't have done as much damage to our property as they did.
"It's not about our walls because we can replace them, but one day someone will be killed."
The couple think the road should be made 20mph or a speed camera should be installed. They have also contacted Eastcote Residents' Association (ERA) for their help.
Ian Brooks, transport and road safety member for the ERA, said: "The volume and speed of cars on the roads is creating risks, which is leading to crashes, which is then leading to a perception that there's a lack of safety. That is undermining the quality of life because less people want to walk and cycle, and therefore congestion increases.
"We are concerned that the responsible authorities are not working effectively together on this."
Mary Worrall, head of highways and green spaces at the council, said: "Hillingdon Council is aware of issues relating to this specific area and has already been liaising with the owner of the affected property to look at ways that these issues can be addressed.
"The accidents that have happened in this part of the road have been a result of drivers not taking due care and attention and so the council is considering ways to ensure drivers are using this road more safely."
]]>Vikash Kulkar, from Twickenham, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Friday (30), alongside Roy and Shirley Faichney, of Barnhill, Eastcote, and David and Nicola Perrin, from Luton.
Senior executives Mr Faichney and Mr Perrin face claims they set up a sophisticated scheme to evade tax on £219 million in charitable donations. Their wives are also accused of involvement in their husbands' dealings at stockmarket listed accountancy firm Vantis.
It is alleged Kulkar, 55, helped attract people to the scheme.
All five face prosecution by HM Revenue and Customs for 'cheating her Majesty and the public revenue'.
Hundreds of people are said to have participated in the Vantis tax scheme, including an Oscar winning film executive, a celebrity psychiatrist, senior City bankers, top barristers and company directors.
Faichney, managing director of Vantis' tax division, and Perrin, the deputy managing director are accused of 'devising and promoting' the scheme, from which they both allegedly made £4.5m which they kept in offshore bank accounts to evade tax.
Prosecutor Julian Christopher said: "The prosecution allege that Mr Perrion and Mr Faichney devised and promoted a tax scheme which took advantage of the legislation providing tax relief on the donations of share to charities."
Kulkar, along with the other men, listed 328 million shares in four companies in the Channel Island Stock Exchange and then sold them to investors at a value of £1 and claimed tax relief on them, the court heard.
Mr Christopher added: "This allowed claims to be made for tax relief of an estimated £219m."
Kulkar helped to 'artificially rank' the shares on the stock exchange, is is alleged.
The five are due to appear at Blackfriars Crown Court on January 18, where they are expected to deny the charges.
]]>An application to build a two-storey four-bedroom house at 23 Lime Grove, Eastcote, with a basement and a detached garage to the rear, involving the demolition of the existing house and garage, was approved at the north planning committee last Tuesday (27).
Speaking at the meeting, Lesley Crowcroft, a member of Eastcote Residents' Association, said: "This proposed application is for a four-bedroom house in the midst of the bungalows in Lime Grove.
"The garden size is border line, as is the distance from the house in Myrtle Avenue. Both side elevations are less than one metre from the boundaries. To squash this dwelling into this small space is like squashing the ugly sister's foot into Cinderella's slipper.
"The bungalow is already a sustainable home with four bedrooms, therefore there is nothing to gain from this application."
More than 50 volunteers took part in the event at the River Pinn on High Road, at the junction with Joel Street, Eastcote, on Saturday (31).
The event was organised by Ruislip-Northwood MP Nick Hurd, Hillingdon Council's green spaces team and Eastcote Conservation Panel and was part of Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Make a Difference Day.
Th event is part of a wider initiative to lift the conservation area by renovating Eastcote Coach House and Gardens.
Mr Hurd volunteered on the day with his daughter Katie, along with Eastcote and East Ruislip councillors, Bruce Baker and David Payne and Northwood Hills councillor, Andrew Retter.
Students from Haydon School, in Wiltshrie Lane, Eastcote, and St Andrew's cubs and scouts also helped out and Barclays Bank sponsored the day.
Tracy Morgan, Barclays community manager for the Ruislip and Harrow area, said: "At Barclays we like our staff to get involved with the local communities in which they serve.
"Barclays were delighted to be able support the Eastcote Gardens Project to improve the area and the environment by providing both volunteers and financial support on Make A Difference Day."
Eastcote and East Ruislip Safer Neighbourhood Teams gave safety cover and traffic control and Dragana Knezevic, Hillingdon Council's countryside and conservation officer, played an important role by helping on the day and arranging the clearing of the river bank before the day.
Lesley Crowcroft, chairman of he conservation panel, said: "It was a very successful community day with so many people of all ages working to make Eastcote shine."
]]>The eighth annual Local Heroes awards, which launches today (28), acknowledges the hard work, dedication and courage shown by ordinary people from Hillingdon borough who have put others first or overcome adversity.
There are five categories in this year's awards: Outstanding Young Person, Star Carer, Community Champion, Courageous Citizen and Fabulous Fundraiser.
Entry is open to anyone who lives, works or volunteers in the borough, so if you know someone who deserves credit for doing a good deed, nominate them now!
The closing date for entries is Monday, December 14, and the judging panel will make its decision on the following day.
Short listed nominees are invited to attend a gala awards night with music from Perry Parsons MBE and The Vyners Swing Band, held on Thursday, January 28 at Hayes Community Campus in Coldharbour Lane, Hayes.
Category winners will each receive a trophy and £250 cash, and the person named overall Hero of Hillingdon will pick up an extra £500. Runners up will each receive £50.
Last year's awards saw Multiple Sclerosis sufferer, Nimira Patel, crowned a Hero of Hillingdon, after voluntarily running Little Angels playgroup at Harlington Baptist Church in High Street, Harlington.
She was also recognised for her efforts to support others in the community by offering a listening ear and giving helpful advice, as well as looking after people's children and making sure they get something to eat.
Choose from the following categories:
Outstanding Young Person: Anyone aged 16 or under who has made an outstanding achievement or impressive effort, supported others or enthusiastically taken part in sports or an event.
Star Carer: Someone who has selflessly looked after a friend, relative, neighbour, or others.
Community Champion: An individual, group or organisation which has helped or supported the community.
Courageous Citizen: Someone who has triumphed over adversity, achieved something against the odds, or shown courage or determination.
Fabulous Fundraiser: An individual, group, organisation or business which has raised money for a deserving cause.
Email Gazette reporter Siba Matti at sibamatti@trinitysouth.co.uk with the name of the category and contact details for both the nominee and the person who is nominating. Alternatively, see the Gazette each week for a nomination form.
*Please note that, under competition rules, staff from the Uxbridge Gazette and Leader series, and students and staff from Uxbridge College, cannot be nominated.
]]>Yong Sheng Wang, 36, of Field End Road, allegedly assaulted a man at Alfa Cars, in Victoria Road, Ruislip Manor, on July 19.
He is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on December 22.
]]>Dene Francis Buxbaum, 43, of Linden Avenue, Ruislip Manor, was charged with committing the offences in Oak Grove, Eastcote, on August 23.
He was also charged with driving without insurance.
He is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on December 14 for trial.
]]>Edward Lemon is just 21 years old but he has already climbed mountains in the Alps and in Peru and has now successfully completed five ascents in Kyrgyzstan, joined by three other brave students.
Edward lived with his parents in St Lawrence Drive, Eastcote, before moving to London to do a degree in war crimes at King's College London, when he was 18.
He has now moved to Scotland to do a postgraduate degree in Middle East and Central Asian Security Studies at the University of St Andrews.
He came up with the idea to head to Kyrgyzstan because the country is 80 per cent mountainous and very few people have climbed there.
He said: "The country has only been open to tourists since it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991 so there's lots of unclimbed mountains there.
"I wanted to do something adventurous to finish university and I wanted to be the first to do it. It probably doesn't appeal to everyone but I wanted a challenge and it was definitely that."
The former Bishop Ramsey CE School pupil had his first climbing experience when he was in 5th Ruislip scouts and four years ago he climbed in Peru, where he achieved his Duke of Edinburgh's gold award, so he was well equipped for this trip.
He said: "The ascents weren't too difficult, but it just took lots of planning and we had to get the money together.
"We got a £1,000 grant from the Royal Geographical Society and we got some money from some various other places. We also got quite a lot of free kit but we had to put in about £1,500 of our own money each. It was about £8,000 altogether."
The trip lasted 24 days and the team returned in August, but there was a slight hitch at the start of the trip.
Edward said: "On the way there our driver dropped us in the wrong place. He could only speak Russian and I didn't know the Russian for 'don't drop us off here', so we had to walk 30km to our base with 200kgs of kit between us.
"It took us 10 days to walk there at an altitude where there was only about 60 per cent oxygen in the air so it was pretty intense."
The team climbed five mountains altogether, the highest being 5014m, and Edward even named one of the peaks after his mum, Hilarie.
He said: "We had been told the weather there was very questionable so getting to the top of the mountains was the highlight. If a storm had blown in we wouldn't have been able to climb anything. Survival was our priority so we weren't going to take any stupid risks.
"Getting picked up at the end and being able to eat fresh fruit and vegetables after living on pasta, porridge and vitamin tablets was the other highlight. I lost about 9kg while I was there.
"There were definitely hard moments during the trip when I just wanted to give up but we pushed ourselves to our limits. The last hour or so I was almost hallucinating, but if it was easy everyone would have done it."
Edward is not sure what challenge to set himself next, but he is thinking of returning to Kyrgyzstan.
He said: "I also have ideas to go to Pakistan but because of the dodgy political situation there at the moment it might not be the best idea.
"We have discussed Everest but it's quite expensive and I wouldn't want to do it by the normal route because it's too busy.
"Unless I get a debilitating illness I will definitely keep it up. I suppose it's that sense of freedom that I love about it. I like being on control of my own fate and I just love being in the mountains."
]]>Sam Chapman, 18, of Dulverton Road, Ruislip, was charged with assaulting Sarbjeet Singh Shina, causing him actual bodily harm (ABH), outside Village Pizza, in Field End Road, Eastcote, on May 9.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge but yesterday (22) a jury at Isleworth Crown Court found him guilty.
He will be sentenced on November 20.
]]>Richard James Osborne, 32, of Oxford Drive, was charged with assaulting the man at Captain Morgans pub and stealing a bottle of Cinzano from the RE Bar, in Field End Road, Eastcote, on July 12.
He was also charged with two counts of affray and failing to surrender to custody.
He is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on December 22.
Today (22) the 19 students, who study at the school in Wiltshire Lane, Eastcote, will complete their last day of training to achieve the Student Practitioner of EmoTrance qualification.
EmoTrance stands for emotional transformation, and it helps the students to identify where emotions are being held in the body. The emotions can build up like a pressure cooker and can lead to outbursts of anger, frustration or crying.
The students were already peer mentors at their school running open clinics for other students for them to talk about their problems, such as bullying, exam stress and home life situations.
There are many Adult EmoTrance Practitioners worldwide in 21 countries but this new qualification is the first of its kind.
The trainer, Kim Bradley, from Emotional Freedom Training, said: "It has been an immense privilege to teach such young minds these skills that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.
"EmoTrance is all about becoming the master of your emotions and not at the mercy of them. Being put in the driving seat of your feelings at such a young age is a fantastic gift".
As well as 19 students receiving such an accolade, 15 teachers were taught the basics of the technique for handling day to day stress and feeling overwhelmed with work, as well as handling difficult people including students and their peers.
]]>The London Ambulance Service sent a single responder and an ambulance crew to Field End Road at about 10.30am on Saturday (17).
A woman, reported to be in her 70s, was taken to Northwick Park Hospital with head injuries.
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