Communities - Ickenham

Christmas Fayre to be held on Swakeley's Road

2009-11-12T08:24:40Z

A JAM packed Christmas Fayre is to take place next Saturday, to galvanise the festive mood.

The Fayre will be held at the United Reformed Church, in Swakeley's Road, Ickenham, from 10am to 2pm. (21/11)

Admission will cost as little as 50 pence with under 12s going free, while there will be several stalls including jewellery, CDs and DVDs, Christmas decorations and cards, as well as books.

Children's activities and refreshments will also be available, and there will also be a grand raffle with prizes of up to £100.

Swakeley's Road family seek return of missing cat

2009-11-11T12:24:32Z

A FAMILY are desperately seeking news of their cat which has been missing for nearly a month.

Maria Kosak, of Swakeley's Road, said: "Our cat is terribly important to our family, I have personally been searching the streets ever since.

"Becca is three years old and is very distinctive, it seems a mystery, she just vanished.

"We have put up posters and thought we had a sighting of her near Ickenham tube station but it was not her."

There is a reward available and anybody who has seen her should contact mariakosak@btinternet.com

Lord Rosser defends £19,500 expenses claim

2009-11-05T12:25:33Z

A PEER and former Hillingdon councillor is maintaining his innocence after being accused of claiming £19,500 in expenses to which he may not have been entitled.

Lord Richard Rosser of Ickenham was inducted into the House of Lords in 2004. He has a home in Witney Close, Ickenham, and another in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

A document revealing peers' expenses in 2007/8 shows he claimed £19,461 as overnight subsistence.

However, his main home was not declared as being either Ickenham or Chippenham, leaving it open to interpretation.

According to the House of Lords expenses rules for overnight subsistence, 'members who choose to travel home each night or whose main residence is within Greater London cannot claim the night subsistence allowance'.

Lord Rosser, 65, has lived in the borough for many years and only bought the Chippenham property two years ago.

An investigation by a national newspaper has accused him of abusing the expenses system by bending the lax rules to claim thousands of pounds, which Lord Rosser vehemently denies.

In a statement to the Gazette, he said: "I have lived in Ickenham for many happy years and continue to have a home here.

"I am entitled under the House of Lords rules to make claims for overnight allowances. The allowances are not in addition to a salary, since members of the House of Lords, apart from Government ministers, are unpaid.

"When I finished full-time employment in early 2004, I was considering moving away from

London, but in the summer of that year I was appointed to the House of Lords. This necessitates having a home in or near London in order to be able to attend, which I have done on nearly every day the House has sat since I became a member five years ago.

"I serve on two major committees of the House and speak regularly in the chamber."

Lords can claim £174 for every night they spend away from their main home if they live outside London, for which no receipts are required. However, there is no definition of what should count as a main home, despite it being central to claims that have amounted to thousands of pounds a year.

An official review of the system is to take place in the coming months, with some critics arguing that the upper house should be abolished entirely.

Baroness Uddin of Bethnal Green is the subject of a police investigation after declaring a flat in Kent as her main home, despite the fact that she was found to live in east London. She denies any wrongdoing.

Is he entitled to claim? What do you think? Leave your comments below

Charity Craft Fair for Children's Charities

2009-10-29T13:31:00Z

The Inner Wheel Club of Elthorne Hillingdon invites you to their Annual Craft Fair on Thursday 5th November 12 noon - 2.30pm at Ickenham Village Hall.

A variety of stalls, refreshment are available proceeds to various children's charities.

Eldery lady conned by distraction burglar

2009-10-27T09:58:39Z

AN ELDERY lady who invited woman into her housing believing she was a new neighbour returned from making a cup of tea to find the woman had burgled her.

On Sunday (25) at about 6.30pm, police attended the home of the elderly victim in Swakeleys Road, Ickenham, after receiving a call from her.

She told the police how she had been sitting in her house when she heard a knock on the front door.

She opened the door to a woman, who she was then led to believe was a new neighbour checking on her welfare.

The victim invited the woman in for a cup of tea, but when she went off to make the tea her house was searched and some of her property stolen. The suspect then left the house.

The suspect is described as white, aged about 20 years old, about 5' 2" tall, slim build, with shoulder length brown hair and with an English accent.

Detective Sergeant Mark Adams said: "It is possible that there was another suspect involved who searched the upstairs of the house.

"This is a horrible offence against an elderly person who has been left very upset by her experience."

If anyone was in the area at the time or has any information about this incident call Hillingdon Police on 0208 246 1445 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Advice from the police -

When someone calls at your home, it is important to take your time. Don't be rushed.

If you don't want to open your door you don't have to. If you do open the door always put the chain on.

And remember - you can always ask the person outside to come back when you have a neighbour or a relative with you.

Treat every stranger with caution. If you are still worried, dial 999 immediately and ask for the police.

Man charged with rape in Ickenham

2009-10-20T14:57:47Z

A MAN in his 30s has been sent to crown court after he was charged with rape, false imprisonment and committing actual bodily harm (ABH).

Robin Junior Onyia, 39, from Buckinghamshire, was charged with committing the rape against a woman in Darwent Avenue, Ickenham, on October 4.

He was also charged with assaulting and unlawfully and injuriously imprisoning a woman on or around October 3 and assaulting her on October 4 within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court.

He is due to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on December 22.

Debate: Secondary school admissions

2009-10-06T13:02:25Z

IT IS the time of year which sets parents nerves jangling, with the seemingly crucial decision to make of choosing a Secondary School for their children. Reporter DAN COOMBS spoke to Robert Lobatto, headteacher at Barnhill Community High School, in Yeading Lane, Hayes, about the process.

What should parents look for in a Secondary School?
I would say choose the right school for the child, what is right for one child may not necessary be the right school for another one. Come into the school and see it for yourself. All schools have a different feel and a different ethos, and parents must consider which school would be best for the individual child.
I would encourage parents to look at the OFSTED report, it doesn't tell the whole story, but it can give an indication. Exam results are also important, but it is quite a complex area, parents must look at it carefully and pick out key information.

Are extra-curricular activities important?
Yes, parents should look at what opportunities the school offers, whether this be music, art, drama or sport, what is on offer outside academics is very important. Most schools offer good programmes, but parents should look at which will suit their particularly child.

As a headteacher, what question are you most commonly asked?
Parents want to know if there is any bullying that goes on, that will always be a concern, when a child is going from a small primary school to a big secondary. They want to know if a child will be supported through their education, so they can do as well as they can. Communication is also important, parents like to be informed of what the school is doing.

How does admission policy work?
At Barnhill we have a system the same as all schools in Hillingdon. Parents come to see the schools at open evenings, then start to make decisions and fill out a form which goes to the local authority. The the application form, the parents should select six different schools, in order of preference, the local authority then receives the forms and does its best to give everybody their first choice.

How important is where you live?
Catchment areas no longer exist, although it is a phrase which is used now and again. Siblings have a priority first, and then it comes down to where you live. Admissions depend on which preference you put the school as. If a school has 240 places and 240 select it as first choice then that works, but if 300 select it then it becomes over-subscribed and criteria comes into place. Students with siblings at a school take priority, then it comes down to where you live. Children who are being looked after, in foster care or children's homes, actually get first priority over everybody, although in terms of numbers, they are a very small minority.

How far in advance should parents start preparing?
They should start to think about secondary schools when a child is in Year 5. Parents have to make a decision this year before October 23 which is quite early on. You should really be thinking about it in Year 5 and through the year, and it is important for the child to see it early to and adjust to the idea of what a secondary school is like.

How much of a say does the local authority have?
They have very strict rules over admissions. There was a big controversy nationally because it was seen there was a small minority of schools who weren't being fair, so rules have tightened for all schools. Some schools sought to interview students- which is not allowed, or to meet parents as a requirement, which is not allowed. Some schools were also asking for photographs of students which is not allowed either. It now allows for a better system, and there is no room for subjectivity. The theory was that schools were favouring children from middle class backgrounds at the cost of children from deprived areas.

What about appeals?
If you do not get into your school of choice, you can appeal on certain grounds. What has changed this year is that appeals are heard by independent governors, rather than governors of the school, which makes for a fairer more impartial process. Policy is important, so it has to be followed.

How has the process changed over the past few years?
One particular change is in the social equality agenda, there is still a big gap between those from affluent backgrounds and those who are not, in terms of educational attainment. They are seeking to bring up the achievements of those from more deprived backgrounds to a higher standard. The rules have tightened up to make it more of a blind process without any prejudices over the last 12 months. Its tricky to judge how it will affect the process as a whole yet, but personally I feel it is for the better.

For more information on secondary school admissions, parents should visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk

What are your experiences or worries?

Memorial garden created for Shona White

2009-10-06T07:20:30Z

THE parents of a nine year old girl who passed away after a long battle with cancer opened up a memorial garden at her school in her honour.

Shona White, a year four pupil at Glebe School, in Sussex Road, Ickenham, died this summer hours after attending school, 'a place that she loved.'

Headteacher Nick Alford said: "She loved school, she came in to the end, so we thought dedicating a garden would be a nice thing to do for her."

Shona's parents attended the ceremony, along with her sister Iona, also a former pupil at the school.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2006, and after she died, the school decided they wanted to pay tribute to her.

The memorial garden is made up of two flowerbeds, a circular bench, and a tree, and one ex-pupil made a plaque in Shona's honour.

Mr Alford said: "The children were really touched and she is dearly missed, we raised over £1,000 after she died to give to the Rainbow Foundation, a children's charity.

"A lot of the children were wearing purple ribbons, which was Shona's favourite colour.

"When we had the go ahead for the new classrooms, we felt it was the right idea to landscape the area around them, and turn it into a memorial garden."

The school has benefited from two new classrooms which were built over the summer, and which were also officially opened last Wednesday by Councillor David Simmonds.

Mr Alford said they were much needed as for the last couple of years, rising student numbers had meant classes were working temporarily from the school library.

"We were bursting at the seams in terms of accommodation, and the children love the new classrooms.

"They have new IT equipment, and are air-conditioned, and feel a lot nicer."

Cake shop to host Macmillan coffee morning

2009-09-24T09:25:54Z

A CAKE shop is hosting a coffee morning tomorrow (Friday) in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Iced 'n' Sliced, in Glebe Avenue, Ickenham (the parade of shops by the tube station) will demonstrate how to make sugar flowers and create a wedding cake entirely from flowers.

There will also be a reflexologist and foot therapist to offer a little pampering, as well as tea, coffee and cakes.

The event takes place from 10am-noon with all proceeds going to the charity.

For more information, call Ann White on 01895 624 246.

Gas works planned for Court Road

2009-09-22T14:25:21Z

A ROAD is to be closed off for two months to carry out gas main replacement works.

Court Road, in Ickenham, will close from next Monday (September 28) for up to two months.

It will remain open for residential access only and a signed diversion will be in place.
The U10 bus will also be diverted as part of the roadworks.

How will the works affect you? Leave a comment below

Reunion takes place in memory of Martin Phillips

2009-09-22T07:43:32Z

A SCHOOL reunion was held to raise money for two former pupils who died separately but equally as tragically over the past year.

Sarah Snelling attended Bishopshalt School, in Royal Lane, Hillingdon, leaving in 1989, but died from cancer aged 35 last July.

Her brother Craig Snelling was already planning a disco for his sister's years school reunion, when his school friend Martin Phillips, of Burnham Avenue, Ickenham passed away aged 37 in February this year.

After contacting Martin's fiancée Sarah Simms, it was decided to combine a reunion for both, and plant a tree in the school grounds with a plaque in.

After six months of planning, the event took place last Saturday, and was attended by over 100 people, friends and family, at the school and at The Vine Inn, Hillingdon Hill, Hillingddon.

Craig Snelling, of Northolt, said: "David Bocock, the headmaster at Bishopshalt and Ken Pearce, former teacher, kindly helped me with my plans for the school reunion and after 21 years there were quite a lot of people that were excited to be able to roam around the school.

"Everybody had a great time and the beer flowed and the bodies moved on the dance floor to the 80s tunes it was like being back at the school but without the teachers."
A raffle was held and an auction, to raise money for St Barnabas Hospice in West Sussex.

Martin Phillips and avid football fan and loving dad passed away suddenly earlier this year of causes which are still unknown, while Sarah Snelling spent years working in America looking after kids and as a holiday rep.

If anyone would like to donate money, they can do so at www.stbarnabas-hospice.org.uk

Entrepreneur award won by Ickenham nominee

2009-09-16T11:20:40Z

THE Ickenham nominee at the prestigious GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards held last night (Tuesday) scooped a top prize.

Surinder Arora, 50, from Ickenham, who started off running a bed and breakfast in 1993 and now owns a chain of international hotels was named 'Entrepreneur of the Year'.

He owns the Arora Hotel near Heathrow, but began his working life working for British Airways, when he saw the chance to do something different and open up a bed and breakfast, and has not looked back.
The awards, dubbed the 'ethnic Oscars', were attended by actors, celebrities, an politicians, including former prime minister Tony Blair.

The winners were chosen by a panel of estemmed judges, headed up by Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North.

Kalpesh Solanki, group managing director of the Asian media and marketing group behind the awards, said: "The award winners are an inspiration to us all. Their achievements are hugely commendable and provide a spur to others.

"The GG2 Leadership and Diversity Awards show how far Britain has come. They also reflect the huge talent contained within Britain's ethnic communities and should serve as a powerful reminder to many organisations that they cannot afford to overlook ethnic talent and ability.

"We are all richer from a more equal and diverse country - these awards prove that."

Ickenham woman joins Heathrow class of 2009

2009-09-15T14:23:41Z

AN ENGINEERING apprentice and a retail manager were two of 200 airport based graduates to join the Heathrow class of 2009.

The Heathrow Retail Academy is backed by the Learning and Skills Council and provides a number of significant qualifications from degrees to NVQs to staff working in the airport's shops and restaurants.

A university style graduation ceremony was held last week, which also acknowledged graduates from BAA's 30 year-old apprenticeship scheme.

One of these was Ben Herrick, 22, from Hillingdon, who was celebrating getting through his BAA engineering apprenticeship.

Ben, who now works in Terminal 5, said: "I'm feeling very pleased although relieved its all over.

"I've actually been working by myself since May and am really enjoying it.

"It's definitely worthwhile getting an apprenticeship and learning on the job rather than out of text books."

Another graduate was Jo Savage, 35, from Ickenham, who was celebrating having completed her foundation degree in Retail Operations and People Management.

She has worked for BAA for 12 years and is currently working for BAA Retail.

She said: "I'm glad its finished but it's an amazing achievement at my age.

"I think you put in more when you're a bit older, it's so much different to having to learn when you're at school.

"It teaches you about what you're capable of achieving and I've definitely got more confidence."

The achievements were praised by Colin Matthews, chief executive officer of BAA.

He said: "Whether ensuring lights on the runway work every time or that the coffee is served to each individual passenger's complete satisfaction, the role of Heathrow's people should never be underestimated, nor taken for granted.

"With more than 70,000 people working at Heathrow, the airport is a major provider of interesting and varied careers."

Skyride convoy to set off from The Pump on Sunday

2009-09-15T13:30:20Z

A BIKE convoy will start in Ickenham to guide Hillingdon's cyclists to the Mayor of London's Skyride event on Sunday. (20/9)

The event will see tens of thousands of cyclists enjoying a 15km traffic-free swatche of central London, taking in views of some of the world's most famous landmarks along the way.

Hillingdon's cyclists of all ages can be part of the event by joining the guided ride departing from the Ickenham Pump on the High Road at 9am.

If it is too early, then riders can make their own way to central London as the event runs all day until 4pm.

Uxbridge Golf Club plans withdrawn

2009-09-14T14:34:20Z

PROTESTORS who campaigned for renovations to their golf club to be refused are celebrating after the plans were withdrawn.

The plans for Uxbridge Golf Club, in Harvil Road, Ickenham, caused uproar among members, and the communities of Ickenham and Harefield, at both ends of the road.

The proposals were to fill the course with landfill and completely re-landscape the course, but the consensus of those who approved were of the opinion that the plans were too heavy handed.

Pauline Crawley, chair of the Harefield Tenants and Residents Association, said: "We sent our objections on the lorry side of it, there would be too many coming through our village."

The golf club committee are holding a meeting tonight to discuss their response to the plans.

One section of the golf course is currently out of action because of waterlogging, and needs repairs, but objections were made on the extensive nature of the re-modelling.