Mrs Duncan was being recognised after she finished in the top three in the race to find the best headteacher in the country at the glittering National Teaching Awards Ceremony.
]]> And last Tuesday she, along with the other winners, enjoyed a wine reception with the Prime Minister and Ed Balls, the Secretary of Education, as well as the freedom of Number Ten as a reward.She said: "It was amazing. The whole day was really special, from being taken to London and walking down Downing Street, to meeting the Prime Minister and walking around the place - it was incredible.
"We were there for one-and-a-half hours and they let us look at what we wanted, so I saw the Cabinet Room, the State Banquet Room and when I looked in the garden and saw the trampoline it really hit home that it was a family home as well as the centre of power."
Mrs Duncan spoke to Mr Balls about her school and then listened to a speech from Mr Brown, which emphasised the outstanding achievements of the gathering.
Mrs Duncan was one of 13 regional winners, who were then cut down to a final three. They were invited to the televised awards ceremony in Tower Bridge, which hosted by Christine Bleakley and Jeremy Vine.
She just missed out on winning overall, but was still amazed at being thought of so highly by the judges.
"It's such a huge compliment to be recognised, not only for me but for the school as well," she said.
"I am very lucky to work at Sunbury Manor, it's a special place and this award is for all the staff and pupils who make it happen."
Luckily for the school's 1,062 pupils, success isn't going to Mrs Duncan's head and she has no plans to leave.
"I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be," she added.
Do you know of anyone who should recognised for their work or kind deeds? Let us know below.......
]]>Mr Wilshire admitted his comments were "clumsy" after Tory leader David Cameron said they were "frankly ludicrous".
]]> The Spelthorne MP had written in an email to constituents: "The witch-hunt against MPs in general will undermine democracy. It will weaken Parliament - handing yet more power to governments. Branding a whole group of people as undesirables led to Hitler's gas chambers."But he later apologised saying: "In a reply to very unpleasant e-mails from about half a dozen people... I did refer to the Holocaust. I was not seeking to equate what is happening to MPs with the Holocaust.
"I was simply warning that history teaches that the sentiments expressed in such e-mails can lead to horrendous consequences.
"So, if anyone finds my response to these emails inappropriate I apologise unreservedly. The last thing I want to do is upset anyone.
"However, all these e-mails assumed a newspaper's untested allegations were proof of guilt.
"Among the unpleasant things said were that I should immediately be taken out and strung up from a lamp post, that the sender was coming to shoot me and that most MPs were corrupt and ought to be disposed of."
]]>Let us know your stories here.....
]]>Along with the fire brigade, and trading standards, detectives have launched Operation Quake, which will involve high visibility patrols and a 'Pumpkin Patrol' team, which will give advice to kids about responsible behaviour. Advice cards and 'No Trick or Treat' stickers have already been sent to 9,000 homes.
]]> Chief Inspector Clive Davies said: "We don't want to spoil anyone's fun, but Halloween does not legitimise bad behaviour or vandalism. We want people to have a good time but to also consider how their actions can affect others."If you are going trick or treating, follow the safety advice and remember that some people, especially the elderly, might be frightened by groups of people knocking at their door, so please respect any homes displaying a 'No Trick or Treaters' sign.
"Officers will be carrying out high visibility patrols over the next two weeks and taking appropriate action against any bad behaviour. Causing damage to someone's property could result in an on-the-spot fine or an arrest so act responsibly and everyone will enjoy Halloween."
The Pumpkin Patrol car is a bright orange Ford ST patrol vehicle which has been given a Halloween-themed makeover.
Residents can approach the car and speak to officers, who will hand out glow-in-the-dark wristbands with the message 'Don't Scare. Take Care' to youngsters.
Trading standards have told shops not to sell large quantities of flour and eggs to those they suspect will use them to damage property.
And shops selling fireworks have also been reminded they face criminal action and a fine of up to £5,000 if they sell to under 18s. A series of firework test purchases will be conducted in the coming days.
For more advice visit www.surrey.police.uk and anyone with information about rogue shops can call Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.
]]>The project, run by beat bobby PC Caroline Barnes, coaching group Kick London, A2Dominion, who provide drinks, and Councillor Sandra Dunn, has so far run for over two months and proved hugely successful with around 15 children attending every session.
]]> PC Barnes said: "This event has given me and my colleagues an opportunity to build further links with members of the community and in particular with the large number of youths who took part in the programme."The project went from strength to strength and I'm pleased we were able to provide an extremely high standard of professional football coaching.
"It was a great way for many of the local youths to express themselves through an event which they found fun and beneficial, but also gave them the opportunity to show how good they are at something they can focus on and I hope that more people get involved and take advantage of the extra dates."
The project takes place every Friday evening between 5pm and 6pm at St Paul's School in Sunbury. Please contact PC Barnes on 0845 125 2222 if you would like the opportunity to join in.
]]>Owners SITA Trust's Enhancing Communities Programme will provide money from the landfill communities fund for any projects that make physical improvements to community facilities, sports projects and historic buildings / structures.
]]> There are two types of funding, the first being a small grants scheme with a fast-track process for applications for funding of up to £10,000. This applies where the overall project cost is no more than £20,000. The second is for applications between £10,001-£50,000, with the overall project cost no more than £250,000.Jools Mackin, of SITA Trust, said: "This is a real opportunity for communities in the Shepperton area to access some significant funding to help improve community facilities. SITA Trust welcomes applications from not-for-profit organisations with projects that will benefit the whole community."
Visit www.sitatrust.org.uk to apply.
Richard Jones, secretary of the union's Surrey branch, was reacting to comments from Chief Fire Officer Russell Pearson, who said it was possible Staines and Sunbury fire stations could merge, meaning the borough could lose a fire engine.
]]> He insists this wouldn't impact the service, but Mr Jones said: "The FBU is astonished"The closures, in conjunction with the high level of traffic congestion in the area, would lead to dangerously increased response times. Quite simply, delayed response times can make the difference between us rescuing casualties or recovering bodies."
Mr Pearson further suggested there was no need for stations to be manned 24 hours per day with dedicated staff, pointing out most call outs occur during rush hours.
But Mr Jones, who claims Surrey was rated 36th out 48 authorities for response times, said: "Two thirds of all fire deaths occur at night when people are sleeping. Spelthorne has suffered 3 Fire deaths over the last 13 months and fire fighters have rescued far more people from fires, road crashes and other incidents in that same period."
Mr Pearson is keen for the brigade to use greater numbers of 'retained' - part-time - staff for the night-time periods, another policy with which Mr Jones strongly disagrees.
"There has been a reduction in front-line firefighters of 14% between 2004 and 2009 and he wants further cuts, in the full knowledge 25% of Surrey's fire engines are not available during office hours on weekdays due to an ongoing inability to recruit sufficient retained staff."
Mr Jones added: "The FBU does support Mr Pearson's view that the south of the county needs better fire cover, but disagrees this should be at the cost of the existing cover in the north."
Plans are due to be reviewed in April.
Martin Brown, from Oakhall Drive, ran the ten-mile race for CAFOD, the aid agency he works for, to raise awareness for its Climate Jusitce Campaign.
]]> Mr Brown, 33, said:"A big focus of our work is on the campaign ahead of the big climate change summit in Copenhagen next month."I ran the race with two big hands strapped to my back, which represents our 'hands up' symbol for the campaign.
"It was important to come out and try and raise awareness, especially in a recession when not everyone can afford to donate."
CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development which works with communities in over 50 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, working to fight poverty and injustice. The agency works with all people regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality.
*If you would like to help Mr Brown, go to www.justgiving.com/martin.brown
Star players, including England internationals Delon Armitage and Topsy Ojo, took time out to sign hundreds of autographs and pose for pictures on Tuesday last week.
]]> The gathered crowds were also given goody bags and treated to an appearance by the club's mascot, Digger. Hundreds also tried their hand at a bucking rugby ball ride as well as a rugby passing game, organised by the London Irish community department.But the coup-de-grace for many was the opportunity to watch the players in a full training session.
It was the first time Irish, who lie second in the Premiership, have held an open day at their Avenue training ground and the club's head of PR & communications, Tracie Simpson, was delighted with the turn out.
She said: "We were absolutely overwhelmed by the response and wish to thank everyone for their attendance and for once again proving what a fantastic group of supportive fans we have.
"The players were astonished by the size of the crowd for a training day and loved the opportunity to be amongst the fans, something they rarely get a chance to do on busy match days, and hopefully help parents with the half-term holidays."
]]>Alex Tribick, who helped win compensation for Mr Stagg, who was wrongly convicted of murdering Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common, has confirmed the rumours of his interest.
]]> Mr Tribick, of WH Matthews solicitors, Staines, also represented Mr Wilshire in 2000, when the MP threatened legal action against the Heathrow Villager newspaper.He said: "I have political ambitions and I am interested. Whether now is the right time I'm not sure but I've had some interesting discussions and am currently taking advice as to my position."
Mr Tribick, 34, was chairman of Conservative Future, formerly the Young Conservatives, until he stepped down four years ago.
He has worked in Staines for ten years and is involved with both the Spelthorne Business Forum and the Business International Network.
Mr Tribick, who can also list Barry George, acquitted of TV presenter Jill Dando's murder, among his clients, lives in the Mole Valley and said he would "consider" moving to the borough were he elected.
He said he could bring a "vigour and enthusiasm" to the role, as well as "working to emulate the work ethic" displayed by Mr Wilshire, who a fortnight ago confirmed he would not be seeking re-election following revelations he channelled over 100,000 of taxpayers' money into his own firm.
Of the MP's demise, he said: "It's sad events have unfolded as they have. I think he was right to refer himself to the parliamentary commissioner.
"I think it's interesting that all sides of the political spectrum universally agreed that, over the years, whether they agreed with the policies he expounded, he has been extremely hard working.
"I think the portrayal of him is unfair."
]]>He failed to return calls from the Herald & News and then sent the newspaper an email saying he had "no confidence in receiving accurate or fair treatment". He also cancelled his regular column, which was due to be published this week.
]]> Instead his response to revelations he channelled £105,000 of his office and staffing allowances into his own company, Moorlands Research Services, came in the form of bullet points in an email attachment.In it he denied he ever profited from the firm, in which his girlfriend, Ann Palmer, was the sole partner, and insisted he filed annual accounts.
He also said it wasn't a legal requirement for a partnership to register its business and said the firm, which folded last year, was fully registered and confirmed in writing with Parliament and completely within the rules.
His explanations, though, cut little ice with Conservative leader David Cameron, who said Mr Wilshire's decision to stand down was the "right one".
Mr Wilshire, 66, had spent last Thursday, the day the story was splashed across a national newspaper, locked in talks with Tory whips over the scandal after reporting himself to the parliamentary commissioner.
But in the evening he issued a statement which read: "I am confident that he [the commissioner] will confirm that I have done nothing wrong.
"That said, I am very conscious that the allegations and investigation will cause great distress to my family and friends. These allegations also run the risk of harming my local party and our national party's chances of winning at the next general election... I have reluctantly concluded that it is sensible for me not to seek re-election next year."
Spelthorne Tories have blamed the media for hounding out David Wilshire.
Showing continued loyalty to the MP, Spelthrone Conservatives chairman Graeme Reid said: "It's a sad day. But the media has its own agenda and sometimes you have to pay the price for things that on the face of it might not be clear cut.
"He has voluntarily put his case before the commissioner and should be given the chance to exonerate himself. He has not been found guilty of anything. He has served the Conservatives well."
Asked if Mr Wilshire had made the right decision morally, Mr Reid said: "It's difficult to say whether morals come into it.
"There are standards in public life and you have to be beyond reproach. It's not a standard many people outside politics would be able to live up to."
Fury over Mr Wilshire's expenses has been rising ever since the scandal broke in the Summer, but Mr Reid disagreed the resignation was unsurprising.
"I don't agree the writing has been on the wall. It's something that cropped up last week. These things happen."
Mr Reid said the party would now be sifting through applications from potential successors but could not give a time scale regarding the new appointment, adding: "This has to be done properly."
Fellow Tory John Packman, leader of Spelthorne Council, said: "We all need to remember David Wilshire has been an excellent MP for 22 years, serving all residents in a very dedicated, hard working and conscientious way which has been truly recognised by people from all political associations from Spelthorne. That should not be forgotten.
"I'm sorry to see him go but in view of the allegations it was the honourable and proper thing to do. I commend him for that."
POLITICAL rivals are demanding David Wilshire steps down as Spelthorne MP now, rather than at the next election.
Mark Chapman, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Spelthorne, said: "I think it's very sad residents will be left a lame duck MP for the next ten months. A lot of people would expect him to go now."
Mr Chapman, who called Mr Wilshire's decision "inevitable", said a Liberal Democrat representative would be more "transparent" over their affairs than Mr Wilshire.
He added: "David Wilshire has been conspicuous by his absence during this scandal and Mps need to be more available. And I would certainly not claim for a second home living so close to London."
Grahame # Leon-Smith is the founder member of the Senior Citizens Party, who will also stand next year. He said: "He (Mr Wilshire) seems to be the worst of the lot. There should be people in politics who are honest and give straight answers."
Labour councillor for Stanwell Victor Agarwal said: "The money should be repaid either to a Spelthorne fund or back into the public purse.
Even a fellow Tory criticised Mr Wilshire, with Spelthorne Councillor Malcolm Royer quoted in the Daily Telegraph as saying: "He should do the honourable thing and pay the money back. He's never lived in the borough for 20 years. It's not been good enough for him but it's been good enough to be his cash cow.
PRESSURE on Mr Wilshire has been intense ever since the the expenses scandal first came to light in May this year.
His constituents were furious at claims he clawed back £438,377 between 2005-2008, making him the sixth-highest claiming MP in the land, and his admittance he claimed further expenses for travel from his home in Somerset further irked voters.
The revelations kept coming and, weeks later, it was revealed he'd struck an unusual arrangement with the fees office whereby he was paid a monthly fund of £150 for three years for decorations and repairs to his London flat "sometime in the future".
The clamour for him to hold a public meeting in Spelthorne grew stronger when his full expenses were made available online and revealed he had claimed, among other things, the maximum amount in petty cash last year, hundreds of pounds on food and printing ink and over £1,000 for a new cupboard, which he said constituted a repair.
Having told the Herald he had never claimed for furniture in his London flat, constituents believed he had misled them. But Mr Wilshire continued to insist he had done nothing wrong, saying Herald & News reporters had confused furnishing with repairs.
Ex-colleagues then rounded on him, with one labelling him "The Seldom Seen Kid" for his seeming lack of interest and visits to a borough in which he has never lived.
A group of staunch Spelthorne Tories, The Conservative Unity Group, formed two months ago with the intention of ousting Mr Wilshire from office who, by this time, was embroiled in a war of words with readers in the Herald & News letters page. The CUG had pledged to provide opposition to Mr Wilshire at the next election following his initial refusal to resign.
Mr Wilshire will stand down after a 22 year career in which he has often courted controversy, most notably for his introduction of the Section 28 local government bill, which made it illegal for local authorities to "promote homosexuality or ... promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality". The bill was eventually repealed in 2003 after a string of protests.
He also supported a third runway at Heathrow, opposed the minimum wage and the Good Friday Agreement and was against bans on smoking an hunting.
Last week it was reported Mr Wilshire told journalism students his 60-70 hour weeks meant his £64,000 salary was dangerously close to the minimum wage.
ADAM COURTNEY was with David Wilshire on the day the expenses scandal broke and hours before the MP announced his resignation...
What a day for "The Seldom Seen Kid", as he is branded by some former colleagues, to organise a foray into his constituency.
Having dealt with the Summer storm caused by his expenses by using a mixture of silence and denial, David Wilshire must have thought a morning doing the rounds in Spelthorne with the Herald & News in tow was another step in his attempts to sweep the debris of his claims files under the carpet. How wrong he was.
Looking dishevelled after a night, no doubt, of fending off calls from the national media, I first caught up with him at the London Irish training ground in Sunbury, where he had arranged a briefing with bosses over the club's move across the village.
Having sent an invitation for me to join him days previously, Mr Wilshire seemed strangely reluctant to have me in the room. After being kept waiting outside for about 20 minutes, his assistant scurried over and told me I'd be allowed in on the strict condition there'd be no questions on the scandal. A prepared statement was thrust into my hand and I was ushered in, I thought, to hear his opinions on Irish's move, which is currently one of the biggest news stories in the borough. He must have had other things on his mind, because he didn't have any.
After ten minutes, he thanked me for my "understanding", and I was off to his next port of call, Sunbury Fire Station, but not before having to fend off a call from a BBC news crew about the whereabouts of a man who seemed to be the hottest ticket in town.
Half an hour later, arrived at the station where he met the chief, not to apply for a job (he specialises in fighting political fires) but to talk about the future of the service. After shutting the door on me to reassure the chief I wouldn't cause any "embarrassment" by asking expenses questions, I was in, but it was clear by this point Mr Wilshire was beginning to regret inviting me and, after a further failed attempt at getting him to talk about the expenses after the briefing, I left.
I'll be back on our shared patch very soon but it's anyone's guess when "The Seldom Seen Kid" will return.
Ravih Masih had appealed against a decision made in August by Spelthorne Council, which revoked his licence after he had been caught selling alcohol to under age teenagers in the shop formerly known as Bargain Booze, in Groveley Road.
]]> But he appealed and, with rules allowing him to continue trading before any appeal is heard, he was able to continue selling alcohol, having renamed the shop Sunny Food and Wine, much to the concern of residents who said his business was a magnate for anti social behaviour.Legal hold-ups mean the appeal date kept getting put back, but last week Staines Magistrates finally heard the case and dismissed his case.
Mr Masih was also ordered to pay the council £641.75 in costs within 28 days.
Licensing Committee chairman Robin Sider, who had earlier branded the law an "ass" because of the hold-ups, said: "I am very pleased that this appeal has been dismissed. We will not tolerate alcohol being sold to under age persons and will always take action when we learn of this happening".
Mr Masih had earlier told the Informer his father, Wilson, the owner, would sell the shop were it to lose the appeal.
The council confirmed it has received enquiries from interested parties regarding taking over the premises, but said it had warned them the application process would not be easy in light of the unit's troubled history.
]]>In a huge victory for residents, director Maurice O'Connell said the overwhelming response from the club's Lower Sunbury neighbours at last month's consultation had forced a climbdown.
He said: "We got a significant amount of feedback from residents and always said we would listen to them.
"We have gone down from 370, to 313 and now 194, which is the lowest permissible number of homes we could provide.
"We feel it's a huge positive to be able to make this space available for a health centre because that was one of the biggest concerns filtered down to us from the consultation.
"Whatever we do here it's important it's a high quality product we are all proud of."
Mr O'Connell said there is also a proposed change in style, with 66 of the properties now being labelled as two-bedroom cottages.
The reduction in homes means there would now be less than the 100 parking spaces initially earmarked, although individual homes would get an extra space.
The changes mean the planning application, originally scheduled to go in in November, will now be presented to Spelthorne Council on December 4.
Outgoing Spelthorne MP David Wilshire said he wasn't sure if the move as a whole was a positive step for the village, but said of the health centre plans: "The pressure on doctors is a serious problem. A new surgery is something for people to be pleased about."
A presentation to the community of the new proposals will take place between sometime between November 14-17.
The club wants to move to the 55-acre Hazelwood Golf Club in Croysdale Avenue, where it hopes to build a state of the art training complex, with new pitches, with aims to host an international team in the 2016 World Cup.
]]>