April 2009 Archives

A NORTHWOOD pupil has won a national competition designed to give teenagers the chance to prepare their own mock Budget.

Daniel Hooker, 17, a pupil at Merchant Taylors' School, in Sandy Lodge, Northwood, was named the winner of the 'Chance to be Chancellor' competition.

The competition, run by education charity The Citizenship Foundation in collaboration with Norwich Union, was open to all 14 to 18 year olds and is supported by Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling.

Students had to choose their own priorities for public spending and prepare a mock Budget from a variety of possible policy areas modelled on the Chancellor's pre-Budget report.

A CANCER support nurse has been honoured for her dedication.

Elaine Melsom, who works as a Macmillan nurse at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, was awarded with a prestigious Macmillan heroes' certificate.

Ten nurses were nominated for this unique recognition by Capita employees who had been touched by cancer in their personal life.

Elaine Melsom said: "It was a complete shock and surprise to learn that I had been nominated for the Macmillan Hero award.

"It is wonderful to be recognised for the job I love doing and makes me realise what a positive affect I must have on those I work alongside."

The Capita Group Plc is the UK's leading provider of integrated BPO and professional support service solutions. 

Macmillan is Capita's corporate charity, for which the company is aiming to raise £1m for over the next two years.

A BOYS' school has won the first stage of a spelling competition.

St Martin's School, in Moor Park Road, Northwood, won its local heat of The Times Spelling Bee after competing against five teams from other local schools at Uxbridge Odeon on Tuesday (28).

The team consisted of 12-year-olds Jonah Surkes, Prahalad Prasad and Dylan Amin with Gordon Ha as reserve.

They showed off their mastery by successfully spelling words such as anonymous, hypocrisy and metamorphosis.

Linda Crook, a teacher at the school, said: "It was a thoroughly enjoyable educational experience.

"It captured the interest of a lot of other boys in the school who also took part via the Spelling Bee website and tried to beat the team."

Dylan and Prahalad both said: "It was adrenaline packed and absolutely amazing fun. A once in a lifetime experience."

A Pinner school came second and Bishop Ramsey CE School, in Hume Way, Ruislip, came third.

St Martin's School will go forward to The Times Spelling Bee semi-finals in May and the ten winning teams will then compete in the Grand Final at the Odeon in Leicester Square in June.

For more information visit www.timesspellingbee.co.uk.

CHILDREN at a boys' school got to dress up as warriors as part of a lesson about the Romans.

Year 7 and 8 pupils at St Martin's School, in Moor Park Road, Northwood, enjoyed a Roman re-enactment from an acting company.

Pupils were spellbound as an actor from Legion XIII regaled them of tales of life in Roman Britain.

The boys dressed up as warriors, learnt about Roman life and were put through a Roman drill.

Year 7 pupil, Thomas Horburgh, was dressed in slave chains and auctioned off to the teachers.

The highlight was the demonstration of the javelins, arrows and slings being fired across the school field.

A DISPERSAL order is being enforced in Northwood Hills to help combat problems caused by youths.

The order, which starts on Friday (1) and will run until November 1 this year, is being enforced by Hillingdon Police in partnership with Hillingdon Council to stop problems such as alcohol related nuisance and drug dealing.

Within the dispersal order zone the police have the power to disperse groups that are harassing members of the public and the individuals can also be excluded from a specific area for up to 24 hours.

Young people under the age of 16 found in the area after 9pm, who are not with an adult, may be taken home if they are involved in anti-social behaviour.

If individuals refuse to follow the direction they could be fined up to £2,500 or jailed.

PC Ian Wares of Northwood Hills Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: "Large groups of youths have been behaving in an anti social manner and we have also had damage caused by graffiti.

"We will take action against anyone breaching this order and I urge anyone to contact us if they have any concerns in their neighbourhood."

The roads included in the dispersal order are Wiltshire Lane up to the junction with Fore Street, Fore Street from the junction with Wiltshire Lane to Coniston Gardens, Farmlands, Reid Close, Beatrice Close, and all the roads within this boundary.

ANGRY members of the Iranian community are demanding answers after they were refused entry into a park to celebrate their New Year festival.

When Neda Geranfar visited Bayhurst Wood, in Harefield, with her two sons and a friend to have a picnic ,the last thing she expected to be confronted with was a park ranger blocking the entrance with his Jeep.

When they approached him they were told the woods had been closed down to stop the large group of Iranians going there to celebrate their New Year festival.

Ms Geranfar, 47, of Brookdene Drive, Northwood, said: "He then confirmed that other local authorities had ordered further closures of parks for the same reason, so there was in fact nowhere for us to go.

"I understand the large crowds can be disruptive, however, this is not the only festival that London has to contend with. Are we now going to stop the Notting Hall Carnival, Diwali, and numerous other events?

"We see it as direct discrimination aimed at the Iranian community because the policy of public closure of open spaces is designed to stop Iranians from celebrating what is a 3000-year-old ancient tradition.

"I have now written to the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ray Puddifoot, and the Mayor of London asking them to explain why it happened. I have also written to our MP, Nick Hurd, and other people I know have also written.

"In other countries Iranians are encouraged to have a good time but in this country they say it's a nuisance and they close the parks and that's not a suitable response. There needs to be some sort of discussion because it's going to happen regardless of whether they like it or not.

"The vast majority of people who celebrate Norooz are families because that's what the festival is about. It's also about being outside in nature so closing parks is very upsetting for people."

Mary Worrall, head of highways and green spaces at the council, said: "We are very sorry if the closure of Bayhurst Wood ruined any residents' celebration of Norooz.

"Unfortunately 2,000 people caused considerable damage to these woods and delicate plants during an unplanned festival a few years ago and since then we have had to monitor access.

"Although Bayhurst Wood was closed to everyone, all other parks and green spaces in Hillingdon were open."

CHILDREN at a primary school took part in a raffle to raise funds for a marathon runner.

Pupils at Hillside Infant and Junior School, in Northwood Way, Northwood, paid £1 to wear their own sporty clothes on April 3 .

They were automatically entered into the raffle and the draw was held at the school today (Mon).

The school decided to sponsor Phil Brown, the husband of a teacher and the father of two pupils at the school, to run the London Marathon on Sunday.

All the money raised will go towards his chosen charity, Pharisee, which aims to promote and encourage people with and without physical disabilities to come together.

NORTHWOOD was given a tidy up last week when the council's Streets Ahead team visited the ward.

Over 100 gullies were cleaned, an antisocial behaviour survey was carried out, extra lighting was installed and graffiti was removed as part of the day on Thursday (23).

These were just a few of the tasks carried out as part of Hillingdon Council's Streets Ahead programme which takes place in a different ward on the fourth Thursday of every month.

Other activities on the day included speed gun operations along Rickmansworth Road, maintenance works across the green spaces, unwanted electrical goods were collected from homes and recycled, Hillingdon Homes' caretakers carried out maintenance and repairs and mechanical sweepers helped clean up across the ward.

For more information go to www.hillingdon.gov.uk/streetsahead or email streetsahead@hillingdon.gov.uk.

WHEN I booked the Total toning class at Highgrove I didn't notice it was a level 2 class. I didn't realise this until I went back on the website to check what time the class started. So I was a bit concerned about what I was getting myself into.

The instructor was the same one who takes the aerobics and stretch and tone classes, although I have a feeling she may have been covering for someone else.

The class started off very similar to her usual classes, but luckily there wasn't any cardio work. It literally was an hour of toning - especially the arms.

I think we must have worked on every single muscle, but the abdominals and the arms definitely took the most pounding.

There was a lot of lifting, turning, stretching ad bending involved in the class. At one point my arms almost gave up on me, but as soon as we moved on to working the legs it wasn't so bad.

Considering it was a level 2 class, I didn't find it that hard, but then again, maybe I am getting fitter. At last!

The class was quite fun but I don't think it would be sufficient to only do that class. I still prefer the more challenging classes. I don't think I even broke a sweat in this one.

My next challenge is Classical yoga at Queensmead.

A PAMPERED Chef Day is being held to help raise funds for a cancer care hospice.

Michael Sobell House, based at Mount Vernon Hospital, in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, is hosting the event on Tuesday (28).

The day is open to everyone of all cooking levels and it will be hosted by Pampered Chef employee, Alex Goodwin.

During the day she will demonstrate her culinary skills for stress free and fun cooking and high quality culinary equipment will be available to buy at discounted prices. There will also be plenty of food to taste.

The day will begin at 11am on Tuesday and finish at 2pm.

Tickets are £6 and can be purchased by calling the hospice fundraising office on 01923 844 829.

Free parking is available on site and all the proceeds will go to the hospice, which provides palliative care to terminally ill patients.

To find out more go to www.michaelsobellhouse.co.uk.