October 2009 Archives

UNSUNG heroes are invited to step into the spotlight as the Uxbridge Gazette and Leader series, together with Uxbridge College, is once again seeking inspirational people who have made an outstanding contribution to the community.

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.

ROAD users face traffic disruption this week as work to replace 1.5km of water pipes enters its final stage.

The project by Veolia Water Three Valleys, near the junction of Rickmansworth Road and Duck's Hill Road, Northwood, initially began in March this year and started again on Monday (26).

It is expected to be completed at the end of the week and advance warning signs and temporary traffic lights will be in place.

Jaspal Bhandal, project manager, said: "We apologise for the inevitable disruption these works will cause to road users."

VEHICLE crime in Three Rivers has been significantly reduced thanks to ongoing initiatives by Hertfordshire Police.

Recent national crime figures show an 19.1 per cent drop in offences from March to October this year, bringing the overall total down from 393 to 318.

This includes 31 less crimes in Maple Cross (62 per cent fewer than last year), six less in Rickmansworth, five fewer in Moor Park and four less in Croxley Green.

Police have been making use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, which targets criminals by reading vehicle number plates and searching a database for information including whether it is has insurance, tax and MOT.

The initiative is part of the county-wide Operation Sentinel, which has proved not only to lower crime rates but is also used to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads by highlighting unroadworthy vehicles.

According to police research, drivers without insurance are more likely to have been involved in other crimes.

Chief Constable Frank Whiteley said: "With Operation Sentinel now in full force across the county, we are making effective use of ANPR technology to target offenders and remove unsafe vehicles from the roads on a daily basis, and some fantastic results have already been achieved."

Constable Whiteley said that police will continue using ANPR in the hope of further bolstering efforts to keep residents and road users safe, and making the county's roads a no-go area for criminals.

Hertfordshire Police aims to reduce all crime by four per cent over the next two years and Three Rivers has seen an overall reduction of 12.1 per cent from March to October - equalling 281 less offences and bringing the total down to 2,045.

Across the county, overall recorded crime fell by five per cent and motor vehicle crime fell by 13 per cent.

Nationally, overall crime was reduced by four per cent and motor vehicle crime by 12 per cent.

Constable Whiteley added:"These figures are encouraging and while they reflect the excellent commitment of officers and staff, they are also the result of good joint working with our partners in local authorities across Hertfordshire.

"We shall be working even more closely with them over the coming months to drive down crime further."

ANYONE seeking employment, setting up a business after redundancy or looking to make new contacts is invited to join Northwood Business Networking Club at its next meeting on November 9.

Bob Ferguson, a distinguished toastmaster and UK and Ireland international speech champion, will speak on the subject of How to Talk to Aliens and share his unique methods of understanding and communicating.

The Club meets every month at Batchworth Park Golf Club, London Road, Rickmansworth, for a buffet supper followed by an interesting guest speaker. Tickets cost £18 and the event starts at 7.30pm. For further information email annick@therooster.co.uk.

METROPOLITAN line Tube passengers are invited to voice concerns about crime and safety with British Transport Police officers tomorrow (29).

Officers from the Metropolitan Line North West Neighbourhood Policing Team, which covers 23 stations north west of and including Preston Road, will host the meeting at Barn Lea Hall, Barn Lea, Mill End, Rickmansworth between 6.30pm and 9pm.

Sergeant William Gorry said: "While the Tube has a very low crime rate, we know people have different experiences and viewpoints about crime and safety in their area.

"As neighbourhood officers we want to ensure that our policing priorities on the Tube are in line with what our community actually wants from us and the best way we can do this is to speak with those people and hear their issues and concerns.

"Recently we have been conducting a number of operations to tackle cycle theft in the area and this meeting will be an informal opportunity for passengers to chat with us about the other issues that matter to them."

Anyone who is unable to attend the meeting can email the Metropolitan Line North West Neighbourhood Policing Team at Metlinenorthwest.npt@btp.pnn.police.uk

AS THE second-hand jewellery market soars during the recession, residents in Northwood and Rickmansworth who are thinking of selling unwanted gold are being urged to shop around for the best price.

Officers from Hertfordshire Trading Standards visited 16 premises across the county which offered to buy unwanted jewellery and gold, and asked for a valuation on four items - two bracelets inset with diamonds, a pink sapphire and diamond ring, and a plain 9ct gold men's bracelet.

Some premises could not give a proper value for items containing stones, and would only offer on the gold bracelet.

Of those which offered for all four items, the amounts varied from £246 to £800. The 9ct gold bracelet was valued at between £40 and £60.

Keith Emsall, executive member for community safety at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "In one case, two shops within yards of each other gave valuations differing by £220, with one offering £450 and another £670. This demonstrates the value of shopping around."

A 94-year-old artist from Rickmansworth is proving that age is just a number after entering her work into an international competition.

Agnes Bantock, of The Cloisters, is hoping her still-life and landscape watercolour paintings will reach the finals of the Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) Art Awards, held at London's Bankside Gallery in December.

Mrs Bantock, a mother-of-two with six grandchildren, developed a flair for art while she was at school, but was forced to forgo her hobby following the start of the Second World War.

She picked up her paintbrush again about 45 years ago, when her daughters, Elizabeth and Philippa, were old enough to occupy themselves after school.

Mrs Bantock, who is an active member of the Rickmansworth Art Society, said: "This is the third time I have entered the competition and I think I am probably the oldest person to do so, as most people seem to be in their 60's.

"I have entered two pieces; the first is a still-life of a pot and a vase, while the
second is a landscape of Locarno, a small village by the sea in northern Italy. I spent two years in the country during the war, helping wounded soldiers in hospital with jobs like writing letters to their families. I also worked at the docks and airport in Naples.

"I really enjoy painting and feel that the more I do it, the more observant I become. Every part of the process is good fun but seeing the finished product makes all the hard work worthwhile."

Established in 1995, the EAC Art Awards celebrates the wealth of talent, creative energy and enthusiasm among amateur artists aged between 60 and 100.

Works on display will include oils, watercolours and pastels, as well as printmaking, textiles, ceramics and photography.

Mrs Bantock will learn if she has been short listed by next Monday, November 2. She added: "I would be very pleased to get through to the final but I am facing stiff competition, especially from the artists in their 60s, who have done very well in the past.

"It's the taking part that counts and by doing so, I think I have proved that age doesn't have to be a barrier.

"No matter how old you are, you can do something if you put your mind to it."

For more information about the awards, visit http://eacartawards.org.uk/

POLICE are appealing for witnesses following the burglary of a home in New Road, Croxley Green.

After breaking in through the kitchen window, thieves stole hundreds of pounds in cash as well as a five-stone blue sapphire and diamond gold ring, and a wedding ring in the shape of a three-penny bit.

The incident took place on Friday, October 9 between 10am and 12.55pm. Anyone with information can contact Herts Police non-emergency line on 0845 330 0222.

MORE than 1,300 students, staff and parents from Rickmansworth School will run 8km to pay tribute to a former pupil tomorrow (20).

Pupils at the school, in Scots Hill, led by PE teacher Antony Smith, hope to raise £6,000 in memory of Captain Tom Sawyer.

Tom was just 26 when he was killed in January, while fighting a Taliban stronghold in Helmand, Afghanistan.

The race, which is sponsored by Batchworth Park Golf Club, starts at 11am and snakes through Croxley Green and Moor Park, before ending at the school.

There will also be a variety of fun activities including a bungee run, sumo wrestling, bouncy castle and junior golf competition.

The event is the fifth fundraising run for the school, which has previously collected money in aid of breast cancer and prostate cancer.

This year, most of the money raised will go towards Help For Heroes, with some earmarked for a new changing room and trampolining facilities.

Mr Smith said: "It's a fantastic way to get our pupils active and help to raise money for such a worthwhile cause which is especially close to our hearts."

FREE kitchen caddies will be delivered to homes in Rickmansworth and Northwood to help residents separate and store food scraps.

The miniature bins are designed to sit on kitchen worktops where they can can be filled with all kinds of food waste, which would ordinarily be thrown in the bin.

The initiative, by Three Rivers Council, hopes to increase recycling by up to four per cent. The district council is already reusing up to 49 per cent of waste, one of the highest rates in Britain.

Food, according to recent research, accounts for the bulk of under-recycled materials.

Jennie Moore, of Three Rivers environmental protection department, said: "We conducted an analysis which found that only one per cent of food refuse is being recycled.

"Our aim is ultimately to reduce the amount of biodegradable matter that goes to landfill sites."

For more information and a full list of what can be disposed of in the caddies, call 01923 776611.