News from June 2009

Sunday, 28 Jun 2009

Triplett’s Tennis Family Funday a Huge Success

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Last Sunday (28th June) Dr Triplett’s Tennis Centre held its family funday and it was a huge success. The Dr Triplett’s Tennis Partnership organised a funday to introduce more local people to tennis just at the time of Wimbledon. Local schools helped by allowing their pupils to take home a leaflet advertising this free event. The result was a large number of people, particularly youngsters, turning up and having a go at tennis. Well done to the tennis partnership. The future of tennis successes in this country will be achieved by introducing more and more people to tennis in this way. Hayes is already well known for its splendid performance in encouraging people to participate in sports and bringing forward sporting talent in a wide range of sports from football to cycling. Now the Dr Triplett’s Tennis Partnership is putting Hayes on the tennis sporting map. If you want to know more about how you can have a try at tennis, brush up your skills or just want to play, contact the tennis partnership on 0208 569 3065 or the Hillingdon tennis Academy on 01895 813746.

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Age Concern Wants More Volunteers

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Age Concern Hillingdon, which will be managing the Townfield Centre on behalf of all the community, is looking for more volunteers to help in the wide range of local projects. I interviewed Leslie, the organisation’s volunteer coordinator, on how people can volunteer. Age Concern plays a really valuable role in our local community. Please do contact Leslie if you have a few spare hours you can offer as a volunteer.

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Townfield Community Centre Festival

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On Saturday a community festival was held on the green in Townfield Square to highlight the renovation of Townfieod Community Centre. The Centre is being refurbished with funding from the Government and a contribution from Hillingdon Community Trust. The centre will open for community use early in the New Year and will be managed by Hillingdon Age Concern for use by all the community. Local residents and local councillors, Lynne Allen and Tony Eginton have worked hard with me to secure the site and the funding for the modernisation of the centre after fears at one time that the council might demolish it and sell off the site. Now thanks to all their efforts the centre will become once again a valuable base for community activities for local residents of all ages. I interviewed Joyce Moon from Age Concern about the project.

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Wednesday, 24 Jun 2009

Iraq Inquiry Debate

Today the House of Commons debated a resolution calling upon the Government to ensure that the inquiry into the Iraq war is held in public and that witnesses should be questioned on oath. I voted against the war and believe that it is now time to have the full truth told in public about how this country was taken to war. I spoke in the debate calling for the Government to think again about how this inquiry is to be conducted so that it carries the confidence of all parties in the House poof Commons but more importantly people in the country.

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Monday, 22 Jun 2009

Wimbledon Comes to Hayes- Tennis Family Funday at Dr Triplett’s School

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Wimbledon comes to Hayes. Next Sunday, 28th June, there will be a family funday at Dr Triplett’s Tennis Centre. There will be a range of activities for all ages and for all abilities to encourage people to try tennis. Whether you have played tennis before or you are an absolute beginner this is an opportunity to either try tennis or brush up your skills. There will be introduction to tennis training sessions, a mini tournament and a speed gun to test the speed of your serve. The funday is absolutely free. Dr Triplett’s Tennis Centre is at the bottom of Acacia Avenue off Church Road, Hayes. Come along.

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HAYA Youth Football Tournament

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Last weekend I went along to present the cups and medals at the football tournament organised for young people by the local Horn of Africa Youth Association based in Hayes. The tournament is an annual event bringing together teams from across London. HAYA started in Hayes some years ago in order to give young people the opportunity of partcipating in a range of actvities including sports. The Association also provides advice, support and training. I have worked with and supported the group over the years and believe it has done a great job in helping some of the most vulnerabke young people in our area.

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Tuesday, 16 Jun 2009

Latest Parliamentary Debate on Heathrow

Today (Tuesday) we held another debate in Parliament on the proposed expansion of Heathrow. It was an adjournment debate in Westminster Hall. An adjournment debate is a device used by backbench MPs to debate a topic of their choice. Adam Afryie, the MP for Windsor, was successful in applying for the debate and it enabled us to demonstrate once again the strength of cross party opposition to the third runway. You can watch the whole debate this video.

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Saturday, 13 Jun 2009

Archaeological Finds from Yeading, Hayes Pipeline Excavation

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I visited the exhibition today (Saturday) of just some of the archaeological finds discovered from the excavations along the National Grid gas pipeline works along Yeading Brook in Hayes. The exhibition was held in our new community cafe/drop in centre at Welbeck Parade on Barnhill Estate. The excavations have discovered new bronze age and Roman settlements in Yeading. The findings of the digs will be assessed and written up, with the exhibits eventually being placed in the Museum of London. At next year’s local history conference, which I organise with the assistance of the local Hayes and Harlington History Society, I will be inviting the archaeologists from the pipeline excavation to come back and present their findings.

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Hillingdon Rural Activities Centre

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I visited Hillingdon Rural Activities Centre to discuss how the centre was operating and looking to the future. The Centre is a unique project which operates as a training centre for people with special needs, providing them with gardening and horticultural skills as well as a wonderful opportuniy to socialise and meet others. The centre also operates as a garden centre, selling the plants grown by the trainees. The centre sells an extensive range of plants and provides excellent advice on how to tend the plants. At present it is providing advice and selling plants for companion planting. This is a technique in which different types of plants are planted together to promote their health and growth for example by protecting each other from specific predators. The centre is transforming itself into a social enterprise to secure its long term future. The council is withdrawing its support for the centre, reducing its grant in stages over a five year period. As a social enterprise the centre is confident that it can succeed in maintaining its service to members of our local community with special needs and their families. To succeed the centre does need support from the local community. You can support the centre by buying your plants there and also if you visit the centre do sign up as a Friend of the Centre. As a Friend you will receive regular updates on the centre’s activities and be invited to support its various events. We must do all we can to support this wonderful local resource.

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Thursday, 04 Jun 2009

Debate on the Railway Industry in the Recession

With a railway estate in my constituency and many rail workers as constituents I take a close interest in the rail industry. I work closely with the rail unions representing the railway workers and convene the RMT Parliamentary Group of MPs. I have posted a video film of the debate.

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Cranford Park Primary School 70th Anniversary Celebrations

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This morning (Thursday) I was so pleased to join the pupils and staff celebrating the 70th anniversary of Cranford Park Primary School. To celebrate the occasion the children let fly 70 balloons and I planted a tree. I then joined the children on the school council for a question and answer session on the role of an MP. The children were bright as buttons and posed some really interesting questions. Later this month on 26th June from 4 to 8 pm the school is hosting a party for all past pupils and staff. Cranford Park School is a such a good school, with a wonderful atmosphere as you visit the classrooms and meet the children. The school is giving our children an excellent start in life and helping them aspire to developing their talents to the full. I interviewed Martin Young, the school’s headteacher, who is very highly regarded within our local community and within the teaching profession for his leadership skills.

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