Free led rides through Ealing’s most beautiful spots this Sunday

Ealing Council is hosting two days of free guided bike rides from Hanwell on Sunday, 25 June and from Northolt on Sunday, 2 July.

Called Ticket to Ride, the events are an opportunity to explore Hanwell, Northolt, Greenford and Southall as part of a group, led by experienced, qualified cycling instructors. Cyclists of all levels are welcome, but the rides are likely to be of particular interest to family groups, nervous riders, or people who want to return to cycling.

Rides set out every hour, on the hour, between 10am and 3pm. On Sunday, 25 June, they will start from Churchfields Recreation Ground near the band stand. And on Sunday 2, July they will set out from the café at Northala Fields.

Each ride is less than 10 miles long and takes between two to three hours to complete. The route will take in canal towpaths and green spaces. Cyclists can choose to ride only part of the route if they prefer.

There will be free ‘Doctor Bike’ maintenance checks throughout the day, as well as free bike security marking. There will also be refreshment breaks along the way.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “I love cycling and Ticket to Ride is one of my favourite events of the summer. It’s a wonderful way to take a closer look at the greener parts of the borough and to explore some of our beautiful cycling routes.

“It is a fun event for all the family and last year more than 300 cyclists of all ages took part. So if you haven’t been on a bike for a while, or you just fancy a lovely day of cycling with friends and family, come along and join in. We’d love to see you there.”

Residents can register their interest for the event online at www.ealing.gov.uk/cycleride.

Alternatively, just turn up on the day and join in with the next available ride.

More information about cycling in Ealing is available at www.ealing.gov.uk/cycling.

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Green Living Day comes to Walpole Park

Cllr Mahfouz taking part in a previous Compost Giveaway

Local residents can find out about how to live more sustainably and reduce their impact on the environment at a green living event next month.

Taking place at Walpole Park, Ealing on Saturday, 6 May from 10am until 2pm, the event will be packed with useful recycling and composting information and woodworking and carving demonstrations. It will also include a compost give away, seed and plant swaps, and children’s green crafts including weaving with dogwood.

The compost giveaway will begin at 8 am – two hours before the main Green Living Day event – and residents may take up to two loads of compost until noon, after which it will be unlimited. This is in order to ensure that everyone gets a fair opportunity to collect compost.

Representatives from the Friends of Pitzhanger Manor House & Gallery and Walpole Park; Transition Town, Ealing and Northfields allotments will also be on hand to talk to residents about their work in the local community.

Dr Bike will be running a session where local people can get help and advice on all things cycling, as well as a free basic service for their bike.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure said: “I encourage local residents to come down to wonderful Walpole Park next month for Green Living Day. The event will include fun activities for the family and provide really useful information on helping our environment through the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle.

“We will always fully support residents to recycle as much as possible and since the launch of the council’s alternate weekly collection service last year, we have seen recycling rates rise six percentage points. We are meeting our ambitious target of recycling more than 50 per cent of household waste a year ahead of schedule, at a time where rates are falling nationally and across London.”

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Northolt to become home of Middlesex FA with new all-weather pitches

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz is joined by Cllr Julian Bell, John Taylor (Middlesex FA Chairman), Kelly Simmons MBE (FA Director) & Peter Clayton (Chief Exec, Middlesex FA) at the groundbreaking at Rectory Park, Northolt

An ambitious project to develop top quality sports leisure and recreational facilities at Northolt’s Rectory Park is now underway.

Set for completion in February 2018, the project will see The Football Association (FA) and Middlesex County Football Association working in partnership with Ealing Council to develop the facilities for the benefit of the local community.

The council has secured more than £4.88 million in funding from The FA , Middlesex FA, The London Marathon Charitable Trust and Sport England to develop the new facilities at Rectory Park as part of its commitment to providing opportunities for residents to stay healthy and active through sports.

The project, part of The FA’s Parklife grassroots football scheme, officially got underway on Tuesday, 18 April. Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, and council leader, Councillor Julian Bell, joined Kelly Simmons, director of participation and development at The FA, and guests to mark the breaking of the ground at the site in Rectory Park.

When finished, the facilities will boast two full-size, floodlit 3G artificial pitches, which can be used all year round, changing facilities, two community rooms and a pavilion.

Councillor Mahfouz said: “I’m delighted to see this exciting development in Rectory Park get started. These all-weather pitches, sports and community facilities will bring much needed and long-awaited phenomenal facilities to Northolt and the borough.

“This development will also mean Northolt is the official home of Middlesex FA. Through the council’s commitment and work with our partners, these new, high quality sports and leisure facilities will be open to the community, ensuring we get more people in Northolt active and engaged in sports.”

Kelly Simmons from The FA said: “This signifies an important next step in our national Parklife programme and an exciting chapter in the history of Middlesex FA, who will now become custodians of the centre for the benefit of thousands of people right across the area.

“In a year when The FA is dedicated to doubling the number of participants in the women’s game as well as growing the recreational game for all sectors of the community, this will provide a catalyst as well as focal point for football and sport lovers locally.

“We hope this is the first of more similar football ‘hubs’ in the capital, working closely with our partners at the Premier League, Sport England and the Mayor of London’s Office, and would like to commend the work of Ealing Council in making this vision a reality.”

Middlesex FA Chairman John Taylor added “We are delighted to be working with Ealing Council and The Football Association to deliver the Rectory Park project. As Kelly Simmons has said, this is a very exciting time for Middlesex FA. In addition to providing the association with a new purpose built headquarters building, Rectory Park will place us at the heart of the community. The excellent facilities will provide playing opportunities for football participants at all levels of the game in our area.”

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Hanwell Zoo now open!

Visitors from the borough and beyond are invited to experience the wonderful animals at the newly renamed Hanwell Zoo this spring. Previously called Brent Lodge Animal Centre, the zoo is entering an exciting new era, and will continue to play an important role in both conservation and the local community long into the future.

Hanwell Zoo, often known as ‘the Bunny Park’, is located in Brent River Park where local people have enjoyed the animal centre for more than 40 years. The change of name has been made to better reflect its array of wildlife, which stands at an impressive 42 species and there are even more new additions planned for later in the year.

Visitors can see a huge range of different creatures, from familiar favourites like meerkats and lemurs, to brilliant new additions including unmistakable capybaras, beautiful Javan peafowl and flamingos.

They join dozens of other species including red-crowned cranes, tropical frogs, pygmy goats, kune kune pigs and the zoo’s resident porcupine. Tamarin monkeys, frilled-neck lizards and alpacas are also due to arrive in the near future.

The zoo’s butterfly and reptile house has been renovated as part of the improvements, with visitors able to walk amongst free-flying butterflies. A brand new playground featuring a sandpit and slide is also set to open within the zoo area in the coming weeks.  This is in addition to the existing Brent Lodge Park playground.

From April 1 there will be a small charge to visit Hanwell Zoo and visitors can get annual season tickets and membership packages at great prices.  A day entry is priced at £2.50 for adults and £1 for children over three, with children under three able to visit free-of-charge. A year-long season ticket costs £15 for adults, £10 for senior citizens, people registered as disabled and children over three.

Visitors can also enjoy beautiful parkland surrounding the zoo, including an arboretum, maze and renovated café in the surrounding park, which will remain free to visit.

Cllr Bassam Mahfouz, cabinet member for environment, transport and leisure said: “I’m delighted to see the new Hanwell Zoo opening its doors to visitors this spring. It’s a much loved facility and a real gem to have in the heart of our borough.

“Over the past few years, the zoo has been transformed with the renovated, larger and more modern habitats for the fantastic animals that live there. The expanding collection of animals is adding to the familiar family favourites. The arrival of meerkats, lemurs and now flamingos and alpacas, alongside the renovated butterfly and reptile house mean this is a fabulous destination for all to enjoy.

“The council has worked to secure the future of the zoo meaning it will continue its vital conservation work, and valuable education programmes within the community.”

Visit www.hanwellzoo.co.uk for further details.

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Storm Doris Update for Ealing

UPDATED: 21:12 24/12

Details on fallen trees around the borough and action Ealing Council is taking to deal with them.  This post will be updated with the latest information.

Currently across the borough, we now have had 51 (formerly 37) reports of fallen trees.  Each incident is assessed and prioritised:

Priority A: Trees/branches that present an imminent risk to the public and those blocking major roads (10 incidents) – ALL NOW CLEARED

Priority B: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk to the public and those blocking roads and footpaths (21 incidents) – 3 to be done tomorrow

Prioirity C: Trees/branches that present an unreasonable risk but are away from roads and footpaths (12 incidents)

8 other trees reported and being inspected.

4 teams have been working on behalf of Ealing Council today targetting the Priority A incidents.  These have now all been cleared.

Work on Priority B incidents have mostly been completed and the three remaining trees will be completed Saturday.

Priority C and any D incidents will be started once all over the above has been cleared.

Remember, there are still many hazardous trees across the borough and the Council urges the public to be extremely cautious around these obstructions.  Aside from the obvious fallen trees and branches there are potentially many broken branches caught within the tree canopies so please exercise appropriate caution.  At this stage it looks like the clean up will take up the majority, if not the whole of next week too.

If you wish to report a damaged tree or other incident to Ealing Council, you can now do so using the new Ealing 24/7 app from the Apple and Android App stores, searching for “Ealing 24/7”.

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On your marks for the Ealing Sports Awards

Do you know an outstanding sportsperson who deserves the plaudits? How about a great coach or sports club making a real difference in the community? Well now is the time to help recognise sporting achievements across the borough and give our local champions the credit they deserve.

You could win yourself a year’s free leisure membership just by nominating (from 20 February) someone for the new Ealing Sports Awards, which has been created by Ealing Council and local leisure provider Everyone Active. The inaugural event gives residents the opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication of local people playing and coaching sport across the borough.

You can nominate one of the many sports clubs, inspirational volunteers and sporting individuals for the awards, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 13 July. All nine of the award categories are inclusive, and are open to any club, organisation, group, association, partnership or individual based in the borough.

The categories are:

• Junior Club of the Year
• Sports Club of the Year
• Coach of the Year
• Adult Volunteer of the Year
• Junior Volunteer of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award
• Inclusive and Active Award
• Adult Sports Person of the Year
• Junior Sports Person of the Year.

By making a nomination, your name will automatically be entered into a prize draw for a chance of winning a year’s free Everyone Active membership.

The Ealing Sports Awards ceremony will also include the hugely popular London Youth Games Reception which celebrates Team Ealing’s performance at the annual London-wide sports event, where young people have the opportunity to represent the borough in a wide range of different sports competitions.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, the council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “We are blessed across the borough with exceptional and inspirational people helping people get active and involved through sports.

“The inaugural Ealing Sports Awards are all about recognising those in our local community that show dedication to the sports they love, and those that help others play, learn and discover sport.

“Ealing is one of the very best places in the capital to get involved with sport. With phenomenal individuals, clubs and facilities that engage people of all ages and backgrounds that are helping people of the borough lead healthier, happier, longer lives.

“Residents have a great opportunity to honour the athletes, coaches, clubs and organisations that really deserve acclaim and I encourage everyone to get their nominations in as soon possible.”

How do I nominate or find out more?

Nominations open on 20 February and close at midnight on 31 May and all short-listed nominees will be contacted by 9 June. For further information and to nominate someone for the Ealing Sports Awards, visit www.everyoneactive.com/EalingSportsAwards

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Gold for Ealing

London in Bloom Gold: Walpole Park

For the third year in a row Ealing has won gold in the London in Bloom Borough of the Year Awards.

It was given the honour in the Large City category for the overall impact of its horticulture and environmental management and for community participation.

As well as gold for the borough, four Ealing parks won individual awards. Walpole Park and Acton Park won gold in the Large Park (above 25 acres) of the Year category; Litten Nature Reserve won gold in the Common of the Year category, and Southall Park won a Silver Gilt award in the Large Park of the Year category.

Councillor Bassam Mahfouz, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for transport, environment and leisure, said: “It’s great to receive more prestigious Gold awards for our parks and open spaces. A huge thank you to all the hard work of our park rangers and community volunteers who help keep our parks looking stunning. Gold standard parks and green spaces are one of the reasons Ealing is such a great place to live, work and play.”

The borough was awarded almost perfect marks for elements such as promoting sustainability, developing local heritage including natural heritage, its achievements in conservation and biodiversity and increasing community awareness and involvement in Bloom initiatives.

The London in Bloom judges said: “There is no doubt about the continuous development and enthusiasm in maintaining and developing the parks and greenspaces in Ealing with depreciated resources but also facing the challenges that the modern local authority faces.”

The success in London in Bloom follows Ealing being awarded a record 18 green flags for its parks and open spaces this summer.

Additionally, Ealing will find out how it faired in the prestigious 2016 Britain in Bloom Awards competition at the award ceremony in October.

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