TCV Six month report on creating harmonious ecosystems that can be enjoyed by the Brent public. Can you help by volunteering and ensure their continuation?

Neasden Recreation Ground on the banks of the Welsh Harp

 

Guest post by Hattie Jones, Senior Project Officer, TCV (The Conservation Volunteers)

 

TCV has now been in Brent for 6 months. We have worked across 12 sites in the borough, in seven wards (Stonebridge, Alperton, Welsh Harp, Wembley Central, Tokyngton, Barnhill, Kenton). We have taken on some major projects to increase biodiversity in the area. The current volunteers have worked so hard, there is already a lot of progress in just 6 months. Here are some of the highlights

 

Welsh Harp

 

One such project is the Welsh Harp Marshland Restoration Project in partnership with Brent and Barnet councils, Canal and Rivers Trust, and the Welsh Harp Yacht Club. This project is focussing on restoring the edge of the reservoir to marshland and then managing and protecting that marshland. Over the years it has been left to become secondary woodland, shading out vital wetland plants such as marsh marigolds, ragged robins, orchids, and water mint. The large willow trees growing over the water have led to the disappearance of reedbeds which are an important habitat on their own and provide nesting and feeding space for many water birds. 

 

Part of our work has been cutting back a lot of these trees to allow for light to reach the ground. We have used the cuttings to make ‘dead hedges’, which themselves provide rich habitats for invertebrates, small mammals and nesting material and food for birds. Nothing is wasted. We have coppiced a lot of the trees, which is a woodland management technique going back hundreds of years. This results in the trees growing back the following year even thicker, with multiple trunks. It provides a renewable source of wood. 

 

As spring arrives, we are leaving the trees to the birds and turning our attention to removing invasive species such as goats rue and Himalayan balsam. 

 

Chalkhill Orchard

 

We have inherited custody of this lovely community orchard. This patch already houses apple, plum, cherry, and pear trees, plus one beautiful walnut tree. However, orchards need management. Fruit trees are very picky and susceptible to cold and disease. We want this to be a productive orchard for all the community to use and harvest fruit from. 

 

We have pruned the big plum trees, and attempted to rescue several hidden damsons, which unfortunately seem passed saving. We have planted 3 new heirloom apple trees, and one black mulberry, with plans for more next year. While the trees are settling into their new home, they will need frequent watering. Unfortunately, we do not have access to a water source, so we are reliant on the community to take responsibility for keeping these new additions watered. Neighbouring Chalkhill Primary School pupils helped us plant the trees and promised to help care for them.

 

Fly tipping is a problem on this site, and we are in conversations with the council to get it removed. 

 

Pond restoration

 

Ponds are one of the easiest ways to increase biodiversity in a green space. There are a couple of ponds we are working on that did not start out in the best shape. At Quainton Street open space, large willow trees had grown big leaning boughs over the pond, blocking out light. We removed these to let in sunlight, something that is very important for a healthy pond. Another problem these trees cause is their leaves fall into the pond, and as these rot down they remove oxygen from the pond. We have worked to remove as much of this vegetation as possible, and we are planning to plant some new plants that will oxygenate the pond instead. 

 

There is a hidden oxbow pond at Brent River Park that has formed from high levels of the River Brent overflowing into a natural dip in the land. This pond will need a lot more work as it is surrounded by tall trees, with at least one dead one having fallen in. We won’t be able to work on the trees until autumn so we will carry out water quality surveys and try and remove as much rotting vegetation as possible. The vision is a pond humming with life, that can be enjoyed by everyone. 

 

One Tree Hill

 

One Tree Hill Park in Alperton has a miniature woodland that lies on top of the titular hill, with evidence of paths that suggest it was once a woodland trail. We are working to restore it back to a woodland trail that families can enjoy and feel safe in. Our main battle on this site is litter and fly tipping, which we are working with the council to tackle. The wildlife doesn’t seem to mind, however, and we have seen sparrowhawks, foxes, long tailed tits, greater spotted woodpeckers, green woodpeckers, and chiffchaffs. 

 

St Joseph’s Cemetery

 

 

St Joseph's Cemetery

 

 This interesting little site is not currently accessible to the public, but we are hoping to turn it into a nature garden that the neighbouring infant school can use. We have fought back some laurel that was hiding a quarter of the site, showing that it is a lot bigger than previously thought.

 

We harvested willow that we will be using on site to make living willow structures, we are going to design a path that leaves the middle of the site undisturbed for grassland, and hopefully create areas the children can enjoy and that teachers can use for education. 

 

Milton Avenue Open Space, Harlesden

What’s next?

 

We have achieved a lot, but we still have a way to go to reach our goal of creating harmonious ecosystems that can be enjoyed by the public. It is important to look beyond this project, when 2 years is up and the funding runs out. It would be sad to create some beautiful biodiverse habitats, only for them to fall into disrepair afterwards. So, I am looking to reach residents who are passionate about green spaces, not only to volunteer, but to set up Friends groups to take over the reins of these sites, and continue what we have started. We hope what TCV is doing is just the beginning of a regeneration of Brent’s green spaces.

 

 

To help carry on the work or for more information contact Hattie Jones:  

hattie.jones@tcv.org.uk

Call for volunteers to help green spaces near Willesden Junction Station

 

Energy Garden is a community run volunteering programme that empowers local communities to enhance biodiversity and cultivate food in community spaces close to tube and train stations.

 

They are currently looking for local people to participate in greening local spaces near Willesden Junction station. 

 

Email callum@energygarden.org.uk to register your interest and find out more about Energy Garden and their work here

Restoring the River Brent to its former glory - local volunteers at work

 

Volunteers have been working with the charity Thames21 to restore the habitats of the River Brent which flows through the borough from the Welsh Harp to the North Circular.

This video is a fitting tribute to their dedication and their vision.

The Brent is YOUR river. Help restore it this Saturday. Numbers limited.

From  Thames 21

 Our next event at Quainton will be on Sat the 29^th August. See poster above, please remember that we are limiting the number of participants to make it safe for everyone, so please book in advance.

This time the plan is to continue cleaning up the river and the banks to remove as much litter as we can before we continue the vegetation management and river restoration works (after the end of the bird nesting season and all the permits are in place).

The river restoration part of the project is planned for the coming months (Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec 2020), please prepare as we need your help to restore the natural processes of this section of the River Brent for people and wildlife. See a summary of the restoration plan above.

In addition, we would like to invite you to join our citizen science monitoring program. We are continuing to recruit volunteers interested in learning new skills and in monitoring various aspects of the river Brent: water quality, physical habitat, aquatic biota, or to take fixed point photographs to help us evaluate the river’s health (both before and after restoration). Let me know if you are interested and I can send you more information on training, monitoring frequency, dates, etc..

caroline.pinto@thames21.org.uk

Brent Council issues urgent call for more volunteers to help residents during Covid-19 pandemic

Bridge Park Food Delivery Hub (Photo: Brent Council)

As readers will know there are now Covid-19 Mutual Aid groups in most Brent wards that were set up more than two weeks ago  LINK  Brent Council yesetrday lauched a campaign to recruit more volunteers and said that they would like to hear from community groups that are already 'up and running.'

This is the appeal that was made on the Council website yesterday.

We know lots of you want to volunteer and help in this crisis - so here’s your chance.

We need even more exceptional people to step forward and help with the borough’s efforts to provide a safety net for our vulnerable residents during this pandemic.

We’ve already got plenty of eager volunteers signed up to help their neighbours as well community groups to provide support to those who need it most – but we need more.

We’re working in close partnership with the voluntary sector, and through the CVS, who will help match your strengths, skills and attributes with the jobs that need doing now.

Volunteers can sign-up now on the Council’s web pages at: https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-community/coronavirus/volunteering/. Just fill out the Volunteering sign up form;

We would also like to hear from community groups who are already up-and-running. Would you like to receive our help and support just like our partners in our mutual aid group? Then sign-up to volunteer at: Community Group form.

Anyone who volunteers will be appropriately matched to roles that have been identified as really important as we fight this disease.

And don’t be put off if you haven’t got a current DBS check. Even if you don’t have a current DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) we can apply for one for you.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said:

We have already reinforced the safety net in Brent by redeploying council staff into different roles. For example, we’ve transformed Bridge Park Leisure Centre into a new food delivery hub, staffed by teams from across the Council, which is delivering much-needed supplies to the most vulnerable, receiving things like pasta, cereal, fruit, tea bags and toilet rolls.

But more community support would be very welcome and I urge anyone who feels they could give their time and energy over the coming weeks, or even months, to register their details on our website as soon as possible.

 Working with our partners, the faster we act now, the more lives we can save.

Your help could make such a huge difference to the lives of so many people in Brent and from the bottom of my heart, we thank those that are already signed up, for making such a difference already.

Join conservation work at the Welsh Harp on March 16th - more fun than the gym!

You are invited to join me for our next Friends event on: Saturday 16th March, 10.00am – 12.30pm Each month a great group of individuals come together to do extremely useful conservation and maintenance work around the Centre using basic gardening tools, to gain skills and meet new people. This work supports the activities of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre including over 3000 school children that attend the Centre each year and improves the biodiversity of the woodland habitat. What will be the tasks at the next event? There are quite a few tasks that need to be done to the new pond area to make it suitable for school groups and to help plants and wildlife thrive over spring: Planting in and around the new ponds Sand the new wooden fence Transport creatures from the other ponds into the re-lined big pond What else do you need to know? All welcome! Young people aged 17 years and under need to be accompanied by a responsible adult, each individual child under 11 years old will need an adult with them at all times as we are using sharp tools.  Tasks can be adapted or alternative tasks available for all levels of involvement. Tea, coffee and snacks, steel toe cap wellington boots, tools and gloves are all provided.  Wear comfortable outdoor clothing suitable for gardening. Please meet inside the Education Centre. We have achieved a lot since these events have started and we will continue to address many other aspects of the WHEEC Habitat Management Plan that need attending to. If you would like a copy of the management plan or information about the group, please email me: deb.frankiewicz@thames21.org.uk. Hope to see as many of you as possible at the next event! The Centre is at the end of Birchen Grove (off Blackbird Hill) NW9 - go through the big green gates at the end of Birchen Grove and the Education Centre is on the left.

Help empower Brent migrants by becoming a volunteer English teacher

Sufra Foodbank struggling to fill shelves asks for help from volunteers

From Sufra North West London

The food bank is struggling to keep up with demand and our shelves are almost empty. Help us to fill the food bank!

Volunteer with us on Saturday 10 February 2018 and Sunday 11 February 2018 for a 3-hour shift at ASDA Wembley Superstore, distributing "shopping lists" and encouraging customers to make a food donation.

We're looking for happy smiles and lots of enthusiasm. Sign up now.

Shift Timings:

Saturday 10 February 2018
- 10 am to 1 pm
- 1 pm to 4 pm
- 4 pm to 7 pm
- 7 pm to 10 pm

Sunday 11 February 2018
- 11 am to 2 pm
- 2 pm to 5 pm

Sign up HERE

Welsh Harp Centre Conservation Day January 20th

From Thames21

We had another very successful event at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre in December, thank you to the regular Friends that attended.

The next event is Saturday 20^th January, 10am – 12.30pm

We will be starting at the new time of 10am and finishing at 12.30pm. Here is a link to the event with details: LINK

At the next event we will be working on the following tasks:

-          Cut back vegetation from pathways.

-          Prune the apple trees.

-          Cut back shrubby vegetation growing in the meadow.

-          Other tasks as they come up.

The next event date will be combined with the Great British Spring Clean on Saturday 3^rd March, details to be confirmed so stay tuned!

We have achieved a lot since these events have started and we will continue to address many other aspects of the WHEEC Habitat Management Plan that need attending to. If you would like a copy of the management plan, please email me.

Hope to see as many of you as possible at the next event!

welshharpcentre@thames21.org.uk

Could you be a volunteer teacher of English in Brent?

From Brent Unite Community

If any readers want to do some ESOL  (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teaching in the new year in the community, Unite the Union is running free training for volunteers so we can provide free classes in the borough. It's a minimum commitment of a weekend training and a 12 week course of classes (i.e 2 hours a week). We will find venues to suit when you're free and available.

Also, if anyone is part of any community groups (especially with venues) wanting classes, please get in touch with maryado2000@yahoo.co.uk

Join conservation work at the Welsh Harp on January 22nd

Friends of Welsh Harp support the activities of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre where  you will learn how to manage the habitats in the area. Almost all of the activities we do focus on improving the natural habitat of the 5 acre woodland for biodiversity, or make sure the outdoor space  is safe for the 30 plus schools Thames21 works with in the area.

All welcome. Under 16’s need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.   Please bring a packed lunch. Tea and Coffee will be provided.  Exact Meeting location will be at the education centre.

The paragraph immediately below describes one of the previous activities. The exact activity of the day will be selected and emailed out to everyone on the mailing list the week leading up to the event.

We are going to be continuing forming glades as we did during the first successful event. Thank you to all of those who made that event a success! A glade is an open area within a woodland. A lot of the glades around the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre are choked with Ivy, as a consequence, biodiversity is not as high as it could be at ground level within the woodland.

Since July 2016 volunteers have:

1.       Formed glades around the woodland area removing ivy to make way for grassland. This increases biodiversity dramatically;
2.       Created educational circles in the woodland  for the schools using the Education Centre;
3.       Cutting back vegetation along the main road creating a path off the road so children don’t have to walk on the road;
4.       Maintaining the ponds so grass species do not take over where the water should be;
5.       Removing small trees from the wild meadow so the wild meadow habitat, which we don’t have much of at the environmental centre, is not reduced.

If you are not on the mailing list and you wish to be, please email billy.coburn@thames21.org.uk to know exactly what we are going to be doing on the day.

Good news for Preston Library but long-term arrangements still to be agreed

The video above shows, as background to the talk,  how Preston Library campaigners have created a professional looking community library in the building that Brent Council closed down. They are now looking forward to discussing the long-term future of the library with councillors and officers after their licence to use the building was extended until at least the end of July 2017. One area of uncertainty is whether the Council will keep their promise of making the premises rent-free. Without that undertaking the future of the library is in doubt.

The lead member for Stronger Communities, which covers libraries, is now Cllr Tom Miller.

There is an extra film show at the library tomorrow at 2pm (doors open 1.45pm). The film is a U certificate with a Christmas theme. 

After this the library takes a break re-opening on Wednesday January 4th.

Chance to care for the Welsh Harp, including canoeing for litter!

Readers asked for early warning of the next Conservation Day at the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre, so here it is.

Billy Coburn, Thames21 Development Officer, writes:

The next Welsh Harp event is going to be taking place on Sunday 23rd October starting at the usual time of 10am. Please see the attached poster and here is a link to details for the event,  http://www.thames21.org.uk/event/welsh-harp-nature-conservation-day-4/  People seem to like the format of:

10-12: Complete and activity;
12-12:45: Have some lunch;
12:45-2pm: Finish the task at hand;

So we are going to keep that format.

We will form another glade as part of the woodland management plan, cut some of the wild meadow or remove some of the blackthorn which is trying to find a home in the meadow grass and needs to be removed. I will send another email the week leading up to the 23rd to confirm after my site visit.

The footpath clearing group

 What happened at the last event

At the last event we cut back the vegetation around Birchen Grove leading up to the education centre. Thames21 led education sessions AM and PM for the whole week after the last event  leading to approximately 300 children using the education centre that week. They could use the path rather than the road as access because of you. We also undertook a number of other smaller tasks. Great work everyone!

Sunday November 20th Canoe clean up on the Welsh Harp.

For the November volunteering event, we are hopefully going to be completing something a little different. As you may know, many canoe and sailing clubs use the Welsh Harp. A lot of litter gets stuck in the environmentally important reed beds and we are going to be canoeing to those locations and removing rubbish from the boats. It does not matter if you have canoed before so if you would like the chance to paddle for free, do some good for the environment and see the beauty of the Welsh Harp from a different perspective, please do give me an email to register your interest. Full details will be released when we have them. We will also have some land based activities as well to cater for everyone if you do not wish to canoe on the day.

Community Library Strategy promise welcomed and discussions requested

Philip Bromberg of Preston Community Library (PCL) has written  to Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, following Tuesday's Cabinet Meeting:

I said I would put in writing the point that I failed to make at last night's (Tuesday)  meeting. Your announcement of a new Community Libraries Strategy is very welcome. So, given your emphasis (both last night and in private conversation) on the importance of collaborative working, can we - PCL and the other three library groups - expect to be involved in discussions about this as early as possible?

I do not, of course, know how much, if any, work has already been done on this, and three months is quite a short time to develop a potentially significant change of policy. But experience suggests you will get better policy decisions if you can involve those affected at a formative stage.

It does appear that the Cabinet is now genuinely committed to the future of PCL. That is progress.

Latest news from Friends of Barham Library

From Friends of Barham Library

LATEST NEWS ON OUR BUILDING

By now we have hoped to have had our lease for the building in Barham Park (Unit 4, 660 Harrow Road Wembley HA0 2H). Unfortunately at the last minute an issue arose with Brent Council which we hope will be resolved at a meeting of the Barham Park Charity Trust on Wednesday 7 September.

In the meantime we have been putting up shelves in our new Library space and filling them up. We are ready and hope to open as soon as the Lease has been signed.

In the meantime we are planning our activities including more Theatre productions, history talks etc

Brent Council has now decided to also Lease the wooden building at the back and we are considering whether to bid. The building is in a poor condition. There is no kitchen facility, the toilets are in a mess and the wiring, ceilings and floor covering needs replacing. The roof and wooden cladding also needs repairing. We estimate that the building may need between £50,000 to £100,000 spending on it and we are exploring sources for possible Capital Grants.

Our priority continues to open our Library and this will happen irrespective of whether we make a bid for the other building.

WHAT IS GOING ON

Afternoon English Conversation classes continue at Sudbury Town Underground Station on Tuesdays between 2 and 4. We are also holding evening classes on Tuesdays from 6:45 p.m. until 27 September 2016 and depending on demand and available tutors these may be expanded.

Frank who used to open up Sudbury Town on a regular basis broke his ankle two weeks ago and has his leg in plaster. Sudbury Town is therefore only open very irregularly until we find other volunteers who can help.

In Barham Park we are opening the building to the Barham Walkers to access the toilets and for  teas & coffee on Tuesday morning from around 10:45.

On Wednesday's Eva is running a 'Sewcial' - 2 hour session between 10:30 to 12:30 of sawing and chat activities. Just pop in if you are interested.

5th ANNIVERSARY OF CLOSURE OF 6 LIBRARIES IN BRENT

We will celebrate the Community Library movement in Brent by our annual Torch Relay between the Libraries. As it is the 5th Anniversary I plan to do another sponsored run to raise funds for the Barham Community Library. Besides a run there may be an opportunity to join in with a sponsored walk in Barham Park. Let me know if you want to join me or sponsor me.

7 SEPTEMBER 2016

As mentioned above there will be an important meeting of the Barham Park Charity Trust (managed by Brent Council) starting at 6p.m. at the Civic Centre in Wembley LINK. Issues relating to our Lease will be discussed and hopefully decided. The meeting is open to the public so please feel free to join us.

I hope to provide an update after the meeting.

All the best

Paul Lorber
for Friends of Barham Library

Barham Community Library volunteers meeting this afternoon

From Barham Community Library
 

We are making progress in getting our new building at 660 Harrow Road Wembley HA0 2HB ready to open as a community library in Barham Park.

Our negotiations with Brent Council are progressing and we hope to sign the Lease for the building before the end of May.

We are keen to organise our volunteer rotas and agree on our initial opening hours and activities. We will therefore hold a meeting for volunteers on Saturday 14 May at 2:30 in the afternoon at our new premises in Harrow Road. Please come along and bring anyone else you know who might be interested in getting involved.

If you cannot make it on the 14th please let me know as we plan to have other meeting days for our volunteers.

We also have some events at the Library that you may be interested in:

Tuesday 31 May - 7:15p.m. - Shakespeare's Hamlet

The Librarian Theatre are coming back to perform their 80 minute version of Hamlet. tickets are just £7 (or £4 concessions for students, children and senior citizens). Please let me know if you are interested.

Saturday 4 June at 2:30 - there will be a 60 minute talk about the 150 years of Fire Brigade in Wembley.

Philip grant from Wembley History Society will present the history of the fire brigade in Wembley. The event is free (although Philip would welcome small donations to support our Library Charity). Please let me know if you are interested ion coming.

Sunday 12 June - BIG Lunch - a picnic in Barham Park - from 11am 

We are encouraging local people to have a picnic lunch (you bring your own and share) with your friends and neighbours. we plan to open the Library and to have a stalls selling books, records, CDs and other stuff to raise some much needed cash.

End this wretched sniping at Barham Library volunteers

This comment by Gaynor Lloyd was submitted in response to the comments on Wembley Matters' story on the decision abut to be made by Trustees on the organisation to be granted the lease on the Barham Park Lounge.  

Having been a very early member of the Barham Library campaign and, over the last four years a long standing volunteer at the Volunteer Library currently (and for three  years) running at 428 Wembley High Road, can I just for the zillionth time clarify that Friends of Barham Library is not a covert front for the Lib Dems in Brent? I am sick, sick, sick of this wretched sniping- and mildly resentful of  the implication for all those of us who work for the Barham volunteer community library at this end of the Borough.

Can whoever is left annoyed by  us library campaigners please get over it? I would much prefer a library service delivered  throughout Brent -  as it should be -  by a properly funded Council - but that isn't where we are. Let us add to the service - please don't be mean about us. Perhaps even join us.

Start by coming to see us in  the Library premises in Wembley or Sudbury Town Station.  We have an amazing selection of books...but there is a lot more to us! For example, go and see the children's arts and crafts workshop in Sudbury Town every Saturday - full to bursting in the limited space. As to Wembley, two days this week have provided perfect examples of what happens in premises pathetically inadequate to offer true library services. I spend a lot of my time crashing about outside 428 Wembley High Road shaking a green  bucket to raise less than the Minimum wage, never mind the London Living Wage, per hour - but, in so doing, talking to many of the people who pass by on their daily round who stop to put a bit of money in  and talk about books, services , children and their lives. It's brilliant. I may get called in to the shop  to give what expertise I have on English literature, to chat or to offer my opinion on children's books.

Yesterday a family with 5 children came in looking for English dictionaries suitable for four of the children. We were able to offer 5 varying levels of dictionary and spelling primers. While there and all chatting, the children looked for fiction. Mum was clearly a bit concerned at the amount of space they have at home for the acquisition of the collection the children  amassed. We were able to say "Well just read them and bring them back".

Then there was the lad who came in with his Mum looking for project materials on Europe, who left with books on countries and a child's French dictionary; they left really chuffed promising to bring the project in when they could. Then there was the group of lads - aged around 10 or so - who passed me three times on bucket duty and finally stopped on round 4. "Is this for the library?" one asked. "Yes" I said. "I've only got 60p. Is that OK?" And in went the 60p. Many of my donors are young people. Often parents will come in and we give them a sampler book for their babies; never too young to start with books still seems to be a message that resonates. Then there are the adults seeking to improve their English, who need study books - or just come in and talk  on topics various, including literature.

It am proud to work with Paul, Francis, Judy, Alex, Frank, Peggy, Vi and the other volunteers in the heart of the community (sorry to those ranked as others). Anyone who doubts what we are there for - please call in.

I grew up with a library -what's wrong with wanting all that a modern community library can offer for our bit of the Borough?.

Then we can extend even further the range of people  who will find in a library what I did  and still do- much better put by Bernard Kops  in his poem Whitechapel Library, Aldgate East "That door of the library was the door into me"

Brent Foodbank: Could you volunteer to collect food donations for just 3 hours in the first week of July?

 

Request from Brent Foodback

 

At Brent Foodbank we are looking for volunteers to help us with a food collection on 2 / 3 / 4 July - including at Tesco Extra Wembley (across from Ikea) and Tesco Metro Wembley Central - and we have a feeling that some Wembley Matters readers might be interested in helping out, or are involved with youth groups or other groups who also might.  Brent Foodbank page at https://www.facebook.com/Brentfoodbankcollection

There's more info on the page but these are the essentials:

13 million people live below the poverty line. Our foodbank provides a minimum of 3 days emergency food and support to local Brent residents in crisis.

On 2nd, 3rd and 4th July 2015, Tesco stores nationwide are hosting a food collection to support the UK's foodbanks.

What can you do to help?

We need 100 of you to each give 3 hours of your time to greet shoppers at 3 Brent stores and ask them to buy an item from our shopping list.

Where do we need you?

We are greeting shoppers and collecting food items at the following stores:

• Tesco Extra Wembley (across from Ikea) 
• Tesco Metro Harlesden
• Tesco Metro Wembley Central

When are we collecting food? 

We're asking you to sign up to volunteer for 3 hours on any of the following days:

• Thursday 2nd July between 9 am and 6 pm
• Friday 3rd July between 10 am and 10 pm
• Saturday 4th July between 10 and and 10 pm

What do you do next?

Please Message us via the Message button on our Facebook page, or leave a comment, and we will be in touch with more info.

Preston Community Library is Alive and Kicking - get down there and join in

From Preston Community Library Campaign

Preston Community Library is now open. There is a selection of newspapers, and books available to borrow. The creative writing and Scrabble groups continue to meet on Monday afternoons, and there are now English classes on Fridays as well as Mondays.

This Wednesday, 29 April, Samantha Warrington will be holding her first yoga class, and she's hoping to add weekend classes for parents and children in the very near future. Wednesday's class will be from 7.30 to 8.30; participants need to arrive by 7.15 to register. If you'd like to join either of these classes, please ring Samantha on  07801 697712.

We're planning to add healthy eating classes, knitting classes, a homework club and a community cinema very soon. If you're interested in any of these, let me know.

At the moment we are open to the public from 12.30 - 7 on Mondays and from 11-5 on Saturdays. We want to extend these hours very soon. To do so, we need more volunteers to staff the library, and we're holding a meeting for potential volunteers in the library building this Wednesday, 29 April, at 2pm. If you have some spare time and would like to contribute to the success of a really important project, please come and see us between 2 and 4 on Wednesday.

Finally, this evening sees our next pub quiz at 7.30 in The Preston. Fortunately enough, I've just finished writing it. We aim to start the quiz promptly at 8. We hope to see lots of you there.

Cafe in the Park is Pie in the Sky - Let us have a library instead

Guest blog from Friends of Barham Library

A while back Sudbury Town Residents Association persuaded a Cafe owner to rename his business in Sudbury Town "Sudbury Tea Rooms". He spent money on new signage and promotion and invited locals for a free sampling.

They came for a freebie but rarely again. The place closed down soon after.

Amazingly someone else opened a new Cafe in the Parade in East Lane near Watford Road. Within weeks the business was under new management.

Those of us in the know were certain that the venture had no chance of success. Passing today I note the windows covered up and presumably the Cafe closed down.

A while back a girl started a cafe in Sudbury Town Station. She happens to be a relative of Merle Amory a Labour Leader of Brent Council briefly in the 1980s. She is no longer open every day as business is slack.

All of this sends a simple message - it is tough to make a success of running a Cafe in the Sudbury area - yet Brent Council officers still persist with their pie in the sky notion of a Cafe in Barham Park - even though they have done nothing about it for 13 months since the Barham Park Trustees were persuade to endorse this.

Key question is - are Brent Council Officers and Councillors so determined to stop local residents to open a Volunteer Library in Barham Park that they will pursue any delaying tactic possible or will they at long last stop wasting time and money and convert platitudes into some decisive action and let Friends of Barham Library get access to the empty Card Room in Barham Park? The Volunteers have even offered to provide refreshments besides the many other services local people need.

Paul Lorber for Friends of Barham Library