Pride of Brent 2020 announced - those who contributed so much in this most difficult of years

Brent Council has published its Pride of Brent list for 2020, those individuals and organisations that have gone 'above and beyond' in this the most difficult of years. Rather than the usual gala style celebration at the Civic Centre their  contribution will be acknowledged this year through articles in the Brent Magazine and the council's social media channels.

Among the many deserving names there is one that strikes a jarring note.  Chetan Harpale, the Labour candidate for the Alperton by-election is listed despite having been suspended at the time for alleged Islamophobic comments. LINK LINK

One of the most amazing events of the early days of the pandemic was the sponataneous rise of Mutual Aid groups across the borough who delivered food and other support to people who were self-isolating.  Alongside them the borough's food banks stepped up their efforts and were augmented by other organisations and individuals. They are all still working selflessly as we enter Tier 4.  Some are listed for Pride of Brent but many are not, so I am acknowledging their contribution here.

The Brent Council announcement:

This year has been a challenging time for us all, but during the uncertainty we have seen some amazing people step up to support their fellow residents.

We asked you to recognise the people you think have supported Brent’s communities through this difficult time and you did not disappoint with more than eighty nominations received.

Here are the people and organisations who have worked to make life a bit easier for others in 2020. They are the Pride of Brent.

Individuals –

Alice Ekwalia

Alina Nicoleta Balatchi Lupascu

Ava Brosnan

Ayan Abdi

Ben Shapiro

Chetan Harpale

Daksha Varsani and Paresh Jethwa

David and Sol Williams

Debbie Thomas, Christians Against Poverty - St. Gabriel's Cricklewood

Desi Dhaba

Doreen Gill

Dipesh Ahir

Dr Silvia Gerea

Emily Morris

Geraldine Darroux

Geraldine Reid assisted by Cathryn Walsh

Giles Deards

Giuseppe Caggese

Hema Mistry

Imam Abdullah Hassan Salloo

Ishrat Malik

Jacqueline Bunce-Linsell

Julia Straker

Kalyan Patel

Kelli Eboji

Kirti Soni

Louisa

Leroy Simpson

Maureen Anthony

Maxine Anderson

Muhammad Ata Ullah

Patricia Wharton

Rajeshri Sheth

Ramesh and staff

Renata and Peter

Seva Mitra Mandal

Sharon Aninakwa

Tariq Dar

The teachers at Lyon Park Primary school

Toni Trent

Vivekananda reddy Sadhu

Yvonne Wilson Equi Vision

 

Community Groups –

406 (Willesden) Squadron RAF Air Cadets

Ansar Youth Project

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha

Brahma Kumaris

Brent Thrive

Daniels den parent and toddler group

F.O.H Brent / Warren Reilly

Iraqi Welfare Association

Jason Roberts Foundation

Kensal Green Under Fives Group Community Nursery

Kingsbury Community Group

London Elite

Granville Community Kitchen / Leslie & Dee

Romanian Women in UK

Rumi's Cave

Shree Swaminarayan Temple Willesden

The Angels Academies

Wembley Central Mutual Aid group

Youth With A Mission Urban Key London

 

Private organisations and businesses –

Abigail Simon - The Yum Yum Food Company

Brent Library Customer Services

Cuore Italian Deli & coffee shop

eStudyit

Harrow Care Plus (Brent)

Housing Plus Qara Limited

Kilhan Construction Ltd

Kylu

Mahogany Carnival Arts

Meera Nursing Home

Mario’s Restaurant: Mr Mario Nunes

O' Farrell's Traditional Family Butcher

Red Lotus Events CIC

Sewa Security Group

Shara Grossman Pharmacy

The George/McDonagh's Bar/Manuel Elvis Pinto

The Larder

Wembley triangle massage

VoxBrain LTD

 

Newly established groups –

Harlesden Mutual Aid

Parent Anchor

 

 

Healthwatch Brent's Winter Community Presentation - lots of useful information for residents

 Below are the slides of the presentation at Brent Healthwatch's Winter Community Event. They were correct on December 16th but remember our area moved into Tier 4 on December 20th. There is much useful information in the presentations. Click bottom right for full page version. 

Covid Vaccination Details HERE

Tier 4 restrictions details HERE

Arranging a FREE Covid 19 tests in Brent HERE

Speak a language other than English? Register for FREE On-line English and Community Workshops

 

A great opportunity for 'higher-level ESOL*' learners to:

 

• improve their English
• learn their rights
• and get involved in community action. 

 

Enrolment form HERE

 

*ESOL = English for Speakers of Other Languages

 

Only for people resident in Brent. Funded by Brent Council.

Ernest Trobridge exhibition now online

 A guest post by local historian Philip Grant

 

 

Ernest Trobridge (as depicted on a 1990s pub sign!)

 

Back in February, I was hoping that many people would be able to enjoy a small exhibition at Kingsbury Library, which I had put together with Brent Museum: Ernest Trobridge – Kingsbury’s Extraordinary Architect.

 

The Ernest Trobridge display at Kingsbury Library, February 2020.

 

Unfortunately, with all of the Covid-19 restrictions this year, and the library closed for around four months, then only open on a very limited basis, access to the exhibition was often not possible. Even though Brent Museum kept the display in place until earlier this month, local people, and the visitors we hoped to attract through London Borough of Culture 2020, will not have had the opportunity to discover this architect’s remarkable work, and the ideas behind it.

 

Although disappointed that many people will have missed the actual display, we have now put all of the information, illustrations and exhibits from it together in a documentary record of the exhibition, which you can read at your leisure by “clicking” on the link. Here are a couple of the images from it, reflecting the story behind Trobridge’s first estate of thatched timber homes, built on a field at the corner of Kingsbury Road and Slough Lane 100 years ago.

 

A leaflet Trobridge wrote for his show house at the 1920 Ideal Home Exhibition.

 

Model of a Trobridge thatched timber cottage built in Kingsbury.

 

I still hope to give the illustrated talk, which was planned to take place at Kingsbury Library in June 2020, in conjunction with the exhibition, at some time during 2021. Illustrated colour versions of the four Trobridge self-guided walk leaflets produced for the exhibition, and other published material about Ernest Trobridge, can be found in the “Buildings and Architecture” section of the online Brent Archives local history documents collection.

 

The amazing and beautifully designed homes that Ernest Trobridge produced in Kingsbury, and beyond, in the 1920s and 1930s, have been a source of joy and inspiration for me over the years, which is why I try to share my enthusiasm for them with others. I hope that you will take the chance to enjoy them too.

 

Philip Grant.

Wembley Who’s Who Quiz – the answers!

 Philip Grant provides the answers to last Saturday's  'Who's Who?' in Wembley Quiz LINK

Philip writes: I hope that everyone who had a go at this quiz enjoyed it. Here are the answers, and a bit more information about the ten people you were invited to identify.

Although there are no prizes, you will find that even people who lived in Wembley 100 years ago or more have had an influence on the area as we know it now, such as where that road, school or park got its name from. Local history gives us the background stories which show us what an interesting place we live in. Those stories belong to all of us who live in Wembley and Brent, and I look forward to sharing more of them with you in future.

 

This is what unity looks like: Education unions warn mass Covid tests are undeliverable by start of spring term

 Well this government is certainly good at uniting people - against them. 

Joint media release from AoC, ASCL, Church of England Education Office, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, NGA, and SFCA

 

Friday 18 December

 

Education unions warn mass Covid tests are undeliverable by start of spring term

 

Education unions and associations have today joined together in advising secondary schools and colleges that they are not required to begin mass Covid testing from the start of the spring term.

 

The government yesterday announced that all secondary schools and colleges in England will be able to test staff and students from the first week of January.

However, organisations representing school and college leaders, teachers, and governors are concerned that the plans outlined by the government for rapid testing are not deliverable by the start of next term given that there are only two weeks to plan for this programme over the Christmas holiday period and numerous outstanding issues that must be addressed.

 

The plans require schools and colleges to recruit and train staff, and put in place processes to manage a large-scale testing programme. There are a number of unanswered questions including exactly what staff are expected to do, and what costs will be covered by the government, which have to be resolved before testing can begin. It is imperative that any testing programme is sufficiently resourced with suitably trained staff.

 

The Association of Colleges (AoC), Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Church of England Education Office, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), NASUWT teachers’ union, National Education Union (NEU), National Governance Association (NGA), and Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), are sending joint advice to their members today.

 

The advice states: “If a school or college decides it is unable to set up such testing systems, based on the current plans, you will receive the full support of our respective organisations. Any of our members who come under unreasonable pressure are advised to contact us immediately.”

 

It goes on to state that schools and colleges stand ready to support the national effort to roll out mass testing, and that our organisations invite the government to discuss with us what support will be needed for the roll-out of lateral flow tests.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

 

“It is extremely regrettable that the government has given the public the impression that a mass Covid testing programme will begin in secondary schools and colleges from the start of the spring term. 

“This is not the case. The plans that have been outlined by the government are not deliverable in that timescale and it is irresponsible of the government to have created the perception that this could be done with so little preparation, resources and notice. The government has put schools and colleges in an intolerable position, and misled parents and pupils. 

“Schools and colleges very much want staff and students to be able to access rapid Covid testing as soon as possible, but the plan has to be feasible or otherwise it is meaningless.”

Sam Henson, director of policy and information at the National Governance Association, said:

 

“Large scale testing is clearly an important priority but the lateness of this announcement and the huge degree of pressure that this places on school leaders as a result is unacceptable and irresponsible. The expectation for schools to assemble a workforce and roll this out in the next few working days is both unreasonable and unviable.”

 

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said:

 

“Colleges and schools have done everything they can to protect students and staff whilst keeping learning happening, and they will continue to do so. This is not about whether or not testing is the right thing to do – it is about doing it properly. The announcement on Thursday simply puts unfair pressure on leaders and staff who have already had to endure so much over the last nine months because having mass testing in place by 4th January is an impossible target for most. College and school leaders are being set up to fail and that’s not right. I know they will do what is achievable and they have shown throughout the pandemic that they will always deliver on urgent priorities, but sadly, this proposal is not realistic and nor is it currently backed up with the resources, guidance and support necessary to achieve it.”

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

 

“We all want pupils and school staff to be as safe as possible in school but an unplanned, uncoordinated and unworkable approach to mass testing without the provision of adequate resources and additional trained personnel risks undermining, rather than enhancing Covid safety.

 

“The Government must work with schools and colleges on a sensible timescale for the roll out of testing which is backed with the necessary practical and financial support to ensure safety and support the continued fight against Covid-19.”

Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

"The rising infection rates amongst secondary pupils has been alarming and mass testing has been necessary for many months. The Government’s last minute and ill thought through plans for schools and colleges to administer these tests is unacceptable and could jeopardise something that is so essential to bring down Covid rates in schools, colleges, and society. Government needs to get around the table with education unions to discuss how we salvage this situation and get a testing system that is operable and effective.”

 

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said:

 

“The government have handed schools a confused and chaotic mess at the 11th hour. By dropping this on schools minutes before the end of term, leaders are left with no time to implement government’s instructions. Covid testing should be administered and organised by those with the relevant expertise and experience, schools and colleges simply do not have the capacity to staff and run Covid testing sites themselves, whilst also providing education and vital pastoral support. Once again, an announcement that, if properly planned and executed could have been positive, is poised to fail.”

 

Bill Watkin, Chief Executive, Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:

 

“Schools and colleges have made herculean efforts to play their part in protecting and teaching young people throughout the last year. They should not feel rushed into a testing programme for which there has been insufficient time and opportunity to prepare.”

Today's Independent Sage on-line briefing an antidote to Government confusion WATCH HERE

 

7 Day Rolling Covid19 infection rate in Brent to December 12th - well above England average

 Purple is the highest rate (arrow on Chalkhill/Forty Lane). For your local rate go to the search box and type in your post code.

Source: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/interactive-map