April 2009 Archives

CHILDREN got involved in making totem poles as part of an annual arts week.

Pupils at Coteford Infant School, in Fore Street, Eastcote, took a break from their usual lessons to do lots of exciting art activities.

Deputy headteacher, Kim Sahi, said: "Throughout the week we had lots of artists in school to share their great work and teach the children new art skills.

"We were really lucky to have a visit from a local artist from Harrow called Lawrence Mathias who worked with each of our classes to create beautiful and bright totem poles.
"He used everyday objects including stools and tables and transformed them.

"Our children got very involved with helping to cut pieces of wood and make their own designs.

"These are now a permanent feature in our conservation area for us all to enjoy."

A TREE has been planted in memory of an aid worker who was murdered by the Taliban in Kabul last year.

The ceremony took place at Missouri Court, Bridle Road, Eastcote, on Thursday (23) to commemorate the death of Gayle Williams, 34, in the capital of Afghanistan in October.

Her mother, Pat Williams, 70, who is a tenant at the sheltered housing scheme, said: "I thought it was very nice to do it in memory of Gayle.

"She was buried in Afghanistan because that was her wish so the tree gives me something tangible to look at and remember.

"The ceremony was very nicely done and it's a lovely tree."

Miss Williams, who had lived in Kabul for the past two and a half years, was a volunteer with the charity Serve Afghanistan helping disabled children suffering as a result of the war.

She was walking to work when she was shot by two men on a motorbike. The Taliban claimed she had been killed for spreading Christianity.

The tree planting was also held to mark the 75th anniversary of St Lawrence Church, in Bridle Road, and the ceremony was conducted by Reverend Stephen Dando.

About 30 people attended the ceremony, including Mrs Williams's second daughter, Karen, members of her church, Ruislip Baptist Church, in Manor Way, Ruislip, aid workers from Afghanistan and members of St Lawrence Church.

TWO local music acts have made it through to the area final of a competition to win £20,000 to help release their single.

The IC1's, a five-member band from Ruislip, Eastcote and Harrow, and Me and the Beast, a duo from Eastcote and Maidenhead, will both be competing at the Beck Theatre, in Grange Road, Hayes, on May 3 for a place in the national final.

The Live and Unsigned competition is the UK's national music competition for unsigned acts to compete live. With over 10,000 registrations for the second year running, it is the biggest music talent search for original acts in the UK.

The IC1's describe themselves as an Indie rock band with a bit of Brit pop and they played their first gig in an Oxford Street bar in September last year.

Member Robin Hayes, 27, of Flamborough Road, Ruislip Manor, said: "We don't compare ourselves to any other acts out there because we have got our own individual style."

Me and The Beast are an electro pop duo who have been performing together since October last year.

Carly Cunningham, 25, of Woodlands Avenue, Eastcote, is the lead singer of the duo and Ashley Bull is the producer/song writer.

He said: "We have been compared to Depeche Mode and Duran Duran but Carly's vocals are really uplifting and she has been compared to Kate Bush and Bjork.

"If we won the competition we would like to put the £20,000 purely into publicity."

Go to www.meandthebeast.com to find out more about the duo or for more information on how to audition for next years competition or to book tickets for the area final visit www.LiveandUnsigned.UK.com.

A MAN who has a long list of criminal convictions has been sentenced for fraud after he applied for credit cards using his dead uncle's name.

Jason Pearson, 21, of Newnham Avenue, Eastcote, was handed a 12-month community order at Isleworth Crown Court today (Fri) after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud.

Douglas Adams, prosecuting, said: "His uncle died in the middle of last year and his long lost son came into contact with the family for the first time in a long while.

"When he visited his father's property he found credit card applications made on dates when his father had already passed away, as well as an application to Littlewoods for a number of items.

"It didn't take a large amount of investigation on the part of the police to realise it was this defendant."

After he was arrested for the offences, which took place between July and September last year, he appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on March 23 and pleaded guilty to all four charges.

Pearson, who has a number of convictions for making hoax phone calls to the police, is also currently serving a 12-month suspended sentence order for breaching an anti-social behaviour order.

In mitigation Simon Gittins, defending, said: "Jason suffers a great deal of anxiety when he is in the company of other people.

"He lives with his grandmother and when they go out together he has problems getting on buses if they are too busy.

"He was in Feltham Young Offenders Institute for five months last year where he self harmed, so it does raise a concern as to how he would cope in custody."

Before handing Pearson his sentence, The Recorder, Mr Weatherill, said: "These are serious offences and they are aggravated by you using the name of a deceased relative.

"You intended to be fraudulent but luckily, from your point of view, the credit card companies weren't taken in by your applications and they were refused so no loss was sustained by anyone.

"I very much hope the leniency of this sentence will give you the opportunity not to re-offend, to address the reasons why you re-offended and to become a better member of society."

WHEN I booked the Total toning class at Highgrove I didn't notice it was a level 2 class. I didn't realise this until I went back on the website to check what time the class started. So I was a bit concerned about what I was getting myself into.

The instructor was the same one who takes the aerobics and stretch and tone classes, although I have a feeling she may have been covering for someone else.

The class started off very similar to her usual classes, but luckily there wasn't any cardio work. It literally was an hour of toning - especially the arms.

I think we must have worked on every single muscle, but the abdominals and the arms definitely took the most pounding.

There was a lot of lifting, turning, stretching ad bending involved in the class. At one point my arms almost gave up on me, but as soon as we moved on to working the legs it wasn't so bad.

Considering it was a level 2 class, I didn't find it that hard, but then again, maybe I am getting fitter. At last!

The class was quite fun but I don't think it would be sufficient to only do that class. I still prefer the more challenging classes. I don't think I even broke a sweat in this one.

My next challenge is Classical yoga at Queensmead.

A MAN has been arrested and charged following alleged driving offences in the Ruislip and Northwood area.

Martin Anthony Cassidy, 18, of Greenway, Pinner, was arrested on Saturday (18).

He was later charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance on Ickenham Road, Field End Road, Joel Street, Uxbridge Road, Green Lane, Watford Road and High Street, Northwood, as well as failing to stop at a road accident on Watford Road.

He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court yesterday (Mon) and has been remanded in custody to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on May 22.

When I booked the boxercise class at Queensmead I expected it to be like the energy kick and cardio kick classes - basically sparring without actually hitting anything.

But, I was gladly proved wrong. When I saw a circuit laid out with a number of different stations with pads to kick and punch I got quite excited. I think that's a definite sign that I need to go back to martial arts.

Boxercise was, without a doubt, the busiest class I've been too yet. All the other classes I've been to at Queensmead only take up half the sports hall, but in this one we needed the whole of it. There must have been about 50 people, men and women, young and old, and fit and not so fit. I think I still fall into the latter. I don't seem to be getting any fitter from these classes, which is a disappointment, but, maybe I just need to do more than one a week.

So after quite a strenuous warm up of running around the hall for a long time, we did a few stretches and got straight into the 18-station circuit.

In this class you do everything in pairs so I was quite glad when a friendly woman, who I later learned was called Christina, said I could be her partner.

We started off at a punching station, but with only one minute on each station (swapping over after 30 seconds) it really wasn't enough to really get into it. It was all a bit haphazard actually, but, I suppose that was the point.

After every few stations we had to do a group exercise like star jumps and running. That made the whole thing 10 times harder.

After completing the circuit, which also consisted of press ups, sit ups, running, skipping, weight lifting etc. we had to run around the hall again before finishing off with a bit of stretching.

Again, it was another very challenging class and it really did make me realise that I need to go back to martial arts. However, if I can't find a good club to go to by the time I have tried out all the fitness classes at the two gyms, I think I might go back to boxercise again.

My next challenge will be Total toning at Highgrove.

AN AUTOMOTIVE training provider has received a prestigious award.

Skillnet Limited, based in Field End Road, Eastcote, is one of only five automotive organisations in the UK to be recognised for its high standards of training, by receiving the highly regarded Training Quality Standard (TQS) award.

The company employs over 100 staff and provides automotive apprenticeships for over 2,500 people.

TWO committed scout members have been awarded for over 20 years of distinguished service.

Roger Corti, district commissioner for Ruislip Eastcote Northwood Scout District, was awarded the Silver Acorn - scouting's second highest award - for his service to the movement.

Carole Hazlehurst, assistant cub scout leader at the 1st Eastcote group, which meets in Cheney Street, also received the award.

EASTCOTE Community Association is holding its annual general meeting.

It will be held in Oak Hall, Southbourne Gardens, Eastcote, on April 29 at 7.30pm and it will be followed by cheese and wine and a speaker.