Charity/voluntary

Come and see Father Christmas in Eastcote on Sunday 13th December. Catch a miniature steam train to see him.

BROWNIES and guides planted bulbs on an overgrown grassed area in Eastcote to help make the area shine.

The girls from 3rd Eastcote Guides and 6th Eastcote Brownies helped members of Eastcote Village Conservation Panel plant bulbs on Tudor Lodge Corner, at the junction of Field End Road and Bridle Road, on Saturday (14).

Lesley Crowcroft, chairman of the conservation panel, said: "On a cold, blustery, wet day the brownies and guides cleared weeds, ivy and leaves, they planted shrubs and daffodil bulbs to improve the corner.

"Tudor Lodge Hotel also very kindly invited us into the hotel for refreshments."

STUDENTS, councillors, residents and an MP got involved in replanting a stretch of river bed as part of a national volunteer day.

More than 50 volunteers took part in the event at the River Pinn on High Road, at the junction with Joel Street, Eastcote, on Saturday (31).

The event was organised by Ruislip-Northwood MP Nick Hurd, Hillingdon Council's green spaces team and Eastcote Conservation Panel and was part of Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Make a Difference Day.

Th event is part of a wider initiative to lift the conservation area by renovating Eastcote Coach House and Gardens.

Mr Hurd volunteered on the day with his daughter Katie, along with Eastcote and East Ruislip councillors, Bruce Baker and David Payne and Northwood Hills councillor, Andrew Retter.

Students from Haydon School, in Wiltshrie Lane, Eastcote, and St Andrew's cubs and scouts also helped out and Barclays Bank sponsored the day.

Tracy Morgan, Barclays community manager for the Ruislip and Harrow area, said: "At Barclays we like our staff to get involved with the local communities in which they serve.

"Barclays were delighted to be able support the Eastcote Gardens Project to improve the area and the environment by providing both volunteers and financial support on Make A Difference Day."

Eastcote and East Ruislip Safer Neighbourhood Teams gave safety cover and traffic control and Dragana Knezevic, Hillingdon Council's countryside and conservation officer, played an important role by helping on the day and arranging the clearing of the river bank before the day.

Lesley Crowcroft, chairman of he conservation panel, said: "It was a very successful community day with so many people of all ages working to make Eastcote shine."

A CARING grandmother and a dedicated school who have been working hard over the years to gather gifts to send to the troops in Afghanistan have just got their biggest donation to date.

Rene Prier is the welfare officer at the Eastcote branch of the Royal British Legion, in Southbourne Gardens, and she has been sending parcels to Iraq and Afghanistan for more than four years.

About three years ago she teamed up with Field End Infant School, in Field End Road, Eastcote, to raise even more donations.

The 88-year-old, of Glenalla Road, Ruislip, said: "When the school brought the gifts round to me I couldn't believe how much there was. I had a whole table and tea trolley full of gifts.

"I asked them to collect any gifts, except for aerosols and chocolate, so they got tooth paste, shower gel, soap, biscuits, sweets, tooth brushes, chewing gum, and other things like that. The troops won't be going dirty for a long time.

"The school has been very generous over the years, but this year they have excelled themselves. I was overwhelmed. The Eastcote people should know what they are doing.

"I send out parcels two or three times a month and I've had letters back from the troops thanking me.

"During the Second World War I always sent things to my relatives so that's where the idea came from.

"I realise how lucky I am to reach the age of 88 and still be able to go out shopping so I always feel I want to give something back.

"I really believe in what I am doing for the British Legion."

Dorothy Chappell, headteacher at Field End, said: "We gathered the gifts as part of our Harvest collection this year.

"We wanted to do something for our local community and the wider community so we gave gifts to Whitby Dean Residential Home in Whitby Road as well.

"We've sent gifts to the troops quite a few times already and we've had a photo back of them with their gifts and they have written to the children.

"We do things on Remembrance Day for the British Legion, but knowing there are people in those circumstances now missing their families it's nice for us to do something for them too."

HELPERS are needed to plant flowers on a river bed as part of a national volunteer day.

On October 31 volunteers will be planting flowers along the bank of the River Pinn on High Road, Eastcote, between the entrance to Eastcote House Gardens and the junction with Joel Street.

The event is being organised by Ruislip-Northwood MP Nick Hurd, Hillingdon Council's green spaces team and Eastcote Conservation Panel and is part of Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Make a Difference Day.

Th event is part of a wider initiative to lift the conservation area by renovating Eastcote Coach House and Gardens.

Hillingdon Council has organised the clearing of the river bank and Barclays Bank is funding the event.

Tracy Morgan, Barclays community manager for the Ruislip and Harrow area, said: "At Barclays we like our staff to get involved with the local communities in which they serve.

"Barclays are delighted to be able support the Eastcote Gardens Project to improve the area and the environment by providing both volunteers and financial support on Make A Difference Day."

Volunteers should meet in the Eastcote House Gardens car park at 10am on October 31.
There will be an overflow car park at Eastcote Cricket Club, in Southill Lane.

Tools and refreshments will be provided.

For more information about CSV Make a Difference Day, which is now in its 14th year, go to www.csv.org.uk/difference or call 0800 284 533.

A GROUP of ex offenders got down in the dirt to help clear the banks of the River Pinn in the build up to the biggest ever day of volunteering.

On Monday (21) the convicts teamed up with other volunteers to clear the area around the river on High Road, Eastcote, between the entrance to Eastcote House gardens and the junction with Joel Street.

The clearing is being done in preparation for a conservationist project in which volunteers will plant bulbs of threatened species on the banks of the river on Community Service Volunteers (CSV) Make a Difference Day on October 31.

The project is being organised by Ruislip-Northwood MP Nick Hurd, Hillingdon Council's green spaces team and Eastcote Conservation Panel.

It is part of a wider initiative to lift the conservation area by renovating the Eastcote Coach House and Gardens.

Lesley Crowcroft, chairman of the conservation panel, said: "We look forward to welcoming volunteers to plant bluebells, snowdrops, wild garlic and daffodils on the banks. The flowers, all native to Britain, will bloom from February to May for all to enjoy."

Anyone who wants to take part in the project should meet in the Eastcote House gardens car park, in High Road, Eastcote, at 10am on October 31.

For more information call Mrs Crowcroft on 020 8866 8436.

For more information about CSV Make a Difference Day, which is now in its 14th year, go to www.csv.org.uk/difference or call 0800 284 533.

The ex offenders are from Blue Sky, a not-for-profit company set up to give paid work to people coming out of prison.

DEDICATED volunteers turned out for a morning of gardening to help restore a walled garden to its former glory.

The Friends of Eastcote House Gardening Group meet on the third Thursday of each month to work on renovating the Walled Garden in Eastcote House Gardens, High Road, Eastcote.

On Saturday (5) they held an extra session to encourage more volunteers to come along and help out.

Linda Laurie, a volunteer and member of the Eastcote Village Conservation Panel, said: "After a year of form filling, consultations, and essay writing we received a grant of £23,000 from Groundwork UK and the Big Lottery Fund to restore the garden.

"The bid for the grant was supported by many local voluntary organizations as well as local residents, and with their help the 'Friends of Eastcote House Gardens Management Advisory Group' was successful.

"We now have a busy year ahead to complete this project.

"All the work will be carried out by the Friends of Eastcote House Gardening Group and we will have extra community days on some Saturdays, so those working during the week will have a chance to join the restoration project.

"This work will take time, the garden will look worse before it gets better, but please be patient, we are not Groundforce. By next July when the launch event takes place there will be a garden fit for a Queen."

Development group Taylor Wimpey also donated £750 towards re-planting the rock garden outside the Walled Garden and Giles Hayward, the owner of Haste Hill Nurseries in Fore Street, Eastcote, has also volunteered his expertise and will source the plants for the rock garden.

Damien Searle from Green Spaces at Hillingdon Council provided refreshment and support on Saturday and the day was organised by Lesley Crowcroft, chairman of Eastcote Village Conservation Panel.

A LOVING uncle has decided to take on a gruelling 318-mile bike ride to raise money for Diabetes UK after finding out his niece had been diagnosed with the condition.

Gareth Meredith, of Lowlands Road, Eastcote, was left upset and shocked when he was told the news that his 12-year-old niece, Georgia Kilsby, had Type 1 diabetes.

Now he is determined to raise awareness of the condition and at the same time raise money for Diabetes UK by cycling from his home to Land's End in Cornwall.

The 24-year-old said: "When she first got diagnosed it was a bit of a shock because I always thought you got diabetes when you are older.

"I know people with diabetes so I know how hard it can be to keep it under control.

"I want to do this bike ride for her because it's nice to show a bit of support to make her see that it's not all bad."

Gareth already cycles to and from his jobs in Hammersmith and Battersea every day, so he is certainly not a novice.

He said: "I didn't want to pay to use public transport when I started working in London so I got out this ancient bike from my shed that I hadn't used for about 10 years.

"I bought a new bike a few months ago but it got stolen about three weeks after I bought it. I was not impressed in the slightest and now I've not got the cheapest bike I could get from Halfords."

Gareth is setting off on his trip on Wednesday (26) with his niece, his mum, Janie, and his sister, Suzie, following him in the car to keep him company at night when he has to camp out in a tent.

He is planning to complete the ride in five days and is hoping to raise £2,000.

He said: "I have never done anything like this before.

"I cycle about 120 miles a week anyway but this is going to an absolute beast. I know I'm going to struggle, but I'm just going to have to power through it."

Go to www.justgiving.com/garethmeredith to sponsor Gareth.

THE renovation of a historic walled garden is going well but more volunteers are need to help speed up the work.

The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens were awarded a grant of £24,000 for renovation of the walls and planting within The Walled Garden, in Field End Road/High Road, Eastcote.

The group of volunteers meet on the third Thursday of each month at 9.30am and to speed the work along they are holding an extra gardening session on September 5 between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

Refreshments and tools will be provided and volunteers should meet in the Eastcote House Gardens car park.

Call Lesley Crowcroft on 020 8866 8436 for more information.

A COMMUNITY centre helped to raise £1,500 for charity at a fête.

Eastcote Community Centre, in Oak Grove, Eastcote, held the fête on Saturday (18).

Half of the money raised will go towards Michael Sobell House, a hospice based at Mount Vernon Hospital in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, that provides palliative care to terminally ill patients.

The other half will go the Northwood and Pinner Community Unit at Mount Vernon Hospital.
One of the community centre's cleaners had excellent treatment at this unit before she died.