Forum Topics

Automated Ealing Council...Grrr

Is it possible to speak to a human being or, are we blighted by the robotic voice of doom and gloom.  Press 1 for this, press 2 for that, press 3 etc.  If you have a query that requires speaking to something other than, it's getting on my T**s robot, would it be a miracle?  I'm sure it's Council policy to make our lives more difficult than is necessary, with this stupid automated service.Come on Ealing Council, wise up, there are times when the robot fails, (or should I say every time) to give the option to speak to a human.

Nikki Howard ● 4808d9 Comments ● 4806d

Archaeology in Gunnersbury Park!

Explore Archaeology! Free activity day at Gunnersbury Park and Museum Sunday 21 July 2013Archaeology in the park – all day Join the Museum of London Archaeologists for activities including geophysics workshops, site walks and an archaeology ‘treasure hunt’ around the park. Meet the archaeologists – all dayHandle 2000 year old artefacts and quiz our visiting archaeologists. Roman dress-ups - sessions at 11.15am, 1.15pm and 3.15pm.Bring history to life by dressing as a Roman legionary or Queen Boudicca.  Vicorian kitchens - sessions 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm.Experience life ‘below stairs’ in our original Victorian kitchens. Digging up the past – all day See what archaeological finds you can dig up in our sandpits.   No advance booking necessary, places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.               

Ellie Lewis-Nunes ● 4806d0 Comments ● 4806d

Join the Landscape Detectives at Gunnersbury 21 July

The Friends of Gunnersbury are contributing a map game as part of the Archaeology Day this coming Sunday (21 July, meet 12 noon outside the Museum. It provides a jolly opportunity to find the Gunnersbury Parks of the past. Around 350 years ago, Gunnersbury was owned by a lawyer, Sir John Maynard. And around 250 years ago it was owned by Princess Amelia, the daughter of the King. When Maynard or Amelia went for a stroll through their estates, what sort of grounds were they walking through? Were they full of trees, flowers, ponds and fruit? Did they live behind high walls? Or were there open lawns with distant views? One way to find out is to study the old maps and then to try to pin them onto today’s landscape. It’s hard work, but it might be possible. James Wisdom and I will lead this active event, using photocopies of historic maps to work our way around the park. It will be full of disagreements and discussions, because old maps are nowhere near as accurate as today’s GPS! But by the end, all the participants will have discovered something of the two earlier parks woven into today’s landscape.The exploration will last for about an hour, and we will do it even if it rains. Do join us!

Valerie Bott ● 4806d0 Comments ● 4806d

Moths galore past few weeks, anyone else affected/noticed?

It's probably the result of an unusual combination of weather events because I haven't experienced this ever before. For over two weeks now the house has had an inordinate number of moths flying around.They're average sized and hopefully not the ones which lay eggs whose larvae eat your cashmere etc! I think the cashmere eaters are quite a bit smaller?Anyway, anyone else affected???

Rosco White ● 4807d4 Comments ● 4806d

GARDEN DESIGN/RENOVATION

We have a very messy garden, mostly rubble and flag stones.  We need to transform it into a pleasant area with chippings an a few plants, can anyone suggest a gardener who could do this sort of thing?  We don't want Kew Gardens just something easy to manage.  Many thanks.

Natalie Mcdermott ● 4811d3 Comments ● 4807d

Enterprise Vehicles - too big for our roads?

Once again it is obvious that the vehicles used by Enterprise are far too big for these streets!This afternoon yet another tree has been damaged, one of the branches is now hanging down where it was broken by their truck! That is a beautiful tree when in blossom.I have reported this to Streetwatchers, but I guess nothing will happen as long as Enterprise are allowed to use such massive vehicles.The problem arises once the machine starts churning uo the contents, a huge area of the truck lifts up and outwards damaging anything in it's path.How many more trees will be broken before they do anything about it?

Jean F Fernandez ● 4807d7 Comments ● 4807d

Good ole Horn Lane Pollution back @ RED SEVEN, HIGHest in London after last Friday's visit.

RED SEVEN and HIGHEST in London on Monday 15 July 2013, 14:00 - 15:00 BSTBack to normal then, business as usual after the "Powers That Be" visit last Friday afternoon to an exceptionally cleaned up site.What a surprise.The next lowest reading in the entire London area is one site at Orange Five and the REST of London is only Green 2s & 3s.http://www.ealingair.org.uk/AirQuality/LatestReadings.aspx

Rosco White ● 4810d7 Comments ● 4807d

Kitchen fitter needed

My fitted upright freezer has chosen this heatwave to pack up. I need someone who will remove it and supply and fit a new one, reattaching the doors, which match the rest of the kitchen.Anyone able to recommend?Thanks.

Susan Kelly ● 4807d0 Comments ● 4807d

rubbish dump 

their  is a lot  of rubbish  on the corner  of meon road and  newton ave someone  left  3 black bags  now its 6 or 7 and someone  is adding  paint tins  have  reported it  also brouncker  road we have  lots  of black bags torn open food  on  the pavement near newton ave   the  roads ie brouncker ,newton,meon  good  do  with a good  deep  clean   we wish

John Kennedy ● 4808d1 Comments ● 4808d

What would you do if someone put a collar on your cat?

Hi Folks.Imagine that you don't have a collar on your cat ( for whatever reason)and the Cat comes home with a collar on.Would you take it off or leave it on?Reason i ask is that we are being visited by what we think is a stray cat.We put a collar on him thinking that most people would react like us and would remove it - thus indicating that he has a home.How would you react?Many thanksJamie

Jamie Carless ● 4814d13 Comments ● 4808d

The Green in Friary Road

Some months ago the Council spent a good deal of money making the green in Friary Road look good by planting flowers, shrubs, putting up a low fence, installing benches.  It looked lovely and was much sought after by residents.  Success, one might think!  However, some months later, the green is full of weeds and unkept.  What a wasteful Council we have.  Should be ashamed.When this project was proposed, many of us said there has to be a maintenance plan in place otherwise it would fall into disarray again.  "Told you so".  There is also a local gardener who lives very near the green who seems to use the green as a dumping space for left over earth and plants.  He has been reported.Hello?  Ealing Council, are you there?  We have a dump going on and you're neglectful.

Angela White ● 5175d33 Comments ● 4808d

Debbie Carmichael, Angela Jullings (White?) and Jill Williams: thank you!

A big 'thank you' to you three ladies for responding to my earlier post about my 100-mile bike ride in September - and your generous support and encouragement. I always try to send everyone who supports me a personal message to supplement the rather bland and impersonal default one sent out by the Just Giving site. But in order to do that I need email addresses - which you three have kept secret (very wise!). :0)But I really do value your support, so please accept this group hug from me!Paul x

Paul Higham ● 4811d1 Comments ● 4808d

THIRD AVENUE JOB CENTRE PLUS

The alarm started at 8.00 pm last night and was switched of at 7.00am this morning, how inconsiderate, to njot have a key holde to come down and switch the thing off last night, you can imagine sweltering hot, windows open and the $$$$$$ alarm going off all night. What bright spark thought it was a good idea to put this industrial unit in the middle of a residential area, the same person/persons in our council planning department who dose not live in the area. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR  rant over

Diana Oneill ● 4808d0 Comments ● 4808d

Spotted on Churchfield Road

Bowl of water outside Heart and Soul labelled 'dog cafe' Brilliant thinking on this hot day.

Maire Lowe ● 4809d1 Comments ● 4809d

Guy on bike looking in cars and vans

I was walking up Highlands Avenue and in front of me was a black guy on a bike. He didn't realise I was there at first and stopped and looked into the windows of a van and car. Once he saw me he cycled off.He was riding a smart black bike, wearing a black jacket and a black baseball cap with Nike written in red.Just wanted to warn people in the area.

Amanda Knights ● 4810d8 Comments ● 4809d

Internet trading standards

The Internet Connection Providers have a reputation of non-compliance with trading standards, and not meeting their stated terms and conditions. Typical tricks are to reduce the actual data rate if it is seen to be used, so that "unlimited" contracts are effectively limited by the increased time required, blocking connections deemed to be less important at certain times of the day, or supplying "HDTV" at half the frame rate.My ISP arranges bulk commercial contracts for customers, and for the last few years my connection has been through an "unlimited" o2 LLU. My modem has indicated a maximum attainable rate of around 15Mbps total (up + down) so my contract specifies 12Mbps. My downloads are mainly scheduled overnight, and have consistently matched the indicated speeds. Sky recently purchased o2 with the stated intention of maintaining existing contracts, but my actual connection rate has been switched down to 11Mbps, while my modem still reports the normal maximum attainable rate.

Chris Bell ● 4810d0 Comments ● 4810d

From John Freeman @ Ealing Council Re Crossrail and Horn Ln Bridge

Dear Miss Howard, Further to our meeting  last Friday I am raising the matter of the overweight vehicles using Horn Lane bridge with the Highways department.  I trust that you and also the resident from Emanuel Avenue who mentioned the same concern will be hearing from them shortly. I have received the details attached of a Crossrail Works Information Session that Network Rail are running for Acton residents this week.  Please feel free to circulate this to others who might be interested in attending.Kind regards. John Freeman Team Leader, Pollution Technical TeamRegulatory ServicesLondon Borough of Ealing14/16 Uxbridge RoadLondon W5 2HLTel: 020 8825 7226E-mail: freemanj@ealing.gov.ukTeam e-mail address: pollution-technical@ealing.gov.ukCrossrail Works: Acton YardResidents' Information SessionOver the summer we aim to complete the majority of the overhead line equipmentwork, meaning night time piling will stop for a few months. To do this we need to workover a few more week and weekend nights. We would therefore like to invite residentsto a drop-in session to find out more about our summer works.Representatives from Network Rail and Crossrail will be available to discuss plans andwhat we are doing to minimise the impact on the community.Thursday 18 July 2013, 2.30pm - 6pmSt Martin’s Church Hall, Hale Gardens, Acton, W3 9SQIf you have any queries, either before the event or at any time while this work istaking place, please call our dedicated helpline on 08457 11 41 41 or emailcrwest@networkrail.co.uk

Nikki Howard ● 4810d0 Comments ● 4810d

Disappointment for charitable teenagers as fundraising site steals all thier donations

William 14 and Fabrice 16 are cycling 3150 km from Budapest to Moulin in France via the Wasp rugby club in London to raise money for the French red cross and the Serge Betsen academy: both are paying for their own trip to ensure all the money raised goes to charity. A substantial part of the money raised so far is being held by www.charitygiving.co.ukthis company having not filed any returns since 2009, has been investigated in 2011and has only now just been suspended by the government in july 2013 www.charitycommission.gov.uk/news/charitygiving-website-suspendedAre all the efforts of two young boys being wasted because of fraud and government inaction? Who will tell them that all their cycling is pointless when they are half way to their target because someone has stolen the money they have raised for charity?Link to website for William and Fabrice http://www.enroutemousquetaires.com/maingb.phpAny publicity could help the boys and everyone following their trip online to avoid the disappointment at the finish line.Please contact me if you need or want any further detailsSusannahttps://twitter.com/cyclemusketeers

Susanna Schiller ● 4810d0 Comments ● 4810d

Childrens Bookshop wanted

Devastated to hear that the Lion and Unicorn children's bookshop in Richmond is the latest, brilliant independent bookshop to be forced to close after 31 years due to outrageous rent hikes. Surely thats the perfect addition to Churchfield Rd now. Campaign starts today!

Charlie Mawer ● 4812d7 Comments ● 4811d

Acton Central Police Ward Panel Meeting - Update July 2013

All,Please find on the home page (under the Community section), the latest minutes from our recent Acton Central Police Ward Panel.There are some interesting items in the update, such as local crime trends and the new local policing model.I've attached the link here:http://www.actonw3.com/default.asp?section=info&page=actpolicepaneljuly001.htmPlease take a moment to take a read through.Regards, Carl

Carl Tamboli ● 4811d0 Comments ● 4811d