Sports talk

Save King George Hospital!

The Green Party will be holding a Protest on Barley Lane by the entrance to King George Hospital in response to the recent fit for the Future proposal set by the BHR trust. The protest will be held on the 21st November 2009 from 12:00 - 14:00. We would like people to come along and to bring banners and posters and chants that we can shout. If you would like to get involved in other ways please make contact.

The "Fit for the Future" proposal if successfully ratified - would see the demise of the existing A&E facility and would inevitably lead to the eradication of any hospital facility at Goodmayes.
Our protest against the proposal will focus on the following issues:

We believe the high density of Redbridge requires a hospital facility. The facility at Queens is very small and always full to capacity just as King Georges and Whipps Cross are. How could any reduction make sense?

the longer journey to accident and emergency service departments at Whipps Cross and Queens Hospital would increase fatality rates. A study of mortality rates (Emergency Medicine Journal) correlated against journey times to emergency services for fatal injuries concluded:

"Increased journey distance to hospital appears to be associated with increased risk of mortality. Our data suggest that a 10-km increase in straight-line distance is associated with around a 1% absolute increase in mortality"

http://emj.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/9/665

We believe that the large number of ethnic minorities in the area susceptible to conditions such as strokes, heart attacks and diabetes - makes it imperative that we should retain A&E facility locally.

We also believe that the local doctors that support the scheme may have a common form of employer bias and that doctors outside of the NHS should be consulted. Why not consult with the doctors at the local BUPA hospital...?

If anyone would like to get involved with organising the protest they can contact Wilson Chowdhry by calling 020 8514 0861 or by emailing wilson@aasecurity.co.uk

Kind regards

Wilson

Exceptional Person - just an average Joe really!

Click on images to enlarge

I was invited to attend an award ceremony at the Home Office for my work in the community. I was nominated as an "Exceptional Person" by a colleague and received my certificate at the main Home Office building at no.2 Marshams Street.

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The certificate was presented to me by Louise Casey Director General, Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Group -who formed the Justice Seen/Justice Done Programme and particularly the Community Crime Fighter scheme -under which I received the award.

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In the picture above you can see I cycled to both the Home Office and 10 Downing Street in an attempt to save on fuel costs and to promote the green agenda. If you look closely at the images, you can see that my skinny calves, reduced even further. If my hair looks rather tousled, it's because I had to reshape it after wearing a helmet on the long journey - me and my vanity...!

After the wonderful ceremony and reception at the Home Office Building a bus was arranged for a reception with Alan Johnson MP (Home Secretary) and Prime Minister Gordon Brown. They both thanked the 30 winners of an award and talked of future crime and justice plans.

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After the presentations, I queried with the Home secretary the existing scheduling arrangements of Safer Neighbourhood Teams. This currently involves a morning, afternoon and evening alternating shift pattern yet most serious antisocial crimes and acquisitive crimes occur after 12:00 which is after their curfew. He has stated this matter is being looked into and I am aware that through a protracted process, it is possible for sergeants to adopt later hours, where they are willing to be flexible.

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I also raised concerns about antisocial sports and described their impact on local communities. The Home Secretary believes that their is existing powers to deal with such situations and stated he would send me some information.

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I was very pleased with the award and will post pictures of the event on this blog - when available.

Talksport - Wilson requests action regarding antisocial football.

More graffiti!

I have reported this box found at the junction to Somerville Road/Inverclyde Gardens/A12. I am sure Russell Ward and his most excellent tam will remove this rapidly.

Reads Close Attack (nr Chapel Road) - Ilford is a dangerous place to live!

Wilson at the Police cordon next to Reads Close on Sunday!

On Saturday a man was attacked in what police are reporting as an act of "Grievous Bodily Harm" (GBH). He is currently in hospital fighting for his life and police are seeking any witnesses. The man was found just after 11pm and a 24 hour manned Police cordon (all weekend) surrounded the car park area and public convenience facility on the Chapel Road, Island (Reads Close was cordoned - not quite on Chapel Road as reported elsewhere). If anyone has any information please either contact us or Ilford Police station on 020 8478 3020.

More details can be found on the Ilford Recorder website.

Well done Isla!

You may remember a story earlier indicating Isla's concern with the height of placement of a low trees sign and the major overhang of trees that threatened the safety of pedestrians. In response to some media articles and communication with TFL. You wills see the sign has now been raised and the trees along Grove Road cut away!

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Isla is proving to be a very useful member of the Chadwell Team. If you meet with her, do say hello, she is a Chadwell resident from Shepherds Close and the NHW coordinator for her road.

More details on this succes can be viewed (here)

Graffiti Attack

Here is some graffiti I noticed on the wall to the left side at the entrance of Westfield Gardens, from Grove Road. I ahve reported it to the Street Scene Team.

A spiders tale!

I have noticed that a population of spiders is growing at a fantastic rate in our ward. Spiders of the variety shown in the images above were not visible in the ward until around 3 years ago. Now they seem to have proliferated throughout Chadwell. These images were taken at Sherman Gardens and I have noticed many around the Richmond Estate and the Putney Gardens area. I am wondering if anyone knows what breed they are and why we are now seeing so many...is it associated to our changing weather conditions or simply and accidental introduction...?

Please share your thoughts...?

The size of the spiders body is around 1 inch in length. Spooky ay!

Langham Drive/Lexden Graffiti and Bulky Waste!

The image above is not very clear, however if you click on it and enlarge it, you will see it has been vandalised with graffiti. I have reported the street name plate to the appropriate section of our council.

Here we have a green telecoms box covered in graffiti along Lexden Drive. I have reported it to Russell Ward and his street scene team.

Along Langham Drive opposite number 30, this mattress is causing a health and safety hazard...?!

The base of a bed in the image above is in the alleyway accessed via Langham Drive opposite no.24.

If you know or see any perpetrators of crimes such as these please do report them too me. I have reported the concerns to appropriate bodies for removal.

Community Crime Fighters - Thank You!

I was recently invited to the Barking and Dagenham "Community Crimefighters" Thank you meeting. This is due to my work over both borough's, in my role as prospective candidacy for councillor to Chadwell, in the forthcoming local elections. Such a role obviously requires me to address cross border issues.

The meeting went well and I met with local Magistrates and the Barking and Dagenham Community Safety Leader, whilst also meeting with several other leading local figures for the borough. I will continue to espouse good relationships with groups from LBBD in my inclusive approach to tackling our concerns for Chadwell.

I must say, I was very impressed with the new Barking Learning Centre which is designed economically, environmentally and with appropriate application of ergonomic design. I recommend a visit it is truly spectacular and useful.

Rewind Selecta!

Due to a technical hitch the Youth Bus moved location to the Car Park in the middle of the Millhaven Estate on Thursday - instead of Capstan Close. It was a successful event and many young people had responded to the letters sent out by the Green Party. This was particularly pleasing, as we have to justify the use of such a resource and local people have not let us down.

You will see an image of me trying to learn some DJ skills - I failed abysmally but many of the youngsters were very good.

The bus is to return to the same location every Thursday from 18:00 - 21:00 and is free to all young people from 11 - 21. However, I believe the specific target audience is 13-19 year olds.

The bus in addition to the DJ workshop includes; internet facility, gaming consoles, assistance with CV development and counselling services. It is an excellent opportunity for young people to develop new skills, friendships, local knowledge, maturity and simply to have fun.

3 detached youth workers are available throughout the event and they all have enhanced CRB checks.

Redbridge College - Meeting with the Deputy Principal.

I attended a very honest and frank meeting with a Mr Snailham the Deputy Principal of Redbridge College on Tuesday 27th October 2009. At the meeting Mr Snailham advised me of the real details of what transpired during the recent incident at the college.

The incident occurred after a minor skirmish involving 3 or 4 male students in the college. Mobile phone calls were made and within minutes a large group of youths with a number of weapons including a blade arrived - ready to instigate violence. In the incident a college student was injured and 6 arrests were made by the Police of which 5 boys from the group are to be tried for various criminal offences.

The reason that so many students were evacuated from the college was not due to the knife incident. For an unknown reason, the fire alarm had inadvertently been triggered and to date the college cannot identify the reason for the alarm ringing. If I was to speculate, it would seem that it was intentionally triggered as a ruse to find the victim, or to cause confusion for a quick getaway. Whatever the purpose, it did make dealing with the incident significantly more difficult for the college. The staff and students acted calmly in order to return to normal tackling both issue with confidence and professionalism. The police have been very positive about the Colleges input.

The College has been very co-operative with the local Police and have already signed up to the Redbridge Weapons Protocol devised by the Local Police for local schools (since September 2008). They even made some generic amendments to the contract to incorporate colleges and other establishments joining the scheme. They have instigated previous knife arch audits without any finds and will continue their membership to the scheme. I should reiterate, the weapons brought to the college site, were carried by external youths.

The college has made it their focus to return to a normal state and have been liaising with residents, parents and pupils alike to reassure them of safety within the college. It seems their reassurance have worked as Pupils have returned. The partnership with the Local Police who increased their visibility and their deterrent affect accordingly - should be praised and all thanks to Sgt Lowrie and his team. The deputy Principal praised the police for their efforts:

"The police response was rapid and provided an effective deterrent to any repaet incident. It was good to see local police engaging with youth"

Redbridge College has previously held a Gun and Knife Crime event and hold them bi-annually with another event planned for the Spring term

I have been asked to source information on a potential community event held by the College on the local green and hope soon to be able to assist them towards an event next year. The intent is to give something back to the local community and to enable the college students to gain experience in putting an event on. I will keep you all informed on progress.


Thank you

Wilson

Hope not Hate

Redbridge Residents are invited you to join "Hope not hate" in the Holocaust Memorial Garden at the southern corner of Valentines Park, Ilford at 10.45am on Sunday 8 November, Remembrance Sunday.

At 11am the community will stand in silence for two minutes to recall the sacrifices of all those who fell fighting Nazism, whether they served in the armed or the auxiliary services. We will also remember the millions of civilians who were murdered in the Nazi Holocaust and those who died at the hands of Hitler’s Japanese allies.

What more fitting place to gather than the memorial to the late Leon Greenman, our neighbour and friend, who lost his family in the Holocaust and survived the brutal death and concentration camp regimes.

Leon spent every day since the war bringing the story of those terrible years to children and others all over the country, under the slogan Never Again.

"We who stand against the hatred and intolerance of those in our country who have taken on the mantle of nazism and racism will reconfirm our commitment to use every bit of our strength to resist and fight back against these twin evils."

The event is being held under the twin auspices of the national HOPE not hate campaign and Redbridge and Epping Forest Together. It is hoped that people of all communities will join them on this day and commit themselves to the fight against racism and fascism.

If you would like to learn more about REFT and HOPE not hate’s work, please visit them at 7.30pm on Tuesday 27 October in the Churchill Room, Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, Wanstead E11 2RQ. The nearest tube station is Wanstead (Central Line) and several buses pass nearby.

East Thames Homes development delayed

The Grove Farm Project has been deferred while our Councillors undertake a site visit. It amazes me, how a planning application that was unanimously stopped in its initial phase -based on the immensity of the project and lack of local amenities - is now even being considered. The project is still 6 storeys high and the reduction from 136 dwellings to 104 Dwellings is still too little as the dwellings are a mixture of 4, 3 , 2 and 1 bedroom accommodations. Moreover, what exactly do the Councillors hope to achieve by their site visit...an opportunity to convince themselves that the scheme is feasible...?

This all sounds a little fishy to me.

I will represent the ward view at the next hearing of the application.

Learn more about the application (here)