Your magazine about life in Brent • Published by Brent Council
February / March • Issue 138
All you need to get fit this year How to be good at complaining Author Martina Cole challenges Brent Win tickets to see Jersey Boys
New Year, new career Exciting opportunities at the LDO
Brent
In this issue Happy New Year! It’s 2014: can you believe it? Another
Update 4
year has flown by and if you, like most, have over indulged and resolved to get fit then this is the issue for you.
Get better at complaining
First off, if you are over 40 then head to your local GP for a free health MOT (page 11). Your local doctor can give you a topto-toe assessment of your health and some tips on what sort of exercise is good for you. Then, to ease you in, why not start with a bit of walking? Brent runs some great free walking programmes in its parks (page 12) and we also have outdoor gym equipment and tennis courts if you fancy taking your training up a pace. To really get in shape drop into Vale Farm, which has had a major facelift. We are giving away a year’s membership (page 29) to a lucky reader. And, while you’re getting your body ship-shape don’t forget about the health of your finances. If you need any help with money management you can visit the new finance centre which recently opened in Brent (page 19).
Walk off your festive calories
This is my last issue of TBM as I am off to pastures new. I have thoroughly enjoyed putting the magazine together and hearing all your ideas and wish all of you the best.
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News from around the borough
9
Learn from a pro who wrote a book about it
12
And we’re giving away free pedometers
Martina’s toughest challenge
15
A programme bursting with fun stories and activities at Brent’s libraries
Fend off the sharks
19
12
A brand new centre to help you get your finances back on track
Start a new career
20
Job opportunities at the new designer outlet centre
A fair wage in Brent
23
Brent Council joins the Living Wage campaign
Give up smoking
25
It’s never too early or too late
Wembley’s Nigerian Village
27
20
West African nations’ 1924 exhibition
Five competitions
29
From theatre tickets to gym memberships
9 things you shouldn’t miss
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What’s going on in Brent this month
Orla Sedze, Editor The Brent Magazine
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www.facebook.com/BrentCouncil twitter.com/Brent_Council
One Stop Service 020 8937 1200 www.brent.gov.uk The Brent Magazine is available in large print and audio tape. Please call 020 8937 2700
Issue No. 138 January/February 2013 The Brent Magazine Contacts: Distribution queries and editorial: 020 8937 1062 tbm@brent.gov.uk Advertising: 020 8937 1076 advertising@brent.gov.uk Published by the London Borough of Brent, Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ
The London Borough of Brent does not accept responsibility for any goods or services offered by advertisers. Publication of an advertisement does not imply recommendation by the council of goods or services advertised. Printed on 100% recycled paper. Please use your local paper bank when disposing of this magazine and other paper. Cover photo: Kit Oates
update
More GP appointments in Brent Additional afternoon, evening and weekend GP and nurse appointments have been introduced by NHS Brent’s Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in response to patient demand. If you call your own GP practice and can’t get an appointment you will be offered an appointment at a practice in your area that offers this service. Appointments can be booked up to two weeks in advance. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 3pm to 9pm, and Saturday 9am to 9pm at: • Harness Wembley Practice/Harness Harlesden Practice • Staverton Surgery/Kilburn Park Medical Centre • The Burnley Surgery, Willesden Centre for Health and Care • Chalkhill Surgery • Integrated Health CIC, Sudbury Primary Care Centre.
Smartwater is coming to Harlesden Harlesden is to become a no-go area for burglars thanks to an invisible, anti-theft marking solution called SmartWater, which will be painted onto property and artefacts and will leave an indelible mark on anyone attempting to steal it. So far, SmartWater has been used widely in both the Stonebridge and Church Road areas, which has led to an 86 per cent reduction in burglaries.
Last call for conference Brent Parent Special Education Needs Conference takes place at Brent Civic Centre on 29 January from 9am to 2.30pm. Disability consultant Brian Lamb OBE will speak and there will be a Q&A with head teachers, education and health professionals as well as information about a new parents’ forum and stalls. To book call 020 8937 4901 or email robert.smith@brent.gov.uk
Full council webcast You can watch and comment on the next Full Council meeting on 20 January when it’s streamed live on Brent Council’s website at www.brent.gov.uk/ democracy.
A criminal caught by SmartWater in Brent
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It starts from 7pm and you can have your say by Tweeting @Brent_Council using the hashtag #BrentLive and your Tweets will be published alongside the live broadcast.
update
Week of Action in Willesden Green A Week of Action led by Brent Council and supported by Brent Police, fire brigade and voluntary organisations tackled issues important to people in Willesden Green. The week in November 2013 saw improvements taking place in the ward such as tackling graffiti, litter and fly poster removal as well as offering advice on safety, property crime and health. Brent Council officers from Trading Standards and the Food Safety Team carried out checks on some shops in the area. Organisations such as Brent Neighbourhood Watch were out in Willesden that week offering advice to residents. Brent Council officers, police and councillors meet residents at the Community Awareness Day organised for the Week of Action
View from the top In 2014, we will get Brent building again. As we return from the winter break, Brent Council is entering the final stages of our budget setting process for 2014/15. I know that these are tough times for many in Brent. Helping out at a South Kilburn food bank over Christmas, I met countless working parents struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes. Yet even as rising food and energy bills, rents and transport fares continue to squeeze family budgets, unprecedented government funding cuts are forcing the council to make changes to the frontline services which local people rely on daily. It’s clear that there are difficult decisions ahead, but I am determined that this will be a budget to create jobs, fuel growth and help our borough emerge from these tough times fighting. That’s why I’m proposing that next year’s budget include a £100 million building and expansion programme to deliver more school places for
Brent children, and a housebuilding plan on a scale our borough has not seen in generations. Across London, we face nothing short of a housing crisis. Last year Brent built 650 new homes, almost 500 of which are affordable housing, but we will need to build many more in the years to come. I’m proud that 1,000 new affordable homes are currently under construction in Brent the second highest number of any London borough. I know that by working together as a community we can forge a brighter, fairer and more prosperous future for everyone in our borough. We are clear in our resolve. In 2014, we will get Brent building again.
Cllr Muhammed Butt Leader of Brent Council
Go bananas for Fairtrade Fortnight Brent Fairtrade Network wants your banana ideas for celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight from 24 February to 9 March 2014. The network will promote Fairtrade with a banana theme because last year more than three billion bananas were eaten in Britain but only one billion were Fairtrade. Proposals include films, baking banana bread, blowing up plastic bananas outside supermarkets and even synchronised banana eating, but they want your ideas. The average price of a banana here is 11p, but little of the profits go to the producers. Email ideas to robisharp@googlemail.com or post at the network’s Facebook page.
Brent Fairtrade Network members
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UPdate
Consultation on licenses for landlords
Brent Council is consulting on proposals for a big expansion of its private rented sector licensing scheme for landlords. The council is proposing that all private rented sector landlords would need a licence if they let properties in Harlesden, Wembley Central and Willesden Green. Landlords who rent out houses to three tenants or more elsewhere in the borough would also need a licence. The affected landlords would need to meet minimum standards for the condition and management of their properties, resulting in significant improvements. Brent has more than 35,000 privately-rented properties, which play an important role in providing housing for many residents in the borough. Much of it is good housing, but some is poor quality and blighted by anti-social behaviour and overcrowding. The council wants to work with landlords to help them provide a high-quality service to residents and to address poor management. Brent Council wants to hear the views of landlords, tenants and residents about the proposals. Email PRSlicensing@brent.gov.uk or visit www.brent.gov.uk/consultation before 28 February 2014.
Find out what’s running at Vale Farm Sports Centre
Do you know someone who doesn’t get TBM?
Your magazi ne about
Vale Farm Sports Centre now offers the best in gym and sports equipment for those of you who want to get fit in the New Year. The new extended gym at the sports centre in Wembley is now open and features Power Plate machines, interactive Trixter Xdream bikes and Watt Bikes – ideal for anyone wanting to improve their cycling technique. The centre is also sporting a new dance studio and will soon have a new indoor cycling studio with 18 new Keiser bikes where
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there will be over 50 classes running per week. The sports centre operator Everyone Active is running some great membership offers in January. The new gym is part of £1.7 million of investment made by Everyone Active. The centre is offering free football sessions on Saturday nights for any Brent youngster aged 13 to 18. No booking is required for the sessions from 8-10pm – just turn up at the 3G Pitch. Visit www.everyoneactive. com/valefarm or call 020 8908 6545.
january / february 2014
• Published
by Brent Council February / March
• Issue 138
All you need get fit this to year How to be good at compla ining Author Martin a Cole challenges Brent Win tickets to see Jersey Boys
The TBM team dedicate a lot of time to putting together a great magazine and we want to make sure it’s getting to you. That’s why we’re calling on our readers to let us know if you or your neighbours are not getting each issue or if you find any magazines that have been poorly delivered or dumped. This issue of the magazine should have reached all homes by 22 January, so if you know someone who hasn’t had theirs email tbm@brent.gov.uk with the subject heading ‘distribution’ or call 020 8937 1062. Liz editv2.indd
Cllr Roxanne Mashari, Mark Leahy from Everyone Active and staff at the centre
life in Brent
New Year , new care er
Exciting opp ortunities at the LDO
Brent
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08/01/2014
14:16:16
New laws mean TBM will now be produced quarterly. Your next issue will come out in April.
Sky’s the limit for Brent cyclists Two Brent schools have won Team GB cycling suits worn at the London 2012 Olympics thanks to their involvement in British Cycling’s Sky Ride Local programme. St Joseph’s and Oakington Manor primary pupils have been involved with the Bike It scheme, which encourages pupils, staff
and parents to cycle more at school. They took part in the Sky Ride campaign, which has seen thousands of residents jump on their bikes to join Sky Ride Local rides this year, led by trained ride leaders. Visit www.goskyride.com to get involved.
Councillor Muhammed Butt and pupils from the two schools
UPdate
Brent prosecutes fly-tipping company A company whose employees repeatedly dumped bags of rubbish from two restaurants onto the street have been fined £800 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharges of £1,700 after a successful prosecution for flytipping by Brent Council. Muciano Ltd., which runs two restaurants in Willesden called Mezzoroma, pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court on 3 December 2013 to three offences of fly-tipping under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The prosecution of the company comes as Brent Council steps up its campaign to investigate and prosecute fly-tippers. Councillor Roxanne Mashari, Lead Member for Environment and Neighbourhood Services, said: “This prosecution is a warning to other businesses and traders that they cannot get away with fly-tipping rubbish onto our streets and that they are responsible for their employees’ behaviour.” To report fly-tipping visit www.brent.gov.uk/flytipping
Wembley Park’s new homes Construction of 475 new homes next door to Brent’s Civic Centre got the green light from the council in December with the developer Quintain poised to start work this summer and complete by 2016.
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence.
Youparking could face a £50,000 fine cheaper Cashless is 50p or up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
Cashless on-street parking paid through RingGo is now 50p cheaper than paying with coins. On-street parking charges are now: 15 minutes for 20p (coins Brent or cashless); 30www.brent.gov.uk/fl minutes for £1; 1ytipping hour for £2; 2 hours for £4; 3 hours for £6 and 4 hours for £8. A charge of 50p is made for paying by coins to all tariffs beyond 15 minutes. Motorists can register with RingGo at www.myRingGo. co.uk/register or get apps for iPhone, Android, Blackberry 10 or Windows handsets. For those without a smartphone, you can still pay without coins by calling RingGo on 020 3046 0010 or by logging on to RingGo’s website through your computer. Brent-FlytippingTBM.indd 1
10/12/2013 13:25
New health centre for South Kilburn A high-quality health centre will be built in South Kilburn offering improved health services for more than 10,000 patients and premises for three
local GP practices. The centre in Peel Precinct will be built alongside 36 affordable homes for local council tenants and homes for market sale as part of South Kilburn’s regeneration. It will house Blessing Medical Centre, Kilburn Park Medical Centre and Peel Precinct Surgery, and will also have a pharmacy and café.
RingGo’s John Wheeley and Cllr Jim Moher try the RingGo app
New look for park Bramshill Road open space in Harlesden will be transformed with £100,000 funding. The run-down area off Minet Avenue will be regenerated to create a new green space for residents including a children’s activity trail, food-growing area, and improved biodiversity with areas of wildflower grass, fruit trees and bird boxes.
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Adoption information evening on Thursday 6 February from 5.45pm at Brent Civic Centre. Call on 020 8937 4525 or email adoption@brent.gov.uk to book your place
We are
Family Come on everybody and see
953TBM137Ad pages.qxp
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You can change a child’s life call 020 8937 4525 www.brent.gov.uk/adoption
adopt Brent
brent people
The fine art of complaining Crowned the ‘Queen of Complaints’ by the Daily Mail, Brent resident and author Ingrid Stone is on a mission to share with the nation her lighthearted, witty yet highly successful approach to complaining.
Having penned her first letter of complaint at the age of eight, Ingrid has mastered the art of ‘fine whining’ so well, she has turned her funny yet frank letters into a book. Ingrid, how did you become a seasoned complainer? I wrote my first letter of complaint when I visited a fair with my grandparents and won a grubby toy that I was not happy about. Then, in my 20s, I started writing letters of complaint for my boss. People kept saying how good they were and asked me to write their letters for them too, which I posted on a blog.
Author Ingrid Stone
Do you encourage people to complain? Yes! It’s your money and it’s imperative that if you have paid for something you get it. It’s also good for businesses to know where they are going wrong. But I believe very strongly in being polite and respectful.
In your book you refer to the fine art of complaining. What do you mean? There’s craftsmanship in putting a good letter together; it’s an art to complain with humour and lightheartedness. Writing a good letter will help you to communicate with the reader, your letter will stand out and it’s more likely that you will get a positive response. What are your top tips for composing a complaints letter? Don’t forget that you paid money for something. Direct your complaints to the person at the top. Be polite. Have a little fun where possible; light humour rather than aggression is key. To buy a copy of Ingrid’s book visit www.thepennibpress.com
Free stuff Ingrid has got: £300 of Selfridges vouchers, A3 Jiffy bag full of various Pilot pens, six complimentary return British Airways Club Europe tickets, 4 x £1 Weetabix vouchers, personal shopper experience and £100 to spend on clothes at Debenhams, a cheque for £350 to cover the cost of a Sony repair bill, £25 credit on her mother’s BT account. For the full list visit www.lettersofadissatisfiedwoman.com
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r a e Y w e N New You! Brent offers a wide range of healthy activities for all ages and abilities to help you kickstart the new year. It’s a great way to meet people, make friends and get more active! Improve your skills or learn a brand new one. There are activites all year round. Visit our website to find out what you can do in your area, or call 020 8937 3707.
• 3 sports centres across Brent • Indoor and outdoor facilities • Swimming pools (60+ and under 5s, disabled and under 16s in the school holidays swim for free!) • Football pitches, tennis courts, multi-use games areas, netball courts, bowling greens, outdoor gyms and cricket pitches • Courses or pay-as-you-go • Discount scheme for frequent users
etball k s a B y r e h c r otball A riding Bowls o F g in m im Zumba Sw ncing Netball Horse Walking And more! Ballroom daerobics Boxing Tennis Yoga 50+ A
www.brent.g
ov.uk/sports
New Year’s health drive
The over-40s are being urged to mark the start of 2014 by making a resolution to check in with their doctor for a health MOT.
New Year’s health drive All 67 GP practices in Brent are offering a free Health Check Programme, which aims to prevent conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension and vascular dementia. Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 who have not had check-ups in the past five years or have been diagnosed with a pre-existing condition should expect to get a letter from their doctor inviting them along. The check includes measuring body mass index (BMI), taking blood pressure and pulse, conducting risk assessments for alcohol, diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease and blood tests for cholesterol. People who are identified with high risk factors are given support and advice and referred to specialist programmes like Stop Smoking Services, Moving Away from Diabetes (MAP) and weight loss organisations. Ibrahim Khan, Brent Council’s Public Health Programmes Manager, said: “Since the start of the programme in 2010, over 60,000 Brent residents have been invited for a health check by their GP and just under 30,000 have completed one. Uptake is close to 50 per cent, which is very encouraging and higher than London and
England averages. It’s a highly effective preventative scheme which has helped doctors to diagnose and treat 450 new cases of diabetes and over 1,000 additional cases of hypertension.” Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently the leading cause of premature death and disability in the borough, with deaths from the condition slightly higher than expected. But there are considerable variations between wards, ranging from Willesden Green recording much more deaths than expected, to areas such as Preston, where the figures are significantly lower than the national average. Brent also has higher rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus compared to London and England averages. Dr Arun Notaney, from the Premier Medical Centre in Wembley, said the programme meant that clinicians could pick up on conditions earlier: “We are seeing things like hypertension and pre-diabetes at a preventative stage, rather than a reactive stage. It’s a bit like having an MOT, just to make sure that everything is running as it should be.” Get in touch with your GP if you haven’t already been contacted about receiving a free health check.
The over-40s are being urged to mark the start of 2014 by making a resolution to check in with their doctor for a free health MOT. Dr Arun Notaney and patient Ijaz Khawaja at the Wembley Health Centre.
“It’s a highly effective preventative scheme which has helped doctors to diagnose and treat 450 new cases of diabetes and over 1,000 additional cases of hypertension.”
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GP practices in Brent are offering a free health check programme
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Walk this way
Tamara Daitanagiotis is living proof of the power of a daily walk.
Despite being diagnosed with arthritis in her 30s, the active 60-year-old now works as an aerobics instructor and says that regular walking has helped to control her condition. Tamara was training to be a yoga teacher in 1983 when her diagnosis derailed her plans. Even then, she was walking for an hour and a half in total every day, to and from work. After that, she got up early regularly to walk for an hour around Gladstone Park before work. She then volunteered to be a walk leader for Brent Council. Now she works with people at risk of developing diabetes, encouraging them to take regular exercise, such as walking. Tamara said: “Walking is one of the best things that ever happened to me. The body is like a car, if you leave it in a garage it seizes up. If you are active, it helps you recover. Keeping myself fit and active has helped me to be in a comfortable place with my arthritis. “Walking can transform your life. It is a low impact aerobic exercise which strengthens your muscles, helps you relax, lowers your blood pressure and releases hormones, making you feel good. “The heart is a muscle. If you don’t use it, it will become weak. Get exercise every day and it will grow strong.” Tamara is not alone in singing the praises of walking – experts agree that it can help to ward off chronic illness. An average person walking quickly for 30 minutes can burn off the equivalent of a jam doughnut or three Jaffa cakes in calories.
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Tamara Daitanagiotis (on the right) with Walk Leader colleague
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free outdoor gyms in Brent
Free walks
“The free walks programme is a brilliant opportunity to get out there. You can do it in a group and make friends. You don’t have to be alone.”
If you fancy walking but are hesitant about taking that first step, then Brent Council’s healthy walks programme provides the ideal solution. There are nine friendly, free walks happening every week in parks near you. They are led by guides but you can go at your own pace. There’s no need to book, just turn up. Tamara said: “The free walks programme is a brilliant opportunity to get out there. You can do it in a group and make friends. You don’t have to be alone. “This isn’t about looking like Jennifer Lopez – it’s about keeping your mind fresh and when your mind is fresh, your body feels better.”
Move more Want to improve your fitness this year but don’t want to spend hours down the gym? Then all you need to do is move more – sitting down all the time is really bad for your health. There are lots of easy, fun ways to be more active that don’t cost a fortune. The key is to include some activity in your daily routine – try to work up to about 150 minutes a week in total eventually. Set goals for yourself.
FREE!
Count the steps We have 50 free pedometers to give away so you can count the steps you walk every day and see how easily they all add up. Set yourself a daily challenge. Contact healthyliving@ brent.gov.uk (Offer limited to one per household only. The pedometer pictured is for illustrational purpose only. The actual model may differ)
Try some of these: • take the stairs at work instead of using the lift • get off the bus or Tube a stop early and walk the rest of the way • walk to the shops instead of driving • go for a lunchtime walk at work instead of sitting at your desk • take up an active hobby – like gardening, DIY or dancing • meet a friend in the park and walk together to a café • take the kids to the park to play. If you do feel more energetic, the council has lots of free and affordable activities on offer, such as: • free outdoor gyms in six parks • free tennis for over 60s and young people in our parks • children, people with disabilities and the over 60s can swim for free at council leisure centres. Search for these activities and more at www.brent.gov.uk/activityfinder or call Brent Sports Service on 020 8937 3707.
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Your quarterly guide to what’s on in Brent Libraries
Spring 2014
Martina’s mission Are you up for a book challenge this year?
PLUS: Get healthy in the New Year Author talks Writing and film Careers advice in your library
www.brent.gov.uk/libraries
No more book fines! There are now no fines for overdue books and audio books for library members aged aged 12 to 17. So there’s more reasons to study and read in Brent’s libraries.
Brent Libraries: On your side If you want to job search, polish up your CV or access information and ebooks online for free then Brent’s libraries are here to help. National Careers Service advice
Emagazines
The National Careers Service offers careers and skills advice to fit your individual needs including advice on CVs, funding, interview and presentation skills and understanding the job market. You can meet Sandip and Taha from the National Careers Service at Brent’s libraries and get more advice about jobs and careers. Harlesden Library Plus Tuesdays 1-3pm; Wembley Library Wednesdays 1-3pm; Ealing Road Library Fridays 10.30-12noon
www.brent.gov.uk/libraries has 41 top magazines for you to read for free including Hello! and Esquire. The format is compatible with iPhones, iPads, Windows and other new tablets. Remembering the Holocaust
Have a pulse? Get moving! Learn about why it’s important to get moving and the consequences of not getting enough physical activity. Find out about ideas to get started and learn about the facilities and activities in Brent. Wembley Library 17 January 2.30-3.30pm
Write Here In… Wembley Spread The Word return for a free and fun creative writing workshop, which allows you to explore Wembley imaginatively. No experience of creative writing needed. To book your place visit www.spreadtheword.org.uk or call 020 8692 0231 x 249. Wembley Library 4 February 6-7.45pm.
What’s in stock? Brent’s libraries always have new books and eReader titles in stock – and they’re all free to borrow or download. There will be titles to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2014 in all libraries; books to mark Martin Luther King Day at Harlesden Library; Alice Munro’s novels at Wembley Library; Red House Children’s Book Award titles at all libraries and the titles on the Costa awards shortlist will be there for you to borrow at Wembley and Kilburn. In February 2014 look out for titles on dyslexia and romance.
Get healthy with Brent libraries’ adult health workshops
Brent Libraries Online Are you interested in family history? Billions of records including census data, births, marriages and deaths, military records and photos are available at www.ancestry.co.uk. Brent Library members can use this excellent resource for free on library computers.
Want to know more about healthy eating? Pick up information at a stall during National Obesity Week, 13-19 January. Wembley Library 13 January 11-12noon, 3-4pm Get with the programme! Healthy eating - Learn about a balanced diet and get practical tips for weight loss. Find out how to read food labels and share healthy food ideas. Wembley Library 15 January 2.30-3.30pm
Weight, diabetes and heart disease Nutritionist Reshma Patel explains how healthy eating can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and how to measure your body mass index. Kilburn Library 7 February 2-3pm Writing workshops for mental health Performance poet Neal Zetter leads creative writing workshops for people with mental health issues to express themselves by developing their writing, reading and performance skills. They will use objects, photos, books and artefacts to stimulate the imagination and the creative thought process. Visit www.brent.gov.uk/ libraries for more. This programme is funded by Brent Council’s Ward Working.
Are you up for a challenge? Thriller writer Martina Cole is an ambassador for this year’s Six Book Challenge, which starts again in Brent’s libraries on 13 January. The challenge is to finish six reads – books, poems, articles and digital text all count – and record it in a diary. There’s plenty of prizes to win. If you haven’t read for a while, Martina’s books are perfect. Visit www.brent.gov.uk/ libraries for more.
Wartime Europe talk
Bollywood films
Writer Akin Shenbanjo tells the story of how people of African descent were persecuted in Nazi Germany and the experience of colonial troops in Allied armies. Wembley Library 30 January 6.30-7.30pm
A Bollywood film club starts in the new year with films such as ‘The Brave Hearted Will Take Away the Bride’ and ‘Krrish 3’. All welcome. Ealing Road Library Sundays 16 and 23 February 12.30-2.30pm
Dyslexia: the facts Speech and language specialist Irene Kyffin tells you everything you need to know about dyslexia, from diagnosis to understanding the condition. Wembley Library 18 February 2.30-4pm; Harlesden Library Plus 20 February 2.30-4pm
Mittens Finds a New Home Join local author Sepideh Arkani for the launch of her illustrated children’s picture book about the adventures of a suburban cat and her owner Mrs Rowen. Wembley Library 21 February 2.30-4pm
British-Afghan Women Afghan Women’s Narratives have recorded the experiences of Afghan women in British society. Discover more about their story. Wembley Library Documentary screening 19 February 6.30-7.45pm, exhibition 14-28 February
Embroidery workshop Join the Pins and Needles Embroidery Group for this embroidery class for adults. Wembley Library 26 January 1.30-3.30pm
Children’s half-term activities 15 February Make your own butterflies 2.30-3.30pm Harlesden Library Plus BLAM! comic workshop* 11am-12.30pm Kingsbury Library Plus 2.30-4pm Wembley Library Fairytale twists 2.30-4pm Kingsbury Library Plus
16 February Make your own butterflies 3-4pm Harlesden Library Plus Film Club: The Brave Hearted Will Take Away the Bride 12.30-2.30pm Ealing Road Library Fairytale twists 3-4pm Kingsbury Library Plus
17 February Make your own butterflies 2.30-3.30pm Kilburn Library Make stained glass windows 2.30pm-4pm Wembley Library
18 February Make your own spring crown 2.30-3.30pm Willesden Green Library at the Lewinson Centre Make your own butterflies 2.30-3.30pm, 2.30-4pm Ealing Road, Kingsbury Library Plus
Make stained glass windows 2.30-4pm Harlesden Library Plus
19 February Love-bugs** 11am-1pm Wembley Library 2.30-4.30pm Harlesden Library Plus Make stained glass windows 2.30-4pm Ealing Road Library
20 February Fairytale twists 2.30-4pm Wembley Library Make stained glass windows 2.30-4pm Kingsbury Library Plus
21 February Love-bugs** 11am-1pm Kingsbury Library Plus 2.30-4.30pm Kilburn Library Make your own butterflies 2.30-3.30pm Ealing Road Library, Harlesden Library Plus
22 February Love-bugs* 11am-1pm Ealing Road Library 2.30-4.30pm Green Library at the Lewinson Centre Make your own spring crown 2.30-3.30pm Kingsbury Library Plus
23 February Film Club: Krrish 3 12.30-2.30pm Ealing Road Library Make your own spring crown 3-4pm Kingsbury Library Plus
Spring craft workshops 5 April Create an Easter flower 3-4pm Harlesden Library Plus 8 April Create an Easter flower 2.30-3.30pm Kilburn Library 10 April Cityread 2014 Heritage Workshop 2.30-4pm Wembley Library 11 April Bug bouquet holder 2.30-3.30pm Willesden Green Library at the Lewinson Centre 14 April Make an Easter card 2.30-3.30pm Kilburn Library 15 April Cityread 2014 Heritage Workshop 2.30-4pm Harlesden Library Plus 17 April Cityread 2014 Heritage Workshop 2.30-4pm Kingsbury Library Plus 18 April Make an Easter card 2.30-3.30pm Willesden Green Library at the Lewinson Centre *Every Saturday from 15 February to 29 March. For children and young people aged 8-16. Funded by Brent Council’s Ward Working. ** Family learning is organised by BACES. Children must be over 5 and with an adult. Book one week ahead.
World Book Day 6 March Book launch Robin Walker launches his new book ‘Everyday Life in an early West African Empire’ detailing the ancient societies of West Africa. Wembley Library 6.30-8pm World Book Day for invited school classes. Contact Wembley library to book. Stories from Africa Enjoy fun and interactive drama activities including role play and tableaux to explore two stories ‘How Anansi became King of all the Stories’ and ‘How the Zebra got his Stripes’. For primary school children aged 5-11. Brent Civic Centre foyer 10.30-11.30am
READING GROUPS Reading groups are an exciting and sociable way to discover more about books and get to know more people. Kilburn Library Reading Group 3rd Thursday of month 6.45-7.45pm Kingsbury Library Plus Reading Group 1 Last Thursday of month 6.30-7.30pm Kingsbury Library Plus Reading Group 2 2nd Friday of month 11am-12noon Wembley Library Reading Group Last Thursday of month 6.30-7.30pm Harlesden Library Plus Reading Group 2nd Tuesday of month 6.30-7.30pm BACES reading class Tuesdays 1-2pm Willesden Green Library Book Circle Reading Group Last Tuesday of month 6.30-7.45pm Gujarati Reading Group 1st Saturday of month 2.30-4.30pm Tamil Reading Group Last Saturday of month 2.30-4.30pm Willesden Green Reading Group 2nd Sunday of month 2.30-4pm SOCIAL GROUPS
Quest for Roald Dahl Discover and explore the story, characters and setting of one of Roald Dahl’s best books. The children act out different characters, visit different locations in the story and go on an exciting journey through the world of James and the Giant Peach. 1.30-2.30pm. For primary school children aged 5-11.
Events for April Cityread 2014 1-30 April Louisa Young’s First World War novel ‘My Dear I Wanted to Tell You’ is the title for Cityread London, while ‘Private Peaceful’ by Michael Morpurgo will be the children’s book.
Silver Surfers: IT for older people Willesden Green Library Mondays 3-5pm IT for beginners Harlesden Library Plus Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays Saturdays 11am-12pm English Conversation Classes Ealing Road Library Wednesdays & Fridays 10.30am-12.30pm Kingsbury Library Plus Mondays & Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm Kilburn Library Fridays 10.30am-12.30pm Wembley Library Mondays 10.30am-12.30pm Willesden Green Library Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm, Fridays 12.30-2.30pm
Homework Clubs For children in Brent aged 8 to 14. Free and no booking required. Children and parents can turn up on the day. Term-time only. Wembley Library Mondays 3.30-5.30pm Kilburn Library Tuesdays 3.30-5:30pm World Book Night 2014: 23 April Kingsbury Library Plus Wednesdays Put this date in your diary – inspire others to fall in love with reading and join in with a 3.30-5.30pm Willesden Green Library Thursdays community celebration. Shakespeare’s Birthday On the same day 3.30-5.30pm (ages 4-6), 3.30-5.30pm (7+) you can enjoy the Bard’s birthday with pop- Harlesden Library Plus Fridays 3.30-5.30pm (ages 4-6), 3.30-5.30pm (7+) up Shakespearean theatre and more. Ealing Road Library Saturdays 10.30amWembley Library 23 April 12.30pm WW1 novels Discover more novels exploring the wartime experience. Kingsbury Library Plus 24 April 2-3pm Kilburn Library 29 April 2-3pm
Libraries at Home Do you or a loved one have difficulty getting out and cannot visit a library? Brent Libraries will deliver books, CDs and DVDs to your door every month! Call 020 8937 3460 for more information.
BRENT’S LIBRARIES Brent’s six libraries are open seven days a week. For exact opening times please visit www.brent.gov.uk/libraries Ealing Road Library Coronet Parade, Ealing Road, Wembley HA0 4BA 020 8937 3560 Harlesden Library Plus Craven Park Road, Harlesden NW10 8SE 020 8937 3570 Kilburn Library 42 Salusbury Road, Kilburn NW6 6NN 020 8937 3530 Kingsbury Library Plus 522-524 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury NW9 9HE 020 8937 3520 Wembley Library Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ 020 8937 3500 Willesden Green Library at the Lewinson Centre (children’s services) 165 -167 High Road Willesden NW10 2SG 020 8937 3405 Willesden Green Library at George Furness House (adults’ services) 2-12 Grange Road Willesden NW10 2QY 020 8937 3403
Brent Libraries www.brent.gov.uk/libraries www.twitter.com/brentlibraries
Get your finances in shape The rise in controversial payday loan companies has prompted a Kilburn community group to set up a new financial health centre for residents. The Kilburn Fair Credit Campaign is behind the venture and aims to offer a responsible alternative to high interest lenders as well as broader money management advice for people who are struggling to make ends meet. Jacky Peacock from Advice4Renters, one of the organisations involved in the initiative, along with the Somali Cultural Centre, Neighbourhood Watch and Kilburn Village Residents’ Association, said: “We’ve based our centre along the Kilburn High Road because there are 14 high interest lenders there and we wanted to offer an alternative service. Obviously local people are using these lenders and we felt we had to do something to address the problem. “We talk to people in detail about their financial situation and whether they actually need a loan. It’s all about helping someone to understand where their money is going and what they have coming in. For some people, being able to get support with drawing up a basic budget is a step in the right direction which could prevent them from getting into debt.” Trained volunteers offer help in accessing Credit Union savings and loans and talk through options with those in debt. Referral arrangements are in place for people who need specialist debt advice. Councillor James Denselow, Lead Member for Customers and Citizens,
said: “I’m proud to see these community volunteers helping to protect neighbours from payday lenders who exploit people when they are at their lowest ebb. This centre is a relief for residents with money worries, particularly in an area where such lenders are rife and unwelcome.” In November, the government announced it would be introducing legislation to limit the cost of payday loans by capping interest rates and fees. At the moment charges can exceed 4,000 per cent and there have been growing
Volunteers Phil Oman, Jenni Goodfellow and AJ outside the Kilburn Financial Health Centre
calls for tougher controls on the way some lenders operate. Brent Council is also taking action and has enlisted the support of a specialist team from Birmingham Trading Standards to investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders operating in the borough. The Kilburn Financial Health Centre is open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday. No appointments necessary. www.kilburnfcc.org.uk
Payday loan charges can exceed
4,000%
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Designer jobs for locals
It’s only been open a few months but the London Designer Outlet, or LDO for those in the know, has already made a big impression and not just in the fashion and food stakes. Words by Nancy Ludwig. Photography by Kit Oates.
Thanks to an employment drive developed by the council’s Employment and Enterprise team, Wembley Works, some 275 Brent residents have bagged themselves jobs there. This impressive figure looks set to rise once all of the shops, bars and cafés are open for business come the spring. Brent’s Employment & Enterprise service manager Kamini Sanghani explains how it works:
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“Wembley Works is a simple idea. We’ve collaborated closely with Quintain, the developers of Wembley City and Realm, who manage the outlet, to broker a deal with LDO employers to give guaranteed interviews to any resident put forward by us. “We’ve also developed a strong partnership with Jobcentre Plus, the College of North West London, BACES – the council’s own adult skills provider
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– and over 30 community and voluntary sector organisations across Brent to match people to these roles. “We hold assessment days here at our offices, then we allow employers to use our interview rooms for their own recruitment. “Candidates who aren’t successful at our screening are offered training and support so that they can hopefully be successful when the next job opportunity comes up.”
“The people they sent for us to interview were good; in fact, 70 per cent of our team have come from them.” – Maciej Balcerzak, General Manager, Frankie & Benny’s
The proof is in the pudding At the popular Italian American eatery Frankie & Benny’s you’ll find a welcoming ‘door host’ – Ruksana ‘Roxy’ Campbell (pictured right) – who got her job via Wembley Works and is more than happy to tell TBM readers how. “I applied online on the LDO website and Wembley Works phoned me straight back to invite me for a group interview the next day. We had to talk about ourselves at the group and do exercises like role-play, designing posters and public speaking. “I got a call that evening to say I’d passed and was asked if I could come in the following day for an interview with Frankie & Benny’s and then I got the job. “I was really scared at first; it was my first job as a door host but they’re really supportive here and now I feel much more comfortable. I get lots of nice comments from people saying I’m ‘bubbly’ and ‘always smiling’, which makes me feel really good.” Waitress Bronislava Kurcinikova moved to London from Slovakia a year and half ago after completing a degree in landscape architecture. Following a brief stint working in retail and studying a couple of BACES courses – in pottery and floristry – a chance look at a recruitment ad on the BACES website for
LDO staff with ‘no experience necessary’ saw her applying for her current role. “This was such a nice opportunity. I wanted to change my career path but I didn’t have the experience. Anyway, I got through all three levels of the interviews and eventually got the job. I started here two weeks later. “Most of the people at the group interview didn’t have any previous experience but they still gave them a chance. “Liam, my employment officer, was really lovely in the group interview and he’s been doing a good job keeping in touch with us since we started here. “It’s wonderful that this outlet wants to employ people from North West London to help bring down local unemployment.” Frankie & Benny’s General Manager, Maciej Balcerzak, was pretty sceptical about using Wembley Works to find suitable staff but he’s now thoroughly won over. “I don’t know why but I was under the impression it would be a bad thing to get involved with the council for recruitment. But actually it’s been really good. The people they sent for us to interview were good; in fact, 70 per cent of our team have come from them. “We’ve got a good relationship with Wembley Works. They still keep in touch to make sure everybody’s happy.”
Left page: Bronislava Kurcinikova. This page top: Maciej Balcerzak, above: Ruksana ‘Roxy’ Campbell
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Brent residents so far found new jobs at the LDO To find out about opportunities at the LDO and around Brent, email wembley.works@brent.gov.uk or call 020 8903 6825.
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Brent Community Champions Awards 2014 It’s time to recognise Brent’s unsung ‘gold medal’ winners Honour those who have given outstanding community and voluntary service in Brent Please return completed nominations by 15 March 2014 to bccawards@brent.gov.uk or by post to: Brent Community Champions Awards Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way Wembley HA9 0FJ
Nominate online at:
Brent
www.brent.gov.uk/communityawards
Brent honours pay pledge made to school Brent has been given a pat on the back by one of its schools after receiving London Living Wage (LLW) accreditation. Council Leader Muhammed Butt promised students from the Ark Academy that he would sign up to the scheme during a meeting with them in 2012. The council has now been endorsed as a LLW employer by the London Living Wage Foundation with over 100 council staff and contracted workers set to get pay rises of up to £240 a year. Leisure centre staff and toilet attendants along with administrative officers are among those whose wages have already gone up. The scheme sees employees paid an hourly wage rate,
which is set independently and calculated according to what it costs for a worker in the capital to provide their family with the essentials of life. It is currently set at £8.80 an hour in London, compared to the national minimum wage of £6.31 an hour. The Ark Academy has been supporting the campaign because the school and its students are members of Brent Citizens, the local arm of London Citizens, which set up the London Living Wage Foundation. Year 10 student Samir Hussain, said: “We would like to thank and accredit Councillor Butt and Brent Council for becoming a Living Wage council. Many of our students are from Brent and their parents work in the borough as well, so we understand the huge impact
this could have if more employers took this step forward. We are pleased and encouraged that the leader of the council has stood by his word.” Around 30 per cent of local people are thought to be paid less than the LLW and Brent has one of the lowest average household incomes in the capital. Councillor Butt said: “This council is determined to do all it can to help those on the lowest incomes because we are on the side of local people in these tough times. I am calling for more local firms and organisations to adopt the LLW and I applaud the Ark Academy for supporting it.” www.livingwage.org.uk
30%
Students Samibab Abdilaahi, Samir Hussain and Hammad Ahmed with Academy Principal Delia Smith, Paul Amuzie and Cllr Butt
of people in Brent are paid less than the LLW
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Fly-tipping is a criminal offence. You could face a £50,000 fine or up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
www.brent.gov.uk/flytipping
Brent
all in a day
In sickness and in health If you’re a smoker and your New Year’s resolution was to give up, Brent Council can help.
The free advice and support we offer can be crucial in helping you to kick the habit. Dr Melanie Smith, Brent’s Director of Public Health, said: “If you smoke, the biggest thing you can do to improve your health is give up.You will feel better, live longer and look years younger. With our support, you are four times more likely to succeed.” Helping people to give up smoking is just one of a range of public health services which have recently transferred to the council from the NHS. Sexual health services, drug and alcohol treatment and recovery, healthy lifestyle support and school nursing are all now provided or funded by Brent. Dr Smith said: “The council works to give residents the best chance at a healthy life. We offer some services ourselves or fund partner organisations to provide
them. We also work with the local NHS to ensure that it meets local people’s needs. “One of our biggest health issues in Brent is diabetes. Many thousands of people in the borough are at risk or already have it and don’t know. They don’t know about symptoms such as being very tired or thirsty all the time. “We are working with a diabetes charity, the NHS locally, supermarkets and faith groups to offer risk assessments to many more people. “But bearing in mind the challenges Brent faces, people are healthier than you would expect. Breastfeeding rates are very high, teenage pregnancies are falling. Lots of people are doing the right things.” The range of issues Dr Smith and her team can be involved in is huge. They include encouraging a healthy lifestyle among young children and their
Dr Melanie Smith, Brent’s Director of Public Health
families, working to promote higher rates of immunisation for youngsters and supporting new gyms in local parks. She said: “When I worked in hospitals, I got very frustrated seeing people with conditions that could be prevented. Now I am in a position to make a huge difference to lots of people’s lives, over a long period of time. “I started off looking after individual patients. Now my patient is the whole of Brent.” For free stop smoking advice, call 020 8795 6669 or email stopsmoking@brent.gov.uk
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Leisure Discount Card
Up to
40% of f!
• No membership required • No monthly fees • Just great savings
Get a card and receive up to 40% off on a range of sport and leisure activities at Brent’s sports centres. Brent Council Sports and Parks Service 020 8937 3707 www.brent.gov.uk/bactive
We Need
Brent
Fostering information evening on Thursday 6 February from 6.20pm at the Unity Centre. Call 020 8937 4538 or email fostering@brent.gov.uk to book your place
Home, loving parent(s) & TLC for our children. Good rewards offered
foster Brent 26
26
fostering TBM 137v1.indd 1
You can change a child’s life www.brent.gov.uk/fostering
THE BRENT MAGAZINE january / february 2014 THE BRENT MAGAZINE JUNE 2011
7/1/14 14:58:47
secret history An album at Brent Archives, donated to the Wembley History Society fifty years ago, gives a fascinating glimpse into the past. Historian Philip Grant tells the story of…
When Nigeria came to Wembley Philip Grant will be giving an illustrated talk about the 1924 Nigerian village to the Wembley History Society on Friday 21st February – see the “What’s going on” page for details. Brent will be celebrating the 90th anniversary of the British Empire Exhibition with its own exhibition and events at the civic centre from 24 April until 31 July 2014.
Main photo: Regimental Sergeant Major Belo Akure provided security at the event and was an attraction in his own right. Below: Nigerian villagers rehearsing for the Pageant of Empire finale inside Wembley Stadium.
The world came to Wembley in 1924 for the British Empire Exhibition. Its aim was to promote trade and help people from the countries of what is now the Commonwealth to get to know each other. Each country had its own building on the large site, and in the shadow of the new stadium a walled city housed exhibits from the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
The West African nations had brought more than sixty people to demonstrate their craft skills and show the millions of visitors to the exhibition what their daily life was like. Within the walls, based on the northern Nigerian city of Kano, each country’s compound contained a native village. In the Nigerian village, families from different regions and tribes across its vast territory lived side by side.
Bala and his family from Kano were silversmiths; Arigana and Ibrahim from Maiduguri were leatherworkers. There were weavers, a potter and several woodcarvers from the Calabash region in southern Nigeria. Each had their own workshop, and the goods that they made were admired and bought by visitors who, for the first time, could experience African life at first hand. Security for the valuable exhibits in the Nigerian pavilion, and for the villagers, was provided by Police Inspector Ajayi from Lagos and two Nigerian Regiment soldiers from Ibadan. Regimental Sergeant Major Belo Akure was a decorated hero from the First World War campaigns against German forces in Africa and was much photographed by visitors. There was even a colour postcard of him that could be bought as a souvenir (pictured). Wembley’s Nigerian guests did not just stay inside their walled city. They took part in the finale for the Pageant of Empire in the stadium and made several further excursions to discover more about the “mother country”. When they took a riverboat trip along the Thames from Windsor they received friendly waves and greetings from local people, although few had probably ever seen West Africans before. This was part of the Exhibition’s spirit, which helped to consign the oldfashioned idea of the “Empire” to history.
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Brent Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Remembering victims from Day 2014 around the world
27 January 2014 6-8pm Brent Civic Centre Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ
Explore the journeys of survivors with an exhibition and guest speakers. Everyone is welcome to this free event.
www.brent.gov.uk/hmd
Brent
competitions
Win tickets to The National Wedding Show TBM has teamed up with The National Wedding Show to offer two blushing brides to be and their ‘plus one’ the chance to attend 2014’s most prestigious wedding event. Plan the day of your dreams at the UK’s biggest wedding show this spring. With over 250 wedding experts specialising in everything from show-stopping flowers to charming photography, striking stationery to unforgettable entertainment, and unique venue décor to delicious cakes and dream honeymoons, you are sure to find everything you need to plan your big day. The National Wedding Show takes place at: London Olympia 21-23 February, Birmingham NEC 28 February-2 March Manchester Central on 15-16 March.
Win a pair of tickets to see Jersey Boys Jersey Boys, the worldwide smash-hit musical, tells the remarkable rise to stardom of one of the most successful bands in pop music history. 1962, New Jersey, when music meant rock ‘n’ roll, violence meant the Mob and the only way out was up. Meet four New Jersey boys from the wrong side of the tracks who, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, went on to become rock ‘n’ roll legends, selling 100 million records worldwide. With spectacular performances of all their hits, Jersey Boys is the true-life story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Mob, the heartaches, the triumph and the music. Discover the incredible sound of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, whose hits defined the musical identity of a nation.
To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets for the London show tell us:
We have six pairs of tickets to give away - to win tell us:
Where will the London wedding show be held?
www.jerseyboyslondon.com
Which year is the musical set in? T&Cs: Tickets valid Tue-Thu performances, and Sunday at 5pm until 13 February.
www.nationalweddingshow.co.uk
Win family ticket to CBeebies Live!
Win 12 months of health club membership
TBM has three sets of family tickets to see CBeebies Live!
TBM has teamed up with the new operator of Vale Farm Sports Centre, Everyone Active, to give away a year’s gym membership to kickstart your New Year.
CBeebies Live! The Big Band is the brand new show coming to Wembley Arena on 5 and 6 April. Join CBeebies’ best-loved characters Mr Tumble, Mister Maker and – making his CBeebies Live! debut – gardener extraordinaire, Mr Bloom. Also, taking leave from their tropical island to bring their unique musical sound to CBeebies Live! are ZingZillas. And, as if that weren’t enough excitement, Rastamouse will be raising the room for the first time! Completing the stellar line up are CBeebies presenters Andy and Katy as well as Nina from Nina and The Neurons. To join the fun tell us:
Who will be coming from a tropical island to join the show? www.CBeebieslive.com Family tickets admit four.
The lucky winner will gain unlimited access to Vale Farm gym and classes as well as other Everyone Active operated centres. Vale Farm boasts a newly refurbished and extended gym with state-of-the-art equipment and a new exercise studio as well as a six-lane, 25-metre swimming pool. To win tell us:
How many metres long is the pool at Vale Farm?
Free motorbike and scooter training giveaway Get your motors running and head out on the highway — TBM’s got 50 BikeSafe courses, worth £50 each, to give away. We’ve teamed up with the BikeSafe motorcycle project to offer 50 lucky bikers the chance to brush up their skills ‘on2wheels’ at a BikeSafe/Rider Skills Day, and it’s absolutely free! These fun, informative courses take place at the London Gateway Services, on the M1 at Mill Hill, and teach advanced riding through ‘on the road’ assessment. To win tell us:
How much are these courses worth?
Send your entries on a postcard with your name, address and daytime telephone number to: (name of competition) The Brent Magazine, 4th floor, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ or email your details to competition@brent.gov.uk (name of competition in subject). These competitions close 30 January 2014.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2014
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Bridge banner TBM135 Half Page Ad
1/8/13
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Reach over 300,000 residents every day Promote YOUR business through advertising and sponsorship opportunities
on buses on banners
on roundabouts in The Brent Magazine
Call 020 8937 1076 Email advertising@brent.gov.uk Web www.brent.gov.uk/advertising
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january / february 2014
9 things to do in Brent Brent is buzzing with activity. It’s impossible to list it all here, but to make it easy for you, we’ve picked some things that are coming up that you shouldn’t miss! Want more? www.brent.gov.uk/whatson
Venues Brent Archives Ist Floor, Willesden Green Library Centre NW10 2SG 020 8937 3541 archives@brent.gov.uk The Drum Brent Civic Cente, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ 020 8937 4340 Tricycle Theatre Cinema and Gallery 269 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 7JR, Theatre box office 020 7328 1000 Cinema 020 7328 1900 Disabled access to auditorium and café, induction loop in auditorium Minicom 020 7625 5105
Libraries Fit for over 50s
Exercise class for over-50s. Fri 6.308pm. Charteris Sports Centre, 24-30 Charteris Rd, London NW6 7ET. lloyd@charterissports.org 07984 579 011
Ballet classes
For ages 3.5-7yrs at Sinclair Arts Academy, The Ark Academy School, Dance Studio, Bridge Rd, Wembley Park. www.sinclairartsacademy.com
Indian classical dance
Classes in Kathak, Bharatnatyam and vocal music. Encee Academy, Patidar House, 22 London Road, Wembley HA9 7EX. 020 8795 1648
Ealing Road Library Coronet Parade, Ealing Road, Wembley HA0 4BA, 020 8937 3560 ealingroadlibrary@brent.gov.uk Harlesden Library Craven Park Road, Harlesden NW10 8SE 020 8937 3570 harlesdenlibrary@brent.gov.uk Kilburn Library 42 Salusbury Road, Kilburn NW6 6NN 020 8937 3530 kilburnlibrary@brent.gov.uk Kingsbury Library Plus Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury NW9 9HE 020 8937 3520 kingsburylibrary@brent.gov.uk
Healthy Fun Day
Zumba, cooking demos and healthy lifestyle information. Sat 25 Jan, 1-4pm. Park Lane Methodist Church, Wembley HA9 7SG. www.plmc.org.uk
Tea Dance
Mon and Wed at The Grand Hall, Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley HA9 0FJ. 1.30-4.30pm (Doors open 12.30) £5. Licensed bar. 020 8937 4340.
Gene Vincent tribute night With Graham Fenton & The All Stars. Sat 8 Feb, 9pm-2am at ACE Cafe, Ace Corner, N Circular Rd, Stonebridge, NW10 7UD. £10. For over 18s only.
Wembley Library Brent Town Hall, King’s Drive, Forty Lane, Wembley HA9 9HU 020 8937 3500 townhalllibrary@brent.gov.uk Willesden Green Library The service is temporarily based at two buildings: 95 High Road, Willesden NW10 2SF 020 8937 3400 willesdengreenlibrary@brent. gov.uk The Lewinson Centre 165-167 High Road Willesden London NW10 2SG
Wembley Stadium 2 March League Cup Final 5 March England v Denmark 22 March Saracens v Harlequins
Join a Choir
Parklife Singers. Community choir. Open to all, no auditions. Mon 8pm10pm, Salusbury School, Queen’s Park, NW6 6RG. www.parklifesingers.co.uk
Art Classes
Feb 4-April 8, 7-9pm. £8. Over 18s only. mstreherne@gn.apc.org 020 8141 6367. The Salvation Army Centre, 55 Chichester Rd, NW6 5QW
Wu Shu Kwan
Willesden Sports Centre, NW10 3QX, 07835 244 398. St Augustine’s Church Hall, HA9 8EW. 07958 908 892 www.wushukwan.com
To suggest your event for the next issue, email tbm@brent.gov.uk or telephone 020 8937 1062. Events are selected at the Editor’s discretion. JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2014
23 March The FA Trophy Final 30 March Football League Trophy Final 12 and 13 April FA Cup Semi-finals Subject to change. Future dates online 0844 980 8001 www.wembleystadium.com
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New Primary School at Wembley High Following on from Wembley High Technology College’s success as one of the highest achieving schools in Brent, we are delighted to announce that a brand new Lower School is planned to open in September 2014. Places will be available for Reception age children.
There will be: • Places for 4 to 5 year olds (90 places are available) • A brand new school with state-of-the art buildings, equipment and facilities • The highest quality teaching and learning • A strong focus on core skills of Literacy and Numeracy as well as developing pupils’ skills across the seven areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage • A supportive and caring environment for pupils to thrive in, pastorally and academically.
For more information about the school and our admissions policy, contact the school for a Prospectus or visit our website at www.whtc.co.uk