NEWS A round-up of the latest news in Brent

Autumn began with the sad news of the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving Monarch in British history. The Queen was the only monarch many of us have ever known and communities from across Brent came together to reflect on her many years of dedicated service (page 36).

It seems wherever you look there is an urgent need for help – no more so than in Pakistan where devastating floods have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more (page 13). The terrible rains are yet more evidence of the effect human activity and the global warming we are causing is having on the planet. This is another reason why we all need to play our part in tackling the climate emergency by changing our behaviour. The council is committed to making a difference and reducing our carbon footprint by 2030. Climate Ambassadors are now working with local communities to make our neighbourhoods greener and more sustainable (page 18).

As the cost of living crisis deepens, even more families are finding themselves needing extra support. After months of uncertainty and growing concern around energy prices the Government announced an ‘energy price guarantee’ meaning a typical household will now pay around £2,500 a year on their energy bills for the next two years. Sadly, it is not just energy prices that are rising rapidly as the cost of everyday essentials keeps going up and wages are stretched to their limits.

If you are struggling with bills, food or other essentials, help is at hand through our Resident’s Support Fund and emergency support is available for those in urgent need at our seven hubs across the borough. Turn to page 23 for our Cost of Living pull-out and keep guide. Local foodbanks also offer a vital lifeline for many people and we highlight the amazing work of Sufra and London’s Community Kitchen on page 28.

As a council, we promised to leave no one behind and we are doing everything we can to strengthen the safety net for those who need it most. So far, we have provided nearly £1.5million worth of food vouchers and £8million in financial support. Including measures such as a council tax support scheme, our support package is one of the most comprehensive in the country.

So please, if you are struggling – ask for help or visit

www.brent.gov.uk/costofliving

Cllr Muhammed Butt Leader of Brent Council

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1966, presenting the World Cup to England captain Bobby Moore

Britain’s longestreigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II dies aged 96

The death of Her Majesty The Queen, the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee marking 70 years on the throne, was announced by Buckingham Palace on 8 September.

The Mayor of Brent, Councillor Abdi Aden, said: “It is with great sadness that I learnt of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

“Queen Elizabeth II ruled for longer than any other Monarch in British history and will always be remembered for her sense of duty and devotion to a life of service of the country and Commonwealth.

“Queen Elizabeth II dedicated much of her 70-year reign to public and voluntary service advocating for a wide range of issues.

“Over the Platinum Jubilee weekend, thousands of Brent residents held more than 50 street parties across the borough as our communities from all across the world came together to honour her 70 years of service.

“Her steadfast leadership has carried us all through times of enormous change and given the length of her service, Her Majesty is the only Monarch many of us have ever known.

“On behalf of Brent Council and the London Borough of Brent, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the Royal Family, but also gratitude, to Her Majesty The Queen for all she did for our country. May she rest in peace.”

Record turnout at West London’s jobs fair

West London’s biggest jobs fair returned to Wembley Stadium in July where 6,423 jobseekers met with more than 150 employers to find out about new exciting opportunities, in a record-breaking turnout.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Citizen Experience at Brent Council, said: “It was excellent to see so many renowned employers speaking to residents about a variety of brilliant opportunities. From apprenticeships to full-time work, there was something for everyone.

“We are grateful for the support from sponsors The Forge and Shaw Trust who helped make sure the jobs fair was a success.”

To see the range of jobs and apprenticeships across London and for free one-to-one careers advice, visit www.brentworks.

brent.gov.uk

Over 6,000 people attended Wembley jobs fair

Whopping £41k fine for local scaffolders

A scaffolding company J&P Scaffolding Ltd, and its director, Mr Jacek Pawlaczyk, 43, have been fined a whopping £41k after Willesden Magistrates Court found them guilty of having unlicensed scaffolding on a public highway.

They first erected the scaffolding in December 2020 at Empire House on Empire Way, Wembley without the proper licence.

In June 2021, when the licence expired Mr Pawlaczyk failed to renew it despite receiving no fewer than eight reminders from council officers.

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action, said:

“It is really important all companies get the proper licence for anything placed on the public highway. This allows council keyworkers to keep residents safe and to limit any disruption to the public.

“I hope this case and the whopping, yet fair, fine serves as stark reminder that if you don’t follow the rules, we will take action.”

£400 towards electricity and gas bills for every home

THE COST OF ££££S UPPORTING YOU WIT H From 1 October the Government’s new ‘energy price guarantee’ will come into place meaning a typical household will pay an average of £2,500 a year on their energy bill. The guarantee sets a limit on the

LIVING maximum amount energy companies can charge customers for each unit of gas and electricity they use.

However, energy is still significantly more expensive than it was this time last year, so please remember, if you can reduce the amount of energy you use, you will reduce the amount of units you’re paying for.

All households in the country will get an automatic £400 grant to help towards paying energy bills this winter.

There is no need to apply. For most people this will be automatically paid into your energy account in monthly instalments from October 2022 to March 2023.

People who use pre-payment meters and top up their credit before using energy will be provided with discount vouchers in the first week of each month. These will be sent by text message, email or post so please make sure your energy supplier has your up-to-date contact details.

Stay scam aware: There is no need to apply for this grant and you will not be asked for your bank details at any point. Please be vigilant of scammers.

The price cap sets a limit on the maximum amount energy companies can charge customers for each unit of gas and electricity they use, and sets a maximum daily standing charge.

Love where you live

The council’s ‘Love Where You Live’ grants scheme is launching a new funding stream on 1 October – the first day of Black History Month.

The NHS has provided £15,000 of funding for grants of up to £1,000 each to run events and engage in conversations with residents from our Black African and Black Caribbean communities about their health and wellbeing.

Go to www.brent.gov.uk/lovewhereyoulive for more information.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black Pound African Market

Brent Council’s Cultural Diversity Network, in collaboration with local community businesses, have joined with A Brighter Health to host a Black History Month themed Black Pound African Market, at Brent Civic centre on Thursday 20 October 11-8pm.

Come along and grab yourself a bargain, with stalls selling ethically sourced products and freshly made produce on the day.

There will be music, drumming, panel discussions and a health and wellbeing zone.

£650 grant for low-income households Low-income households will automatically receive £650 help towards the rising cost of living.

People on the following benefits should have received the first £326 grant during the summer and will receive another £324 in their bank accounts this autumn:

• Universal Credit • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance • Income Support

££££S UPPORTING YOU WIT H THE COST OF LIVING

For people who only receive working, child or pension tax credits, the first instalment will be paid in September and the second later this winter.

The grant is tax-free and will not affect existing benefits. There is no need to apply for this payment. If you are eligible, it will be automatically paid into your bank account as ‘DWP Cost of Living’.

People on disability benefits will also receive an extra £150 in late September and most pensioners will get £300 in November/December on top of their winter fuel payments.

Time to change theme for Black History Month

Black History Month 2022 kicks off on 1 October, with an exciting programme of activities to celebrate Black excellence and achievement. This year’s theme is Time to Change. Turn to page 34 for a full list of events throughout the month.

On 27 October, the main event will be Black Excellence evening in the Grand Hall at Brent Civic Centre from 6.30-9pm, to celebrate the achievements of local people who help and support others in the community.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said; “Black History Month celebrates the contributions, the heritage and culture of the Black community and the tremendous contribution they have made to Brent.”

Brent has a diverse community, which gives it strength and has committed to working with the community to tackle racism and inequality to create a fairer and more equal Brent, through the Black Community Action Plan (BCAP).

All events are free, virtual and open to all. For more information visit: www.brent.gov.uk

New Film and Arts Festival has mental health on its mind

With an exciting blend of film, music, theatre, dance and poetry, SHOUT LONDON is hosting a new film and arts festival with the focus on mental health. Scheduled to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the festival will take place at The Kiln Cinema in Kilburn and at The Crown Hotel London, on 10 and 11 October For further information visit:

www.shout.london

Pakistan flood appeal generosity

Brent councillors of Pakistani heritage have been leading on aid efforts for victims of the worst floods in Pakistan’s history, which has left one third of the country under water and displaced 33 million people. They have been overwhelmed with the community’s response to the disaster, with people donating vital items including food, clothing and medicines. These items were collected and sorted by volunteers at two collection points in Brent; St Andrew’s Church in Sudbury and the Pakistan Community Centre in Willesden and will be shipped to Pakistan.

Recycle trial

The council is running a recycling trial, which will see temporary changes to the way recycling, is collected at around 5,000 properties in Brent. The trial will test the effectiveness of splitting recycling into to two separate bins, one with paper and cardboard and one with containers (jugs, jars, tins etc.). The trial takes place over an eight-week period between Monday, 3 October and Friday, 25 November as part of a trial of the proposed alternate weekly recycling service that the council recently consulted on.

Dangerous County Lines drugs gangs targeted

More than 450 young Londoners have been saved from the dangers of the county drugs trade thanks to the £5.6m Rescue and Response scheme led by Brent Council and partners and funded by the Mayor of London.

County Lines is the name given to drug dealing where phone lines are used to move and supply drugs across the country. The scheme provides positive opportunities to youngsters like training, education and help getting a job.

A report by Brent Council reveals that in the past year, nine out of 10 young Londoners supported by the scheme have reduced or stopped their involvement in county lines. Over 1,000 social workers and staff from other frontline organisations have also taken specialist training.

Cllr Harbi Farah, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection at Brent Council, said: “This scheme has provided a crucial lifeline for hundreds of vulnerable young people, and is more important than ever as the cost-of-living crisis puts even more young people at risk.”

Cllr Harbi Farah

Look what’s cooking

Queen’s Park Book Festival is back

Queen’s Park Book Festival returned for its fourth edition in September, with some of the UK’s top literary names from Robert Harris to Victoria Hislop and special guests including a diverse range of local writers.

Festival director, Thomas du Plessis, said: “It has all the right ingredients, a beautiful park, a lot of goodwill, a residents associations with lots of energy, and a very literary area - we’ve had some top people since we started in 2018, and authors love it.”

Victoria Hislop

Healthy eating is an important part of maintaining a good balanced diet with all the nutrients that is required daily; but cooking isn’t everyone’s strength.

Therefore, Brent Health Matters – the programme that the council and local health services spearhead to address health inequalities in the borough – has taken cooking to the residents of Brent. Working in collaboration with Mencap, the first of six cookery sessions were held in Brent Mencap in Willesden with local people who have learning disabilities. The group worked to produce a healthy and tasty tomato soup from scratch, learning to cook together, whilst enjoying the social aspect, as much as the food. Cllr Neil Nerva, Brent’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: “Knowing how to prepare a nutritious meal can make all the difference when it comes to managing your weight, ensuring you are getting the right vitamins and balance in your diet and avoiding ingredients, such as too much sugar and salt that might otherwise lead to poor health.”

Health tops the bill this winter

Dr Mohammad Haidar, a local GP and Brent Borough Medical Director, is advising residents to look after their health by doing simple things to stay well this winter. He told Your Brent:

“You can boost your immunity with the flu jab and the Covid-19 autumn booster. If you are over 50 or have a health condition, you should have both jabs,” he explained.

“Parents should also check their children’s Personal Child Health Record (or “Red Book”) to ensure they are up to date with their vaccinations. If not, they should contact their GP to ensure their children catch up as soon as possible.”

Dr Mohammad Haidar

‘Festival of Inspiration’ at Neasden Temple

Over 75,000 people enjoyed the 10-day ‘Festival of Inspiration’ at Neasden Temple in July to celebrate the centenary of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s birth, the renowned global Hindu guru and creator of Neasden Temple.

During the festival visitors were treated to over 1,200 inspiring shows celebrating the values of faith, harmony, compassion and hard work; as well as live music and dance.

Join your local ward councillors to discuss important local issues

Join your local Brent Connects meetings and come together with your neighbours to discuss things that matter most to you.

These forums provide an important opportunity to get involved in and influence decision-making, ensuring your voice is heard.

The next meetings will focus on the upcoming round of funding for community cash, the budget consultation and a local topic specific to your area.

The meeting dates are:

Harlesden: Monday 31 October, 6-8pm

Chair Cllr Tony Ethapemi and Vice Chair Cllr Elliot Chappell

Kilburn: Friday 4 November, 6-8pm

Chair Cllr Erica Gbajumo and Vice Chair Cllr Anthony Molloy

Kingsbury and Kenton: Thursday 10 November

6-8pm, Chair Cllr Kathleen Fraser and Vice Chair Cllr Sandra Kabir

Wembley: Friday 11 November, 6-8pm

Chair Cllr Ihtesham Afzal and Vice Chair Cllr Teo Benea

Willesden: Tuesday 15 November, 6-8pm

Chair Cllr Saqlain Choudry and

Vice Chair Cllr Janice Long All meetings will be held virtually. Register your free place at www.brent.gov.uk/brentconnects

Recognition and praise for those who care

Inspirational social care superheroes from the council and local care homes who dedicate their lives to helping others in need have been celebrated at the first Adult Social Care Awards, held at Brent Civic Centre in August.

Councillor Neil Nerva, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care, said: “These brilliant keyworkers are the backbone of our borough. Without them, hundreds would not get the vital social care support that they depend on, so it was wonderful to recognise their outstanding achievements.”

Thank you to our sponsors the Victoria Care Centre and St Luke’s Hospice.

The Mayor of Brent, Cllr. Abdi Aden and special guests, including Shaun Wallace from The Chase, at the Adults Social Care awards ceremony

Give your bulky waste a new home

Cllr Krupa Sheth with a community skip collection

The community skips are returning this autumn to help residents dispose of unwanted and bulky items such as old sofas, washing machines and mattresses. Any reusable items will be donated to those who need them. You can drop off up to five bulky items free of charge, as long as you can show proof of a Brent address.

Cllr Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment, Infrastructure and Climate Action said: “The community skips are always a huge hit with residents, and over the years we’ve managed to improve the capacity of the skips so we can take away even more rubbish.”

For more information visit: www.brent.gov.uk

Social Café bringing over 50s together

Brent Health Matters have launched new a social cafe for residents who are 50 plus to support dementia, memory loss and social isolation.

The café provides a safe environment for residents every Friday from 10:30am – 12:20pm to connect, play games, practise yoga, seek advice and socialise at St Johns Church, Wembley.

The café is the brainchild of community champion Catherine Miller-Baldwin who has been part of Brent Health Matters since the start.

The Mayor of Brent, Cllr. Abdi Aden and Reverend Ngozi Njoku opened the first session along with members of Ashford Place, CNWL and community volunteers this summer.

Improved healthcare services for residents due to closer working

A shake-up in the way health and care services are provided in Brent has been introduced with the launch of an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP).

The new arrangements mean council social care services and different parts of the NHS – GPs, hospitals and mental health teams will all work more closely together to provide an improved experience for patients and service users.

Look out for further information about these changes and improvements available soon at

www.nwlondonics.nhs.uk

A new approach to tackling domestic abuse, which seeks to understand the diverse backgrounds of victims and perpetrators, is helping women and girls in three North London boroughs.

Launched last year in Brent, Barnet and Enfield, the Culturally Integrated Family Approach (CIFA) directly addresses issues around culture, family tradition and religion that affect the experience of domestic violence within BAME communities.

Cllr Harbi Farah, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Public Protection at Brent Council, said: “We know one size does not fit all and that is why this tri-borough partnership is vital in trialling a culturally integrated family approach. We are determined to end male violence against women and girls and I’m looking forward to evaluating the effectiveness of this new service.”

Stop the abuse

Pakistan floods appeal

Millions of people need urgent help in Pakistan due to devastating flooding.

The floods have destroyed or badly damaged more than a million homes, sweeping away schools, roads, businesses and everything else in their path. More than a thousand people have been killed with conditions expected to worsen as rains continue.

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said: “The devastating flooding in Pakistan is truly heart-breaking. A third of the country is under water, which is an area the size of the UK, so this is a humanitarian disaster on a huge scale.

“In Brent, we have a large Pakistani diaspora who have family and relatives personally affected by the floods. Now is our opportunity to come together and support the people of Pakistan in their hour of need.”

For more information on the Pakistan floods appeal, visit

www.dec.org.uk

Power up with new net zero carbon community centre

A new cutting-edge net zero carbon community centre has opened its doors to residents on St Raphael’s Estate. The exclusively solar-panelled centre has been designed to generate its own electricity, as well as supply power to Sufra NW London foodbank next-door.

Cllr Promise Knight, Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security, handed over the keys to members of St Raphael’s Voice community group.

“This is the start of a huge positive transformation for St Raph’s,” she said. “We are committed to you and our promise is to deliver improved safety, housing and facilities, including a permanent community centre, over the next few years.”

The temporary climate-friendly building is part of a regeneration plan that will see around 400 new homes and an additional £30 million spent on wider estate improvements, including the provision of a permanent new community centre on St Raphael’s Estate.

Protect your child from Polio

Polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, which often appears as mild symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, fever or stiffness in the neck.

Recent London-wide sewage sampling identified the poliovirus in the sewage of a few London boroughs, including Brent.

While the risk to the public is low, a polio vaccine booster dose is being offered to all children aged one to nine in London. GPs will contact parents when it is their child’s turn to come forward for a booster.

More information is available on the UK Health Security Agency website: wwww.brent.gov.uk/adult-social-care/health-and-

wellbeing/polio

All children aged 5-9 years old are eligible for the vaccine

Let the music play

Almost 500 young musicians and a massed choir of 1,000 schoolchildren from across the borough performed to a full house in Wembley on Wednesday 13 July.

In a show of musical harmony, ‘Brent Makes Music: There’s a Place for Us’ was a celebration of Brent, community, diversity and belonging.

The event was organised by Brent Music Service (BMS) who support children and young people throughout the borough to receive an excellent music education and to reach for the stars.

This year’s Brent Young Musician of the Year, Nathaniel Merkies, wowed with a stunning performance of the classical guitar piece ‘Cavatina’ accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Cllr Gwen Grahl, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Schools at Brent Council, said: “This was a truly phenomenal event and a memory our children and young people will never forget.”

View more information on Brent Music Service.

Safer school streets for Brent children

Brent has been awarded funding to make local school street areas more green, vibrant, and resilient to the climate emergency.

The funding from TfL will be used as part of a school greening project, working with local schools and community groups to plant new street trees, flowerbeds, and rain gardens. The first phase will include the following schools: • Crownhill School Street Scheme - John Keble CofE Primary, Maple Walk, and St Claudine’s Catholic School for Girls • Our Lady of Grace Infants School • Leopold Primary (Hawkshead) • Oakington Manor Primary

Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “I’m delighted that we have been awarded funding to plant more trees, encourage biodiversity and make Brent streets greener.

“We are committed to working with the local community to become more sustainable so that we can reach our target of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

“We cannot reach that target without making our streets green, clean and safe for sustainable transport.”

The council is installing CCTV cameras for school streets, to monitor activity when roads outside schools close during drop-off and pick-up times.

Esther, who is in year six at John Keble Church of England Primary School, said: “I think that it is way safer and I have been seeing more children bringing their bikes and scooters now that there is more space for them to use them which is really good.”

Her classmate Kristine said: “I think it is best that cars are not on the road when kids are out because of the pollution. It can damage lungs and effect breathing, especially as I am asthma.”

Find out which of the 29 schools run school streets and which vehicles are exempt from the enforcement at

www.brent.gov.uk/schoolstreets

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day (25 December). The zone covers all areas within the North and South Circular Roads. The North Circular (A406) and South Circular (A205) roads are not in the zone.

Brent residents decide how to spend £2.25million

This summer, £2.25million was placed in the hands of local people to choose which community projects should be funded in their local area.

Residents in the Brent Connects areas of Harlesden, Kilburn and Kensal Rise, Kingsbury and Kenton, Wembley and Willesden decided on how to spend £450k.

The summer issue of the magazine featured the ‘Decision Days’ that took place in Kilburn, Kingsbury and Kenton, and Willesden.

The Harlesden and Wembley ‘Decision Days’ took place later in the summer and were attended by 550 residents who voted for 21 projects to be funded.

Cllr Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Brent’s Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities and Culture, said: “It’s been great seeing such a fantastic response to these You Decide events that put the power in the hands of local people. I’m looking forward to seeing all these brilliant projects come to life.”

This funding was made possible thanks to the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL), a fund from grants generated by regeneration in the borough. At least 15 per cent of all the money the council collects from the developers of new and eligible buildings in the borough is spent on community projects that help make a positive difference in local communities across Brent.

In October, the next round of applications for community cash to fund local projects opens.

Find out more at: www.brent.gov.uk/youdecide

Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council opens the Wembley Decision Day You Decide funding winner, founder of Nutrition Ed UK