September 2008 Archives

A PEDESTRIAN was pushed to the ground and robbed in a Hayes retail park.

The 24-year-old was walking from Lombardy Retail Park in Hayes towards Priory Close at about 9.30pm on Saturday, September 27 when a man approached him to ask him for a cigarette lighter.

He was then grabbed from behind and pushed to the floor before the man searched his back pockets and took his wallet which contained money and a credit card.

The suspect is a black male, about 20 years old, 5ft 11ins, of a slim build, wearing a black hooded top and black Nike tracksuit bottoms.

There is at least one other suspect.

PROPOSALS to increase the number of hours for litter collection in Hayes have been approved following ongoing efforts made by a community group.

The Hayes Town Partnership, which is leading the campaign to regenerate Hayes, says at present street sweeping ends at 4pm but the new plans mean rubbish will now be collected until 10pm helping to prevent it from accumulating in the evenings.

The proposals were granted at a meeting of Hillingdon council on Thursday, September 25.

David Brough, the chairman of the Hayes Town Partnership, said: "We have been pushing for this for quite sometime following concerns from residents and have lobbied the cabinet member Sandra Jenkins who is very strong on tackling litter, the next stage is to take more action to get an anti litter campaign, building awareness by working with shop owners and schools will be a key part of it."

THE COUNCIL are funding a new Police Task Force as they attempt to crackdown on notorious robbery and burglary hotspots in the borough.

The 11 new police officers will maintain a presence in Hayes town centre as well as the Brunel, Botwell, Townfield wards.

The decision to set up the task force was made at a Council cabinet meeting at the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.
Four existing officers currently funded by Hillingdon Council, currently known as the anti-social behavour team, will be absorbed into the new tasking group.

At the meeting, Sandra Jenkins, Cabinet member for environment and Conservative representative for Brunel, praised the new scheme and the effect it could have on the area.

She said: "I am delighted that this has been taken forward, we have had problems with our streets.
"We did have a concerted effort last year and it really brought the figures down."

The two-year scheme, in partnership with Hillingdon Police, will cost the council £116,000 and comes out of the council's Local Area Agreement budget.

Councillor Douglas Mills, Conservative Cabinet member for improvement, partnerships and community safety, said: "The Hayes Town area is a particular issue, and we would like to reassure the public we are dealing with these issues."
The scheme, which will begin on Wednesday, October 1, is flexible which means that if new crime hotspots suddenly emerge then the officers can be redeployed.

The council's residential burglary target has improved significantly, showing a 31 per cent reduction in comparison to the first quarter of 2007/08 with 159 fewer burglaries in total.

BIKERS will soon be able to finish their races in double quick time, as work is set to begin for improvements to Kingshill BMX Track.

The project, which will cost £15,000, was approved by Hillingdon Council at an Environmental Improvements Panel, at the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

Resurfacing of the track in Hayes had already previously been approved but was awaiting further funding, and can now go ahead.

RUGBY players will be celebrating in Hayes after a much sought after approval was given to fix a leaky roof.

Hillingdon Council pledged to provide Hayes Rugby Club with £5,000 to complete internal repairs to the roof and to carry out gutter repairs.

The club, established in 1965, is located at Grosvenor Playing Fields, Kingshill Avenue, Hayes, and is also used by The Grange Judo Club.

MOURNERS gathered at a funeral to pay tribute to a vicar who served the community for 26 years and who also showed his support in protesting against the third runway at Heathrow.

The Reverend Robert Scott who served at Harlington Baptist Church in the High Street, Harlington, died on September 11 from a heart attack just weeks after conducting the marriage ceremony for his 27-year-old daughter Hannah.

The funeral was held at the church on Tuesday, September 23 and the burial took place at the Cherry Lane Cemetery in Shepiston Lane, Harlington. He also leaves behind his wife Linda as well as daughter Lizzie and his sons Peter and David.

MP John McDonnell attended to pay his respects and Hillingdon Council also made a special gesture by removing parking restrictions in nearby streets that day from 10.30am to 4pm.

A SURE and steadfast celebration party will take place to commemorate 125 years of the Boys Brigade.

The Fourth Hillingdon branch of the Boys Brigade, at Hayes Methodist Church, Station Road, Hayes, will host the party on October 4.

It begins at 7pm in the church hall, and will be attended by The Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor Brian Crowe, and members of the Boys Brigade past and present.

Celebration mugs and badges will be available, and members of the public are invited to attend.
There will be an enrollmeant service for current members of all ages to collect badges they have earned.

For more information call David Kingston on 02085819594.

TWO friends shaved their head and beard to raise money in memory of a mother who died suddenly from a brain clot.

Kevin Bonner 53 and David White 55 took part in the event which raised £1,200 for the Harlington Hospice in the name of Patricia Allen of Kingsway, Hayes.

She passed away in August 2006 leaving behind her six children Jason and Donna, Lindsey, Jodie, Ashleigh, and 12-year-old Tiffany who is the youngest.

A tree was planted on Sunday at Harlington Hospice in memory of Mrs Allen.

Lisa McKenzie, niece, said: "We just wanted to do something to mark Patricia's anniversary, she was a very family orientated woman, a lovely lady who is missed daily by everyone, there is a big hole left in our lives now that she has gone but we have to learn to just get on."

She said she is grateful to all the local companies who donated money or gifts for a raffle held at a tribute night on August 15 at the TKH public house in Bourne Avenue, Hayes.

A NEW help line which will offer free food and clothing as well as financial support for heating is being launched by a religious organisation in Hayes.

The Kali Mata temple in Botwell Common Road in Hayes will be offering the service from September 30 until the end of February next year with the aim of providing assistance to those who need it during the winter months.

Guru Singh at the temple said: "The aim is to help members of the community who are too sick to make their own food by making sure they have meal and clothing until they are better. We will also be providing assistance for the elderly with their food shopping as well as giving financial support for electricity on compassionate grounds for people who are not able to finance this themselves."

The help line number which will be valid from the end of this month is 07990 770619

A GURU has supported the campaign to improve Hayes by posting more than 1,000 questionnaires to residents to find out what their concerns are.

Guru Singh who serves at Kali Mata temple in Botwell Common Road sent out the questions with a team of volunteers in the Botwell area in Hayes and Pinkwell in Harlington on September 20 asking people how they feel issues such as the environment and safety need to be improved.

He said: "I am very much involved in the community in my role at the temple and I hear what people say here about what they would like to see done. Hayes is improving but it needs to continue to do so and the best way to do that is by asking people what they want.

"One of the key issues people are concerned about is crime, they feel very unsafe walking at night and it is because of muggings and the fear of being attacked."

He is expecting the results by October 20.

For more information email guruji@kalimata.co.uk