January 2009 Archives

A HUSBAND from Hayes is raising money for a baby charity after five of his close family members and friends suffered miscarriages in the last six years.

Dean Griffin, 26, of Larch Crescent, Hayes, will be running just over 13 miles at the Silverstone race track near Northampton on March 15 and hopes to raise at least £500 for Tommy's, a charity which offers support to mothers who have experienced miscarriages or still births and researches into the causes for this.

Mr Griffin said: "I've seen the distress it has caused my cousins, aunts and uncles, some of whom have been very young when it happened to them, and I just want to do something to help. Doctors have not been able to tell my relatives why it's happened, and it's happened to family members on both sides.That's why I want to support a charity that is trying to research into the causes.

"When a woman has a miscarriage the whole body still thinks she is going through a pregnancy, so it's very difficult. Even if a woman has a miscarriage after just two months, she still has to have an operation to remove the fetus.

"I got married two years ago to my wife, Emma, we've been together for nine years and we'll be looking to have our own family soon, so I want to help to prevent this from happening to other couples."

To support Dean visit www.tommys.org/deans-marathon-challenge

MELLOW Lane School students had the opportunity to meet a soap star to celebrate their GCSE results success.

Five pupils met Joe Swash, who stars in the BBC 1 soap EastEnders, at the Peter Harris Planetarium in Greenwich, London on January 15.

Darran Davies, 16, Scott Walker, Kadra Aden, Manisha Vegad and Henna Kaura from the school in Hewens Road, Hayes, were chosen after the school made the best improvement on previous years' GCSE results in the borough.

The school has seen a 20 per cent increase in five A* to C grade passes in GCSEs with 55 per cent of students having achieved this last year from 35 per cent the year before.

Marion Lewis, headteacher at the school, said: "We were thrilled to be selected to represent Hillingdon, it was a tribute to the amount of work students and staff have done. The students who were chosen really represented this achievement, with both those who had achieved A* grades and those pupils who pushed themselves to get better grades.

"It's easy for people to look at league tables and criticise schools so it makes a nice change when the achievement of students are actually recognised."

A GRANT of £400, 000 could be given to improve Pinkwell Park if enough people from the borough vote for it within the next two weeks.

The park in Pinkwell Lane, Hayes, has been shortlisted as one of the parks in London to be in with a chance as part of a project by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, to upgrade green spaces within the capital.

Some of the improvements that may be made if Pinkwell Park receives the funding include new footpaths, entrances and a refurbished children's play area. As well as new security and safety features such as CCTV, enhanced sporting facilities and areas dedicated to conservation and ecology.

Mary Worrall, Head of Highways and Green Spaces at Hillingdon Council said: "We're really pleased Pinkwell Park has been shortlisted but we still really need your votes to win and to encourage everyone living in Hillingdon to get voting."

To vote please visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/pinkwellpark or text 'parks' and your postcode to 62967.

The closing date for voting is January 30.

STUDENTS and staff at Hayes Park Primry School welcomed a headteacher from Argentina who came to visit them as part of a project to see how schools in different countries operate.

Susana Aguiler who works at Tucaman School made the visit to Hayes Park Primary School in Raynton Drive, Hayes on January 20.

The visit was part of a project headed by the British Council for headteachers to visit schools abroad.

Dr Neil Suggett, headteacher at Hayes Park School previously visited the school in Argentina.

He said: "It has been a joy to receive colleague headteachers from Argentina. Their passion for improving the life chances of children in their schools is inspirational."

A GYM club in Hayes which made a triumphant return to its original home is now ready to see its facilities and membership expand.

Judge Heath Gymnastics Club is back at Hayes Stadium Sports Centre, in Judge Heath Lane, Hayes after moving from Swakeleys School, Hillingdon, where it had spent the last nine years.

Since starting back at the Stadium in November there has been a steady flow of new gymnasts joining, however owner Brian Duley is looking for many more and for the first time is including boys.

In order to help youngsters find out if they would like to join, the gym is holding a number of free sessions this Sunday (25/1).

Each session will last for one hour and will cover all aspects of the club, which is hoping to increase its membership in time for 2010 when it moves to a purpose built site in Botwell Green.

Mr Duley and his team are especially keen to find young gymnasts for their new Thursday evening classes; however, older gymnasts will be welcome to come and try out for the existing Tuesday groups.

Posters and flyers have been sent to all the primary Schools in Hillingdon and the club will welcome requests from teachers who want to know more.

For more information, on the event (first session is at 1pm) and to book a place phone 07904358644 or email info@judgeheathgc.org

COLLEAGUES who worked together over 20 years ago are organising a reunion to relive the time they spent with each other in Hayes.

Sue Hulbert, has been organising a get together along with with Karen O'Hara for former employees who used to work at Thorn EMI in Dawley Road and is hoping the evening will be a success.

She said: "We hope to have as many as possible along, we both left over 21 years ago shortly before the company closed down, it would be great to catch up with old friends."

The reunion will be held at the Red Lion Pub and Hotel, in Royal Lane, Hillingdon, at 7.30pm on Thursday, January 29.

"We've had some success in organising it so far, one lady is talking about coming down all the way from Norfolk for it which is great.

"Thorn EMI were big employers in the area, and we worked in the purchasing arm, it was a Ministry of Defence company.

"Anybody who worked with us in the purchasing department is welcome to attend the evening, and we look forward it."

Did you used to work at Thorn EMI? To get in touch with Sue contact her on sjhulbert@aol.com or Karen on karenohara@blueyonder.co.uk

TRIBUTES have been left to father-of-three Terry Hobson who lived in Hayes for over 15 years after he was killed following a police chase which saw his car crash into a tree.

Terry, 32, was pronounced dead at 1.35am last Tuesday (30/12) after the accident in Long Lane, Hillingdon.

Mr Hobson spent most of his adult life in Beechwood Avenue, Hayes, moving only two years ago to High Wycombe.

He left behind a partner who he had been together with for 18 years, and their three children, Charley, 16, Nathan, 10, and TJ, five.

His partner, Sarah Berry, 35, said: "He went out for dinner with his mates and never came home, he was my life and he's gone.

"He was a well loved man, he'd have done anything for his kids, we had a brilliant Christmas together, he said it was his best ever.

"He was keen on motorbikes, and loved going on track days.

"His work was here, everything was here, all his friends, even though we moved to High Wycombe, he was a Hayes boy. He died one week before his daughter's 16th birthday.

"I want a full inquiry into what happened."

Mr Hobson had his own business, TJ Waste, which specialised in clearing waste from gardens, offices and factories, and it was named after his youngest son.
More than 60 mourners turned out on New Year's Eve to lead a candlelit vigil as they struggled to come to terms with their shock loss.

Ann Tuitt, 66, who lives in Long Lane, said: "I couldn't believe the number of mourners on New Year's Eve, all I could see was people standing with candles in total silence, I was overwhelmed.

"We saw the police helicopter and ambulances arrive that night, I hope I never see an accident like it again.

"It is a fast road, we could do with a 20 mph speed limit on it, or sleeping policemen to slow drivers down."

Rabina Sheeba, a mourner at the shrine, said: "A man has lost his life and a family have lost their dad, and for what?

A post-mortem held on New Year's Eve showed the cause of death to be multiple injuries sustained in the crash.

His family expect as many as 1,000 people to attend his funeral which takes place on Monday (12/1) at 10.45am at Breakspear Crematorium, Breakspear Road, Ruislip.
A family friend has invited funeral goers to make donations to the children who have been left without their father.

Hillingdon Police confirmed that the Directorate of Professional Standards at the Metropolitan Police Service is currently investigating the incident.

You can post your tributes to Terry Hobson below.

A CAR was stolen from the driveway of a home in Hayes during the New Year celebrations.

The 27-year-old owner of the black Audi A4 left the car on the driveway in Purkis Close at 11pm on December 31 and when she returned at 9pm on January 1 it was gone.