Westfield Sparkles, But No Lights for Shepherd's Bush

Westfield sparkles

Westfield sparkles again this year, but our local Council have again failed to find any money to put up Christmas decorations on Shepherd's Bush Green.

Every year, Westfield puts on a display of light and colour, while Shepherd's Bush Green and the surrounding streets are left with nothing to cheer the place up.

Our Council seem unable to hang any Christmas decorations in our shopping streets.

John Gordon-Smith Leads Hammersmith Park Cleanup

John Gordon-Smith leads the cleanup on Sunday

John Gordon-Smith is one of the unsung heroes of our neighbourhood, a local volunteer who regularly gives up his time to maintain and preserve the Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park.

The Japanese Garden is one of our most distinctive local landmarks and a legacy of the Japan-British Exhibition of 1908, part of the original Great White City exhibition.

Yesterday John and his fellow volunteers were once again cleaning out the pond in the Japanese Garden, giving up their Sunday to clear the water of pondweed and algae. 

John was assisted by Mick, the park gardener and a number of other local volunteers including Richard, a gardener from Kew Gardens, who all worked hard to help restore the garden.  Many thanks to all of them for their hard work and dedication.

St Stephen's Leaky Roof Needs Your Help

St Stephen's - leaky roof

St Stephen's church on the Uxbridge Road has almost raised the £220,000 needed to re-roof the church buildings, but is still short around £20,000. Can you help?

This Christmas there will be many worthy causes competing for your attention. A church roof is not a fashionable good cause, and yet roofs must be repaired. It has taken the best part of a decade to raise the money, largely through the persistent and dogged efforts of the indefatigable Juliet Byford, chair of the St Stephen's Roof Committee. 

Why contribute to the St Stephen's roof?  St Stephen's is a church that welcomes people from many different backgrounds, one of relatively few places in Shepherd's Bush where our many disparate communities come together.  

To make a contribution this Christmas, follow this link.

Temporary Cycle Lanes in RBKC Removed

Temporary cycle lane on High Street Kensington

Few things get Londoners more upset than cycle lanes. If you are a cyclist, the absence of cycle lanes in central London verges on the barbaric - what civilised city would expose cyclists to the danger of occupying the same route as cars and lorries?

If you are a driver, then little gets you more annoyed than the often empty cycle lane next to you as you sit in one of London's frequent and endless traffic jams. 

RBKC are removing the temporary cycle lanes on High Street Kensington, but are they right to do so? Many locals think not, and have launched a petition at Change.org.

Supporting Older Folks in Shepherd's Bush This Xmas

LBHF Xmas Party 2019

As a local resident and a wheelchair user, I was disappointed to learn that the Christmas lunch for older people has been cancelled this year. 

Whilst I am personally fortunate enough to be younger and do have family to spend Christmas with this year, many are not so lucky.

In 2019 Hammersmith and Fulham council hosted a lunch for 260 people, but the event will not take place this Christmas.

Hammersmith Park Tennis Lockdown

Thou Shalt Not Play Tennis

Lockdown is a confusing time in Shepherd's Bush.  Exercise is permitted, but tennis appears to be banned. At least, it must be, because our council has padlocked the gate to the tennis courts in Hammersmith Park. 

There is no sign of course, and no explanation as to why – but the answer to everything these days is Covid. 

An enterprising local has found their own solution – someone has cut a hole in the fence, to make a handy entrance to the tennis courts.  

This past Sunday all three tennis courts were full, even the one that doesn’t have a net – our Council still haven’t found the money (we've been waiting for many years) to replace it.