Japanese Garden Community Day 6 August 2023

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park is hosting its annual Community Day on Sunday 6th August from 12.30pm to 5.30pm.  

The Japanese Garden Community Day will feature Japanese-themed activities for families and children.  Last year's events included origami lessons, a treasure trail, a Japanese calligraphy workshop, Japanese music, a "haiku walk", and Japanese sweets and snacks.

The Community Day is a family-friendly annual event, held to celebrate improvements to the garden such as the 2018 installation of new Japanese-style gates and rows of traditional stone lanterns.

The Japanese Garden at Hammersmith Park dates from 1910, and is the chief legacy of the Japanese-British Exhibition that took place in White City.

Don't forget to bring a picnic.

Cherry Blossom in Hammersmith Park

This past week Hammersmith Park has been a riot of cherry blossom - on a sunny day visitors to our local park can sit on a bench beneath a cherry tree and watch the pink petals gently float away on the breeze.

The planting of cherry trees alongside the Japanese lanterns and the Japanese Garden means that at this time of year you can almost imagine yourself to be in Japan. 

Community Science Day at the "Tiny Forest" 29 Sept

Community Science Day at H&F Tiny Forest 29 Sept

On Wednesday 29th September Earthwatch and our local council LBHF are hosting a "Community Science Day" event at the "Tiny Forest" in Hammersmith Park.  Each session includes the collection of data to monitor how the trees are doing and what creatures are starting to cal the forest home. You can sign up here.

The event is sponsored by local business Fever Tree, who will also be running the early sessions, and the afternoon is open to our local community.

New Playground at Paddington Rec

Ocean liner at Paddington Rec

Parents in Shepherd's Bush looking for great play spaces for their children have lots to celebrate lately.

The new playground at Paddington Recreation Ground ("Paddington Rec") is a great playground for kids, complete with a play ocean liner, a zip wire, and even a row of London-style terraced houses.

Paddington Rec also has easy parking (free on weekends), useful Tube access (Maida Vale, on the Bakerloo Line)  and a good cafe with pizza and all the trimmings.

Candelit Carols at St Stephen's on Sunday

On Sunday 9th December St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a candle-lit carol service.  It's a very informal event; there is no need to book ahead and all are welcome. 

The event is part of the excellent community work done by St Stephen's; a church with a broad and diverse congregation, welcoming people from all parts of our neighbourhood.

The service starts at 5pm. After the service there will be mulled wine and mince pies.

Free Bicycle Marking Today at Shepherd's Bush Green

Free Cycle Marking today from 4pm

Today at Shepherd's Bush Green from 4pm to 6.30pm our local police are marking bicycles - for free.

What happens is they bind a non-removable marker to your bike and add it to a national register.

If it gets stolen, your bike can (in theory at least) be much more easily returned to you. Plus, anyone thinking of stealing your bike might think twice if it's registered.

Free Ethiopian Food Tasting on June 2 & June 9

Shepherd's Bush is playing host to a Free Ethiopian Food Tasting event on June 2nd and June 9th, on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green.

The event is hosted by Delina, and involves "delicious ready-to-eat Ethiopian food", sold from a little shop at the Petit-Miracle hub - a retail space promoting small businesses in our neighbourhood.

Petit-Miracle hub is located just on the south side of Shepherd's Bush Green in front of the W12 centre - see map on the bottom left.

You can also book a place here at Event Brite.

White City Consultation Wed 25 April

White City is changing

White City Developers Stanhope are hosting a panel discussion on the future of White City on Wednesday 25 April at 6.30pm.

The panel will include representatives from Stanhope, our Council, Imperial College, and local residents' groups.

To sign up for the event, which is free, follow this link to the EventBrite page.  All are welcome.

Remembrance Sunday at the War Memorial at 10.15am

Shepherd's Bush War Memorial

A service and two-minute silence will be held at 11am on Sunday 12 November at the war memorial on Shepherd's Bush Green.

The silence marks the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 at the end of World War One when the guns of Europe fell silent, marking the sacrifices made in that conflict, in World War Two, and in every conflict since.

The procession will begin at Sulgrave Road, off Shepherds Bush Road, at 10.15am before continuing to the service at the war memorial on Shepherds Bush Green.  It will be conducted by Father Richard Nesbitt of Our Lady of Fatima church and Reverend Cameron Collington of St Simon’s Church.

Inside Out - Exhibition of Neurodiverse Artists 13th November

Teatum and Teatum architects on Askew Rd are hosting an art exhibition featuring the work of neurodiverse artists in our neighbourhood on 13th November at 6.30pm. 

The exhibition is being organised by Auriol Herford, founder of Kite Studios in Shepherd's Bush.

Halloween Comes to Shepherd's Bush Today at 11am

Shepherd's Bush Market is hosting a Halloween Party for families today, organised by the Shepherd’s Bush Family Project.

Arch 186 (close to the Goldhawk Rd entrance) "will be transformed into a Halloween haven for an afternoon of spooky activities and prizes" from 11am until 3pm.  Entry is free.

Visitors can expect face painting, children’s tattoos and plenty of costumes. There will be a children’s fancy dress competition and the winner will receive up to £15 in market vouchers. Find out more at their Facebook page here.

Escape Studios Hosting "Animation Taster Day" Tomorrow in Shepherd's Bush for Just £5

Escape Studios, the animation and visual effects school based in Shepherd's Bush, have two seats left for their "Animation Taster Day" at Escape Studios tomorrow, Thursday 9 June.

Escape are running this animation taster day as part of Hammersmith and Fulham Arts Fest, to help give future animators an idea of what it's like to work in the  industry.

Fancy working in the movie business, on 3D animated films? You career as an animator begins here, and the whole day of training costs just £5. Escape will even provide lunch.

"Big Local" Summer Festival in White City - Saturday 23rd July from 1pm

W12 Festival 2016

The W12 Festival is coming to our streets this summer. "Big Local" in White City is busy planning this year's Summer Festival, with the date set for Saturday 23rd July from 1pm until 7pm, in Wormholt Park.

The day will be full of family activities, local performers, street food from local caterers and "an opportunity to celebrate all that’s good and inspiring about our little patch of London".

And tomorrow, on Thursday 2nd June, there's a "creative workshop" from 2-4pm for local residents to pitch ideas and get involved.

May Fair at St John's Notting Hill on May 21st at 1pm

May pole dancing at St John's Notting Hill

On Saturday May 21st at 1pm there is a May Fair at St John's Notting Hill, a long-running annual event and a great place to take the kids.  The day starts at 1pm and features tons of activities, including face painting, may poles, a bric-a-brac stall, home baked cakes and jams, and tons of other stuff.  Profits go to good causes around the world. Best of all, it costs just £1 to enter, and kids go in free.

Stuff To Do With Kids This Summer - Bishop's Park

Bishop's Park - kid heaven

Now that the weather is finally getting warmer, London's parks start to come into their own.

One of our best local parks is Bishop's Park - it's a short bus ride away in Fulham - and one of the loveliest parks in and around our neighbourhood.

Christmas Carols at St Stephen's Uxbridge Road on Sunday December 13 at 5pm

On Sunday 13th December at 5pm St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a traditional Christmas Carol concert.  It's a very inclusive event; there is no charge, no need to book ahead and all are welcome. 

The event is part of the excellent community work done by St Stephen's; a church with a commendably broad and diverse congregation.  

Carol Concert for Children with Special Needs at St Stephen's on Sunday

On Sunday 6th December St Stephen's Church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a carol concert for children with special needs.  It's a very inclusive event; there is no need to book ahead and all are welcome. 

The event is part of the excellent community work done by St Stephen's; a church with a commendably broad and diverse congregation.  Full details of Sunday's event - which includes mulled wine and mice pies - are at the flyer below.

Christmas Market at St Stephen's on Saturday 24th October 11am to 3pm

St Stephen's

St Stephen's church on the Uxbridge Road is hosting a Christmas Market on Saturday 24th October from 11am to 3pm to continue their efforts to restore the leaky roof of their Victorian home.  The successful Michaelmas Fair a couple of weeks ago raised a good deal - but this is just the beginning.

Events on Saturday 24th include a tombola, a Raffle, Christmas Goodies, home baked cakes (always my favourite), garden plants, and all sorts of stuff for kids.  Entry is free and children are welcome. Come along on Saturday 24th October and bring the family.

Free Cycle Marking Today at Shepherd's Bush Green

Free Cycle Marking today!

Today at Shepherd's Bush Green our local police are marking bicycles for free, binding a non-removable marker to your bike and adding it to a national register so that, if stolen, your bike can be returned to you. They are also offering a free tune-up from "Dr Bicycle", and an opportunity to sit in the cab of a heavy goods vehicle to see just how hard it is for them to see you.

Open House London - Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September

Open House London takes place this weekend, on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th September.

Come along and view the best in contemporary and traditional architecture in our Borough. Best of all, it's all completely free.