February 2009 Archives

A record number of youngsters flocked to polling stations this year, wanting to ensure their favourite candidate was elected to the UK Youth Parliament.

More than 7,000 young people voted at more than 20 polling stations across Harrow in the week leading up to the announcement - almost 2,000 more than in last year's election.

Harrow's two places in the UK Youth Parliament were won by Aakash Bharania, and Rhiya Pau, both 15, while Amar Chandarana and Mahek Metha claimed deputy spots.

The budding Gordon Browns and Boris Johnsons, who had all been nominated for the posts by their peers, were given the results at the Civic Centre last week and will now join members drawn from all over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) was set up nine years ago as a way to improve youth participation in decision-making.

Harrow had previously been allowed just one elected Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) on the UKYP and one deputy, but has been asked to elect two of each for the past two years.

An internet class that helps Muslim women detect the tell-tale signs of extremism in their children has been praised by government officials.

The Harrow Council scheme, launched earlier this month, was one of three Harrow-run projects up for awards in the Prevention of Violent Terrorism awards, held last Tuesday.

Labelled the E-safety training workshop, the idea saw off competition from Brent, Hounslow and Lambeth in the best women's project category.

The class aims to cover safety advice on the use of internet messaging, social networking websites and chat rooms, but also helps to alert Muslim mothers about teenagers who might be enticed to look at websites which promote terrorism or extremism.

The event, which was organised by the Government Office for London and the London Prevent Network, was hosted by minister for London and Harrow East MP, Tony McNulty.

Harrow was also shortlisted for prizes in the best youth project and innovation categories.

Councillors are supporting the campaign for Gurkhas' rights and encouraging the public to get behind the ex-servicemen.

Harrow Council has put forward a motion that will urge local MPs to support the campaign and write to the Prime Minister to demand help for retired British Gurkhas.

Labour group head Bill Stephenson, council leader David Ashton (Conservative) and the Liberal Democrats' head Chris Noyce have all backed the plans.

The council is also asking its chief executive Michael Lockwood to look sympathetically at street collections in aid of the ex-servicemen who have been suffering financially.

Mayor of Harrow Councillor John Nickolay said: "I hope we are speaking for 99-100 per cent of the public when I say the Gurkhas are so grateful for what they do have and that they deserve to be treated with respect.

"They are from Nepal, but they are so patriotic for Britain."

Chairman of the Royal British Legion Harrow branch John Stelfox said: "We will obviously help in any way that we can.

"We have 15 Gurkha members in the Harrow British legion and I do know a lot of them are suffering financially, so any support we can give them we will."

The motion was heard at a council meeting last Thursday.

One of Britain's oldest people has celebrated her 110th birthday.

Elspeth Marion Wood celebrated her birthday at the nursing home where she lives on Wednesday.

Her son, Tony Wood, of Bentley Way, Stanmore, visits his mother every day and is happy she is celebrating another year.

The 71-year-old said: "She is a delightful person. When she turns on her smile everyone just melts.

"As far as I know she is the oldest person in Harrow and has been for a few years."

The mother-of-one has lived in the borough for more than 23 years, having moved to Uxbridge Road, in Hatch End, when she was 86.

Mrs Wood lived in the residential unit with a carer until November 2008, when she was moved to the Rowanweald Care Home, in Weald Lane, Harrow Weald, after she broke her hip.

Mr Wood said: "She started breaking her hips when she was about 100 years old.

"She is no longer mobile and she can't walk, but she has got all her marbles, she still tells jokes."

Mrs Wood has lived through two world wars and historical events including the first lunar landing (man on the moon).

Her son says she has a lot of interesting stories to tell.

Mr Wood said: "She was one of the ladies who could not go to university in her day so between 1917 and 1919 she was at a teacher training college learning to teach and she taught during the Second World War.

"She was a real Victorian baby."

The pensioner married in 1928 after meeting Herbert Wood, who was originally from Chester. He died in 1980 at the age of 83.

After 109 birthdays Mrs Wood is having a small party to celebrate her big day.

Her son said: "We are going to have a small celebration with some of her closest friends.

"I think her secret for living so long is the fact we all do our best to make her life enjoyable every day."

Former Harrow mayor Graham Hines has died at home at the age of 80 after suffering several months of illness.

Mr Hines spent 24 years as a Conservative councillor and was deputy mayor in 1974/75, becoming mayor the following year, and chaired the education and highways committees.

Present Mayor of Harrow, Councillor John Nickolay, said: "I knew Graham Hines for more than 50 years.

"He was responsible for recruiting me into politics, after knocking on my parents' door, and he was a great example to follow.

"Graham was particularly interested in education and highways and, of course, served with distinction as mayor. He was an inspiring figure and we will miss him greatly."

Mr Hines was living in Hereford, Herefordshire, at the time of his death and is survived by his sister, wife, two married sons and five grandchildren.

The funeral is being held on Tuesday, February 24 at 2pm at Much Birch Church, in Much Birch, Hertfordshire.

Donations, in lieu of floral tributes, can be made to Marie Curie Cancer Care, and sent to the undertakers Bayley Brothers Hereford Ltd, 1719 Cotterell Street, Hereford HR4 OHH.

A paedophile who worked at a hospital in Harrow was spared jail this work despite downloading more than 1,000 indecent pictures of children on his laptop.

David Murrell, a former IT consultant at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital in Stanmore, was caught with 1,201 images on his computer after police raided his flat - which was on the grounds of the hospital.

Police began a search of the Sir Henry Floyd Court flat after staff became suspicious of the 48-year-old.

Co-workers had caught the pervert looking at adult pornography while at work and an investigation by the police uncovered the haul of indecent photos.

He has since left his job at the hospital.

He walked free from Harrow Crown Court on Monday this week after avoiding a jail term.

He was instead handed three years' community service and ordered to attend an internet sex offender group programme.

A Stanmore supermarket is gearing up for Red Nose Day.
Sainsbury's, in The Broadway, has started selling red noses for £1 with 70p from every sale going to Comic Relief.
The chain is also selling other fundraising items including phone charms and recipe collections.
Store manager Dave Turvey said: "Last year Sainsbury's colleagues raised £1.1million for Comic Relief and this year we're all determined to raise even more for this great charity."
Red Nose Day is taking place on March 13.

Thieves stole two laptops worth £2,000 from a church in Stanmore.

The crooks smashed a window to break into Stanmore Baptist Church, in Abercorn Road, between 10pm on February 5 and 8.40am on February 6.

The Friends of Canons Park are hosting a night of performances from young musicians on March 7.
The evening of classical musical, in collaboration with the Purcell School of Music, starts at 7.30pm at the Arnold House School Activity Centre, in Canons Park.
Tickets start from £10 and include light refreshments.
For information call 020 8954 5360 or visit www.friendsofcanonspark.org.uk

Harrow Council is to take back the management of Honeypot Lane Children's Home and sell surplus places to other councils.

The authority's 2009/10 budget reveals dumping the voluntary organisation which runs the home at present will save £25,000 and offering vacant spaces to other councils to place their youngsters there will raise £75,000.

No more details have been made public at this stage about the proposal for the premises, which lies in Honeypot Lane, Stanmore.