Pupil Power

CONCERNED STUDENTS at St Marks School are taking road safety into their own hands with a new campaign aimed at slowing traffic outside the school.

The school council, led by Riona Whelan and Kathleen Batey, both 17, has drawn up a petition to persuade Hounslow Council to build a zebra crossing on Bath Road.

The road currently has no speed limit signs, and students crossing the road several times a day to reach playing fields, shops and bus stops are being put at risk.

Riona said it's an issue they care passionately about. "There are no road safety signs outside the school at all, it's something which has been a big concern and so far we haven't been able to do anything about it," she said.

More than 200 signatures have been collected so far with the help of the council's Traffic and Road Safety co-ordinator Elisabeth Knights, who visited the school last week to help establish a three-month travel plan.

The plan will then be presented to the council in a bid for funding, which would be put towards the cost of a zebra crossing or establishing a locked gates system for the school.

Kathleen said: "Mrs Knights explained to us what we need to do to make this work, and hopefully with the plan in place we'll be able to get the money we need."

St Michael and St Martin Church on Bath Road has also joined the fight. The students collected signatures from parish members on Sunday, and Father Tony Convery said he hopes the campaign is successful.

At least two serious accidents involving students from other schools have occured on the road in the last year, and teacher Ann Summers said the campaign is driven by the students' enthusiasm.

"The idea for the campaign came right from the kids themselves," she said. "It's not easy to get across the road, you get drivers overtaking without looking and I frequently have to close my eyes when kids run across."

Councillor Jagdish Sharma said he will support the campaign and believes more attention should be paid to speeding traffic outside schools.

"There is no doubt that Bath road is a very busy and dangerous place, and I think streets with schools on should be made into 20mph zones," he said.

© Hounslow Chronicle
Photograph by Matt G

Student Power

CONCERNED STUDENTS at St Marks School are taking road safety into their own hands with a new campaign aimed at slowing traffic outside the school.

The school council, led by Riona Whelan and Kathleen Batey, both 17, has drawn up a petition to persuade Hounslow Council to build a zebra crossing on Bath Road.

The road currently has no speed limit signs, and students crossing the road several times a day to reach playing fields, shops and bus stops are being put at risk.

Riona said it's an issue they care passionately about. "There are no road safety signs outside the school at all, it's something which has been a big concern and so far we haven't been able to do anything about it," she said.

More than 200 signatures have been collected so far with the help of the council's Traffic and Road Safety co-ordinator Elisabeth Knights, who visited the school last week to help establish a three-month travel plan.

The plan will then be presented to the council in a bid for funding, which would be put towards the cost of a zebra crossing or establishing a locked gates system for the school.

Kathleen said: "Mrs Knights explained to us what we need to do to make this work, and hopefully with the plan in place we'll be able to get the money we need."

St Michael and St Martin Church on Bath Road has also joined the fight. The students collected signatures from parish members on Sunday, and Father Tony Convery said he hopes the campaign is successful.

At least two serious accidents involving students from other schools have occured on the road in the last year, and teacher Ann Summers said the campaign is driven by the students' enthusiasm.

"The idea for the campaign came right from the kids themselves," she said. "It's not easy to get across the road, you get drivers overtaking without looking and I frequently have to close my eyes when kids run across."

Councillor Jagdish Sharma said he will support the campaign and believes more attention should be paid to speeding traffic outside schools.

"There is no doubt that Bath road is a very busy and dangerous place, and I think streets with schools on should be made into 20mph zones," he said.

No news today

There are lies, there are damn lies and there are statistics.

Sports feature: Paul Ivens of London Shootfighters

WHEN most people think of wrestling, they get a specific picture in their head. Hulk Hogan. Giant Haystacks. Gurning men with bulging pecs pretending to smash each other with chairs. It’s a hard image to get away from, but Paul Ivens is dedicating his life to rectifying this.

Ivens, 30, is the co-founder of London Shootfighters, one of the top fighting clubs in Europe. Established ten years ago and based in Ladbroke Grove since 2005, the club runs regular classes from Jiu-jitsu to ancient Roman Wrestling, producing some of the best fighters in the U.K.

Ivens developed an interest in stylised fighting as a teenager, and his obsession grew from there.

“I did judo as a kid, and around the age of 20 developed an interest in more traditional martial arts,” he says. “I lived in Japan for a while where I learnt Tai-Ki-Do, and I enjoyed wrestling so much that I decided to concentrate on just that.”

Ivens, who fights in the light heavyweight division, has the aura of a guy who has worked hard to follow his passion. It may be the fact that he has just finished a tough grappling session, but his world-weary expression betrays a sense of exasperation with the public perception of his sport.

“Wrestling is not a very popular sport in this country,” he admits. “When you go to other countries and mention wrestling, they know exactly what you’re talking about.
The sport is not really supported at any kind of youth level or in schools and there is very little funding, which makes it a struggle to get people interested.”

This struggle has turned into something of a personal crusade for Ivens, who travels the world in search of further knowledge, better contacts and tougher challenges.

He speaks about the technicalities of the sport with an enthusiasm rarely seen amongst professional sportsmen.

“Wrestling is sport at its pinnacle in certain ways,” he says. “You’ll be coming up against guys at an extremely high level, testing you in every way possible.
“You get wrestlers who are as physically strong as a weightlifter, as fit as a runner, and at the same time it’s very technical, you have to learn a lot of techniques if you’re going to be good at it. It requires a bit of everything.”

Ivens acknowledges the modern trend of people joining clubs to enhance their self defence, but warns amateurs against getting carried away.

“If you need to use wrestling to take someone down, it is 100 per cent effective, because you can put into practice what you do every day on the mat,” he says. “But if you can’t do it here, it doesn’t work in a real life situation.”

Ivens hopes to challenge for an Olympic medal in Beijing next year, and believes some of the younger members of the club can compete in 2012. But material glory doesn’t appear to be his ultimate goal.

“I just enjoy wrestling as a sport in itself,” he says. “I want to keep going until I can’t do it anymore, until my body says no. But even then I’ll probably keep pushing it!”

Sam Blackledge for Sportsbeat 2007

Crooks tainting Tooting

CON artists operating on Tooting High Street are ruining the reputation of the town, according to residents and council members.

Increasing numbers of gangs have set up stalls outside the market, selling stolen goods and running crooked card games.

Resident Donal Lawler said: “I have seen people doing this along the South Bank, a group setting up a stall and lookouts with mobile phones down the road.
“There are guys selling dodgy DVDs in plain sight outside the market at weekends. Most people won’t fall for this sport of thing, but they know their target audience.”

Shoppers have reported the issue to police, who have promised to put plain clothes officers on the case, but the blame is being passed by those in charge.

Labour councillor Nick Bowes is determined to bring this to the attention of the Conservative majority council.

“I can offer residents the reassurance that I will fight tooth and nail for Tooting and continue to embarrass the council into doing something to improve this issue,” he said. “I will not shy away from exposing the majority group’s failings.”

Alex Jacob, Conservative councillor for Tooting, believes the issue stems from a low police presence in the borough.

“We are short changed by the Home Office when it comes to estimating the number of officers we need on the streets,” he said. “Tooting is one of the Borough’s five town centres, and we are committed to its continuous improvement.
“There have been several new shops, restaurants and bars opening recently and the general impression is of an area on the up. Such activity undermines all our hard work and we are dismayed by it.”

Cllr Jacob also protested that the streets of Tooting are controlled by Transport for London, as the area is a designated ‘red route’.

Police Inspector Paul O'Herlihy denies there is a problem with policing in Tooting.

“Tooting town centre is covered by two Safer Neighbourhood Teams, giving a total of 18 officers dedicated to the area,” he said.

Many people also feel there is a knock-on effect to the general state of Tooting town centre. Tooting resident Emma said:
“I have witnessed two instances of fly tipping in the last couple of weeks by residents of Tooting. I know that some people think that it's people in vans dropping off their unwanted furniture etc, but I've seen two residents doing this in a matter of weeks.”

Sam Blackledge

Youth matters

Youngsters from Epsom and Ewell got a chance to air their views last Monday at the Borough’s first Youth Conference, as part of Local Democracy Week.

20 students from secondary schools and youth groups attended Town Hall event, organised by Yell, the Borough’s youth forum, and Surrey County Council’s Youth Development Service.

The evening included presentations, group discussions, brainstorming and a debate about services offered in the Borough.

The council’s media spokesperson Midge McCall said the evening was a resounding success.

“The event was lively and fairly informal, tailored specifically for the young people and the feedback afterwards was very positive,” she said.

“Those present all expressed an interest to meet up together again to ensure the good relationships and communication channels started at the conference would continue in the future.”

One of the issues discussed at the conference was the possibility of a Police Youth Panel, which would address personal safety for youngsters and develop better relations with local police.

Sam Blackledge

Busking The Night Away

Forget Simon, Sharon, Louis and Danni – if you really want to be a star, The Halfway House pub in East Sheen is the place to be.

‘The Busk Factor’, set up by local musician Siobhan Dodd, is an open mic night with a difference. A new approach to musicians’ nights is needed in the capital, according to Dodd, who runs the event with her guitarist brother-in-law Dan Grinter.

“All the open mic nights we have seen in London have tended to be very serious,” she says. “We prefer the atmosphere of the event to be non-judgmental and fun.”

This unique theory certainly brings a lively quality to the evening. Participants receive party bags for performing, and the laid-back atmosphere is a breath of fresh air.

“Musicians deserve a treat for playing and singing”, Dodd says. “With the party bag idea, I had this great image of musicians swapping crayons and bonding over a lollipop.
It’s an extra quirk which adds to the atmosphere and keeps it fun.”

At the premiere event last month, the audience were treated to an acapella version of ‘If I Were a Rich Man’, a haphazard but inspired rendition of ‘Sheila’s Wheels’, and a fair bit of energetic dancing as the night wore on.

Another unique aspect of this event is the family connection – Dodd’s family band, ‘The Elastic Band’, headline the night, and there is a camaraderie amongst them rarely found among other musicians. Dodd pays tribute to Michael Upjohn’s ‘Buskers Express’, one of the longest-running open mic events in Surrey.

“There was a lovely atmosphere to it, and I first sang there aged 14,” she says. “Dan and I really appreciated the opportunities ‘Buskers Express’ gave us as young musicians, and we wanted to set up something similar in this area, to give those same opportunities to others. We don’t know of any events like this which offer a platform for new songwriters.”

Dodd has had her very own brush with fame – she auditioned for the first series of ‘X Factor’ – and she stresses that no matter what their standard, all local musicians should come along to The Busk Factor.

“People don’t have to have perfectly polished performances, they can ‘busk’ if they forget the words,” she says.

There are high hopes for the long-term status of the event, which runs every month.

“Buskers Express has been running for ten years,” says Dodd. “So that’s what we should try to aim for!”

'The Busk Factor' is on next at 'The Halfway House', East Sheen on Sunday 21st October at 8pm. To book a performance slot, email thebuskfactor@hotmail.co.uk.

www.myspace.com/thebuskfactor

Sam Blackledge

Jamming for charity

MUSICIANS from Epsom will be doing their bit for charity this month as the U.K’s biggest music festival comes to the region.

Throughout October, artists, promoters and music fans across the country will be taking part in ‘Oxjam’, a series of events and gigs to raise money for the charity Oxfam.

Epsom will host two events, and organisers are hoping for a high turnout for the gigs.

Oxjam’s music event director for Epsom Chris Turner said: “All of the money raised will go directly towards Oxfam’s campaigns to help end poverty and suffering around the world.
“We hope to raise close to the region of £1,000 but that really depends on how many people turn out to the events and how much money they donate.”

The first event in Epsom will be an acoustic gig held at the Oxfam shop on Epsom High Street on Saturday October 13.

Organised by Epsom band ‘Chop Chop Bear Touch?’, the informal concert will be held from 11am-4pm, and entrance is by voluntary donation.

‘Chop Chop Bear Touch?’ will also be headlining Epsom’s centrepiece gig at The Vibe on East Street on October 20. Acts include The Kulaks, Anison, Cyclone Bill and Venkman. This event will start at 7pm, with admission £5.

Ed Croome, a member of Banstead and Sutton group Venkman, is a big fan of the idea.
“As we are a new band, we see this event as a good way of showcasing our new material and also raising some money for charity at the same time,” he said.
“I also think that if it proved to be successful, it would be a great idea to put on more events like this in the area, and we would be more than happy to keep helping out in any way we can.”

Venkman are currently considering organising an event to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis.

Other regions holding Oxjam events throughout October include Cardiff, Leeds and Brighton.

Around 40,000 musicians and 300,000 fans are expected to take place in the events nationwide, aiming to raise £1 million for Oxfam.

For more information, visit www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam

Sam Blackledge

Golden Oldie

WE LIVE in a frenzied age of fast food, tilting trains and entertainment on demand – but when it comes to music, the public knows what it likes.

When word got out that I was to interview self –proclaimed ‘King of romance’ Engelbert Humperdinck, it was like Thursday night at the bingo hall.

As memories of parents’ record collections flowed forth and choruses of ‘Release Me’ echoed round the office, it became clear that ‘the hump’ is a golden oldie in a sea of preening pop stars.

Humperdinck, 71, is indeed a fascinating personality, a kind of cartoon character you wouldn’t believe really exists in the flesh. Born in Madras, India and raised in the rather less glamorous surroundings of Leicester, he has acquired an American demeanour over years of exposure to the Hollywood lifestyle.

He scoffs when described as a crooner – “I am a contemporary singer, a stylised performer” – but accepts that while he has a novelty appeal to the masses, his loyal fan base lies in the older generation.

“The music business has changed since I was young, and I’ve had to adapt to that”, he says. “In the 60s, with the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Elvis, people made lasting material. The songs we wrote were evergreens, they lasted for years. In today’s world, you’re lucky if a song lasts 6 months before it is dismissed.”

Nobody can say Humperdinck hasn’t earned the right to his opinion. Breaking into the music business in the late 1950s under the name of Gerry Dorsey, he contracted Tuberculosis at the age of 25. While Elvis Presley was busy topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, Humperdinck was out of action for the whole of 1961.

“My voice is my lifeblood as a singer, and that was a scary time for me. Back then people thought T.B was a horrible disease and didn’t want to be anywhere near you.”
It is perhaps the memory of this traumatic time that keeps Humperdinck going. As he embarks on a gruelling world tour, including a date at the London Palladium on November 4, his enthusiasm is undiminished.

“After I turned 70, I said I wanted to return to playing 120 dates a year, and that’s exactly what I’m doing”, he says. Surely that must take its toll on a man in the autumn of his career?

“I’m still as energetic as I ever was”, he says. “I jump around on that stage like I’m a forty year-old!”

Humperdink admires fellow artists who appear to go on forever, but accepts that it is rapidly becoming a young man’s world.

“I don’t try to be young, I know my limits”, he says. He marvels at modern technology – “People can just sit down at a computer and connect with me!” – but remains nonplussed by the rapidly changing landscape. “It’s a funny old world right now. Some of it’s good, some of it’s bad.”

He comes across as a man who doesn’t dwell on the past. Does he have any regrets?
“If I could edit my past, I’d get a good manager and get my future secured at an early age”, he says. “Of all the money I’ve earned in my life, management has taken almost half.”

He praises the current team of masterminds behind his enduring popularity, and insists that he has no plans to hang up his microphone any time soon.
“On the day my new record came out, I was back in the studio recording new songs”, he says. “As long as the demand is there, I’ll keep churning them out!”

And with that, the Hump signs off, on his way to another L.A show, to entertain another few thousand adoring fans. Not bad for a golden oldie.

“It has been a wonderful journey”, he says. “I hope it never ends.”

Engelbert Humperdinck plays The London Palladium on November 4. For tickets call: 0870 890 1108.

Mayor backs cause close to home

THE Mayor of Epsom and Ewell has revealed the reason behind her support for a charity – she suffers from a potentially serious medical condition.
Cllr Jean Steer, who has named Surrey Association for Visual Impairment as one of her chosen causes to support in 2007/08, has been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, a disorder predominantly found in elderly adults, which can, in extreme cases, result in blindness.

Fortunately, she has only a mild strain of the condition in one eye. “It does not cause me any problem, so I can still read, drive and watch TV with no problem,” she said. “Hopefully it will not get any worse.”

The condition, which can attack people as young as 50, has inspired her to support SAVI, based in Leatherhead. She said: “They provide all kinds of help and equipment to people so that they can lead independent lives.”

Cllr Steer has named Mid Surrey Alzheimer’s Society and The Stroke Association as her other two chosen charities, a decision also influenced by personal reasons.
“I chose the Stroke Association because my husband died of a massive stroke, as did my mother and one of my sisters,” she explained.
“The Alzheimer’s Society are a tremendous help to carers and families of people with the problem and they need all the help they can get. I am trying to raise the profile of this association locally to get the Government to fund the cost of treatment for Alzheimer's, which is not available to everyone.”

The mayor will be raising money throughout her year in office by holding charity events and attracting sponsorships from businesses.

So far, events have included a charity golf day and a garden party. Many more are planned, including a fashion show and a concert in Epsom Playhouse.

Cllr Steer hopes to raise up to £15,000 in the year until May. For details of forthcoming events, visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk


Sam Blackledge

Pollution threat to high street

INCREASED pollution in Ewell is caused by too much traffic, say villagers.
Two years ago, the high street was found to have particularly high readings of nitrogen dioxide in the air and a subsequent report recommended that an Air Quality Management Area be declared. This would involve placing sophisticated air monitoring equipment at either end of the street.

Lorraine Cliffe, 42, and Andy Turner, 40, believe the situation is now at a critical stage.

"Putting up new traffic lights at the end of the village has made it worse" said Andy. "The congestion is terrible. If you go outside in the afternoon, when the kids get out of school, the traffic goes all the way down the high street. It’s just solid. I never drive through here any more."

Lorraine added: "Ewell Village would be better off they closed the road to cars. I think the council would get a lot of support for it."

Cllr Clive Woodbridge, of Epsom and Ewell Residents’ Association, admits it will be some time before any improvement is seen.

"The air quality management area in itself will not provide a solution to the problem, as it basically allows the council to take better measurements of air quality", he said.

"Once the more accurate readings have been taken, it will be possible to tell if there is a significant problem, and from there the local and county councils will have to work together to find the best solution. The AQMA is a necessary first step."

Cllr Woodbridge urged residents to contribute to the fight against pollution by using public transport where possible. "There is too much traffic going through the village, and congestion is a problem with frequent jams and tailbacks", he said.

"This is the basic cause of the pollution in the village. We all use our cars too much, so getting people to make better use of public transport, cycling and walking would help."

However, shops and businesses are wary of pedestrianising the area.

Pat Stanford, who works in the Party Land shop in the High Street, said: "If they stopped cars coming down here it would cause tremendous problems, and you’d lose a huge amount of trade."

Oliver Nelson, head of the environmental health team, says the pollution will not cause significant risk to residents but it might be a problem for some people.

"Those who suffer from an existing respiratory condition may find their symptoms are worse if they have spent a long time in this area," he said.

The environmental health team aims to have the AQMA in place by the end of this year.

Residents, businesses and other interested parties can make their views known to the council at www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk or call 01372 732 000.

Sam Blackledge

It's fashion week time

Never mind Prada and Gucci - pop stars pledging to save the world seems to be the latest fashion trend. Soon to be performing in Kingston, X factor reject Chico Slimani, 36, has joined the debate on size zero models as fashion week hits the capital. "I like my girls swervy, curvy and shaped like an hour glass" says Chico, whose forthcoming single 'Curvy Cola Bottle Body' addresses the issue of female body image.

The argument that London should ban ultra-skinny models from the catwalk continues to rage, with fears that they could encourage eating disorders among fashion fans, particularly young girls. The recent 'size zero' phenomenon, an American term which translates as a U.K size four, provides a target for campaigners to rally against. Chico insists he has a strong belief in the issue, and that is the driving force behind the single. Some may accuse him of jumping on the bandwagon occupied by the likes of Bono and Chris Martin, who regularly use their profiles to raise awareness of important global issues, but he insists this is not the case. "Money is the last thing I'm after”, he says. “I'm just trying to change lives". The smooth singer may seem an unlikely ambassador for this sensitive issue, particularly when he comes out with phrases like "God must love curvy women, because he made so many of them", but his heart is in the right place. He is involved with Beat, a charity which provides help and support for people with eating disorders. Beat's press officer Mary George says: "Chico is concerned about the issues, and we welcome anyone with a high profile supporting our cause."

Whoever they come from, the facts are hard to ignore: the majority of catwalk models have a body mass index of less than 18, which is the World Health Organization's minimum healthy standard. Spain and Italy have already barred models with a BMI of less than 18 from their catwalks after the deaths of 2 young models earlier this year. The British Fashion Council, the organising body responsible for London Fashion Week, says: "We believe that regulation is neither desirable nor enforceable. What will make a difference is the commitment of the fashion industry to change attitudes through behaviour and education."

Wednesday 3 October: Chico at McClusky’s, Thames Street, Kingston. 9pm. £5 (£3 with flyer or N.U.S card). See: www.mccluskys.com

© Sam Blackledge for The London Informer September 2007

Welcome wanderers

Hello. My name is Sam, I am a 22 year old drama graduate of Hull University, about to start an NCTJ postgrad course in newspaper journalism. I have a music blog over at www.meeting-in-the-aisle.blogspot.com, and I have created this blog to post my articles and pieces of 'serious' writing.

Here is my first offering, an article I wrote today on Boris Johnson's first speech in his campaign to be Mayor of London. Enjoy and feel free to respond.

* * *

Boris Johnson issued a rallying war-cry to Londoners in the fight against crime today. The Conservative candidate for London Mayor urged the public to take a vigilante stance against thugs and petty criminals in a typically idiosyncratic speech.

Mr. Johnson’s flair for a memorable sound bite was in evidence as he referred to buses as “glorified getaway cars for thieves and vandals”, insisting that he would be “wholeheartedly on the side of the active citizen” and would “focus more on getting the job done”. However, for all his media-savvy poses and promises, Mr Johnson offered little in the way of specific solutions. He identified that crime, housing and transport are the main issues which need addressing in the capital, but his analysis of the congestion charge was that it simply “isn’t working”.

The former editor of The Spectator added that he senses “a sense of resignation” in Londoners, a judgment which may be sailing a little too close to his ill-judged comments on other cities. Just ask the people of Portsmouth, which he described earlier this year as "one of the most depressed towns in Southern England, a place that is arguably too full of drugs, obesity, underachievement and Labour MPs".

Although public opinion of Mr Johnson seems to be split at this stage, there is an increasing feeling that his clown-like image may betray a shallow knowledge of the real problems at the heart of London. This speech contained a handful of flippant comments, which may both worry and hearten his rival Ken Livingstone in equal measure. Mr Johnson marvelled at the improvements to the city over the past 20 years, citing the availability of mango juice at his local newsagent and the creation of Frappuccinos, the cold coffee drink sold by Starbucks. Light-hearted irony, or simple buffoonery?

One of the most startling aspects of Mr Johnson’s speech was his call for members of the public to be more willing to intervene when they see youngsters making trouble. After the recent high-profile death of Gary Newlove in Warrington, who was attacked after confronting a gang of youths who damaged his car, this is a controversial stance from Mr Johnson. Urging the public to “take a risk” and tackle a thug may not be the most diplomatic approach, but we have come to expect nothing less from this colourful character.