Gardening Project Volunteers Wanted for Marcus Garvey Park

Marcus Garvey Park, West Kensington

Are those green fingers itching for a garden to work on?  Now there's a chance for people to join a new local initiative starting soon in Marcus Garvey Park, just off North End Road, where you can achieve those horticultural ambitions.

Organiser have the backing of the council, who are willing to help with funding for the project, which aims not only to improve the flower beds and plant a herb garden, but enhance the wildlife habitat in the park, for everything from birds to slugs. They are hoping to have the new works to the garden established by the summer, so everyone can enjoy the results of their help.

Those wishing to find out more about the scheme or volunteer, can attend an event in the park on Saturday, March 9th, from 11am to 3pm.  All ages are wellcome to come, with a number of activities provided, such as hands-on workshops building bird boxes and bug houses, run by Hammersmith Community Gardens Association.

• Chronicle story

Kensington Olympia - Free WiFi at platforms 1, 2 & 3

Things just keep getting better at Kensington Olympia, first the new London Overground orbital network opened a few weeks ago, now there is free WiFi while you wait for those trains. Passengers can connect to the internet at 50 London Overground Stations, by using WiFi provider The Cloud, which gives users free access for the first 60 minutes per day. 
(free registration is required)

• TfL WiFi page
• London Overgroung WiFi station map (pdf)

Hidden Homes for The Grange

The two new affordable flats on the left of the building

The Councils Hidden Homes programme is going ahead, with a development at The Grange, where two new affordable flats are to be built on the apartment buildings ground floor. Planning consent for the scheme has been granted and the process of procuring a contractor, for the detailed design work of the project, is under-way.

The building works will involve the demolition of the old storage sheds underneath the block and the insertion of the two new one bedroom flats in there place, with a replacement storage facility built to the rear of the apartments.

H&F will be holding another drop-in event for residents to discus the plans, with a presentation for a timetable of the works and site set up. It is possible that building work may start in the early summer.

Layout of the new homes & storage area 

Floor plan of the two new homes

• Design and Access Statement for Planning
• H&F Hidden Homes page
• Detailed drawings & plans download page

Lyric Square Save Our Hospitals Rally and Town Hall Video

Local MP Andy Slaughter speaking at the rally

LETRA attended the Save Our Hospitals rally at Lyric Square today. 
600 plus demonstrators turned out to hear a series of impassioned speakers, voice their opposition to the outcome of the NHS NW London's decision, to drastically reduce the facilities at Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals.

Leading campaigner and local MP, Andrew Slaughter, was one of the main speakers at the peaceful meeting. Once the rally in the square had finished, protesters marched along King Street and gathered outside the Town Hall, where a second demo took place on the buildings front steps.

Protesters at the rally

1st March Update, above: Defend London's NHS Video 

The march from Lyric Square to the Town Hall

Video from outside the Town Hall after the King Street march 

• Chronicle report
• Hammersmith Today report
• Hammersmith Today: It's Official both A&E's to close
• W14 Website: summary of NHS Proposals
• Andy Slaughter on the closures

Charing Cross Hospital Saved ?

Please read: Hammersmith Today Report

Plus: Andy Slaugter Special

and go to: Lyric Square Rally

Update 15th Feb:  Chronicle story, both A&E's to Close !

Lewis Trust Demolition Works

As reported by LETRA last November, that the building works on the Samuel Lewis Trust Estate were due to start; and all residents of the Burne Jones House, Samuel Richardson House and The Grange will be aware, the main demolition to our neighbouring flats is now in full swing. 
This is the first phase of the redevelopment that is due to continue over the next five years. The exterior facade of the buildings will remain, while the internal layouts are to be remodelled, requiring the internal demolition of the inside walls, which will probably be the worst part of the job at this stage, as it will cause prolonged noise pollution, later works should be quieter.
 Once finished the regeneration is going to provide an extra 38 homes, with an attractive exterior redesign and be called the Lisgar Terrace Estate; in addition, it is proposed to give the blocks new addresses, each named after the paintings of Edward Burne Jones.

• H&F Planning Statement 
• H&F Planning Application 
• Chronicle story