It's Groundworks Time Again

Groundwork have have sent LETRA the grant application form to apply for the Housing Estate Improvement Programme (HEIP). We hope to make a successful application for a new project on our estate.  
LETRA would like to hear your ideas on this, what would you like us to apply for. The popular new Play Area at Pelham House was our last winning bid.
So put aside the seasonal festivities for a moment and get back to LETRA  with your suggestions. We need to have them by the 17th January 2013.

• Please Email LETRA at: lyttonresidents@gmail.com
• For more information see Groundwork leaflet side 1 & side 2
• Groundwork's opening party at Pelham play area
• Launch of Pelham Play Photos

Kensington Olympia now part of London's Orbital Network

Kensington Olympia is finally part of the completed London Overground orbital network of train routes. The network is finished this week, with the opening of Clapham Junction to Highbury & Islington, via Surrey Quays, section.

You can circle around the heart of London, entirely on overground trains, giving commuters from Olympia many new connections to take advantage of.

• Hammersmith Today Story
• Transport for London Overground page
• You Tube Video about London Overground
• London Overground Map (pdf)

Parking Charges for Estate Residents ?

H&F is considering bringing in a consistent parking charge scheme for residents. 
"Cllr Andrew Johnson, cabinet member for housing, said: “We have inherited a ludicrous situation from the now defunct arms length management organisation that sees some residents pay £137 a year to park their cars close to their homes while their next door neighbours can park for free. At the same time our tenants and leaseholders in street properties who want to park their cars have to pay £119 for a parking permit.
The new system would provide all estate residents with a first come, first serve opportunity to park, with no guarantee of a parking space, similar to on-street parking. Penalty Charge Notices will be issued on illegally parked cars.
Similarly, there are a number of different charges for garage rents across the borough and there is a need to improve the condition of lettable garages. To rectify the problem, the council is asking residents for their views on  increasing the weekly charges for a garage or motorcycle garage to a level nearer the market rate. The revenue collected will be used to improve garage facilities on estates."

• H&F page on the consultation

Monday Update - Parking & Garages Consultation

Residents should have received a letter from H&F by today, about the proposed changes to parking and garages, on the Lytton Estate. If you have concerns about these proposals, make sure you get your response form back to H&F, for the 9th January 2013. 

Alternatively you can ring the hotline on 0800 5426724 and leave your number for H&F to get back to you. 
To read the letter click the links below:

• Consultation letter side 1
• Consultation letter side 2

Tesco Kensington Winter Food Festival

Tesco Kensington, on the Cromwell Rd, held a Winter Festival of Food today. Stalls, sited on the stores front plaza, representing the shops newly refurbished departments, offered a wide variety of foods for everyone to sample. In addition,  jugglers and a steel band entertained the customers all afternoon, while staff collected for Cancer Research UK. 
Now the stores update works are complete, it has number of new counters for shoppers to try, as well as a recently opened pharmacy on the forecourt, that provides a good range of services and extended opening hours.

Christmas Opening Hours:
Christmas Eve   Midnight to  2200
Christmas Day   Closed
Boxing Day         Closed  
Thursday 27th    Open midnight onwards
New Years Eve   Midnight to 1900
New Years Day   0900 to 1800
Wednesday 2nd  Open midnight onwards

WW2 Bomb Site Map of London

Bomb Sight is an interesting website mapping bombs dropped on London during the Blitz, between the 7th October 1940 and the 6th June 1941. The site features wartime maps of London, interactive and localised area maps of the places hit during eight months of WW2. Altogether, 17 high explosive bombs fell in the Avonmore and Brook Green ward over the period shown. 

• Bomb Site home page
• Avonmore and Brook Green map
• Bomb Census Project
• You Tube video about the site

New Foodbank at St. Luke's, Redcliffe Gnds.

List of foods wanted

In these tough economic times many people are going without the basics like food. To help those in need, the Trussell Trust have opened a new foodbank, at St. Luke's Church, Redcliffe Gardens. It joins a network of the trusts foodbanks in Britain. They can supply, those without, with a foodbox which contains 3 days worth of food. You can contribute by donating food or money, also volunteers are needed to help.

To receive food you need to obtain a voucher from care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers, the CAB and police who identify people in crisis and issue them with a foodbank voucher. Foodbank clients bring their voucher to a foodbank centre where it can be redeemed for the three days of emergency food. 

The foodbank at St. Luke's is open on:-

Tuesday - 12 to 3pm and

Fridays  -  1 to 4pm

• To volunteer
• To Donate - food or money
• Tel. 0207 052 0336
• St. Luke's foodbank website 
• Trusts Foodbank Location Map

Seasonal Financial Advice from H&F CAB

HAVE A HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Whether it’s the most wonderful time of the year, or just the chance for a few days off work? Don’t end the festive break with a financial hangover. Little changes now can mean big improvements to your wallet. And, if you have big money problems now, there is probably a solution that can change that.

I'm not talking “the little known piece of legislation that can wipe off up to 75% of your debts!” I assume you have seen that on TV ads. This legislation has been around for 2 decades and is highly profitable to the debt companies that advertise on TV. You just need to have £15,000 or more unsecured debt. Call one of these companies and see what they will charge but don’t sign up as this service can be FREE for you. (Not from them of course.)

What about a Debt Relief Order – less than £15,000 in unsecured debt can be written off in certain circumstances – mainly for people struggling on low pay or benefits. DROs are aimed at people with few or no assets who have very little money to pay back to their creditors, and little prospect of their situation improving.

If you want good information on managing your money, visit the Citizens Advice Bureau website at www.adviceguide.org.uk

Creditors make a lot of money because people assume they can do nothing.

Let me leave you with something to think about. Most people can justify asking their banks and credit cards to freeze interest and charges – especially if you are only able to afford minimum repayments. Write to them and start taking control.

• H&F Citizens Advice Bureau
• H&F CAB Tel: 020 7385 1322

H&F app to Report Dumped Rubbish

Reporting litter, fly-tipping or graffiti just became a lot easier now H&F have joined the smart-phone world, with the launch of their free to download 'H&F Report it' app. You can use a phones built in camera to photograph the rubbish and its GPS map to locate the exact position of where it's been left; just add a description and send a report over to the councils 'to do' list, for the local street cleaners to take action. All the major smart-phone varieties are supported.

• 'Report it' page – to download the app
• H&F news report – to read full story

Government Energy Grants

The Government and a number of energy suppliers are providing The Warm Home Discount scheme, to help toward paying the energy costs of pensioners or those on benefits, you could receive a grant of up to £130 towards this years bills.

To check if you qualify call the number or click the link below:

• Discount Scheme Helpline - 0845 603 9439
• The Warm Home Discount Scheme

Also, see other Government energy payment and grant links:

• Winter Fuel Payments - for pensioners
• Warm Front Scheme - grants for heating or insulation
• Fuel Help Booklet - by H&F CAB, lots of info and links (pdf)

Crisis at Christmas centre in West London College

Crisis at Christmas are again providing a centre on campus at Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College. The charity for single homeless people are looking for volunteers to come and help out over the Christmas holiday period, between the 23rd & 30th of December. You will be helping in the offering of food, clothing, healthcare and a range of educational facilities to homeless people. If you have some spare time during the holiday and want to help out, contact Crisis, at the link below.

• Volunteer for Crisis at Christmas
• To Make a Donation 
• West London College Christmas Crisis Centre Info