News, comment and features

Sureka Fernando, who runs the Salsa with Sureka dance lessons in Bowes Park, is organising a fund-raising party this weekend for the North London Samaritans. You are warmly invited to our Summer Party in aid of North London Samaritans on Saturday 11 July! All welcome - please bring friends, partners, random party people - the more the merrier!!! Here's the plan... 6.45pm: Dinner at Ciao Bella, 86-90 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1N 3LZ. (Nearest Tube: Russell Square) Table.......

Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), together with Barnet, Camden, Haringey and Islington CCGs, are proposing to commission NHS 111 and GP out-of-hours as a combined service.  They are inviting members of the public to give feedback. The CCGs' preferred option is to let a contract with a single provider who would cover both services for patients in all five boroughs.  They consider that this solution would take account of the following findings based on monitoring of NHS 111.......

{vimeo}https://vimeo.com/132524215{/vimeo}.......

As already announced, Silverfit Silver Fridays are about to be launched in Broomfield Park. Silverfit, a charity that promotes exercise and healthier lifestyles for older people, is looking for a volunteer to act as a "Silverfit Ambassador". Volunteer Positions: Silverfit Ambassadors Hours: 3 hours/week Silverfit isa charitable organisation promoting exercise and healthier lifestyles for older people. We need enthusiastic, highly motivated, enterprising individuals to be our Silverfit.......

The Pinkham Way Alliance has today sent an urgent message to its supporters warning of a new threat to Pinkham Wood.   HERE WE GO AGAIN... I’m very sorry to have to inform you that plans for a huge waste plant at Pinkham Way are back. This is a very serious turn of events, and on Tuesday 14 July, we must briefly attend a council meeting in Wood Green to let Haringey know how angry we are. ANOTHER WASTE PLANT?! Barnet Council aims to relocate its 6-acre Cricklewood Waste.......

Breaking with their tradition of running photographic competitions over the winter, the Friends of Broomfield Park have announced that this year the competition will take place during the summer. Prizes will be awarded in two categories:  Adults and Under 16s.  You can enter up to three pictures, which must be taken "of the Park or in the Park" between 1st June and the closing date for entries, which is 22nd August. All entries will be displayed on the Friends of Broomfield Park.......

The driver of this car had a lucky escape just before 4am this morning when he managed to overturn his vehicle in Park Avenue (Palmers Green), close to the junction with Green Lanes. Francis Sealy lives close by and heard an "almighty crash".  He says that the driver appeared to have hit at least two cars parked along Park Avenue.  Fortunately, he was wearing a seat belt. Photos:  Francis Sealy.......

Lots of new and exciting initiatives sprout up in North London, it seems. One that seems to have inspired a number of people is a proposed development on the old St Luke’s  Hospital site in Muswell Hill.  "Cohousing Woodside" has taken its name from the road running immediately south of the site, where the hospital is currently being demolished. We are a  group of potentially thirty households who will live on the leafy north-west corner of a scheme being built mostly for.......

Many people run, swim or cycle to raise money for charity, a few people do two out of three of these things and even fewer combine all three, but one grandmother who does is 72-year-old Eddie Brocklesby, Britain's oldest competing "Ironman" triathlete. And she only took up sport when she was over 50! Eddie, who recently was listed in the Independent on Sunday’s 100 Happy List 2015, said: "I only started running when I was 50, and competing in triathlons when I was sixty-two. You're never.......

The next round of public consultation about the Cycle Enfield ("Mini-Holland") scheme for the A105 will start with an exhibition in July.  There will then be a 12-week period in which members of the public can give their views online or on paper. Cycle Enfield West timetable Business Event – 16th July 2015Public Exhibition - 17th & 18th July 2015Public Consultation - 17th July to 9th Oct 2015 (12 weeks)"Pop-up" at Palmers Green Triangle - AugustStall at Palmers Green Festival.......

The rather mysterious "Palmers Scream" website has information about a story writing competition for local 8 to 12-year olds: "Whether about the Bogwarts of Bounds Green, the witches of Winchmore Hill, the spookiness of Southgate, apparitions of Arnos or the phantoms of Palmers Green, we want you to create a story that we will all enjoy!" There are some excellent prizes and the first fifty entries will receive a copy of the Spooky Tales of Palmers Green book. Some of the stories from the book.......

Following statement appeared was posted on the Enfield Council websitewebsite and dated 17th June. Enfield Council sets up Trent Park Mansion Working Group The Council has set up a cross party councillor Working Group to work with the Receiver tasked with finding a buyer for the Trent Park Mansion building. The Group will be meeting the Receiver shortly to emphasise that the views of the local community should be taken into account in any development proposals that come forward in the future........