November 2019
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News Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association November 2019 QUEEN’S PARK CRIME CONCERNS QPARA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Janis Denselow Thursday 14th November, Inter Faith Centre, St Anne’s and St Andrew’s Urgent concerns about crime and policing Church, Salusbury Road, 7.30 pm refreshments, 8pm meeting begins in Queen’s Park were raised at a sometimes heated local meeting in September with the Virginia Brand, Chair, Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association Deputy London Mayor with responsibility for crime and policing, Sophie Linden. The Our AGM is a fantastic opportunity for meeting, chaired by our MP Tulip Siddiq, everyone in Queen’s Park to hear about the heard complaints about anti-social work of our association over the past year. behaviour and worries about the impact In 2019 we planted sixty new street trees. of a diminishing Safer Neighbourhood We organised another hugely successful Police Team. Queen’s Park Day in September, attracting Particular concerns were raised by residents a record 19,500 people. The Queen’s from Keslake Road with a catalogue of issues Park Book Festival in June hosted dozens of and frustrations over persistent anti-social notable writers, including two Booker Prize winners – there’s more on both events in behaviour by a small group of visitors/ this newsletter. residents who congregate at the benches and Here is Robert at work planters at the junction with Chamberlayne Big events like these are important, but Road. QPARA wants these concerns they are just the tip of the QPARA iceberg. If you are new to the area, do come to us addressed in the proposed plan to improve The hidden part is the enormous amount the ‘Chamberlayne Corridor’ (see p3). of work QPARA’s volunteers do to keep with your suggestions on how to improve our Queen’s Park the extraordinary place it is. very special green urban gem. If you are not We know that budget cuts mean fewer police. For example, the new planters at the police a QPARA member, do join us. New members But numbers are not the only issue – we also station corner are the work of QPARA join us all the time, thanks to our brilliant want police who stay for a while, put down volunteers led by Robert Budwig, Helen membership secretary Marika Szalanczi. roots, get to know our community and meet Durnford and Andra King, who maintain And there is no better way to get a flavour of us regularly to share information and listen to all the QPARA planters along Salusbury the year-round work we do than by coming our concerns. Road. Our committees work ceaselessly to our AGM. to protect our environment, improve our As I come towards the end of my period as policing, maintain high conservation Chair, I would like to thank everyone who standards, and co-operate with other local has made such an invaluable contribution to associations pressing for more effective the work we do in Queen’s Park. Long may action on air quality and pollution. QPARA continue to flourish! QUEEN’S PARK DOCTORS IN MEGA MERGER Robin Sharp From the start of December, Queen’s Park This 3-way merger is also the biggest will have the biggest traditional GP practice operation of its kind, as far as we know. It is in north west London. This will result from the shape of things to come in the NHS as the merger of Lonsdale, Blessing, and Park smaller practices, however much cherished One important message from the meeting is House practices to produce a patient list of by their patients, struggle to remain viable that every crime should be properly reported 23,600. In effect this means that Lonsdale is when older doctors retire. – not just shared with your neighbours. The absorbing the two smaller practices, though police resources we get for our ward depend the Blessing site in Kilburn Lane will remain Considering the speed with which it is being on crime statistics. Crime that doesn’t show in open for the time being. carried out, this merger would be challenging the stats doesn’t exist when decisions about at the best of times and the start date has resources are made. already been delayed because of ‘technical issues’. However, a new full-time manager, If a crime is happening there and then, Amanda Meehan has now been appointed. phone 999. Phone 101 for all other crimes As she has been a key advisor helping to or to share urgent information (apparently plan the merger, we can hope that she will 101 reporting has improved). Crime can ensure a smooth transition once the immediate also be reported online - search on Report problems have been sorted out. After that, a crime The Met - and the police will get there is a chance that we will have one of the back to you within 24 hours. most cutting-edge GP practices in London. This newsletter is produced and delivered to all households and places of business in the area, free of charge, by the Queen’s Park Area Residents’ Association. QPARA is a non-sectarian, non-political, non-profit making community organisation established to promote a better quality of life in the Queen’s Park area. www.qpark.org.uk queensparkresidents @Qparkres CELEBRATING SALUSBURY WORLD’S FIRST 20 YEARS Duncan McAusland QUEEN’S PARK BOOK FESTIVAL ‘OASIS OF SANITY’ Susan Pym Salusbury World, our local refugee agency Glorious weather and an exciting line-up of based in Salusbury Primary School, was writers drew big crowds to the Queen’s Park launched in 1999. Its mission is to support Book Festival in June. Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson captured the atmosphere and empower refugee and migrant children, in his New Statesman diary: ‘it retains the young people and families, to overcome charm of a garden fête… writers sign their obstacles, realise their rights and potential books in the bandstand… everything is so and participate fully in society. lovely... this is an oasis of sanity.’ To celebrate its 20th anniversary it launched an intriguing multimedia arts Howard Jacobson reads from his latest novel and heritage project called 20:20, based on the experiences of twenty of the first The Community Tent showcased Brent families helped. writers including Yvonne Bailey-Smith, Catching up with some of the children (now Steve Crabb, Chrys Salt and Marina in their 20s and 30s) and their parents, Cantacuzino. Queen’s Park resident, interviews have been recorded of their paediatrician Anthony Costello, discussed recollections of flight, landing in the UK and his book The Social Edge and his work their reflections over the years of becoming with mothers and newborn children in proud Londoners. developing countries. Nationally known writers included the latest Booker winner The show was first seen at the Victoria & Bernadine Evaristo plus John Lanchester, Albert Museum. Now, in collaboration Misha Glenny, Simon Mayo, Jonathan with the London College of Communication Coe, Sadie Jones and many others. and other organisations, a series of artistic Two pupils from Malorees School were pieces has been created by students, presented with the first Queen’s Park Book based on the first ten of these stories. Penny Faith and Yvonne Bailey Smith answer Festival Young Writers’ award. We’re The exhibition of recordings, photos and questions in the Community tent already planning next year’s festival – artworks is now at Willesden Library until keep the last weekend in June free! 15th January, along with a programme of poetry readings, theatre and music. Come along and be amazed. www.salusburyworld.org.uk/2020project PARK UPDATE You too can help change a life – volunteers Richard Gentry, Park Manager are always welcome at Salusbury World. The park café has a temporary tenant - Hoxton Beach. They previously ran the café on a short-term arrangement in 2017 and they will now manage it while a tendering process is carried out between November and January 2020 to find a long term Keeper Callum feeds the goats in the Children’s Farm tenant. More information can be found about the process by emailing queens. The remodelled children’s farm is a great [email protected]. We look success and new residents this year – the forward to welcoming a long-term tenant for goats Dougal, Gilly and Gus, names given this important park amenity. by local children – have settled in well. The City of London has placed a hold on The tennis courts have been repainted capital projects, which has affected plans and marked and are looking excellent. for redeveloping the sandpit and park Bookings can be made through www.playtenniscityoflondon.com toilets. Local parents have raised concerns . about failing equipment and the condition The park staff are pleased with their of the sandpit, and the park manager has achievement of receiving a London in met them to discuss its redevelopment. Bloom Gold Standard Award as well as A workshop will be set up to support the Green Flag and the Green Heritage fundraising opportunities and involve the Award. Queen’s Park is one of only a community more directly in the improvement handful of parks to win the Green Flag of this much-loved area. In the meantime the Award every year since its inception existing equipment will be repaired. in 1997. SALUSBURY SCHOOL NEWS AL-KHOEI FOUNDATION IN MY OPINION Mike Cantor Stephanie Armstrong, Deputy Headteacher Aliya Azam In my road there are parked two cars. One Salusbury Primary School has made Al Sadiq and Al Zahra is a Ford Ka, the other is a Mercedes E320. a fantastic start to the new academic schools, which used to be Both cars pay the same £90 yearly parking charge.