The Brent Magazine Issue no.158 Winter 2018/2019 Free for people who live and work in Brent This is the large print edition of The Brent Magazine produced for people with visual impairment. If you have comments on how it could be improved, or if you would like a copy on audio tape please contact 020 8937 1062 . www.Brent.gov.uk Advertisement In this issue parenting NEWS 6 CELEBRATING A round-up of the THE PRIDE OF BRENT 40 latest news in Brent We celebrate the residents support #OURDAY 19 going the extra mile Some of the best tweets TO 2020 AND BEYOND 43 from #OurDay We are planning for 2020, in Brent FOOD FOR THOUGHT 22 London Borough of Culture Find out more about Sufra, BALANCING THE WOULD YOU LIKE TO… a local food bank COUNCIL’S BOOKS 45 Have your say on Improve communication between you and your child? STRICTLY DANNY 24 Local resident Danny Brent Council’s budget Have a better relationship with your child? John-Jules talks about Strictly consultation Deal with challenging behaviour in a positive way? WILD THINGS 26 KEEP BRENT SPARKLING Understand why your children behave the way they do? Winning pictures from this DURING THE HOLIDAYS 48 year’s photo competition New bin collection dates If you would like to learn more about our range of over the holidays parenting support and workshops, contact the parenting PLASTICS IN THE ENVIRONMENT 28 TRUE GRIT 50 team or visit our website. There is lots of useful A campaign to reduce How we prepare for the information to support you throughout your child’s early plastic use is up and running cold weather years, childhood and teenage years, including details of SHOWING HOMELESSNESS ARTS AND CULTURE 52 Theatre, music, events parenting groups. THE DOOR 30 A ground-breaking service and more supporting homeless people WHAT’S ON 59 www.brent.gov.uk/parenting COMMUNITY CASHBACK 32 Classes, fitness and opportunities near you [email protected] Local regeneration projects SHAPING BRENT’S FUTURE 34 SUPER-FAST CONNECTIONS We want your views on the TO CAREER SUCCESS 65 020 8937 4417 new Local Plan Juan’s talks about being a Hyperoptic apprentice HOP, SKIP AND A NO DUMP 38 The new trial is helping residents get rid of bulky items 2 3 The Brent Magazine Celebrating and supporting Issue 158 our community Winter 2018/2019 As we get into December, many of businesses in Brent so think about us start to think about the festive paying one of them a visit when season and hopefully look forward you are doing your shopping (see to some well-earned time off with page 11). We are providing free Large print edition friends and family. It’s also a time parking in 11 council car parks to Published by the London Borough of Brent, Brent Civic Centre, when we look back on some of the help (see page 15). Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ achievements and think about the Sadly, foodbank usage is also on The London Borough of Brent does not accept responsibility for any goods opportunities and challenges in the the rise across the UK (see page 22) or services offered by advertisers. Publication of an advertisement does not year ahead. I hope you were able to and I know many of us will be imply recommendation by the council of any goods or services advertised. catch some of the amazing Bonfire donating food to one of the various Please use your local paper bank when disposing of this and other Night and Diwali celebrations in centres in the borough. Not newspapers and magazines. November. More than 30,000 everyone has a safe and warm place people visited Wembley to enjoy to stay over the winter months and the amazing free fireworks display the council is doing its bit to help and parade. rough sleepers by setting up a new We also celebrated Black History shelter with St Mungo’s (See page Month in October and the Windrush 30). generation through the Windrush Finally, the Pride of Brent Awards 70 exhibition (see page 57). Both took place last month. It was a events made me very proud of pleasure to see so many dedicated Brent’s diverse communities and people get rewarded for their even more confident as our efforts which benefit the lives of Brent magazine contacts preparations to be London Borough fellow Brent residents (see page Editorial : [email protected] of Culture in 2020 gather pace in 40-41). 2019. I wish you all a very merry 24 hour contact number: 020 8937 1234 As well as spending time with our Christmas and a great New Year! Email: [email protected] families over the festive season, Advertising: [email protected] many of us will be looking to support the wider community as Councillor Muhammed Butt www.brent.gov.uk well. We have some great small Leader of Brent Council 4 5 Stonebridge to submit an original idea for a News Update musical activity to support Carl foodbank launches Orff’s ‘O Fortuna’ from Carmina new van appeal Burana. £200 million announcement from the Mayor. We The piano was presented to the now need the government to match Donations to help pay for a new school during a special assembly to build new the ambition of local councils such van are being requested by Suffra where music teacher, Cecilia Kovacs, as ours and help us to get foodbank after its five-year-old and 360 pupils conducted their affordable homes housebuilding again.” motor suffered a ‘fatal electric winning challenge. in Brent failure’. War dead Staff from the popular foodbank Dementia garden 817 new homes for social rent are in Pitfield Way are currently renting set to be built in Brent after the remembered 100 a vehicle, costing more than £800 a opens in Kilburn council put in £135m and the Mayor month, to collect and distribute after Chelsea of London £65m to a new housing years after WW1 meals to people in need. build programme. The Mayor of Brent, Cllr Arshad Rajesh Makwana, from Sufra, said: Flower Show move Brent is receiving the fifth highest Mahmood, led tributes to the “We have to raise £20,000 to buy a amount of money from the Mayor new van. The foodbank simply A garden specifically designed for servicemen and servicewomen who people living with dementia has out of 26 boroughs in London, as gave their lives for their country at cannot operate without reliable and part of the Mayor’s £1bn efficient transport to collect food opened in Kilburn – the first of its two remembrance services on kind in Brent. programme to build ‘a new Sunday 11 November. donations from across north west generation of council homes’. London.” The ‘Life Without Walls’ garden is The morning service was held at designed as a haven for people with The total cost to build the new the St John the Evangelist Church Donate at #vanappeal or by calling homes in Brent is more than £200m. 020 3441 1335 . dementia and their carers, as a way in Wembley and the afternoon to help reduce social isolation, and Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet service took place at the Queen Member for Housing and Welfare is now brightening up an old plot in Elizabeth Gardens in Sudbury. Both Wembley pupils hit Watling Gardens. Reform, said: “This is fantastic news services commemorated 100 years from the Mayor. Brent is committed the right note to Designed by Naomi Ferret Cohen, since the end of the First World the garden was first launched at the to tackling homelessness and War. providing suitable and affordable scoop music prize RHS Chelsea Flower Show where it homes to those who are most in won a silver-gilt award. Diwali Celebration Park Lane Primary School in Local residents and councillors need, so any opportunity to help us Wembley has been awarded a new with this is greatly welcomed. joined the Mayor of Brent, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan digital piano to use in music lessons Councillor Arshad Mahmood, at the “The nationwide housing crisis has celebrated the Hindu New Year after beating 41 other schools in been decades in the making and it official opening. The Mayor said: at the Shree Sanatan Hindu the nationwide Classical 100 “This is a great example of what can won’t be easy to solve but this is Mandir in Wembley. competition organised by the definitely a very welcome happen when the community comes charity ABRSM (Associated Board of together to improve the local area. Royal Schools of Music). The resulting garden is a beautiful In May 2018, ABRSM set a place for everyone to enjoy.” challenge for all UK primary schools 6 7 National spotlight people to do locally, as well as Disability power disabled people in all aspects of life: information pages about health, in community groups, at work and shines on local personal safety and employment list reveals double in public life.” advice. Asif Iqbal MBE is the president of charity in BBC Many of the activities and services for Brent locals the Harrow and Brent United Deaf programme are inclusive, welcoming young Two of the most inspirational Club as well as the chair of Hearing people with special educational disabled people in the UK are from Loss Professionals UK Network, a Local charity, United Borders was needs. Brent, according to the influential network of representatives working featured during BBC Inside Out’s Young people were key in the disability power list. with sensory teams and services expose into government cuts and development of the website and Cllr Eleanor Southwood, Brent’s within adult social care.