The Brent Magazine Issue no.157 Autumn 2018 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 • Brahmaswarup Pramuk Swami Maharaj The UK’s In this issue • Pragat Brahmaswarup Mahant Swami Maharaj Largest Hindu • Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj New Year NEWS 6 GETTING READY FOR A round-up of the UNIVERSAL CREDIT 41 Celebrations latest news in Brent Universal Credit is coming HALF WAY THERE 22 to Brent soon An update on the QUESTION TIME RETURNS 43 Diwali & Annakut South Kilburn regeneration The panel event is back CELEBRATIONS HELPING YOU INTO WORK 24 OUR SURVEY SAYS… 45 Find out about some of the The results from our BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir apprenticeships on offer residents survey – LONDON – MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS 27 YOU ARE THE CHAMPIONS 47 Diwali Fiona Heffernan discusses A new scheme to help renters her mental health journey know their rights WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2018 Diwali Darshan: 9.00am to 8.00pm MUSIC TO YOUR EARS 31 A HOME FROM HOME 48 Chopda pujan: 5.30pm to 7.00pm – BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Brent Makes Music on stage at Jamal’s story from Syria to Brent Fireworks display: 8.15pm to 8.45pm – The Swaminarayan School The SSE Arena in Wembley BRENT’S NEW FESTIVAL OF LOVE 33 FUNERAL SERVICE 49 Hindu New Year Annakut Celebrating the life of Brent Council’s low-cost Quamari Serunkuma-Barnes funeral service is here THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2018 Annakut Darshan: 12.00 noon to 9.00pm GCSE AND A’ LEVEL RESULTS 35 ARTS AND CULTURE 51 Half-Hourly Arti: Until 9.00pm The results are in! Theatre, music, events PARENT POWER 40 and more Hot delicious snacks will be available on both days from food stalls Two families on the parenting WHAT’S ON 59 Please kindly note: For security reasons, bags and cameras will not be support programmes Classes, fitness and allowed into the Mandir complex. Please deposit them in the security opportunities near you baggage cabin across the road in Shayona car park. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir LONDON 105-119 Brentfield Road, Neasden, London NW10 8LD For further information, please visit londonmandir.baps.org +44 (0)20 8965 2651 [email protected] @neasdentemple Organisers: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, UK Inspirer: His Holiness Mahant Swami MaharajDiwali 2 3 The Brent Magazine Achieving our potential Issue 157 September marks the start of Unfortunately, not every young Autumn autumn as well as the start of the person with great potential is able 2018 academic year. While many students to fulfil it. Quamari Serunkuma- will be joining a new form in their Barnes was tragically stabbed and existing school, for others, lost his life in January 2017. His Large print edition September means leaving their parents Paul and Lillian, organised friends and their family home to the One Love festival to celebrate Published by the London Borough of Brent, Brent Civic Centre, begin a new life in a different town his life and it was really moving to Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ as university beckons. see so much love and support for The London Borough of Brent does not accept responsibility for any goods Huge congratulations to all the the family and what they are trying or services offered by advertisers. Publication of an advertisement does not students who have achieved great to achieve on the day (page 33). imply recommendation by the council of any goods or services advertised. results in their GCSEs and A’ Levels. Despite the pressure all public Please use your local paper bank when disposing of this and other I wish you all the best for the future services are under, including the newspapers and magazines. (page 35). council and the police, we won’t let The council was also delighted to crime thrive in this borough and our receive our best ever Ofsted rating recently opened state-of-the-art for Brent’s children’s services as we CCTV control room is just one of the strive to give every child the best many different ways we are helping start in life. to keep residents safe (page 10). Of course, we know university is Violent crime has no place in Brent not the only way for ambitious and we will continue to work residents to develop themselves and closely with the police and other further their careers. Brent, and partners – and most importantly, Brent magazine contacts Wembley in particular at the the community – to ensure that all moment, is home to some really of us who live or work in Brent feel Editorial : [email protected] exciting regeneration projects and safe and secure as we go about our 24 hour contact number: 020 8937 1234 residents are benefiting from this daily lives. Email: [email protected] through the many apprenticeships and jobs on offer (page 24). Councillor Muhammed Butt Advertising: [email protected] Leader of Brent Council www.brent.gov.uk 4 5 News Update Stars pitch up at London-wide Wembley to mark Mayoral plan to International make roads safer Best ever Ofsted Since the inspection, the council has made progress in addressing the Busking Day rolled out in Brent rating for Brent’s four areas identified for improvement in the report, of Legendary record producer, A plan from Mayor of London, children’s services better case recording, alignment of songwriter and guitarist Nile Sadiq Khan, which aims to ensure Rodgers topped the bill in a day no-one is killed or seriously injured Ofsted has rated Brent procedures, escalating cases where children’s circumstances don’t of music, circus and dance at on the capital’s roads by 2041, is ‘Outstanding’ for the support it Wembley Park to mark being backed by Brent Council. provides children in care and care improve and the council’s response when children go missing from International Busking Day. The council recently completed the leavers, with children’s services The Chic star was joined by Dream first section of Quietway Cycle overall receiving a ‘good’ rating. home and care. Cllr Mili Patel, Brent Council’s Catch Me singer Newton Faulkner as Route 3, a safe 3km route between Brent’s overall rating has moved to Wembley Park played host as the Gladstone Park and Kilburn station, good from ‘requires improvement’ Cabinet Member for Children’s Safeguarding, Early Help and Social official global destination for the as well as the Carlton Vale Cycle in 2015. day, now in its third year. Route, a segregated 1km cycle lane. Ofsted praised the, “strong Care, said: “As a council, we are 100% committed to ensuring that Newton Faulkner said: “Busking is Other measures to reduce road leadership at a political level and the soundtrack to the underground danger include 35 new LED speed- throughout the council, which has every young person in Brent has the best start in life possible, and this and the streets. It’s part of living in reduction warning signs, a pilot resulted in significant improvements London. I don’t think the city would scheme to allow motorcycles and in the quality of social work practice report, together with Brent’s highest-ever Ofsted rating, is be the same without it.” power two-wheelers to use bus for children since the last Wembley Park’s hosting of the lanes, introducing more 20mph inspection.” testament to what we have achieved in recent years. event formed part of the Summer zones, safer crossings, and road Ofsted also noted how, “Children of Play programme which presented safety campaigns. benefit from the very high “My thanks go to everyone in our children’s services department, as more than 300 hours of free Cllr Shama Tatler, Cabinet Member proportion of schools in Brent entertainment, music, magic, for Regeneration, Highways and judged to be good or outstanding. without their effort, profes - sionalism, passion and dedication, comedy, physical theatre, living Planning, said: “With funding from A high proportion of children and statues and dance. TfL, Brent is well under way with young people come into care with we wouldn’t have reached this milestone.” Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of projects to make the borough safer significant gaps in their learning Brent Council, said: “It was an for walking and cycling, which and attendance, many with complex Read about some of the fantastic A’ Level and GCSE results achieved absolute pleasure to host includes new cycle lanes, safer needs and substantial barriers to International Busking Day in junctions and major projects such as overcome. Despite this, they are by Brent students on p35-39 or read more about apprenticeships, and Wembley Park and celebrate the Kensal Corridor which include now making better progress in busking and street performance. I plans to improve traffic flow, road care.” how they are helping to improve the lives of Brent residents on p24-25. hope it gave audiences a little taste safety and bus services along of what’s to come as we warm up Chamberlayne Road, Kilburn Lane for Brent’s year as London Borough and Station Terrace.” of Culture 2020.” 6 7 £28m leisure centre The centre, which is open seven Rogue landlord in Governors volunteer their time to days a week, was opened by super- help provide the strategic direction opens in middleweight boxing champion Kingsbury exposed of the school holding executive James DeGale, light welterweight leaders, including the head teacher, Kensal Green champion and local boxing star in TV sting to account and making sure the Residents in Kensal Green and Ashley Theophane and double gold More than a million viewers school’s money is well spent.