April 2009 Archives

A GROUP of supermarket employees are taking part in a sponsored skydive to raise money for their chosen charity of the year.

The team of 14 from Tesco, in Ash Hill Drive, Pinner Green, have decided to test their nerves by taking the plunge to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.

Checkout team manager, Anna Mozdzynski, 20, who organised the skydive, said: "I did a skydive last year in Australia and I was just sitting in the canteen one day at work thinking about it and I asked someone if they wanted to do a skydive.

"Our store doesn't do a lot for charity compared to other Tesco stores so I thought it would be nice to do it for the store.

"I wanted to do a skydive because I think it will be a better incentive for people to sponsor us than if we were just doing a sponsored walk or something similar.

"Apart from me, everyone who is taking part hasn't done a skydive before.

"Originally it wasn't going to be so many people doing it. One of the people taking part is over 50.

"We are going to hold different events in store to raise money like a fancy dress competition and we're going to hold a car boot sale."

The skydive is being held in Norfolk on June 7.

Go to www.justgiving.com/tescoskydive to sponsor the team.

THE Victory pub will be re-opening within the next fortnight after its mysterious closure three weeks ago.

Punch Taverns, the owners of the pub in High Street, Pinner, have confirmed that the pub will reopen but refused to comment on why it has been closed and why they are looking for a new landlord.

A spokesperson from the pub company said: "We are delighted to confirm that The Victory will be re-opening within the next fortnight.

"We are talking to a number of interested parties about taking on the pub on a long term basis.

"We remain committed to the future of the pub and preserving its place at the heart of the local community."

When the pub closed out of the blue almost three weeks ago rumours quickly started to gather pace around Pinner as to the reason why.

Terry Farr, owner of Friends restaurant, in High Street, Pinner, said: "It's one of those things you take for granted so at first I didn't notice it was closed.

"Rumours have been rife about what actually happened and some of it is obviously fact, but I think there's more to it than that.

"In the community we normally know what each other is doing but The Victory has never really been part of the overall catering community. It has always been a pub on its own because it caters to a different clientèle. I don't even think I have ever seen the landlord.

"Pubs are almost a dying phenomenon. There sued to be five pubs in Pinner but now there are just four including The Victory, but maybe that is one pub too many.

"It never seemed to be busy apart from the occasional evening and no commercial business can survive on just two nights a week. Some nights I have seen just one or two people in there. You do get a bit of trouble in there as well so maybe it needs a change."

A MEETING about flooding in Pinner is being held by the Environment Agency.

The open drop-in session will give people the chance to meet officers from the agency, discuss concerns regarding flooding, arrange to receive flood warnings and consider being a flood warden.

The Pinner Association and The Hatch End Association will also be at the meeting, which is being held in Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane, Pinner, on May 7 from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

A FILM company has kindly donated £1,000 to help renovate an old building in Pinner.

Nowhere Boy Productions Ltd, who filmed scenes for 'Nowhere Boy' - a biopic of the young John Lennon - in Pinner last month, have donated the money to the West House & Heath Robinson Museum Trust.

Location manager, Jason Wheeler, said: "Having spent several weeks liaising with the local residents and the Pinner Association it was agreed that in view of the goodwill, support and general help we received we would like to make a donation to the Heath Robinson Memorial Trust."

Cynthia Wells, of The Pinner Association and trustee of West House, said: "We were delighted to receive the cheque for West House and are very grateful to the company for its generosity."

The West House & Heath Robinson Museum Trust was set up to save West House in Pinner Memorial Park.

The Trust has already managed to raise a staggering £1m with help from local people and a grant from Harrow Council, and as a result of this the building's exterior has now been restored.

However, the house still needs to be fitted out and, when complete, it will contain a gallery to house works by William Heath Robinson, the internationally known cartoonist, artist and illustrator, Harrow's first public art gallery, a café/bistro, education/community rooms and Pinner Books of Remembrance which record the names of everyone from and in the old parish of Pinner who lost their lives in the two world wars.

Work is expected to start on the interior of the house very shortly once the full funds needed have been raised.

To help raise funds you can make a donation by sending a cheque made out to HRMT to The Treasurer, 179 Moss Lane, Pinner, HA5 3AL, join Friends of West House (FoWH) by sending a cheque for £10 to The Treasurer, make West House your organisation's charity for the year or for an event or by supporting the FoWH tombola at May Time Revels on May 16 in Pinner Memorial Park.

For more information contact Cynthia Wells 020 8866 8699 or go to www.heathrobinson.net.

Nowhere Boy is expected to be in cinemas late 2009 /early 2010.

A MAN has been arrested and charged following alleged driving offences in the Ruislip and Northwood area.

Martin Anthony Cassidy, 18, of Greenway, Pinner, was arrested on Saturday (18).

He was later charged with driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance on Ickenham Road, Field End Road, Joel Street, Uxbridge Road, Green Lane, Watford Road and High Street, Northwood, as well as failing to stop at a road accident on Watford Road.

He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on yesterday (20) and has been remanded in custody to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on May 22.

A SPRING Movie Show is being held in Pinner on Thursday (23).

Harrow Cine & Video Society is presenting its productions, including A Proud Heritage (Bentley Priory Open Day), at the show.

It is being held in Pinner Village Hall, Chapel Lane car park, Pinner, at 8pm and entry is £4.

PINNER Free Church is holding a coffee morning.

The event is being held at the church in Paines Lane, Pinner, from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday (25) and there will also be a 'Messy Fun' table for children.

PINNER Free Church is holding a coffee morning.

The event is being held at the church in Paines Lane, Pinner, from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturday (25) and there will also be a 'Messy Fun' table for children.

A PAINTING event is being held at The Grail Centre in Pinner.

Painting Day at the Grail is being held on May 10 from 10.30am to 5pm at The Grail Centre, in Waxwell Lane, Pinner.

The event costs £25, which includes lunch, and bookings can be made by calling 020 8866 2195 or by emailing bookings@grailsociety.org.uk.

THE Pinner Association is holding its annual general meeting on Wednesday (22).

The meeting is being held at the Village Hall, in Chapel Lane, Pinner, at 8pm.

It will be followed by a talk from Dr Amol Kelshiker on Pinner's new health centre and then an open forum.