Author: News Team 1

In glorious autumn sunshine on the morning of Sunday 13^th November a large crowd of Pinner residents gathered at the Pinner War Memorial at the top of the High Street for the annual Remembrance Sunday Service. The Service was conducted by clergy from the local denominations and faiths, and over forty wreaths were laid by our MP Nick Hurd, representatives of armed and wartime services organisations, local councillors, the Police, Fire Service and St John’s Ambulance, local schools and Scouts and Guides, local community organisations and sports clubs.

 

The Police Cadets acted as stewards, The Sea Cadets provided the guard of Honour at the Memorial and the Lost Post & Reveille were excellently played with great confidence by James Gardener of Nower Hill School.

The Remembrance Sunday Service was organised by The United Services Club and The Pinner Association, with special thanks to Mrs Caroline Ennis. After the service, Carpentier & Co teamed up with the Queen’s Head to provide free tea and coffee for those who had attended the Service.

The 2016 Secret Art Sale raises almost £5,000 for the Heath Robinson Museum.

“Wonderful talent on display in Pinner” as the second annual Secret Art Sale participants are revealed.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the 2016 Secret Art Sale attracted even more artists to participate – from young aspiring artists to renowned professional painters, cartoonists and illustrators.

“An asset not just for Pinner but for the country”

On Friday 28^th October Nick Hurd , MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner and Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,  paid a flying visit to the new Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner Memorial Park. Nick is a patron of the Museum and from the start has shown a great deal of interest in its development.

The Museum having opened on 15^th October, he was shown around the Museum by trustees Cynthia Wells, acting Chair of the West House and Heath Robinson Museum trust and Veronica Chamberlain, Marketing Manager.

Veronica, Nick and Cynthia outside the Museum with Diwali pictures in the background.

The site itself pleased him “You cannot think of a nicer site, and it blends in so well”.

He was enthusiastic when he first entered the Museum and took it all in

“What a proud moment this is. Congratulations to all. Amazing”.

Nick showed particular interest in the Activity Room, still decorated with the Diwali artwork completed at the workshop the previous week and where the Heath Robinson style “contraption” engineered by girls from St. Helens School, Northwood is still displayed.

When spending time in the further two galleries, the permanent exhibition gallery and the gallery devoted to the current special exhibition, “Heath Robinson at War”, Nick was especially pleased to see so many examples of the artist’s work on display:

“After all this time, how extraordinary it is to have brought all this together in one place, it’s been quite a journey”.

On looking round the building, there was praise for the architect (ZMMA) and for the way the collection has been curated:

“Beautifully executed. It’s an asset not just for Pinner but for the country. I am full of admiration”. The shop too was complimented:

“It’s an intelligent shop delivering interesting and attractive things”.

In all, it was a good visit, the Museum volunteers were proud to be able to show our local MP who has been so supportive around the Museum and to share the excitement with him.

Nick Hurd on the left holding the Heath Robinson book he bought,  with Margaret Seaman, Front of House Coordinator.

Nick Hurd with the Heath Robinson Museum bag in the shop of the new Museum

As some of you may have noticed this morning, the car park is full. This is partially due to a film crew having set up home for the next 5 days but due to all the people using the car park.

Utilising this car park for Film Crew’s is a revenue stream not only for Harrow Council but all for the business & people of Pinner. No film crew parking would result in adverts and TV episodes not being filmed in and around Pinner.

On the morning of 29^th September the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Rekha Shah, accompanied by Cllr Keith Ferry, Vice-Chairman of Harrow Heritage Trust, unveiled a new carved wooden sculpture at the Chapel Lane entrance to Pinner Memorial Park.  The sculpture, donated to the park by Harrow Heritage Trust, is an original work by Tom Harvey, who previously carved the two chain saw tree sculptures in the park.  The sculpture was inspired by the work of William Heath Robinson and is intended to guide visitors through the park to the new Heath Robinson Museum.

Last night a meeting was held in the Methodist Church Hall about the future of Waxwell Lane car park.

 To summarise, the following options were displayed and the Council’s architects thoughts are below:-

• Keep the whole car park  –  Dismissed
• Build 8 –9 dwellings with 66 parking spaces retained – under consideration
• Build 18 –20 dwellings with 46 parking spaces retained – under consideration
• Build 30 – 32 dwellings with 21 parking spaces retained – under consideration
• Build 38 – 40 dwellings with no parking spaces retained  – Dismissed

 It is now official that the Harrow Council intend to build homes for commercial rent on at least a portion the car park, but the number and type of dwellings, and possibly some office spaces or other uses, and the proportion of the site to be retained as car parking, to include disable parking spaces, is still to be decided.  A part of the Residents’ Reference Group was formed from volunteers attending last evening’s meeting and they are to be regularly consulted on what number, type and style of dwellings / buildings are to be planned for the site.

 

See the latest press release as the Heath Robinson Museum gear up for their official opening. In case you have forgotten this will be the 15th October.

Jack Wells has decided to step down from being our webmaster (editor of the website) and free his mouse and keyboard. He is one of many hidden helpers of Pinner Association.

For over 15 years Jack has helped keep Pinnerites informed about what is happening in Pinner. He helped create our website that has won the following award.

The London Forum of Civic and Amenity Societies – Walter Bor Media Award 2005

Jack will continue to make occasional posts and you can still see him around the village taking photo’s for our website.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Jack for all of his help and hard work in maintaining our website.

Having listened to feedback and had protracted discussions with Harrow Council. The following changes have been made to the policy – see below.

For existing posters advertising rolling events or existing A3 posters, some discretion will be used in the first month of the changed policy.

Thank you for your co-operation.

 

Following the last farcical ‘consultation’ on the future of the Waxwell Lane  Car Park the following notification has been received: