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A little help for our friends

A s every news bulletin passes the sheer scale of the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Ukraine grows ever larger. While we sit watching impotently, the only thing we can do is help with aid for Ukraine. Across Barnes people are stepping up to provide what help they can.  So many people are doing so much that we don't have a full list of everything that's happening in Barnes but below are just a few local initiatives that would really value your support.

 

Donate essential items for refugees

Our local community rugby club is accepting donations of specific items today, Sunday March 6 at the Barnes RFC clubhouse in Queen Elizabeth Walk, between 9:30am and 3:30pm. The clubhouse is halfway between the Red Lion and the Wetlands centre. 

 

You can find out what donations they need by clicking here or donate money here.

 

Drink a toast to Ukraine and raise funds at the same time

Local Barnes resident Dima Deinega is Ukranian born. He lives here with his mother but his father and the rest of his family are fighting in Ukraine. He runs an award winning vodka business, Dima's Vodka, using Ukrainian ingredients distilled in the 

Zhytomyr distillery just to the West of Kyiv. Dima is giving 100% of the revenue (not just profit) from sales of his cocktails to Ukraine for humanitarian aid: specifically medical equipment and supplies, through the British Ukrainian Aid charity, to Unicef Ukraine.
 
So far he has helped raise almost £10,000, which is amazing, but clearly much, much more is needed. When you drink his vodka cocktails, raise a toast to Ukraine in Ukrainian: “Budmo”. It means ‘let us be’. Which is so apt on so many levels.

 

You can buy Dima's ready mixed cocktails and help raise funds by clicking here.

 

Eat out to help out Ukraine

Between them, local restaurateur Rebecca Mascarenhas and Michelin starred chef Phil Howard own five restaurants across West London. On Monday March 14 they will be holding special fundraising dinners at all five restaurants*. All their staff have volunteered their services and other restaurants will be lending staff and guest chefs. So far we have heard that Tomos Parry of Brat  (dubbed Britain's hottest chef by The Guardian) will be manning the kitchen at HomeSW15 in Putney or Flour + Water (also in Putney). Tickets for each event will be priced at just £15 per person plus a voluntary donation of a minimum of £110. All donations will go to the British Red Cross Ukraine appeal and UNICEF. The restaurants aren't taking bookings yet while final details are being confirmed but you can add your name to the waiting list for bookings by clicking here.

 

*Church Road in Barnes, Elystan Street in Chelsea, Kitchen W8 in Kensington, Home SW15 in Putney and Flour + Water in Putney.

Parklet to stay

T he people of Barnes have spoken. After 925 people took part in a consultation run by Richmond Council, the Parklet lovers outnumbered those who wished to see it go by 554 to 371, which means the Parklet is staying where it is.

 

Plans to spruce it up can now go ahead and Emma Robinson of the Barnes Community Association has confirmed that very soon the Parklet will benefit from a new planter and the replacement of its bamboo screening.

 

She says "Even on the coldest winter days the Parklet has been buzzing. It has become a meeting point for dog walkers and other groups and a place to sit for elderly people shopping in Barnes. The bench seating has meant it has become a great location for convivial encounters; we're so pleased that it has so quickly become an asset to the Barnes community." 

Mortlake Brewery Community Meeting

The Mortlake Brewery Community Group is holding a public meeting about the latest proposals contained in the third set of plans for the site put forward by the developers, Reselton Properties.

 

The meeting will be held on Monday March 7  at St Mary's Church, Mortlake High Street, at 7pm. The MBCG will be presenting the key elements of the new scheme, highlighting what has changed and where concerns still exist. 

 

The purpose of the meeting is to provide a full update and hear community views on the latest scheme.  This will help the group pull together a formal MBCG response to the public consultation on the two revised planning applications which will  be submitted to Richmond Council shortly.

Freddie's law

Image: Mary Tester

A new law should soon be introduced to protect seals following the death of Freddie the seal on the tow path in Barnes last year.

 

Former sports minister Tracey Crouch MP introduced her private members’ bill in parliament on February 2 to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and make it an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb or harass a seal.

 

Giving Freddie as an example, she said: “Seals are not without challenges but, sadly, they come from us humans. Like many people, I was horrified by the dog attack on Freddie the seal near Hammersmith bridge last year.

 

“I know through my work with Mary Tester, a British Divers Marine Life Rescue medic who was in charge of Freddie, how he brought joy to the local community and visitors alike, especially during lockdown.”

 

The dog attack on Freddie, after which he had to be put down, made headlines worldwide.

 

Her bill was read the first time, unopposed, and is down for a second reading on Friday 18 March. You can read more about it here.

Central span now closed

The central span of Hammersmith Bridge is now closed for the next nine months and cyclists will now have to dismount and wheel their bikes along the pedestrian walkways on either side of the bridge. The closure, which is needed to enable engineers to start essential stabilisation works on the bridge's four pedestals, also means that motorbikes and mopeds will now no longer be able to use the bridge.

 

As work progresses on the pedestals, temporary footway ramps will be installed alongside the pedestals. The Bugle hears that there is a possibility that the ramp on the Barnes to Hammersmith left side pedestrian walkway might require the removal of one of the bridge's side panels near the Hammersmith end and that the ramp may lead pedestrians down to the river walkway by Digby Mansions.

 

Hammersmith Council has advised that there may be times when access over the bridge will be disrupted for safety reasons while operations are in progress to jack up elements of the pedestal structure to replace worn bearings. It says that this will only be undertaken for short periods during off-peak hours and advance notification will be given to residents and users.

 

You can read more about the plans here.

The get out clause?

The fate of Hammersmith Bridge has been referred to in the document outlining the government's conditions for the latest TfL bail out.

 

While it reiterates the government's commitment to pay one third of the cost of repairs to the bridge it also adds a caveat which means the government's definite commitment only goes so far as paying for the re-opening of the bridge to

pedestrians and cyclists, saying:

 

However, given the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, during the period of this agreement, we expect to finalise a memorandum of understanding between HMG, TfL and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to ensure all parties’ commitment to the reopening of Hammersmith Bridge on a permanent basis – initially to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic and, depending on cost, to motorists.

 

As far as the Bugle can tell, this doesn't mean that the government is not committing providing funding for the total repair of the bridge but it does give it a get-out clause if the costs are deemed to be too high. 

Barnes chef Phil Howard wins special Michelin Award

As well as retaining the Michelin stars for the two restaurants that he co-owns with Barnes' Rebecca Mascarenhas, chef Phil Howard received a special award from the Michelin Guide last month.

 

The Chef Mentor award pays tribute to the influence that Phil's cooking has had on the next generation of chefs, citing the number of current Michelin starred chefs who started their careers working for Phil at his Mayfair restaurant The Square.

 

In their award citation Michelin say "A quick glance at some of the chefs who passed through his kitchen – Brett Graham, Gary Foulkes, Mark Kempson and Jun Tanaka to name a few – shows the important role Phil played in forging the careers of other successful chefs.

 

"The influence that he exerted can still be seen today in any number of restaurants run by these talented graduates."

 

Read more here.

Don't forget Mother's Day 

This year Mother's day falls on Sunday March 27. Flower shops across Barnes will be taking orders and now's your time to book lunch at your favourite restaurant too.

 

Over at the Wetland Centre they are running a 'Mums go for free' promotion on the day and Phil Howard's upmarket pasta delivery service Otto will be offering a three course mother's day meal for two featuring scallop and prawn raviolo and a special chocolate dessert for the bargain price of £30. The offer will go live on their website tomorrow, March 8.

Visit the poppy factory

The Poppy Factory, based in Richmond-upon-Thames, is celebrating its centenary throughout 2022.

 

Its new visitor centre was opened by its Patron, The Duchess of Cornwall, in November. Now the charity is encouraging groups of 25 or more to book a visit, with all proceeds going toward employment support for veterans with health conditions in England and Wales.

 

Established in the aftermath of the First World War, The Poppy Factory quickly developed into a community of wounded and injured veterans and their families. These workers made Remembrance poppies and wreaths by hand for generations – a tradition continued by the factory’s production team today.

 

Groups can see first-hand how veterans still make Royal and regimental wreaths by hand and have a go at making their own poppy. And visitors can book ahead to enjoy a delicious Factory Tea Break, served by the factory’s veteran baristas, with fresh cakes made by in-house bakers 7Marvels.

 

Tickets can be booked online at poppyfactory.org/visit.

Hedgehog hurrah

A new survey has revealed that populations of urban hedgehogs are growing thanks to the valiant efforts of city dwellers who have installed holes in their garden fences to allow the creation of hedgehog highways.

 

Thanks to the Barnes Hedgehog group, Barnes has been at the forefront of establishing these highways which help ensure the safety of hedgehogs and allow them to roam without the danger of being run over by cars.

 

Sadly overall hedgehog populations are still in decline but the good news is populations of city hedgehogs at least are now recovering slightly. The fate of their country cousins is not as rosy.

 

Barnes is such a hedgehog hotspot that the Zoological Society of London has been carrying out local hedgehog surveys and as the image above shows night time cameras have revealed some interesting wildlife interactions.

 

If you would like to install a hedgehog hole in your fence you can contact Barnes Hedgehogs who have a special tool to create a CD size opening in your fence.

Could you open your garden for FiSH?

The brilliant FiSH open gardens scheme is returning to Barnes this year and they are looking for gardens new gardens to participate.

 

FiSH will  be asking home and garden owners who have previously opened for them as well as those who participated virtually in 2020 but it’s always good to have new locations, particularly in clusters where there can be several properties in a concentrated patch.

 

So if you know of fellow gardeners in your street who might like to open their gardens FiSH would love to hear from you.

 

The charity is looking for gardens and courtyards of all shapes and sizes, big and small, manicured or wild, green or colourful… all gardens have their own charm. The only requirement is that the garden is accessible without entering the house.

 

Volunteers will be available to assist at every garden. If you live in Barnes and would be happy to open your garden for FiSH contact Micky on 07870 473711 for further details or email director@fishhelp.org.uk

 

This year's FiSH Open Gardens will be held on Sunday May 15 from 1pm to 6pm.

Rewilding Barnes one tree at a time

The BCA has a new project and its aim is to make our streets more attractive and bee friendly and to come alive with vibrant colour.

 

The project aims to seed the bases of nearly a hundred young trees, recently planted across Barnes in new and wide pits. Flowering tree pits will support pollinating insects. Research has found that these little mini-meadows act as stepping-stone habitats between bigger green spaces like parks and back gardens.
 
Seeding will take place during March and we expect flowers from May throughout the summer. They will put up a small information card at each location to explain the aims of the project and remind residents not to walk over the soil. The project is kindly sponsored by Chestertons. 

All in the family, as young Barnes actress Emilia Jones vies for a BAFTA

Emilia Jones is 19 and from Barnes and is up for a BAFTA after her first leading role in a movie. She's getting, as they say, 'serious buzz' about her performance in the film Coda (Child of Deaf Adults) in which she plays the hearing child of deaf parents.

 

The film follows her character as she auditions for music college and thinks of breaking away from her trawler fishing family who need her hearing abilities in order to do their work.

 

The film is set in the US and Emilia acts alongside Oscar winner Marlee Matlin. She has said that the role was a huge challenge as she had to master both a Massachusetts accent and learn American Sign Language for the role.

 

She also has to sing. However, despite having never taken singing lessons it seems she's a natural, which may not be surprising when you consider that her father is singer and presenter Aled Jones.

 

And although this is a huge breakthrough for her it's not as out of the blue as you might think. She has been acting since she was eight, performed in three West End shows, featured in an episode of Dr Who and is currently starring as Kinsey Locke in the Netflix fantasy horror drama Locke & Key.

 

She's up against Lady Gaga (House of Gucci), Tessa Thompson (Passing), Joanna Scanlon (After Love), Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) and Renata Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World) For the Best Actress BAFTA.

Jan Pienkowski

August 1936 - February 2022

Jan Pienkowski was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life. Born in Warsaw in the 30s he was just eight when his family embarked on an epic journey to England in 1944.

 

Even though at the age of 10 he could not speak English he learned quickly and became an able scholar who later ended up studying Classics at King's College Cambridge.

 

He was a hugely talented artist and founded the Greetings Card company Gallery 5 in the 50s which then led him into the career that made him famous, illustrating children's books most notably the Meg and Mog books by Helen Nicoll. He was also responsible for the hugely popular Haunted House pop-up book.

 

He lived in Lonsdale Road with his civil partner David Walser and worshipped regularly at St Michael and All Angels. He was also a patron of the Barnes Literary Society.

 

He died in February from the complications of dementia. He will be much missed by everyone in Barnes who knew him.

High Street works delayed until after Easter

The Barnes High Street improvement works are now proposed to start after the school Easter holidays.   The intention will be to build the main south side buildout (outside Sainsbury’s) working from the pelican crossing (outside the fish shop) eastwards towards the junction with Station Road. Some parking suspensions  will be in place to facilitate this activity and residents and traders will be notified at least seven days in advance.

Goose patrol

Image: Emma Little

Long before we expect the patter of tiny cygnet webbed feet (our swan pair normally hatch their brood in April) visitors to the pond have been delighted to see that the pair of Egyptian geese have produced eight charming little goslings - or to be more precise - ducklings.

 

As we've mentioned before Egyptian geese aren't geese at all, just a very interesting breed of duck with a misleading name.

 

However whatever they are called they are extraordinarily cute!

Storm Eunice batters Barnes

Images: Friends of Barnes Common

A s these pictures show, Storm Eunice wreaked havoc on Barnes Common but its custodians The Friends of Barnes Common are breathing a sigh of relief as all the Common's veteran and notable trees are still standing.

 

Conservation manager Will Dartnell says "It can be sad to see old and important trees felled by the weather, especially where they provide crucial habitat for rare species and are enjoyed by the local community. However, it’s worth remembering that trees and woodlands have co-evolved with storm events and for sites with predominantly young trees and woodland, (such as Barnes Common and Leg o’ Mutton) these events can provide opportunities for further habitat creation and continuation between older and younger trees.

 

"Decaying wood plays a key role in ecosystem functioning, providing habitat for many species of bryophytes, lichens, fungi, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Unfortunately, decades of ‘tidying’ up of deadwood has meant that most wooded sites across the UK are severely lacking in the amount of dead wood and it is estimated that an absence of decaying wood habitat could deprive an area of woodland of over 20% of its fauna. This is no surprise given that when looking at invertebrates alone, in the UK, more than 2000 species are dependent upon decaying wood for part of their life cycles, and a recent study highlighted that over 320 of these invertebrates also pollinate flowers.  
 
"And so as the storms felled trees and tore out limbs, important habitats were created. Where whole trees or canopies have collapsed more light can reach the woodland floor, allowing previously suppressed seeds to germinate, and increasing the structural diversity of the woodland. The upturned root plates can provide water filled hollows, and where the soils are south facing, various solitary bees and wasps will use them to nest.  Large trunks provide long-term habitat for decay fungi as they break down the wood for the thousands of saproxylic (deadwood dependant) insects. Torn out limbs can go on to create cavities which are used by hole nesting birds, bats and insects."

Be a Barnes Common Womble

 

O kay, we know Wombles only live on Wimbledon Common but we could do with a few on Barnes Common too.

 

Sadly some people continue to litter the common and although old trees provide valuable habitat for flora and fauna, old crisp packets do not.

 

If you would like to help clear up the mess of 'things that the everyday folk leave behind' and become a latter day Great Uncle Bulgaria the Friends of Barnes Common would love your help.

 

On the morning of Sunday March 13, between 10.30am and 12.30pm, the group will be organising their annual Litter Pick. There's no need to book, just show up and collect a litter picker and gloves from the Vine Road Pavilion or the Car Park at Rocks Lane.

 

Find out more here.

Catalytic converter theft crack down

 

Police in South West London have concluded a month-long operation to disrupt and prevent Catalytic Convertor theft in the area.
 
Officers from the Met  have been working day and night shifts in marked and unmarked Police vehicles as part of Operation Ajax which resulted in a drop in Catalytic converter thefts by 38%, and a drop in Theft from Motor vehicle offences by 11% in January. The operation took place across Merton, Kingston, Wandsworth and Richmond and had, the police say, excellent results.

 In total, over the one month spanning January and February, the small team undertook three moped pursuits, two vehicle pursuits, five arrests for a variety of offences, 26 stop and searches and 25 vehicle stops. They also managed to prevent other car crimes including an incident where officers successfully recovered a stolen Range Rover five minutes after it being stolen as well as an arrest for possession with intent to supply drugs where over 50 bags of drugs and a significant amount of cash was found.

A kitchen fit for tigers

 

Once there was a little girl called Sophie and she was having tea with her mummy in the kitchen. Suddenly there was a ring at the door...

 

The kitchen that Sophie sat in stayed just the same as it had been since the mid 1960s in a house on Ranelagh Avenue until recently.

 

The house, which of course belonged to author Judith Kerr, was sold following her death in 2019 and in true Barnes fashion it has now been completely revamped from top to bottom. However, the kitchen wasn't consigned to a skip.

 

Instead, it has been carefully dismantled and rebuilt 300 miles away at Seven Stories the National Museum for Children's Books in Newcastle.

 

Now visitors can see where Sophie's visiting tiger guzzled milk, orange juice and 'daddy's beer' in all its formica glory.

 

According to Judith's son, the writer Matthew Kneale, the kitchen wasn't preserved by his mother out of a sense of posterity. The fact that it has survived was due to her 'practical sense of utility'.

 

Kerr's books sold over 10 million copies in her lifetime, so she could easily have afforded a swanky new kitchen but she said the kitchen was built 'when they made things to last'. Her son says "She hated extravagance for its own sake. It still worked so she kept it."

Wallet found

 

A wallet and its contents has been found on Nassau Road (on Friday March 4). It appears to belong to John Young. If it is your wallet or you know John Young, do contact us here at the Bugle and we will put you in touch with the wallet's finder.

 

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