Archive

Date

Hijacker walks free after causing bus crash

A man has been spared jail despite admitting attacking a bus driver, hijacking his bus and crashing it into 15 parked cars. Yadwinder Singh, 31, of Windsor Court, Friern Barnet, was three times over the drink-drive limit when he released the handbrake

Date

...and dream of a club needs YOU

Continuing this week's football theme, news reaches us of a successful season for Bridgegale Rovers FC, a side consisting mostly of ten and 11-year-olds from Brookland Junior School in Hampstead Garden Suburb. Sounds fairly straightforward so far

Date

YOU could own a football club

Football fans often dream of owning or managing their own club, picking a team, experiencing the glory of winning the league, and other Roman Abramovich-style fantasies. A new website could soon offer no fewer than 50,000 people such an opportunity.

Date

Shelling out for wisdom

They say never work with animals or children, but that didn't put off one Golders Green priest when he was invited to bless parishioners' animals. Father Keith Barltrop had no hesitation in saying bless you, pets' when he met tortoises Lucky and

Date

Who’s the council’s new tease?

Anyone searching the internet for information about Barnet Council in the past few weeks may have inadvertently stumbled upon a new blog which claims to be starting a little revolution from the grass roots'. Entitled The Government Department for Barnet

Date

Fun day for Jack

When Barnet resident Jack Brown, now five, was diagnosed two years ago with neuroblastoma - a rare form of cancer that affects young children - residents were so touched by his story that they helped raise enough money to pay for life-saving treatment

Date

Why CPZ is non-negotiable

I didn't know whether to laugh or throw things when I read A Barnet General Hospital worker's' letter in the Times, May 10. Was this a giant wind-up? As a resident of one of the roads where this correspondent advocates ditching the current CPZ in

Date

In praise of the dedication of an overworked maternity unit

It infuriates me to see the shoving under the carpet' of such a vital issue (Inquiry into maternity services, May 10). I gave birth to my daughter seven months ago at the now infamous Barnet Hospital. At 37 weeks a complication arose and I was admitted

Date

Barnet PCT is only pretending to face the public over its policies

Barnet PCT is trying to deny patients treatment at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, and as I've been a patient there for 13 years, I feel very strongly about this. There have been two public meetings. The first was a joke, as although we were

Date

A&E amalgamation a disaster

I am writing to express my concern, and I am sure the concern of your readers, with the proposed sham of a consultation over the future of Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, and the resultant problems this will cause to the residents of Barnet. The Government

Date

Atishoo, atishoo — how not to fall down

When the clocks went forward a few weeks ago, British summer time began and, as the first signs of sunshine arrive, people are flocking to parks and beaches to soak up every drop of warmth. Unfortunately, it won't be picnics in the park and weekends

Date

Women's Football

Barnet Ladies held their presentation evening at Underhill, home of the men's team, on Friday. Prolific striker Stacey Sowden was among those honoured, having notched 21 goals in 16 games. She has now scored a record-breaking 110 goals for the

Date

Athletics

Barnet & District Athletic Club won five medals at the Herts County Track and Field Championships in Watford. Charlotte Winfield, in the girls' U13 age group, was in particularly good form, winning a gold in the 100m and 200m. She is now ranked

Date

Golf

A record number of newcomers are taking advantage of free golf taster sessions, making it a busy start to the year for PGA professionals. Clubs across the UK are reporting nearly a 50 per cent increase in beginners taking advantage of the England

Date

Football

Mill Hill Village have scooped a third consecutive league title. The side lifted the Amateur Football Combination Division Three North championship and will now be playing in Division Two next season, continuing their rise up the leagues. They

Date

Bowls

Mill Hill BC endured a difficult week. The club lost 72-59 to Oakhill and also went down in a men's triples match against Townsend and Cockfosters.

Date

Boys of summer return

Brondesbury and Stanmore got their Middlesex County Cricket Premier League campaigns up and running with a draw at Cricklewood on Saturday. But visitors Stanmore will be the happier of the two sides, having gained four points to Bron's one owing to a

Date

Can do, as fight club plays a belter

Four students from Master Wolf's Taekwon-Do Academy in Edgware brought home medals from the Midland ITF Taekwon-Do open championships in Derby. They were shown the way by instructor Richard Belle, who set the tone by winning the black belt heavyweight

Date

Women-only club tells men to mind their own business

A business networking idea for women is flourishing across London and bringing female workers together in Hendon and Barnet. DEAN VALLER spoke to members of the Mill Hill and Edgware branch about why men have been made redundant. The Women's Company

Date

Tree-lined avenue to honour war veterans

An avenue of lime trees in Hendon Park will be dedicated to veterans who fought in the armed forces at a special ceremony next month. The event, marking Veterans' Day on June 27, will see the borough's veterans honoured with commemorative badges,

Date

Get involved at police teams’ base opening

A new joint base for the Mill Hill and Hale Safer Neighbourhoods teams will open in Hartley Avenue, Mill Hill, on Saturday. Members of the public will be welcome to attend the opening, which will take place at 10am. Officers will be on hand to discuss

Date

Prison for pilfering postman

A former Edgware postman has been jailed for six months after pleading guilty to hoarding almost 3,000 items of post in a shed, his bedroom and his car. Joseph Bell, 24, of Brockhurst Close, Stanmore, pleaded guilty at Harrow Crown Court last Thursday

Date

Funeral for ‘Lob’

The funeral has taken place of the man who died after being shot in the chest with his own air rifle during a burglary attempt at his Cricklewood home in January. Robert Lettin, known to friends and family as Lob', was cremated at Hendon Crematorium

Date

Car ploughs into front garden for second time

A Hendon woman who had to replace the front wall of her house after a car crashed into it in January has now suffered another crash - this time through her front garden. A car smashed into the front garden of Gill Smith, 46, in Audley Road, then

Date

Emotional Holocaust play goes to Auschwitz

Pupils from a Catholic school in Finchley will be performing a play about the Holocaust at Auschwitz next week. The cast of Remember, from Finchley Catholic High School (FCHS), in Woodside Lane, North Finchley, will tour Poland and perform at a professional

Date

Tributes to king cabbie

London's longest-serving cab driver, Alfred Collins, has died at the age of 92 following a heart attack. Mr Collins, of Braemar Gardens, Colindale, featured in this newspaper in March, after Transport for London presented him with a special award

Date

Scholars boss quits

Leese: I need challenge of a club with ambition'. Potters Bar Town were this week searching for a new manager. Andy Leese and assistant Jon Meakes have left Parkfield to manage Southern League Division One side Chesham United. Leese said

Date

Eva’s farewell as new mayor takes office

The borough of Barnet welcomed Councillor Maureen Braun as its new mayor this week with a traditional ceremony at Hendon Town Hall. Councillor Braun, who will be escorted by her son Michael while in office, took up the robes on Tuesday night from

Date

Showbiz stars help Garden Suburb mark centenary of its foundation

On May 2, Hampstead Garden Suburb celebrated the 100th anniversary of its foundation by Dame Henrietta Barnett. Henrietta Barnett roses were presented to owners of the first two houses to be built in the area by Rudi Vis MP and veteran actor Donald Sinden

Date

Why don’t parties do canvassing any more?

The local political parties in my area should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for failing to seriously engage with the voters. All of them express regret at the low turn out, but if they can't be bothered to canvas and listen to the electorate,

Date

Chestnut Grove site is too small for school

I was disappointed to read Christopher Costigan's letter last week, where he describes our latest East Barnet Focus article about the new East Barnet School as scaremongering'. The Liberal Democrats fully support East Barnet School, and would like

Date

How about forming a Friends of the Bull arts centre?

It is no surprise that there are difficulties over the car parking at The Bull Theatre. Since the decision was taken by Barnet Council not to proceed with the sale of the building in 2005, the arrangements for leasing the main building to the Dare

Date

Pollarding denies birds leafy cover from predators

Why does Barnet Council feel it necessary to remove all cover from its London Plane trees in the spring, leaving no cover for our native birds? A mistle thrush nest in West Hendon is exposed each time the beady-eyed female leaves the nest to feed

Date

‘Bomber’ says July 21 mission was a ‘hoax’

A July 21 bombing suspect claims he was only branded a terrorist because he is Muslim. Yassin Omar, 26, said non-Muslims would never have been charged with launching an attempted suicide attack. He made the outburst during cross-examination by

Date

Walking for charity

A New Barnet woman who survived breast cancer is organising a walk to raise money for the charity that helped her cope with the illness. Lenia Savvides, 54, of Northumberland Road, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2004 and

Date

Insulation warning on homes

Thousands of Barnet homes are insufficiently insulated and will receive a poor energy rating when the Government's Home Information Packs are launched next month, the Green Party has warned. All homes put up for sale from June 1 will be tested for

Date

Funding will cushion cuts to English lessons

Barnet will be one of the boroughs to benefit from £15 million secured this week to continue funding courses teaching English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The funding package, jointly put together by the Learning and Skills Council and

Date

Masters in obesity prevention

Britain's first master's degree designed to educate students on ways of changing the public's smoking and eating patterns is to be launched at Middlesex University's Hendon campus. The MA in social marketing has been developed following Government