Stables Exhibition

Animals form the subject of a new exhibition now on at The Stables Gallery in Brent.

The large-scale paintings on show have a predominantly feline theme, with cats as a recurring subject throughout the paintings on show and are the work of Kennington-based artist Hazel Basran.

The theme was the idea of Stables gallery curator Chris Channing who had put on an exhibition at the gallery themed around dogs the year before.

Hazel, whose work in influenced by John Currin, Karen Kilimnik and the Pre-Raphaelites, was keen to point out that many aspects of wildlife appear in the paintings.

Hazel said: “The paintings are mainly of cats, but also feature deer and different types of bird.”

Despite the feline focus, the artist is surprisingly more of a bird fan, being to proud owner of a budgie called Sky.

Hazel feels happy about how the exhibition has gone to date, but revealed that she was a little worried before the opening.

Hazel said: “It was a little unnerving, as I’d previously only done group shows, not a whole collection of my own work.”

Despite Hazel’s fears, the exhibition private viewing was a great success and Chris Channing was glowing in his praise of Hazel’s work.

Chris said: “We’re very pleased to have Hazel’s work here at the Stables. She has added to the very high standard of work we have shown his year.”

The gallery is situated in Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill Lane and is open from Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm. The exhibition runs until December 2.

Self Reflective Essay

This was a story I was asked to work on by the senior reporter at the Harrow Observer, when I was doing work experience there. A freelance photographer had already taken photographs of the exhibition, so the piece was being written to accompany them, as well as to promote the event at the Stables Gallery.

I interviewed the artist, Hazel Basran, and asked about her artwork, her feelings about the exhibition and how it had come about. She helped me to understand what she was aiming for with her artwork and I tried to convey that in my article.

After speaking to Hazel, I interviewed the gallery’s curator, Chris Channing, and asked him about his ideas for the exhibition. He gave me a good insight into how the Stables Gallery works and he was happy to give me some quotes about Hazel’s exhibition.

After speaking to Chris, I got a chance to see the photographs of the paintings at the exhibition, which was very useful as it meant I had a much better idea of the artwork I was writing about.

After this I spoke to Hazel Basran again to firm up details and spellings and also to add to some of the information that I had got speaking to Mr, Channing. During this interview I tried to get more information about Hazel’s style, her influences and the different areas of art she would like to explore.

My one regret about the story is that I was not able to go and see the painting while I was at the newspaper as I felt that it would have further enabled me to understand the artwork I was writing about.

Pear Wood Conservation

AN ANCIENT piece of Harrow woodland is being preserved for rare animal and plantspecies by a group of volunteers.

Ecology group, The Harrow Nature Conservation Forum has been hard at work reviving Pear Wood, Stanmore to protect it as a nature reserve. The Forum is part of the Harrow Heritage Trust and has been working to preserve the forest in tandem with Harrow Borough Council.

The Pear Wood site is one of four local woodland areas that have been under going conservation work. The Forum has also been undertaking important natural preservation work in Stanmore Common, Stanmore Country Park and Bentley Priory.

Steve Bolsover, who is Chairman of the Forum, spoke about the work being done by the voluntary organisation.

Mr Bolsover said: "We work on biodiversity action plans, particularly to protect threatened species, as well as species recording."

Claire Abbott is the Conservation Forum's Warden for Pear Wood and spoke ofthe woodland’s historical importance.

Mrs Abbott said: "It is part of the ancient forest of Middlesex. It is very rare to have a truly ancient forest that is thousands of years old so close. It's age and that it is undisturbed makes it very unusual."

As well as its ancient heritage, the wood is also home to the rare type of ant, the Formica rufa or Southern Wood Ant. Mrs. Abbott explained how the ants, which are usually found in Central Europe, came to be in Stanmore.

Mrs Abbott said: "They're a very large ant, much larger than the normal red ant. They were probably introduced into the wood many years ago by the Duke of Chandos as food for his pheasants."

Mr Bolsover outlined how in the Conversation Forum are planning to help increase the wood’s rare ant population in years to come, through a technique of transference.

Mr Bolsover said: "We translated a German instruction manual of how to transfer the ants. We can move one or more queen ants to a new location when they're quite close to the nest surface."

As well as the ants, the forest sites in which the Conservation Forum are working are home many rare plant and animal species that need protection, such as the Heath-spotted Orchid on the Stanmore Common site.

The sites are not open to the public due to the conservation work being done and the rarity of many of the species living in them.

http://www.harrowncf.org/

Box Piece

Some of the species found across Bentley Priory, Pear Wood, StanmoreCountry Park and Stanmore Common areas:

- Southern wood ant (Formica rufa)

- Heath spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata)

- Fallow deer (Dama dama)

- Wood sage (Teucrium scorodonia)

- Green woodpecker (Picus viridus)

- Creeping soft-grass (Holcus mollis)

- Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)

- Dogs mercury (Mercurialis perennis)

Self Reflective Essay

This was a story I undertook whilst doing work experience on the Harrow Observer newspaper. I was given an AGM report from the Harrow Heritage Trust, a local heritage group who look after the heritage of the built and natural environment in Harrow and asked to see if there were any stories that could worked on in it. Part of the Trust is the Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, a local ecology and conservation group who had included their latest newsletter with the AGM report.

After I the looked through the HNCF’s newsletter, I thought that there might be a story in the fact that the Forum had been doing ongoing work helping Harrow Council to preserve Pear Wood, an ancient woodland in Stanmore. The newsletter mentioned that the woodland was home to a rare species of ant and I thought that this was a quirky angle as well as being of potential interest to local residents. I discussed the idea with the News Editor at the paper, and she also thought it could lead to a good story.

To get more information, I interviewed Steve Bolsover and Claire Abbott about the work being done, and arranged for photographer to take some photographs in Pear Wood.

One problem I encountered with this story was that after interviewing Mrs. Abbott, a representative at the council told her that she should not be speaking to the press about the work that was being done. This placed the story in jeopardy, due to the fact that the council worker was afraid that it might lead to the public descending to what is a private conservation area. But after speaking to my news editor and faxing the story through the to the council press office, the council were happy that I had made it clear that the site was not open to the public.

Horse Sponsorship

After a rise in cruelty towards horses across the country in the last year, the RSPCA in Hillingdon, Slough, Windsor & District are appealing to local people to consider sponsoring one of the animals they have been caring for.

Sponsorships start from £5 a month and sponsors help with the essential medical and day-to-day welfare costs of the horses and ponies that have come into the care of the local RSCPA branch.

Paula Mathews, Branch Director of the Hillingdon branch, explained how essential financial support is in helping needy horses and ponies.

“In 2006, reports of equine cruelty to the RSPCA went up by around 30% and cruelty towards horses and ponies has definitely increased across our area.”

Those who are kind enough to sponsor the horses receive regular updates on the welfare of horses cared for by the Hillingdon area RSPCA and the work being done to help need animals locally.

Currently the local branch are looking after two horses, Patricia, a Shetland mare, and Willow, bay mare, who both came into their care following neglect and abuse from previous owners.

Mrs. Mathews said: “We really hope people will help us with sponsorship because there is no NHS for animals and often we are their last chance.”

Further information on how to sponsor a horse can be attained by visiting the RSPCA Hillingdon Clinic, 123 Uxbridge Road or by calling 01895 813267.

http://www.rspcahillingdonclinic.org.uk/

Self Reflective Essay

After being given a brief to produce an animal story, I went to local RSPCA rescue and treatment centre which I lived very close to. I asked about success stories or particular campaigns that they were looking to highlight in the local area and the branch director, Paula Mathews, gave me some literature.

After reading through the literature, I decided to focus on the scheme that the local branch were doing to sponsor one of the horses in their care. I arranged and conducted an interview with Paula at the RSPCA centre to get more information on the subject and she explained to me the nationwide statistics on equine cruelty.

The branch were promoting the scheme as an alternative to giving animals for Christmas but after filing the story, my tutor pointed out that statistics on equine cruelty were a much more newsworthy angle, so I rewrote the piece to accentuate that side of the story.

I felt that the piece could serve a social function in that it would aid a local charity to help animals in need. Also due to the fact the centre was in urban area, it though it would be interesting to raise awareness amongst local readers as it was possible that the local readership would not be aware of cruelty relating to horses in their area. I hoped that would be inspired to help the RSPCA in their campaign.

MSP Profile

Richard Lochhead has been an MSP in the Scottish Parliament since 1999, when he was elected for the Scottish National Party as a list candidate. Following a by-election in 2005 he was elected MSP for Moray and, after the SNP’s triumph in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Elections, he began his current role as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment.

Mr. Lochhead’s current position as a Cabinet Secretary is a far cry from the 15 year old lad from Clarkston, near Glasgow, who, along with a couple of friends, joined the SNP in the dark days of the Thatcher era.

‘We couldn’t understand why whenever we switched on the TV, there was some pin-striped, old Tory making decisions about Scotland, who we hadn’t voted for,’ he explained.

After university, he moved from being a ‘keen voter’ to a party member and following jobs in the private and public sectors, he became the office manager for Scotland’s current First Minister, the SNP party leader, Alex Salmond.

‘It was a fantastic and eventful time, during which we saw the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1997. I learnt a lot from Alex; mainly that he was right kind of guy to lead us.’
Mr. Lochhead is immensely proud to be part of the first ever SNP Cabinet in Scotland and to be at the helm of Rural Affairs and the Environment; a department that he feels deals with issues that are of great importance to the country as a whole.

‘This job is very special because it deals with the rural communities that provide the raw materials for feeding the nation’, he said.

‘I live and work in such a community and I see the strong culture and heritage these living communities have.’

These rural responsibilities are intertwined with the environmental issues facing Scotland. Mr. Lochhead seeks to highlight both the threats and the opportunities that issues like climate change pose to the country.

‘Climate change could have a big impact on Scotland. Areas like Moray know the cost of bad flooding, but the problems of climate change be seen as an opportunity for Scotland. We are in a position to produce renewable resources of clean energy and also to export to other countries.’


www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp/membersPages/richard_lochhead/index.htm

Self Reflective Essay

We were given a brief write a profile on our local MP. My tutor suggested that I try and speak to an MSP to give a different perspective on the central government issues we had studied, and also because of the number of students on the course that would be chasing the same MPs in the Hillingdon area.

I had previously interviewed Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, when I undertook work experience at the Forres Gazette and since then his party, the Scottish National Party had won the Scottish general election, placing him in the Scottish executive.

One of my concerns was the fact that neither my parents nor I lived in Richard Lochhead’s Moray constituency anymore. Would he be willing (or able, as I was no longer one of his constituents) to give up his time to a student in London who he probably did not remember ever meeting?
Thankfully Mr. Lochhead did remember me and was happy to help by giving me an interview.

I contacted his office initially through email and followed up with numerous phone calls. I had to try a number of times to contact him both in his Elgin office in Moray and in his office at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. This was a useful exercise as it tested my telephone skills when I had to speak to numerous people to get the interview I wanted.

After leaving numerous messages, I received a call back from Mr. Lochhead and we conducted the interview. He was happy to talk across numerous subjects ranging from his early life and youthful politicisation to his work in the Scottish Executive and in his constituency. The interview definitely helped me to think about my interview technique and the importance of shorthand in interview situations.

Harrow Crime

A 72-year-old pensioner has been robbed of £500 in a charity shop in Harrow.

The incident took place on Monday, November 5 in the Oxfam shop on Burnt Oak Broadway between 11.20am and 12pm, after the man had just withdrawn the money from the Abbey Bank on the same street.

Once the inside the shop two people drew attention to a stain on the back of the man’s jacket, which was red in colour and had a chemical smell.

After helping to clean it off, it was pointed out that his blazer was also stained. He took this off, and after helping to clean it, the two people then left. After putting the blazer on again, the man discovered his wallet was gone.

The suspects are described as an Eastern European couple; the male was around 5’ 6” and dressed in dark clothing. The female was around 5’ 2’’ and dressed in black clothing.

Police are appealing for information on 02084231212.

www.met.police.uk/harrow

Self Reflective Essay

This story came about through a visit to the Harrow borough police headquarters. I accompanied a fellow reporter to a press briefing whilst on work experience at the Harrow Observer newspaper.

We were briefed on recently reported crimes in the local area by Will Goddard, the press officer for the Harrow police service, and this piece was the one I found the most interesting of all the reported events.

I thought the fact that an elderly local gentleman was robbed of such a large sum of money which he had only just withdrawn was a very emotive and unfortunate. I also thought it was the type of story which the public in Harrow could help the police with.

The attack with the red chemical paint seemed to be premeditated and left a distinctive trait. It was possible that another local resident may have found similar staining on a garment or may have seen the couple described and their memory would be jogged.

The news writing sessions we had done focusing on crime reporting helped me tighten up the piece through the use of active language and making the facts of the incident prominent so that local people would be able to aid the police in their enquiries.

It was a short story but it was quite a complex series of events, which required me to write a clear, linear explanation of what had happened to the elderly man.

Gordon Brown

Anyone wanting to analyse the performance of Gordon Brown over his first hundred days as Prime Minister could do worse than look at the recent form of his beloved football team, Raith Rovers, currently grappling for the top spot in the Scottish Second Division.

The Kirkcaldy side have managed a good set of wins so far this season, but have also lost out to weaker opposition more than once. Crucially they’ve have shown ample amounts of courage (the Brown watchword) to climb up the table.

Raith’s campaign is analogous with the big tests that Brown has faced during his hundred-day premiership. The near miss terrorist attacks, the return of the foot-and-mouth crisis and the extensive flooding over the summer, all put great amounts of pressure on the new PM.

Yet despite such tests, Brown has come off well. Martin Bright, political editor of the New Statesman, saw his actions on these issues as ‘decisive’ and claimed that as PM, ‘Brown has surprised many people, including those in his own party who did not believe he had it in him.’

For Raith Rovers, the continuation of their winning streak will give them a fighting chance of promotion. However, with Brown now PM, it is difficult for him to get any higher. The only way from here will be down, and such relegation is dependent on the swift counter-attacking of the British media.

The most decisive victory for Brown has been to avoid the wrath of the Daily Mail: the newspaper many in the New Labour hierarchy believe hold the key to influencing the next election’s outcome. The Mail’s columnist Andrew Alexander on 7th September praised Brown’s appointment of Tory and Lib Dem MPs to act as government advisors as ‘shrewd’, claiming that the appointments ‘have added to the Prime Minister's authority as a national leader’. Such statements by columnists of traditionally hostile publications will do great things for the Brown fighting spirit.

Add to this Brown’s appearance with Mrs. Thatcher outside No. 10 on 13th September (a move akin to stealing the rival team’s mascot and parading around it before a match) and his conference message that 'I will stand up for British values' (practically a Tory terrace chant), and Brown and his squad look like they may have a chance of netting that trophy they desperately want: the votes of Middle England.

http://www.newstatesman.com/200710040057

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=480387&in_page_id=1772&in_author_id=248

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/i+will+stand+up+for+british+values/840947

Self Reflective Essay

We were given a brief to write an analysis of Gordon Brown’s first one hundred days as Prime Minister. We had been told about trying to find a quirky angle to centre such a piece around. My initial thought was to try and write something about Brown’s Scottish-ness, as it something we both share. However, after a little research I realised that there was already a huge amount of reporting and opinion centring around the Prime Minister’s nationality and his relationship to his home nation, so I thought I would avoid that.

After having a quick look to see how my local football team was performing, I glanced across the rest of the Scottish Divisions and noticed that the team beloved of Mr. Brown, Raith Rovers, were riding high in the Scottish Second Division. I thought it might be interesting to use Raith’s form in the analysis.

Overall, the reports of Brown’s first hundred days in office were positive. I had read an article in the New Statesman on the performance of the Brown, which I quoted from, and also used the extensive resources on the BBC website, including Nick Robinson’s blog and numerous archive stories and fact features on Brown’s background, to research more about Brown and opinion on him.

When writing the piece I felt it was important to see how Brown was being received in the Daily Mail, as much had been written about his desire to be friendly terms with that paper. I looked through the Mail’s online archive to find opinion pieces and found a good example in a contemporary column by Andrew Alexander, which I used in my piece.

Black History Month

A carnival atmosphere will descend on Hillingdon in October as the borough celebrates Black History Month.

Black History Month will officially open with ‘BIGFEST’, the borough’s annual street carnival, which takes place through Uxbridge town centre from 4pm on Sunday 7 October.

Everyone can get involved by taking part in the free workshops in Egyptian dancing, circus skills and carnival costume making on the High Street, Uxbridge from 12pm.

As well as celebrations, there will also be time for commemoration with a plaque being erected in memory of William Wilberforce, the campaigning MP who helped abolish the slave trade in Britain 200 years ago, and who lived at the Chestnuts on Honeycroft Hill in the Uxbridge area from 1824 to 1826.

Residents keen to find out more about their famous neighbour can listen to Wilberforce biographer, Stephen Tomkins deliver a talk about the politician and his work at 7.30pm on Wednesday 10 October in Uxbridge Library.

Black History Month has been celebrated in Hillingdon since 2001, but this year will have added poignancy due to the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery.

Councillor Henry Higgins, Hillingdon’s cabinet member for culture, sport and leisure, acknowledged the importance of celebrating Black History Month in the local area.

Cllr Higgins said: ‘I hope that everyone will enjoy this year’s events and take the opportunity to reflect on Hillingdon’s history and celebrate our future.’

He claimed that this year’s Black History Month in Hillingdon would be ‘bigger and better than ever.’

Many public events are planned and further information can be found at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/bhm.

www.hillingdon.gov.uk/bhm

www.hillingdon.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=11132

Self Reflective Essay

This was the first piece I wrote for the course. In my first week, I noticed posters advertising the up-coming Black History Month in October. Having moved to Uxbridge from an area (Aberdeen) where Black History Month was not really celebrated, I was interested to see what was being done in an area that was more ethnically diverse. The events also presented a good opportunity to make contact with Hillingdon Borough Council.

After contacting a press officer for the council and making enquires about what the council would be doing, I was sent a brochure of the forthcoming events that were to make up Black History Month and a press release that outlined everything that was happening. I also asked to be added to the council’s contact list so that I could receive press releases from them for future stories.

Originally I focused on the angle of Wilberforce’s residency in Uxbridge because I thought it might be a fact that many local residents were unaware of and because of the focus on the bi-centennial of the abolition of slavery.

However, I was encouraged to change the thrust of the piece so that the carnival was more prominent, thus making the piece more eye catching to the reader. I rewrote the piece with the Wilberforce memorial section of the further down the page, which gave the story a balance and showed the differing elements of Black History Month, celebration and remembrance.
I attempted to write the piece so that local people would be informed of what was happening and would be inspired to get involved.