UP FRONT
Golden bloom
For the third year in a row Ealing has won gold at the London in Bloom awards – and it then won a national silver gilt award at Britain in Bloom . It was given the honours in the Large City category of both the regional and national awards for the overall impact of its horticulture and environmental management and for community participation .
Walpole Park
Meanwhile , four local parks won individual awards at London in Bloom . Walpole Park and Acton Park both won gold in the Large Park of the Year , with Southall Park winning silver gilt in the same category ; and Litten Nature Reserve in Greenford won gold in the Common of the Year category . Earlier this year , 18 Green Flags were awarded to the council ’ s parks by Keep Britain Tidy : Two more than last year and the most ever achieved in the borough .
Record recycling rates
More than 50 % of the borough ’ s waste was recycled in the first quarter of the new waste collection scheme , the most the borough has ever recycled . In June 55 % of household waste was recycled . This was followed by 54 % in July and 52 % in August giving an average of 53.43 % for the first quarter , compared to 45.39 % over the same months in 2015 . This is an eight percentage point increase on the same time last year . Councillor Bassam Mahfouz , cabinet member for transport , environment and leisure , said : “ Thank you to everyone who ’ s doing their bit to help us boost our recycling rates .” The council changed the way household waste is collected at the beginning of the summer . Visit www . ealing . gov . uk / bins and www . ealing . gov . uk / recycling
Festive flavour
There is lots planned for the run-up to Christmas in our local town centres and shopping areas ; here is just a taste of what is to come . The W5 Food Market has been running in front of Ealing Town Hall on alternate Sundays since October and will continue until , over the weekend of 17-18 December , it becomes a Christmas Food Market ( 4-10pm on Saturday , 11am-4pm Sunday ) – it will then resume on Sundays in February . In the run-up to the event , Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre will also host a connected Christmas market with crafts as well each Friday from 18 November . Northfields has two events planned : A fun day on 10 December and a night market on 3 December , 6.30-9pm at Kingsdown Methodist Church . Meanwhile , Acton and West Ealing town centres will both host their annual Christmas fairs on 10 December . For more events and more details , go to ealingnewsextra . co . uk / features / christmas2016
around ealing Winter 2016 / 17 7