January 2012 Archives

With the Olympic Games just around the corner and the borough hosting the volleyball competition at Earls Court, now is the perfect time to try out the sport.

Free coaching sessions, run by national volleyball champions Polonia Volleyball Club, are being held on Wednesday evenings, between 6-7pm at Kensington Leisure Centre.

A fish and chip shop in Notting Hill is one of several food outlets across London to make a few healthy changes to the way it serves food.

The healthier catering commitment pilot, set up by Central London Community Healthcare Trust, is asking businesses to reduce fats, oils, salt and sugar, decrease portion sizes and increase fruit and vegetables.

Among the traders taking part is George's Portobello Fish Bar in Portobello Road, which has been given the first healthier catering commitment award, recognising healthy menu items and swapping 17-hole salt shakers to five-hole ones to reduce salt levels.

Exam results in Kensington and Chelsea are among the best in the country according to figures released this week.

The statistics, released on Thursday (26) by the Department for Education, show that 73% of GCSE students in the borough's schools got five or more A* to C grades including English and maths, placing them second best in England.

A traffic warden has won his case against his employers after claiming he was sacked for refusing to issue a large number of tickets.

Hakim Berkani, an employee of Kensington and Chelsea Council contractors NSL Parking, preferred to warn motorists that they had parked illegally rather than issue a fine.

He also exposed what he claimed was a minimum quota of tickets that parking attendants had to give out.

Visitors of all ages went back to their roots during a festival at Portobello Market in Notting Hill.

The Festival of Roots ran for three days from Friday (29) and among the activities for youngsters was a bicycle-operated smoothie maker and cookery workshops.

But perhaps the bit they enjoyed the most was visiting the wormery at the main market stall, where they learned about how vegetables are grown.

Two women, aged 17 and 26, have been arrested on suspicion of theft following an incident at a shop in Westbourne Grove.

On Friday January 20, at about 6pm police were called by security staff at the shop who reported two women had gone into the shop, put items of clothing in their bags and quickly left.

For anyone who has not visited one recently, National Libraries Day on February 4 is the perfect chance to pop into your local branch and look at what is on offer.

Not only can classics and the latest best sellers be borrowed for free, but CDs, DVDs and language courses are also offered at a competitive rate.

Hundreds of family and friends gathered in Notting Hill to celebrate the life of one of the carnival's original organisers.

A crowd gathered outside All Saints Church on Thursday (26) morning, waiting for the coffin of Selwyn Baptiste, who died at home on January 5, to arrive.

As they waited, the sound of a steel band could be heard turning the corner into Clydesdale Road, and behind it was the hearse carrying Mr Baptiste.

Kind-hearted Chronicle readers helped a Kensington charity shop recoup some of its losses after a callous burglary.

On January 20, we reported that the Octavia Foundation store in Kensington High Street had been broken into, and a day's takings stolen along with a staff laptop.

But after reading about the burglary, record company EMI, which is based in Wrights Lane, Kensington, donated more than 600 vinyl records, CDs and DVDs, and one generous resident offered a computer monitor to help replace the stolen laptop.

A 15 year-old boy has been charged in connection with a shooting in Westbourne Park on Sunday (22).

Emergency services were called to St Lukes Road, close to the junction with Tavistock Crescent at about 12.30am following reports of a 16 year-old suffering a gunshot wound to the back.

He remains in a stable condition in hospital.