QPR fan bikes around the world

A QPR fan is on an around the world bike ride and hopes to finish in April 2012 in time to attend a Chelsea game he has tickets for.

Matthew Blake, 25, began his journey three and a half years ago after finishing studying at Kingston University where he had cycled to training sessions for a local football team.

The avid cyclist said: “I started football for a team in Alperton Lane, Middlesex It turned out to be quicker and cheaper to ride than take the train so I started riding up each week.

“I started riding everywhere around London including to Rangers games and from there began to read about other people who had done big bike trips. The idea that I wanted to do this was quickly formed in my head, I finished uni, worked a year in two jobs to save up money and left.”

Not wanting to become locked into a job Matthew began his bike journey around the world.

 He said: “Once you're on the career path it's not so easy to get off  and so I figured I wanted to enjoy myself and see the world first. The main reason I am doing this trip is because it makes me happy.”

Now Matthew is on the final leg and is currently in Khartoum, Sudan having just left South Sudan. He expects to be home in five months after he’s travelled to Cairo, Israel, Cyprus and Turkey before experiencing a European winter. 

He said: “I should be home early or mid-April next year. I've got a corporate ticket for the Chelsea game on April 28 so need to make it back for that!”

Matthew has been a QPR fan since he was born, and had his first season ticket from 1995-96, when QPR went down a league.

He said: “Us being actually good at the moment also makes it harder for me to be away, I preferred it when we were rubbish.

“I've also met QPR fans in Bulgaria, a man who follows the club as he taught QPR player Alan Macdonald's daughter to ski, Cambodia, San Francisco and Argentina!”

Matthew isn’t just cycling for fun, the money raised through sponsorship will go to SOS Children’s Charity, a place he visited on his ride through Zambia.

He said: “I'm raising money to help build a new SOS Children’s Village in Chipata, Zambia. I know people who've worked with them at home and they're just such a brilliant organisation and have turned around the lives of so many kids all over the world that it's a great thing to be a part of.

“It's not just building an orphanage, it's an entire village where kids will be with a family, each child will have a Mum who'll look after them until they turn 18. They have a house, brothers and sisters and also access to medical care and a school.

“Taking kids with nothing and giving them a family, a home and an education is something that's easy to want to support!

Despite having only completed just three months training before taking off Matthew feels he’s never felt fitter, even when playing football.

He said: “I'm also a fairly energetic person so being on the bike is a great way to keep active - you gain a ridiculous level of fitness, and also with your body craving energy all the time you can eat as much food as you like without ever gaining wait - and I love  food!

Since beginning his journey the intrepid traveller feels that there really is no better way to see the world than on a bike.

He said: “I've travelled before on trains and you basically go from city centre to city centre, whilst if you're in a car you still have the windows and the car door blocking you from the outside world and its people. In comparison on the bike you see the entire country you're visiting and meet so many people you'd never have spoken to otherwise - it really is the best way to travel.”

Riding alone for so long you would think Matthew would get lonely, but he reckons the isolation makes him more social.

He said: ““Being on your own it forces you to go out and speak to people and get into social situations you never normally would otherwise.

“I've ridden with a few people for different lengths of time over the last three and a half years and it's only been the last few months that loneliness has started to creep in.

“When you're five months from home it's easy to remind yourself that you can just get your head down and that after three and a half years then five months really isn't a long time.”

As for boredom Matthew has plenty of ways to keep himself occupied.

He said: “I still enjoy the cycling even now so I never get bored with that but for when not on the bike then I have books, sometimes an mp3 player. I've broken 4 on this trip and am currently without one!”

Matthew says the most special places he has been to are Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Columbia and Lesotho, especially up mountains as he loves being at altitude, but the best part of his trip has been the food.

He said: “One the best thing about this trip has been trying all the different foods around the world.

“We have all the restaurants at home but it's never the same as actually being there for it. Lechona in Columbia, Manty in Kazakhstan, Thai curry, Mexican tacos. I could go on about food all day!”

The past few weeks have been tough with problems with Visas, being arrested and rain washing away the roads forcing Matthew to take a boat along the River Nile.

“My water filter broke I was having to drink water straight from the Nile with predictable consequences.

“I was also arrested and detained for 16 hours at the border as they were suspicious as to why a westerner would be on a cargo boat in South Sudan, but I was released without charge so while a waste of time, was no big deal.

Despite his adventures and mishaps Matthew would recommend cycling to anyone who wants a new experience.

“You don't have to go around the world but even just a short trip on a bicycle will show you a way of travel which is so different to anything else you'll have experienced before.

“As for visiting all these far off countries I think it's important to see how other people live and realise there's a way of life that's different to your own at home.”

“You get to see the world, meet amazing people, see things you could never imagine, lead a ridiculously healthy life and don’t have to have a proper job!”

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Posted in: bike,charity,football,hammersmith and fulham chronicle,portfolio,QPR,sport

Songs of Praise for Choral group

A CHORAL group was invited by the BBC to join the Songs of Praise choir alongside Katherine Jenkins and Andrera Bocelli to celebrate the show’s 50^th birthday.

Ten Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society members had appeared on the Sunday religious show before so applied to become part of the Songs of Praise harmony choir.

The group were then invited by the BBC to perform with the harmony choir and Orchestra at the show’s 50th Birthday celebrations held at Alexandra Palace’s Great Hall.

Chris Harman, chairman of the Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society, said: “We knew it would be big but we weren’t prepared for the scene of over 6,000 audience seats when we arrived for the afternoon rehearsal.

“When we returned after a break, those seats were filled with an enthusiastic audience who were obviously keen devotees of Songs of Praise. 

“Although the celebrity guests, including Andrea Bocelli and Katherine Jenkins, were an attraction what impressed us most was singing among thousands of other people and being caught up in the emotion of the event.

Songs of Praise is the longest running programme of its type in the world and the anniversary show was the 2,248th edition of the programme.

Almost 7000 people gathered in Alexandra Palace singing some of the most popular hymns featured over the years – including Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer, Angel-Voices Ever Singing and Jerusalem.

Mr Harman said: “As well as the religious aspect it’s clear that singing together is an uplifting experience and it’s what we find as members of a choral society.  Of all musical performance singing is the one that anyone can join in. 

“We enjoyed singing at the event and felt we made a real contribution to a successful concert.  We also enjoyed seeing ourselves in the programme broadcast the following Sunday.

The Fulham and Hammersmith Choral Society, who are celebrating their 60^th birthday this year, take part in many singing events across the community as well as abroad.

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Posted in: hammersmith and fulham chronicle,music,portfolio

H&F Council leader challenged to test out cycling danger spots

John Griffiths

CYCLING campaigners have invited the leader of H&F council to join them on a bike ride in the area’s most dangerous spots.

Hammersmith and Fulham Cyclists have called upon Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh to join them on a bike ride to highlight the dangers on the boroughs roads.

The route would cover Hammersmith Bridge, the gyratory, Shepherd’s Bush Green and Holland Park – the worst areas for cyclists.

John Griffiths of H&F Cyclists (pictured) said: "We suggest Cllr Greenhalgh should cycle with us around these places with his children to see why more should be done. The council say Hammersmith is a green borough and the gyratory is at the centre of it. They should make it an area to walk and cycle safely and cycling should be the priority above motor traffic.

"When companies build roads where there is more room they take cycling into account, but in the three major places where cyclists have difficulties it seems the council are not prepared take drastic measures to make it safer."

Mr Griffiths has previously met the council leader to ask for the lowering of the speed limit on Hammersmith Bridge and gyratory, but no change has been made to their transport plans.

The cyclist group feel it is even more important now as the council start a consultation on where to put Boris bikes docking stations after approving bringing the scheme to the borough and along with it more cyclists.

Mr Griffiths said: "The present scheme is good if there are a few cyclists, but what happens when the new bike riders take to the road and path?

"We’ve already said we want the roads to be made 20mph, unless there is a better suggestion, but now this is even more important with the Barclays Superhighway 9 being built and the Boris Bikes being introduced.

"Provision was made in the planning stages, and they are building an island and path, but now with the Boris Bikes as well as us cyclists there won’t be enough space.

"There will even more cyclists on the road, more inexperienced and insecure cyclists. In the areas like the gyratory and the bridge cyclists squeeze through the gaps in traffic. It’s dangerous."

But Mr Griffiths still holds out hope for the new scheme to draw attention to the problems cyclists face.

"Hopefully we can use the council’s enthusiasm for the Boris bike scheme to see how important it is to fix the problems, enforce a slower speed limit, and give more room for cyclists."

Cllr Nicholas Botterill said: "I don’t think I need any persuading to believe that cycling around such monster gyratories presents riders with many dangers.

"We are supportive of the Super Highway 9 and I know that officers have been talking to representatives of the various cyclists groups about some of the finer details."

www.hfcyclists.org.uk

Read at http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/10/31/h-f-council-leader-challenged-to-test-out-cycling-danger-spots-82029-29694805/#ixzz1cxInFKNk

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Posted in: campaign,cycling,hammersmith,hammersmith and fulham chronicle

Circus performer Albert the Idiot's plans for Hammersmith schools

A CLOWN has put forward a plan to introduce circus skills to PE lessons.

Albert the Idiot, of Albert and Friends Instant Circus, Hammersmith, thinks such lessons would help address problems of obesity and concentration problems.

And the veteran performer says he would have set up his own free school teaching Big Top skills if he was younger.

Ian Scott Owens, known as Albert, has been a clown for over 35 years and now teaches social circus at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith as well as in schools across the borough.

Albert said: "If they had started free schools 15years ago I would have set one up based circus skills. All these problems with troubled children, obesity and kids who find it hard to learn all can be combated in the circus.

"Circus skills are physical from moment they start, we are trying a holistic approach and kids working with us do excessively well. They’re not all well to do, middle class children.

"We give them independence and the ability to question. They learn through doing. It can be applied in school work, and they carry on into exams. It’s an approach to life."

Despite feeling he is now too old to pioneer a new circus free school Albert is creating a curriculum for circus skills to be taught in schools not just for PE but for a variety of lessons, such as Maths and History for Key Stage 1-3.

Children would be taught ground skills including juggling, uni-cycling, walking globe, tight rope, Diablo, spinning plates, stilts, skipping and dance.

Albert said: "We’re currently trialling the curriculum in schools and trying to get the scheme recognised with more formality."

For past four years Albert has been working with Melcombe Primary School, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith and says they can see the benefits already.

Teachers’ feedback shows children are more aware, their attention span increases, they can work as a team and they are less focused on themselves.

The veteran clown said: "The kids choose what skill they want to learn and do, it looks like chaos but its organised chaos. They’ve learnt about Shakespeare and performed fairytales and the Wagner’s Ring Cycle in 45 minutes – all through mime."

Albert feels that people’s perceptions of the circus holds them back from benefiting from all it has to offer.

He said: "A lot of people think of the circus and think tents, animals and scruffy travellers, but it’s much wider than that. It’s about making young people look beyond themselves not necessarily become circus acts, independence being taken away. They learn to deal with problems, find solutions and grow in confidence."

Albert says circus skills look at the whole child and makes them more of a rounded human being, making it ideal to base lessons around.

He said: "If you do it properly they begin to look after each other, there’s a huge range of ages from five to 14, but they teach each other and do it without even thinking."

Petrea Owens, 61, the general manager of the Circus, says that Albert and Friends Circus also work with problem children, excluded youths and the disabled.

She said: "It’s a chance for many to stand up and be counted. Lots of the children have something to say in University interviews. It’s seen to be doing something different and challenging. Not only spatial awareness, balance, and team work. It’s hard to reach them at first. You’re working to get through their mask."

Petrea also feels it works well in tackling bad behaviour. She said: "The children know where the line is so they behave and have good manners. Circus skills are good for their confidence and they learn stage skills, theatre. They suddenly feel like they can achieve something."

The circus duo feel that a focus on circus skills could tackle the cotton wool culture.

Petrea said: "The whole of society fear for kids, the children are afraid. It’s really about undoing that attitude. Children can’t go out on their own, can’t climb trees – the risk level of circus is less than playing snooker. We teach children with controlled risks."

An index published in Wales, found that rugby was responsible for 380 cases of injury per 10,000 but injuries due to the circus didn’t register on the list.

Albert said: "Some people think you work with very small children of two or three and put them on a trapeze. They panic. Parents scream, but I say trust and they’ll do it. We had an 18 month year old on a tight rope. There’s an instinct in us to say automatically kids cannot do things but we have got to trust them.

"A boy with learning difficulties came along and his mum said he can’t do this and this and that, but by the end of the first lesson he was walking on two foot stilts and she was in tears."

Both Albert and his wife are on The British Council Youth in Action board for past 20 years, and involved with the European Youth Circus.

Albert said: "Our links abroad allow the kids to see the world, it breaks down language barriers, and we do exchanges so people from other countries come here.

"The circus has so much to offer and I’m hoping the schools will see this and work with us on the curriculum."

More about Albert here -http://albertandfriendsinstantcircus.co.uk/

Read here http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/10/24/circus-performer-albert-the-idiot-s-plans-for-hammersmith-schools-82029-29653786/#ixzz1cxLI70Yp

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Posted in: circus,hammersmith,hammersmith and fulham chronicle,politics

Cinema group for elderly and homeless looking to expand

A HAMMERSMITH volunteer group, who hold a cinema club for the elderly and the homeless, are looking to offer the service to people with mental illness.

The cinema project, which has been visited by Alan Parker, director of the 1996 film Evita, holds screenings every Thursday to give the elderly and the homeless a chance to meet up, and share a cup of tea and cake while watching a film.

Now the project's co-ordinator and volunteers want to expand the service to invite those with mental health problems.

Edd Stock, 26, Coordinator of the St Stephen’s Open Cinema project, said: "The film screenings are working really well and we want to help those with mental health issues too. We’re working with London Housing Cyrenians and they are looking to invite their clients to use our service once a month."

The film screenings are held every Thursday for 12 weeks, 3pm for the elderly and 7pm for the homeless at St Stephen’s Community Hall, on Coverdale Road, Shepherd’s Bush.

Mr Stock said: "The elderly may not get out during the day, so the afternoons give them a chance for interaction – a place to belong.

"The homeless feel this is something they enjoy and can feel part of. They have the opportunity to meet directors, ask questions and feel like everyone else would in the same situation. It humanises them.

"But we could do more. I’d really like to offer counselling with Streetlights and more services to add to what we have. We already act as a soup kitchen."

So far Alan Parker, director of Madonna’s film Evita, the Assistant Director for Russell Crowe’s film Robin Hood and other film professionals have been to speak, answering questions and signing autographs.

Frank Wright, 74, of Bloemfontein　Road, Shepherd’s Bush, said: "There are some really interesting speakers and it’s a nice break for a couple of hours as I’m a full time carer for a friend.

"For many it’s something to do instead of them sitting at home in front of Deal or No Deal. You’re chatting and meeting new people."

Renée Darken, 89, of Finsdale Road, East Acton, has come to see the movies from the very beginning.

She said: "It’s a really good thing and it gets us out of the house. They have lovely films, and we see all the current ones."

The club which started six months ago is run by 25 volunteers who serve cake, sandwiches and tea to the elderly in the afternoon and the homeless in the evening.

Volunteer Emily Fuller, 43, of Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush, said: "They say film brings people together and this shows it does. It’ll be great if it can expand to help others. It’s already growing, and it’s not just the same faces each week."

The film club started from humble beginnings with just 5 people coming along, but now has 6 times the amount of people it started with attending, says Mr Stock.

The scheme is funded by donations, a National Lottery small grant and the Church urban fund which is given for projects showing mission in the community. But funding is an on-going issue, with more funds the project could expand to offer more services at the screenings.

The project is part of Open Cinema, the national network of film clubs programmed by and for homeless and vulnerable people.

Read here http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/10/18/cinema-group-for-elderly-and-homeless-looking-to-expand-82029-29617092/#ixzz1cxMGcNuk

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Posted in: elderly,film,hammersmith and fulham chronicle,health,homeless

Accordians are not just for buskers, says Shepherds Bush musician

A EUROVISION musician of the year finalist is offering classical accordion lessons in the hope to change people’s view of the obscure instrument.

Bartek Glowacki, 19, of Bloemfontein Road, Shepherd’s Bush, first offered the lessons to change people’s perceptions of the accordion, which is often associated with busking.

Despite being a competition winning performer, Bartek often gets strange looks when he explains his instrument of choice.

He said: "I first got the idea of teaching when I came to London, when I said I’m a musician people asked me what I played, but when I said the classical accordion they didn’t know what I was talking about.

"People think the accordion is not a classical instrument and treat it like a folk or gypsy instrument, they think of busking or pubs, but it’s played in a lot of classical pieces too."

"We play classical concerts just the same as the piano or violin would.

"People think the accordion is an old fashioned instrument, but in Poland it only really took off in the last six years, that’s a very small amount of time compared to the piano!"

The willing teacher studies at London’s Royal Academy of Music, after being named Best young musician of the year 2009 in his home country, Poland and narrowly missing out on the top spot in the 2010 finals of the Eurovision Musician of the year contest in Vienna.

He has also won the International Accordion Contest in Vilnius and came third in the International Accordion Contest in Klinghental.　

The young musician said: "Eurovision was great competition; I lost out to a boy who played the trumpet, but just for the accordion to be up there with the violin, piano and flute and recognised was great."

Bartek feels that in bringing his experience to the area and offering lessons he can change the perception of the accordion as a folk tune accompaniment.

He said: "The accordion is so often played in gypsy music, because that is seen as the most popular way, but it can do so much more. I hope to show London that.

"The first time I played to people here they had a great reaction. They didn’t know much about the accordion so were in shock, and didn’t know what to say.

The unconventional musician was converted to accordion playing after attending a concert in Poland with his parents.

He said: "I went to a concert with my parents when I was at about nine, the man we saw played the accordion so well. It was different, very energetic and exciting. I felt I had to try that."

The keen musician plays in concerts across London, and is planning to take part in more competitions before Christmas.

"I hope to stay in London and make my music more well-known, hopefully everyone will grow to love the accordion – and not just for folk music."

Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/10/18/accordians-are-not-just-for-buskers-says-shepherds-bush-musician-82029-29617078/#ixzz1cxLd5EEB

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Posted in: hammersmith and fulham chronicle,music,shepherd's bush