Protect your sensors and equipment with the ultimate care FREDsense appoints proven water industry executive as new President resp.. Residents of Buckinghamshire and West London are calling for further investigation into a common PFAS previously detected at one of the region’s pumping stations If you get off the 724 bus at Station Parade in Harefield the short walk up Moorhall Road will take you over the River Colne under a viaduct of HS2 and past Blackford Public Water Source (PWS) which is scheduled to resume its pumping of drinking water from the Mid Chilterns Chalk Aquifer in the next few months.  this could be their area’s entire recent history as a five-minute walking tour.   the construction of the HS2 railway has been a flashpoint Controversy over changes to the line’s route – thanks to the lobbying of a former MP – to tunnel under the southernmost part of Buckinghamshire was followed by a local campaign against the risk of contamination of water sources by construction-related pollutant a toxic chemical made famous by the ‘Erin Brockovich’ feature film.  has applied to delay the re-opening of Blackford PWS.  In 2019, as the construction of HS2 was getting underway, Affinity Water, the licensed drinking water supplier to extract at Blackford PWS applied to use their right to vary their license (28/39/28/0480) for abstraction to enable the temporary closure of Blackford PWS as a precaution against: “risks to water quality which cannot be established until HS2 works commence.”   Any shortfall in supply would be made up by increased abstraction from other sites This arrangement came into force in May 2021 and was due to come to an end in March 2025.  However, in October 2023, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, a regulator under the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, issued a notice to the drinking water supplier regarding what they claimed were unsafe levels of PFOA in drinking water drawn from Blackford.  While this is unlikely to be linked to the construction of HS2 it may be linked to sewage discharge into waterways as PFAS pollution found in wastewater remains unregulated.  A set of results from a 30-day testing programme in 2024, made publicly available as part of a Freedom of Information request (details of which can be found here) Nevertheless, the drinking water supplier has applied to extend the current arrangement beyond the original March deadline this year raising concerns from residents that the PFOA problem persists.  local activists have called on the Environment Agency to step up its monitoring of the area’s water quality and to identify sources of pollution as the local water supplier is not responsible for waterways that feed the Mid Chilterns Chalk Aquifer or other activities that risk its contamination with PFOA Affinity are acting in the interest of public health by taking these precautions What residents want to know is what's going on and what can be done about it In 2022, an analysis by Prospect, a trade union whose members include managers and engineers in the public sector, suggested that the budget allocated to the Environment Agency had been halved since 2010 getting to the bottom of emerging problems is usually limited to the writing of FOI requests – that is unless local residents can get their hands on their own monitoring equipment.  empowering citizens to conduct their own monitoring (in conjunction with specialists) may help to ease concerns by clarifying the nature of the problem – or even to clarify whether there’s still a problem.   Speaking to Envirotech Online at a public meeting on the banks of the Grand Union Canal near Blackford PWS local activist and member of Stop HS2 Sarah Green said: “If we had more citizen science that could monitor for these 'forever chemicals' and we could work alongside the Environment Agency to track down the source of this contamination.”  Such citizen-led monitoring can ultimately lead to more effective application of existing regulations as well as engender greater trust between authorities and the public.   Mark Keir was emphatic: “Citizen science is critical now It’s not the only tool but it’s a very The Environment Agency is currently accepting public comment on the application.   The Mayor of London is seeking to restore the capital’s waterways using natural methods offering a unique opportunity to monitor the outcomes Oil & Gas Asia SETAC Europe ENVEX 2025 Salon Analyse Industrielle & Instrumentation IFAT Eurasia A group of horses rescued from a “field of death” have been reunited with the women who fought for their survival and in an environment littered with hazards Residents banded together to look out for the herd providing hay and water and hosting fundraising events to support them “They were sad but they had fight in them and that really resonated with us,” said Zoe “We first found out about World Horse Welfare when we started pressuring the council – and they were just brilliant.” World Horse Welfare’s field officers were aware of the horses and had been monitoring them for some years but were unable to trace an owner The charity was hampered further by the fact the land was owned by a consortium of more than 70 people and the horses’ basic needs were being met by the women who wanted to help them but which made building a case to take them away difficult World Horse Welfare field officer Becky Bedson said: “I first got involved with the Harefield horses about four years ago We had welfare cases with individual horses – some got out on the road and hit by a car we weren’t able to find out who the owners were – they didn’t have microchips But what we did know was that they weren’t being cared for “With each passing winter their situation deteriorated ill and injured horses were removed from the group It got to a point where we needed to do something as a collective because the historical evidence said that they were all likely to suffer if we didn’t rescue them “We wouldn’t be able to do this work if it wasn’t for the public reporting welfare concerns to us and donating to our charity.” World Horse Welfare and the local authority worked with a vet and other charities to remove the horses; 13 horses were rounded up and taken to World Horse Welfare’s Hall Farm in Norfolk where they were assessed by the team of grooms All the horses are in good condition and have undergone rehabilitation and handling with the intention that they will find good homes in future Once all the horses were settled at the farm and in good health the women who made their rescue possible were invited to the charity to see them “It’s just been incredible seeing how far the horses have come and to see what everyone has done for them,” said Liv “I think it goes without saying World Horse Welfare has done incredible amounts They have given them so much love and attention which is so important in building a bond between human and horse and it’s given us a lot of motivation to keep doing what we are doing in supporting them.” HC-One’s Cedar House Care Home in Harefield Residents and colleagues of the HC-One owned care home enjoyed meeting their MP and chatting to him about what life is like at Cedar House Care Home – which is an integral part of the local Harefield community MP David Simmonds enjoyed a tour round the 42 bedded residential and the team showcased the home’s recent refurbishment work in their lounges their new electric powered bathtubs and bedrooms Cedar House’s residents’ choir also sung a selection of songs to MP David Simmonds in the lounge “I am grateful to the hard-working staff who care so passionately about the residents their commitment to the highest standards is certainly commendable The excellent work being done by Patience and her team is evident through not only their ‘good’ CQC rating but more importantly in the high spirits of the home’s residents.” along with highlights of the latest sector news and more from The Carer delivered directly to your inbox twice a week The Carer is published by RBC Publishing Ltd Contributions are welcome for consideration no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy the publisher will assume no responsibility for any effects All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised Never see this message again. JC Reporter 1 min readSPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Playing four days after a 1-0 league defeat at Broadfield United the home team were shorn of a number of starting performers Andy Landesberg's men have put in some decent displays while not yet finding the win to kickstart the league season They were again given a numerical advantage in an otherwise even tie when a Harefield player was given a straight red for a tackle on Jack Mattey Lions conceded to ten men when Harefield opened the score when a corner flew in off Ollie Craig knee for an own goal Both teams saw defences on top for large spells and only Austin Lipman went close with a shot from range It looked like the day would end in a disappointing defeat until up stepped Hatchwell In only his second sub appearance since the 2017 Maccabiah Games final and following a full year out with injury he dramatically found the equaliser in the 96th minute to earn a valuable point for Lions Senthil Panneerselvam made patient lie on floor of filing store cupboard and groped her breasts News | London A west London cardiologist who groped a woman’s breasts in a hospital store cupboard and then told her “please don’t tell anyone” has been struck off Senthil Panneerselvam, a former specialist registrar at the leading Harefield NHS Hospital in Uxbridge, was barred from the profession after a misconduct tribunal heard how he made a patient lie down on the cupboard floor and groped her breasts in what she thought was a medical exam The July 2 2021 incident came to light after she reported it to other doctors but the medical practitioners tribunal service which oversees misconduct cases in the industry finding he had carried out the exam for sexual gratification It heard how he had told the patient to lie on the cupboard floor under the pretence of privacy and then lifted up her bra and began “stroking” her breasts She told the tribunal: “I could feel Dr Panneerselvam closer behind me and his breathing increasing rapidly and I really felt uncomfortable with the way he was touching me “I froze for a moment trying to understand what was happening “I got the courage and I said ‘I feel really uncomfortable now’ whilst moving away from him pulling my blouse back on and starting to button my blouse.” he told her: “Please don’t tell anyone I examined you without an assistant as I could lose my career” He also showed her pictures on his phone of women’s breasts with hands on them appearing to be from an examination in a bid to justify his actions told the hearing in a statement that he was performing a “unofficial examination” and “thought he was being helpful.” The tribunal ruled: “The Tribunal took the view that Ms A’s relationship with Dr Panneerselvam was based on trust which he had exploited to blatantly pursue his own sexual gratification under the guise of a clinical examination “His conduct fell seriously below the standard expected of a doctor.” It ordered he be struck off from the register with a suspension order to cover an appeals period meaning he would not be able to practise again while the bar is in place Appeal after spate of sex attacks on women near Tube station Pound tumbles after Bailey suggests rate-cutting could be ‘more aggressive’ Galliford Try says revenues and profits beat expectations Experience a romantic getaway at an exclusive Caribbean sanctuary Harefield Hospital is a leading heart and lung hospital and was the site of the UK's first heart and lung transplant Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 12:16 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 it will turn increasingly cloudy from off the North Sea Some bright or sunny spells developing by evening Staying dry with some lengthy clear skies overnight Turning chilly with a touch of grass frost in places Largely dry with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells on Wednesday with variable amounts of cloud and bright or sunny spells throughout the period Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average A house in Uxbridge is set to be demolished and replaced with a block flats after the Hillingdon Planning Committee gave the plans the green light on Wednesday (January 15) Plans to instead build two semi-detached houses on the site were given approval in August 2024 The nine-flat block will be built on 72 Harefield Road, Uxbridge and three one-bedroom flats spanning across four floors There will be a total of 12 parking spaces provided behind the building Committee Chair Councillor Henry Higgins said: “The London Plan is one of the most disastrous things that London has ever had… we’ve actually got more parking spaces on this site than than the London Plan allows “I do agree there are issues around this with amenities and stuff Two-bedroom houses down that road cost almost half-a-million pounds each it is relevant to what is going to go on.” over 30 signatures were received in a petition objecting to the development Concerns were raised about the lack of family sized housing in the development the council does not share this concern because the plans are replacing one family-sized home with another family-sized home and an additional eight flats Another issue raised during consultation considered the resulting increase in traffic locally Residents concerned believe this resultant pressure on traffic would also increase noise and air pollution The council believes peak period traffic movement into and out of the site would be expected to rise to approximately 2-3 vehicle movements It is expected the local traffic network could absorb the increase therefore to reject the plans on these grounds would be ‘unjustified’ Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales visitors and staff at Harefield Hospital in West London will benefit from a £74,380 grant secured to create ‘healing and peace’ gardens at the hospital to enable them to relax and find moments of peace visitors and staff at Harefield Hospital in West London will benefit from a £74,380 grant secured today (Friday 26 June) to create ‘healing and peace’ gardens at the hospital to enable them to relax and find moments of peace in times of stress and anxiety Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK was successful in its application to the HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF) The Harefield Healing & Peace Gardens Project will create new areas for flora fauna and wildlife to thrive within accessible hospital grounds and will provide positive benefits for the physical and mental wellbeing of patients There will be the ‘Sun Therapy’ area created near to the Intensive Care Unit where patients can be taken out in their beds or chairs for a short period as well as a ‘Nature’s Inspiration’ area which patients can see from their bed in the ward There will also be a ‘Healing Garden’ at the front of the hospital that patients who can travel further can enjoy with their friends and families who visit The gardens will be used to engage hospital beneficiaries in gardening activities and support them to participate in gardening activities to maintain the space that are available to local communities and businesses that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 between London and the West Midlands To date over £7million has been distributed from the Community and Environment Fund and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) Twelve projects in London have received support since the funding programme opened for applications in March 2017 Other community groups that have benefitted include Thames 21 who received £66,047 for a project to enhance the River Pinn The charity is using the funding to rebuild the relationship between communities and their rivers and boosting wellbeing and community cohesion in the process Independent Chair of the HS2 Community and Business Funds said:  “The HS2 Funds are increasingly having a positive impact in London as well as across the HS2 route It is great to see another project benefit especially this one which will have a lasting legacy supporting the well-being of patients The Funds are available to support local communities and businesses that are impacted by the construction of HS2 and I encourage other organisations near to the line of route to apply and gain the tangible benefits of these Funds.” Speaking about the benefit the project would have for patients and their families Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) patient at Harefield Hospital “After 51 days in ITU when my wife visited every day we both agree that the Peace Gardens windows garden is a brilliant idea and this can also be seen from the ITU visitors’ room window The changes planned to the Sun Therapy area are also very good At the moment there is nothing to look at other than grass and soil so being able to see colour would enhance physical and mental wellbeing.” applications for the funds are still being welcomed independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK vision and plans for the future and how we deliver our services We do more than tackle fires and rescue people Catch up with all the latest that we have been involved in We’re proud to support and protect the wonderfully diverse community in which we serve We’re committed to keeping our communities safe well and informed and our prevention and protection work plays a large role in this Behind every firefighter there are specialist support teams all playing their part If you need to get in touch or find a form Control room operators received multiple calls after a bonfire spread to three outbuildings causing a large smoke plume over the Harefield area of Southampton on Sunday evening Botley and Portchester were called out at 17:46 to the garden on Somerton Avenue Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire using jets and hose reels as they also worked to remove a number of cylinders from the blaze before they were made safe Hightown firefighters remained on the scene to dampen down and conduct a number of Safe and Well visits at neighbouring properties The stop message came in at 22:05 before crews returned to station Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" When C-Store speaks to Atul he is in his bedroom where he spends most of his time when at home having made a conscious decision to separate himself from his mother and brother who are shielding He claims that much of the past 12 months has been spent weighing up situations and trying to take the right course of action “There were a load of dilemmas about whether you’re doing the right thing,” he says While some retailers opted not to offer certain services during the first lockdown Atul felt that continuing to operate MyHermes was crucial “We had a massive amount of people sending stuff back through My Hermes and also people selling stuff online,” he says He claims that while others may see it as a bonus service “to some people it’s essential - they need the money”.  which involved painstakingly ensuring that every product was correctly labelled and creating a daily video showcasing the store’s offer “One lady we helped while she was shielding but because we helped while she was shielding she’s asked me to donate on her behalf to the local foodbank and she shops with us too,” he says This not only strengthened Atul’s bond with the customer but also enabled him to forge a good relationship with the foodbank “That connection would never happen with Tesco,” he says “That’s what the overwhelming urge for me is to keep building on this “It’s not just about the commercial benefit here We’ve been here since ‘89 - we’re an integral part of their lives.”  Another lady got in touch to request newspaper deliveries for her mother who had cancer and couldn’t get out but Atul initially declined her request because she was out of his catchment area and it would have meant he needed to hire someone to do the delivery so I couldn’t ask the paper boy to go and I said: ‘I don’t feel comfortable charging you £5 a week for paper delivery’.” But he couldn’t bear the thought of disappointing her She explained that her Mum didn’t watch TV or go online Atul agreed to help and he quickly found out that the service was in demand “That kicked off a whole load of other people wanting papers delivered,” he says “It now pays the delivery person £80 a week to look after her horse People are using their money in the shop and it’s being spent locally.” The lady’s mother sadly died but he says that when she came into the store to clear the bill she heaped praise on Atul for the difference he had made.  His strong local bonds came in handy when the covid health and safety regulations came in “We put screens up within three weeks of lockdown - it was made by a local customer who’s a kitchen fitter He made it at home and brought it in - it cost me £30!” Londis Harefield managed to stock plenty of essential goods but some customers questioned the price certain of products But while most customers were in awe of Atul’s hard work and generosity He recalls “toilet paper-gate”: “I had a bit of a backlash on toilet paper - at first we couldn’t get hold of it then someone managed to get hold of larger packs supposed to be going to a hotel.” They were sold in store at £20 for 20 rolls but rather than thanking the store for sourcing the scarce household essentials some customers thought they were being overcharged Amidst all the stress of trying to source stock Atul had  content with the social media storm that was brewing Members of the local community took to the area’s local Facebook group to complain because the shop was charging £20 for toilet paper we’ve got stuff and we’re getting it to people who need it’.” “My local councillor came out and said: ‘stop these ridiculous comments - he’s shown you the equivalent value - can we stop this nonsense’ and people finally saw sense.” running the business was tough and Atul frequently found himself pulled in all directions “I had a flour van going to other retailers and the delivery guy was waiting for pay I had five customers queuing at the door and another three or four who wanted papers delivered!”  Atul still found time to make improvements to the store The hardest part of covid is staying focused “I think keeping your head straight is the biggest challenge - thinking about why and what you’re doing - your gut instincts will always guide you.”  Referred to affectionately as Ats by his peers Atul credits his retail family with helping him through this difficult period “What’s happened is it’s brought me closer to the retailers,” he says Rav Garcha [Nisa stores in the West Midlands] and Chaz Chahal [Costcutter and Simply Fresh stores in Worcestershire and Herefordshire] have been therapy calls In those early parts of the first lockdown - it was amazing how we all had similar thoughts going on in our head.”  He also communicates regularly with Manchester retailer Mital Morar Steve Bassett in Southampton and Natalie Lightfoot in Scotland who he calls “twin” because they often think alike “It’s a national network,” he says proudly Atul’s own donation was made to local sheltered housing He remains hugely proud of what he and his peers have achieved “The Ribena collaboration took place in Christmas week - we were able to uphold Xmas sales and donate that a second mass donation was organised involving more than 125 convenience retailers giving away £380,000 worth of Ribena Sparkling to local causes Atul continues to work closely with the supplier and is busy planning their next project His continued commitment both to the retailing community and to his customers have stood him in good stead “Our sales went up 100% in the first few months and we’ve maintained a 25-30% sales increased,” he explains “This is where we really show our worth to our community.” Despite everything else that has been going on Atul has found the time to improve his offer “I managed to implement an online portal through Snappy Shopper; I also invested in CCTV; I’ve increased storage space and I bought a chiller for fresh meat If someone says ‘when’s a good time to do it?’ - it’s when you’re back’s against the wall!” Atul is still overwhelmed by the myriad ways in which the pandemic has brought him closer to his community “All of these little stories have been crazy!” he says “The biggest learning is to stay humble and keep your head screwed on You don’t know what the person coming in the shop is thinking or what they’re going through Even if you think someone has acted out of hand Register today to gain unlimited access to articles and to receive our great range of email newsletters Register now Site powered by Webvision Cloud the public will be invited to work with the council to reimagine Bitterne District Centre by participating in a survey to give suggestions on what they would like to see improved in the area that fall into four themes: Residents will receive a letter inviting them to take part and will be able to specify locations on a map to identify where they would like improvements made and comment on their ideas for that location within each of the four themes The survey will be open for four weeks and will help shape the initial concept improvements planned for Bitterne It will also provide valuable feedback which could be used in the future to help identify potential longer-term regeneration Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration comments: “Bitterne District Centre is an area of Southampton that residents in the east of the City truly value This investment will be used for improvements identified by the community that can be delivered over the next two years We want to hear from local people in the neighbouring wards of Bitterne and Peartree as we believe that they are best placed to tell us how the opportunities to live study and enjoy Bitterne District Centre can be improved and spend this money on what really matters to them.” If you are a Bitterne, Harefield or Peartree resident, business or regular visitor to Bitterne District Centre have your say. Send help right to the people and causes you care about Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee The weather allowed Harefield United’s away Fourth Round FA Vase match against Clevedon Town to go ahead on Saturday last 28th January.   Your reporting team attended the game which was played in gloomy overcast conditions brightened only by the dazzling orange jersey worn by Harefield United goalkeeper Jacob Ballheimer.   After what we have experienced in the last few weeks we were all happy to accept the weather conditions (if not the jersey).   We were warmly welcomed and very well looked after by the Clevedon Town officials.   who play in the Premier Division of the Toolstation Western League had reached this stage of the competition with home victories over Mangotsfield United (4-0) and New Milton Town (5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw) Harefield United had entered the competition in the 1st Qualifying Round and had accounted for London Colney (4-1 at home) Chessington & Hook United (3-0 away) and North Greenford United (2-1 at home) The Hares deservedly won a thrilling cup tie against a very good home side by showing great determination and fighting spirit and not a little skill to overcome a 2-goal deficit.   They had the better of the possession throughout the first half but were unable to break through a well organised home defence.   Clevedon meanwhile took their chances and scored two good goals which saw them approaching the interval in a dominant position Harefield pulled a goal back with the last kick of the first half the game seemed to be slipping away.   However with both goalkeepers quickly in tidying up action.   Then Clevedon’s Glen Hayer made a timely tackle on Trey Pender-Brown who had worked himself into a good position The Seasiders went ahead in the 5th minute when an unmarked Ethan Feltham headed Elliott Nicholson’s cross into the corner of the net The Hares retaliated immediately.   Samir Shaffi released Sam Shaw whose low cross was turned for a corner by keeper Ryan Thacker.   Richard Pacquette’s shot went across the goalmouth and past the far post.   A long free kick from Sam Shaw was taken high by the keeper A mazy run by Trey Pender-Brown finished with Glen Hayer blocking his shot.   Trey then tested Ryan Thacker with a high shot and again low down after he had been released by Sam Shaw Jacob Ballheimer saved Archie Ferris’ header from a long free kick.   Ethan Feltham’s dangerous low centre was cut out by Ano Mano Jacob then made a superb full length save from Archie Ferris’s low drive Clevedon doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Ethan Feltham gave the Hares’ defence some problems.   He was thwarted by a timely tackle by Samir Shaffi and then by a couple of interceptions by Callum Neal Ryan Thacker saved low down at close range from Richard Pacquette both sides had further goal scoring attempts.   Sam Shaw’s free kick which ended with the award of a free kick to Clevedon.   Jacob made a high save and left his area to avert danger by kicking the ball over the stand The Hares pressed strongly in added time.   A header by Sam Shaw from Ollie Wontner’s cross went narrowly wide.   A long free kick taken by Jacob gave his team renewed hope by driving the ball in via the post If this was not quite the main turning point it was a very important moment in the match for the Hares.   The spring in their collective step clearly demonstrated how keen they were to start discussing their tactics for the second half Score at half time: Clevedon Town 2   Harefield United 1 Trey Pender-Brown fastened onto a through ball but was intercepted by Alex Camm.  Skipper Paul Underwood’s long throw into the Seasider’s goalmouth produced a corner which lead to a succession of shots being charged down before a free kick relieved the pressure on the defence A glancing header by Clevedon’s Syd Camper The Hares pushed up in search of the equaliser but with the hosts dangerous on the break Femi Ogunsola won a tackle against Alex Camm but his long ball into the box eluded his forwards.  Trey worked his way through but was stopped on the edge of the penalty area  The advancing Callum Neal headed Paul Underwood’s long throw across the goalmouth and keeper Thacker eventually took the ball high up following the resulting melee.   Samir Shaffi headed Sam Shaw’s wide angled free kick over the bar Archie Ferris won the ball and advanced on the Hares’ goal but his effort was cleared by Samir.   Jacob saved Nathanial Groom’s diving header at point-blank range when it seemed that an equaliser wasn’t going to come for Harefield Lenny Farhall outwitted his markers to net from close range Score after 90 minutes: Clevedon United 2   Harefield United 2 Clevedon Town went first in the penalty shoot-out which was dominated by Hares’ custodian Jacob Ballheimer.   He had better wear that orange jumper in the next round Alex Camm and Sam Shaw successfully converted the first pair of kicks The score remained at 1-1 after the second pair of penalties.   Jacob dived to save from Mitch Osmond but Harry Laflin hit his shot past the post The 3rd pair of kicks saw Jacob save from Nathanial Groom and Richard Pacquette smashing his shot into the top of the net Then Jacob dived to his left to stop Syd Camper’s shot and Samir Shaffi converted his shot to put his team into the last 16 Penalty shoot-out score:  Clevedon Town 1   Harefield United 3 Benjamin Duffill and his colleagues controlled the match admirably Cam Salmon and Freddie King (Callum Eastwood 66) Unused substitutes: Charles Lovell (goalkeeper) Manager: Alex White   Assistant Manager: Ryan King   Physio: Hannah Lewis Samuel Shaw and Trey Pender-Brown (Harry Laflin 90) Shadrac Malembe and David Brown (goalkeeper) Manager: Jason Shaw   Assistant Manager: Michael Molokwu    Coach: Dom Cassells   Physio: Aishling O’Byrne Referee: Benjamin Duffill   Assistant Referees: Christopher Bounds and Kulwant Mann   Fourth Official: Mark Laughlin Harefield United have been drawn at home in the 5th round on 11th February travelling to the banks of the Bristol Channel to cover this game they have selected a range of their favourite shots from the match Chris has also kindly provided a full album of images from the match Chris & Jim's Picks Full Album Courtesy of Chris Benn This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Following the successful implementation of the Accelerated Preceptorship Programme at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals in 2021 Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust is launching the programme across its organisation The programme is delivered bespoke to the unique needs of internationally educated nurses (IENs) enabling them to build confidence in integrating to their clinical area and the UK healthcare system.  received their first cohort of 32 IENs in 2017 Initially assigned to a general preceptorship programme for all newly qualified nurses (NQN) (preceptees) the IENs underwent training aligned to the CapitalNurse framework and tailored to fit the needs of the organisation’s specialised care.  international recruitment increased significantly with the NHS’s 50,000-nurse national target which in turn increased the number of nurses recruited at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals it was recognised that the previous preceptorship model was no longer meeting the needs of the international recruits as many of the nurses already had over 10 years of nursing experience These experienced IENs in particular did not feel they benefited from the standard preceptorship model.  Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust merged in 2021 This meant that while Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital were running two separate preceptorship programmes for IENs and NQNs the rest of the trust continued to run one core preceptorship programme At Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital the NQN programme ran for 12 months with five study days whereas the IEN programme ran for three months with two study days.  Trust leadership therefore agreed to a new accelerated model and highlighted the need for certain topics to be taught in a tailored way for IENs including introduction to UK healthcare escalation processes and psychological safety.  The new programme was launched in March 2024 All IENs are offered the accelerated preceptorship programme Some may still need to join the 12-month preceptorship programme depending on their individual needs and clinical experience (this is reviewed on a case-by-case basis) The new accelerated programme runs for six months with two study days at the beginning and end of the programme to allow the preceptees to connect with colleagues. It ensures that study days are tailored acknowledging that the trust has a wide variety of specialty areas.  The goal for all the preceptorship programmes is for the preceptee to develop their confidence and autonomy and be able to translate and embed their knowledge into everyday practice Preceptees also have access to a psychological team focusing on wellbeing support.  Since rolling out the accelerated preceptorship programme both Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals have seen an increase in retention rates with only 2 per cent of leavers being IENs in 2022-23 compared with 3 per cent the year before The new model has been very well received and represents a new area of collaborative working across the newly merged trust.  the programmes have been made available to support other non-nursing roles such as operating department practitioners The programme has been awarded the CapitalNurse Preceptorship Quality Mark after consistently achieving the CapitalNurse framework standards.  Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital struggled with allocating a preceptor to a preceptee during the programme and were not given protected time to meet for their professional developmental meetings rostering preceptees to work with their preceptors for at least four shifts in a month was challenging They have been able to improve this by having touch points during clinical visits throughout the programme by collaboratively working with the educational and management team.  The programme was rolled out trust-wide in March 2024 The organisation is also now recognising the previous experience of IENs so that it is reflective in their pay and banding This will open up more pathway opportunities and career development for IENs to reach band 6 more quickly.  For more information about this case study, please contact the accelerated preceptorship programme team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust: AcceleratedPreceptor@gstt.nhs.uk.  Accelerated preceptorship model for internationally educated nurses This webinar will outline the process of making an enhanced DBS application as part of criminal record checks This webinar will explore barring and the legal duty to refer when undertaking criminal record checks This webinar will outline the requirements for disclosure and eligibility in criminal record checks How overseas allied health professionals (AHPs) can enter the UK for work \"These officers were courageous and extremely lucky\" News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice A police officer has escaped with minor injuries after he was stabbed while responding to reports of a disturbance in west London Metropolitan Police officers were called to Dovedale Close in Harefield at 2.44am on Sunday "Officers attended and could hear a disturbance coming from inside the premises," a statement from Hillingdon Police said armed with a knife and was threatening officers "The man then stabbed one of the male officers in the arm." Police said a Taser was deployed on the man and he was detained where he was assessed and his stab wound was treated," the statement said Scotland Yard said a 40-year-old man was arrested for assault on an emergency service worker Ministers consider next steps after damning end to Grenfell inquiry Grenfell report: What happens next for the police and other authorities Grenfell Tower families criticise ‘delay to justice’ caused by inquiry Sabina Nessa killer given extra jail time for stabbing prison guard Detective chief inspector Thomas Bowen from the West Area Basic Command Unit said: "These officers were courageous and extremely lucky that they were able to walk away from this incident with minimal injuries "This is an example of the dangers that our officers face whilst doing their role as police officers Harefield’s Moorhall Road has reopened after HS2 engineers completed a key 40-metre span that will form part of the high-speed rail project’s record-breaking Colne Valley Viaduct Timed for the school summer holidays to reduce disruption for the community the closure allowed HS2 to safely bring in cranes to lift eleven 115- to 130-tonne segments into position over the road These were then strengthened with internal steel cabling to complete the span the viaduct will be the longest railway bridge in the UK stretching for more than two miles (3.4km) across the Grand Union Canal local roads and a series of lakes on the outskirts of London between Ruislip and the start of the Chiltern tunnels To allow for the gentle curve of the viaduct each of the one thousand segments that form the arches and deck are slightly different – and all are manufactured at a temporary factory set up close by Most of these segments are slotted into place by a giant 700-tonne ‘launching girder’ – the only one of its kind in the UK But the engineers used a different approach at Moorhall Road to allow the closure to coincide with the school summer holidays when traffic is lighter.  which is designed to improve rail links between London will help boost the economy and provide a low carbon alternative to car and air travel It is approaching the peak of construction activity with more than 29,000 jobs supported by the project across the UK “HS2 will transform journeys across the UK boosting the economy and unlocking more space on our existing rail network But it’s also important that we minimise disruption during construction “That’s why we brought forward construction of this span so it could be done during the school summer holidays when we knew traffic would be lighter It’s great to see the span complete and I’d like to thank everyone who worked so hard over the last 3-weeks to get it done.” The viaduct is being built by HS2 Ltd’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics “Having the flexibility to introduce a crane to complete the span across Moorhall Road during the summer holidays rather than using the launching girder thereby minimising the impact on the local community working with our supply chain partners and in particular VSL which together delivered the work safely.” the widest spans are reserved for where the viaduct crosses the lakes This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement the natural surroundings The design was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes but still has drawbacks (Image: Getty Images) Replacement heart valves that grow inside the body are a step closer to reality following studies led by researchers at Imperial Heart valve replacement is a life-saving treatment Both mechanical and biological valves have their own drawbacks Patients with mechanical valves must take drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent blood clotting The treatment is particularly challenging for children with congenital heart defects as the valves do not grow along with their bodies and must be replaced several times before they reach adulthood The new approach developed by Sir Magdi Yacoub’s team at Harefield and Imperial is much more adaptable. “The aim of the concept we’ve developed is to produce a living valve in the body, which would be able to grow with the patient,” says Dr Yuan-Tsan Tseng a biomaterials scientist working at the National Heart and Lung Institute and the Harefield Heart Science Centre The procedure begins with a nanofibrous polymeric valve but made from a biodegradable polymer scaffold rather than a durable plastic the scaffold recruits cells and instructs their development so that the body works as a bioreactor to grow new tissue,” Dr Tseng explains “The scaffold gradually degrades and is replace by our body’s own tissues.” The scaffold material used to make the valve is the key innovation and instruct appropriate cells from the patient's own body thereby facilitating tissue generation and maintaining valve function.” The design and manufacture of the valve is set out in a recent academic paper* along with validation of its performance in the laboratory and the first results of animal tests The valves were transplanted into sheep and monitored for up to six months “The valves performed very well,” says Dr Tseng “They continued to function for the six months of the trial and also showed good cellular regeneration.” the study shows that the scaffold was able to attract cells from the blood stream which then developed into functional tissues a process known as endothelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EndMT) “We’ve also seen nerves and fatty tissues growing in the scaffold as we might expect in a normal valve.” “GPC was able to tell us the molecular weight of the polymer in samples taken from the valves at various time points during the in-vivo study,” Dr Tseng says This showed that the structure was gradually being broken down but without affecting the valve’s performance the valve would fall apart as the polymer degrades But what we see is continuing functionality and that means cell regeneration is taking place over time That proves that our idea of in-vivo regeneration is working.” More work is required to determine exactly which processes are causing the polymer to degenerate and how closely it is linked to tissue regeneration “But the tissue regeneration is definitely sufficient to cover the structural integrity and functionality of the valve,” says Dr Tseng The next step is to continue the animal studies to follow the tissue regeneration process for longer This data will be essential in order to get regulatory approval for the first clinical trials Further work will also be required on the processes used to manufacture the valves “There are various improvements to make on the manufacturing side and we will potentially use the Agilent Measurement Suite again to help us optimise the polymer so that it is performing in the desired way,” Dr Tseng says This demonstrates the continuing role that the facilities Imperial can play advancing innovation. “At the Agilent Measurement Suite we have a wide range of the state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation and expertise that can serve medical and biological research communities,” says Professor Marina Kuimova “The work of Dr Tseng and his colleagues presents an excellent example of the kind of contribution the Suite can make.” As work on the replacement valves progresses the team will also start looking for commercial partners to help them in the later stages of clinical trials “That requires a different kind of expertise which we don’t have in academia.” While the focus at present is replacement heart valves the approach could have many other applications it becomes a platform technology that you can use to engineer other tissues,” says Dr Tseng Possibilities include addressing vascular conditions such as repairing blood vessels damaged in dialysis and building cardiac patches to repair damage to the heart  *Yacoub, MH, Tseng, YT, Kluin, J et al. Valvulogenesis of a living, innervated pulmonary root induced by an acellular scaffold. Communications Biology 6, 1017 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-05383-z Article text (excluding photos or graphics) © Imperial College London Photos and graphics subject to third party copyright used with permission or © Imperial College London SE1's hospitals this week became part of a larger NHS organisation reaching as far afield as Uxbridge with the merger of Guy's and St Thomas' and the Royal Brompton & Harefield trust The merger of the two NHS foundation trusts was approved by the boards and councils of governors of both organisations in December last year and came into effect on 1 February The Royal Brompton and Harefield forms a new clinical group within the newly expanded Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust We first reported in 2017 on plans to bring the organisations together with a long-term aim of relocating the Royal Brompton's services from Chelsea to the St Thomas' Hospital site at Westminster Bridge The intention is to move children's services from the Royal Brompton Hospital to an expanded Evelina London Children's Hospital in around five to six years' time After that there are plans to build a new centre for adult heart and lung services at St Thomas' NHS bosses say that there are no plans to relocate services currently offered at the Harefield Hospital in Uxbridge "I am proud to welcome colleagues from Royal Brompton and Harefield to the Guy's and St Thomas' family," said Professor Ian Abbs chief executive of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust we have a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting providing the highest quality care for patients from before birth to old age "We have already demonstrated that by working together we can achieve more for our patients not least during our current pandemic response where partnership working has helped us care for many patients requiring the most specialist treatment "I am looking forward to taking the next step on our exciting shared journey both with our new colleagues and our clinical and academic partners." outgoing chair of the Royal Brompton & Harefield trust has been appointed to the Guy's and St Thomas' board along with Simon Friend and Javed Khan Transport for London has launched a public consultation on plans for a limited-stop bus service between Waterloo and Lewisham via the Old Kent Road along the proposed route of the Bakerloo line extension Scenes for an ITV crime thriller series are being filmed this week on the Lancaster Estate in Southwark Mystery surrounds a 'sinkhole' that appeared more than a week ago alongside a construction site just yards from London Bridge Station the Blue Eyed Maid pub in Borough High Street is set to make a comeback Middlesex has won the IOG Ransomes Jacobsen Innovation of the Year accolade at the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards in a glittering Oscar-style ceremony at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena hosted by BBC TV and radio presenter Mark Clemmit The award was presented to Harefield’s course leader by Sam Cassidy from category sponsor Ransomes Jacobsen in front of an audience of 350 of the UK’s and Europe’s leading groundscare experts as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators By creating purpose-built teaching areas for horticulture and groundsmanship the ambition at The Harefield Academy is to establish a school-based vocational course that encourages young people disaffected by school to enter a career in the industry The aim is to improve the employability of young people a poly tunnel and using a wide selection of tools and equipment at the Northwood Way site the outside facilities have all been constructed by the students and are maintained by them The project is achieving its initial objective to stimulate young people and giving them a new career option and the plan now is to encourage other schools to follow suit The prestigious UK-wide IOG Award scheme highlights the high standards of volunteer and professional grounds professionals and facilities from grass roots to professional stadia level Embracing categories of entry covering sport the awards are judged by an independent panel on criteria that include effective use of resources The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) www.iog.org Ransomes Jacobsen www.ransomesjacobsen.com La Reserva Club in Sotogrande has completed significant upgrades to its sports facilities further enhancing the range and quality of recreational experiences available for members and guests Golf Ireland and Bridgestone are to continue their commercial partnership with the leading tyre company extending its sponsorship of the Bridgestone Tours which have recently begun their 2025 schedule of events for men and women Under Armour Golf has appointed Craig Hollingworth to the position of UK Sales Director GolfBusinessNews.com (GBN) is for the many thousands of people who work in the golf business all around the world We cover the full range of topics both on and off the 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