The doors to our brand-new Roehampton Family Hub were opened today by Councillor Simon Hogg creating a newly refurbished and welcoming space for families to access vital free services under one roof our Roehampton Family Hub is a welcoming space for everyone in the heart of the community and the new Family Hub will help children and families get a better start and mental health services to after-school activities and employment advice people of all ages will be able to experience an improved connection and easy access between services at times that meet their needs The Hub’s facilities also include a dedicated youth room and IT area The Family Hub is one of the first major improvements promised as part of the Alton Renewal Plan which sets out how Wandsworth Council is investing in the Roehampton community and its future The new facility reflects our ongoing efforts to work in partnership to provide the expertise and support necessary for residents to thrive We have been carefully listening to local views and feedback on youth and family services so the Family Hub marks a major step in enhancing services and opportunities for the local community said: “The Roehampton Family Hub is not just a building – it is a commitment to every family It’s a space where everyone is welcome and can find the support they need to succeed and grow “We’ve listened closely to the community’s requests for better facilities and services and this Hub is a reflection of our deep commitment to investing in Roehampton and the Alton estate We believe that by investing in spaces like this we’re investing in the future of our community.” said: “We are delighted to be continuing our Bundles in Partnership programme providing clothes and other essentials to babies and children under five Our mission of “bringing about change for children and families through the power of sharing and connecting” is right at the heart of this community space and it is incredible to see the range of services on offer here to the residents of Roehampton.” The Roehampton Family Hub is open weekdays from 9am-5pm and located at 166 Roehampton Lane All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you there Sign up to our newsletter British wheelchair tennis stars Alfie Hewett Lucy Shuker and Andy Lapthorne have confirmed their place at the Lexus British Open Roehampton this summer with tickets now on sale With 56 Grand Slam titles and 14 Paralympic medals between them the British quartet are set to challenge once again for the prestigious titles across the men’s women’s and quad wheelchair tennis draws Set to take place from 29 June to 4 July, the Lexus British Open Roehampton is an ITF1 wheelchair tennis and J300 level event – the highest-level international wheelchair and junior tennis tournaments in the UK outside of Wimbledon.   The junior draws will start from Sunday 29 June while the wheelchair event will get underway from Tuesday 1 July the event will return to the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre in Roehampton for a week of world class competition on the grass A week long Grounds admission ticket is £10 for adults and free admission for children Each ticket will be valid for the entire tournament meaning that fans can attend all six days of the event for just the cost of a single ticket.  See world class tennis on the grass courts in the final event before the wheelchair and junior events at The Championships Buy tickets Two-time British Open champion and Paris Paralympic singles silver medallist Hewett reached the Lexus British Open Roehampton men’s singles final in 2024 before going on to win his maiden Wimbledon singles title to complete the career Grand Slam the following week "Last year was a brilliant experience getting to play the Lexus British Open Roehampton on the grass," Hewett said "It’s becoming one of the stand out events in the wheelchair tennis calendar and is really enhancing our grass court season – fans can get up close to the action see the biggest stars in the game and experience live tennis in a wonderfully unique location for our sport "Winning the Wimbledon singles title for the first time last season was something I still pinch myself about and having that extra experience on the grass at Roehampton definitely stood me in good stead for achieving that dream I’m excited to see the fans turn out for this years exciting edition." British No.2 Reid also enjoyed a memorable grass court season in 2024 during which he passed the landmark of 100 career doubles titles partnered and Hewett to a sixth Wimbledon doubles title and the Paris 2024 Paralympic doubles gold medal to become the first men’s wheelchair doubles pairing to complete the career Golden Slam "I've been coming to the British Open since I was a teenager and it’s one of the highlights of the year," Reid added "This year Alfie and I have our eyes set on reclaiming the doubles title whilst competing for the singles title too! "I love playing in front of home fans – these events an amazing opportunity for us to showcase the sport and hopefully we can inspire more people to get involved." British No.1 Shuker reached her first British Open women’s singles final in 2022 while winning the first grass court title of her career in the women’s doubles at Eastbourne last summer Shuker was one of two flagbearers for ParalympicsGB at Paris 2024 and is far approaching the landmark of 90 career doubles titles "The Lexus British Open Roehampton is always one of the standout events on the calendar and feels especially meaningful for us British players," said Shuker "Having another event in the UK during the summer grass court season is fantastic – there's something special about competing at home I’m really looking forward to getting back out there and challenging for more titles on grass again." Lapthorne winner of the British Open quad singles title in 2022 won his fourth Paralympic medal at Paris 2024 after partnering Greg Slade to win the quad doubles silver medal before extending his tally of Grand Slam titles to 18 when winning the quad doubles at January’s Australian Open "Winning the singles title back in 2022 is one of my favourite memories on a tennis court and I love coming back to the Lexus British Open Roehampton each year," Lapthorne commented.  "Getting to compete against some of the best players in the world back on the grass – it doesn’t get much better than that." Wheelchair tennis will also be returning to Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park – where Hewett and Reid also tasted success in 2024 – as part of the Lexus Eastbourne Open with an ITF1 series event taking place as part of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour featuring men’s This summer will also feature a number of exhibition events across the LTA’s major event calendar, showcasing different formats of tennis at some of the sport’s biggest stages. At the HSBC Championships at the Queen’s Club a wheelchair tennis exhibition will feature for the second year running  The HSBC Championships is the biggest tennis event in Britain outside of Wimbledon which this year also sees women’s tennis return to the site for the first time in over 50 years The Lexus Nottingham Open will also feature a women’s and quad wheelchair exhibition featuring multiple grand slam champion Lapthorne in the quad event Along with an exciting summer of disability tennis Abingdon will be hosting its annual ITF Futures Series event from the 31 October to the 2 November which has seen British players Dahnon Ward and Abbie Breakwell take home titles in recent years © Copyright 2025 LTA Operations Limited We use cookies to store information about how you use our website – such as the pages you visit – so we can ace your experience when you're browsing All information about the cookies we use and why we use them are in our Cookie Policy You can control which additional cookies we use in the settings below: which always need to be turned on to help our website function and enable you to use all of our features such as information about your browser type and version without collecting any personal data which relates to you These cookies allow our website to remember the choices you make (such as your username your preferred language or where you live) to give you a faster and more personalised experience when browsing This means we can show you more of the content we think you’d like to see Performance cookies are used to collect data about how you use our website so we can continue to improve it in the future these cookies track the pages you go to most often All data is gathered anonymously and is only used to benefit the functionality of the site We have several partners who may also set cookies on our behalf when you visit our website This allows them to deliver tailored LTA advertising within their domains We use cookies on our site to ACE your experience improve the quality of our site and show you content we think you’ll be interested in Let us know if you agree to cookies or if you’d prefer to manage your own settings BRINGING YOU THE LATEST EDTECH NEWS AND VIEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD The University of Roehampton is using data to address student retention rates by identifying and supporting those at risk of dropping out Through advanced dashboards and targeted interventions Many first-year students returning after the winter break will successfully continue their studies but an estimated 6% to 7% will not return in January and emotional challenges are among the key reasons for withdrawal particularly with the introduction of the B3 conditions by the Office for Students which mandate an 80% first-to-second-year continuation rate Addressing this challenge requires a proactive approach and Roehampton is using data and AI to intervene early Roehampton’s system tracks student engagement data from multiple sources including application forms and pre-university surveys This allows the university to identify students at risk before they arrive on campus Groups more likely to face academic challenges—including first-generation students and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds—receive additional support with tailored induction programs for high-risk students say Roehampton’s early contact helped them access support from day one real-time student engagement dashboards track attendance enabling staff to identify and support those at risk of withdrawal as early as week six This multi-service model allows faculty and student support teams to connect students with relevant services The School of Psychology was the first to adopt this approach noted that many students face work and caregiving responsibilities “Many of our students struggle because they work full time or have caring responsibilities and may need a tailored support package to remain on their course We want to provide the best support available for them to ensure that they thrive and succeed.” Mental health concerns are a key factor in student retention with 25% of students citing it as a reason for dropping out—a 210% increase since 2009/2010 many do not disclose their struggles to their university 76.4% of students said that wellbeing support was crucial to their continuation Data-driven interventions have shown measurable results—68% of students who received counseling continued their studies after being at risk of dropping out Roehampton initially relied on manual tracking through Excel spreadsheets to monitor student engagement Shanmuganathan-Felton explained how AI is enhancing student support: “Now the dashboards have all the information available to us; it’s a very quick process to mine it for information we developed a custom ChatGPT to analyze anonymized engagement data and create a profile and tailored support plans for our most at-risk students it takes about an hour to create profiles for all Psychology undergraduates 55.5% of all students showed improved engagement scores Red-rated students saw the greatest improvement 42% reduction in non-submissions among students receiving targeted support 5% higher final degree results than their non-disabled peers Roehampton is exploring machine learning and predictive analytics to forecast student needs and offer support before issues arise The School of Psychology’s continuation rate has risen by 6% to 92% 82.3% of students in July 2024 credited the support system as a key factor in their decision to stay—up from 74% in 2023 This approach has earned the University of Roehampton a place on the shortlist for the 2024 Times Higher Education Awards for Outstanding Support for Students Across higher education dropout rates have increased by 28% since 2018 Universities have access to vast amounts of student data but many are not leveraging it effectively to improve retention By investing in AI-driven predictive analytics institutions can improve student success rates The University of Roehampton’s model highlights how data can be used to address retention challenges and ensure more students complete their degrees or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Paxton Media Ltd The Royal Parks charity has announced that planning permission has been granted for a new café at Roehampton Gate in Richmond Park which manages London’s eight Royal Parks will fund the project to replace the popular café and improve the landscape around it to help increase biodiversity The current facilities at Roehampton Gate are temporary structures erected 20 years ago after a fire destroyed the original buildings They do not offer the capacity or modern amenities required to serve park visitors will be transformed into an environmentally outstanding café in keeping with its landscape It will be a more family-friendly part of the park offering a wide range of fresh produce to meet increased visitor demand and expectations The park landscape around the café will be improved and enhanced to increase biodiversity A new car park entrance and cycling infrastructure will also be created The ‘Roehampton Restored’ project will revitalise this part of the park by replacing the existing café with a new “BREEAM “Excellent”-certified café BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a long-standing method of assessing and certifying buildings’ sustainability performance “We are thrilled to receive planning permission for this excellent project that we know many have been looking forward to for a long time The new café at Roehampton Gate will be a vital social space for many residents and park visitors and the improved design will mean more people will enjoy the space for years to come The significant landscape improvements being made will have a positive impact on the biodiversity of the park fitting for a National Nature Reserve (NNR) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) “This milestone marks an exciting step forward and we look forward to sharing more details with everyone soon.” The timescale of the project is still to be confirmed We covered the proposal here. © London West (powered by ukpropertyforums.com) Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" UK Property Forums enable forums and events in the property sector which help to create business development opportunities Office Address:UK Property Forums Ltd is located in Reading 0203 478 7340info@ukpropertyforums.com We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again SquashSite – all about Squash It was double success for hosts Roehampton as the claimed the Women’s and Men’s European Club Champs titles in London The women’s event comprised a seven-team round robin and the final round pitched  Roehampton against Surbiton – both unbeaten – in an all-English ‘final’ Kace Bartley and Stomi Watanabe won the opening matches to secure the win with Jasmine Hutton rounding off the 3-0 victory The men’s team faced Germany’s Paderborn who were looking to claim their fifth successive title Joe Lee gave the home team a great start as he came from 2-1 down to beat Rowan Damming before Nicolas Mueller levelled with a potentially crucial 3-0 win over Adrian Waller Roehampton went back in front as Jonah Bryant came from 1-2 down to sensationally beat German #1 Raphael Kandra The title was still there for Paderborn going into the final match but Simon Rosner – who won a thrilling decider in the Bundesliga Final last month – couldn’t repeat the feat as he went down in straight games to Sam Osborne-Wylde The front page contains all the latest information on Putney and Roehampton INFORMATION SERVICES PROPERTY The role of the Roehampton Youth Base in providing a safe space for young women and girls was spotlighted at Parliament on 4 March as part of this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations Roehampton Youth Base supports young people aged 10-19 years old or up to 25 years old for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities this warm and friendly youth space provides a range of support and programmes to help young people thrive.  The International Women’s Day event brought together influential voices to discuss the importance of gender equality reflecting the 2025 theme "For ALL women and girls: Rights Empowerment." – a call to address systemic barriers and biases facing women worldwide The base provides a safe haven for young girls offering a range of empowering initiatives empower young women with the skills and resilience they need to navigate life’s challenges.  At the heart of Roehampton Youth Base is a passionate and dedicated team working to create a safe and supportive space where young people can learn Pat Ingram plays a key leadership role and attended the event in Parliament to share how the Base continues to make a meaningful difference in young people’s lives.  The impact of Roehampton Youth Base has been widely recognised across the community “Roehampton Youth Base is a lifeline for so many young people It provides not just a safe space but real opportunities for personal growth We are proud to support initiatives like these that make a tangible difference in people’s lives Pat’s invitation to Parliament is a testament to her dedication and the profound impact of the team at Roehampton Youth Base.”  also commended Pat and the Roehampton Youth Base team:  “International Women’s Day is about celebrating the incredible contributions of women like Pat who work tirelessly to uplift and support young girls in our community The work happening at Roehampton Youth Base is vital and I look forward to seeing even more investment in initiatives that empower women and girls.”  Pat Ingram said: “It was an incredible honour to share the work we do at Roehampton Youth Base on such a significant platform International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that while progress has been made International Women’s Day reinforced the importance of breaking down barriers and prioritising equal opportunities for women Roehampton Youth Base exemplifies the power of communities uniting to support and uplift young women showcasing what can be achieved through collective effort.  Wandsworth Council is dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people, women, and girls. Our Youth Strategy goes beyond providing safe warm spaces and support; it ensures young people have the platform to shape their own futures and are actively involved in decisions that affect them As Youth Mayor “It’s crucial that young people’s voices are heard and valued in shaping the future of our community and that’s why I’m dedicated to ensuring their voices are at the heart of everything we do.” Read more about how we are marking International Women's Day Find out more about our commitment to listening to you The best young talents in British tennis are set to battle it out at the National Tennis Centre for one of the biggest junior titles in the game – the 18U Lexus Junior National Championships Britain’s brightest 18U talents head to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton all in the hope of being crowned national champion there’s more than just trophies up for grabs this week with both the girls’ and boys’ champion receiving wild cards into the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon and a main draw spot in the The Junior Championships The tournament has a girls’ and boys’ singles and doubles draw – all played as a straight knock-out Mimi Xu from Wales South and Surrey’s Oliver Bonding were crowned champions in Roehampton Live streams of the 18U main draw at the Lexus Junior National Championships will be available to watch here 18U Qualifying: Saturday 12-Sunday 13 April All the draws for the 18U Lexus Junior National Championships will be available below: Girls’ draws Boys’ draws Check out all the players competing in the 18U Lexus Junior National Championships: View player list The 2024 18U Lexus Junior National Championships is set to feature a blockbuster line-up of young British talent – including all of the top 20 boys and 19 of the top 20 girls in the country Headlining the girls draw is reigning US Open Junior Girls champion Mika Stojsavljevic who has had a year to remember since the last time out at the Junior Nationals The 16-year-old made headlines last September as she became the first Brit in 15 years to win the junior title at Flushing Meadows - dropping just one set on her way to the crown she went on to make her WTA tour-debut at the Japan Open where she narrowly lost out in the first round to Mokuya Uchijimi in an epic three-set battle and has risen to world No.8 in the junior rankings She’ll be joined by 2023 16U national champion Hannah Klugman. Supported by our Pro Scholarship Programme presented by Lexus Klugman reached the doubles finals at the junior Australian Open earlier this year and lifted the coveted Orange Bowl title - one of the most prestigious titles in junior tennis Looking to contest Stojsavljevic and Klugman is world No.52 Allegra Korpanec Davies Hephzibah Oluwadare and Brooke Black in the stacked girls’ singles draw Moving onto the U18 boys singles draw and reigning champion Oliver Bonding will arrive gunning to defend his title Currently sitting at a world ranking of No.26 Bonding has already wracked up an impressive haul of six singles and four doubles titles on the junior circuit the 17-year-old became the first British boy to win the J500 Blumenau title - also known as the Banana Bowl - since 2010 and will be one to watch at the upcoming championships in Roehampton Defending 16U national champion Mark Ceban will also come in as one of the favourites having sealed the J100 Loughborough title in March this year where he beat top seed Conor Brady in the final.  2023 16U boys’ singles champion and current world No.66 Ben Gusic Wan also knows what it takes to win in Roehampton and will be looking to add the 18U crown to his collection Starting 23 September, two new Roehampton bus services are launching as part of council efforts to improve transport links between Roehampton and the rest of the borough. This forms a key part of the Alton Renewal Plan which sets out how the council will invest in the estate working together with residents to help this part of Wandsworth to thrive and is designed to improve accessibility for residents The council’s pledge to enhance local transport options has led to the introduction of two new and free bus services for the public: one in partnership with the University of Roehampton and another which extends the existing relationship with Wandsworth Community Transport.   Cabinet Member for Transport said: “These new services will provide more transport options for anyone travelling to and from Roehampton and are designed to improve the quality of life for those who live and work there.  “We’ve been listening carefully to feedback from residents and your priorities have been crucial in shaping the Alton Renewal Plan.   “We’ve also listened carefully to all the Roehampton residents who’ve been in touch with us about the problems with the bus services including all the residents at Putney Vale who depend on the buses particularly the new link the University bus provides with Putney Bridge Station while we continue to work with TfL to improve the services for Roehampton.”  The university shuttle bus operates between Roehampton Vale Asda and Putney Bridge Station during term time only and will be free for the public to board at designated TfL bus stops The new Roehampton Transport Club minibus (operated by Wandsworth Community Transport) must be booked in advance and provides a door-to-door service around the borough to designated locations for those who find it difficult to use public transport.  Community members welcomed the transport improvements within Roehampton and beyond noting the benefits of the extra services.  said the local transport links could help him with reaching the community hub at 166 Roehampton Lane.  “As the service is free it would help me save money and with the cost of living “I think it will be a big improvement and I would take the bus every day because I have to bring my son from Putney to nursery here in Roehampton.”  additional bus links would help him stay connected with his daughter in the Alton Estate “I think it’s a good idea because it’s very helpful for all the people living in the estate It would be good to improve the transport links to Roehampton,” he said “My daughter lives in one of the blocks and she could use it to get about And 76-year-old Suzett Agard agreed that the new transport links would benefit her day-to-day “I’m over the moon about it,” said the former home carer who lives in Laverstoke Gardens."If I can get to Asda on the bus the University of Roehampton’s Vice Chancellor said: “The University is proud to be partnering with Wandsworth Borough Council to provide such an important service to our community Our bus links Roehampton with the wider transport network providing improved connectivity for everyone.”  The council is not only funding the new RTC service but is also continuing to lobby Transport for London (TfL) for further improvements to local bus routes.  Find out more about the university shuttle bus timetable and routes and booking information for the new community minibus.   Local children and residents in the Alton helped unveil a Grade II* listed Bull sculpture after a restoration project gave it a new lease of life A shaggy bronze bull that has stood on the Alton Estate for more than 60 years is showcasing a new look after a dedicated conservation project Wandsworth Council worked with charity Heritage of London Trust to complete the restoration of the ten-foot long bull which was created by celebrated artist Robert Clatworthy The Grade II* listed heritage sculpture Bull – which was installed on Roehampton’s Downshire Field in 1961 – has now been restored to its former glory Schoolchildren from The Alton School and Roehampton Church Forest School joined the Mayor of Wandsworth Sana Jafri as part of Heritage of London Trust's Proud Places programme to unveil the majestic sculpture on Tuesday 26 November Local resident Stephen Ballard was a schoolboy when the sculpture was first installed and remembers the public art coming to Downshire Field Stephen said: “I was living across the street when they first installed the sculpture in 1961 “I was about six at the time and I remember the lead up to it as they told us they were going to build something here It was either going to be a children’s playground we weren’t too happy at first because we wanted a playground “But they made the right decision because it has lasted and it’s a magnificent piece in the area The restoration by Heritage of London Trust included removal of dirt Find out more about the Heritage of London Trust's Proud Places programme Alton School pupil Jeremiah Evans unveiled the restored sculpture on 26 November while children from Roehampton Church Forest School performed poems they had written about the Bull’s life over the past 63 years “I’ve seen Bull many times and I really like it I sometimes come and play down here,” said Jeremiah “We learned about how it was put down here after World War II The sculpture was originally commissioned as part of a post-war public art project which also included the installation of Lynn Chadwick’s Grade II listed bronze figures The Watchers in Roehampton in 1963 Councillor Jafri said the restored bronze bull was “a symbol of our community’s strength and heritage” “This much-loved sculpture has stood here in Roehampton for over 60 years as a testament to resilience and creativity,” she added we’re proud of the local legacy it represents Our thanks go to the Heritage of London Trust whose support made this restoration possible preserving Alton’s cultural history for future generations.” The Mayor highlighted the project alongside the council’s Alton Renewal Plan which is revitalising the area by improving public spaces community facilities and job opportunities Cllr Jafri said: “This investment reflects our commitment to listening to what local communities need and building a better future for everyone living and working here.” Downshire Field Play Space will be developed as a naturalistic play area connecting children with nature amongst parkland and mature trees at the top of the field The play space will include new paths and nature trail Find out more about Alton projects on the Alton Renewal website Everyone should be able to live in a safe and secure home quality council homes - because we know that a decent home is the foundation for a decent life Work has now completed at the latest development as part of the Homes for Wandsworth programme Residents have recently started moving into their new homes in Gerard House and they have shared their stories with us Mr Mahamud and Mrs Farah downsized into Gerard House after their eldest son moved out “We felt that someone else could really benefit,” said Mr Mahamud a taxi driver and volunteer football coach “We feel so happy we could give a home to someone else who really needed it adds: “We feel so relaxed and comfortable here we love the house so much because of the garden Having moved from a one-bedroom property on the sixth floor of a nearby block April is enjoying space for family life with her three young children.  “I feel a lot calmer now because I’ve got my own space.” whereas before she shared the living room with her two daughters while her autistic son slept in the bedroom to allow him space “As a parent I was continually refereeing my children but now I can watch them play and it’s lovely,” she adds “They can have friends over and I can finally host a birthday party I’m so happy to be in a place where my children can thrive now.” Donna moved into Gerard House with her partner and five children after 15 years in a two-bedroom flat on the 11th floor of a nearby block Roehampton provides 14 three and four-bed homes These new council homes are the first homes completed here since we launched the Alton Renewal Plan which set out how we're investing in improvements to the estate and opportunities for everyone who lives here After listening to local views and feedback on the need for more council homes and more affordable housing we're putting residents' needs at the centre of our plans and there will be a resident ballot next year on our future housing proposals “Every single home we build like this is another family off council waiting lists and into secure tenancies “That is why our Homes for Wandsworth programme is so ambitious and is delivering high-quality homes that we all can be proud of.” Mayor of Wandsworth’s chosen charity Rackets Cubed is reaching new families as it expands its successful social supermarket programme from Roehampton to Battersea There’s a buzz in the air at Roehampton Community Box as shoppers browse shelves packed with an array of food and household goods The social supermarket – which is part of the charity Rackets Cubed – attracts hundreds of people each week to its centre at 166 Roehampton Lane it’s a lovely atmosphere,” explains 67-year-old Diane Fisher.“There’s all cultures sitting down having a cup of tea or coffee Rackets Cubed is one of the Mayor of Wandsworth’s three chosen charities this year along with Tooting Community Kitchen and Home-Start Wandsworth the community box has been invaluable for its social support as well as helping with the expense of baby goods “It wasn’t what I expected at all,” says the 38-year-old part-time doctor’s assistant “When I first came I had a newborn so it’s so useful because baby things are very expensive plus it was nice to have a grown up to talk to all the volunteers would want a cuddle and would hold him while I did my shopping.” The self-referral social supermarket is about giving people “dignity and choice” “There’s been much more demand for it over the past year,” adds Natalie “But not everyone is struggling with getting food it can be about isolation or mental health.”As well as the social supermarket – which operates on a time slot booking system with customers paying £4 to choose around £40 worth of shopping – activities also include weekly Community Cuppa events Volunteers can even get training in cooking on a budget and take part in an eight-week series of workshops to earn food safety certification that can help with boosting confidence and job skills Natalie adds: “We don’t want to just be a charity in the community we want to change things for the better. I’ve struggled with food poverty myself before so I’m very passionate about it.” The social supermarket expanded in October But while the social supermarkets are an important part of the Rackets Cubed it isn’t the only part of the charity’s work Rackets Cubed was launched in 2016 as a charity delivering weekly sessions combining racket sports maths and a nutritious meal for school children in Roehampton.Working with schools including Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Heathmere Primary School and the Alton School the charity’s sessions reach around 200 pupils each week in Roehampton alone Ibstock Place School and the Lawn Tennis Association’s National Tennis Centre with Rackets Cubed now working with schools and partners across the UK STEM education and nutrition are all important,” explains founder Michael Hill “Each element of the programme adds value in a unique way.” Learn more by visiting the Rackets Cubed website. A powerful new alliance of community partners is set to accelerate work to help more Wandsworth residents get active every day The Community Sport and Physical Activity Network (CSPAN) officially launched last week in Roehampton bringing together a wide range of organisations to network and connect around the opportunities that exist to break down barriers to physical activity and help more people live healthier The inaugural CSPAN event buzzed with energy as local running groups and leisure providers came together to share fresh ideas and innovative ways to inspire movement in every corner of the community Discussions focused on tackling obstacles that prevent people from participating in sport and physical activity ensuring that opportunities are accessible and inclusive for all The launch featured keynote speeches from Kafui Brese a charity working with young people from ethnic minority backgrounds through sports and physical activities The event was the first opportunity to bring partners together since the Wandsworth Moves Together strategy launched last summer a bold initiative aimed at making sport and leisure affordable and available to everyone We launched our new CPSAN Chair and expressed our commitment to sustain the network said: “We’re determined to make sure every resident in Wandsworth can benefit from the fantastic leisure opportunities available in our borough But we know there are challenges to overcome “That’s why it was so inspiring to see so many incredible community partners we can make a lasting impact and ensure that physical activity is accessible for everyone.” As part of this commitment, the council’s Access for All scheme is providing free or discounted access to sports and leisure facilities ensuring everyone has an equal chance to get involved former President and current coach at the Herne Hill Harriers he said: “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned through my running club is the incredible power of partnership working and that comes through very strongly in the Wandsworth Moves Together strategy.  “We need to work closely with health partners and schools and focus on inclusivity for groups who aren’t currently accessing sports.” The launch event was held in Roehampton to highlight a key focus of the strategy, bringing estate-based physical activity programmes directly to communities. One such success story is the pilot Couch to 5K programme on the Alton Estate helping local residents take their first steps towards a more active lifestyle Encouraging more women and girls to participate in sport is another priority Chair of Roehampton Wellbeing for Women and Children has played a key role in bringing women’s badminton sessions to Roehampton Sports Centre She said: “Lots of people assume Asian women don’t engage in physical activities they are more than willing to get involved “This launch is amazing because collaboration is key we can find more ways to support our communities and create real change.” Wandsworth is taking a big step forward in making physical activity an easy Alton hosted a fete full of fun activities which celebrated the first birthday of Chantelle’s Community Kitchen The Mayor of Wandsworth and Youth Mayors came along and met local families as well as giving speeches Chantelle’s Community Kitchen was launched in 2023 and provides over 200 meals a week for local residents Chantelle and her team cooked a BBQ for everyone at the fete as part of the celebration Find out about Chantelle's Community Kitchen and when you can find her.  the Youth Advisory Panel was launched aiming to give young people more of a say in the Alton Renewal Plan going forward A number of young people showed up on the day expressing interest in getting involved Residents chatted about the new Alton Activity Centre Downshire Field and Roehampton Community Hub They also discussed the Alton Renewal Plan more broadly and shared their feedback Learn more about the Alton Renewal Plan.  The day also marked the start of Roehampton Community Weeks which was two weeks of fun activities that will end this Saturday But there is still time to enjoy the final events as there will still be activities  happening this weekend including smoothie bikes a block party and Roehampton’s Got Talent.  Find out more about Roehampton Community Weeks  Fleur Anderson Hosts Wandsworth Welcomes Refugees Event First Community Advice Day Hailed as a Success Fleur Anderson Calls for Action on Putney Transport Putney MP Visits St. Mary's for Cycle to School Week Fleur Anderson Claims 'Major Progress' on Hammersmith Bridge Putney MP Succeeds in Extending Awaab's Law to All Renters Fleur Anderson Reacts to 'Horrifying' Grenfell Inquiry Report Fleur Anderson Launches Campaign for Improved Bus Services ‘Crisis talks’ have been held recently Putney and Roehampton’s buses during which it was admitted that that local services are the worst affected by delays in London The meeting was convened by Putney MP Fleur Anderson and brought together TfL bus operators and the water and power companies She was demanding action on what she described as the ‘dreadful’ local service Contributing factors to the decline include ongoing disruptions from the closure of Hammersmith Bridge delivery obstructions on Putney High Street recent works to improve the junction at Putney Bridge and road changes in Fulham The Labour MP has been working closely with Wandsworth Council to try and improve the bus services for the area At the meeting she highlighted what she described as the crisis point reached by Putney and Roehampton’s transport system urging all parties to continue working together to mitigate the impact on local residents and commuters She stressed the importance of traffic flow particularly in relation to emergency works and deliveries to Putney High Street as a critical step toward easing congestion A key focus of the meeting was ending early terminations at Lytton Grove and Tibbett's Corner and restoring the alighting points at the Putney Heath bus stand Following pressure from Ms Anderson and the Council TfL has agreed to urgently review this decision aiming to have established a safe way to reopen the stops by January 2025 The meeting agreed to proposed changes to the service at Putney Heath and set up a focussed Taskforce on Putney and Roehampton buses “I am at my wits’ end with the bus services in Putney and Roehampton a sentiment shared by thousands of residents I have been campaigning for months for improved services but in that time they have deteriorated even further which I called to address this crisis in our public transport I read aloud the testimonies of people who have emailed me who have nowhere to turn when the bus they rely on to get to work school or the hospital simply does not arrive for an hour She also pledged to meet again with Deputy Mayor Seb Dance and the newly appointed Transport Advisor to the Mayor of London to discuss the ongoing situation and ensure continued action Cabinet Member for Transport at Wandsworth Council said “I am a Roehampton Councillor and I hear from residents all the time how difficult the problems with the buses is making their lives They are really angry about the situation and it is simply not good enough We will continue to work with TfL to address this issue and support the urgent reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to vehicles Ther new Putney and Roehampton Bus Taskforce will meet monthly to share information and address gaps in communication between agencies providing a platform for coordinated action to improve the situation the Taskforce will focus on key measures such as the urgent reopening of Putney Heath bus stand The first update from the taskforce is due to be made next month This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets We've always done that and won't be changing the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area All payments are made through a secure web site One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor The highlight of the junior tennis calendar – the Lexus Junior National Championships are back for 2025 with the top players in Great Britain going head-to-head for the biggest prize Britain’s brightest 16U talents head to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton all in the hope of being crowned national champion with both the girls’ and boys’ champion receiving wild cards into the main draw at The Junior Championships and runners-up gaining entry into qualifying The tournament is played as a straight knock-out draw across the girls’ and boys’ singles and doubles Live coverage of the 16U Lexus Junior National Championships main draw will be available here throughout the tournament Previous winners of the 16U event include Jack Draper, Dan Evans, Heather Watson, Harriet Dart, Paul Jubb and recently Junior Wimbledon champion Henry Searle Hollie Smart and Mark Ceban lifted the prestigious titles in Roehampton Find out more bout the Lexus Junior National Championships All the draws for the 16U Lexus Junior National Championships will be available below: Girls’ singles Boys’ singles Check out all the players competing in the 16U Lexus Junior National Championships: View player list This year will see a stellar cast of young British tennis talent competing at the National Tennis Centre with 19 of the top 20 girls and 18 of the boys set to challenge for the title Reigning champion Hollie Smart will return to defend her title in the 16U girls’ event in what is set to be a highly competitive draw 15-year-old Smart – who is supported by the Loughborough University National Academy – also won the 14U Lexus Junior National Championships back in 2023 She’ll be joined by last year’s 14U champion Megan Knight and runner-up Daniella Britton in this year’s draw amongst many other strong players Knight also won the prestigious 14U Tennis Europe Junior Masters singles title in Monte-Carlo and was part of the GB 12U Summer Cup team that finished second back in 2023 The boys’ singles draw will feature another Junior Masters and 14U National champion in Scott Watson Watson was one of three British players ranked inside the top four for Tennis Europe 14U boys’ singles – including Eric Lorimer and Niall Pickerd-Barua who are also set to compete in the 16U Lexus Junior National Championships They will be joined by reigning 16U and 18U national doubles champion Rhys Lawlor who will be hoping to capitalise on his experiences last year at the National Tennis Centre Planning permission has been granted for a new café at Richmond Park’s Roehampton Gate The project will be funded by management charity Original buildings at the popular food and drink pit-stop were destroyed by fire 20 years ago The Leader of Wandsworth Council pledged improvements to services across Roehampton’s Alton estate as he got behind the wheel of the council’s new plan for the area The Alton Renewal Plan sets out how we would like to invest in the estate businesses and local stakeholders to help this part of Wandsworth thrive Simon Hogg said: “This council is doing things differently and focusing on real improvements to the Alton estate after listening carefully to local views and needs which have shaped our plan.  “This summer we have already started to act on what we heard and we’re planning major investment for the renewal of the estate over the longer term Residents will continue to see better local facilities coming forward as part of a whole area improvement package ahead of a local ballot on our proposal to deliver new homes This will include building much more affordable housing so that people can choose to stay in their neighbourhood near their families and support networks.” The Council Leader outlined the investment plans to residents and local stakeholders at the Alton community drop-in event at Roehampton Leisure Centre on 13 July MP for Putney and Roehampton to explain the new Alton Renewal Plan and hear people’s feedback The renewal plan for the estate builds on the insights and recommendations gathered during earlier engagement with residents and the wider local community Immediate place-based improvements such as the introduction of two new bus services and revamping play areas and community facilities will be followed by proposals to build genuinely affordable homes for local people The Housing Committee recommended that consultation on the Alton Renewal Plan should move forward immediately replacing the previous Masterplan for the Alton estate Alton residents will be able to use new bus services including an expanded Wandsworth Community Bus service connecting the estate with town centres and shops Other transport improvements are already underway The estate will soon have improved bins and waste collections, with a Mega Skip on the estate for the first time on Saturday 27 July to take bulky waste for free the estate will get a dedicated Community Safety Officer a new Family Hub and an enhanced jobs and training Work Match service available to all residents Alton improvements: New bins rolled out starting with Harbridge Avenue More community-focussed improvements over the longer term include: Play areas and landscaping around the Alton Activity Centre and Downshire Field will also be upgraded over the next year residents of the estate told the council that they needed more homes on the estate due to housing need and current overcrowding we’re looking at ways to improve the housing infrastructure across the estate There is a case for some housing blocks to be considered for demolition and proposals to improve existing homes will be explored Listening: Councillors hear residents' views at the Alton community drop-in event Now that the Alton Renewal Plan has the green light to move forward residents and stakeholders will be consulted on more detailed proposals for developing the area together with a resident ballot These proposals include details on new homes and community uses new shops and business space and making improvements to open spaces Arthur Fery capped off a brilliant week for British players at the Lexus British Pro Series Roehampton as he took home his first ITF singles title since 2023 without dropping a set Matusevich and Broady before claiming a 6-4 6-4 win over Loffhagen to lift his first title since  August 2023.Speaking after his win I’ve spent a lot of time here over the past few months so I’m happy with the week.”In the doubles British-South African pair of Ben Jones and Philip Henning overcame British duo Tom Hands and Harry Wendelken 6-4 6-3 in the final to clinch the title.Jones spoke of the enjoyment of being able to win a title on home soil and it’s not often you get to do that he was there for me in tough moments this week I was on-court for quite a few hours this week but Phil helped me get through it and today we just clicked.” and it was even better to see British success on-court A lot of tough battles were fought out there and it was fantastic to have it hosted here at the National tennis centre and I want to thank everyone from the officials tournament staff and the NTC for putting on this event.” International tournaments such as the Lexus British Pro Series Roehampton are part of the LTA’s Performance Competitions Calendar (PCC) which provides significantly enhanced opportunities for British players at each age and stage of the performance player pathway on home soil The calendar is designed to provide comprehensive opportunities for British players to play earn ranking points and win prize money at home Brits have won all three ITF M25 titles hosted in Britain 87% (Glasgow) and 81% (Roehampton) of ATP ranking points available The Lexus British Open Roehampton takes place alongside the prestigious ITF J300 junior event (the main warm-up to The Championships at Wimbledon) The Lexus British Open Roehampton is the LTA’s – and the world’s - premier standalone grass court wheelchair tennis tournament and the second ITF-sanctioned world ranking event to take place during a new-look grass court wheelchair tennis season that will conclude with the men’s, women’s and quad wheelchair events at The Championships, Wimbledon. The Lexus British Open Roehampton has ITF 1 Series status on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour The Lexus British Open Roehampton takes place alongside the prestigious ITF J300 junior event (the main warm-up to The Championships at Wimbledon) on 30 June-5 July with Lexus British Open Roehampton matches taking place from 2-5 July The Lexus British Open Roehampton will be contested at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre in Roehampton alongside the prestigious ITF J300 junior event (the main warm-up to The Championships at Wimbledon) The Lexus British Open Roehampton will be live streamed across the week here on our website and on our YouTube channel When is the Lexus British Open Roehampton draw The draw for the Lexus British Open Roehampton will take place on the afternoon of Monday 1 July Draws 10 British stars are lined up to compete for the titles at the Lexus British Open Roehampton, including reigning British Open men’s singles champion and world No.2 Alfie Hewett Hewett will begin his bid for back-to-back British Open titles just a few days after becoming the inaugural men’s wheelchair singles champion at the Rothesay International Eastbourne and they all contested the men’s doubles final at the Rothesay International Eastbourne where Hewett and Reid won their 50th career doubles title together Andrew Penney completes a list of all five current top ranked British men’s players who will be competing in Roehampton The world-class international field of 40 players for the Lexus British Open Roehampton features one of the strongest ever entries for the British Open with seven current top 10 ranked men’s player’s set to take part world No.5 Reid and world No.6 Joachim Gerard of Belgium the 2022 men’s singles champion are among some of the names to look out for.   An amazing entry for the women’s singles includes ALL of the current top 14 world ranked players headed by world No.1 and four-time British Open champion Diede de Groot World No.2 and two-time British Open champion Yui Kamiji of Japan and world No 4 and 2022 champion Aniek van Koot of the Netherlands are also among the star names to watch for alongside world No.3 and former finalist Jiske Griffioen who arrives in Roehampton on the back of winning her first Rothesay International Eastbourne women’s singles title Six of the world’s top 10 ranked quad players are set to contest the Lexus British Open Roehampton with current world No.1 Sam Schroder and world No.2 Niels Vink having won three British Open quad singles titles between them since 2019 Recent French Open champion and world No.3 Guy Sasson and fellow rising star Ahmet Kaplan of Turkey are other players to look out for alongside leading Brit and world No.7 Lapthorne and Australia’s world No.5 Heath Davidson Davidson and Lapthorne contested the quad singles final at the Lexus British Open Roehampton with the Australian taking the title before Lapthorne and fellow Brit Slade beat Davidson and Kaplan in the quad doubles final Check out the player list While this is the first year that the British Open has been held on grass courts in Roehampton Get all the latest results and updates from the British and international wheelchair and junior tennis stars set to compete at the Lexus British Open Roehampton from 30 June - 5 July at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre Sam Schroder & Niels Vink receive walkover win over Lapthorne & Guy Sasson to lift quad doubles title Day four: Kamiji seals upset win over world No.1; Vink captures quad title Three was the magic number at the Lexus British Open Roehampton on Friday as Japan's Yui Kamiji and Netherlands Niels Vink won their third titles in the women's and quad singles Kamiji lifted the women's singles trophy after beating world No.1 Diede de Groot 7-5 6-3 in an hour and 26 minutes in a close final The Japanese star adds to her titles in 2014 and 2017 De Groot had been on a 145-match winning streak until May this year but on the grass at the National Tennis Centre Kamiji took her chances in the big moments claim only her second win over the Dutchwoman since February 2021 World No.2 Vink captured his third Lexus British Open Roehampton quad singles title since 2019 It was the first time he has beaten compatriot Schroder in the three matches between them this season "I think I did that really well today," Vink said "My level was good and my choices were good We’ve never had a lot of grass tournaments before and this is a perfect preparation for Wimbledon just down the road." The men’s doubles title was won by the top seeds Martin De la Puente and Joachim Gerard beating Tom Egberink and Maikel Scheffers 1-6 It’s a fourth title together for De la Puente and Gerard who only paired up first the first time at the start of 2024 It's a third British Open crown for Belgium's Gerard and a second for Spain's De La Puente Alfie Hewett has withdrawn from today’s Lexus British Open Roehampton men’s final as a precaution and is now focusing on preparing for Wimbledon next The announcement means that Argentina's Gustavo Fernandez is crowned champion Hewett said: "Sorry that I am unable to compete in today’s final it’s been a great week and a great tournament Alfie Hewett secured his place in Friday’s final after registering a 6-4 6-4 win over Spain’s Martin de la Puente to keep home hopes alive Commenting on both his and the Spaniards performance Hewett said: "Martin’s a great player and we’ve had a lot of battles recently I felt like in those matches every point is so important and you just want to get as many points on the board and hopefully they turn into games "He did that really well in the second but I rallied and was strong in the third." who won six sets 6-0 on his road to Thursday’s semi-final produced a convincing start to earn a 3-1 lead but an eventual double fault from the Spaniard gifted Hewett the return in a game indicative of the impending momentum shift Hewett’s eventual one-set lead was short-lived as the 30-time ITF champion de la Puente this time clutched at his early advantage to call for a decider A well-defended opening service game to follow bolstered the British No.1’s morale as he regained the upper hand for the first time since the first set De la Puente still had some fight in him yet as he was able to recover all breaks against him to level but the seven-time Grand Slam champion leveraged his experience to get over the line upon his first of two eventual match points Only Gustavo Fernandez now remains between the 26-year-old and what would be his third British Open title "[The final] will be a very similar to the one I’ve just faced," said Hewett as he looked to his meeting with the Argentine.  "[Fernandez] hits big and doesn’t give you much time on the ball. The British Open is such an iconic event so it would be great to defend it it would also give me so much confidence going into next week." However, Gordon Reid’s recent winning streak against Fernandez came to an end after the Argentine won 6-4 6-4 to reach the men’s singles final Fernandez just had the edge in a match strewn with service breaks on a blustery day in Roehampton The 2023 runner-up Reid did save three match points twice with a kind net cord but Fernandez would soon secure the win with the first and only ace of the match Andy Lapthorne retired from a set and 2-1 down in the second in his quarter-final meeting with world No.1 Sam Schroder We will now have an all-Dutch quad singles final as world No.2 Niels Vink won in straight-sets to join countryman Schroder on Friday Schroder and Vink also lifted the quad doubles title after walkover win over Lapthorne and Guy Sasson Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid continue to ride the crest of the wave in Roehampton after earning their place in the semi-finals while Dahnon Ward made a quarter-final exit Hewett defeated 18-year-old Ward 6-0, 6-0 to secure his seventh successive win in six days, following on from his victory at the inaugural Rothesay International Eastbourne last week The pair’s first meeting saw the world No.2 capture a whitewash victory over compatriot Ward leveraging his experience to deliver the win in 38 minutes “[My game] is progressing nicely,” said Hewett “It’s been quite a quick transition from clay court to grass but I feel like I’ve adapted quite well so far and it’ll be another tough test tomorrow against Martin or Joachim.” The 2023 US Open Juniors Wheelchair champion Ward showcased glimpses of  the impeccable shots in his arsenal but it wasn’t enough to match the 63-time Tour-level champion who produced a watertight performance to progress to the semi-finals Speaking on his opponent’s performance on the grass Hewett said: “He’s obviously still quite new to the grass and I remember when I first started and its quite different from what you know after all the years of training on hard and the clay He’s obviously got plenty of years ahead so make sure you get some time on it [the surface].” Reid also booked his place in the semi-finals after beating Tom Egberink 6-3 taking his unbeaten winning streak against the Dutchman to 22-0 After claiming the opening set in just over 40 minutes the 2023 runner-up continued to accelerate towards the finish line winning four consecutive games to comfortably close out the match in two “I’m happy to come through in straight sets,” said the former Wimbledon champion After a tight start I’m happy I was able to start strong in the second set.” In the doubles, Ben Bartram and Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi move into the men’s doubles semi-finals after a 6-0, 6-0 win over Pakistan’s Asif Abbasi and India’s Manojkanth Somasundaram Andy Lapthorne and Israel's Guy Sasson move into the quad doubles final after beating Heath Davidson and Ahmet Kaplan 7-5, 6-2 Lapthorne and Sasson will now play top seeds Sam Schroder and Niels Vink, who earlier knocked out Gary Cox and Greg Slade in their semi-final clash Defending champion Hewett continues his campaign to lift what could be his third British Open title after beating Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands 6-2 who clings on to his eight-year unbeaten record against the Dutch star came through the opening set relatively unscathed despite Scheffers retrieving one of the three eventual breaks made against him constructed a healthy 3-1 lead in the second but the two-time British Open champion Scheffers found his momentum to recover and equalise with three games apiece But signs of a vintage Hewett began to resurface as the world No.2 kept Scheffers at bay to win their first encounter on the grass Reid eased through to the next round thanks to his 6-3 6-0 win over Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi a player he is unbeaten against in eight career matches to date The British No.2 sped to a 3-0 lead early in the match but a comfortable hold from the Spaniard prefaced a high-octane opener as he proceeded to earn two break points of his own to level the scoreline Multiple British Open finalist Reid once again regained his one-break buffer forcing the Brit to save break points before he eventually secured the advantage at the hand of a sensational acute cross-court forehand Reid’s seized complete control in the decider producing a watertight bagel set to win in two British No.4 Ward joins Hewett and Reid in the men's last eight after beating fellow Brit Robert Teague 6-2 Abbie Breakwell produced a commendable performance against the 2020 French Open finalist Momoko Ohtani Breakwell took the world No.6 to three sets but eventually Ohtani prevailed 6-1, 3-6, 6-2, while Lucy Shuker lost 6-1 The 2022 British Open quad singles champion Lapthorne earned his third win over Australia’s Heath Davidson at the British Open in three years following his 6-3 The Briton successfully sealed the match in three despite signs of a Davidson comeback in the penultimate set reversing the result of the inaugural Rothesay International quad singles final last week to secure his first grass win against the Australian However, Greg Slade wasn’t to encounter the same result after exiting the tournament losing out to world No.2 and reigning British Open quad singles champion Niels Vink of the Netherlands Bookings for our Summer Open Morning are now open Book Today The final was closely contested between Epsom and Harrow; each match was very close and the squash was excellent but Epsom emerged victorious in each string Luca and Finn displayed a superb attitude throughout the day and their performances demonstrated the huge improvements they have made this season 01372 821000 info@epsomcollege.org.uk Residents Unhappy with Toland Square Scheme Approval Council Accused of Running Down Clock on Toland Square Plans Green Light for Barnes Hospital Redevelopment Plans To Reopen the Star and Garter Approved Permission Granted for Half Moon's Outdoor Terrace Ten Storey Hotel Scheme on High Street Set to Break Ground New plans to build council homes on a Roehampton estate have been put forward Wandsworth Council is proposing to build 81 flats across two new blocks on the Lennox Estate under its Homes for Wandsworth scheme The council confirmed plans to develop the estate as part of the scheme in February which it recently said is on track to deliver 1,000 new council homes by 2029 It put forward initial proposals for one of the apartment blocks to reach 18 storeys in height which residents opposed for being too tall The authority has now published revised proposals for the estate which would see two apartment blocks built facing the green space at its centre The height of the tallest building has been slashed to 14 storeys The proposed 14-storey building would have 56 flats A total of 58 per cent of the new homes would be family homes for four people or more while 10 per cent of the homes would be designed for wheelchair users The estate would undergo major transport changes under the plans with the section of Arabella Drive that runs around the northern and western edge of the site removed to make way for the lower block A new one-way road along Ludovick Walk would connect with the remaining section of Arabella Drive A parking regulation scheme is proposed to only allow existing residents to park on the estate Existing households could apply for four parking permits and one visitor permit each Ten accessible bays for existing residents and nine more for new residents would be provided across the estate along with one car club vehicle in a designated bay for new households The games court would be moved and new play areas added while a forecourt at the entrance to the estate from Upper Richmond Road would be added A new ‘pocket park’ would also be created behind the taller proposed block Six trees would be cut down to make way for the development with 98 new trees planted – an overall increase of 92 trees The council held an event on 26 November to inform residents of the latest plans It is running an online survey to gather their feedback before finalising the proposals and submitting a formal planning application next year “A safe and secure home is the foundation for a good life and the Homes for Wandsworth programme aims to deliver a fairer and more compassionate borough for everyone “The plans for 81 new homes on the Lennox Estate include nine wheelchair accessible homes and will prioritise local residents who are currently in overcrowded or under-occupied households or anyone with a priority need for housing and on the waiting list we will also deliver improved pedestrian access to Upper Richmond Road tackle longstanding parking issues for residents and create a new pocket park with play areas along with a rejuvenated brook Charlotte Lilywhite - Local Democracy Reporter Plans to Demolish Distinctive Roehampton Gate Home Neighbour Claims Air-con Plan Will Impact Quality of Life Residents Object to Putney Embankment Cafe's Air-con Units Festing Road Residents Object to House Extension Plans 'Sleeping Pod' Plans for Putney Hotel Residents Object to Temporary Roehampton Homes Scheme New Mews Plan for Majestic Wine Warehouse Site Planning permission is being sought for work that was carried out at least 28 years ago on a flat in the Grade-II listed Fairacres block in Roehampton Lane The executors of a third-floor property in the block which was built as a luxury development in 1936 have asked Wandsworth Council for retrospective permission for a series of internal changes they state that they want to sell the flat following the death of the previous owner earlier this year but the changes had already been carried out when they moved in They have asked for permission for the removal of internal walls and doors removal of the fireplace and modernisation of the bathroom Access and Heritage Statement (DAHS) submitted on behalf of the applicant details how the block was designed by Minopro and Spenceley to include a bedroom for a live-in maid as well as a scullery larder and kitchen well separated from the rest of the apartment The curved nature of the development means many of the flats are unique and the original design of this one also included three bathrooms removed the maid's bedroom and opened up the kitchen area The DAHS explained that originally "the individual flats provided clear separation between the service areas and principle [sic] rooms providing luxury flats for residents with in house maids "The internal layout of many of the individual flats have been adapted over the years which reflects the changing social and economic climate within the country with maids no longer employed as live-in help and less of a need or desire to separate the kitchen areas from the main living spaces....Informal open plan kitchen dining spaces are more desirable for everyday use by the occupants." the communal concierge service remains from the original vision along with formal main entrances with curved stairs and communal gardens The DAHS submitted by the applicants concludes that the internal alterations carried out by previous owners "cause less-than-substantial harm to the heritage asset of the apartment" Two British tennis tournaments have been recognised with the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) ‘Longevity Award’ as part of its Tournament Recognition Programme The awards have been presented for the ITF events in Glasgow (Scotstoun Leisure Centre) and the Junior International Roehampton (Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre) the programme aims to reward and recognise tournaments and National Associations for the delivery of events that perform well against ITF standards The ‘Longevity Award’ recognises venues that have hosted ITF World Tennis Tour events consecutively for 25 years or more and have demonstrated consistency and commitment in delivering high quality international tennis tournaments LTA Managing Director – Commercial & Operations said: “It’s fantastic to see our events in Glasgow and Roehampton receive this recognition for delivering world class tennis events here in Great Britain for over 25 years “These tournaments are an integral part of the British tennis calendar and offer our professional and junior players significant opportunities to play and compete against other top-level competitors from around the world as they continue to develop in their careers they have played a key role in inspiring more players to continue their journey in our sport and we are grateful for the incredible work behind-the-scenes from the various teams involved We hope that the tournaments will only continue to grow and thrive over the years to come.” The Junior International Roehampton has welcomed some of the biggest names in tennis over the years as a flagship junior event Past winners have included former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nick Kyrgios to name a few Glasgow has already hosted an international event this season with the Lexus GB Pro-Series events during the first half of the year with a combined women’s and men’s tournament in October while the Lexus British Open Roehampton J300 tournament once again took place in June ahead of The Championships They form part of the LTA Performance Competitions Calendar which is designed to provide comprehensive opportunities for British players to play The calendar is structured to reward success with players earning opportunities to ‘play up’ in older age groups and higher-level tournaments with wild cards to allow players to advance when ready.   The University of Roehampton and FutureLearn have announced a new strategic partnership for the delivery of online degrees Roehampton’s partnership with online education giants FutureLearn will commence with a suite of nine post-graduate business programs from May 2024 In a statement, the university said that expanding across provisions, the partnership will enable students seeking online education to access Roehampton’s quality portfolio of future focused degrees The partnership agreement was signed by Jean-Noël Ezingeard vice-chancellor at the University of Roehampton and Jo Johnson “We are delighted to be working with FutureLearn to bring Roehampton’s degree program to wider audiences of learners seeking online study,” said Ezingeard Our shared vision is to broaden online delivery across the university “At Roehampton we are committed to being a place where everyone can grow and we look forward to supporting new learners to succeed on our programs.” the University of Roehampton has a rich history of opening up access to education and I’m excited FutureLearn can now support those efforts globally through our strategic long-term partnership,” said Johnson “Beginning with nine online business degrees that have the student experience and employability at their core our shared vision is to broaden online delivery across the university leveraging FutureLearn’s global reach and reputation.” It later hopes to expand to areas such as Computer Science and Education The University of Roehampton is delighted to announce the signing of a new strategic partnership with online education giants FutureLearn for the delivery of 100% online degrees. 🤝💻 pic.twitter.com/uIB59wmIaO — Uni of Roehampton (@RoehamptonUni) April 25, 2024 In 2022, FutureLearn was bought by Global University Systems – and the latest partnership is another “huge step” since the acquisition “The partnership with the University of Roehampton is exciting especially as we build on the unbundled product strategy with stackable content from short courses and microcredentials into degrees,” Reed said “The university has a long history of delivering on programmes through collaborative provision and we’re delighted to work with so many great colleagues who truly want to make a difference and innovate in the online space.” FutureLearn has already recorded 20m registered learners from over 190 countries – and the Roehampton courses are nine of 120+ online degrees listed it lists Other Online Programme Management partners in the UK include Brunel University London and the University of Bradford About The PIE News Regions There was British success at the ITF World Tennis Tour W35 and event in Roehampton this weekend with champions across all four draws Sonay Kartal lifted the women’s singles title, with compatriot George Loffhagen claiming the men’s title Brits Holly Hutchinson and Ella McDonald sealed the women’s doubles trophy alongside Harry Wendelken in the men’s doubles not dropping a single set to claim her fourth ITF singles title of 2024 at the ITF W35 Roehampton The final saw top seed Kartal defeat Nastasja Schunk 7-5 In her first outing since her impressive run to the third round at The Championships Kartal took the title and now eyes a spot in the top 150 “Coming into this week I think my level was the highest it’s been from Wimbledon to here I think I have been playing well It’s always tough having a first tournament back after a Grand Slam but I’m super happy with how I managed to play this week.” defending champion Loffhagen won his fourth career ITF M25 title defeating the higher ranked sixth seed Viktor Durasovic from Norway 6-4 “I thought it was a really good week “It is really good and encouraging after struggling with injuries to get a win Tournaments like this are definitely helpful to see what the level of guys around the world ranking of 250-100 is I felt like I was competing with them which has given me a lot of confidence on where my game and level is at.” The British female duo Hutchinson and McDonald won their third trophy in four tournaments overcoming Gabriela Da Silva Fick and Alice Robbe 6-2 In their first doubles tournament together Wendelken and Joshua Charlton won a close final against the Norwegian team Viktor Durasovic and Lukas Hellum Lilleengen 3-6 LTA Tournament Director Richard Joyner said: “Great week of tennis at the start of three-week GB swing [two weeks in Roehampton The weather has treated us exceptionally well The international tournaments are part of the LTA’s Performance Competitions Calendar (PCC) which provides significantly enhanced opportunities for British players at each age and stage of the performance player pathway on home soil All information about the cookies we use and why we use them are in our Cookie Policy. We have necessary cookies, which always need to be turned on to help our website function and enable you to use all of our features. These cookies collect anonymised data, such as information about your browser type and version, without collecting any personal data which relates to you. These cookies allow our website to remember the choices you make (such as your username, your preferred language or where you live) to give you a faster and more personalised experience when browsing. This means we can show you more of the content we think you’d like to see. Performance cookies are used to collect data about how you use our website so we can continue to improve it in the future. For example, these cookies track the pages you go to most often, the time spent on our website, and any issues encountered, such as error messages, so we can fix these in the future. All data is gathered anonymously and is only used to benefit the functionality of the site. We have several partners who may also set cookies on our behalf when you visit our website. This allows them to deliver tailored LTA advertising within their domains. We use cookies on our site to ACE your experience, improve the quality of our site and show you content we think you’ll be interested in. Let us know if you agree to cookies or if you’d prefer to manage your own settings. Red Arrows flypast commences as Britain honours 80th VE Day anniversary WATCH NOW: Christopher Biggins reacts to a trigger warning placed on a Botticelli painting A London university has been blasted for its latest "woke" move after slapping a trigger warning on one of Sandro Botticelli's most iconic works Bosses at the University of Roehampton have cautioned students studying a module on medieval and Renaissance gods and heroes that some works they encounter will "contain nudity" including Botticelli's classical work Birth of Venus the university has defended its decision and claimed the warning is "part of good practice and common courtesy" to students Reacting to the warning on the artwork from the 1480s broadcaster and commentator Christopher Biggins hit out at the "woke" authorities at the university for implementing such a warning Christopher Biggins hit out at 'woke' university chiefs for imposing a trigger warning on Botticelli's painting Biggins fumed: "This is the Botticelli's Birth of Venus - this gets me incensed "Woke uni chiefs said this must be taken down Eamonn Holmes questioned "where is the offence" which warranted the trigger warning Biggins responded: "You can see her belly button there are lots of wonderful paintings that involve nudity - you can't suddenly say The University of Roehampton has cautioned students that the infamous Botticelli painting 'contains nudity' host Ellie Costello claimed there would be a need "to shut down every art gallery in the world" to remove nudity from paintings Highlighting the rise of "censorship" in Britain commentator Dawn Neesom delivered her verdict on the trigger warning She said: "The trigger warning is that this painting may involve nudity - well It's like groupthink - you must do this You can't look at works of art in case you start thinking the wrong way Biggins told GB News that the move is 'ridiculous' "Compared to what you can see on Instagram too?" Ellie then concluded: "It's just like classical paintings will probably have nudity in them!" A spokesman said in a statement: "The University of Roehampton provides insight into course content prior to students accessing it as part of good practice and common courtesy and to provide our students with freedom of choice." “During my six weeks on an adult ward in The Priory It cost the NHS nearly £800 a night for me to be there.”  The first time Hannah was admitted to a Priory Group hospital she had just turned 16 and was in the throes of severe anorexia “I spent just over 18 months there,” she says “I didn’t go home for the first year – and for the first few months Hannah describes being restrained and forcibly tube-fed by staff four times a day for approximately 14 months A spokesperson for the Priory says that force-feeding and restriction of movement can be necessary in cases of acute eating disorders “It was very rough and done with very little compassion or explanation of what was happening to me,” she says “Staff would repeatedly refer to me as my room number as opposed to my name you need to go for your medication now’ or ‘Room number nine you haven’t done this.’ It’s beyond dehumanising.” (A Priory spokesperson said this is “not practice we would ever expect to see” and that both sites referenced are rated “good” by the independent regulator and practice is routinely subject to audits and assessment internally.) you’re just a diagnosis – they don’t see you as a person with a life and so much more to you than that Yet Hannah’s ordeal was only just beginning she was admitted to another Priory Group facility as a 22-year-old Hannah tells Novara Media that her experience there was “a lot “I received no treatment whatsoever,” she says “From the minute I was brought to the ward to the moment I left I was sedated on a whole cocktail of medication where I had no say in what I was taking.” the hospital team included a range of specialists a therapeutic timetable and a therapy team which encouraged engagement at sessions specially designed for the patients including fitness Hannah – who chose to give only her first name – is one of the organisers of activist group Mad Youth Organise Hannah agreed to speak to Novara Media and relive what she calls her “traumatic negligent and violent” experience of the Priory because Supported by the patient-led anti-privatisation group Just Treatment, Mad Youth Organise is taking aim at what it believes are the societal causes of young people’s distress, and the corporations profiting from it. Its manifesto highlights the urgent need for a “holistic understanding of madness” that recognises the impact of austerity Everyone in the group has experiences of “madness” – the group makes a point of reclaiming the term – and its outlook is anti-capitalist Mad Youth Organise is calling for the decommodification of essential services the shutting down of extractive industries fuelling the climate emergency and that corporations financially compensate affected communities During Children’s Mental Health Week in February Mad Youth Organise staged demonstrations and die-ins at the London headquarters of Meta Shell and the Priory Hospital Roehampton in southwest London the flagship facility of private healthcare provider the Priory Group – which it says is profiting from the UK’s dangerously privatised mental health system Often when leftwingers speak about Britain’s National Health Service they focus on the looming threat of privatisation But private providers are already through the NHS’s door in a plethora of areas – and mental healthcare is one of them In 2024, the NHS spent more than £2bn – 13.3% of its total mental health budget – sending mental health patients to private hospitals. This was £279m more than in 2023 The biggest beneficiary is the Priory Group the largest private provider of mental health services to the NHS the Priory Group and Cygnet account for more than 68% of the NHS spending on private mental health hospitals according to healthcare consultants Laingbuisson – and the entrenchment of private providers is only set to deepen Research by business management consultants Mansfield Advisors has found that although margins for private mental healthcare providers have declined “margins remain between 15-20% and sufficient to attract extensions of existing capacity if not necessarily new entrants outside specialist niches” private companies can still be incentivised by profit to increase the number of beds they provide In 2021, the Dutch private equity group Waterland agreed to acquire the Priory Group from former owners Acadia Healthcare – a US chain of clinics – in a deal valued at £1.1bn Waterland has said it plans to combine the Priory Group with Median Group a private mental health provider based in Germany to create Europe’s leading rehabilitation and mental health services provider softly-spoken and thoughtful young woman who spent nearly two years of her life in the Priory Group hospitals as an NHS patient being an NHS patient at a Priory Group hospital “makes you madder” “As well as the deep scars of trauma it gives you including the community of family and friends that are integral to supporting me to be well and stable.” Hannah partly attributes her readmission to hospital in 2021 after experiencing what she describes as a “psychotic episode” to her first experience at a Priory Group hospital “The fact that I was hospitalised later as an adult a lot of the reasons for that came from my time in a Priory hospital when I was 16 and 17,” she explains “It felt like I was back in this prison of all of the things that made me unwell I couldn’t leave for six weeks with all the triggers and reminders of where my trauma had come from Mad Youth Organise chose the Priory as a protest target because members share similar experiences of inpatient treatment in Priory facilities May Gabriel is a fellow Mad Youth Organise campaign leader They have a complex case history involving OCD They were an inpatient in four different Priory Group facilities – Priory Bristol Ticehurst and Roehampton – between the ages of 14 and 29 Gabriel – who is neurodivergent – says they were sedated with benzodiazepines in lieu of therapy They add that a staff member told them that the reason was “they didn’t have enough staff” The Priory says all medications including benzodiazepines are only prescribed by a qualified medical professional based on a patient’s medical need and regularly reviewed There are two types of patients in Priory Group facilities: private and NHS Both should follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) guidelines “The difference in the standard of care I’ve seen between private Priory wards and NHS Priory wards is stark,” Gabriel says “Unless you have the money to pay privately you will receive no treatment – you will just receive drugs In my three admissions to Priory Ticehurst [a Priory Group facility in Sussex] Your main contact is with healthcare assistants They tend to have done basic online training the mental health component of which is very so they don’t have the skills needed to deal with people in crisis or just to deal with anyone with neurodiversity.”  “Private mental healthcare is typically for patients with lower acuity conditions who are not detained under the Mental Health Act are followed as appropriate for a patient’s condition.” Gabriel recalls one particular episode while they were an inpatient at Priory Bristol to illustrate her experience “I was put in a face-down restraint while having an autistic meltdown because I was sitting in the corner of my room and they wanted me off the floor so they dragged me onto the bed and restrained me They were agency staff who didn’t know how to handle it – I was just sitting in the corner I’ve been restrained by five grown men before as a 15 or 16-year-old.” The Priory says that all staff who support patients receive comprehensive training and that agency staff receive “equivalent induction training as substantive staff”. Statutory guidance states that restraint is sometimes necessary to secure the safety of patients and staff it should “only ever [be] used proportionately and as a last resort” However, the improper use of restraint has been documented in Priory hospitals across years of Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports. In 2020, a former teenage inpatient at Priory Bristol spoke out about her traumatic experience which included “being put in the seclusion room for long periods (a locked room used to calm down patients) and feeling like there sometimes weren’t enough staff to keep patients safe” A 2018 inspection of child and adolescent wards at Priory Hospital North London found that staff “did not understand what constituted restraint” there was “inconsistent recording of restraint of young people” and a “lack of planning of how to support young people in the least restrictive way possible” In 2020, Priory Roehampton’s specialist eating disorder service was downrated from “good” to “requires improvement” after a CQC found that staff had “acted inappropriately” by cutting a patient’s hair against their will under restraint meaning that the service had not safeguarded the patient from “improper treatment which was degrading” “I see so much of my madness and my illness as being a direct result of my experiences in the Priory Roehampton as a child.” They add that what they saw as the staff members’ insufficient training meant they felt responsible for their fellow patients: “At quite a young age you have to start becoming responsible for your friends’ lives because you can’t trust the staff members to keep them alive.” A 2011 letter seen by Novara Media from the NHS children’s commissioning manager details the specific areas of concern raised by Gabriel’s mother about the management and the quality of Priory services during two admissions the previous year “there was a clear message given that the patients should ‘look after each other’” that May Gabriel “felt responsible for the other patients” and that this message “was inappropriately given to young people struggling with their own issues and therefore not in a position to ‘look after’ others” the amount of [suicide] attempts of my friends that I’d stopped was well into double figures,” Gabriel says I was really worried about one of my friends and I tried to open her door but it was locked ‘So-and-so’s room is locked.’ And they were like The Priory says patient safety is their first priority and that Priory provides vitally-needed safe and high-quality services to the NHS and private patients as a partner in the health and social care system in the UK The latest CQC report on Priory Roehampton’s child and adolescent mental health wards rated the service as “good” overall but reported that despite the provider being found to be in breach of regulation regarding person-centered care in 2023 the provider was still in breach with further improvements necessary The assessment involved the interview of five patients with one saying “they felt staff were rough during restraints” “Staff just weren’t responsive,” Gabriel says it’s that there are some good apples – I feel the majority are bad And I don’t think it’s that they mean to be bad I think it’s that the system is set up in a way that they can be bad.” In 2023, two former members of the Priory Group’s senior management told the BBC there had been “a constant battle” over recruitment and retention at the Priory so they were “struggling with a shortage of nurses” “We were told some potential recruits had no interest in working with patients who had mental health conditions while some wards were running on 100% temporary agency staff meaning no continuity of patient care.” According to the two whistleblowers some agency staff would do another job elsewhere then come to the Priory for night shifts and sleep on duty They felt the Priory Group wanted savings to be made and said “they always used to say we need to shave head count and increase productivity” While historically Priory Group had a reputation as the glitzy private treatment facilities used by celebrities like Kate Moss more recently Priory Group has gained a reputation for the large numbers of people that have died on its watch Over the past 15 years, at least 44 people have died while in the care of the Priory Group. That number has increased rapidly: a 2022 Times investigation found that the number of reported deaths at Priory Group sites rose by about 50% between 2017 and 2020 The group has repeatedly been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds for breaching the Health and Safety Act In 2019, the Priory Group was fined £300,000 after pleading guilty of breaching the Health and Safety Act following the death of Amy El-Keria in one of its hospitals in 2012 El-Keria’s mum Tania said: “Our Amy died in what we now know to be a criminally unsafe hospital being run by the Priory This was Amy’s first ever hospital admission By day two she had been restrained by staff She went on to be restrained many more times including on the day before her death with forced sedative injections applied against her will.” was found dead in a bedroom at the hospital a year later In 2023, Priory Healthcare Ltd was fined £140,000 after it pled guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act in its treatment of Francesca Whyatt who died at the Priory Hospital Roehampton in 2013 Last year, the Priory Group received its biggest criminal penalty to date for failing patients. In March, the company was fined £650,000 after admitting to criminally failing 23-year-old Matthew Caseby who escaped from the Priory Hospital Woodbourne in Birmingham in 2020 and later died after being hit by a train In December, Matthew’s father told The Telegraph he believes the NHS is “like a crack addict” when it comes to private providers “It outsources the most vulnerable people into Priory hospitals even when that care is rated as being inadequate,” Richard Caseby said “The NHS don’t really want to know too much about what is happening in Priory hospitals because they’d then have to do something about it.”  its acute wards for adults and psychiatric intensive care units were marked as requiring improvement The Labour government appears to have little interest in stopping private healthcare providers making bank from the NHS – even those endangering patients. In January, the Labour government announced that private hospitals would provide NHS patients in England with one million extra appointments scans and operations a year in a drive to slash waiting lists “Where there is spare capacity in the independent sector we will use it. We have agreed that we will work with them, and they will work with us to cut NHS waiting times,” health secretary Wes Streeting said “The independent healthcare sector isn’t going anywhere and it can help us out of the hole we’re in People like Hannah and Gabriel, with lived experience of private healthcare as NHS patients, disagree. “Even like ten years on from when I was 16, those memories and experiences still haunt me every day,” Hannah says. “I lost a friend who was in a Priory hospital with me and there’s not a day I don’t think about her and how she was let down by the Priory (The Priory says that an inquest and serious case review into the incident pointed to a system-wide issue for NHS and community services and that it has improved its services since then.) things I can’t be around from my experiences there,” Hannah adds “I feel like I lost out on my formative teenage years May Gabriel and Hannah met in a Priory hospital and out of their shared experiences has come not just friendship “Sometimes we look at each other and we’re like ‘how did we get here?’” Hannah says Mad Youth Organise is calling out specific corporate sectors and individual corporations at a time when mental health awareness weeks are often dominated by individualistic narratives, which disregard systemic factors and the conditions young people are living under that drive psychological distress Gabriel says that the Priory Group is a focal point for the campaign because of its dominant role in NHS mental health provision “We’ve got a whole group of young people who have been patients in Priories or similar private facilities,” they explain “There’ve been whistleblowers over the past decade, there have been documentaries – the information is out there But the validity of our voices is often diminished because we’re all mad “We really want to shine a light on the kind of injustice and harm that the NHS is spending millions of pounds on,” Gabriel continues “The Priory is harming young people and adults who are severely unwell for profit “I want more young people to understand that maybe our madness is not a personal failure; perhaps our madness is a response to the intolerable conditions of capitalism driven by corporations chasing pay cheques as opposed to something that’s wrong inside us “I feel like if the NHS’s budget went towards community care and early treatment before people reach crisis point that would be a much better use of the money – but I don’t believe that’s in the Priory’s interests.” “It is wrong to assert that we seek to profit from extending the duration of admissions and would only do so where there is a clear clinical need as assessed by the multidisciplinary team at the hospital working closely with families and commissioners.” A Priory Group spokesperson told Novara Media “These reports contain serious factual inaccuracies and unfounded allegations which we dispute and have challenged we take any concerns raised about our services extremely seriously and would encourage the patients involved to contact us directly so we can investigate fully involve them in the process and provide a full response “We are regulated in the same way as NHS providers with 86% currently rated as ‘good’ or better by independent regulators – this is above the national average which includes NHS services it is inaccurate to suggest the independent sector is more expensive than the NHS without understanding the full cost to the NHS of providing the specialist facilities and staffing to support increasing numbers of complex acute mental health patients across the country.” If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email [email protected], or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch Harriet Williamson is a journalist and former editor at Pink News and the Independent Our supporters keep us entirely free to access We don’t have any ad partnerships or sponsored content We are always working to improve this website for our users. To do this we use usage data facilitated by cookies and external services. For more information read our Privacy Policy An update by the newly formed Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust The doors to a brand-new Roehampton Family Hub were opened today by Councillor Simon Hogg The Hub’s facilities include a dedicated youth room and IT area The council says the new facility reflects efforts to work in partnership to provide the expertise Wandsworth Council is exploring the design of a new network of ‘quiet’ cycle routes across the borough From today (Tuesday 6 August), residents can respond directly to the quiet cycle route consultation and give invaluable localised feedback The proposed quiet cycle routes will link communities businesses and destinations across the borough using clearly signed way-finding The routes will primarily follow side streets and parks The intention is to create easy-to-navigate and quieter routes that will encourage more people to cycle especially those who are less confident or comfortable riding in busier urban areas Work to introduce the proposed routes could involve changes such as installing clear and consistent road signage and way-finding upgrading surfaces and providing cycle-friendly traffic calming at junctions any changes would reflect and respect the surroundings “These proposed quiet cycle routes will provide safer and lower-traffic options for cycling which will help make Wandsworth a more attractive and accessible place to cycle “We really welcome feedback on this consultation and encourage residents across the borough to have their say.” 13 routes are being considered as potential quiet cycle routes Any implementation of the routes would be subject to detailed design and further consultation Wandsworth’s Walking and Cycling Strategy commits the council to introduce a new network of signed quiet cycle routes to support our transport and climate change objectives View the proposed routes in full and have your say. The consultation is now live: https://wandsworthquietroutes.commonplace.is/ Leading British wheelchair tennis players Alfie Hewett Gordon Reid and Andy Lapthorne are among 26 of the world's top 10-ranked wheelchair players announced for the Lexus British Open Roehampton today Fellow Paralympic medallist Lucy Shuker is also among eight Brits confirmed on the entry lists across the men’s women’s and quad singles events to be contested on 2-5 July at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre in Roehampton alongside the prestigious ITF J300 junior event (the main warm-up to The Championships) The Lexus British Open Roehampton, an ITF 1 Series tournament on the ITF’s UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour, has traditionally taken place in August at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre but moves to a new week in the calendar this year to provide enhanced grass court preparations ahead of The Championships at Wimbledon Hewett and Reid are among nine of the Top 10 world ranked men who are entered for the British Open with reigning champion Hewett one of five former men’s champions among the entries alongside Argentina’s Gustavo Fernandez Frenchman Stephane Houdet and Maikel Scheffers of the Netherlands British No.1 and world No.6 Lapthorne, the British Open quad singles champion in 2022, is one of seven top 10 players entered for this year’s quad singles and doubles draws, alongside fellow former champions Niels Vink and Sam Schroder of the Netherlands and the USA’s David Wagner. British No.2 Greg Slade completes a world class entry With all of the current top 14 women’s players entered in one of the strongest British Open fields ever assembled, British No.1 Shuker and British No.2 Abbie Breakwell line up alongside the likes of world No.1 and four time defending champion Diede de Groot fellow Dutchwoman Aniek van Koot and Japan’s Yui Kamiji - all of which are former British Open champions Looking ahead to the Lexus British Open Roehampton two-time men’s champion Hewett said, “I’m really excited to be heading back to the British Open amongst such a high-quality field as we look to get final preparations in before Wimbledon "To now have the British Open as part of the iconic summer British grass court season is very special and I’m looking forward to defending both British Open titles in front of an enthusiastic home crowd We’ve all seen in recent years how much the fans enjoy wheelchair tennis and I’m expecting another fantastic atmosphere.”      With many of the players also set to contest the wheelchair draws at the Rothesay International Eastbourne on 27-29 June, a high-level disability tennis exhibition event will also be held at The Queen’s Club over the final weekend of the cinch Championships featuring international wheelchair players as well as Britain’s leading learning disability players Let us know if you agree to cookies or if you’d prefer to manage your own settings.