The Diocese of London is delighted to welcome applications for the position of Area Director of Ministry (Willesden) and Diocesan Clergy Wellbeing Adviser full-time (35 hours) basis and the salary is £60,531 per annum Further details can be found via the link below and informal queries can be made to Miles Baker, Director of Ministry, via email: miles.baker@london.anglican.org Applications should be submitted by clicking the 'apply for this job' button below The deadline for applications is Sunday 11th May 2025 Would you like to be part of a successful and expanding Chaplaincy in a distinctive and front-line environment You will offer spiritual and pastoral care and articulate a contemporary vision for faith and spirituality within a rapidly growing community on what is the largest construction site in Europe USPG is looking to appoint 3 Trustees (lay or ordained) committed to global mission within the Anglican Communion with the approval of the Bishop of Winchester wishes to appoint two additional Non-Executive Members of Chapter and Lay Canons The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury The Faculty Office is looking for someone who can fulfil the role of senior finance officer within a small and friendly team in a unique organisation jointly with Southwark Diocesan Board of Finance,wishes to appoint a Priest in Charge (House for Duty) St Andrew’s Kingswood We’re looking for a priest to help us grow as a church and develop our relationship with the community The Bishop of St Albans with the Elstree & Borehamwood Patronage Board seek to appoint a Team Rector for the Elstree & Borehamwood Team Elstree and Borehamwood is a vibrant Team Parish of four District churches At an exciting stage in its life and development Ripon College Cuddesdon (‘Cuddesdon’) is seeking to appoint a Tutor with a focus on Ministry and Mission to share in the teaching formation and pastoral support of students at its base near Oxford Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership Milton Keynes We are a partnership of six diverse and welcoming congregations in the northern districts of Milton Keynes offering a rich tapestry of worshipping tr.. Father-of-two Recorda Davey-Ann Clarke murdered and number of stabbings increased by four per cent in Brent News | Crime Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice Angry parents have voiced fears about rising violent crime in the north west London area where a masked knifeman paused his restaurant attack to start filming the stabbing on his phone A campaign has been launched by Carmen Lopez whose A-level student son Lucas, 17, was robbed at knifepoint by four youths - one armed with a machete - near Willesden Green station But she was horrified when a police investigation closed “pretty much straight away” Mrs Lopez and other locals are lobbying the Metropolitan Police Brent Council and Labour MP Dawn Butler to increase patrols Willesden has recently been rejuvenated into a thriving suburb known for its bustling streets eclectic mix of shops and diverse communities Keir Starmer pledges 3,000 new neighbourhood police officers by start of 2026 Tommy Robinson’s appeal against contempt of court sentence to be heard on Friday We need more creative funding to unlock vital infrastructure Terrifying CCTV went viral showing the moment a male victim was chased into the kebab diner on Walm Lane at around 9pm on Tuesday The video records a long blade being plunged 11 times towards the helpless man’s legs and his torso the hooded thug - wearing a white mask and dressed in an all-black outfit - pauses to pull a phone out of his pocket and begins recording his assault Latest Met crime figures show the number of stabbings in Brent has increased by four per cent in the 12 months to February 2025 offences peaked in November with eight knifings a month which saw another three in nearby Mapesbury was fatally stabbed while out celebrating his girlfriend’s birthday in Willesden Green three days after Christmas last year A provisional three-week trial is set for October 13 an aspiring scientist in genetic engineering was coming home from school when he “could sense a number of people behind him” at 4.30pm on January 17 “Suddenly one of them is on him holding a big knife,” she told the Standard he turned his hip and used the momentum to push them Lucus managed to stop two motorists and explained that he had been targeted Mrs Lopez discovered how few cameras are in the area and the case was closed within a number of days She said: “Lucas’ biggest concern is whether they would recognise him again “His father and I have advised him to alight at Kilburn station where there appears to be more staff on duty “I don’t think knife crime and the gang problem is being taken seriously “I’m considering moving out of London with my teenage son and family Other locals reported increased yobbish behaviour After writing a letter of complaint to Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist Detective Superintendent Will Lexton-Jones wrote to the Willesden Green and Mapesbury residents saying he can “fully understand the distress and frustration” caused and is “especially concerned by the attacks in broad daylight” Det Supt Lexton-Jones assured them the Met is committed to tackling gang and drugs problems including a recent uplift of police and community support officers to increase foot patrols of known crime hotspots and target key offenders He said the force is working with British Transport Police colleagues on joint operations covering Willesden Green Underground station Det Supt Lexton-Jones wrote: “I hope that the additional resources and refreshed activity to date provides a degree of reassurance that we are a learning organisation who listen to what our communities are saying.” Scotland Yard and Ms Butler were approached for comment the police have increased patrols in the area and resumed local ward panel meetings with residents the council has improved street lighting on Churchill Road “We also secured funding from the Violence Reduction Unit to deploy uniformed officers to hotspot areas over a two-week period in February 2025 “A community outreach event will be held on May 18 in Willesden to raise awareness about knife crime provide first aid training and connect residents with local support services.” :: Names of 17-year-old victim and his mother have been changed at their request Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Rihanna shows off baby bump at star-studded Met Gala 2025 as singer's third pregnancy with A$AP Rocky announced Rihanna debuts baby bump on star-studded Met Gala blue carpet Several road closures are set to disrupt residents of Brent this month while major utility and rail works are carried out with Willesden particularly badly affected The busy Wembley High Road will continue to be shut throughout April as urgent drainage works are carried out whilst other long-running closures are set to come to an end The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has found all of the ongoing and planned road closures that are happening in April, according to one.network. Whilst some closures will only take place overnight others will see roads shut for weeks or even months at a time The closures could cause traffic disruption for residents who may need to find an alternative route to get to their destination Major closures include that of Wembley High Road which has been shut for vehicles since January 13 and will remain so throughout the whole of April whilst urgent drainage repair works are carried out The works are expected to be complete by the end of May Ballogie Avenue in Neasden will also close at the end of this month (March) and not reopen again until June whilst essential water works are carried out Below is a breakdown of all the road closures both ongoing and planned that will be in force throughout April and beyond Residents should look out for diversion routes to avoid facing substantial disruptions Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales London has an audacious and ambitious vision to see every Londoner able to encounter the love of God in Christ we have committed ourselves to be churches that engender leadership that will nurture people of all ages and backgrounds to live out their faith among those with whom they do life Sunday to Saturday We want to foster the emergence of a church that is visibly and meaningfully loving her neighbours We wish to see a church landscape of ever-increasing varied configuration with new worshipping communities emerging in new and different ways alongside inherited ministry within parishes We also hold to the aspiration of building church communities that will reflect the rich diversity of our city and safe places where we enable younger generations to flourish alongside others As the Willesden Episcopal Area we aspire to enable innovative expressions of ministry chaplaincies and Fresh Expressions of Church It has been encouraging to explore and develop new opportunities for the resourcing and revitalisation of mission and ministry across the Area we have been blessed with a rich diversity in theological and liturgical traditions These have come with some remarkable examples of partnership and mutual support in mission and ministry across church traditions we exercise a healthy dose of enthusiasm about being part of this fluid landscape and we have identified three Charisms for our Area: Intercultural there is an element of challenge to this venture including the need to develop and release more capacity and establish stronger bonds across the rich mosaic of life experiences in our Area This is something both exciting and daunting but we trust in the God who is able to do even more than we ask or imagine.” ©2024 Diocese Of London | Manage Consent | Website Local councillors have joined the fight against a gambling company’s ‘incremental tactic’ to rapidly change the use of its North London site with one describing its latest application as ‘morally fraudulent’ The Willesden premises was only approved to become a bingo hall earlier this year but the applicant has already applied to expand it into an adult gaming centre and extend the Saturday closing time until 1am – a process critics claim is a well-known tactic to circumvent local planning rules aimed at controlling the number of betting shops and gambling sites Brent Council approved a plan by Star Commercial Property Ltd to turn the former Lloyd’s bank located at the junction of Walm Lane and High Road in Willesden just two months after getting the approval the same company has now made a new application for the premises to widen its remit to an ‘adult gaming centre’ which had already received a furious backlash from residents Ward councillors representing Willesden Green have since lodged objections against the application describing it as ‘profoundly concerning’ an ‘insult to the integrity’ of the Planning Committee They are urging the committee to refuse the application in order to ‘safeguard residents from harm and [the] negative impacts of gambling’ In a comment posted on the council’s planning portal Cllr Tom Miller noted that the change would mean five gambling premises located on a short stretch of the road – including two Ladbrokes and a Paddy Power He called this ‘too much’ and the effect is the ‘hollowing out of our High Street’ Cllr Miller said: “As a local councillor I am profoundly concerned by this I am even more concerned that this application turns a bingo hall into an adult gaming centre The lack of change to the floor plan shows that the initial application was made on a morally fraudulent basis and an insult to the integrity of the committee and its members.” He added: “Adult gaming centres replace social gambling with highly individualised and algorithmically driven forms of gambling which seek to spur addiction and take advantage of vulnerable clients […] This application should not be looked upon kindly and should not be allowed to proceed.” said he has already been contacted by a number of residents and local groups to make sure their opposition to the scheme is heard He called the proposed adult gaming centre ‘a threat to the vibrancy balance and nature of the local vicinity’ and highlighted the link between gambling and increased crime In a letter sent directly to the Planning Committee Cllr Choudry wrote: “Walm Lane and Willesden High Road is already subject to gambling sites and there is no economic social or other need justifying another presence of an adult gaming centre […] The saturation of betting shops and gambling premises increases the likelihood of crime within the area.” He added: “A study by Ealing Council explored crime and disorder in relation to gambling premises They stated that ‘as well as reported crime in betting premises being much higher than the controls there was a clear and statistically significant increase in crime in the vicinity of betting shops with the greatest correlations at the closest distances from the premises’ “An additional adult gaming centre is not only a worrying threat to the high numbers of vulnerable residents within Willesden Green but has potential to increase antisocial behaviour and crime.” wants local authorities to have more power to reject licence applications that it feels ‘threatens the community’s welfare and safety’ but until then the council has little power to stop them – largely due to the Gambling Act’s ‘Aim To Permit’ duty The updated change of use application will be reviewed by the planning committee in due course Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city Published on 12th February 2025 by ianVisits in Transport News Nearly two years ago, scaffolding was quickly erected at Willesden Green tube station following concerns that stone might fall off it — and the scaffolding is still there The scaffolding was installed in May 2023 following a report that some of the high-level stonework looked precarious and posed a risk of falling Following an urgent call to the scaffolders Erect Direct the work was carried out quickly over two days during track closures Because the scaffold is on the corner of the tube station ticket hall it had to be erected as freestanding with only low-level ties to the steel canopy That also meant a large support structure had to be installed on the pavement to hold the scaffolding reducing the pedestrian space by about two-thirds of its usual width Reducing the pavement width right next to one of the station’s two entrances has been a problem ever since It’s also been noted that pavement blockage causes problems during rush hours as it affects people queueing at bus stops near scaffolding Transport for London (TfL) is now coming under increased pressure to bring forward the repair work so that the scaffolding can be removed and the pavement unblocked London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow Cllr Janice Long and Cllr Tom Miller has written to TfL calling for the removal of the scaffolding London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow said: “The structure is a hazard and a complete eyesore The delay in completing the works and removing the scaffolding is completely unacceptable and is having a detrimental impact in on the local area Disabled residents and parents with pushchairs are struggling to navigate through the structure when it’s dark and during rush periods I’m calling on Network Rail and TfL to work together to complete the works and remove the structure with Krupesh Hirani AM raising it at Mayors Question Time the response was that an “intrusive survey is scheduled to take place prior to spring 2025 to identify the necessary work requirements a TfL spokesperson confirmed that: “It’s necessary for the scaffolding at Willesden Green Tube station to remain in place while we carry out structural assessments of the station building We will be in a position to give further updates once those assessments are complete.” It seems cruelly ironic that while presenting an unwelcome addition to the pavement the scaffolding is also right next to a railway bridge that says “welcome” This website has been running now for over a decade, and while advertising revenue contributes to funding the website, it doesn't cover the costs. That is why I have set up a facility with DonorBox where you can contribute to the costs of the website and time invested in writing and research for the news articles It's very similar to the way The Guardian and many smaller websites are now seeking to generate an income in the face of rising costs and declining advertising Whether it's a one-off donation or a regular giver every additional support goes a long way to covering the running costs of this website and keeping you regularly topped up doses of Londony news and facts If you like what you read on here, then please support the website here And here is me thinking it was an art instalation and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" and the latest news published on ianVisits You can unsubscribe at any time from my weekly emails © ianVisits Homily given on 5 January 2025 at Our Lady of Willesden for the Opening of the Jubilee Year It is a great joy to be able to announce the Holy Year here at Our Lady of Willesden which the Cardinal has designated a Jubilee Church we can focus on being ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ who bear the light of Jesus Christ into the dark places of our world We will come here on pilgrimage and walk in the footsteps of St St Josemaría Escriva and Blessed Alvaro de Portillo as well as countless men and women who have found refuge in Our Lady’s protection.  the tradition of a Holy Year has continued every twenty-five years Today the fifth Holy Door in Rome at the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls was opened who finds his hope in the mercy of Jesus Christ This basilica is often the meeting place for prayer with other Christians It reminds us that we share this Jubilee with all other Christians who also ‘have the opportunity to fling open the doors to their hearts and to understand that hope never disappoints’ (Pope Francis opening of the Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison) Christ freely bestowing God’s merciful love especially in the sacrament of reconciliation frees us from all that all that imprisons us we are invited to deepen our desire to follow Jesus and to know him more clearly He promises to stay close to us and tells his disciples at the end of St Christ speaks into our hearts in the words of St ‘I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.’ (John 14:18) We are invited to trust and treasure these words in our hearts.  The image of the Risen Christ walking with us is very consoling but Jesus enters much more deeply into our lives In baptism he transforms us and comes to dwell in the depths of our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit We are anointed to be temples of the Holy Spirit who are transformed into his image share more fully his nature and are heirs to eternal life Sometimes we know dramatic change like the conversion of St Paul on the road to Damascus; more frequently the process is much slower like rainwater dripping into the earth hope and charity are planted within us so that we might live in him ‘Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.’ (CCC 1817) Hope is revealed today in the star of Bethlehem which leads the wise men from the distant lands of the east to the Christ-Child come as ‘pilgrims of hope’ who find their life in Jesus We too are invited to bow down before Christ in the Blessed Sacrament we take the place of the shepherds at the crib and the wise men before the Child Jesus We give thanks and worship the Living God: O Sacrament most Holy all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine Hope as the desire for heaven must lead each one of us beyond and out of our self-contained worlds he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.’ (1 John 4:20) ‘love one another: just as I have loved you you also are to love one another.’ (John 13:34) Pope Francis said recently on Thought for the Day ‘“I hope that during this Jubilee we practice kindness as a form of love to connect with others” We recognise the gift of kindness when people go the extra mile for one another in the tender care of a person who is sick in a word of forgiveness that breaks down hostility and rebuilds a relationship  Small acts of kindness make the world a better place and are desperately needed today.  we ask the intercession of Our Blessed Lady the Mother of Hope (a favourite title of Pope Francis) We recognise the power of hope when Mary accepts the call of the angel Gabriel to become the Mother of God She lives in hope of God’s promises when Simeon tells her that a sword will pierce her heart She has hope in the power of Christ at the wedding feast of Cana She hopes in the fulfilment of God’s promise when she stands at the foot of the cross She prays with the fragile group of disciples who gather in the Upper Room and await the coming of the Holy Spirit “Let us entrust our lives and our time to the Mother of God so that she may lead us to Jesus: the fullness of time of the time of each of us.” (Pope Francis followed into the fast food shop on Walm Lane Horrific CCTV shows the moment a masked knifeman bursts into a restaurant and stabs a man before stopping halfway through his brutal attack to film it The victim, in his 20s, was chased into the fast food shop on Walm Lane, Willesden He attempts to barricade the glass door shut, but is overpowered by the attacker, who forces his way in and shoves him to the ground in north west London The video records a long blade being plunged several times towards the helpless man’s legs and his torso Starmer calls for calm as global markets tumble following Trump’s tariffs Fox cub stuck in gap after waiting for mother to deliver food rescued by RSPCA Tom Cruise hangs off moving planes in new Mission: Impossible trailer Rayner faces call to say whether Army could help clean up Birmingham bins the hooded thug - wearing a white mask and dressed in an all-black outfit - pauses and begins to film his assault on a mobile phone the knifeman is ushered away by another customer who enters the restaurant and the victim is able to stand and walk away The stabbing followed a car chase some social media users compared to scenes from Grand Theft Auto A motorist was seen pursuing another driver before getting out of his vehicle to knife him A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police were called at around 9.06pm on Tuesday to reports of a stabbing inside a restaurant in Walm Lane “A man in his 20s then self-presented to the hospital with stab wounds His condition is not life-threatening or life-changing “It is believed the victim was driving his car when he was followed by the suspect in another vehicle and the victim ran into the restaurant where he was stabbed But officers continue to follow all available lines of enquiry.” A temporary ‘banking hub’ has been set up in the Post Office of a North London neighbourhood after the area was left with no branches when the last one shut earlier this year Local councillors have been pushing for a permanent hub to be opened due to concerns about residents and small businesses who ‘rely so heavily on in-person banking services’ Barclays closed its branch on High Road in Willesden Green meaning there were no longer any physical banks in the area Some residents had been raising concerns that disabled people and those with mobility issues will be worst affected by the branch closures called the closure ‘extremely disappointing’ and criticised the ‘lack of urgency’ from the government to transition to a more accessible system and support local communities who rely on the facilities a temporary banking hub was opened in the Post Office which enables customers of all major banks and building societies to access cash services from the counter when the hub is open The hubs are owned by Cash Access UK (CAUK) and operated by the Post Office CAUK have said the hub will remain open until it moves to a permanent space and its early use has shown ‘how vital’ it is to local residents and businesses customers can access services including cash withdrawals and deposits – both notes and coins – deposit cheques while it enables registered business customers to collect change It is also possible to talk to a banker from specific banks face-to-face in a private space for more complex enquiries including payment and transfers and managing accounts Each bank provides a representative on a set day of the week so customers have to make sure they are aware of when support will be available to them a banker from Nat West is in attendance on Mondays someone from Barclays is there on Tuesdays Santander is on Thursdays and Lloyds bank is on Fridays A CAUK spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Since the hub’s opening it has become evident how vital these banking services are to the residents and businesses of Willesden Green with a consistent flow of visitors accessing cash and face-to-face banking services.” They added: “We are actively working on securing a permanent location for the hub People will be able to access services at the hub in its current location until it moves to a permanent home.” Brent Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration told the LDRS that the hub has been a ‘welcome addition’ and the local authority will continue to support measures to achieve long-term in-person access to banking facilities in the borough Cllr Benea said: “Following the announcement last year that Lloyds NatWest and Barclays were all closing their doors in Willesden Green the new banking hub has been a welcome addition to the high street protecting essential banking services for local residents and businesses “The council continues to work with Cash Access UK to establish a permanent banking hub in the area ensuring local residents have long-term access to reliable banking services.” the officers began searching for people still trapped in the building and could be seen in bodycam footage directing residents to safety Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Two new major developments could mean Willesden’s time has finally come.. Homes & Property | Buying & Mortgages Thousands of new homes could give one of London’s eternal ugly duckling suburbs the chance to finally emerge a swan The £500m College Green scheme is London’s first major housing development to come forward since the election The high density development will create 1,600 new homes built in a cluster of 11 blocks standing 28 stories tall If approved the development will transform the skyline of low rise Willesden forever The circa 10 acre site is currently occupied by a further education college which plans to relocate to Wembley credited for breathing fresh life into central Cambridge with its CB1 development Nobody from the company was available for comment Brent Council planners are now considering the proposals, and work could start as early as next year - if the council can overlook the fact that only 20 per cent of the development is earmarked as affordable housing for people priced out of the local area rather than the 50 per cent in the council’s strategic plan have already been approved for a second site on Dudden Hill Lane Developer London Square has confirmed it will start work n March and the first residents will be able to move in at the end of 2027 New homes have a habit of smashing local price ceilings area manager of Daniels estate agents said buyers could pick up a period two bedroom flat for between £450,000 and £500,000 or a four bedroom house for around £800,000 – making Willesden one of Zone 2’s more affordable options “There is a demand because Willesden is a great location and it is also quite reasonable compared to Queen’s Park or Kensal Green,” he said Buyers are a mix of first time buyers as well as people trading up from flats to houses Local movers rub shoulders for those moving in from more expensive parts of north and west London “Prices have been pretty steady in the past year,” he added I think it is going to be steady for the next 18 months and then prices will probably start to rise if the Government doesn’t bring anything in that is going to affect the market The new Hill development will include shops, cafes, workspace, and a gym which will provide a welcome break from the tired parade of takeaways and convenience stores along Willesden’s High Road and Walm Lane – a Gail’s Bakery is the only obvious sign of imminent gentrification New arrival brings spike in searches for the Cotswolds town of Burford London house prices rise for the first time since April 2023 Comment: 'I've been seduced by space-saving solutions' Recorda Davey-Ann Clarke died in the early hours of Saturday morning A man has been charged with murder following the fatal stabbing of another man in north-west London Recorda Davey-Ann Clarke, 35, was found with a stab wound on Linacre Road in Willesden Green just after 4am on Saturday morning He was set to appear in custody at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Monday Mr Clarke’s family are aware and are being supported by specialist officers Officers continue to appeal for anyone with information and any witnesses yet to speak with police to call 101 and quote CAD 1013/28dec A total of 55 boys’ teams were in action across 15 pools while 44 girls’ teams played in 12 pools with both featuring matches all around the country.  Matches in the boys’ section were played on Saturday (9th November) with Gold Pool A The Greater Manchester side won all three matches in topping the pool having to fight back from a set down to eventually clinch victory (19-25 IBB Polonia finished in second spot after beating both the South Yorkshire team (who were third) and Black Country (fourth) in straight sets Willesden’s route back to the Super Series was far less simple as they found themselves tied on points at the top with South Hants in Gold Pool B.  Both teams won two and lost one of their matches who clinched top spot on the back of a superior set difference (two as opposed to one).  Richmond B took third place in the pool after their win over the Titans despite suffering a three-set by Deep Dish Crystal Palace where it could hardly have been closer between three teams.  Wapping Wildcats A and Dulwich had two wins and one defeat to their name and all had a set difference of two.  It came down to who had the best points difference and those respectively came in at 25 seven and one to decide the placings in that order.  Winless Dartford finished bottom of the pool but were competitive in their matches and lost by just two points in both sets against Dulwich.  It was more clear cut in Coventry for Silver Pool D where Nottingham Rockets triumphed in all three matches dropping only one set in the process.  Cherwell took second after winning their other two matches while Frodsham were third after sealing a three-set success over Coventry and Warwick Riga.  The three-team Bronze Pool E was contested at the NVC in Kettering as Richmond C took top spot with straight sets successes over Taunton and Worthing Panthers who respectively finished second and third behind them after the South West side won their encounter in three sets (26-24 Hermitage topped Bronze Pool F with a 100 per cent record but they were made to work for that spot.  They had to come back from a set down against second place Ashfield Vipers (21-25 while hosts Nottingham Rockets claimed third place.  Leeds Gorse Purple won three out of three to top National 2 Pool I and Newcastle Staffs B did likewise in National 2 Pool I with both sides making the most of home advantage National 3 Pool K was contested in Farnborough and saw Wessex at the summit in not dropping a set while hosts Manchester Marvels won National 3 Pool L.  Bromsgrove School won National 3 Pool N on set difference and Team Medway clinched National 3 Pool O with victory in all their matches.  Wessex A’s success means they will play in the Super Series for the first time for the next Grand Prix after heading up Gold Pool A.  They put in assured performances to beat both hosts Willesden Divets (25-22 who were second and third in the final placings respectively.  where South Bucks were in imperious form as they won all three matches without dropping a set to make sure of going up.  Ashfield Vipers claimed second spot by beating Newcastle Staffs A (third) and Urmston Grammar B (fourth) saw Sheffield defeat all comers on the way to topping the group.  Their key victory came over second placed Richmond B (25-18 with the Londoners winning their other two matches against Manchester Marvels and Coventry and Warwick Riga.  London Lynx had too much for their Silver Pool D rivals as they won in straight sets against Worthing Lions who finished behind them in that order.  Host club Wirral A came through two tough three setters to lead the way in Bronze Pool E which included an excellent win over MK City A who had proved too strong for third placed Nuneaton and fourth-placed Urmston Grammar.  Bronze Pool F saw Wessex B come out on top with a 100 per cent record followed by Wapping Wildcats and Dartford.  Dulwich ran out winners of the three-strong National 2 Pool G while Leeds Gorse Purple were a dominant force in National 2 Pool H Five teams competed in National 2 Pool I at South Hants where Bristol just had the edge over South Bucks B on points difference while Bromsgrove School lead the way in National 2 Pool J seeing off the challenges of Telford and hosts Frodsham.  London Giants capitalised on home court advantage to win National 2 Pool K and Stockport took top honours in the Wirral-hosted National 2 Pool L.  Volleyball England would like to thank all hosting clubs for putting on Grand Prix fixtures.  For all the national junior competitions fixtures and results, click here. Here is what will be happening over the next few months at some of the venues which are spread across the country.   Alan Bell will always be a man who loved volleyball and was determined to use the sport to bring the best out of young people in his local area.  Selection nominations are now open for England-qualified players for three Senior NEVZA Tournaments.  The latest achievements in relation to Volleyball England's strategic plan.