HAVS (Hillingdon Association for Voluntary Services) is to hold a fundraising day for the voluntary and community sector at the Middlesex Suite, Civic Centre, Uxbridge, on Tuesday, September 16 from 10am to 4pm.

More thann 100 representatives from the Hillingdon community and voluntary sector are scheduled to attend the training day which will be packed with information and practical advice on fundraising.

HAVS will also be officially launching its new Training Service HAVS TLC (Training & Learning Centre) together with holding its annual meeting.

Ted Hill, HAVS Director commented: This is a very challenging time for the voluntary sector and organisations are looking for new ways to access new funding to ensure they can continue their vital work.

"We hope to help local voluntary and community organisations meet these challenges and the day will help local groups do just that.

"We are also holding our annual meeting and reporting back on a very successful year for HAVS."

If any voluntary or community group would like to attend this free event they are very welcome and can book their place by calling 01894 442722 or email Gurpreet@havs.org.uk.

The event is sponsored by Hillingdon Community Trust, London Borough of Hillingdon, Unity Bank and The Big Lottery Fund through the Awards for All.

ALL too often I find out about children's activities that are free or only available to those people on benefits.

How pleased I was when I discovered that the Hillingdon Surestart children's centres had a full calendar of events lined up for the summer holidays that were open to all and free for all - irrespective of income.

As a working mum currently on maternity leave and with a three year old son, a clear plan of activities is essential and being able to find such a range of organised activities that are FREE is fantastic.

The activity days were held across the borough, giving everyone the opportunity to attend.

I attended five of the activity days with my three year old son and five month old daughter. Each of the events was extremely well organised - at one my son was able to handle a Boa Constrictor, another be taken into the world of Captain Clueless with an excellent storyteller and jump around with Amanda's Action Kids and staff from Gymboree. On top of this each event had arts and crafts for the kids to get involved in, facepainting and soft play areas for the little ones.

It was clear that a lot of thought and planning had gone into making the summer fantastic for the kids of Hillingdon and I would like to say a big thank you to all of the organisers and say keep them coming....

Helen Dickens

FOUR teenagers were stabbed after a Wednesday night brawl in Hillingdon.

A 17-year-old was in a serious but not life-threatening condition after the fight between two gangs of teenagers in Uxbridge Road near the junction with Lees Road, Hillingdon.

At 10.50pm around 10 teenagers boarded a 427 bus near the Civic Centre, Uxbridge, travelling towards Hayes

Shortly after the bus passed RAF Uxbridge another group of teens boarded and an argument broke out.

The groups began fighting after leaving the bus near the Blue Dragon cleaners.

Two teenagers aged 15 and one 16 year-old also suffered stab wounds.

DC Kate McDuff said: "This incident occurred on a busy main road and there must be people who were in the area at the time and have seen the incident. We are very keen to identify anyone involved and are appealing for witnesses who have information that could assist us with our enquires to come forward."

No weapons have been recovered.

Contact DC MCDuff on 0208 246 1447 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

BOWLS enthusiasts from up and down the country are preparing to roll up at Uxbridge Bowls Club on Saturday (August 23) for its centenary celebrations.

The club, based in Park Road, Uxbridge, have been looking forward to the festivities for weeks and members past and present are expected to attend, some from as far as Huntingdon and Hampshire.

Attendees will enjoy an afternoon of bowls and socialising on Saturday from 2pm into the early evening.
The club was first formed in 1908, when the bowls green was created on the north side of Uxbridge Cricket Club.

Five years later the club gained its own committee and it has gone from strength to strength.

Earlier this year members of the club were dismayed to lose in an area final of the men's double fours competition on a toss of a coin, after the original final was rained off.

THREE Cowley mums are appealing for help to run a fun day in aid of a new playground.

Emma Driscoll, Mandy Newham and Anita Perry need to raise £75,000 to build the multi-purpose games area in Cowley Recreation Ground, off High Road, Cowley.

To kick-start funds, the mums are organising a family fun day on August 17 at the recreation ground, which they would like to see become an annual event.

Residents will be able to sell their unwanted goods at the car boot sale costing £10 per car.

They are also asking for donations of tea, coffee, cakes, polystyrene cups, a gazebo and raffle prizes.
To make a donation call Miss Driscoll on 07799 320229.

AN APPLICATION to build 14 flats has been received by Hillingdon Council.

The proposal, submitted by Jersey based company, Foxglove Properties, would see two storeys of flats added to an existing block in Belmont Road, Uxbridge.

Seven car parking spaces are also included in the plans. Any objections must be received by Friday.

To view the proposal visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk

This picture was sent in by Kelly Austin, and shows her with friends at the Stockley Academy Proms. For more proms pictures from across the borough see this week's Gazette.

These pictures were sent in by Danielle Blackmore. For more proms pictures see the Gazette and Leader.

These pictures from the Uxbridge High School Proms were sent in by Sophie Enever. We will also be featuring more pictures from the proms in next week's Gazette (July 24).

MILL Avenue has been branded the third worst street in Britain for potholes in a survey.

The Gazette visited the scene and counted more than 40 areas of patched up holes littering the 200ft street.

Three holes up to half a metre wide were yet to be repaired and filled with water.

Station Road in Leeds was named the country's worst road for potholes with Castle Street in Renfrewshire, Scotland, second in the survey conducted by Continental Tyres.

Kathy Sparks, deputy director of environment and consumer protection at Hillingdon Council said the road was due to be inspected next month with any necessary works carried out after.

Abul Hasnath, who has lived in the road for three years, said: "This road is really bad and it's getting worse. I have to drive my car down the middle to avoid these large holes."

Do you know of a worse road for potholes in the borough?. We want to hear from you, send us your story through the website.