The Saturday list special - What's best in Barnet - The Deputy Mayors recommendations

By Kate Salinger,

As Deputy Mayor, I have had the privilege of meeting people from all over the borough who volunteer for others with no thought of reward. I salute each and every one of them, knowing that their work is incredibly valuable to our large community, although often unsung. I will now sing loudly an aria on behalf of the volunteers of Barnet who work in shops, places of worship, schools, community halls, parks, oh, anywhere that people can meet. The following is a list of all the people and organisations I have visited who are, I think, staffed by VOLUNTEERS. I have also visited many wonderful organisations (Flower Lane Centre for Autism and Community Focus to name but two) where volunteers work but are managed by paid workers.

 

So, here is the list of GOOD THINGS IN BARNET VISITED OVER THE LAST YEAR

 

All the people who helped to organise street parties for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

 

East Barnet Valley Bowls Club

 

East Barnet Royal British Legion

 

Friern Barnet Royal British Legion

 

Greenacre

 

Barnet Multicultural Community Centre, West Hendon

 

Rainbow Centre, Dollis Valley

 

Diabetes UK, Barnet Branch

 

Barnet Multifaith Forum

 

East Barnet Festival (not held this year due to too much rain but AL:WAYS excellent)

 

120th Hendon Air Training Corps

 

Friends of Montclair(town twinning group)

 

Friends of Barnet Countryside Centre

 

Monday Youth Club, Martins School

 

Friern Barnet Summer Show

 

Mill Hill Garden and Allotment Society

 

Wright Community Development Trust

 

St John's Ambulance Brigade

 

Barnet Older People's Assembly

 

Friends of Morphou (town twinning)

 

East Finchley Arts Festival

 

Finchley Art Society

 

Lions Club International (Edgware Branch)

 

Cancer Research Shop (East Barnet)

 

Barnet Elderly Asians Group

 

Women's Interfaith Network

 

Finchley Rotary Club

 

How fortunate have I been to visit all these places and people? Answer.....extremely fortunate.I hope that everyone who might scan down this list and currently does not volunteer, might be prompted into thinking that they might.

 

All the best,

 

Cllr. Kate Salinger

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If you have a list of things in Barnet that you think we should know about, let us know ! A fine choice by one of Barnets most popular councillors

Whats best in Barnet - Focus on Hale Ward - Lyndhurst Park

Continuing our theme of whats Best in Barnet, a rather surprising and rather good contribution from Councillor Tom Davey about his home ward - Hale. Tom say:

"For me, the best thing in Hale (that many people may not be aware of) is Lyndhurst Park- unfortuntely the park sign on Bunns Lane is spray painted at the moment, but it a great open space, with a path between the meads and Bunns Lane. A few years ago it wasn't used, now some people know about it, but the more the better!

 

The other great thing is the bramble bushes between the path and the London Wildlife Trust Area/old railway track. Over the last couple of years myself & my fiance have managed to get on average 3kg of Blackberries in each picking, which makes a lot of Jam :-)

 

Not an action packed day out and can't quite compete with other places for entertainment value, but certainly worth a visit if anyone wants a bit of open space."

I am fond of Lyndhurst Park and the disused railway. I used to traverse the park on my daily walk to Orange Hill Senior High School back in the day. I'd often sit on the disused station platform and chill after a days study. I find disused railway lines rather intriguing and beguiling. Thanks to Tom for his selection (I wondered where all the blackberrys had gone !)

Whats best in Barnet week - Spotlight on High Barnet

We've had a great response to the Whats Best in Barnet week. All sorts of people have emailed me in suggestions. One of the first off the mark was Councillor David Longstaff. Here are his suggestions

Within the High Barnet/Chipping Barnet area:

Barnet Guild of Artists

Whale Bones Farm, Wood Street, Chipping Barnet. http://www.barnetguildofartists.org.uk/

The Bull Theatre, High Street, Chipping Barnet. http://www.thebulltheatre.com/

Paul Baker is an excellent guide on Barnet Walks. http://www.barnetwalks.talktalk.net/yourguide.html

Barnet Museum, Wood Street, Chipping Barnet. http://btconnecthosting.com/barnetmuseum/

Barnet Football Club... sadly not for too much longer

Barnet Colts Cricket Club. Barnet Lane http://barnetcolts.com/

Ye Olde Mitre Inne, Barnet. http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/27/2779 

Not in my ward, but worth going to see:

Garden Suburb Theatre (who play occasionally at The Bull). http://www.gardensuburbtheatre.org.uk/

Incognito Theatre Group, Holly Park Road, Friern Barnet. http://www.incognitotheatre.co.uk/

Also... there's a blue plaque for William Wilberforce in Totteridge Lane/Mill Hill end.

Spike Milligan lived in The Crescent, High Barnet 

David Garrick once owned Hendon Hall

Sir David Jason was brought up in Lodge Lane (they knocked his house down to make the car park)

Many thanks to David for his response. I'd thoroughly endorse these and may well look into doing the guided walk. I've done these all over the place but never in my own home town.

Please keep the suggestions coming