Lynne Featherstone » Hornsey

Local MP backs resident on Icelandic fundraising trek to find cure for eye disorder

Lynne Featherstone — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 10:44:13 +0000

Lynne Featherstone MP last week met up with local resident Joe Churcher who has a genetic eye disease, to hear of his plans for a challenging trek across Iceland’s volcanic interior in a bid to raise urgently needed funds for research into a cure.

The Hornsey resident is one of an eight-strong team of people with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) putting their limited vision to the test as they pick their way between spouting geysers, lava-filled chasms and the ash clouds that have of course become all too familiar here in the UK.

Damage to the retina caused by the faulty genes behind RP leads to a gradual loss of sight – first tunnel vision and night blindness and then difficulties with reading and seeing colours – sometimes combined with other symptoms such as profound deafness.

But with the help of fully-sighted guides – and the bonus of little darkness to cope with in “the land of the midnight sun” – Joe and his fellow trekkers are determined to complete the mission and help prevent future generations suffering the same problems.

As many as 20,000 people in the UK are affected by RP, which is one of the most significant causes of blindness in children and people of working age, but there is at present no known cure or proven treatment to stop the symptoms worsening with age.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Joe can do so by visiting: www.justgiving.com/Joe-Churcher.

Joe Churcher comments:

“Iceland’s been a bit of a dirty word in this country recently, what with the collapse of the banks and the ash clouds causing flight chaos but we’re hoping it will prove a winning location for people with RP, especially the millions who will inherit the condition in future,”

“My eye disorder causes me only relatively minor problems, but for many other sufferers, RP has a devastating effect on their everyday lives and I’m doing this for them.”

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I am really chuffed to be backing Joe. RP is a really common eye disease, yet few people have heard of it.

“Having worked closely with local organisations that support blind and partially sighted residents, like the Haringey Phoenix group, who are also backing Joe, I know how life-changing and difficult having eye diseases like RP can be.

“Hats off to Joe for a fantastic awareness raising and fundraising effort, and try and avoid those spouting geysers!”

Liberal Democrats back local residents in fight to stop Hornsey train shed

Lynne Featherstone — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:34:40 +0000

Liberal Democrats have this week backed local residents in their fight to stop a giant train depot being built at Coronation Sidings in Hornsey. A strong consultation response to Haringey Council was made by Hornsey Councillor Robert Gorrie, backed by local Liberal Democrats and Lynne Featherstone MP, following a meeting last week between Network Rail, Residents’ Association chairs and Liberal Democrats.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Local residents are enraged at the plans to build this huge train shed right next to New River Village, and I was delighted to be able to help residents put their concerns directly to Network Rail bosses in the meeting last week.

“I firmly back local residents, the Residents’ Association chairs who came to the meeting, as well as my colleague Councillor Gorrie in their submissions to the consultation. I hope that with such a resounding ‘no’ from the local community, the council will throw out this application, and Network Rail will have to look elsewhere to build their shed.”

Hornsey Councillor Robert Gorrie adds:

“I have been working very closely with residents for the past two years to help them fight these plans. Residents’ Association chairs from the neighbouring area have been very thorough in their review of this huge and complex application. They have worked tirelessly to identify the shortcomings in the plans and I wholeheartedly back them in their opposition.

“My main concerns, which I have made very clear to the Council, are about the lack of transparency in the Network Rail consultants’ selection of Hornsey as the location of the depot, the lack of mitigation proposed for the impact this massive operation would have on local residents, and the lack of information of how the shed would be run by whatever unidentified subcontractor is picked for the job. I hope that the Council will listen to local people and stop this monstrosity.”

Team Featherstone hold cake fundraiser for homeless charity

Lynne Featherstone — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:46:22 +0000

To fundraise for Shelter, the charity that works to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness, Lynne Featherstone MP and staff on Friday hosted a Cake Time party at their office in Hornsey.

The keen bakers whipped up a range of yummy treats like brownies, cinnamon buns and banana cake to sell to councillors and activists to help raise money to support the charity’s important work in giving help and advice to people with housing problems.

Residents who want to host their own Shelter Cake Time party, can visit the Shelter website to order a fundraising pack on http://england.shelter.org.uk

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Homelessness is a major problem here in Haringey – I see it every week in my advice surgery with local residents who have waited years for permanent housing. Shelter is a great charity, and I often refer constituents to their helpline, to get expert advice on their best housing options.

“That’s why I jumped at the chance to help give something back to the charity by joining this year’s Cake Time fundraiser. Hopefully in a small way, we have helped more people in the UK get support with their housing issues – not a bad result for an afternoon’s cake party!”

Lynne on special tour of super-green low carbon house in the heart of Hornsey

Lynne Featherstone — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:55:00 +0000

To see the future of low carbon housing, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday visited a super–green refurbished Victorian terrace in the heart of Hornsey.

The previously fire-damaged property on Hawthorn Road, owned by Metropolitan Housing Trust, has been done up according to the Passivhaus model. With high levels of insulation, air-tightness and triple-glazing, the house will drastically cut its carbon footprint by using 80% less energy than its neighbours.

The home will need almost no extra heating, using solar gain from windows, people themselves, and their electrical goods, to keep warm. The house also has a heat-recovery system for fresh air in the winter without opening windows, and solar panels to heat 60% of the hot water.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This warm, comfortable house has been done up beautifully, and is a great example of what can be done to cut energy in Haringey’s many Victorian properties.

“Many local residents really want to be green and cut their carbon-footprint, but don’t know where to start. I’m delighted that the Hawthorn Road house will stand as a shining example of how it can be done.

“I’m sure that Angela, the new tenant, will be very happy here. Well done to Metropolitan Housing and Anne Thorne, the architect, for doing such an amazing job!”

Haringey Liberal Democrats standing up for local businesses this Christmas

Lynne Featherstone — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:35:07 +0000

To see how they can best support local businesses through the difficult financial times and in the run-up to Christmas, Local Liberal Democrats have today launched a business survey to go out to businesses across Haringey.

The business survey, part of the ‘be local’ campaign, intended to encourage volunteering and support for local shops, was today launched by Lynne Featherstone MP and Councillor Robert Gorrie on Hornsey High Street. The Liberal Democrats are also writing to local residents in December to encourage them to support their local shops this Christmas.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“The tough economic climate has been hard on our local businesses, and as the run-up to Christmas is so important for local shop, we’re today launching a survey to hear what matters to traders.

“We want to know about the top issues to tackle, and will be speaking to businesses up and down the borough in the coming month.”

Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson Cllr Robert Gorrie adds:

“There are many spectacular businesses in our community. They are the life-blood of our local town centres and local economy.

“We want to know what more can be done to encourage people to use our High Street and ‘be local’ this winter, and that’s why we are also writing to residents, encouraging them to do their Christmas shopping locally this year.”

Lynne Featherstone MP visits award winning youth charities on Big Lottery Fund tour

Lynne Featherstone — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:21:27 +0000

To see how Lottery funding has helped transform the lives of local young people with mental health issues and learning difficulties, Lynne Featherstone MP, visited charities Exposure and Action for Kids, as part of a Big Lottery Fund tour on Friday.

At Muswell Hill based Exposure Magazine, the Hornsey and Wood Green MP and Big Lottery Fund Head of London Region Alison Rowe were shown three powerful films produced by young people, focusing on mental health. The films are part of Exposure’s wider Lottery-funded ‘Mind’ initiative, enabling young people to use the media to explore and recount their mental health journeys, come to terms with their experiences as well as raise awareness for peers and the wider community.

At Action for Kids, a Hornsey-based charity for young people with learning difficulties, the Liberal Democrat MP was shown the Big Lottery-funded computer equipment, tailor-made for each student’s unique needs, to help the students participate in the charity’s decision-making and learn new skills for independent living.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“These two unique charities do amazing work with young people in Hornsey and Wood Green, and it’s so wonderful to see their fantastic work continued and expanded, thanks to grants from the Big Lottery Fund.”

“It was great to meet some of the young people who have found the courage to speak about their mental health issues through Exposure’s ‘Mind’ initiative. This Lottery-funded project has really done wonders for the young people who have shared their experiences, but it has also helped raise awareness of mental health problems amongst youth more widely, and that’s just fantastic.

“Thanks to the generous Lottery grant, young people at Action for Kids have got new ways of expressing themselves, with the help of tailor-made computers. This has done wonders for their independence and their chance to have a say in how Action for Kids is run – really inspiring!

Local MP celebrates Proud of Pubs Week

Lynne Featherstone — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:46:02 +0000

To mark proud of pubs week and highlight the valuable role pubs play in the local community, Lynne Featherstone MP was chatting with landlord Nigel Oxford and pulling a few pints at the Three Compasses Pub in Hornsey.

The Hornsey based pub has been widely recognised for the role it plays in the community and in 2008 won an award for best community pub.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I’m really proud to be backing pubs in Hornsey and Wood Green this week.

“Places like the Three Compasses become even more important in times of hardship, as places to meet and keep the local community together. So here’s to all the great community pubs in Haringey – cheers!”

Liberal Democrats ask local residents to join in fight for fair funding

Lynne Featherstone — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 08:12:11 +0000

In their ongoing fight for fair funding for Haringey’s schoolchildren, Lynne Featherstone and a team of local Liberal Democrats have launched an awareness campaign outside local schools to let local parents know what they can do to support the campaign.

The Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate was joined by Councillor Gail Engert and campaigner Jenny Bouchami outside St Mary’s school in Hornsey as they chatted with parents about how they can respond to a government consultation to help highlight the current funding situation that sees Haringey’s schools getting £1,318 less per pupils than children in Hackney.

The consultation, which is running until the 7th June 2010, looks at two funding options, one which could give Haringey’s schools an additional £10 million per year.

The Liberal Democrat team will in the next few weeks speak with parents at schools around the area to encourage as many local residents as possible to respond to the consultation.

To make the case for fairer school funding, residents need to go to http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/

The Liberal Democrats have also pledged to put in an extra £15 million into Haringey’s schools, through their so-called pupil premium to ensure smaller class sizes. The additional funds could give Haringey’s schools an extra 490 teachers.

Lynne Featherstone comments:

“This is our big chance to make the case for why our kids need and deserve more money for their schooling. This is an opportunity to give them a better education for the best possible start in life.

“Regardless of the outcome of the election – it is vital that people respond to this consultation. Of course – if the Liberal Democrats won – that would solve our ‘fair funding’ at a stroke – with their pledge of £2.5billion per year to our schools.”

Cllr Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Schools spokesperson adds:

“It’s been great to get such a positive response when speaking to Hornsey parents here today.

“Bit by bit we are getting residents to see that they can help make a real difference. So for all you residents out there who want to do something about this injustice, grab this chance to respond and help make a fairer future for Haringey’s children.”

Local MP helps open new library at local school

Lynne Featherstone — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:21:04 +0000

To help open the new library at Hornsey School for Girls, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday celebrated the new learning space with students, teachers and residents at the Inderwick Road School.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s great to see this fantastic new library. It’s a truly inspirational learning space – so airy, spacious and with a great range of computer and books.

“But one of the best things has really been to hear from the students about what this new library will mean to them, in terms of getting peace of mind and access to information to help them with projects, exams and to ultimately do well in life – and that really is fantastic!”

Aspiring journalists from Hornsey School for Girls interview MP for special BBC report

Lynne Featherstone — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:20:35 +0000

In order to help aspiring young journalists from a local school do a special piece on youth issues in Haringey for the BBC, Lynne Featherstone MP was interviewed by students at Hornsey School for Girls.

The Crouch End school is participating in the BBC school report for the third year running. The project allows students, with the help of mentors from the national broadcaster, to learn about making TV and to develop journalistic skills.

The Liberal Democrat MP was quizzed on issues such as unfair school funding and youth crime in the student-led piece, which will be shown on the BBC website, and hopefully on TV and radio, on the 11th March.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“I was really impressed by how expertly the interview was carried out, how well researched the questions were, and how much the students had learnt about technical stuff like filming and sound.

“This is a great way to teach the girls about making TV and to help them develop an interest in current affairs.

“And who knows, they may even end up working for the BBC one day! Hopefully their report will go all the way to the top – I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for it on the 11th March.”