MP Lynne congratulates local student on winning letter to Prime Minister

Posted on 29th Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To celebrate Rhodes Avenue student Ione Goodwin winning a national writing competition run by the Citizenship Foundation, Lynne Featherstone MP last week congratulated the ten year old at a special event in Parliament.

The Alexandra student won the ‘Dear Prime Minister’ writing competition, where primary school children from across the country got to write letters to the Prime Minister to-be as part of lessons about democracy in the run up to the general election.

Ione’s contribution, which focused on issues around education and locally sourced food, was selected for its ‘ingenuity in tackling big issues’.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I’m so delighted that Ione has won with this brilliant letter to the Prime Minister. She writes with impressive insight and ingenuity for someone so young, and shows a real awareness of current affairs and the important issues of the day!

“And hats off to the Citizenship Foundation for a great competition. What a creative and clever way to make kids up and down the country learn more about politics and democracy.”

Local MP celebrates Proud of Pubs Week

Posted on 26th Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

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!”

Lynne Featherstone kick-starts special summer celebration at Woodside High

Posted on 21st Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To celebrate the summer and a day full of fun for the students at Woodside High, Haringey’s special sustainability school, Lynne Featherstone MP on Friday opened their summer fete.

The Liberal Democrat MP also got to do a special stint on the school’s very own TV channel, Woodside TV. The Hornsey and Wood Green MP got quizzed on issues around sustainability, business and enterprise by some of the school’s very own sustainability and business experts.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“What a fete! This is surely the way to celebrate summer and a year’s hard work, by strolling around the stalls, getting a head massage, learning some new dance moves or enjoying some tasty food.

“And judging from the gruelling questions for my interview on Woodside TV – the students have been working really hard this year, winning dragons den competitions, aiming to become an eco school, and learning a lot about sustainability and enterprise in the process. So a great celebration is certainly in order!”

Local Liberal Democrats celebrate refurbished children’s library after successful campaign

Posted on 20th Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Local Liberal Democrats were on Friday celebrating the transformation of Muswell Hill Children’s Library after a successful four year battle to get it refurbished.

Lynne Featherstone MP and Councillors Gail Engert, Jim Jenks, and Martin Newton were chatting with excited children and parents at Friday’s special opening of the new space, which now has a medieval theme to go with a beautifully restored mural.

The children’s section, which until recently was in a sad state, with peeling wallpaper and cracked walls, finally got it’s much needed refurbishment after a successful campaign by local Liberal Democrats.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This place is just magical! And what a transformation from the rather sorry state it was in before, with peeling wallpaper and cracked walls.

“They have really done a fantastic job, and the kids who are here today clearly love it – and surely that’s what it’s all about!”

Muswell Hill Councillor Gail Engert adds:

“It’s been a long, hard battle, but I’m so proud to say it’s been successfully fought.

“This space, where I am sure hundreds and hundreds of local children will discover magical worlds and the joy of reading, will be treasured for years to come. What a success!”

Local MP opens colourful dance showcase in Wood Green

Posted on 12th Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To help celebrate the amazing dance skills on offer in multicultural Haringey, Lynne Featherstone MP, on Friday, opened Haringey’s Big Dance Showcase at the Asian Centre in Wood Green.

The Liberal Democrat MP kicked off the fast moving, colourful display of talent, that saw dancers from all walks of life and corners of Haringey show off their best moves, including Irish dancing, Indian chair dancing and African-Caribbean street dancing.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“Wow, I’ve been blown away by the talented dancers here today, from young to old, from slow, gentle dance to explosions of energy!

“I’m really proud to be representing such diversity and energy. What a fantastic way to celebrate multicultural Haringey, in this colourful collaboration between our Asian, African-Caribbean and Irish cultural centres.”

MP takes fight for accessible health information for Haringey’s blind and partially sighted to GPs

Posted on 9th Jul 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Stepping up her fight to improve access for blind and partially sighted people to information from local health services, Lynne Featherstone MP has this week written to all local GPs urging them to provide details of their services in Braille and audio formats.

This latest initiative follows a successful drive in February by the Hornsey and Wood Green MP to get the local Whittington Hospital to agree to produce information about their services in formats accessible to blind and partially sighted people. But to ensure the whole local healthcare system offers accessible formats, as required under law, and for the information to be included in referrals to the hospital, GPs need to follow suit too.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“It’s great that the Whittington is continuing to extend the service of providing health information in accessible formats, but for the local health system to be fully accessible, GPs need to do the same.

“That’s why I am calling on them to act now to provide details of their services in Braille and audio formats. We all have the right to keep health information private, and I will continue fighting to make sure that is the reality for blind and partially sighted people locally too.”

Lynne Featherstone visits "inspirational" playgroup for children with special needs

Posted on 21st Jun 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To mark National Carers Week, Lynne Featherstone MP, on Friday, attended a special visit, to see the vital support and respite care provided by a Muswell Hill-based playgroup for local children with special needs, and their parents.

The ‘Challenge Group’, based at St James’ Church, was started by Muswell Hill resident Celia Webster and supports local parents of children with special needs, by helping with childcare and providing the chance to meet fellow parents, have a quiet break and a massage.

Parents who are interested in coming along on Fridays, should contact Celia Webster on cebwebster@googlemail.com or phone on 020 8883 6277.

Lynne Featherstone MP, comments:

“Being the parent of a child with special needs, Celia turned the frustration of not getting enough support into something so practical and inspirational – she started a playgroup for the children.

“The Challenge Group gives mums and dads the chance to have a break, get pampered and meet other parents in a similar situation. It has clearly been invaluable to the parents who come here.

“It is such an inspirational group to visit for National Carer’s Week. Full credit to Celia, for her hard work and dedication.”

Local MP asks residents for their stories on post office closures

Posted on 18th Jun 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Following the closure of local post offices two years ago, Lynne Featherstone MP has this week written to local residents asking them for their experiences of the effects of the closures.

The Liberal Democrat MP will put the stories to Post Office bosses at a special meeting of Haringey Council’s watchdog body on 5th July, and pass the evidence to the responsible Government Minister.

Any resident who would like to contribute with their story should either send an email to lynne@lynnefeatherstone.org or write to Lynne Featherstone MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“The closure of almost half of our post offices two years ago was devastating. I really believe it’s essential that local residents get to have a say on how this has affected their lives.

“Post Office bosses need to listen hard and make sure that they deal with any issues that local residents raise.”

Cllr David Winskill, Liberal Democrat Lead on Overview and Scrutiny adds:

“It is unlikely that in the present financial climate these Sub Post Offices will re-open.

“However the lessons of the effects that these closures have had on the community and business should not be forgotten and hopefully will be used to halt any further reduction in the network.”

Local Liberal Democrats demand action on dangerous crossing

Posted on 16th Jun 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

Campaigners have vowed to put an end to local schoolchildren’s “terrifying” route to school, by starting a campaign to make a dangerous crossing in Stroud Green safer.

Local Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to get Haringey Council and Transport for London (TfL) to take action, to make the zebra crossing safer on Upper Tollington Park by installing a pedestrian crossing and, in the short-term, having crossing patrols for local schoolchildren.

Despite many requests from local Stroud Green councillors, Haringey Council has failed to keep to promises to make the crossing clearer to drivers and to slow down the traffic.

Local residents can sign the petition by visiting http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/page1633

Cllr Richard Wilson (Stroud Green) comments:

“It is clear that local residents want action to make this crossing safer for local pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, who use it every day.
“I am very disappointed that, despite promises, Haringey Council has failed to take any action.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds;

“We think that the council should employ a crossing patrol now. We cannot wait until a serious accident happens.
“A longer term aim, will be to ask the council and TfL to work to install a permanent crossing or other measures, to make this crossing safer.”

Lynne Featherstone visits new service for young people with learning disabilities

Posted on 14th Jun 2010 by Lynne Featherstone

To see the amazing work that Chocolate Factory based Area 51 is doing, helping local young people with severe learning difficulties to continue learning post-19, Lynne Featherstone MP, on Friday, went for a special visit.

The Liberal Democrat MP met some of the local young people who are currently doing the three year course, learning skills for independent living, for work and to improve communication and number skills. The Wood Green based college uses creative arts and sensory stimulation to help with learning, and is planning to both start a rock-band and run disco nights in the near future.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“This is such an inspirational working environment, where each young person gets tailor-made support, to help them develop to the best of their ability.

“It’s so great to see an organisation that really captures the potential of these young people because, in the years after they leave school, they often have fantastic development potential. And it’s done in such a fun way, too. I can’t wait to come back for a rock concert!”