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Issue 22, October 2004
Best ever GCSEs
Islington pupils are celebrating their
record set of GCSEs as results
improved for the fourth year running.
Many congratulations to all students
for their achievement. Figures released
in August show that Islington improved
by 6.4 percentage points on last year,
with 45 percent of students gaining
five or more A* – C grades.
Significant
Since 2000, the rate of improvement in
Islington has been
significant. Over the last
four years results have
jumped from 26.5 percent
to 45 percent, an
increase of 18.5
percentage points.
This demonstrates
that Islington schools
are consistently
improving and that the improvement has now
reached a sustainable level.
Dedication
These results could not have been achieved
without the dedication of heads, teachers,
support staff, parents, and of course – the
students. Schools deserve praise for turning
the corner in Islington and adding value to
students’ education. All this gives parents
good cause to feel confident in choosing an
Islington secondary school.
And A levels too
Islington schools’ provisional A
level results show that sixth
formers from Central Foundation,
Highbury Fields and Highbury
Grove schools are also
celebrating.
Their results have improved again
with a provisional 89 percent of
students gaining A-E grades, a 7.9
percentage point increase from last
years 81.9 percent. The last two years
have seen a significant increase in the
number of pupils entered and an
improvement in the overall results.
Including City & Islington College’s
excellent results, this is great news for
Islington’s young people.
Look inside for more about what’s happening in and around Islington…
Teepee or not teepee? Side by side Summer uni
Improving services
Housing grants

Welcome
Welcome to
Issue 22
of Islington
From Helen Bailey,
Chief Executive
Congratulations to all those who have
taken exams this summer and particularly
to those who have achieved their targets.
Islington’s results have been the best ever
and the government’s education
secretary, Charles Clarke has joined in the
congratulations to Islington’s students
and their teachers, families and
CEA@Islington.
The new school year means that autumn
is on the way and “Bulbs across the
Borough” is about planting for next spring
to make Islington a greener more pleasant
place. With the environment in mind, we
are celebrating the opening of our new
waste and recycling centre. Recycling
your waste can help in lots of ways, many
people want what you have no use for,
you could be helping another person or
supporting a worthwhile organisation.
Now is the time to have your flu jab – see
if you or your family can have a free jab
and do encourage vulnerable relatives
and friends to have one. Elderly or
disabled homeowners might also be able
to improve their home with a grant from
Houseproud.
Finally, voting in elections is the way that
we all influence our lives. The electoral
register is being updated and letters have
been sent out. Please return the letter or
contact the Town Hall if you have not
received one – or want to know more – it
is your vote!
Arsenal season tickets
Islington Council insisted on
a condition that gave
priority to local residents
who want to buy a season
ticket at the new Arsenal
stadium when they granted
planning permission for the
new ground.
The condition is that up to half of
the ’06/’07 season tickets for the new
stadium will first be offered to Islington
residents.
Islington residents can register their interest by
joining the new stadium’s season ticket
waiting list, accessible through the club’s web
site at www.arsenal.com
...register to vote
Registration forms, with details of
names of registered voters, were
sent out in early September
offering five ways to return it
from pre-paid post to on-line.
With a general election very
likely next year, only those
residents whose names are
included in the register will
be able to vote. If their name
Due to the limited number
of tickets available and the
likely high demand it is
wise to join the waiting
list as soon as you can.
If you are an Islington
resident, and already on
Arsenal’s season ticket
waiting list, your name will
automatically be included in
the residents’ priority scheme.
Eligibility will be based on providing
proof of residence in the borough. A simple
proof is your name on the electoral register,
another good reason to make sure you can
vote……
is not shown on the forms sent out in
September – then they are not
registered and will only be
able to vote if the names
are added to the
registration form and
returned to us.
Please return your registration
forms before the 4 October.
The more reminders that have
to be sent, the more it costs
you through the public purse.
More information can be found on the web pages at
www.islington.gov.uk/voting or you can call 020 7527 3110 or email
✆electoral.services@islington.gov.uk
Tepee or
not tepee?
That is the
question...
The Tepee at Hayward’s
adventure playground gets
a make over as Islington
Council’s ‘Listen up’ project
asks what children think
about Islington.
✆To find out more
about ‘Listen
up’ contact
Julie Easy
020 7527 3134 or email
julie.easy@islington.
gov.uk or visit
www.islington.gov.uk/
listenup
● Taylor Kennedy
aged 7
2

Your Shout
Below are some of your letters, emails and phone calls we received in response to the last issue
Dogs and their owners @
Whilst I appreciate there are a lot of dog
owners who do not act responsibly with
regards to picking up their dogs faeces, not
all dog owners should be tarred with the
same brush. Being an owner of two dogs I
always have plastic bags with me when I
walk my dogs.
All praise to the responsible dog owners
in the borough who are doing their bit to
keep our borough clean by picking up
after their dog. The council supplies
bright red bins in our parks for getting
rid of dog deposits and our Greenspace
rangers are happy to provide special
biodegradable bags for dog owners use
plus they have lots of good information
about responsible dog ownership.
People dropping litter @
I am appalled at the amount of litter; broken
bottles, furniture and rubbish that is dumped
in the streets rather than people putting it in
bins or phoning to local authority to arrange
collection, or taking it to the community
points for disposal. Rats are rife in London
and are on the increase, food thrown onto
the streets will encourage more and they
carry diseases, broken glass is dangerous
and can also carry infection. All homes are
provided with waste facilities i.e. individual
dustbins or communal waste bins but a
great many of people seem unable to use
them, being under the impression that the
streets of London should be paved with
rubbish. Fridges, freezers and washing
machines are dumped on the pavements, if
a child was trapped in one this could result
in a death, I believe the local councils will
take away any fridges, freezers or any other
large article for a small charge, please
telephone to enquire it may save a child’s
life, think before you dump on the streets.
People create rubbish – it’s a fact of
life that we just can’t avoid. The
council is spending an extra £1 million
to keep our borough clean but
everyone needs to be more responsible
for the way we dispose of it. 100 new
litter bins have now been placed along
the A1 corridor with a further 200 to
be placed throughout the borough in
the next 6 months. So there is no
excuse for dropping litter and be
warned getting caught could cost you
an instant fine of £50! To find out how
to get rid of large items and for other
enquiries please call Contact Islington
020 7527 2000.
Recycling in Europe @
I would like to speak about the recycling
process in Islington actually in UK. In my
opinion we are far behind recycling in
Europe. For me the best country is
Germany. Every house has to separate their
rubbish in 5 different bags and they are
collected from different rubbish vans and
taken straight away to the recycling
factories... People don’t use thousands of
plastic bags, they have old style basket and
they go to their shopping with their basket,
thus they do not have thousands of plastic
bags at home. My question is why the
government cannot create a law about
recycling like Germany?
The council operates a weekly
kerbside recycling service to all of
Islington’s street properties, and also
provides over 150 public recycling
facilities around the borough. Charities
and schools receive a free recycling
service. Our new recycling centre in
Hornsey Street opened in August, and
accepts a wide variety of materials for
recycling and composting. We provide
home compost bins to householders
and schools at a cost of £5 including
free delivery. We will also be phasing in
garden and kitchen waste collections
in September. Islington has just
reached the target to recycle 10% of
domestic waste... see page 4.
The government and legislative
framework varies from country to
country in the EU, and so there are a
variety of approaches to increasing
recycling and in the management of
waste. If you require further
information about recycling options in
Islington please do not hesitate to call
Contact Islington on 020 7527 2000.
Swimming pools @
My concern is hygiene in swimming pools. I
have been to all the Islington swimming
pools but unfortunately the cleaning is very
poor. I think the best swimming pool in
Islington is Archway – new and well cleaned.
But unfortunately the swimming pool depth
is for children and when you are lane
swimming your hand touches the floor.
Other swimming pools are old and they are
not so clean.
Archway swimming pool was built in
1990 and has recently been improved
in most areas and therefore the
standard of the facilities and
cleanliness should be of the highest
Your Views…
Do you think we are doing the
right things?
Is there anything you think we
have done well?
How could we improve our service
to you?
What do you want to see in this
newsletter?
We want to hear what you have to say.
So, if you want to make a comment
about any aspect or the services we
provide, please:
Phone: 020 7527 3416
Email: residents.news@islington.gov.uk
Write to: Helen Bailey, Chief Executive
Islington Council, Town Hall,
Upper Street, N1 2UD
Tell us what you think. After all, if you
don’t tell us something is wrong we can’t
do anything about it…
We look forward to your feedback.
order. This pool was designed
particularly as a leisure pool with wave
machine and water slide and not for
lane swimming. The other pools that
were designed with serious swimmers
in mind were built from 1930 through
to 1982 and are indeed in need of
development. The council do have a
plan for repair and refurbishment of
the sites and works will be carried out
as and when funding is available.
Water tests are carried out regularly in
all our pools.
Aquaterra who manage the pools
operate a comprehensive comments
and complaints card scheme at each of
the sites, so please fill in the cards
with your comments, suggestions and
complaints.
3

Recycling 10%
Islington residents can give
themselves a pat on the back as
they are now recycling 10% of all
domestic waste.
This is a dramatic improvement from the
figures 5 years ago, when the borough’s
recycling rate was only 3.59% (I998 –
1999).
✔ the green box scheme is open to
street-side properties in Islington and
is a weekly collection service
accepting glass bottles and jars,
paper, cans and tins and textiles. You
can join the green box scheme by
simply calling Contact Islington on
020 7527 2000.
✔ 60% of the average dustbin can easily
be recycled in a green box, that’s your
paper, glass, tins, cans and textiles.
Recycling service branches out
Islington’s recycling service is expanding,
with a green waste collection service
being tried out in some parts of the
borough. An initial eight thousand homes
have been selected for the weekly pilot
that will run for the next two years.
Residents in the pilot areas will by now have
received a supply of biodegradable ‘ecosacks’
which are made from parts of the tree which
would otherwise go to waste during timber
processing, and have the approval of the
Forestry Stewardship Council. The bags will take
grass clippings, small branches from trees and
shrubs, weeds, leaves, prunings and hedge
trimmings.
For more information on green waste collection or other
aspects of recycling, call 020 7527 2000, or email
✆ contact@islington.gov.uk
Before...
...after
We want what
you throw away
Islington’s new waste and recycling
centre is up and running and is
bigger and better than before.
The huge, £60m state-of-the-art centre on
Hornsey Street N7, paid for by Arsenal,
accepts a whole range of waste or
unwanted items that could not be taken to
the previous site.
Goodbye to grime
Islington is getting tough on grime, and
tough on the causes of grime, with a
six-week blitz on the borough’s worst
affected areas to prove it.
The crackdown is part of the A1 Borough
project, which aims to dramatically improve
the environment and quality of services
throughout Islington.
To show that the council really does mean
business when it comes to making our streets
cleaner and greener, fifteen areas, identified by
residents and local groups, were completely
blitzed of grime.
And we mean blitzed! From Old Street to
Archway and 13 other areas in between, litter,
graffiti, fly posting, chewing gum and weeds
were cleared away.
And it doesn’t just end there. The newly
cleansed areas have set a higher standard
that the council is determined to maintain.
Residents are urged to let us know if
standards slip by ringing Contact Islington
on 020 7527 2000 to report it to us.
✆For more information on the
A1 Borough project,
contact Karen Sullivan on
020 7527 2730 or e-mail
karen.sullivan@islington.gov.uk
As well as the glass, cans, paper and
textiles that are recycled already, the new
centre takes green garden waste, untreated
timber, rubble, cardboard, scrap metal,
fridges and freezers, plastic bottles, kitchen
electrical items, gas bottles, car batteries,
waste motor oil and reusable items such as
furniture and bric-a-brac.
Although designed to take bulky items that
are taken by car, there are drop-off
facilities for pedestrians in Cottage Road,
off Caledonian Road N7.
Situated just off the Holloway Road, the
facility is an excellent example of
successful working with partners, and a
great start to the A1 Borough project.
The centre is open from Mon – Sat
8.00am – 8.00pm and on Sundays
and public holidays 8.30am –
8.00pm throughout the year, apart
from Christmas Day and New Year’s
Day.
4

Gunners
in EC1
Gunners in EC1 is a
special partnership
with the involvement
of all the local
youth clubs and
groups in
Islington setting
up a programme
of football
coaching and
competitive
matches.
Working side by side
Islington Council, Islington Police and
National Car Parks (NCP) have signed
on the dotted line signalling their
commitment to work closer together to
reduce the level of crime and disorder
in Islington, improve community safety
and make residents feel safer.
The Metropolitan Police identified side-by-side
patrolling as an example of best practice and
have been encouraging the adoption of the
scheme. Joint patrols of police and parking
attendants means police engaging with
parking attendants when they see them on
the street and spending 30 minutes walking
and talking together.
The new joint working arrangements will also
see parking attendants receive regular
briefings from the police about local crime
trends and hot spots. They will provide
parking attendants with registration numbers
of vehicles that have been stolen or involved
in criminal activity. In turn parking attendants
will be receiving strengthened police support
in cases where they are assaulted or harassed
while performing their role as parking
enforcement officials.
Supt Lesley Chrystal, Islington Borough Police
said: “Sustainable crime reduction is achieved
through partnership working. This is a great
example where working together, building
good personal relationships and improved
information sharing can only benefit the
communities within Islington.”
Local government’s
improvement and development
agency (IDeA) thinks that this is one of
the best schemes in the country. Irene
Payne, IDeA Regional Associate for
London says:
“The gunners project shows how, with
a little imagination, councils can use
sport to bring local groups together to
create innovative programmes for
young people. This project is an
example of tackling difficult issues such
as anti social behaviour in a positive
way, which opens up opportunities for
young people.”
✆To find out more contact
Michael McNeill on
020 7686 8810 or email
michael.mcneill@aquaterra.org
Muriel street
A new purpose built nursing home
and day centre complex offering
improved and a much wider range
of care services for older
people with dementia is now
open in Islington.
Muriel Street has been built
on the same site as the
former Preedy House.
Preedy House was an
old home run by the
council which was
closed to allow Muriel
Street to be built. The
resource centre
offers space
for 60 local
people in
residential
beds, nursing beds, higher needs nursing
beds, a day centre for 15 people and care to
help the vulnerable transfer from hospital
home.
This is the result of a contract between
Islington Council, Islington Primary Care Trust
and specialist health and social care provider
Care UK to improve the care environment for
older people with dementia.
The improvements are part of
Islington Council’s rolling programme
to improve all its facilities for older
people. Over the next three years
they will be investing nearly £2 million
in their day centre services to help
older people get the best possible
care locally.
5

Have your say
on what we
spend
Islington Council wants to give as
many people as possible the
chance to have their say on next
year's municipal budget. Look
out in the next edition of Islington
for the short questionnaire on the
’04/’05 budget.
For the first time in 2003 residents had
the opportunity to give their view on
what the council’s money should be
spent on. This helped to raise
awareness on the choices the council
has and directly informed councillors
when they made their decisions about
what to spend a limited budget on.
Summer
university
‘Thumbs up’ to
early years in
Islington
Islington is
providing top
quality joined up
early years services
that got a big
‘thumbs up’ from
children's minister Margaret Hodge
as Archway early years centre and
Margaret McMillan nursery school
became Sure Start children’s centres.
An individual’s life chances start at
the moment of birth and everyone
aims to ensure that children here get
the very best start in life.
Margaret Hodge said: “Joined-up services
mean better support for children and
families. The Archway and Margaret
Macmillan centres are helping families reach
the services they need, where and when
they need them. Our long-term vision is for
a children’s centre in every community. This
will help all children get a sure start in life,
help parents balance their work and family
life and support local communities.”
Islington’s summer university once
again proved a huge success. It was
open to anyone aged 10 to 19 who
lives, studies or works in the borough,
and offered something for everyone
with over 40 classes in IT, languages,
maths and computers, visual arts, and
performing arts available throughout
August. There were computer classes,
football workshops at the Arsenal Red
Zone, digital technology workshops,
self defence classes and maths,
science and english classes to help
with school work and much more.
On one course, 15 young people were given
the chance to learn about cookery at
Shillibeers Wine Bar and Restaurant.
All the young people that took part in the
cookery class that took place at said it was
excellent and are looking forward to next year.
“It was a really good choice I made
going to cook at Shillibeers. I’ve always
wanted to try cooking.” said Emma
Lewis, 14 years old from Islington
“Very enjoyable would like to come
next year.” said Nisha Singh,14 years
old also from Islington.
Summer university classes are split into nine
zones, an innovative way of categorising,
making it easier to find the class you want.
The zones are work, study, computer,
language, visual arts, sport and fitness,
performing arts and hi impact.
✆To find out more about
next year’s summer university
please call 020 7527 5558
or email
summeruniversity@islington.gov.uk
6
✆Call Islington Children’s
Information Service on
020 7527 5959 for details of
all registered childcare –
including childminders, day nurseries,
pre-schools, out-of-school care and
holiday play schemes.

Education
Tennis stars of the future showed off
their talent at the Play Tennis Day on
Highbury Fields marking the start of
Islington Education Week, 26 June to 2
July. Young and old took part in
coaching sessions, mini tournaments
and a speed gun test! And, the
Panthers Islington’s only basketball
club gave dribbling and shooting
lessons.
week 2004
roundup
the girls primary schools swimming gala
at Ironmonger Row, and sharing first
place in the boys competition with
Hanover.
This year’s week long celebration of education
in the borough focused on sport, healthy living
and international relations and it gave
everyone the chance to celebrate Islington’s
achievements and successes. Sports and
activity days with wheel barrow and egg and
spoon races at schools, early
learning centres and adventure playgrounds;
historical walks; water sports for all ages on
the canal and healthy living promotions
are just a taste of what was happening
up and down the borough.
Steeplechaser Jermaine Mays and
cross country runner Ron Higgs,
cheered on the children at the
primary school outdoor
athletics champions where
Hungerford school retained
the title they won last year.
And, Clerkenwell school made
a huge splash by coming first in
Over 1000 children and adults came to
the Carnival of Colour in Whittington Park
aimed at promoting healthy living for
the under fives. Pupils from Samuel
Rhodes battled it out in the inter
borough five-a-side tournament
at the Sobell Centre and the
Islington Youth Theatre took
audiences on a fantastic
journey along the yellow brick
road.
✆For more information
about how you can get
involved in Education
Week 2005 and make it even bigger
and better than this year, email:
educationweek@islington.gov.uk
or call 020 7527 5909.
7

Scam stopped,
home recovered
Islington Council have been granted
possession of the Islington home of
potential benefit fraudster, Miss
Adesola Adelana.
Miss Adelena was sentenced to a community
punishment order of 50 hours at Highbury
Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to
Housing Benefit fraud. She had no right to a
home in Islington because she already had
one in Enfield.
Benefit fraud hotline
0800 073 1449
✆benefitfraud@islington.gov.uk
Area committees,
making a difference
After vigorous representation by the
Tufnell Park road residents group at the
North area committee the first phase of
footpath and road works on Tufnell Park
road will be carried out this year. The
works are due to finish before Christmas.
Residents will continue to press for
improvements in their area.
✆If you are interested in
finding out more about your
local area committee please
contact
020 7527 3308, email are
areacommitteeteam@islington
.gov.uk or click on
www.islington.gov.uk/democracy
Jenny Robinson, Maureen
Stroud, Georgina Spencer and
concierge Samuel Ocran
Concierges in homes
for Islington
Residents at Peregrine House and
Kestrel House EC1, are delighted with
their new, staffed concierge scheme.
The cost of maintaining this service is
partly borne by the residents who
overwhelmingly voted in favour of this
initiative.
The new scheme incorporates state-of-the-art
digital cameras and new entry doors to
improve security for residents of the two highrise
buildings. Residents say that the
atmosphere has been transformed. Anti-social
behaviour and crime has been reduced, and
people feel safer and are taking a new pride in
their building.
Resident Jean Trotter, a tenant association
committee member says: “You feel more
secure, the place is clean and people are
starting to respect it more.”
Each block has numerous strategically placed
cameras covering the lifts, lobbies, roof
access, estate grounds and garages, allowing
concierge staff to monitor movement in and
out of the estate.
The state-of-the art computer systems allow
the concierges to monitor all entries into the
buildings and record any instances of crime or
anti-social behaviour, which can be shared with
police.
The community contact police officer, Barry
Leach – recently awarded the MBE – or one of
his community support officers, makes regular
visits. Officer Leach says the living situation at
the two buildings has “improved massively”,
and he credits the new concierge and CCTV
system at each for that. “The system is great!
Every home should have one”, he says.
Kids have more fun
New outside play structures based on a
boat and docking area at Islington
Council’s Cornwallis adventure playground
are going down a storm with the children.
“They’re much better than the old ones
because there’s more of them and they’re
more fun. All we really had before was
swings and now there’s the bridge and loads
of other things to go on,” says Danny Elson,
aged 10.
And, Gary Keith, aged 11 says “Because of all
the new heights of structures we can play
more games – it’s much more fun!”
The new play equipment is based on ideas from
children attending the playground and was built
by three staff and 40 parents and young people
over five weeks ready for children to play on
during the summer holidays. The refurbishment
cost £5000.
Cornwallis is one of the 12 council and voluntary
adventure playgrounds open to children and
young people aged 5-14. All playgrounds have
indoor facilities where children and young
people can relax, talk to their friends or take part
in other activities like arts and crafts. Outside
they can have fun on the structures and
outdoor equipment.
✆Call Islington Children’s Information
Service on 020 7527 5959 for details of
all registered childcare – including
childminders, day nurseries, pre-schools, out-ofschool
care and holiday play schemes.
8

Bulbs across the borough
Children at the Toffee
Park Adventure
Playground don gloves
in preparation for their
daffodil planting day in
October
Subtle shades for spring? Not so in
Islington, spring 2005 will see bright,
bold and vibrant colours throughout the
borough and you can all help.
With the help of BTCV, Britain’s largest
environmental charity Islington Council is
planting 170,000 bulbs – one for every man,
woman and child living in Islington – this
autumn. Residents, youth and community
groups, and schools are being called upon to
don gardening gloves and help plant native
bluebell, daffodil and crocus bulbs in parks,
housing estates and other green spaces.
✆If you would like to take part or would
simply like more information about
Bulbs across the borough, please
contact either Victoria Johnson or
Paul Jennings at BTCV on 020 7278 4294.
There is still time for people to organise a
group planting session in an area close to
where they live or work. Alternatively the
council will be running Bulb Bonanzas on
Saturdays between 10am – 4pm during
October at the following locations:
Date and locations
9 October Spa Green
23 October Royal Northern Gardens
30 October Highbury Fields
Islington needs you
Over 600 people aged 55+ replied
to the ‘Islington needs you’
questionnaire.
Children’s parliament
23 young people from Islington
Council’s children’s parliament had the
chance to get together and look at
issues of concern and put together
action points and key messages to take
back to the council.
They went to Cardfields environmental study
centre in Essex for the second parliamentary
residential weekend.
Islington has 12 council and voluntary
adventure playgrounds, seven after school
clubs, five area projects and youth centres,
14 estate youth groups, 25 play centres, 18
youth clubs, six youth projects and a young
people’s forum. And the parliament looked at
the reality of what they could do with the
service’s budget.
Ideas put forward included a happy hour –
free sessions for children between 5pm and
6pm – at the leisure centres and police profile
cards as a way of building relations with the
police. There were also suggestions to reduce
the number of adventure playgrounds, cut the
grants given to the voluntary sector and cut
staff.
Parliament member, 12 year old Scarlett
Dempsey said: “It was fun. A chance to
meet new people. I understand now more
about how much money there is to go
around and why there are not more
playcentres. If I got the chance I’d do it
again.”
✆To find out more about
the children’s parliament
please contact
Lesley Kellard 020 7833 1388 or
email
theroundabout.centre@virgin.net
The questionnaire was all part of the
work under ‘live long and prosper’ the
quality of life strategy for residents aged
55+. The questionnaire aimed to find out
what particular interests and skills people
had, so they could be matched with
opportunities to become more active in
the borough.
✆For more information
contact Paula Cooze on
020 7853 5446 email
paula.cooze@nhs.net or look on the
councils website
www.islington.gov.uk/55+
Get your flu jab now!
Vaccinations are an effective way
of preventing flu and the best time
to get one is before November.
Influenza appears every winter, so
don’t wait until there’s a flu
epidemic later in the year, you can
get it at your local doctors surgery
now.
They are free for all Islington residents
who are 65 or over. People with heart,
chest, kidney, and some other problems
can also get one. The vaccine is very
safe and there’s no live virus in the
immunisation so it can’t cause flu.
✆If you’re 65 or over, call
your doctor today. You
can also call NHS Direct
on 0845 4647 for more
information.
9

Aquaterra is a charity working in partnership with Islington Council
in the management of leisure facilities.
✆
Visit
the website
www.aquaterra.org or
call 020 7253 5365
for more information.
Childcare for
tennis fans
Free childcare is now available to
customers using the Islington Tennis
Centre on Market Road, N7. Lumpy
Hill Adventure Playground situated
right next to the centre is offering
youngsters aged 5-14 years
supervised play from Monday to
Thursday 3.30 – 7pm and Sundays
12noon – 6pm.
Islington Tennis Centre manager, Anthony
Jarrett says: “This new partnership with
Lumpy Hill Adventure Playground will give
parents the freedom to use our facilities which
include exercise classes, the gym and tennis
courts, knowing their children are being well
looked after.”
✆
For further information,
please contact Lumpy Hill
on 020 7607 3586 or
Islington Tennis Centre on 020 7700
1370. No booking necessary.
Train with the Arsenal ladies team
Football is the number one participation
sport for girls in the UK and at only £1
per session, now is the time to show
the boys how it’s done!
Girls aged 7 to 14 years can learn football
skills from the professionals at Market Road
pitches for only £1. Arsenal ladies and Islington
football development partnership are joining
forces to run girls only sessions. Just turn up
and play every Monday and Thursday from 5 –
6pm starting from the end of September.
Michael MacNeill, football development
manager says: “It’s great to be associated with
a top female club like Arsenal ladies. Hopefully
we can find the Arsenal and England players
of the future.
✆
For more information
contact Michael MacNeill
on 020 7686 8810 or
michael.macneill@aquaterra.org
Islington’s sports facilities are
improving
Islington’s sports and leisure facilities
are ranked the best in London,
according to a recent independent
MORI survey.
A total of 30 out of the 32 London boroughs
participated in the survey, which enables
councils to benchmark their performance in
regard to residents’ views.
● 60% of residents say they are satisfied
with the sports and leisure facilities –
compared to 50% the last time the survey
was done in 2001.
● sports and leisure facilities satisfaction
scores ranked first in London compared to
other boroughs *22% of residents think
sports and leisure facilities have improved
in the last three years.
● The overall number of people who say that
they used the council’s sports and leisure
facilities in the last year has stayed the
same at 54%. However, the number of
people who say they use the facilities at
least once a week has risen from 16% to
20%.
Seven days free
membership
Give it a go! Aquaterra are giving away
500 seven day memberships. You can try
out seven consecutive days of free gym,
swim, exercise classes and sauna at any
of the centres. You must make an
appointment to qualify for your free
membership. The offer is limited to one
per adult and runs until 17 November.
Call your nearest centre today.
Archway Leisure Centre 020 7272 6009
Highbury Pool 020 7690 0413
Sobell Leisure Centre 020 7686 2363
Ironmonger Row Baths 020 7253 4011
Islington Tennis Centre 020 7697 1205
Cally Pool 020 7278 1890
10

Handy contacts
in this issue
For anything you want to know about
Islington Council, first call Contact
Islington on 020 7527 2000.
This telephone and face to face
customer service centre is on the
ground floor of 222 Upper Street N1.
The 020 7527 2000 service is open for
business longer than usual so residents
can deal with the council on the way to, or
from, home and work.
Grants for elderly and
disabled homeowners
Do you know someone who could benefit?
All private homeowners who are over
60, disabled or on benefits can apply
for a grant to improve heating and
insulation and security to their home.
Those on low income can receive a
grant for repairs and adaptations if
they are disabled.
Local homeowner Mrs Burke has had
extensive building works funded by a
Houseproud loan, which does not have to be
repaid until the house is sold. In addition the
✆
For more information
contact the council’s grants
team on 020 7527 3104 or
visit the council’s website at
www.islington.gov.uk
Islington householders can protect
themselves against dramatic gas and
electricity price increases announced
recently, simply by adopting a few
energy efficient measures which will
help reduce energy bills.
British Gas announced plans to increase
residential gas and electricity bills by an
average of 11 percent, which could add
around £67 a year to the average household’s
energy bill.
Islington householders could save up to £200
a year in energy bills – and create a warmer
home in the process. Choosing energy
efficient lightbulbs will save money and even
council awarded a grant of £15,000.
This new scheme offers Islington’s older
homeowners living in poor housing an
opportunity to make home improvements
through an innovative partnership between
Islington Council and local housing charity St
Pancras and Humanist Care and Repair. The
building works and the finances were
organised by St Pancras and Humanist Care
and Repair.
Mrs Burke, said: “My house was in such poor
condition with rain coming through the roof
and dangerous electrical wiring. I feel so much
better knowing that a reliable builder carried
out the repairs. The Houseproud scheme has
helped me stay in my home and remain
independent.”
Save on your fuel bills
bigger savings can be made by insulating your
loft and walls, draught proofing and putting in
a more efficient heating system. Other
measures such as switching computers,
televisions and videos off standby, or not
leaving lights on unnecessarily, will not only
save money by cutting down on electricity,
they will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions
and help the environment at the same time.
✆
For good energy advice
residents can call into
Islington’s energy centre
anytime between
9am-5pm Monday to Friday or call
freephone 0800 512 012.
energy.advice@islington.gov.uk
The telephone contact centre is open
Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and
the service centre is open from
8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and will
also open from 9am – 1pm on the last
Saturday in the month – more, if it’s
popular. A resource room also offers
internet access to all public services, a
quiet area for form-filling and space for
checking planning applications.
A1 Borough project
020 7527 2730
karen.sullivan@islington.gov.uk
Area committees
020 7527 3308
areacommitteeteam@islington.gov.uk
www.islington.gov.uk/democracy
Benefit fraud hotline
0800 073 1449
benefitfraud@islington.gov.uk
Bulbs across the borough
020 7278 4294
Children’s Information Service
020 7527 5959
Childrens parliament
020 7833 1388
theroundabout.centre@virgin.net
Education week
020 7527 5909
educationweek@islington.gov.uk
Energy centre
0800 512 012
energy.advice@islington.gov.uk
Gunners in EC1
020 7686 8810
michael.mcneill@aquaterra.org
Listen up
020 7527 3134
julie.easy@islington.gov.uk
www.islington.gov.uk/listenup
NHS direct
0845 4647
Over 55+
020 7853 5446
paula.cooze@nhs.net
www.islington.gov.uk/55+
Recycling
020 7527 2000
contact@islington.gov.uk
Summer uni
020 7527 5558
summeruniversity@islington.gov.uk
Voting
020 7527 3110
electoral.services@islington.gov.uk
www.islington.gov.uk/voting
11