July 2009 Archives

A record turnout was achieved at Bedfont Lakes Country Fair despite calls to boycott the event over the introduction of admission fees.

More than 5,500 people attended the 14th annual fair on Sunday July 26 - an increase of 1,500 on last year's showing.

Uproar had been caused by the decision by organisers John Laing to introduce an entrance fee of £2 per person but revellers packed into Bedfont Lakes Country Park to experience the displays and activities.

The 14th annual Bedfont Lakes Country Fair will take place at Bedfont Lakes Country Park on Sunday between noon and 5pm.

This year's fair will feature motorbike stunts, animals from Hounslow Urban Farm, a dog show, falconry displays, a horse show, morris dancers and performance from Titan - an 8ft dancing robot.

Entry to the event, which has regularly attracted more than 4,000 visitors, costs £2 per person.

Birds in Bedfont Lakes Country Park have received a boost in the form of a new tern raft.

The floating platform, which is anchored to the lake bed, provides shelter for terns to nest and offers them protection from predators.

Friends of Bedfont Lakes applied to the Thames Community Foundation for funding for the new raft as previous rafts has been damaged beyond repair.

They hope it will increase the number of birds in the park, attract more visitors and improve the ecology of the area.

Families and charities are being urged to boycott this year's Bedfont Country Fair in protest at a hike in prices.

Visitors will be charged for admission for the first time in the event's 15 year history, while charities are being put off holding stalls by £25 charges.

John Laing - the company which runs Hounslow's leisure services on behalf of the council - said the charges of £2 per person and £25 per charity stall are needed to stop the event making a loss.

Feltham Rotary Club has delivered over 600 illustrated dictionaries to Year 5 children in schools throughout Feltham, Bedfont and Hanworth.

Over the last two weeks, local Rotarians visited 10 schools in the area and gave each child a dictionary to keep as part of a Rotary international literacy scheme.

Last Wednesday they visited Victoria Junior School in Feltham where Rotarian Daphne Cass assisted by Rosemary Gibbs distributed the dictionaries at a school assembly that coincided with a Class 5 concert for parents.

The dictionaries have been provided by the Rotary Club of Feltham from funds raised locally through a grant from The Office of the Third Sector managed by the Thames Community Foundation.