March 2012 Archives

As Olympic fever hits the capital, the penguins at London Zoo are getting in on the act - with their very own diving board.

To celebrate the zoo being awarded the Games organisers' Inspired by 2012 mark for its summer Animal Athletes programme, the sporty birds are having their very own diving board installed.

Having already perfected their penguin-stroke and mastered the flipper-crawl, the colony of 64 penguins will be able to practise their spectacular diving skills.

Students at a college in Paddington were given a careers talk by a group of Microsoft executives this week.

During the 90-minute session, IT and business students at the Paddington Green campus of the City of Westminster College heard Laura Ipsen, one of the company's corporate vice presidents, describe how she progressed her career in the firm.

Part of her job involves advising governments and public bodies on using technology to build skills and knowledge, and she advised her audience to enjoy studying and to follow their own passions as well as developing computer skills.

An £18million sports centre is set to be built in Queens Park.

Westminster Council has revealed proposals to merge the existing Jubilee and Moberly facilities to create the centre.

Subject to planning permission, the new centre will include more facilities than both existing buildings, including a new swimming pool and dedicated learner pool, an eight-court sports hall, health and fitness suite, exercise studios and new boxing provision.

A group of parents put the spotlight on housing problems at a meeting with MP Karen Buck and council staff.

The mums and dads from the Cardinal Hume Centre spoke about the lack of adequate housing, the difficulties they face in bidding for better homes, and the long wait for permanent homes during the meeting.

It was all part of the 'No Place Like Home' campaign, set up in partnership with charity Save the Children.

With just over 100 days until this year's Games, the City of Westminster Archives has taken delivery of an iconic Olympic torch from the last time they were hosted in London.

Loaned to the archives by Lloyds Banking Group, the 1948 torch was carried by 1,416 runners from Olympia, Greece, to Wembley Stadium, and will be used as part of the national People's Record Project, giving behind the scenes access to historic Olympic treasures.

The torch will be on display alternating between the archives centre, where there will also be art sessions for primary school children to produce some sport-inspired works.

Children at the Westminster domestic abuse refuge will get lots of new toys thanks to a £1,000 donation from housing association A2Dominion, writes Sophie Exton.

Staff at the company took part in a survey giving their views on working there, and each donated £2 to participate.

In total £1,058 was raised for the Domestic Abuse Services Toy Appeal.

Police are hunting boys as young as 10 after a spate of sexual assaults and flashing in Maida Vale over the past month.

Between February 14 and March 14, there have been six offences on lone women, all carried out in the early evening, and all by youths aged between 10 and 15.

In the first incident, a woman was walking in Castellain Road on February 14, when she was approached by a boy, thought to be about 15, who exposed himself.

Westminster Council has won a landmark case against unlawful subletting of one of its properties.

Herminio Nasciemento, 42, a former council tenant of a two bedroom flat on the Westbourne Park Estate, was jailed for 16 weeks on March 14, for subletting a council home while living with his partner in a house they jointly own in Crawley, Sussex.

A 70-YEAR-OLD woman was fighting for her life today after a collision with a motorcyclist near Victoria station yesterday (Thursday March 22), writes Hilary Aked.

An air ambulance was among the emergency services sent to the scene after the elderly pedestrian was knocked down on Buckingham Palace Road at around 10.35am.

Pimlico Academy could be extended to include a new primary school from September next year.

A consultation kicked off this week, with residents given the chance to comment on the proposals to expand the Lupus Street school.

Future, the education charity which has sponsored the school since 2008, says it would like to extend provision at the school so that it caters for youngsters from the age of four, all the way to 18.