Category Archives: Events

Hale Gardens VE Day Street Party

Monday 5 May 2025 CARA and St Martin’s Church are planning to hold a street party in Hale Gardens for the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. See the flyer here. We need offers of help for setting up on the evening of 4 May and running the event on Monday 5 May, 12 noon – 3pm, followed by clearing up. 

CARA AGM Thursday 15th May

CARA’s 2025 AGM, on Thursday 15 May at Springfield Bowls Club; Western Gardens. This will be a critical meeting for the future of CARA as we need new committee members.
Registration at 7.30pm for Meeting start at 8pm.
The talk following the business meeting will be given by Sergeant Matthew Buckland, Sergeant responsible for the North Acton & South Acton Wards Neighbourhood Policing.

The Annual General Meeting has four purposes:
1. reporting activity in the year recently completed
2. election of the Committee and plans for the year ahead
3. Hearing a talk by a guest speaker, usually related to CARA’s area
4. A social gathering with fellow members.
The election of a committee to take over organisation of CARA is a vital part of the AGM, and for CARA to continue to function as it has for almost fifty years.
All but one of the current committee of six have been in post for at least 10 years, (one for 18 years!) and have given notice that they resign. It is essential that from CARA’s membership we find people to fill the roles listed below ( some roles could be shared by two people). We would see 2025-26 as a handover year, and will be able to advise and assist:

  • Chair to lead 5 Committee meetings and the AGM, and coordinate the Committee
  • Committee Secretary to arrange meetings, take and distribute minutes
  • Membership Secretary to maintain the Membership records and write and distribute membership cards,(with help) and to welcome new members.
  • Social Secretary to organise social events, with help from committee members and others
  • Planning -reading and responding on CARA’s behalf to notices of planning applications, liaising re the Creffield Conservation Area with the Ealing Council’s Conservation Officer and the Conservation Panel. (2 members needed)
  • Communications -assembling and sending out emails
  • Webmaster to update and redevelop CARA’s website especially to include history and Conservation Area material which has been prepared.

There are 5 Committee meetings during the year, held approximately in alternate months, usually at a member’s home, or by arrangement at the Bowls Club. It’s a friendly group, and it’s interesting to meet more neighbours, both on the Committee and others.
Please consider volunteering for the Committee – the only people who can ensure that CARA can continue to fulfill its purpose and benefit residents in the area are the current members, and without a viable Committee able to fulfill the functions as described above, the Association would have to consider whether it should be dissolved.

I am happy to discuss this in more detail..please ring me on 07803 725032.
What do Residents’ Associations do? See below a list of roles Residents’ Associations play, and CARA’s contribution to each on behalf of Creffield Area.

Residents’ Associations have long been a feature of residential neighbourhoods in this country. They are voluntary bodies (no-one is paid for any planning, managing, organising etc that they do), and their existence relies on the willingness of members to take a turn in sufficient numbers for the organisation to thrive. Residents’ Associations serve many functions, for example:

  • as a focus in representing Residents’ views to Local and Area Councils relating to actual or proposed changes in how they implement their responsibilities and the effects this has on residents; this can be for very local issues or Borough-wide issues where links with neighbouring Residents’ Associations can be productive.
  • CARA was formed in the mid 1970s in response to plans to develop the North circular Road as it crosses Ealing Common, suggestions included tunnelling under it and/or removing many mature trees to widen it. Other local residents’ groups were involved too, also in response to plans for a major road through the centre of Ealing Broadway where eventually instead Ealing Broadway Centre was built.
  • providing a forum for residents to group together to lobby local bodies in matters which affect them directly.
  • In recent years this has included CARA as one of a number of Residents’ associations in Ealing objecting to the imposition/proposal of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in groups of our streets. regular communication to members of local planning applications they might wish to comment on, and sending CARA’s view of the appropriateness of these to Ealing Council’s Planning Portal, linking CARA’s views to the Conservation Area. CARA was closely involved in the Borough Conservation Review in recent years, and awaits the implementation of the agreed changes.
  • enabling social interaction among neighbours by arranging social events, and fostering a sense of Community
  • CARA has typically 4 social events each year – an Annual Dinner, a social gathering after the AGM, a Community Bonfire and Fireworks Party (jointly with Springfield Bowls Club) for 5 November and summer parties such as Boules & BBQ, and (sometimes, as in 2022, 2023 and now in 2025) a street Party (jointly with St Martin’s Church) as part of a national celebration/ Commemoration. There have also been quiz evenings and lectures.
  • supporting Businesses and organisations in the Residence Association’s area.
  • About 12 years ago, CARA instituted a Business Discount Scheme whereby local businesses which offered a discount to CARA members were listed on CARA’s Membership Card and linked on CARA’s website, as an encouragement to businesses to join and to members to support them. Businesses are approached on members’ suggestions, and most have been happy to join, and have continued their membership to date. CARA’s founding aims included supporting clubs and organisations in our area, and social events have been held at the Bowls and Tennis Clubs, Twyford Avenue Sports Ground and in St Martin’s Church Hall
  • to arrange a local response and contribution to events/celebrations of national interest. 
  • the joint CARA/St Martin’s Church street parties for the Queen’s platinum Jubilee and for King Charles’s Coronation celebration have been attended by hundreds of people, and we hope for the same on May 5th this year.
  • to inform members of local information, events and activities of interest which we are asked to share by Ealing Council and other local organisations
  • Cara’s newsletters include such information as well as matters relating to CARA’s activities.

I think you will agree that this range of roles makes a valuable contribution to the life of a neighbourhood, and that it is important that it continue.