 To celebrate and support Plantlife’s national No Mow May event for 2023, Hounslow Council and its partners at Lampton Services will be letting the grass grow in selected housing areas, parks, and on grass verges maintained by Hounslow Highways.
For details of participating locations across the borough, click here.
You may wonder why the Council is supporting this initiative and what benefit there is to our environment.
We’re taking part to help encourage greater biodiversity, improve our local environment and create healthier habits for plants and insects.
Click below for a more detailed look at why selected areas will be going without a haircut this May. And for how you can get involved too.
 Join the Community Solutions team for a special marketplace event in Feltham that should be lively and informative. In addition to the usual mix of partners from the voluntary sector, this will also include two practical sessions for residents to enjoy.
The first, on how to make do and mend with old fabric, features Kim Lee, a passionate up-cycler who can show you how to transform an old duvet set or curtain, so bring your own materials. The second is a digital support session with local charity Our Barn; whatever your device, the team can help you feel more confident using it, so please bring it along!
 Last weekend (6-8 May), the borough came together in full royal style to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Residents shared fun, food, and friendship and many volunteered to give communities a weekend of special events.
The historic event got off to a supersonic start with a ‘royal welcome’ mural painted in Thornbury Park, Isleworth. British Airways in partnership with VisitBritain gave visitors and residents alike a welcome to start the celebratory spirits of the Coronation of Their Majesties.
From Bedfont to Chiswick there were a host of activities and entertainment for all communities and age groups - live music, cake bake-offs, magicians, arts and crafts, choirs, bouncy castles and much more. A series of free activities for families were hosted at libraries and schools across the borough, whilst pupils of Isleworth Town Primary shared special messages for the King which featured on Sky News.
Thanks to everyone who shared their photographs of the Coronation weekend.
 On Saturday, 13 May a nationwide strike is taking place by RMT union members on South Western Railways (SWR). A reduced service will operate between 7am and 7pm only and large parts of the network will be closed.
To support spectators travelling to the Army v Navy rugby game at Twickenham, there will be additional services, both before and after the match, between London Waterloo and Windsor & Eton Riverside via Richmond.
The following routes will be served
- London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside via Hounslow – 2 trains per hour, reducing to 1 from mid-afternoon
- London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside via Richmond – 2 trains per hour
- London Waterloo to Woking – 4 trains per hour
- London Waterloo to Basingstoke – 1 fast and 2 semi-fast trains per hour
There will be no services on any other SWR routes. Customers are advised to only travel if their journeys are absolutely necessary. Journey planners are up to date and customers are advised to check their entire journey, as strike action will affect other operators.
Work Hounslow, the Skills and Employment Team for Hounslow Council, has been shortlisted for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2023 in the Public Sector Champion Category.
Through Work Hounslow, the Council is encouraging more businesses to pay the London Living Wage to get a fairer deal for local residents and those working in the borough. This means celebrating those who are paying the London Living Wage already and sharing the benefits it brings for both employees and businesses.
 Cyclists across the borough and beyond are invited to participate in a fantastic day to celebrate the development of new cycling infrastructure to celebrate the completion of Cycleway 9 in Chiswick.
On Sunday, 14 May, Hounslow Council will be running a led cycle ride from Turnham Green.
The guided ride will depart at 10.30am and is for families and cyclists of all abilities. It will be led by expert, qualified ride leaders.
Cycling and active travel stalls and activities will also run outside Chiswick Town Hall and on Turnham Green. These will include an exchanging places workshop by the Metropolitan Police, a performance by the Bicycle Ballet Co and a second-hand bicycle market by Peddle My Wheels. There will also be stalls from Hounslow Council’s green and active travel teams, promoting upcoming and ongoing projects, as well as stalls from local cycling and active travel businesses.
 Celebrate Polish Heritage Day with a fantastic free event this Saturday, 13 May, at Lampton Park from 2pm-8pm.
Expect a family-friendly day of Polish culture with amazing food, live dances and musical performances, market stalls, and fun activities for people of all ages.
Furthermore, this year the festival will feature Coronation related activities such as crown making.
 Do you have a passion for caring for our environment or interested in pursuing a career in the green sector?
Our free-to-attend Green Skills Bootcamp will help you learn the skills needed to develop your career in land management. Upon completion of the four-week course, candidates will receive guaranteed job interviews.
Starting on Monday, 26 June 2023 for four weeks, the Bootcamp will take place Monday-Friday, between 10am and 2pm. It will involve a mixture of classroom learning at Meadowbank, on-site work experience, and employability training.
The cost of childcare required during course hours will be covered and attendees will receive a free London Zone 2-6 Travelcard for the week.
This course is aimed at unemployed Hounslow and Ealing residents, and no prior qualifications are required.
If you’d like to find out more, we are holding free online information sessions on Wednesday, 24 May. You can sign up for either event here: 12pm session, 6pm session.
For more details, and steps on how to apply, click below.
 The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA), an organisation dedicated to supporting refugees and asylum-seekers as they rebuild their lives in the UK, is starting a programme called The Wired Future: Digital Education for Afghan Girls.
The project will provide 400 newly arrived and settled 7-14 year old Afghan refugee girls with weekly classes of digital skills such as coding and web development.
The classes will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays after school, from 4:30-6:30 PM at Unit 9, Griffin Centre, Staines Road, TW14 0HS. Laptops will be provided for use during the sessions.
 With summer and warmer weather just around the corner, make sure you’re subscribed to our Garden Waste Collection Service. The service runs until 31 March 2024, with fortnightly collections carried out by the Council’s partner organisation Recycle 360 (with a two week break over the Christmas period).
The optional service costs £65 for the year, or £32.50 for those receiving a council tax reduction, and is a convenient, green and cheap way to recycle your garden waste.
If you’re clearing out the garden for barbeque season, make sure you’re subscribed – click the button below for info.
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