 After a year-long pilot and consultation with residents, Hounslow Council has made a regulation on Houses in Multiple Occupations (HMOs) permanent. Landlords – who want to convert family homes into HMOs for three to six tenants – will now have to obtain planning permission from the Council. The regulation came into force earlier in the week at Hounslow Council’s Cabinet meeting.
 Hounslow High Street will come alive this Saturday, 15 July. It will be a day featuring street theatre, a cycle-powered wooden carousel and fun and interactive games for children using recycled objects. Artists from Catalonia, Spain and the UK will run their shows between 10am and 5pm on every corner from Bell Square to Hounslow High Street.
In addition, Creative Mile - Brentford Art Trail has announced some exciting local artists who will take part in the three-day event in Brentford’s waterways from Friday, 1 September to Sunday, 3 September. The artistic theme for this year is water and Creative Mile is collaborating with Totally Thames festival for the first time, with special events and performances set to take place.
 Junior doctors are now on strike until 7am on Tuesday, 18 July.
Consultants will be on strike from 7am on Thursday, 20 July until 7am on Friday, 21 July.
NHS services will be under a huge amount of pressure leading up to and during these strikes.
Please think about the best place to go for the help you need. If you do not require urgent or emergency care, you can get help through these NHS services:
NHS 111: Fully trained health professionals are available, 24/7, to help if you need medical help or advice, or if you are unsure about whether you should go to hospital. You can contact NHS 111 online, or by calling 111.
Your GP: The majority of practices in NW London will remain open during the strike, though many will be under increased pressure. Do continue to attend your GP and dental appointments unless you have been contacted and told otherwise.
Pharmacy: Pharmacists are trained health professionals who can help with your medication questions and minor health concerns. Many offer private consultations without an appointment and can advise where to get further help if you need it.
It is important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward. If you are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, you should still attend A&E or call 999.
You will be contacted by the NHS if your appointment needs to be changed. If you do not hear anything, please make sure you attend your appointment as scheduled.
 On Friday, 21 July, the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) Summer Festival will be held in Old Isleworthians (TW7 5ED), between 2pm and 8pm, with free entry.
Families can meet the HAF providers to learn more about their summer offers. Children can also enjoy a fun afternoon with games, face painting and music.
Between Monday, 24 July and Friday, 1 September, children aged between 5 and 16 who are entitled to Free School Meals in Hounslow can attend the HAF programme across the summer holidays, free of charge. Parents and carers should receive holiday activity vouchers from schools, which can then be used to book summer activities.
Become a fully qualified cycling instructor for free
 Register your interest in this free five-day training course to become fully qualified and move directly into employment as a self-employed cycling instructor.
The course will start on Monday, 4 September and will last for five days, running from 9am to 5pm each day. It will be delivered face-to-face and consist of four days of practical learning and one day of course work.
Once you successfully complete the course, you’ll be contracted by CI as a self-employed cycling instructor, which pays between £18 and £20 an hour. The core element of the role involves hosting cycle training sessions for school children, as well as 1:1 and group training sessions with adults.
If you are interested in enrolling on the course, or would like to find out more, please contact the team at skillsescalator@hounslow.gov.uk
 Community hubs are being opened in Council buildings to make better use of existing facilities. Each will have a slightly different range of services and activities on offer, based on local needs, and the range of services available will grow over time. Our first is at Feltham Assembly Hall and this will open in September.
Before then, every Tuesday afternoon between 2pm and 5pm, Community Solutions and a small number of other Council services and partners will be available on site.
Revenue and Benefits, Estate Improvement Team, Housing Engagement, Asylum and Refugee team and EACH (counselling and support) will all be offering services throughout the summer.
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme will be there on Tuesday, 18 July – running multi-sport taster sessions for children outside on the playing fields from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Also on site will be Kim Lee from #sewmuchtosay with advice on making do and mending with everyday textiles.
For further details call 020 8583 2211.
 The Ultra Low Emission Zone will expand London-wide from Tuesday, 29 August, 2023. You can check if your vehicle is compliant at tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/
Eligible Londoners and small businesses may qualify for a grant to scrap older, more polluting vehicles and replace them. The criteria as to who can receive the grant has also recently been expanded.
There are also some subsidies to support wheelchair-accessible vehicles and minibuses owned by schools, colleges, charities and academies.
 Join Age UK Hounslow between 10:30am and 2:30pm on Wednesday, 26 July at Southville Community Centre (TW14 8AP) for a sight loss awareness talk.
Held in collaboration with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and Middlesex Association for the Blind, the event will feature two doctors/ophthalmologists hosting a talk on preventable sight loss and answering any questions you may have on the topic.
Advice on any related benefits to which you might be entitled, as well as guidance on children’s services will also be discussed.
For more information, please call 020 8560 6969.
 Learn Hounslow’s first outdoor Summer Craft Market will be held on Wednesday, 19 July between 12pm and 4pm in Bell Square.
The market will showcase arts and crafts products such as blankets, jewellery, wall art and pottery that has been produced by students taking part in Designed & Made in Hounslow courses. These are delivered by Learn Hounslow, a provider of Adult & Community Education in the borough.
Learn Hounslow has been organising creative markets for students to put their learning into practice, launching themselves as artists and entrepreneurs.
For more details, you can visit www.hace.ac.uk.
 Schools are almost out for summer, and there's no better way to spend family time than with Boston Manor Park's July and August community events.
There's fun for all the family, and activities suitable for all ages. Whether it's mosaic making, arts and crafts, nature walks, wood carving, or even some weekend volunteering, the fantastic team at Boston Manor Park have you covered.
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