WHO ARE HAG
We are made up of enthusiastic volunteers from heston. Our aim is to clean and green heston and protect and improve our environment and green spaces.
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WHO ARE the HAG committee
At any one time we have approximately 10 committee members. They are all volunteers that live in Heston. A copy of our Constitution can be found here and a below we have provided a brief biography of each current committee member.
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Philip - Chairman
I trained as a childcare social worker and used these skills to deliver services and manage childcare and adult services in both local authorities and charities. My commitment has been the engagement of children and parents in decision making in often very trying circumstances. This obligation was apparent managing the child protection system and chairing numerous safeguarding conferences. The skills developed here led to an expertise in managing meetings to ensure inclusivity. I have undertaken numerous volunteer roles including school governor for 6 years, Trustee for the Family Rights Group Management Committee 1982 - 1991. I established and chaired the committee to run an “after school” facility for my daughter’s primary school. From 2005 – 2018 Volunteer for the British Red Cross: In association with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I was a Team leader undertaking logistical assessments or provision of care to British Nationals caught up in manmade or natural disasters across the world. Deployments included: coach accident in Spain (40 people, 2 dead), Brussels bombings, Hurricane Irma in the West Indies 2017), assisting families associated in mass shooting at the tourist resort Port El Kantaoui, Tunisia and tragic fire at Grenfell Tower. As chair of Heston Action Group I am frequently overwhelmed by the commitment and skill of the committee and its enthusiasm to create a better Heston.
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Jasmine - Secretary
I am keen to motivate Heston locals to care about their street and retain the green in their private gardens and public spaces. Having worked in the field of adult training for the last 20 years designing workshops and training courses, I would love to engage local residents in educational workshops that increase their knowledge and understanding of their environment and how to improve it. I would also like to design and offer practical workshops for people to learn. Finally, I would like to engage the local community to spread the message about the health benefits of nature and green spaces.
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Navdeep - Committee Member
I am a founding committee member of HAG and believe strongly in positive community action and engagement. I am a lawyer by profession and actively engage with groups and organisations right across London to share HAG ideas. I am also the Chair of the National Park City Foundation - London is a National Park City and HAG were very privileged to speak at the launch event at London City Hall in 2019.
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Mar - Committee Member
Mar was the mastermind of the first ever HAG litter pick in March 2018.
I am a naturalised Hestonian although was born in beautiful Granada in South Spain. I have recently completed my Forest Garden Certificate and the Permaculture Design Certificate and will be providing workshops on Permanent Agriculture in our Heston Community Garden at Sutton Playing Fields . I am linguist by profession and a country girl by birth and at heart. I have been keeping bees at Springwell School from 2016 until 2020 and teaching numerous kids the wonderful world of honey bees.
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Michael - Committee Member
Besides my voluntary work with HAG I have been employed in residential property management for over 11 years and prior to that in field of property/facilities management for 15 years. My primary role within HAG is to monitor, publicise, and respond to local authority consultations and planning applications. I also encourage our volunteers and followers on our social media platforms and website to engage in these consultations to ensure that they use their voice to help shape the look and feel of Heston now and long into the future. I am passionate about engaging with the community to be active participants in society and to encourage residents to have an enquiring mind and to think before about what ALL political candidates have to offer the electorate before voting.
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Aneel - Committee Member
In Nov 2019 I joined the HAG committee having been a HAG member since its inception in 2018. Like many of us I have seen the issue of litter worsen over time. I began to notice a few of my neighbours coming out to litter pick and that they were starting to organise larger litter picks and other events such as Play Streets. I started coming along and was heartened by how friendly people were. Not being the most confident it wasn’t an issue because every person at the first pick I went to said hello and started a conversation with me. I realised what a friendly group HAG is and quickly realised how much good the group does in liaising with the council to help bring issues affecting the community to light. Now I find myself a part of that and hopefully a contributor to Heston. I’ve always worked with people and have a background in charity so enjoy contributing where I can. I like to think I bring a little nature to the group through my photography, and I share a passion for working with and respecting nature with the rest of the group.
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Linda - Committee Member
I was the Deputy Head and School lead for maths, science, PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education), Healthy Schools, Eco Schools. I currently volunteer at Kew Gardens Herbarium and am founding member of Heston Action Group. My career and personal background has given me a strong commitment in helping to shape the future for our young people. I believe in high quality action-research as the foundation of high quality change and understanding, which I recognise in the way HAG work to bring about change and development. Cleaning and greening Heston and Hounslow have been a vital way to improve the area. As we promote cleaning and greening to residents, we realise that full engagement of our local people is now of paramount importance to a greener future particularly in reference to climate change urgency. HAGs have taken a lead in actioning litter picking, nurturing trees, planting edible food and decorative plants in our surroundings. We are working in partnership with Hounslow Council in borough reviews, monitoring standards in cleaning and greening, liaising with services and councillors in meetings and conferences to plan for green change in the borough. My retirement time has been enhanced hugely with our group and the focus on improving Heston. I enjoy all of the above actions towards a healthier, greener future and look forward to working from a base in Sutton Playing Fields Community Garden. This is where much of our engagement with a diverse group of residents can take place and develop further.
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Michelle - Committee Member
I am a founding member of HAG and currently the Managing Director of a design led company in London. Originally from Ireland I came to London to complete a Master of Arts in Design Communications. I am passionate about the betterment of Heston for the residents of Heston. Once I have the bit between my teeth I find it difficult to let go until I get results. I have been instrumental in securing the inclusion of Heston in the Licensing Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) on behalf of HAG/Heston. To facilitate this I gathered evidence over 3 years to support our community's inclusion in the CIP and in early 2020 I liaised with MAKE Associates, Hounslow Council's external consultants, to ensure our evidence allowed them to build a strong case. I have also led the HAG grant application to the Thriving Communities Fund to secure funds for the restoration of our Grade II listed War Memorial. During 2019 I met with the required specialists on site to gather quotes/specifications. This bid was successful. The £56k grant was awarded in May 2020. Prior to founding HAG with the other committee members I was a frustrated Heston resident, I moaned a lot to my husband. Being part of HAG has been life changing. I have made life long friends, got to really know Heston and have a better understanding of polices that impact our community.
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Nancy - Committee Member
A Heston resident for 36 years, I work as an adult education tutor for LB Hounslow. I also support the 4th Heston Scout Group and have enjoyed cleaning and greening with HAG since 2019.
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Roshy - Acting Treasurer
To follow
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