Celebrating libraries: cornerstone of communities
Libraries have long been the cornerstone of our communities, fostering a lifelong love of reading and learning, providing a quiet space for children and young people to study and a place for people to build connections with others when they might otherwise feel isolated. Books are the first thing to come to mind when you […]
‘Lot of damage in Ealing’: war through the eyes of Erica
With the approaching 80-year anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day, borough archivist Dr Jonathan Oates looks at the diaries of a local woman, Erica Ford, and her insights into everyday life during the Second World War. We are fortunate to possess several local diaries which cover some or all of the Second World War. […]
Ready to rock? Hootie music legacy continues
The 12th Hanwell Hootie free music festival will take place on Saturday 10 May – keeping the town ‘firmly on the musical map’. Since it was first held in 2013 as a free music festival by local people, the Hootie grew in renown and popularity. And 2022’s event was possibly the biggest yet, across 2 […]
Financial planning for the year ahead
This week we, as your local council, set a budget for the next financial year, which runs from 1 April 2025 to the end of March 2026. We have a legal duty to set a balanced budget and, by being prudent, ruthlessly efficient and focused on value for money, we have always done so. This […]
New ‘family’ network for foster carers
A foster carer has told of her excitement at a new support network based on creating an ‘extended family’ to help carers and the children they look after. Ealing Council’s fostering service revealed its new ‘Mockingbird’ programme at a special event recently. It aims to provide young people and foster carers with a wider support […]
Company sold clothes donations for profit
A company, and its management, was ordered to pay out more than £14,000 after setting up textile donation banks illegally – and then selling the clothes for profit. West Drayton-based company 2020 Textiles placed clothes collection banks strategically across the borough. They resembled charity clothes banks, to encourage donations, but 2020 Textiles was selling the […]
Gingerbread streets, an Oscar winner and more
If the beginning of 2025 has you feeling a little flat; this instalment of Reel Life could be just the tonic to lift your spirits. You’ll discover the latest round-up from the world of TV and filmmaking in and around the borough. We’re not bragging but we’ve got more award winners, TV personalities and gingerbread […]
Prime Minister meets council staff to discuss AI success
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with staff members from Ealing Council on Tuesday (4 February) to talk about how the council is using artificial intelligence (AI) help provide better social care. At a reception at 10 Downing Street, Sir Keir met with social worker Joanna James, council leader Peter Mason and chief executive Tony […]
How AI is making more time for human contact
A new AI tool has helped a council team spend more time with the people it helps, by slashing the amount of time staff spend on paperwork. Ealing Council’s adult services started using the artificial intelligence tool Magic Notes, by Beam, in autumn last year. It has been so successful, that it has freed-up 44% […]
How we plan in 2025 to deliver what we promised
As this is my first blog of 2025 so I want to wish you and your family a happy new year, and I hope that it will be a happy, healthy and prosperous one both for you and for everyone in our borough. The council has exciting plans for the year ahead and I am […]
School pupil leads way with Christmas spirit
A student at Featherstone High School in Southall helped bring joy to struggling families this Christmas. Year 10 pupil Mohammed Asraf, together with his fellow students and his family, worked to provide a pop-up food bank at the Featherstone Sports Centre next to the school yesterday (Monday), just before Christmas. After having the idea, Mohammed […]
Wartime Christmases in Ealing
With Christmas almost upon us, borough archivist Dr Jonathan Oates looks back at years gone by – and a particular local diarist who gave us a window into her life 80 years ago, in wartime Britain. Erica Ford was a young woman who lived with her parents at 49 Park View Road in north Ealing […]