Appeal to volunteers A FILM urging people to volunteer their time and knowledge to charities in a project to strengthen community cohesion has been launched. The short film is part of the volunteering initiative, Step up St Charles, which encourag

Appeal to volunteers

A FILM urging people to volunteer their time and knowledge to charities in a project to strengthen community cohesion has been launched.

The short film is part of the volunteering initiative, Step up St Charles, which encourages people to help their less fortunate neighbours by sharing their skills and expertise with them.

Viewers can see how a few minutes of their time could help a child from a disadvantaged background, write a successful university application, or a family under strain reconnect with one another.

Visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/allofus to find out more about the campaign.

Major West End revamp

A �430 MILLION spending programme is to ensure central London, is a world class city in the next three years, ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

Westminster City Council aims to revamp the West End to facilitate more people, improve sports facilities, and provide greater affordable housing - one of the largest affordable housing programmes by a local authority since the 1970s.

Views on town centre plans

CITIZENS of all ages, took part in workshops to voice their ideas on a future town centre, writes Sejal Kapadia.

It is the latest stage in Brent Council's process to involve Harlesden residents in town planning decisions.

Louis Theroux, pictured, was among residents who attended the workshops, to contribute ideas to consultants and Brent Council officers.

The ideas will be worked into a series of design proposals and visual representations as a Town Charter, and will be up for further discussion on Monday at 6.30pm, at the Salvation Army Hall, 32 Manor Park Road.

Temple wins Olympic badge honour

A TEMPLE image will appear on an Olympic pin badge, writes Sejal Kapadia. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir - known as Neasden Temple, in Brentfield Road - was voted by Brent residents as the landmark that makes their borough great. The temple image won The Landmark London competition, launched by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and London councils. Cllr Bob Wharton said: "[It] is an instant recognisable image of Brent and London." Badges are available from Runner's Need, Crest of London, World Duty Free and the Museum of London in the coming weeks.

Trains boost: More cash to improve services

A �9.2 billion booster will radically improve the Transport for London (TFL) passenger services, writes Sejal Kapadia.

During the next 12 months the Jubilee Line gets upgrades, East London gets line extensions, a London cycle hire scheme and the first two of 12 planned cycle superhighways. There will be a 22 per cent reduction in Jubilee line journey times with the capacity to hold an extra 5,000 passengers an hour, and new air-conditioned trains on the Metropolitan line.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and chairman of TfL, said: "2010 is the year the 'billions we are investing delivers better journeys and an improved quality of life Londoners and ensures we are ready for the 2012 Games.