Have you ever looked out at the Thames or the ocean and dreamed of sailing? Your chance to live that dream is now. London Corinthians are holding their season kick off barbeque and open day on April 3rd – a great way to get to know about the sailing club. If you are out and about strolling the Thames this weekend stop on by.
The London Corinthian Sailing Club is one of London’s longest established sailing clubs. It has over 400 members who sail all year round – rain or shine – from their historic clubhouse on the Upper Mall along the north bank of the river. It’s a perfect spot for setting off onto the superb stretch of the Thames between Hammersmith and Barnes – plenty of water and usually enough wind.
Apart from sailing on the Thames, the club also sails on yachts along the South Coast and all around the World including the Med, the Caribbean, Thailand, Canada and the Seychelles. What’s more, the London Corinthians are a totally non-profit, members run club, with a history going back over 100 years.
The London Corinthian Sailing club is a recognised RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Training Centre and offer a variety of sailing courses to both members and non-members. Whether you’re a total beginner or an experienced hand…they just love to get people out in boats. Most weekends will see the club going for a fun sail up and down the river, taking part in a hard- fought dinghy race next to Chiswick Eyot, or taking a yacht across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.
The open day is a great opportunity to see if sailing is for you, while relaxing and watching the boats go by. Just come along, join the rest of the members and tuck into the club’s open day barbeque (£5 to cover costs).
London Corinthian Sailing Club is based on the on the North Bank of the River Thames between Hammersmith and Chiswick at Linden House, 60 Upper Mall.
To find out more about the open day, contact the Membership Secretary Matt Wright on admin@lcsc.org.uk or ring the club office on 020 8748 3280.
1 If you’ve ever wanted to find out about sailing, but never quite made it, then now’s your chance! Accessed online 30 March 2016 http://www.lcsc.org.uk/news/a-friendly-club
With the weather turning a bit turbulent this weekend, your thoughts might turn to some DIY projects. But this may not be the best thought process, especially if you get in over your head. The costs of bringing in a professional when a DIY Bank Holiday weekend goes wrong are extremely high.
The most commonly ‘botched’ DIY tasks are painting and decorating, 32%, applying sealant around a bath or shower 18%, tiling 16%, plastering 13% and filling a hole or crack in the wall 12% and home owners have paid out £67 million to put right their DIY disasters, according to research from LV= home insurance.
Over ambition and lack of knowledge are among the main causes of DIY disasters. Among all those that caused damage in their home, 36% didn’t know what they were doing, 18% found the job was just too complicated and 24% blamed their tools for the job going awry.
The rise of online tutorial videos has exacerbated the problem, with complicated do it yourself looking too easy. Some 8% did the work after watching an online tutorial video as it gave them the confidence to have a go. And 29% have attempted to have a go at potentially dangerous tasks such as electrical repairs, 8% roofing work and 4% knocking through a wall. Some 3% have even attempted gas appliance repairs without professional help.
We strongly recommend if you are not confident to complete the DIY task, call in a professional. When attempting to save money by doing it yourself, can end up costing you hundreds to thousands of £’s.
If you do attempt a DIY plumbing task in Wandsworth this weekend and things end up pear shaped, gives a call 020 7350 2511 and we can send someone out to you as soon as possible.
1 Warning to UK home owners about attempting DIY this bank holiday weekend Accessed online 25 March 2016 http://www.propertywire.com/news/europe/uk-home-owners-insurance-201408229502.html
If you are looking for something different to do this long Bank Holiday weekend, look to the Thames. You can set up at Bishop’s Park in Fulham or Furnivall Gardens in Hammersmith on Sunday March 27 and enjoy all the excitement of the annual Cancer Research UK Boat Races.
The parks offer some of the best vantage points in the borough – Bishop’s Park for the start of the races and Furnivall for the middle. You can also watch the rest of the races on big screens and enjoy bars, food and funfair attractions.
The Cancer Research UK Boat Races pull in around 250,000 spectators along the riverside watching from riverside pubs and other buildings with Thames views, while millions more will be following on BBC One.
There are four separate races being run: The Cancer Research UK Women’s Race, The Osiris Blondie Race (women’s reserves), The Isis Goldie Race (men’s reserves) and the women’s reserve race, the men’s reserve race, the women’s boat race and – as a grand finale – the annual Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race.
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer research charity and the biggest funder of research into cancer in the world, second only to the US Government. They are the only people tackling all 200 types of cancer, even the rarest and hardest to treat. As the world’s largest independent cancer research charity it conducts research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. It also provides information about cancer and runs campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the disease. On top of this, Cancer Research UK influence public policy through developing evidence-based policy to inform Government decisions related to cancer and research.
For more details on the boat races: http://theboatraces.org/partner/cancer-research-uk
And to discover more about CRUK: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
1 Party in the Park on Sunday for the Annual Boat Races (Accessed online 23 March 2016) http://www.hammersmithtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=community&link=http://neighbournet.com/server/common/boatrace2016.htm
2 CANCER RESEARCH UK (Accessed online 23 March 2016) http://theboatraces.org/partner/cancer-research-uk
Spring is a prime time to carry out all of those plumbing checks that you’ve been putting off all winter. By checking your bathroom, kitchen, and other appliances around the house, you could prevent plumbing problems arising and ruining the sunny days to come – just think of it as an extension of your spring clean!
Here are our top 5 spring plumbing tips:
1. Remove leaves and debris from your gutters
The UK experiences heavy rainfall in the spring, and if your gutters and drains are still blocked with autumn leaves or broken winter tree branches, you run a risk of them clogging, which can lead to water damage, leaks and mould growth.
2. Repair heating appliances
Your boiler, radiators and gas fires have to work hard in the winter, sometimes leading to ill functioning and leaks. Whilst it’s easy to think that fixing heating issues isn’t necessary with summer just around the corner, waiting could place you and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is why it’s so important to have a Gas Safe engineer see to your broken heating appliances as soon as you spot a problem.
3. Replace any broken window and door seals
Icy winter weather can cause draught guards to crack, particularly plastic ones, so inspect all of your windows and doors and provide replacements for those that require it. This will allow your heating and air conditioning systems to run more efficiently as energy escape is reduced.
4. Inspect your toilet for leaks and ineffective flushing
Put a few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank for a fast and inexpensive way to check for leaks – if the colour shows up in the bowl within thirty minutes, you’ll know it’s time to call out a plumber to fix that leak before it worsens.
As for the flushing mechanism, you shouldn’t have to hold or shake the handle in order for it work, so have the parts replaced for a more effective flush, which coincidently will save water.
5. Take note of any leaky taps and showerheads
Many people just ‘put up’ with a dripping tap or shower but over the course of a day significant amounts of water can go to waste as a result. Getting minor fixes like this done in the spring is a great way to help protect the environment and get your home in good working order at the same time.
If you are in the Fulham area and are in need of a plumber call 020 7350 2511 or click here.
A fatberg is a congealed lump of fat, sanitary items, wet wipes, and similar stuff found in sewer systems, which do not break down like toilet paper. Such deposits are officially referred to by this term by authorities at Thames Water. But what causes this and how can it be avoided?
• Do not put grease or oil down your kitchen drain: Grease, fat, and other oils can adhere to your pipes. Other debris then sticks to the grease and creates a stubborn kitchen drain blockage. Instead, throw grease, fat and oils in the garbage in a sealed container.
• Install strainers on all drains: Hair commonly causes drain blockages, especially in showers and bathtubs. You can easily prevent these blockages by installing a screen or strainer on your drains and remembering to clean them regularly.
• Pay attention to what goes down your drain: Things that solidify, such as paint, glue, and wax should never be put down your drain. These items will harden inside of your pipes, causing either a partial or whole blockage.
• Remember: your loo is NOT a wastebasket. The only thing that should ever be flushed down your loo (besides the obvious) is toilet paper. Facial tissues, sanitary products, cotton balls, and diapers are not made to properly dissolve in water and will cause a blockage if flushed down your toilet.
Only together can we prevent a fatberg big enough to block up the sewers and cause raw sewage to spurt out of manholes.
If you are having issues with blockages in Fulham call 020 7350 2511 or click here for more details on our drain clearing services
World Plumbing Day is an international event, initiated by the World Plumbing Council, held on 11 March each year to recognise the important role plumbing plays in societal health and amenity.
The WPC, through its member countries and its partnerships with bodies like the World Health Organisation, works all year round to promote the benefits of safe plumbing, but in 2010 it decided to launch the concept of embedding a single day on the world’s calendar dedicated to plumbing. The idea was that on March 11 each year people all over the world would pause to reflect on the vital role plumbing plays in preserving their health and way of life – in the case of countries like ours – or in building sustainable disease free futures for millions in the developing world.
And so World Plumbing Day was born, and it is big and getting bigger all the time. Today, on the continents of Australia, Europe and Africa events are organised to mark the occasion and draw attention to the importance of good plumbing and sanitation. In China, England, Germany, India, Canada, North and South America and many more places industry leaders – like us here today – governments, policy makers, and community-based organisations are promoting World Plumbing Day.
Right now, today, in offices and training colleges, on worksites and in classrooms, and in legislatures and Parliaments around the world, World Plumbing Day is being marked and recognised. In media releases and magazine articles in Chinese, Hindi, English, German and Spanish the message about the link between good plumbing sanitation and human and environmental health is reaching millions of people each March.
If you are in Fulham and in need of a plumber call 020 73590 2511 or click here for more details
1 Today Fri 11th Mar, 2016 is… Accessed online 22 March 2016 https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-plumbing-day/
Every Saturday Fine Food Markets operates a street food market outside Wandsworth Town Station SW18 1SU from 10am – 3pm. If you are looking for locally sourced foods, this is the perfect way to spend a Saturday.
On offer are fresh bread, cakes, croissants and pies also biltong beef, olives, fresh fruit and vegetables and even Ethiopian roses!
They have hot food too! English chicken and beef wraps from the Dorset Market Kitchen, Authentic Mexican from Pink Cactus and French food from Laurents Kitchen as well as wood fired Italian pizza from Due Volcani, sausage and bacon sandwiches for breakfast and the best coffee in London, so the locals say!
This is a great location in a smart part of Wandsworth outside the station, in the village on the Old York Rd near the river and amongst many family homes and opposite a busy local pub called The Alma.
For more information about Food Market check out www.finefoodmarkets.co.uk. Or find them on Facebook or twitter.
1 Fine Food Markets Accessed online 22 February 2016 http://www.finefoodmarkets.co.uk/
Our service are covers most of Southwest London and we wanted to know a bit more about some of there areas we cover. Today we take a look at the history of Hammersmith.
The first record of the name Hammersmyth appears in 1294, the name possibly derived from a combination of the Old English words of Hamor (a hammer) and Smyththe (smithy). The land was part of the Manor of Fulham,owned by the Bishop of London whose country palace lay downstream on the river’s bend at Putney. The original topography featured heavily forested land, which provided acorns and beechnuts to feed pigs whilst the river was a valuable source of food including eels, salmon and wild fowl as well as providing a means of transport to the City of London.
In the early 1660s, Sir Nicholas Crispe who ran the brickworks in Hammersmith built Hammersmith’s first parish church, which later became St Paul’s. It contained a monument to Crispe as well as a bronze bust of King Charles I by Hubert Le Sueur. In 1696 Sir Samuel Morland was buried there. The church was completely rebuilt in 1883, but the monument and bust were transferred to the new church.
The Hammersmith Suspension Bridge, designed by William Tierney Clark, was built across the Thames in 1827, and rebuilt in 1893. In 1984–1985 the bridge received structural support, and between 1997 and 2000 the bridge underwent major strengthening work.
In 1745, two Scots, James Lee and Lewis Kennedy, established the Vineyard Nursery, over six acres devoted to landscaping plants. During the next hundred and fifty years the nursery introduced many new plants to England, including fuchsia and the standard rose tree.
During the 19th century a considerable amount of farmland was turned over to the creation of brickfields as the clay soil provided good building materials for London as it continued to expand westwards. Many ponds and lakes were formed as a result of this activity and Lakeside Road near Brook Green is a reminder of this extremely profitable business. Nearer to the river, the good soil enabled farmers to grow soft fruits such as gooseberries, red currants, raspberries and strawberries which were taken by boat or carried in panniers made by osiers from riverside willows to sell at Covent Garden market.
One of the biggest changes to the face of Hammersmith was the opening of the A4 flyover in 1961 and the development of the Broadway itself, which saw the last Victorian shop terraces swept away and replaced with glazed office blocks, apart from the facade of Bradmore House. In the 1980s The Ark, an innovative office building, which resembles an ocean liner, rose beside the flyover and in recent years Lyric Square has been revitalized and the flourishing weekly market stalls act a vibrant reminder of Hammersmith’s village past.
After reading a bit of the history of Hammersmith and you find yourself in need of a plumber or gas engineer, call 020 7350 2511 or click here for more information.
1 History of Hammersmith Accessed online 17 February 2016 http://www.finlaybrewer.co.uk/brook-green-w6/history-of-hammersmith/
2 Hammersmith Wiki Accessed online 17 February 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammersmith
The Mayor launched his London Boiler Cashback Scheme on 2 February 2016 to provide 6,500 owner-occupiers and private residential landlords with a £400 voucher if they replace a working 70% or less efficient boiler with a new 90% efficient or higher-rated boiler or low carbon heating system. What does this mean for the residents of London and how can you get involved?
The scheme is first-come, first-served and they expect it to be very popular, so apply soon to avoid disappointment. Now there are specific eligibility requirements and they can be found here.
With rising fuel prices this is a great opportunity to not only save money on a new boiler, but also to save money on fuel costs. As a Gas Safe Registered installer, we are embracing this scheme in the hope that homeowners in Southwest London will apply for the scheme to take advantage of up to £340 a year savings on your energy bills.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “As well as saving hard earned cash, upgrading an old boiler gives the environment a huge boost by lowering carbon emissions and making our air sweeter. I encourage everyone harbouring ancient boiler artefacts to sign up to my Boiler Cashback Scheme now and benefit from a brand new cost effective heating system.”
As soon as the scheme was announced, Worcester Bosch stepped up and added an additional £100 cashback to homeowners if they choose a Greenstar boiler. As an accredited Worcester Bosch installer we are hopeful that people who are currently struggling with rising fuel costs will apply to help save money.
If you find you are not eligible for the scheme but still need your boiler replaced, call 020 7350 2511 for a free quote or get more information by clicking here.
Fulham, or in its earliest form “Fulanhamme”, is uncertainly stated to signify “the place” either “of fowls” or “of mud” (which probably had to do with the fact that the River Thames would flood it periodically), or alternatively, “land in the crook of a river bend belonging to an Anglo Saxon chief named Fulla”. The manor is said to have been given to Bishop Erkenwald about the year 691 for himself and his successors in the see of London, and Holinshed relates that the Bishop of London was lodging in his manor place in 1141 when Geoffrey de Mandeville, riding out from the Tower of London, took him prisoner. During the Commonwealth the manor was temporarily out of the bishops’ hands, being sold to Colonel Edmund Harvey.
During recent years there has been a great revival of interest in Fulham’s earliest history, due almost entirely to the efforts of the Fulham Archaeological Rescue Group. This has carried out a number of interesting digs, particularly in the vicinity of Fulham Palace, which show that approximately 5,000 years ago Neolithic people were living by the riverside and in other parts of the area. Excavations have also revealed Roman settlements during the third and fourth centuries AD.
There is no record of the first erection of a parish church, but the first known rector was appointed in 1242, and a church probably existed a century before this. The earliest part of the church demolished in 1881, however, did not date farther back than the 15th century.
In 879 Danish invaders, sailing up the Thames, wintered at Fulham and Hammersmith. Near the former wooden Fulham Bridge, built in 1729 and replaced in 1886 with Putney Bridge, the Earl of Essex threw a bridge of boats across the river in 1642 in order to march his army in pursuit of Charles I, who thereupon fell back on Oxford. Margravine Road recalls the existence of Brandenburg House, a riverside mansion built by Sir Nicholas Crispe in the time of Charles I, used as the headquarters of General Fairfax in 1647 during the civil wars, and occupied in 1792 by the margrave of Brandenburg-Anspach and Bayreuth and his wife, and in 1820 by Caroline, consort of George IV.
Fulham during the 18th century had a reputation of debauchery, becoming a sort of “Las Vegas retreat” for the wealthy of London, where there was much gambling and prostitution.
Fulham remained a working class area for the first half of the twentieth century, but was subject to extensive restoration between the Second World War and the 1980s. Today, Fulham is one of the most expensive parts of London, and therefore the UK; average actual sale price of all property (both houses and flats) sold in the SW6 area in 2014 was £1,023,440.
And if you are in need of a plumber or heating engineer in Fulham, click here.
1 History of Fulham Wiki Accessed online 29 January 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulham