Some great news for our community, we have teamed up with The Aim Group to offer several FREE online Level 2 Courses (including mental health and wellbeing) available to support you during our upcoming One Stop Shop project. The Aim Group currently have over 35 qualifications over a whole range of topics. Whether you're looking to gain employment or trying to understand topics such as mental health, we have got enough provisions to help support you throughout this project.

On average the courses take between 15-35 hours to complete within a 6-week window and are completed on a laptop or computer at the learner's home. There are no exams, it's all continuous assessment - purely Question and answer based.

The only criteria the learner must meet to be eligible is the following:
  

• Aged 19 or over on or before 31st August 2020     
• Have lived in the UK/EU for 3+ years     
• Not already on a government-funded course (Apprenticeship for example)

If interested please get in touch with Taz on 07840047771 / t.virdee@berkeleyacademy.org.uk
OR please see sign up link below and The Aim Group will be in touch shortly with you:

In order to progress, please register your interest by clicking on this link.

Approximately 1 in 3 people with Covid - 19 have no symptoms and could be spreading the virus without realising. It’s important to get tested twice a week if you don’t have Covid-19 symptoms. It’s free, quick and easy to do on your way out, or on your way to and from work.

Drop-in at one of our Community Mass Testing sites where our staff are on hand to guide you through the process and to answer any questions you may have:

Heston Library – New Heston Road, Hounslow TW5 0LW – Open 6.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri,
​or 8.00am-4.00pm Sat/Sun
Hounslow House – 7 Bath Road, Hounslow TW3 3EB – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun
Isleworth Library – Twickenham Road, Isleworth TW7 7EU – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun
Staines Rugby Club – Snakey Lane, Feltham TW13 7NB – Open 8.00am-4.00pm, Mon-Sun

To book online visit: www.hounslow.gov.uk/rapidtest or call to make an appointment:
0207 084 9697

We are delighted to announce the return of our Intergenerational Walking Football sessions. Our sessions run Wednesdays 6 to 7pm at Cranford Community College.
The project started in 2016 when two former Cranford Community College students – Kulbir Maras and Baljinder Padda applied for the Big Local Community Chest Fund. The project has been supported by the Middlesex FA and now it’s run in partnership with Brentford FC CST. 
​Our Walking Football sessions are fully inclusive and open to all including children, families and older residents. If you would like to get involved or like more information, please get in touch with Taz Virdee on 07840047771

Heston West Big Local has been selected by the GLA to partner on the My London: Enabling Youth Social Action programme. This programme has been developed in response to the growing concern around young people’s mental health due to the impacts of COVID-19.
​This programme, delivered by Team London and match funded by the #iwill Fund, puts frontline youth sector organisations at the heart of developing models of youth engagement for young people in their communities.

​Partnerships of five community organisations will be resourced to take part in a six month Design Lab where they will use their local knowledge and frontline expertise to co-design a model that will increase participation opportunities for vulnerable young people and amplify youth voice in their boroughs. Our partnership will then be able to apply for ringfenced funding of £200,000 to deliver our co designed model in Ealing and Hillingdon. 

​The overall purpose of this programme is to improve mental health outcomes for young people. But along the way we want to support youth organisations to collaborate in order to provide more sustainable opportunities for youth social action at a local level. 

Ealing and Hillingdon
Ealing and Hounslow CVS
Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support
Spark! Charity
Each Counselling
Heston West Big Local

For more information about My London: Enabling Youth Social Action please click here. 

London's Councils were asked by BBC Radio London to nominate a Make a Difference Hero. We were delighted to hear London Borough of Hounslow nominated Tarek Mrad from Heston West Big Local for his work on our Big Local Live Community Podcast, supported by volunteers from the Big Local.

BBC Interview recorded on Saturday 3rd April 2021.