The history of the Pitshanger Community Association…
The PCA works for the benefit of the lovely and spirited Pitshanger community of about 3,000 households in the London Borough of Ealing and had its roots in a local campaign in 1999/2000 about the development on the old Barralets site at the bottom of Castlebar Park. This was the early days of the World Wide Web, but the strong grapevine in the area brought together several people as a group. After the success of the planning campaign, a group of people felt that the Millennium year should be celebrated with a Party in the Park , a village fete on a grand scale. Some of these organisers are sadly no longer with us (RIP Ron Bloomfield and Dave Wallis) but their memories live on, not least because PCA also stands for Positive Community Action.
The team went on to deliver community projects, negotiating a match funding agreement with Ealing council. These include: the original "Welcome to Pitshanger Lane” signs, refurbishment of the Pitshanger Park gates and the children’s play equipment as well as the basketball apparatus still much used today.
It has also donated money to local organisations (some £100,000 since 2010) and finally runs events bringing the community together, ranging from the legendary ferret racing nights to wine tastings and quiz nights, but most visibly with Light Up the Lane and Party in the Park both of which it has run for some 20 years.
MEET THE COMMITTEE.
Debbie Edwards
- Chairman.
I'm Debbie Edwards and have lived in the Pitshanger area since 1982 so have seen plenty of comings and goings. I joined the committee in 2004 as secretary and took on the role of PCA Chair in 2016. In my time on the PCA, I have learnt about CPZs, turning the PCA into a charity, resisting a major planning development in Pitshanger and running major events twice a year (so this 2020 has been really frustrating). When not PCA’ing, I'm a retired civil servant, an adoring grandmother and a keen amateur singer.
Ray Harris
- Membership Secretary.
I have been the PCA Membership Secretary since 2019. If you are not a member then I would be very pleased if you joined us. I have lived in the area since 1990, generally visiting the Lane at least once a week since then. I joined the PCA Committee as my way of getting directly involved in the community. I am a statistician and therefore managing the membership database makes some use of my skill-set.
Belinda Harrison
- Secretary.
I have had a business on the Lane for over 10 years and joined the PCA around 4 years ago in order to try and give something back to the community that has supported me and my business. Up until last year my main role was events and comms and organising and running the bar at Party In The Park. I then took on the job of Secretary and have since become an expert minute-taker!
Tim Sumpter
- Committee Member.
Tim has lived in Pitshanger for nearly 30 years and works in the charity sector in fundraising. He has been involved with the PCA since 2000, including time spent as Chairman. These days he is happier organising the beer tent and bands for Party in the Park.
Will Blake
- Committee Member.
Having moved to Pitshanger in 2016, with a young family, there's nowhere else I'd rather be in London. Getting here has been convoluted. I've lived all over London (except the East), been up north and fortunate to have had a past, international life. I had some time playing in the media industry, dabbling with the corporate world and now laying down roots developing a community farm on Horsenden Hill. Please say hello if you see me on the lane.
Natasha Rawley
- Comms.
Natasha joined our Committee in 2020 after recently moving to the area. Natasha lives in Pitshanger with her family. She runs her own digital market business which is based in Ealing . Natasha assists the PCA with website upkeep, social media marketing, PCA newsletters and email campaigns.
Gráinne Taylor
- Treasurer.
Gráinne lives with her husband in nearby Hanwell and having been a big fan of the Lane for many years, decided she'd like to be more involved with the PCA and contribute towards event organising. She has been advising on opposing planning applications in the area, of which she has previous experience and more recently has become our Treasurer.
Annette Walsham
Committee Member
Annette is our amazing volunteer manager and committee member, so many of you would have already met her, she has been part of Pitshanger community for 16 years.
A message from Annette:
Having grown up near Pitshanger, it felt the natural place to bring up my own family. I have lived in the heart of Pitshanger for fifteen years and love the friendly community we are part of. With both my children now at University, I wanted to get more involved in the PCA and be a positive part of this vibrant area!
So what does PCA actually do?
We run two major community events each year, Party in the Park and Light Up The Lane. These events have the twin objectives of bringing the local community together and raising funds for making awards (grants) to local community projects and local charities. See both our PCA Events page and our PCA Awards page for more information.
Pitshanger Park has been the focus of recent PCA projects. Working with Ealing Council Parks and Countryside Department, we have provided improved play apparatus, a set of picnic tables and new gates at the park entrance. We have also made donations to a number of local charities including Meadow House Hospice.
If relevant, we hold public meetings on local issues. Lively debates have taken place on traffic and parking, graffiti, vandalism and prevention of crime. We also publish a PCA Newsletter, which keeps members informed of local events and PCA activities.
Thanks to the numbers of our members, the PCA can speak for a significant proportion of the local population, something that carries weight in our dealings with local decision takers.
FAQs
How do I become a member?
Membership of the PCA is open to anyone who has an interest in the Pitshanger area. Just complete our membership form and return it to us so the PCA has your up-to-date contact details.
Become a member ⟶
How is the PCA funded?
PCA receives membership fees which are currently (2021) £10.00 for an individual and £15.00 for a household. These cover the basic administration costs of running the organisation including distribution of its newsletters; subsidise the weekly Tea Club for the elderly and their Christmas Party; and any surplus goes toward the PCA Grants scheme.
Get in touch to find out more ⟶
What projects do you support?
Our grants provide funding towards local projects benefiting the Pitshanger Community, such as: North Ealing Primary School; 16th Beaver Clubs & Scouts; St Stephens Church; Dementia Concern and more.
Find out more about our grants ⟶
How do I apply for your grant programme?
All the necessary information, about how to apply for a 2021 Grant from the PCA, criteria for applicants, and application deadline will be made available in late spring 2021. Watch this page and watch out for our front page news item.
Stay up to date ⟶