Welcome

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This week the sun is out in Finchley and the surrounding area. Get your (veggie?) BBQ ready.

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We're looking at Finchley's female MPs, the new Barnet Loop and a hidden Angel gem, Shepherdess Walk. And Saturday, you can see Wingate & Finchley's youth team in action.

📍Finchley's Second Female MP

You’ve read our editorial policy – we’re apolitic. We’re making a one-off exception to talk about female MPs in Finchley & Golders Green.

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Born-and-bred local Sarah Sackman is Finchley’s latest MP, as well as Solicitor General.

​Sarah Sackman, a barrister by training, is a first-time MP.

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Her maiden speech in the house last week was truly a love letter to Finchley, praising our diversity.

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Indeed, some of the details may even have come from Finchley Now, with George Michael, Amy Winehouse and Dame Henrietta Barnet all referenced.

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Whatever your politics, Sarah is committed to community, with visits to Finchley Food Bank and Cricklewood’s Brent Terrace and lobbying for more bobbies in Barnet in just the first few weeks.

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Sarah follows in the footsteps of Finchley’s first female MP.

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Margaret Thatcher of course needs no introduction, with a storied presence in TV and film.

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From the surprise cameo in 1981’s Bond movie, For Your Eye’s Only, Thatcher has been represented numerous times on screen.

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In 2002, Greta Scacchi portrayed Margaret Thatcher in a fictionalised biography of Tory peer Jeffrey Archer, The Truth.

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2008 saw Andrea Riseborough in The Long Walk to Finchley, a BBC drama based on her early political career, culminating in her first successful campaign to win in Finchley, in 1959. The rest, as they say, is history.

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Scottish actress Lindsay Duncan starred in a fictionalised account of her final days in Downing Street in 2009's Margaret on BBC Two.

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And in 2020 Gillian Anderson’s unnerving portrayal of Thatcher in The Crown was much talked about.

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Likely a while before there are TV shows about our new MP. In the meantime, good luck Sarah! 📍

Events

KIDS

​Storytime and Craft at North Finchley Library | Thu, Aug. 01 | 10:00 am to 11:00 am | North Finchley Library, N12 9HP | Free | Come and join everyone at North Finchley Library for storytime and a craft. Suitable for children aged 3 to 8. No booking required.

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​Comic Art Masterpiece with Kev F at Chipping Barnet Library | Fri, Aug. 02 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | Chipping Barnet Library, EN5 4QT | Free | Kev F Sutherland writes and draws for Beano, Doctor Who and Marvel comics, and now he is doing a class on how he does it. At the end of the Comic Art Masterclass, you’ll go away with a comic containing a strip by everyone in the class plus an individual caricature by Kev F. For children aged 6-7.

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OLDER PEOPLE

Monday 29th July

​Boost Your Wellbeing Event - Age UK Barnet | Mon, Jul. 29 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | St Marys Church Hendon, NW4 4JT | Free | Join Age UK Barnet for a morning of talks and activities on a range of wellness topics including heart health, cancer awareness and mindfulness plus there'll be an exercise taster.

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​Age UK Barnet - 7 Walks Around Barnet | Mon, Jul. 29 | Various locations | Free | Age UK Barnet’s 7 Social Walks around the borough are thriving. All over 55s are welcome to join us in some of Barnet’s lovely parks and open spaces. Walks available Monday to Friday with Fridays having walks in both Stephens House and Gardens and Oakhill Park.

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Wednesday 31st July

​Help with online forms at Hendon Library | Wed, Jul. 31 | 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Hendon Library, NW4 4BQ | Free | Come along to this drop-in session for help with online forms and applications geared towards older individuals. Helpful for applying for: 60+ Oyster cards, Older Persons Freedom Passes and Blue Badge applications.

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ARTS

Monday 29th July

​Strike a Pose: Stephen Farthing and the Swagger Portrait | Mon, Jul. 29 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | Kenwood House, NW3 7JR | £5.50 | Discover the portraits of William Larkin through the eyes of artist Stephen Farthing RA in a new exhibition at Kenwood. Stephen has long had a fascination with Grand Manner or ‘swagger’ portraits and has been creating his own twists on the form since early in his career.

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​Creative Writes Summer 2024 session In Person | Mon, Jul. 29 | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | Central Muswell Hill, N10 (location revealed on booking) | £40 | Join Creative Writes for their summer in-person event, where you will be guided through themed free flow writes that you can share to everyone else free of critique. groups are small and supportive.

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MUSIC

Monday 29th July

​Monken Hadleys Jack Lake - The Hope | Mon, Jul. 29 | 6:30 pm | 88 Northfields Road, EN49DW | Free | The penultimate concert for the Jack Lakes performances. Music ranging from Italian to French, German and Spanish all being performed to a beautiful backdrop of the lake. Many suprise guests will be appearing alongside Ilona Domnich for Opera and Michael Csanyi for piano.

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Monday 29th July to Friday 2nd August

​Sound Lives | Tue, Jul. 02 | East Finchley, exact location told on sign up | Free | This summer join Live Unlimited in partnership with Art Against Knives for a free music project. Sound Lives is a new music project giving Barnet care experienced young people (aged 16-25) an opportunity to learn how to make your own music in a studio, DJ, gain insight into the music industry as well as create your own brand.

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Thursday 1st August

​Classical Indian Music and Dance at Edgware Library | Thu, Aug. 01 | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Edgware Library, HA8 8NN | £3.50 | To celebrate South Asian Heritage Month 2024, watch a very special performance by Binal’s Dance Academy alongside the enchanting sounds of Indian classical music by renowned tabla artist Krishan Mohan. This show will also give you an opportunity to take part in a short workshop teaching you some basic movements.

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SPORTS

Monday 29th July

​Summer At Islington Boat Club | Mon, Jul. 29 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | 16-34 Graham Street, N1 8JX | £10 per day | Enjoy a fun summer day at Islington Boat Club. Bring a full change of clothes including shoes, towel, and toiletries if you want to shower afterwards.

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Friday 2nd August

​Basketball With Brent Bulls | Fri, Aug. 02 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Claremont Park, NW2 1AJ | Hone your basketball skills at a fun, inclusive basketball session with coaches from celebrated local team, Brent Bulls. These sessions will be running till 30th of August.

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Saturday 3rd August

​Wingate & Finchley vs Watford U21 | Sat, Aug. 3 | 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Maurice Rebak Stadium N12 0PD | Adults £10, Concessions £5, U18s £3 | Wingate & Finchley welcome a Watford youth side to North Finchley for their final pre-season fixture ahead of the 2024/25 season. Come down to see the side that Ahmet Rifat has assembled for the season ahead.

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COMMUNITY

Saturday 3rd August

​Hendon Parish - Open Church | Sat, Aug. 03 | 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | St Mary's Church, NW4 4JT | Free | The theme is The Environment to create an Eco-Church. There will be displays and a picnic, a voluntary litter pick at noon and crafting, games and puzzles, refreshments and chat.

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THEATRE

Now until Saturday 3rd August

​GRUD | Until Sat, Aug. 3 | 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm | Hampstead Theatre, NW3 3EU | £25 | Grud is a Drama about a pair of students bound together by an eccentric physics project. Stung by her failure to be elected as student president, Aicha throws all her efforts into the school’s Extended Physics Project, aka ‘Space Club’. She is startled when the mysterious Bo joins the project, doubling the number of participants and shaking her life up considerably.

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NATURE

Sunday 4th August

​Citizen Science and Litter Pick | Sun, Aug. 04 | 11:00 pm to 1:00 pm | Creswick Walk, NW11 6AN | Free | If you enjoy being outdoors, this event is a great opportunity to do something good for the planet and help monitor water quality at Finchley's Mutton Brook. Join at Creswick Walk where it meets Addison Way (W3W: people.carbon.others) for a fun day of citizen science and litter picking.

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​Creative Nature Series - Leaves & Trees Workshop | Sun, Aug. 11 | 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | Albert Place, N3 | Free | In the final workshop of the series, you will investigate the colours, patterns and shapes created in nature by trees and their foliage. The making activity will connect trees to their most popular residents, birds. Art workshop for children aged 8 - 12.

Events - Book Ahead

Wednesday 21st August

​Brent Cross Town - Wall Climbing Workshop | Wed, Aug. 21 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | 17 Claremont Way, NW2 1AJ | TBA | Reach new heights at the climbing wall workshops in Exploratory Park. Learn the right technique to scale the wall and discover how much of Brent Cross Town you can see from the top.

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Saturday 24th August

​Flute and Recorder 6 Hour Buskathon | Sat, Aug. 24 | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley, NW7 1GR | Drop in to enjoy music for flute, recorders and other instruments played by Finchley-based musician Helen Skelton and friends. Repertoire ranges from folk to Baroque and beyond! Light refreshments available throughout the day.

Local Lowdown

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Exercise

• Get moving, Finchley. There is a new Barnet Loop being proposed. It is a 17-mile network designed for walking, cycling, and more. It aims to connect key spots like Hendon and Whetstone through scenic routes. Your voice is needed to shape this project into a safe, attractive community asset. Check out the drop-in dates here.

TfL

• Upgrade underway. Brace for travel disruption as the Piccadilly Line gears up for a facelift. Part of the line will close on weekends in July and August, plus a 16-day stretch ending September 1. The closure is to make platform upgrades because new trains are coming next year.

Long service

• Honouring a legend. Golders Green Park now features a new plaque commemorating Melvin Cohen, Barnet's longest-serving councillor. After 40 years of service and two mayoral terms, it's a fitting tribute. The unveiling ceremony will be happening soon.

Cold plunge

• Chilly dip, anyone? Parliament Hill Lido, proudly perched on Hampstead Heath, got a spot in the Telegraph's Top 20 Lidos in the UK. Open all year round with its bracing 60-metre unheated pool, it’s a paradise for the hardy swimmer. Just remember to wear warm layers.

Children

• Children's Services shine. An Ofsted inspection has bestowed a ‘good’ overall rating on Barnet’s children's services, with a standout ‘outstanding’ for children in care. Compliments were given to the stable leadership and committed staff who've enhanced services since 2019.

Shepherdess Walk, Islington

A hidden Islington gem; Shepherdess Walk in Angel Islington is a great detour on a trip to Angel. An unassuming pathway nestled between two residential buildings leads to a small hidden courtyard.

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Back in the 10th century, this passageway was used to connect the City of London to the serene hills of Islington. It was once frequented by shepherds and sheep heading to Smithfield Meat Market.

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The Walk is right next door to Shepherdess Park, a relatively recent addition. The park used to be homes so the alley led to Turner’s Place, and provided a route for workers working on the canal wharves beyond, rather than dog walkers.

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The park that exists today was also home to two large baths, opened in 1842 and were the largest covered baths in London for 90 years. The baths were converted into factories sometime around the 1950s.

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Sheperdess Walk was neglected since the 1970s. But in 2011 artists and local volunteers – led by creator Tessa Hunkin - transformed it into vibrant masterpieces in time for the 2012 Olympics. The mosaics represent daily life in Hackney.

Editors' Note - From Sasha

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Interesting evening hearing David Baddiel in conversation with his brother Ivor about his latest book My Family: The Memoir. David's a local boy, living between Hampstead and Camden. And boy, were we part of his family therapy session.

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Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

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You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

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​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze