Dame Stephanie Shirley CH
Dame Stephanie Shirley
Willesden Local History Society Journal no 60 Winter 2024.
Tribute Dame Stephanie Shirley CH
” It is with much sadness that we learn of the death of Dame Stephanie Shirley.
Her life story of a pioneering computer scientist and determined autism campaigner is well known. To the school children involved in our Brent Women of Renown project she was inspirational, arriving here as a refugee determined to prove her life was worth saving; they took inspiration from her experiences showing that with tenacity one can overcome the barriers to learning and found it incredible that she arrived with next to nothing yet left a legacy of her successful IT empire that transformed women’s lives and impacted a culture change.
Furthermore, the school children were touched by her kindness being enlightened about her philanthropy for autism and continued Information Technology research.
We were honoured and humbled to have her intimate audience and engagement with the BWR project as she also inspired us with sustaining a purpose filled life and remaining high witted and intelligent.
Thank you Dame Stephanie – it was an honour to meet you and enable you to inspire the school children of Brent. Your legacy is immeasurable.
May you rest in peace.
The Cricklewood Town Team’s Brent Women of Renown project.”
Dame Stephanie Shirley
Willesden Local History Society Journal no 60 Winter 2024.
The Crossroads Music Festival – Cricklewood
Cricklewood launches new grassroots music festival:
Crossroads Music Festival
Cricklewood Town Team, in partnership with Crossroads Productions, are proud to announce the launch of Crossroads Music Festival, a celebration of the cultural diversity of Cricklewood, Northwest London. The festival will run over the weekends of 19-21 and 26-28 September 2025, partnering with local restaurants and outdoor spaces to host musicians with diverse global heritage.
The first grassroots music event of its kind in London, the Crossroads Music Festival will give audiences a chance to listen to live music while enjoying a meal or a drink in a restaurant, or relaxing in a local green space or pocket park. Cricklewood Broadway and Cricklewood Lane are filled with a rich variety of restaurants and cafes with food from countries including Iran, Nigeria, Brazil, Syria, Ireland and Ethiopia; these venues will play host to musicians from their home countries.
In addition, free performances of live music will be available outdoors in the Mapesbury Dell, on Cricklewood Green and at Oaklands Road Place and Keyes Road Place, along with some roaming musicians. Audiences will experience a diverse range of performances, from acoustic musicians and spoken word artists, to small bands and DJs showcasing a variety of styles from around the globe.
The festival’s line-up of grassroots performers, all accomplished musicians, will be joined by headliners such as Dele Sosimi’s Afro Beat Orchestra. Dele Sosimi stands out as one of the most active musicians currently on the Afrobeat scene worldwide. He started his music career with Fela Anikulapo’s Egypt 80- Afrobeat band in 1979 and currently plays at venues such as The Jazz Cafe, Southbank Centre and The Shrine.
Danny Maher, Chair of Cricklewood Town Team, said: “We are thrilled that Cricklewood will have the opportunity to celebrate and promote grassroots music in our local area with the new, free to attend, Crossroads Music Festival. Cricklewood Town Team is delighted to have received funding from Arts Council England National Lottery Fund for Grassroots Music. The festival promises to have something for everyone and we invite people from across London to join us for this special musical occasion in Cricklewood. We hope that the festival will return annually and become a key feature every year in the local calendar of events.”
Cricklewood Town Team Events
Cricklewood town team has been delivering exciting events across the town centre since 2012 when it successfully delivered the Mayor’s Outer London Fund.
Royally Cricklewood at Cricklewood Green
Royally Cricklewood at Cricklewood Green – Read more…
The Galtymore star – celebration of a former popular music/dance venue in Cricklewood, London.
Images from the Broadway Project
Music Events at The Dell –
One of the outdoor venues for the Crossroads Music Festival
Lucky 7 pub – one of the venues for the Crossroads Music Festival. Credit to Rachel Lum
More events at Cricklewood Green
Additional venue for The Crossroads Music Festival
Map of Cricklewood highlighting venues for The Crossroads Music Festival
Crossroads Music Festival
Video
Reimagining and revitalizing the landmark clock on Cricklewood Broadway
Reimagining and revitalizing the landmark clock on Cricklewood Broadway
For over a decade, the clock situated in the median of Cricklewood Broadway remained non-functional, prompting continuous complaints from local residents to Barnet Council. In response to these concerns, the Cricklewood Town Team collaborated with the charity We Restart to reimagine and revitalize this longstanding landmark funded by Barnet Council.
We Restart team, together with local artist Marco Ferrara, delved into Cricklewood’s architectural heritage, noting that much of the area’s development occurred between 1887 and 1920. This period saw the transformation of Cricklewood into a recognizable district, with the construction of churches, chapels, schools, and a shopping parade along Edgware Road between 1910 and 1914.1
Drawing inspiration from the Art Nouveau floral patterns prevalent during the early 20th century, the team sought to incorporate these intricate designs into the clock’s new aesthetic. For the colour palette, they turned to contemporary works by artist Lakwena, particularly her vibrant installation at the Brent Cross Town electrical substation. This 21-meter-high and 52-meter-long artwork, titled “Here we come, here we rise,” features exuberant colours and patterns that have transformed the substation into a local landmark.2
By integrating similar colours and the intricate floral motifs of British 1910, the revitalized clock aims to create a visual dialogue between different areas in Barnet, bridging historical and contemporary artistic expressions. The collaborative effort aspires to establish the transformed clock as a new emblem of Cricklewood’s rich cultural tapestry.
Links:
Memories of people living in Cricklewood
Memories of people living in Cricklewood
https://cricklewood.net/Broadway%20v2.0.mp4#t=1Credit to Matilda Velevitch | www.velevitch.com
Cricklewood Market Place Video
Cricklewood Market Place Video
Cricklewood has become one of the go-to food destinations in North London, showcasing global cuisines from the likes of Lebanon, Caribbean, Yemen, Pakistan, Brazil, Philippines, Afghanistan and beyond!
https://cricklewood.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/WhatsApp-Video-2024-12-02-at-09.25.09.mp4
Popular Posts
Cricklemas
Cricklewood ushered in the festive season with our Christmas Lights Switch on 8 December 2017 organi...
