We were recently fortunate enough to attend the grand final of Jack Petchey’s ‘Speak Out’ Challenge at the Piccadilly Theatre — a public speaking competition for 18,000 young people.

Earlier this year, we took part in the judging stage for Harrow students, and selected Shama Chentouf, from Bentley Wood Girl’s School, to continue on in the competition.

It was therefore fantastic to see Shama take part in the final; her parents and her headteacher Janice Howkins must be so proud. Many congratulations.

The same week we attended the opening of the ‘green gym’ at Headstone Manor, which has been partially paid for by a good chunk of my Headstone North ward funding.

Being able to put that money towards something that everyone — young and old — can enjoy and use to keep fit is fantastic, and we hope residents will make full use of it.

We also attended the Headstone Manor Museum ‘Festival of Archaeology’.

Artefacts and medieval skeletons brought from the Museum of London — which has spent two months digging around the site as part of Boris Johnson’s Excavate London scheme — were particularly fascinating.

There was so much going on too; from tours and information sessions to medieval re-enactments and craft stalls.

It’s a well-worn phrase, but if you know where to look, there’s always something going on in Harrow.

Conservative Councillors Chris Mote (Pinner South ward) & Janet Mote (Headstone North ward)

Harrow Borough Council