Nova Moves House - From Ladbroke Grove to 2 Acklam Road

After nearly 15 years Nova is relocating its offices from its old home on Ladbroke Grove to
2 Acklam Road, W10 5QZ - underneath the Westway.

Since 1995 we have been happily housed at Canalside House on Ladbroke Grove. However, during the last three years we have tripled our activities and outgrown our current offices. As many people who have visited Nova during this time will know, we have often been bursting at the seams. For some time we have been seeking a way to expand and accommodate our growth thereby allowing the continued delivery of good service.

We are therefore delighted to announce our move to Acklam Road, where we will have three times as much space. Nova's new home, at the junction of Portobello Road and Acklam Road is just underneath the flyover. This exciting move will put our work right in centre of the vibrant buzz of Portobello Market and close to many other local services.

Our long anticipated move at times seemed as though it would never happen and the new destination remained unsure right until the last minute, but finally we are here. Our Employment Unit has already moved and ICT, Basic Skills and admin will move in December 2009, so from January 2010 all our in-house services will be based at Acklam Road.

With thanks the ongoing support of our management committee, the commitment and dedication of the staff and volunteers at Nova, we are finally able to realize our dream of securing a bigger space with better facilities. Although we are sad to say good-bye to Canalside House, we are thrilled at the prospect of being able to help more people in our new premises and all that the future holds.

We very much look forward to seeing everyone there, old faces and new.

For more information, call 020 8960 2488, 020 8969 1722 or email admin@novanew.org.uk

Find where we are

 

NOVA Volunteers Receive Awards

On Friday 6th June 2008 at the Volunteers Week Awards Ceremony , Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, 5 of our volunteers were awarded 'Make a Difference' awards for their hard work and dedication in their roles at NOVA.

From left to right

Maria Kirton (Volunteer ICT support and receptionist)
Virda Pemengco (Volunteer teaching assistant in the Learning Curve)
Wissam Koubeissi (ICT tutor and volunteer co-ordinator)
Soo-San Aitken (Volunteer receptionist)
Seham Al-Alaiwat (Volunteer ICT support)
Ludmila Starostina (Volunteer teaching assistant in the Learning Curve)

Mayor’s Award 2007-08 for Iris Apablaza

Iris Apablaza, NOVA Co-ordinator, was honoured by the Mayor of Kensington & Chelsea for her outstanding service to the community in a ceremony at the Town Hall on 25th February.

The event gave NOVA staff, volunteers and committee members the opportunity to join Iris and her family in celebrating this well deserved award. Iris, a refugee from Chile in the 1980s and speaking no English, has been a shining example of the contribution those coming from abroad can make with their motivation, skills and energy. She has shown over and over again how to truly make a positive difference and carve a new life in a totally new environment.

Iris learnt English and was supported by the British Refugee Council in adding a Masters degree in Computer Science to her teaching qualification. She joined NOVA as a part time tutor 18 years ago and finally became the Co-ordinator in 2001. Her students find her inspiring and she is constantly referred to as an exceptional human being. She works selflessly to bring out the best in people, instilling self belief and the aspiration to reach their potential.

NOVA volunteer receives Transforming Lives through Volunteering Award 2008

We are delighted that our volunteer Agatha Fidelis Auma has been awarded a Volunteer Centre Westminster’s “Transforming Lives through Volunteering Award 2008”. This is for her outstanding and tireless work as a volunteer in the community, both in Westminster where she lives and with NOVA in Kensington & Chelsea. Agatha has been volunteering at NOVA for 4 years as an ICT tutor assistant teaching basic skills and helping at numerous outreach events and forums. She also volunteers with two other local charities, St Vincent de Paul Society and Computer Aid. This is a well deserved award and we share Agatha’s joy in receiving this well deserved award.

The picture shows from left to right Athisia Muir of VAW holding the VAW’s award , The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Carolyn Keen, NOVA volunteer Agatha Fidelis Auma with her award and Baroness, Lady Hanham at the House of Lords during the reception after the presentation ceremony.

What the Dickens?!

After having enjoyed reading Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations during the spring term, the Learning Curve’s literacy entry level 3 class planned a trip to the Dickens Museum in central London.
So, on the 1st of April 2008 we met up at Canalside House before heading off on the number 7 bus to Russell Square. Here you can see a picture of all of us outside the museum and read what one of the students wrote about our great day out.

 

By Rampha Yaemraksa

The Trip to the Dickens Museum on the 1st April 2008, the class at Nova went to the Dickens Museum near Russell square. It is situated on Doughty Street. The house is the only house left in London that belonged to Dickens.

We decided to meet at Nova in Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury at 10.00 AM. Some people were late so we ended up leaving at 10.20AM. We took the bus number 452 down to Ladbroke Grove station. It was a short journey compared to the long hour journey on the number 7 bus. It was a short wait to get on the bus but it took ages to get to Russell square as it was at the end of the number 7 route. To follow was a long stressful walk. We had a stroll looking for Guildford road. The road led straight on to Doughty Street but Doughty Street was at the end of Guildford road. We eventually arrived there at 11.45AM and it was the time the film about Dickens started and we stayed for just under 2 hour.

Charles Dickens was born on 7th February 1812 in Portsmouth, England. His early life lacked stability and his father was imprisoned as a debtor in 1824. In 1827, he went to work at a law firm and later became a parliamentary reporter. Great success followed the publication of The Pickwick Papers and all his subsequent novels met with popular critical acclaim. They include Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Black House and A Tale of Two Cities. He combined a populist touch with a growing concern for problems in society. Dickens died on the 9th June 1870 (aged 58) Gad’s Hill Place, Higham, Kent, England. He has been lauded ever since as one of the greatest writers in English language.

After we finished wacthing the film we went to look around the house. The house was small than I expected but had many floors. I looked at Dickens’ family tree, he had a huge family. At the end we all went to the shop to buy books and souvenirs, I bought 2 books: Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. The Trip to the Dickens Museum was an appropriate trip for our class. I learnt and understood about his life and his work more clearly. I enjoyed and admired all his hard work.