Tracing the ups and downs as another years passes

JANUARY

THE year got off to a violent start when a New Year's Day party-goer was shot in the head in Wembley.

Kirk Franklin, of Chichester Court, Stanmore, was later sentenced to 11 years in prison following the shooting near the Asda car park, in Chalkhill Road.

His victim, 22-year-old Jermaine McDougall, miraculously survived the point-blank shooting but required surgery for a hairline fracture to his skull.

Over the border in Edgware, the first state-funded Hindu school in the UK, Krishna Avanti Primary School, opened its doors to the press.

Reporter Ian Proctor got a tour of the building and experienced the peaceful and tranquil environment the school has to offer.

FEBRUARY

A WEMBLEY peace activist and environmental campaigner was jailed for refusing to pay a £50 fine he was given for taking part in a peaceful protest.

Daniel Viesnik said he would rather go to prison then pay the fine which he incurred during a symbolic sit-down demonstration outside the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire, in July 2007.

The 35-year-old, of Chamberlayne Avenue, Wembley, was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for wilfully obstructing a highway.

MARCH

THE streets of Brent were awash with green as it celebrated St Patrick's Day.

In the glorious sunshine, 6,000 revellers partied in 'England's most Irish borough'.

Revellers were treated to a glittering parade complete with pipers, floats, dancers and circus performers.

At the Old Bailey, a cheating husband who stabbed his wife to death to cash in on two life insurance policies worth £375,000 was jailed for at least 20 years.

Mikdat Sahpaz, 47, knifed mother-of-two Elif Oruc at the family home in Carlton Avenue East, Wembley, then tried to make it look as though she had been killed in a burglary.

APRIL

WITH just two days' notice, NHS Harrow closed The Village Surgery in Pinner following the resignation of two of its three GPs.

Seven thousand patients, many elderly, were left without access to prescriptions during Easter, triggering a backlash from patients who condemned NHS Harrow at a series of public meetings.

In October, Harrow Council published a report stating the closure should have been avoided. NHS Harrow is due to make a decision on whether to reopen the practice in January.

MAY

MILLIONS of people headed to the polls at the beginning of May for the general election.

Labour MP Gareth Thomas retained his seat in Harrow West, but colleague Tony McNulty was ousted by former deputy leader of Brent Council and ex-London Assembly member, Bob Blackman, for the Conservatives.

Sarah Teather beat Labour rival Dawn Butler by 1,300 votes in a political showdown to claim the newly created seat, Brent Central.

While Barry Gardiner was re-elected Labour MP for Brent North and extended his lead. Labour also won back control of both Harrow and Brent councils in the local elections.

Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Mayhew Animal Home in Brent to meet some of the pets waiting to be rehomed. The Duchess, who has Jack Russell dogs, fell in love with one of the tiny puppies at the home.

JUNE

BOXING champion Aamir Khan threw his weight behind a campaign to save a popular boxing club from closing.

Amir spent chatted to youngsters at Stonebridge Boxing Club and even brought his world championship belt along for the children to see up close.

Afghani refugee Abdul Khan was convicted of killing 19-year-old Hassan Kul Hawadleh.

The former Harrow College student, from Colindale, was stabbed in the heart as he rushed to the aid of a close friend who was being assaulted at a petrol station in Harrow Weald in 2009. Three other men walked free but Khan was sentenced to life and must serve at least 22 years.

Nearly 1,000 people attended the grand opening of West House in Pinner. The renovated house is now home to the works of

eccentric artist and former Pinner resident, Heath Robinson.

The community joined together to raise more than £1million which was needed for the first phase of the work.

JULY

THE summer turned up the heat on Harrow Council when the Observer exclusively revealed how the local authority planned to employ a catering company to prepare halal-only meat for primary school children.

Primary schools could opt in to the programme or look elsewhere for their meals, but readers were outraged that the council put the scheme forward. In light of the uproar, council chiefs met with Harrow's Interfaith Council 'to find a resolution'.

Headteachers and pupils in Brent were left devastated following the announcement that plans to rebuild their schools had been scrapped. Those which lost out were Alperton Community

School, Copland Community School, Newman Catholic College and Queens Park Community School.

The four schools had been promised £80million in funding under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

AUGUST

A NURSE who spent more than five decades in the midwifery was praised for her outstanding achievements following her retirement from Northwick Park Hospital.

Over the years, Rosemary Clarke, 74, from Kenton, delivered more than 500 children.

SEPTEMBER

THE sale of historic former RAF base, Bentley Priory, to developers was agreed to make way for 103 homes.

A £9.5million museum to commemorate the role the RAF's headquarters played during the Battle of Britain was also given the green light.

On September 16, Pakistani politician Dr Imran Farooq was murdered in Edgware.

The 50-year-old died of multiple stab wounds and a blow to the head in front of his house in Green Lane.

The doctor left his widow Shumaila and two sons, Alishan, five, and Wajdan, three.

OCTOBER

A MURDER hunt was launched after a man died in hospital six days after he was shot in Harrow Town Centre.

Lee Hook, 35, from Hillingdon, was shot twice on October 22, as he sat behind the wheel of a car in Kymberley Road, Harrow, opposite The Royal Oak pub in St Ann's Road.

Three men are due to stand trial for his murder in the new year.

Meanwhile, 1,500 children joined hands between two schools in Brent to protest against their funding being cut.

Trinity, one of Harrow's favourite watering holes and venues for up-and-coming local bands and singers, came of age and celebrated its 18th birthday with a big party.

NOVEMBER:

A PINNER family were made multi-millionaires overnight after a vase they sold at auction fetched a staggering £43million.

The unknown sellers of a 270-year-old Qianlong porcelain vase had to 'go out for some air' after the sale.

The item had been recovered from the home of a deceased relative and became the most expensive Chinese work of art in history.

In a media furore, former Pinner school girl, Katie Waissel, bowed out of ITV's The X Factor. The 24-year-old took part in the Observer's Christmas Toy Appeal, handing out gifts and talking to sick children at Northwick Park Hospital before Christmas.

Harlesden's John Adeleye, 30, also had a successful stint on The X Factor but the talented singer was voted out of the competition in October.

DECEMBER

THE festive season brought one of the coldest Decembers on record.

But this time, Harrow and Brent councils said they were prepared and had bought in more grit and salt than ever before.

Christmas also came early for Stonebridge Boxing Club, which fought back from the brink of closure thanks to a campaign started by the Observer.

During the festive season, it was announced that Harrow Magistrates' Court would close - a decision met with criticism by leaders of both the Labour and Conservative groups in Harrow.

Harrow Council was also left red faced after it was revealed seven officers were involved in spending nearly £8million of taxpayers' cash without permission.

The money was spent on making school improvements which had not been signed off.

The employees face disciplinary action.