WHAT began in 1973 as a single-issue protest against traffic in and around West Hampstead. But we soon realised ‘traffic’ includes everything: buses, tubes, trains, cars, walking, cycling, road safety, pollution; housing, shops, schools, hospitals, doctors, dentists, pubs, leisure, parks, sport.
Today our aim is still to make West Hampstead a better, safer and more pleasant place for everyone. We’ll act to improve whatever needs attention locally – from trees to Tesco, planning to parking, benches to bins, recycling to rentals.
We mainly cover West Hampstead and Fortune Green electoral wards, but our boundaries are flexible and we have members in surrounding parts of Kilburn and Swiss Cottage. We work closely with residents’ groups that cover smaller neighbourhoods.
WHAT lobbies relevant organisations – especially Camden Council – to improve local services. We pursue the bus, train and Tube companies, plus TfL and the GLA, for better public transport. Our voice has become well respected over the years.
We invite outside speakers to WHAT committee meetings. We host two public meetings a year. (More if urgent topics crop up.)
We were the first group to give West Hampstead a serious voice. Our local knowledge often proves useful. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
You’ll find us on our stall every July at the Fortune Green Jester Festival. Do drop by. We look forward to meeting you.
And please join us. WHAT has always welcomed new people, new ideas. Membership is a bargain £5 pa; just £5 pa for Families/ Groups. You get a rather good newsletter twice a year.
2023 is a big year for us – our 50th anniversary! We are working on plans for a big celebration.
West Hampstead Amenity & Transport - WHAT 