December Brings

Before we start on December’s forward look there is an announcement – Books on Wheels. This is a voluntary service and an example of the Big Society. Volunteers will bring books, tapes etc to match the interests of the housebound or those with mobility difficulties. Click for details.

This year December starts the day before on 30th November when Max Reid hosts a meeting on Public Transport for All – a new local group. Details.

On December 1st there are some interesting looking speakers on environment issues just over the border in Buckhurst Hill and the same people are having a showing of the film End of Suburbia on Monday 6th. Click for 1st or click for 6th.

In between on Sunday 5th there is a rather interesting event at Valentines Mansion – Old Toys, the sort that children played with in long past times. Just in time for Christmas. Details.

Area 4 committee sits on Wednesday 8th. Agenda will appear here.

On Thursday 9th there is the King George Hospital campaign meeting over at Broadmead Baptist church in Chigwell Road. Details.

Getting into the swing of Christmas the Mayor of London invites you to a Christmas Carol Service on Monday 13th. Details.

And for the Pagans there is the Hainault Forest Winter Solstice Walk which is not on the solstice but on Wednesday 15th. Details.

So, with Christmas fast approaching it’s time for our usual annual message.

The committee of Barkingside 21 wish all our readers a safe and enjoyable Christmas followed by a Happy New Year. Please be extra careful on the roads, you may have left the car keys at home while attending the office party, but others may not.

And a reminder of the 6 advice sheets from yesteryear given out by the Barkingside Crime Prevention Office.

Be Safe, not sorry this Christmas
Bogus Callers
Cash Point Security
Internet Crime
Steer Clear of Car Crime
Street Wise

The Cowboys are Coming

This is a Scratch 'n Sniff image

Most of the regular readers here, I suspect, are the type who don’t go in for animal cruelty. We may not campaign on the issue and we may look on at those who go to extremes with some consternation. But basically, we like animals and don’t really want to see them mistreated. We might eat them and be grateful for what we receive, but we are not necessarily aware of how those animals have been treated before they get onto our dinner plate. Gone are the days when animals were reared in the back yard and then ceremoniously dispatched by the most “humane” methods of the time. Some of us may be vegetarians or even vegans [not to be confused with Vogons who are green and slimy and write very bad poetry] but we still get on and respect each other. Vegans, for the most part, know and understand that we carnivores are not fundamentally cruel.

As a society we have banned bear baiting and dog fighting etc. We have also banned Fox hunting, although some think there is still a case for that. There is, I understand, only one animal circus left in the UK, and it comes to Redbridge once a year. The customers [markets] have spoken.

The produce we buy is now clearly labelled to tell us that it is free range, or dolphin friendly, although we might suspect those claims. Not everyone takes notice but the prevalence of such products tells us something about consumer behaviour and the market.

What we’ve got here is a pincer movement of government regulation and the markets. But the trouble with government regulation is getting the balance right. Clearly we don’t want over regulation stifling creativity and innovation, but equally we need support to ensure that customer expectations are delivered and not abused.

Which brings me to the Sustainable Livestock Bill that fell on Friday 12th November.

It fell short of the 100 yes votes it needed to keep on track. Apparently there were enough members present but opponents of the bill kept talking bx to delay the vote knowing that supportive MPs had to leave for other commitments. This is the Mother of Democracy.

And then, on the following day we read in the Independent - Government scraps protection for hens, game birds, pigs, cows, sheep – and circus animals.

Millions of hens will have their beaks mutilated; game birds will remain in cages; pigs, sheep and cows in abattoirs will lose crucial protection from abuse; badgers will be culled and lions, tigers and other wild animals will continue to perform in the big top.
In a series of little-noticed moves, the Coalition has scrapped or stalled Labour initiatives to improve animal welfare some weeks before they were due to come into force.

More on this from Flesh is Grass.

"And all the science demonstrates that the coalition's position on the badger cull will make the TB problem WORSE. This is easily explained by anyone who understands anything about epidemiology" – Caroline Allen, MA VetMB CertSAM MRCVS [That’s a Vet]. More from the BBC.

So, what else is there? Oh yes, remember those cows in central London? Well, it seems the cowboys really are coming here to England, starting in Nocton, Lincolnshire. This is mega dairy farming or battery cows. Coincidence? Looks like we really will have to look for the Free Range Milk label and put the pressure on our retailers.

CIWF reckon that cows belong in fields, and ......

‎"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. Mahatma Gandhi

Trouble Brewing..

… for Twinings Tea.
Those nice people over in the European Union have this huge pile of money [well, Euro thingies] called EU Regional Development Funds [ERDF]. This money is available as grants to smaller companies for Regional Development on New investments and specifically excludes large companies from simply relocating their production or service facilities from one member state to another.

Step forward Associated British Foods [ABF], who used their Polish subsidiary of Twinings Tea to successfully apply for €12 million from the ERDF to open a new factory in Poland, transferring 392 jobs from Twinings' plants in South Shields and Andover to the new facility.

Step forward UK MEP Keith Taylor, who took over from Caroline Lucas when she became a UK MP, and who is not a happy bunny.

I do not believe taxpayers money should have been used to bolster the profits of an already very successful company like ABF. There are good examples of new EU investment which help build communities, but instead this deal risks dismantling them.

The Twinings deal was rushed through, and this optimised the chances of getting the grant - another 3 months would have meant undertakings about genuine regeneration would need to have been given. There is no way the ABF lawyers would not have known that.

In my view this grant was wrong, and should never have been agreed.

I believe there is a strong moral case for Twinings to repay this money. They have currently a good reputation in the UK and they should seek to protect it.

In Parliament I will raise this as a special item in the Regional Development committee on November 30th, and continue to chase the Commission to take action, but so far it seems their rules have been effectively sidestepped. Regeneration is badly needed in many parts of the European community and it is this sort of behaviour that gives ammunition to critics who say the EU is not serving the interests of the people it represents.

The written reply to Keith Taylor:

P-7842/10EN
Answer given by Mr Hahn on behalf of the Commission
(19.11.2010)
Following enquiries with the Polish authorities, the Commission has been informed that a contract for support was signed on 4 October 2010 between the Polish managing authority for the Operational Programme Innovative Economy and R. Twining and Company Sp. z o.o. The total cost of the project amounts to 174,5 million PLN (c EUR 43 million) of which 48,4 million PLN (c EUR 12 million) is support from the European Regional Development Fund.

The Operational Programme Innovative Economy provides that, in the case of assistance to a large enterprise, the Managing Authority undertakes to request an assurance from the enterprise that "the assistance will concern new investments and will not be used for support of investments that concern the relocation of its production or service facilities from another Member State of the European Union". However, the Polish authorities have not requested such an assurance in this case, as this clause is only relevant when the beneficiary is an entity other than a Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME).

Based on information provided to the Commission, it appears that R. Twining and Company Sp. Z o.o was established in 2008. Its shares were bought by ABF Overseas Limited on 1 December 2009. At the time of the grant of assistance, R. Twining and Company Sp. z o.o was still considered an SME, despite the fact that the company met the headcount and financial threshold for being qualified as a large enterprise, because under Article 2 of Annex I of Regulation 800/2008, the company will only become a large enterprise once the headcount and financial thresholds have been exceeded for two consecutive accounting periods, i.e. at the start of 2011.

In a meeting with the Polish minister for regional development on 9 November Commissioner Hahn has asked the minister to look into this matter and to ensure that all applicable rules concerning the granting of assistance have been and will be respected in this case. On the basis of the information to be received from the Polish authorities, the Commission will examine the need for any further investigation.

The Honourable Member will be informed of the results of this enquiry.

9 o’clock News

Bong. Here is the news from yesterday’s Area Committee 3 meeting – I left at 9 o’clock feeling the need for a pint and wanting to know the score in the Spurs game. But before I left several items of local interest were discussed.

Bong. First up was the tank traps speed humps in Forest Road either side of the new pedestrian crossing. I had already raised this issue with the Deputy Mayor at the Fairlop Waters service on 11th November and was advised that despite severely testing my shock absorbers and suspension they are built to specification - except for the last one westbound which is lower due to noise and vibration complaints from those living in the fronting properties. Well, how do you think people inside the cars feel? We were advised by the Lead Officer, who is also the Highways Officer, that the humps are doing their job with average speeds on that section of road reduced and that he had only received about 5 complaints. All nine members of Area committee 3 then proceded to complain! That’s now 14. Apparently the crossing is to be part of a new Greenway path all the way from the Lee valley and up to the Cycle Centre at Hogg Hill, and will be changed to a Toucan crossing at some point – 2 years hence, when the humps will be removed. So, why not do that in the first place? So, if you feel the need please send your complaint in via your local councillors. You can find your local councillors here.

Bong. Next, still on Forest Road was the absent 000 bus route. This saga has been going on for years and years. There may be other tube stations without a bus route passing by outside but Fairlop definitely hasn’t. Various councillors over the years have taken this on with no joy - I stopped attending the Public Transport Liaison Group meetings because nothing ever happened, on anything. The bus companies still insist that it is not “economic” to run a service down that road, despite all the new facilities that have sprung up in recent years and lobbying from the Business Partnership on the Industrial Estate. It may be time to give our councillors some support in the form of a quick email. I’m not a fan of petitions – individual letters/emails are far more effective.

Bong. Still on traffic we move to the “width restriction” [which doesn’t] in Clayhall Avenue by Claybury Broadway. Another one of those long standing problems that seem to go on forever. It seems every time I pass [mostly on foot] there is a large lorry, skip vehicle or council vehicle using the “emergency vehicles only” gap in the middle. And, so we were told yesterday, during the rush hours by cars not wishing to wait in a queue. This makes those who are waiting very grumpy. There is also the perennial problem of illegal U-Turns opposite Claybury Broadway, but they are legal opposite the rear alley to the shops. The report on this is optimistic – we will be getting CCTV, don’t know when but they are working on it – they have to be sited correctly to capture the number plates. [Big £ signs light up in councillors eyes].

Bong. Remember those huge illumintaed advertising boards attached to the lamp posts in the High Street? Well, most of them have been removed – there are just a couple left. But there’s a problem. When the lamp posts were replaced [by TfL] they did not put a socket on the ones with bill boards so we can’t connect any Christmas lights on those posts. In case you are wondering why some posts don’t have lights. But the bill boards were illuminated, so there must be a connection, why can’t that be used? Anyway that’s another £5,000 out of the Area 3 budget.

Bong. As I’m sure many of you will know, the Jewish Primary School at the bottom of Craven Gardens is to move onto the King Solomon site. What you may not know is that 2 organisations are bidding to take over the school and provide another Faith based school. One is Al-Noor who are Muslim and the other are these peeps who are Hindu. There has been quite a response to the consultation, see here [PDF 69Kb]. The thing is we at Barkingside 21 are a community group – we are open to everybody, and we want a community school that is open to everyone, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or anything else. The council are also bidding so if you support the council’s bid please tell them.
Bong. After various experiments with different dangly lights on the Fullwell Cross Oak Tree we have now got uplighters, but Cllr Mrs Ryan thinks there aren’t enough of them. How much did all that cost?

Bong. Spurs win 3-0 and progress to the knock out stages of the Champions league.

Bong. We are joined in the pub by a gaggle of Labour peeps including Cllrs Figg and Hatfull. Two of their number are “entryists” in Barkingside 21, but one did buy me another pint. They have their uses.

I make that nine Bongs, well 10 now, but you know what I mean.

Hugh and Cry

As reported in the previous post I was up in Westminster today with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and Jamie Oliver. Our Hugh has been putting himself about. He was up in north Scotland and went out on a fishing boat to see for himself. He related how he saw grown men brought to tears as they throw back half their catch, dead – including prime cod, and we like our fish ‘n chips round here don’t we. He suggested filling the baskets before they were thrown back, they filled 20, enough to feed 2,000 people.

He then went up to the Shetlands, to a salmon farm. For every gramme of salmon produced you need 3 grammes of fishmeal to feed them on. This is ground up by-catch of small oily fish and it is imported from south America, while our own local by-catch is just slung back into the sea. Where is the sense in that?

Off to the Indian Ocean where local people still use rods and hooks to catch Tuna. But the industrial factory ships from Europe, who have bought licenses to fish there, are using 5Km wide nets to sweep up everything in their path, including sharks, turtles, and even dolphins which belies the claims on the tin.

Earlier today Hugh spoke to our Fisheries minister, sorry forgot his name, and he promised to campaign to get this insane and demented 'Common Fisheries Policy' ditched so our fishermen can do what are there to do. Earn a living and feed us.

Please join the campaign, write to your MP and better still your MEPs. And be a bit more adventurous when eating fish. It’s not just Cod and Tuna, there's a whole menu out there.

Oh, by the way, my taste buds were tickled. The cod in lemon and ginger sauce was out of this world. I am fished out.

Fish Fight Plus

I thought you might be interested to hear about a new campaign, Fish Fight, which I am launching today [15th November], with the support of the Marine Conservation Society, Greenpeace, and Client Earth. I anticipate other environmental NGO’s coming on board in the coming days and weeks.

The aim of the campaign is to raise public awareness and encourage consumer activism over a number of issues concerning global fish stocks and the marine environment.

The first element of the campaign, launching now, is focusing on the broken Common Fisheries Policy and quota system that is the cause of a massive problem of discarded fish, especially in the North Sea.

To find out more about how to support the campaign, please go here.

My new series, Hugh’s Fish Fight, explores this and other issues facing our global fisheries, and will be broadcast on Channel 4 in Jan 2011.

Best wishes

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

And Hugh will be preparing a free feast of fine fish prepared from discards, by-catch and fishmeal fish species tomorrow [Tuesday 23rd] up in Westminster for specially invited guests, including me. I shall be packing my taste buds.

By the way, Greenpeace need a new boat and if you think those wasted fish are bad take a look at this.

Running Flush

Today [Friday 19th November] is World Toilet Day and we residents of Barkingside are still waiting for our replacement public toilet at Fullwell Cross [now known locally as Legs Crossed], whilst watching nervously at the potential closure of public conveniences all over the borough when the government cuts start biting our councillors bums for real.

Image © World Toilet Organisation

Thing is we are quite well off compared to some. Lack of fresh clean water and sanitation is responsible for more deaths than all the wars of the 20th century combined so says the World Toilet Day website. But our sewers here in London, and more pertinently in Redbridge were designed and built for the infrastructure that was present at the time. Infill, high rise, and the replacement of houses with blocks of flats, not to mention extending 3 bed semis into 6 bed semis plus bungalows at the bottom of the garden, one wonders just how much longer our sewage system will cope before we experience a hygiene related epidemic?

It’s not just about where there are no toilets, and that covers some 2.6 billion people worldwide, nearly half the world population, it’s also about where we do have toilets. Have you blokes ever wondered what that smell is after a lady has been in the toilet? It’s bleech! You have a responsibility to keep the place clean and hygienic too. Just try and get it in the pan will you! And put the toilet seat back down. Tut!

And as a treat for those who like computer games here’s a natty site that tracks your poo. Yes, tracks your poo. You type in your postcode, hit flush and watch the progress of your poo on Google Earth as it makes it’s way to wherever it’s going. It also tells you how fast it’s travelling. Cool eh? Of course you don’t need to put in your own postcode, you can track David Cameron’s poo, the Council Leader’s poo, the Queen’s poo or anybody else’s poo.

[This post is dedicated to Roy Emmett.]

Public Transport for All

New group will campaign for better transport access in Redbridge

Please join us for the launch of an action group aimed at making Redbridge’s transport more accessible to older and disabled people. It should be a good opportunity to meet other local disabled and older transport users in a relaxed and informal setting and improve the transport system for everyone.

Our first meeting will take place at Ilford Central Library on Tuesday 30th November, 2 – 4 pm. Light refreshments will be provided.

The group will be supported by the charity Transport for All and will get together to improve the provision of accessible transport, working towards a Redbridge where older and disabled people are able to travel with the same freedom and independence as non-disabled people.

Some of the things that you might do as a local group member are:

• lobby councillors and MPs to win support
• write press releases and stage media stunts to get your message across
• organise public meetings, socials, or travel surveys.

There's a role for everybody in a local group, regardless of the time they have available, their experience and their knowledge of the issues.
If you or members of your organisation are interested in getting involved, just turn up to the launch meeting or contact Lianna on 020 7737 2339.

Max Reid

Editors notes: The image is what we don't have at Newbury Park Station - the lift that never was! If there is a good turnout some bright spark is bound to point out "well, you all got here didn't you!" But don't let that put you off.

Carbon Cutters 2010

Well, governments aren’t going to do it, are they? They’ve been pfaffing around for years, spouting hot air at summit after summit and nothing ever happens. It’s only when entrepreneurs and business people spot the opportunities offered by a low carbon economy and we take up their products and services that they will even begin to take notice. Assuming we have an economy after all the other cuts and bailouts.

And so it comes to pass that Businesses are urging both the UK and India into closer collaboration to kick start that low carbon economy. Marks and Spencer, wind energy giant Suzlon, and HSBC Bank are among the companies on board.

Foreign Secretary William Hague may welcome the report, but don’t hold your breath – they have not accepted all the recommendations and he has some powerful lobbies with a vested interest in the status quo bending his ear. Removing the barriers to investment in clean energy is going to take some doing.

Menawhile UCL has a lunchtime lecture tomorrow [Thursday 18th] on Energising the City.

The hunt is on for how to make sure that energy consumption in urban areas is reduced and comes from more renewable sources. A major new project at UCL will be considering the contribution that decentralised energy systems can play in terms of carbon reduction and urban sustainability more generally. This lecture discusses the issues involved from cultural acceptance of new modes of engaging with energy systems to the complex interconnections between local, regional and national energy systems.

Don’t worry if you can’t go. They get recorded and you can watch it live here or for that matter later.

And our green neighbours in Epping are having a Speakers meeting on simple ways for you to improve your home and lifestyle.

St Stephen’s Church Hall, Buckhurst Hill
Albert Road, IG9 6EH
1st December 2010
7.30pm - 9pm

Speakers will include:

Ros Bedlow, Associate, Carbon Descent
Ros has a background in teaching and training and over ten years’ experience of delivering energy efficiency advice. She will be talking about energy efficiencies and renewable energy.

Russell Smith, Managing Director of Parity Projects
Our homes are responsible for 27% of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions. Russell Smith is managing director of Parity Projects, the leading UK company dedicated to saving energy in existing homes. He will discuss how you can have a greener home that saves you money, enhances your lifestyle and significantly reduces your environmental impact.

Cath Sunderland, Naturewise
Permaculture is a holistic way of living on the earth; its core foundation is people working with rather than against nature. Cath Sunderland will discuss permaculture and how we can use these ideas when growing our own food.

Enterance is free, everyone is welcome.

Inspired by Morris

From Newsletter.

Refurbishment: After recent upheavals at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow the Gallery has taken on a new lease of life. They have restored opening hours, staffing levels and commitment to Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Gallery will be refurbished next year and will include new galleries thanks to over £3 million injection of funds, including £1.5 from the Heritage Lottery fund raised by gallery staff, £1.5 million from Waltham Forest Council and £650,000 raised to date by The Friends of the William Morris Gallery through various trusts and foundations.

Current Exhibition until 24 December 2010: The current exhibition, Inspired by Morris, is an ambitious show consisting of 57 artists which typifies this change in attitude and commitment. It is organised by the gallery in collaboration with Martin Adams, former Vice Chair of Friends of William Morris Gallery. London-based artists were invited to the gallery and asked to create their own artistic responses to what was on show, demonstrating the continued relevance of Morris in 21st Century. Over 300 submissions were received and the best were picked by judges Grant Gibson, editor of Crafts magazine, and arts and crafts specialist, Mary Greensted. Nicola Jarvis was the overall competition winner and has been rewarded with her own forthcoming solo show at the gallery when it re-opens after the re-development.

Visitors can see the chosen works installed alongside Morris’ own inspiring output. The multimedia display showcases work ranging from print to film.
The exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm Wednesday to Sunday and is free to enter and continues until 24 December 2010.

For more information please contact:
Martin Adams: 07984 654 350
William Morris Gallery
Lloyd Park, Forest Road
London E17 4PP
T: 020 8496 4390

Nature Calls

The nights are drawing in and it’s getting colder but the Nature Conservation Rangers have a jam packed calendar of events to keep you active over the next couple of months! There are plenty of volunteering opportunities, Christmas events for all the family and a massive tree planting project.

So much is there, that I will just pick out a few that caught my eye and give you a link to the whole list.

Sunday 21 November
Winter Tree ID Walk
Come along and see if you can identify a tree in winter without its leaves. Are you up for the challenge?
10 years +
10am to 12 noon
Claybury Park, entrance on corner of Tomswood Hill and Wannock Gardens

Saturday 4 December
Tree Dressing Day
Join us in the heart of the ancient woods of Claybury to make decorations, decorate trees, have a hot drink and eat mince pies.
All ages
1pm to 3pm
Claybury Park, nearest entrance on Ravensbourne Gardens, gate near to Warley Road

Saturday 11 December
Christmas Decorations Workshop
Come and get into the festive season by making your own Christmas decorations. All materials provided.
10ys+
1pm to2pm
£5 per person
James Leal Centre, Ray Park, Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 7JQ
Booking essential

Monday 13 December
Winter Wetland Bird Walk
Join Daniel Erickson-Hull to help you identify birds which rely on our wetlands to survive the winter. You should also see migratory birds.
12 yrs +
9.00am to 11.30am
Fairlop Waters Country Park Clubhouse, Forest Road, Barkingside, Essex, IG6 3HN

Tuesday 21 December
Father Christmas Trail
Come and try navigating your way around the nature trail- can you find Father Christmas in his grotto? Mince pies and hot drinks will be available.
All ages
11am to 2.00pm
£5 per person
Hainault Lodge Local Nature Reserve, Forest Road, Hainault IG6 3HP
Booking essential

Calling all Volunteers - Help Plant 10,000 trees

London Borough of Redbridge Nature Conservation Rangers are working in partnership with Trees for Cities, News International and the Greater London Authority to plant 10,000 trees in Roding Valley Park in January 2011. With funding from the Forestry Commission (LTWGS) and the Tree Council (Hedge fund) we are able to extend the area of woodland in the park and contribute towards the London and Redbridge Biodiversity Action Plan targets of woodland creation. This will not only benefit the local wildlife; help mitigate against climate change; and improve the local environment but it will also benefit local residents as it will act as screen to the motorway which runs close to the park.

We are looking for willing volunteers, community groups and schools to help with the planting during week of the 10th January 2011 and the week will culminate with a community planting event on Saturday 15th January. Watch this space for further information.....

We would really like to involve and keep local community members such as yourselves updated on the project to ensure that you are able to get involved and are aware of the plans; as such I would like to keep you updated with information about the planting and for you to feel free to let me know if your group has any questions regarding the project.

from our Kemo Sabes

The Nature Conservation Ranger Team

Transtion Wanstead

Last month your Chairman and Secretary attended the inaugural meeting of the Wanstead Transition Initiative – we like to network with other local groups, so we do. There I bumped into the President of the Wanstead Rugby Club. He lives in Wanstead but the club itself is just around the corner from me in the north east corner of Roding ward. Also there were reps from Leyton Transition, one of whom I know from FoE and who attended our Climate Change meeting back in 2006. I can now also put a face to a regular correspondent in the letters pages of the local Guardian – Paul Donovan.

Maggie Burlington writes:

It was wonderful to see you all so many of you at our first pubic event with the showing of Age of Stupid. There were over 50 of us. It was heartening to see such a good turn-out and so many of you who wanted to be involved. We have 3 new members of the Seed Group. And we have people with all sorts of skills and interests.

Our next event is at 7pm on Saturday November 20th at the URC church as before. We will be showing the film ‘The Eleventh Hour’, produced and presented by Leonardo Di Caprio which lays out the crises in which we find ourselves, and offers some sense of a way forward. There will be more time to meet and talk together, and there will be a short talk about the nature of the Transition Town movement and what it, and therefore we, can achieve. I enclose an attachment on Transition Towns. Also enclosed are the leaflet and the poster for the film evening- please distribute far and wide.

The first stage of what we are doing is about raising awareness and drawing in as many people as possible. Out of that we will develop project groups. So please do what you can to publicise this event.

We have been very lucky to have the space at the church free, but this cannot continue after November. So we are looking around for venues. If anyone can suggest somewhere please let us know.

End of Life Care

So, following on from the previous post about “Start of Life Care” [Maternity] and having been bombarded with news and blog posts on the Student fees “protests”, it’s now time to consider those who have reached the end of their tether. I am referring here to, for example, Mrs Blogger, who some years back screamed at the Social Worker – “I don’t need money, I need help”. I’m not sure, though, whether her role in dealing with the nitty gritty was any worse than mine in dealing with the state beauracracy. That was 10 years ago and whether it is any better or worse now, I don’t know.

The point I want to make here is that it is not a question of the state caring for the elderly, but caring for those who care for the elderly.

A group of Redbridge councillors are undertaking a scrutiny review into End of Life services in Redbridge. As part of this work they are holding an event on 23 November 2010 for councillors, public and professionals involved in providing End of Life Care Services.

The event will be highly participative and include workshops sessions and an opportunity to put questions to an expert panel. If you have experience on this field, then please do take this opportunity to make your voice heard.

Flyer: click to enlarge.

One Last Push

I am informed that Lee Scott [MP, Ilford North] is organising a non-political meeting to oppose cuts to King Georges Hospital. This will be on:

Thursday 9th December, 8pm,

at the Broadmead Church at Chigwell.

[Broadmead Baptist Church is in Chigwell Road, Woodford Bridge, adjacent to the Esso petrol station and close to Dagenham Motors showrooms. Click link above for map]

Could all local associations please send a delegate, or a couple of people, as one more last push is needed to oppose plans to shut the Maternity and Accident & Emergency departments?

Chris Carter from the Ilford Recorder will chair the meeting, and if anyone wants to speak would they please state how many people they represent clearly, as the Health Authority do not seem to want to recognise petitions.

This is an important meeting, and all resident groups and associations should ensure representation.

Bill Howe

It’s Started Already

This is a pair of Christmas cacti [pictured]. They are supposed to flower at Christmas. It’s climate change I tell you. Either that or they know something we don’t, like George is about to cancel Christmas so they are getting in early. Plants can sense these things you know, so I’m told. They’ve been around for longer than we have.

Anyway, elsewhere, up in Tenbury Wells Worcestershire, they are gearing up for the annual Mistletoe auctions – they are apparently the heart of the UK mistletoe trade. I didn’t know that, did you know that? The town holds its popular Mistletoe Festival on 4th December which includes a Druid procession and the Crowning of the Mistletoe Queen, the Holly Prince and Worcestershire’s Green Father Christmas.

According to my informant:

Although the event is filled with festive fun, there is a serious message behind the celebrations. The aim of the Mistletoe Season is to put British mistletoe firmly back on the map. In recent times, much of the mistletoe on sale in this country has been imported from France, particularly in the South East.

As well as the importance of buying British, mistletoe provides a much-needed income for numerous rural communities in and around Worcestershire. Harvesting mistletoe also plays an important role in the conservation of traditional orchards. There’s a difference in the quality, too, with British mistletoe berries tending to be more creamy and plump due to our colder climate.

Jonathon Briggs, leading mistletoe expert and whose book, "A little book about Mistletoe" is published this Christmas, takes up the story:

"Home-grown mistletoe is fresher, greener and really does have the finest pearly-white berries. And, as it is mostly grown on apple trees in orchards, buying British mistletoe helps conserve our traditional landscapes and local tree varieties. It has a very low carbon footprint too!"

So, there you have it. Our berries are creamier and plumper than the French.

Redbridge Life..

.. The Big Society and Council Communications.

Dear Councillor Prince,

The video below is not long. May I suggest it is shown at the next Full Council after all councillors and officers have been nailed to their seats and their eyes forced open with matchsticks.

Yours, B21

Via Punk Science. [Warning: includes gratuitous swearing]

Sunday Lunch Box

Papanomicron blows the dust off his blog to discuss “Free Schools”.

Two different, but somewhat similar, views on the "too big to fail" banks – Gaian Economics and Burning our Money.

Store Wars in Kent from Stuart – Use the Farm Luke!

Redbridge wins eco homes award – Guardian

Don’t miss Birds Britannia. I caught the repeat of episode 1 last night [Saturday] – excellent.

The Chadwell Councillors have started to Twitter, and they say they will have a new blog up soon.

Fairtrade have enlisted Ethics Girls [plenty round here?]

And three from Greenpeace:

How sometimes it doesn’t do what it says on the tin

How business and government can act swiftly when it suits

How Greenpeace have stolen the Gants Hill Egg Whisk logo for their Flour Power campaign.

And finally Pickles does stand up – “YouTube if you want to”

A Day on the Farm

101010 @ Forest Farm Peace Garden

The tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the new millennium was an international day of action to reduce carbon emissions and a chance to demonstrate the readiness of communities all over the world to tackle climate change. In our hidden corner of Hainault, Redbridge, the volunteers of Forest Farm Peace Garden celebrated this day by opening the gates to 150 visitors, inviting them to share our way of living the sustainable life.

The heart of our project is food - growing and eating it together in our organic community garden. Our great team of chefs cooked up a seasonal feast using fresh veg and herbs from the garden, including gazpacho, spiced potatoes, veggy curry and an apple & rhubarb crumble. Localising our food supply should be one of our most urgent priorities – it can make a massive difference to our carbon emissions (conventional farming and food distribution is entirely dependent on fossil fuels) and will be an essential step to secure our well-being post peak oil (see attached leaflet).

This year has seen a great increase in our supply of local apples through the Redbridge Abundance project – where surplus fruit is harvested from trees in gardens and parks by Peace Garden volunteers. A team of volunteers chopped, mashed and squeezed the juice from hundreds of apples that would otherwise have gone to waste, generating a delicious drink to refresh us on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Our aim is to extend this crop year on year, by locating more un-harvested sites and by planting more fruit trees around the borough.

Our resident medical herbalist Debbie also led visitors on a typically energetic and inspiring herbal tour of the garden. As ever, participants were exposed to a profusion of healing plants, growing wild and cultivated throughout the garden, and learned about their properties and safe use. The day’s guests had an opportunity to learn about wood turning, carving and wool spinning - traditional skills powered by human energy and creativity. The children’s area (in the new snug poly-tunnel) also nurtured creative crafts through the construction of bug houses and dream catchers using willow harvested from our living willow tunnel.

Throughout the day plot-holders were on hand to show off their productive plots and inspire visitors to grow their own. Plants, produce and delicious preserves were on sale, with bargain herbs and winter crops heading out to gardens around Hainault. Stefan, our head gardener, turned tour guide for the day, showing people around the new orchard areas and giving the low-down on how our community garden works. Redbridge recycling officers were also in the garden to promote recycling in the borough – and were thrilled to be going home with empty recycling bags as so little waste was produced on the day!

The open day was also a celebration of World Mental Health Week, as part of the program of activities organised by Redbridge Concern for Mental Health. Many volunteers at the Peace Garden have gone through periods of mental distress at some time in their lives - everyone who comes can experience the positive effects that volunteering in a community gardening can bring to their physical and mental well-being. The Peace Garden will soon be recruiting a support worker as part of our Ecominds project to improve the links between Goodmayes hospital and our community based therapeutic space. More information will be available on our website soon.

A big thankyou to all the volunteers who devoted their time and energy to sharing the vision of our community garden and for putting on such a great welcome for the day’s visitors – especially to Joan for expertly coordinating the whole day!

Gareth

Next FFPG event – a Composting Workshop on Sunday November 21st from 1 .30 pm to 4 pm (all are welcome, though it would be helpful for us to have an idea of numbers if you can email )

Safer Communities

From Redbridge Safer Communities News. Full Newsletter –click.

Be bright; be seen
As the nights close in pedestrians and cyclists are being advised to ‘Be bright, be safe, be seen'. Residents have been issued with a number of tips of how they can make sure they are visible to drivers during the winter months including:
· Wear brightly coloured or fluorescent clothing as it shows up well in daylight and at dusk.
· Cross at pedestrian crossings whenever you can - at night if there is no crossing near try to cross under a street light.
For more road safety tips and information call 020 8708 3577.

Be a Bright Spark and ensure fireworks season goes off with a bang
With fireworks season now here residents have been asked to look out for the ‘Bright Spark’ poster when shopping for their rockets, roman candles and Catherine wheels.
The poster has been awarded to stores in the Borough that have been given the thumbs up by Redbridge Fire Brigade, Police and Council after an inspection to ensure they are doing their bit to make sure that residents can enjoy fireworks in a safe way.
The Council will also be working with the Police to patrol the Borough to make sure residents are not disturbed by irresponsible behaviour.

The Big Society

Ever since David Cameron used the phrase “The Big Society” people have been wondering what he means. I know what it means to me, but the Big Question is what does it mean to him? Is it just another meaningless political sound byte or is there some substance behind the phrase and if there is, is that substance going to do more harm than good, or vice versa? It seems we are about to find out.

Windsor and Maidenhead council are considering launching a scheme where its citizens can earn 'Big Society reward points' redeemable in supermarkets, shops or restaurants, in exchange for volunteering time.

But one wonders how this will apply to the existing third sector [charities, community groups, neighbourhood watch groups etc]. I can't find an alternative view on this from the 'Conservative Party' who sit on the opposition benches, so I am forced to look to Her Majesties Real Opposition, the Green Party. Here we have Molly Scott-Cato, their economics spokesman.

Once 'volunteering' becomes institutionalised and rewarded through an official alternative money system it is no longer voluntary but a poor substitute for a national system of essential public services.

Referring to Robert Owen who introduced the Equitable Labour Exchange in 1830 she concludes:

This is the real purpose of time-based money schemes: to humanise and introduce justice into the private sector, not to provide a diversion from the destruction of the public sector.

Since I got involved with the local community, and Barkingside 21, I have been amazed at what I have found out. Quite a few of those people who I was vaguely aware of and would nod to on my way to the newsagents I have found to have hidden secrets. There is the lady who spent two days a week doing meals-on-wheels. The lady who is a hospital visitor, and another who raised £1million for a charity. I have also found others, in full time work, who are significant donors to a charity of their choice. If you like, being secretary and blog editor of Barkingside 21 is voluntary work – I don’t get paid, and I also do some voluntary work for a small children’s charity. I don’t do it for that sort of reward and neither, I expect, do any of those others I’ve mentioned as well as those I haven’t.

If you are the sort of person who will pull a supermarket trolley out of the river, as I have done, you are going to do it whether you get Nectar points or not. If you are not that sort of person, you are not going to do it for Nectar points.

Discuss.