Green Telegraph Hill

Food Foraging, Sat 25 Sept.

2010-09-10T11:18:00.003+01:00

Come on a food foraging walk around South Bermondsey - we will gather a Summer harvest and walk up Telegraph Hill, where we will prepare a lunch of wild food and drink.

Saturday 25th September, 11am-2pm.

Gather at the gates of Brimmington Park, towards the New Cross end of the Old Kent Road.

A voluntary contribution will be taken in support of Lewisham Green Party.

RSVP dazflint@hotmail.com

Thank you for voting Green!

2010-05-11T15:20:00.003+01:00

In the end, Telegraph Hill was taken by Labour candidates Paul Bell, Joan Millbank and Dan Whittle, as part of a wider Labour landslide across Lewisham and the rest of inner London. Greens and the other smaller parties were squeezed by the general election on the same day, particularly given the current political climate with the national media framing the election as a choice between the two or three biggest parties.

Despite this pressure, the Green Party suceeded in having Caroline Lucas elected as the first Green MP, for Brighton Pavillion. This is an historic achievment, all the more remarkable given that the current electoral system is expressly designed to keep out smaller, younger parties.

Here in Telegraph Hill we fought a great campaign, effectively doubling the Green vote and closing the gap between ourselves and the Socialists, who have lost their seats on Lewisham council. This is a fantastic gain, placing us in a very strong position to contest future elections.

On behalf of the Telegraph Hill Green Team and the Lewisham Green Party, I'd like to thank everyone who voted for us and especially give my thanks to all those activists who came out to support our campaign work.

Everything to play for in Telegraph Hill:

2010-05-03T10:38:00.007+01:00

We're getting an encouraging response from voters as we enter election week, with more and more people telling us that they're planning to vote Green!

It's great that all our hard work in Telegraph Hill and across Lewisham is starting to pay off, and Priscilla, Bill and myself contemplate the possibility of joining the Green group on Lewisham Council and representing the people of Telegraph Hill.

The election isn't over yet, though, with none of the parties contesting Telegraph Hill ready to claim an early victory.

Green Cllr. Darren Johnson is mounting the strongest opposition yet against Joan Ruddock in the bid to be Lewisham Deptford MP, with Dean Walton standing as our Mayoral candidate.

For seats on Council it's a three-way race between Greens, Labour and the Socialists.

The Socialists don't seem to be getting as strong a response as they did last time, putting in doubt their bid to retain Council seats. Meanwhile, life-long Labour supporters look set to stay at home in droves after the wars, scandals and disappointments of recent years. The Lib Dems don't seem to be doing much in Telegraph Hill, and the Tories probably never will.

That leaves the Greens as the only party who look to be making significant gains in Telegraph Hill. Whether we win or not on May 6th (and we do intend to win), we're already seeing a very positive increase in our share of the vote. Again, this election will be close and any party that thinks they've got Telegraph Hill 'in the bag' is fooling themselves.

Whatever the outcome of the local elections, one thing is certain; with Labour's Cllr. Robin Cross standing down, Telegraph Hill WILL have a new team of councillors this time next week...

THERE'S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO VOTE GREEN!

Green Party Election Broadcast

2010-04-27T21:42:00.006+01:00

The Green Party launched its election broadcast recently alongside a new website. As well as watching the broadcast, you can personalise it and email it to your friends, and they can visit the site and not only look at our key policies but take a Policy Matchmaker test to see how close to the Green Party they are.

We don't get a great deal of national broadcast media exposure, so when we do, we need to get it right. We think this is pretty nifty, but what do you think?

Experiences on the campaign trail...

2010-04-18T14:13:00.003+01:00

The canvassing trail is now progressing surprisingly well with a diverse avalanche of opinion ranging from residents somewhat satisfied in their local services, social, healthcare et al but this has only been reflected by a small minority. Predominantly residents have signalled larger concerns with crime, transport, road/ pavement conditions, skate parks and education which have been steadily become key issues that need addressing by their representatives in the council.

As I noted to a resident, the stance that the Greens would take in resolving these issues, though passionate would be a realistic one. Broken promises are a weakness of any form of government beit local, central or European and should not be uttered if one considers themselves as a true respresentative.

My desire to help local residents stems from a long-term and deep rooted objective to achieve democracy whether it was through supporting tutors in education or supporting mothers living in deprivation. I also supported a pledge against Lewisham Hospital closure as well as the Pension pledge to increase state pension to £170. The causes I chose to support are given credibility as they are close to my heart having known, worked with or assisted people who have been through or tried to cope with an adverse experience.

When I am out canvassing I see residents as the individuals that they are and days, weeks and months later remember individual conversations that I had despite the consolidation of views of main opinions. Considering consciously that residents ARE indiviuals is a difficult challenge for most politicians as they are consolidated despite reflecting different voices - a crucial point to remember.

That said, I will continue on my trail noting each individual concern or action likely to be required in light of the issues raised. I must not forget to mention that the interaction and discussions with residents has been enlightening, informative and enables us to actively voice these issues to the council.

Personally, it is an experience I embrace as not only serious but equally delightful when you meet indiviudals in Telegraph Hill.- a ward which is as historic, calm, colourful and dynamic as it is beautiful...

Parliamentary Hustings 2010 - Your chance to ask Darren Johnson a question

2010-04-16T15:49:00.004+01:00

17 April, at Utrophia Project Space, The Ice Cream Factory

Meet and question the candidates for MP of Lewisham Deptford!

NO2ID and Power 2010 present a hustings at the Utrophia Project Space for the Parliamentary candidates for the 2010 General Election, with the following panel:

- Darren Johnson: Green
- Gemma Townsend: Conservative
- Ian Page: Trade Union & Socialist
- Tamora Langley: Lib Dem
- Joan Ruddock: Labour (TBC)

Anyone is welcome to come along and ask questions to the candidates about whatever issues are important to you in this election, so come along and get your questions answered so you can make an informed vote come election day.

Where and when:
Saturday, 17th April from 5pm
Utrophia Project Space
136 Tanners Hill
Deptford SE8 4QD

Fair is Worth Fighting For...

2010-04-15T21:30:00.002+01:00

Today saw the official launch of our 2010 General Election manifesto, Fair is Worth Fighting For.

Everybody expects the Green Party to promote environmental issues and policies that tackle climate change. It's widely accepted that we take the environment (with a capital 'E') more seriously than the other major parties. Unfortunately, people don't always know that we have a range of solid, sensible policies on more traditional subjects like schools or housing.

As our Party Leader Caroline Lucas said at today's launch, "We believe that the choice between safeguarding the environment and the economy is a false one - if you want to see how 'green' a party is, look at its economic policies."

Some of the best policies would deliver multiple benefits from the same modest investments. For example, free home insulation would reduce the use of fossil fuels which is good for the environment, but also good for householders who would save on average £150 per year. At the same time, a large-scale insulation programme would create thousands of new jobs. It's this kind of policy that sets the Green Party apart from the 'business as usual' parties of the old establishment.

As voters feel increasingly 'switched off' from those mainstream parties, we're emerging as one of the voices furthest to the 'left' in popular politics. In Lewisham for instance, it is Green councillors who have promoted the London Living Wage for Council and Council-contracted workers. In today's manifesto we called for a guaranteed, non-means-tested state pension of £170 per week, minimum. It really can't be said that we're 'all about the Environment'. Here in Lewisham, at Westminster and in Europe, the Green Party has effective and well-costed answers to the political questions of today, and that message of fairness is at the core of our policies.

Our election manifesto can be found online at http://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/resources/Manifesto_web_file.pdf

Here at Telegraph Hill Green Party we'd encourage anybody to read it and see for themselves what Greens really have to say about the NHS, crime, economics and all those other issues that aren't environmental with a capital 'E'...

Looking forward to the elections on May 6th

2010-04-07T17:28:00.003+01:00

Now that Gordon Brown has announced the general election on May 6th (the same day that Lewisham residents will be voting for their Mayor and Borough Councillors), it's 'all hands on deck' for Lewisham Green Party.

We're never complacent, but between now and the day of the election we'll be working harder than ever to speak to as many residents as possible. We want to put our message across to the public, so that Lewisham voters can make an informed decision at the ballot box. But we're also keen to carry on asking local people for their own ideas and opinions, so that we can carry forward their interests and represent their real views and concerns. Politics is about dialogue, and that dialogue starts on the doorstep, right in the heart of the community.

We should get a chance to call at every house in Telegraph Hill before the elections happen. But sometimes people are out, of course!

If we've left you a calling card - or even if we haven't called yet - you are very welcome to contact us on 020 8691 8281 or email telegraphhill [at] greenparty.org.uk and you can share your views, ask us any questions or just drop us a line to pledge your support on May 6th!

Bill and Priscilla out canvassing with Crofton Park candidate, Roger Sedgley.

This weekend in Telegraph Hill...

2010-03-18T18:03:00.000Z

This Saturday is the third Saturday in the month, so once again it's time for the excellent farmer's market to visit Telegraph Hill lower park (11am-3pm). Fruit, veg, juice, bread & wine, deli items, meat, fish and fresh coffee. With so much on offer I'm sure I must have missed something out!

It's also time for another Lewisham Green Party 'Action Saturday'. With lots of activists expected the focus this time will be spread across the ward - so supporters should be able to help out in a way and in an area that suits them. There'll be canvassing, leafletting and other activities to help out with. As ever, full training will be given and meals and refreshments provided throughout the day. Contact sue.luxton@greenparty.org.uk for details.

Friends of Telegraph Hill are meeting on Monday 22nd March, 8pm in the lounge up at the Telegraph Hill Centre. Items on the agenda include proposals for the skate park, outdoor gym and water fountain(s).

Don't forget that the 2010 Telegraph Hill Festival is still running until Sunday 28th! See www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk for programme details...

Telegraph Hill Festival 2010

2010-03-11T09:01:00.001Z

Tomorrow (Friday 12th) sees the opening of the 2010 Telegraph Hill festival, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever! Highlights include artists''open studios', a bevvy of live entertainment including a full production of Sweeny Todd, and the now-legendary cake competition. That's just the tip of the iceberg, though - if you don't already have a programme, visit www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk for all the details. There's something on almost every day all the way through to Sunday 28th - there's bound to be something for everyone!

SKATE PARK DEMO AT TELEGRAPH HILL

2010-03-07T16:18:00.012Z

SPAG (Skate Park Action Group) held a well organised demonstration to consult with residents on a proposed skate park. It took place on Saturday 27 February at Telegraph Hill, lower park. Campaigner Sarah Hews shared her views on why a skate park was needed and what parents hoped to achieve.

The event was well attended by a well behaved, friendly and approachable young people who were simply enjoying themselves and united through play, interaction and talent. Parents, members of the press and resident attended to talk, watch, support or enquire.

Opposition against skaters grew in Telegraph Hill when a minority of residents complained about the noise level skating brought to their area not to mention dangers of skating in the road. As police have warned of the possibility of ASBO's to children who do not behave unreasonably parents have taken action. They felt that their children had been unfairly treated for engaging in a harmless and respectful urban sport based on the fact local recreations are somewhat scarce in the borough. Their action was presented in the form of SPAG - a coalition established to petition for a safe, accessible skate park site.

Recently, they have pitched a proposal before the Young Mayor of Lewisham, Jacob Sakil, and the Youth Opportunities Fund who are undergoing consultations in response to their application. If successful SPAG would secure one of three potential sites located in Telegraph Hill upper park, Kitto road outside the church or in an under developed plot beside Crossways Academy.

Sarah Hews informed me of the benefits a sport facility would bring to the area, saying it would bring the community together, provide an outlet for encouraging interaction between young people - away from gang culture and computer games. In support of her claims, companies such as Sport England perceive skating as a positive way to engage young people in living a healthier lifestyle.

A young skater added that he enjoyed the atmosphere the event brought as it allowed children [and teenagers] to enjoy themselves, regardless of their age, race or background they came from.

Reporting broken street-lamps in Lewisham...

2010-03-02T12:15:00.004Z

No, these aren't UFOs - they're just a couple of the street lamps that have been replaced on Sandbourne Road.

In recent weeks I've been speaking to Sandbourne Road residents, and the one thing that came up time-and-again was the street lamps. In some cases lamps had been broken for several years, making it difficult and potentially dangerous to navigate the alleyways. It's sad that this lovely street sat ignored for so long, but it only took a quick email to the council to get the lights fixed.

Since the lamps have been repaired I've sent a letter to residents letting them know about the Council's Envirocall number, which is 020 8314 7171. A single call is all it takes to notify the council of broken lights, fly-tipping and similar issues.

Residents can also go online at www.lovelewisham.org - a great site which makes it very easy to report local environmental issues. You can even log in using your facebook account - it's never been easier to help look after the community!

Gardening sessions at Frendsbury Gardens...

2010-03-02T11:59:00.004Z

Here are a few dates for the diary - Organic gardening sessions and more, happening at Frendsbury Gardens and Honor Oak Community Centre this month. I hope to be at the weeds and pest management sessions (fingers crossed - campaigning keeps me very busy at the momment!)

...It's also good to see the community centre offering web taster sessions after its bid for funding at the Assembly meeting last October!

Frendsbury Road, SE4 (we are right next to the railway bridge)

11am – 2pm

All sessions are free.

Light refreshments provided.

These are structured sessions that will start promptly. Please let us know if you will be late.

For your own safety please wear boots or sturdy shoes and suitable clothing e.g. waterproofs.

Children under 13 must be supervised at all times.

Sat 27 Feb: Sowing seeds - start organic gardening

Organic gardening - Q&A. Tools identification, safe use and care.

Seed sowing practical. What are you going to grow? (6 less common vegetables). How are you going to grow? (6 ways). Questions

Sat 6 Mar: Design an organic garden - everything you need to know

Aspect, water conservation, lawn care (practical), composting (practical). Questions.

Sat 13 Mar: Pond and wild flower planting (family friendly, drop-in session)

11am – 4pm

Pop in during the day when we will be planting up the new pond with aquatic plants such as Soft rush and Arrowhead. We will also plant the surrounding area with wildflower seed and plug plants such as Ragged Robin and Wild Carrot.

Thurs 18 Mar: Weeds - tackle them the organic way

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - biological, cultural and chemical. Weed identification (practical) - bring in a weed from your garden (root as well). Questions.

Thurs 1 Apr: Garden pests & diseases - deal with them the organic way. Grow your own floral bouquets.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Pest & disease identification.

Flowers for cutting. Questions.

Sat 24 Apr: Make a hanging basket with a difference (family friendly)

A mixed edible and non-edible plants. All materials provided.

Booking essential.

Sessions at Honor Oak Community Centre

Honor Oak Community Centre, 50 Turnham Road, SE4 2JD.

These sessions are run in partnership with the “We Care” community group.

Floristry session - Mother’s day flowers (make-and-take)

Wed 10 Mar

12 – 2pm

Booking essential.

Internet tasters for beginners

Wed 21 April

11am - 1pm and 2 – 4 pm

Want to learn more about using the internet – come to these FREE taster sessions to learn the basics of surfing the internet, searching for information and internet shopping. Suitable for all ages.

Please call Gareth on 020 8314 2071 020 8314 2071 or email gareth.schweitzer@ lewisham. gov.uk for more information or to book a place.

Help and Advice with gardening problems

If you are coming to a workshop and would like some help with a specific gardening problem, please email us in advance, so that we can research your problem and try to help you on the day.

Please describe your problem in no more than 2 lines and email it to gareth.schweitzer@ lewisham. gov.uk

Best wishes,

Gareth

Gareth Schweitzer
Frendsbury Garden Project officer
Environment and Community development

TEL: 020 8314 2071 020 8314 2071

Regeneration stalls in Lewisham

2010-02-26T11:05:00.007Z

Is the The Great Recession the cause of a lack of progress in delivering regeneration projects in the ward and Lewisham in general? Or should the council hold its hand-up as well?

The redevelopment of the Kender Triangle appears to be the victim of a host of factors that have seen little progress made in the proposed NDC (New Deal for Communities) Centre planned to be built on the north side of Besson Street.

The NDC Centre as proposed, a mix of high-density housing and limited community facilities.

The NDC Centre was originally scheduled to open its doors in December 2009. Unfortunately, a visit to the site reveals little in the way of construction of this development. In November 2009 the New Cross Gate Trust was announced as a successor body to the New Cross Gate NDC. Has this change made any difference? It appears not.

The lack of progress on the Kender Triangle development is not the only example of stymied regeneration projects that have an impact on local residents.

In the context of being resident in Lewisham borough it must be of some concern that regeneration projects planned for Loampit Vale and Lewisham Gateway seem to have hit an impasse.

The planned redevelopment of Loampit Vale has encountered ardent opposition from local residents who have formed an action group (Action 4 Lewisham) to challenge the nature of the development. When the strength of feeling against the plans for redevelopment in Loampit Vale are so strong that local residents decide to form an action group the council and ward councillors have a duty to take notice.

Artist’s impression of the Loampit Vale development

Judging by the feedback collected from local residents, by consultants engaged by Lewisham council, the opposition by the residents does not appear to be spurious or superficial. This graph was published in the consultation report on the development.

The lack of progress and/or local opposition to these two projects indicate that something cannot be working right.

At the beginning of this article I questioned whether we should blame The Great Recession for these stalled projects.

When the local council chose Barratts as the developer of the Loampit Vale development or the NDC was created to to redevelop the Kender Triangle, were these the correct decisions?

The plans for both of these developments go back several years when there was no recession, demand was high for housing & commercial units and credit was cheap. If the council, the NDC and the private sector failed to deliver these projects when the times were good is it likely they can deliver them now that times are bad?

When it comes to regeneration in Lewisham it is clear that a more dynamic and community-engaged council is required. Lewisham Green Party stands for regeneration that is sustainable and community-led and not only Telegraph Hill residents but all residents of Lewisham deserve better from their council.

Concerns for the buses on Telegraph Hill?

2010-02-10T12:37:00.005Z

Local residents have been telling us their concerns about buses on Telegraph Hill. Speeding is a concern on Jerningham and Avignon Road, and this makes other problems like noise, vibration and road damage even worse.

Our local bus services are a vital link for many people, but we have to balance the needs of passengers with the needs of residents. That’s why your Green Party candidates support the Telegraph Hill Society in calling for TfL to listen to residents whilst they consider making changes to the 343 and N343.

Green candidate Darren Flint says, 'I regularly use the 343 so I know how useful it is. But I also live on Telegraph Hill and know the problems we have with noise and speeding. I think more can be done, so I’ve been working with stakeholders to try to improve the situation for everyone who lives along the route’.

That's a lot of people, as the route runs almost the whole length of the ward. In fact the majority of residents in Telegraph Hill either live within earshot of the powerful Volvo buses that roar through the ward at night, or else ride on those same buses from time-to-time.

Reaching a compromise that serves the needs of everybody might be difficult, but there's no reason it can't be done. What does worry us is the way that TfL have kept quiet about their review of the 343/N343. There doesn't seem to have been a full public consultation, which would be appropriate for a route where there are known, long-running concerns.

We will continue to work with TfL, local residents, the police, Lewisham Council and Abellio (the company who run the 343), and we won't be satisfied until we know that the community has been properly heard and improvements have been made.

Telegraph Hill candidates
pictured with a 343 on Pepys Rd...

Feedback from the TH Assembly Meeting...

2010-02-03T12:45:00.001Z

Well, last night's Telegraph Hill Assembly Meeting was a low-key, though thoroughly enjoyable affair. We had presentations and feedback from representatives of the PCT (Primary Care Trust), local mental health services, and the Lewisham Link. I also had a chance to chat about the buses again, and to meet two of Honor Oak Estate's excellent Community Wardens.

I'm already looking forward to the mid-summer Assembly Meeting, where we (the community) will agree a new set of priorities for Telegraph Hill for the following year. As I said at the meeting last night, it's great to see how the previous set of priorities have been worked through, with local people voting to send Localities funding in the direction of projects that build on those priorities. And there's more to come!

Great evening for Bold Vision...

2010-01-30T13:17:00.002Z

Last night was a great evening for the Bold Vision team, the group who are working to open a community-led cafe space in the undercroft of St Catherine's.

The Gala event was held to raise awareness and funds - I'm sure it was very successful in both regards. The entertainment was superb - I particularly enjoyed the musical offerings from a range of very talented local artists. And the very good news is that the group are well on their way to raising the funds they need to undertake the work - £30,000 already raised towards a target of £80,000. Apparently, the first works will be started by the Springtime!

It was also a good night for networking. I'm particularly excited about the prospect of a small community garden in a certain spot on the Hill itself (I shalln't say exactly where as yet, until we've made some headway with the plans, but it's something that I'd like to get my hands nice and dirty with if we can get it going).

Things move very quickly in Telegraph Hill; this morning I met with residents to discuss ongoing problems with the 343. We're undertaking a local survey to get other people's views, and I'm sure it's an issue that you'll be hearing more about in time. Then on Tuesday there's the first Assembly meeting of the year!

Dates for the diary - TH Assembly and Kender St plans...

2010-01-28T17:26:00.002Z

Tomorrow night (Friday) it's the Bold Vision gala event up at St. Catherine's (see blog below).

A few more important dates are coming up next week, for those with an interest in Telegraph Hill. First there'll be the first Telegraph Hill Assembly meeting of 2010, which will take place on Tuesday 2nd Feb between 7-9pm at Barnes Wallis Community Centre (74 Wild Goose Drive). I hope to see plenty of residents there again, and I look forward to reporting back after the meeting!

Then on Wednesday 3rd, Thursday 4th and Saturday 6th there'll be a public exhibition down at Kender Street Primary School, demonstrating TfL's plans for the 'Kender Street Triangle'. This scheme promises a vast improvement to the local streetscape, making the area a quieter, more attractive place to live. But it won't just benefit local residents; improved traffic flow around New Cross Gate should mean easier journeys for drivers and bus passengers, too. The exhibition opens 4-8pm Weds & Thurs, and 10am-3pm Saturday.

Where does Telegraph Hill start and end?

2010-01-25T21:23:00.005Z

Most local people have a good idea where Telegraph Hill is, but not everyone knows where the Ward starts and ends, for the sake of elections and council business.

When I've been out canvassing in recent weeks I've spoken to a couple of people over towards Brockley who've been surprised to learn that they live in Telegraph Hill!

Mostly people tend to associate Telegraph Hill with the hill itself, the park and the conservation area. But Telegraph Hill stretches from the Kender Triangle and New Cross Road in the North, past Nunhead and Brockley Cross all the way down to the Honor Oak estate in the South.

For the sake of clarity, here's a map showing the ward boundaries. Click the map for a closer look...

Introducing your Green candidates for Telegraph Hill

2010-01-22T18:29:00.008Z

Priscilla Cotterell, Darren Flint and Bill Konos

Priscilla Cotterell

Priscilla has lived in Lewisham for over 15 years. Since graduating in Journalism studies in 2002, she grew a passion for politics and soon became a member of the Green Party. One of her key motivations was her growing concern about the damage carbon fuels were causing our environment. However, she also campaigns for fairer non-means tested pension for all pensioners and was active in opposing any reduction in services at Lewisham Hospital. She is particularly keen to promote the importance of sustaining our future as prospective generation's quality of life depends on the actions we take now.

She has played a number of voluntary roles in the local community, from facilitating at a Boys Brigade, to supporting vulnerable families and assisting adult learners in education. She feels very strongly that residents, community groups and local businesses should contribute to decision-making processes to enable a just, proactive and democratic society.

Darren Flint

Since completing his Masters' degree at Goldsmiths Darren has been a regular volunteer for Lewisham Green Party. He is absolutely passionate about Telegraph Hill, where he is a local resident, and wants to put that knowledge and enthusiasm to good use.

Sitting as a councillor would allow him to serve others in a way that is grounded in local life, whilst the Green Party platform allows a connection to the broader ethical issues that affect us all. He cannot imagine a more rewarding cause to be involved with than representing the people of Telegraph Hill as one of their Green councillors.

"Telegraph Hill is a fantastic place to live, but I want to make sure that the opportunities and facilities we enjoy here can be shared by everyone in the community.

I also want to protect and promote our local environment and our green spaces. Alongside the people who live here, they give Telegraph Hill its unique character..."

Bill Konos

Bill has lived in the local area for the past ten years. Bill's desire to become a councillor stems from a variety of motivations. His key concerns include health, education, social services and the elderly, arts & culture, regeneration and recycling initiatives. He is keen to serve as a councillor and play a role in shaping the community we live in, in collaboration with and to the benefit of all residents.

Bold Vision Gala Event

2010-01-22T08:50:00.009Z

Bold Vision is the community-led group hoping to bring what was Cafe Orange (or rather, the space underneath it!) back into use. I saw their succesful bid for funding at a Telegraph Hill Assembly meeting last year, and their plans sound very interesting - I'd certainly like to see the community get even more use out of the Telegraph Hill Centre, and it would be great to go back to having some kind of cafe or lounge space up on the hill where you can just walk in any day of the week, and find something interesting happening.

Next Friday (29 Jan) Bold Vision are having a Gala fundraising 'do' up at St. Catherine's church. I look forward to some local entertainment and to finding out more about progress on the group's plans.

Here are the details for Friday:

Come and see some of your local professional and semi-professional performers in action! An evening bursting with top class acts for what you choose to give. On Friday 29th January (doors open at 7pm) in St. Catherine’s Church there will be a wonderful variety of high-quality entertainment on offer, when local artists in different genres, who normally perform in top venues, on television and on radio, give their services in aid of our new café. The evening is planned to include a performance of Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals (‘The Swan’, ‘The Elephant’ etc.), and appearances by folk singer/songwriter Kat Drake, 21st Century Blues Band Little Devils, readings and drama by actors who you will recognise (and not just from Sainsbury’s), accordion and violin duo Mazaika, comic interventions by Phil Nice, and much, much more. The first half will be child-friendly and last approximately 45 minutes, so bring all the family for this community event and an introduction to some great music. Tickets will be available from the Telegraph Hill Centre from 18th January, and on the door. The concert is free to under-18s. Adults are asked to donate on a pay-what-you-can-from-£5-upwards basis.

Email mailto:cathoedwards@hotmail.comfor more information about the event.

Bold vision have a website at http://www.boldvision.org.uk/

An 'Urban Orchard' for Telegraph Hill?

2010-01-21T18:34:00.003Z

Hot on the heels of my post about local food, Transition Brockley/Lewisham have announced plans for an 'Urban Orchard' in Lewisham, and possibly in Telegraph Hill. It's an exciting prospect but it really needs the local community to get behind it to make it work. Details below:

Transition Brockley/Lewisham is very fortunate to have been offered the opportunity to set up an orchard in Lewisham in partnership with the London Orchard Project (LOP). Lewisham is one of three boroughs on the east side of London which have been chosen.

As we are a transition group centred in and around Brockley, we are initially asking people and groups in this area if they are interested in taking on this project in a local park (Hillyfields, Telegraph Hill etc - but not Ladywell Fields where the council already have plans to plant on orchard).

If this is something which you might be interested in, please read the attached proposal set out by the LOP to see what is involved. It covers the scheme very well and probably answers most of the queries you may have, but if you have any questions, do ask.

The main factors to bear in mind are:

- the orchard will be medium to large in size
- the idea is for a flagship park to be chosen
- LOP will provide free advice, training and support, but the organising group will need to raise around £4,500 for capital costs (at a generous estimate)
- the site should be suitable for fruit trees
- most important, the group taking on the project needs to be committed to the concept of the proposal as set out and be prepared to take responsibility for it in the short and longer term.

If you are interested in taking forward this project, please let me know (Fran at fr2rogers@gmail.com). If we don't get any offers from the Brockley area, we will open the opportunity up to the rest of the borough by notifying each of the park user groups for the other parks in Lewisham.

If the idea of growing fruit trees on a smaller scale with some other people is something which you would like to consider, the LOP will behappy to offer advice and training at reasonable cost. Training is essential unless you are a fruit farmer, and having attended the LOP day course, I can thorougly recommend it.

We have a representative from the LOP coming to our meeting on Thursday 18 February (venue to be decided) and will invite interested groups to come to this to hear more about the project. At this meeting we should establish which park group will want to take the project forward and keep within the timeline set out in the LOP proposal.

If you know of any groups in the area who might be interested in this, please pass this on.

This is a really great opportunity to expand local food production, gain new skills, build a stronger community and have a better quality green environment - many of our transition aims!

Spring is on its way...

2010-01-21T15:30:00.004Z

Being out in the sun today now that the snow's melted and the days are drawing out, it really does feel as if Spring might be around the corner. Green shoots are coming up in the park, and I've seen the first early cherryblossom on Jerningham Road.

With all these early Spring signals, it's time for me to start thinking about one of my big passions - local food. I'm really enthusiastic about our local Farmers' Market, which comes to Telegraph Hill every third Saturday of the month (the same day as Lewisham Green Action Days!). The quality and choice is fantastic, and it's a great way to support our regional farmers, cut down on 'food miles' and keep some money in the local economy, rather than giving it over to the supermarkets.

Whilst there are some real bargains to be had at the Farmers' Market, there are also plenty of luxury products that tend towards the expensive side. Residents on tight incomes can also consider visiting the New Cross Gate NDC Food Co-op. Every Friday between 9am and 2pm there's a stall outside All Saints Community Centre (105 New Cross Road). Local volunteers sell good quality produce at prices that rival the cheapest supermarkets, with any profit going back into the local community.

Buying locally is just one aspect of local food. The other side of it is growing your own, or even gathering stuff from the wild! Now I appreciate that not everyone has the space, time or inclination to grow their own veg, and a lot of people will be put off by the idea of gathering wild food. But there are great benefits to sourcing food locally - it's a fun and healthy passtime, and it if the will is there, it's open to everyone.

Telegraph Hill has its fair share of private gardens, and most of us have access to a balcony or yard at least. There's also fantastic support in the form of Besson Street Gardens to the North of the hill, and Frendsbury Gardens to the South. Both of these community gardens can give you help and advice to get started with 'growing your own', and if you don't have any space you can join in with other local people to tend the community gardens themselves.

With prompting from the Greens, the council is also finally moving forward with schemes to open up local growing spaces, to match people who are interested in growing things with suitable patches of land. If you're interested, you can find Lewisham’s new Community Gardens Guide online (http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/NewsAndEvents/News/CommunityGardensGuide.htm) or in the Borough's libraries.

You might think I'm crazy to be thinking about growing things when we're still in January and the snow has only just melted. But I'm not the only one! Transition Town Brockley/Lewisham have been talking about 'seed swaps' - sessions where avid gardeners swap seeds (and tips!) for free, or for a small donation. They're a great opportunity to gain confidence and inspiration for your own home-grown adventure. This year, nearby seed swaps are happening in East Dulwich (Jan 24th) and Lambeth (Feb 28th) - see http://www.potato-days.net/ for details.

The final part of the puzzle is wild food gathering. I won't suggest that we should all be out picking over strange weeds like Ray Mears, or that wild food could ever play a large part in most Londoners' lives. But in many parts of the world - including more rural parts of Britain - large numbers of people regularly supplement their diets with tasty, healthy, FREE foods that they find growing wild around them.

Even in the city, anyone can enjoy 'scrumping' for apples in the autumn time. Even better are wild brambles - the 'blackberries' that people pay ££s for in the supermarket, but which grow all over London like a weed! Anyone who is curious can check out a map of really abundant local wild food sources, which I started last year. See http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&vps=1&jsv=196c&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116953339734644052553.00047afe0bee1da18fa33

As Spring unfolds I also hope to present an introduction to wild foods in our area, in conjunction with Transition Town Brockley/Lewisham. For more exciting news from TT Brockley/Lewisham, see my next post on the London Orchard Project!

Well, that's all on local foods for now... But I hope that with time people will start to take more of an interest in where their food comes from, whether that means visiting the farmer's market once-in-a-while, joining the food co-op or community garden, growing their own or even tapping into some of the vast resource of free wild food that covers the city. After all, we are what we eat!

Plans to cut local rail services

2010-01-12T20:11:00.003Z

In case you hadn't heard, Southern Railways have axed direct evening services to Charing Cross on the Brockley/New Cross Gate line. To make matters worse, they now plan to cut daytime services to London Bridge by 33%, giving us just four trains per hour each way along this busy stretch of line.

Like many local residents I use services to-and-from London Bridge (and the other way, towards East Croydon) on a regular basis. One of the great things about Telegraph Hill is the fantastic transport links. I'm used to turning up at New Cross Gate and waiting a few minutes until the next train comes along. From May onwards it looks like I might have to wait for a quarter of an hour or more. It's really not good enough!

Southern and TfL seem to think that nobody will mind these cuts, what with the East London Line reopening at the same time. The thing is, the East London Line goes up to East London, whereas most of the time I want to head straight into the city centre. The improved ELL will be a great new facility and I welcome it wholeheartedly, but it's no substitute for our existing services.

I took up the issue with Labour MP Joan Ruddock but have not yet had a response. That's why I'm glad to say Brockley Green Party councillor Dean Walton has put a motion before Lewisham council, condemning the cuts and calling on stakeholders to revisit these plans before further cuts take place. Dean's motion was passed unanimously with cross-party support. Dean says, 'These service cuts are unacceptable. The long-awaited East London Line service should not be used as an excuse to cut London Bridge services purely for financial reasons'.

The council's formal commitment to condemn these cuts is a valuable step forward, but we still want to see Southern, TfL and central government do everything in their power to keep our trains running.

Telegraph Hill Action Day, Saturday 16th January

2010-01-12T19:02:00.003Z

This Saturday, Green Party activists and supporters will be coming from across London to speak to local residents and deliver copies of our January newsletter. The focus will be on Telegraph Hill and Brockley, and we're hoping for another bumper turnout. Anyone who can help out will be most welcome!

Activities will be going on all day from 10am - email sue.luxton@greenparty.org.uk for more details.

A hearty lunch will be provided and there'll be a social gathering in the evening.

Something New, Something Green...

2009-11-24T22:25:00.004Z

Hello and welcome to Green Telegraph Hill, the blog of Lewisham Green Party for Telegraph Hill ward.

We'll be blogging regularly on the local issues that matter to residents of the area. Green Telegraph Hill will also be a source for you to find information on the issues we will be campaigning on for the various elections that will take place in 2010.

We hope your enjoy the website and please post your comments or send us an email if you would like to contact us directly.

Bookmark this blog or become a follower to keep up-to-date on Lewisham Green Party in Telegraph Hill.