Last weekend on a short walk, spotted the first cricket game of the season and new markings on Hackney Marshes; sighed with dismay at the onslaught of the Mini Holland Scheme along the Lea Bridge Road and collected two bags of litter on the way – mostly cans and bottles of alcohol and energy drinks, so stuffed with sugar that people haven’t the energy to dispose properly of their own cans once they’ve drunk them...
RIDING, RIDING – there’s a new sign by the Riding Stables, indicating there are two areas that can be used by horse-riders at specific times of the year. However, the map has gone. Our chief SLM correspondent on this matter is continuing his quest to make some sense of the policy; if people know what that is and who’s responsible...
POISON FREE-SELFIES – be part of the protest. Photograph yourself with a placard stating that you want Hackney to be “Pesticide Free” and post it to the group ‘Pesticide Free Hackney’ on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/PesticideFreeHackney
or Tweet it to @PAN_UK
TWITTERNS & BYWAYS – the initial meeting of volunteers to map and record the Rights of Way in Waltham Forest that we mentioned in last week’s Digest, took place yesterday. A grid system has been drawn up and we are looking for more volunteers to take “a grid or more”. Volunteers will be given their bit of the map and be asked to walk and chart their appointed alleyway or path, as well as photograph it if possible. The aim is to register the paths before a new act to be introduced in 2026 to safeguard them against building and keep them open for public use. We also plan to document, maybe produce a data base and get on the Council’s case to do the job they should have done in 1965! To volunteer to be a “TAB-BY” (as in T & B – we also met in a cat-centred pub), contact
abigail.woodman@btinternet.com who will allocate you a square to walk.
IN THE PRESS
Locally: The
Waltham Forest Guardian has news of two controversial developments approved by Tuesday 12 April Planning Committee: 183 homes and 3 rental units to be built on the former Essex Brewery site in St. James’ Street – some planning committee members voiced concern over only 14 per cent affordable housing and also a school extension to a school in Chingford.
www.guardian-series.co.uk/news
Over in Hackney:
The Hackney Gazette has a report on p.2 on “GLA advisers urge Boris to refuse skyscrapers at Bishopsgate” – threat to neighbourhood in terms of “light blight” and change to the nature of the area. There will be a demonstration outside City Hall at lunchtime on Monday to try to stop Boris taking one last brutal act.... “Report into ‘ quietway’ in London Fields is published” p.7 and on p.9 “Neighbours ’anger over site problems” – squatters, fly-tipping and noise blighting lives around the old Magnet premises in Leagrave Street, Clapton (near Millfields Park). Plans for a four storey block on the site were being discussed at Hackney Planning Department last night.
www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news
“Nationally:
The Guardian has a number of interesting stories in
Thursday 14 April – this is just a few: “Olympians join fight to halt levy by council on park run”. It is about a Bristol Parish Council trying to charge a regular group of “Parkrun” for wear and tear of its regular weekly mass runs. P.5 ; “Wide support for ban on microbeads to save marine life” – a Greenpeace poll reveals that women don’t want marine-threatening pollution in their personal care products, p7; shorts on “Lump of whale vomit could sell for £50k” (the finders want to use money to buy a static caravan!) and “Moth experts seek to put females off the scent” to trick them away from clothes, p.10 and “British fracking loophole could lead to repeat of U.S. mistakes” p.13. On the same page, my favourite laugh out loud piece, which is even funnier than the whale vomit “When Nessie met Sherlock: strange case of lost and sunken film prop” – divers thought they’d found Nessie but it was a 1969 film prop!
www.guardian.co.uk/national
EVENTS – next General Meeting for all London Friends Groups and Borough Friends Forums is on Monday 18 April from 6.00-8.00 p.m. at the downstairs committee room adjacent to Cafe in City Hall, 110 The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA.
BIG DIG DAY – includes planting on Mabley Green from
11.00 on Saturday 16th, loads of fruit trees to go in.. meet by the Lea Conservancy Road entrance; Dalston Eastern Curve Garden; Cordwainers Garden, Mare Street and the Castle Climbing Centre off Green Lanes, Stoke Newington, also have events supported by the organisation Capital Growth.
www.capitalgrowth.org.uk
People’s Food Fair – also
on Saturday 16 April,drop-in from 11.3.00 p.m., for planting, eating, learning and laughing. Full programme on the webpage
www.hornbeam.org.uk/2016/04/peoples-food-fair-16-April2016
Sustainable Hackney have their latest newsletter out detailing lots of local and London-wide events – these include:
the People’s Assembly National Demonstration for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education on Saturday April 16 at 1.00-4.00 p.m. meet at Euston & Melton Street, NW1 and on May 8 from 12.00-4.00 p.m. “Going Backwards” a backwards walk to demonstrate against the Government’s backward steps on Climate Change. Much other interesting stuff too, so check
www.sustainablehackney.org.uk
Next SLM MEETING – MONDAY 18 APRIL AT 7.30 P.M. at the Princess of Wales pub. Newcomers and returners always welcome.
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