Energy Neighbourhoods party!

Randwick Village Hall, with it's top eco-credentials, was picked as the venue for the 'Energy Neighbourhoods' closing party.

The party on Sunday 23rd August had exhibitions from local environmental organisations, talks, a hog roast and veggie option and even a bicycle powered smoothie maker and a bicycle powered art generator. David Drew was among the guests.

Photos: I've enclosed some photos I took of the event including the bicycle powered art and juice maker plus 'Wrap-n-mat' which intrigued me - instead of plastic bags for your sandwiches to take to work or wherever, here is a washable cloth - nearly tempted but I keep all those old plastic pasta bags, paper flour bags and more for mine - they work wonderfully and intrigue my work colleagues!

Energy Neighbourhoods is an EU-wide project to make energy saving at home by education and behavioral change. A number of teams took part in Gloucestershire with some impressive results (savings of 15% or more in some cases). This shows that savings of at least 10% in home energy use are pretty easy to acheive and with a little more effort and determination much higher savings can be made in many cases.

Exciting stuff - the challenge is how we get this out to a wider audience.

See more at: http://www.swea.co.uk/proj_EnergyNEI

The Space Cinema Club: join now!!

The latest programme for the Cinema Club @ The Space: September-December 2009 is now out and I've got permission to republish it below - some excellent films. Membership - £2 (annual) Tickets £6.00, £5.00concs., £3.00 U.20’s Available on the door. EVERYONE WELCOME.

Photo: last week on the wire

Sundays: Doors open 7.30pm Films begin at 8.00pm
Wednesdays: Doors open 8.00pm Films begin at 8.15pm
Unless otherwise stated
For all Cinema Club enquiries contact Rick Vick on 07973 225 694
or e-mail cinemaclub (at)the-space.org

Wed SEP 9 The Namesake(PG) Dir. Mira Nair (2007)
From the director of ‘Monsoon Wedding’ this is the story of the Ganguli family whose move from Calcutta to New York evokes a lifelong balancing act to meld to a new world without forgetting the old. ‘An impressively directed, gorgeously photographed drama that is extremely rewarding.’ - Philip French

Sun SEP 13 Entre Les Murs - The Class (15) Dir. Laurent Cantet (2008)
A young teacher in a tough French secondary school finds his ethics put to the test when his students challenge his teaching methods. Palme d'Or 09. ‘A year in the life of a classroom of enfants terribles in a tough Paris school makes for compelling slice-of-life drama’ Philip French

Wed SEP 16 Soy Cuba - I Am Cuba(15) Dir. Mikheil Kalatozishvili (2006 )
This Russian-made study of Cuba captures the island just before it made the transition to a post-revolutionary society. Moving from city to country and back again, it examines problems caused by political oppression as well as by discrepancies in wealth and power. ‘A work of dazzling cinematographic invention that still has the ability to astound.’- Channel 4 film

Sun SEP 20 Is Anybody There? (12) Dir. John Crowley (2009)
Well-scripted and beautifully shot, the film grapples with the sad truths of getting older and losing loved ones, while maintaining a sardonic wit and sincere warmth though it deals with some of life’s toughest moments. ‘Caine leads an impeccable cast in a story that is as touching as it is funny, turning the mundane minutiae of fading lives into a vibrant display.’ Empire Magazine.

Sun SEP 27 Encounters At The End Of The World(U) Dir. Werner Herzog (2009)
Travelling to the Antarctic Herzog examines Human and Mother nature, juxtaposing breathtaking locations with the profound, surreal, and absurd experiences of the marine biologists, physicists, plumbers and truck drivers who choose to form a research society as far away from society as one can get. ‘Nature at its most mysterious, brutal and implacable - just as Herzog likes it’. Channel 4 film

Sun OCT 4 The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (PG) Dir. Carl Th. Dreyer (1928)
Regarded as one of the greatest films ever made Carl Dreyer’s film is to glimpse the soul of a saint in her hour of trial. The film is more than a dramatization, more than a biopic, more than a documentary: It is a spiritual portrait, almost a mystical portrait, of a Christ-like soul sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

Sun OCT 11 The Boat That Rocked(15) Dir. Richard Curtis (2009)
A fictionalized account of those who, bored by Pat Boone and smooth-faced charmers in cable sweaters, decided to take to the seas off the coast of England to broadcast newer, more modern pop songs from pirate-radio ships. Energetic and funny, it's a praise-song to artistic and social revolution. ‘The film has some truly magical moments that outshine anything Curtis has done before’. - Daily Telegraph

Sun OCT 18 Looking For Eric(15) Dir. Ken Loach (2009)
The story a football mad postman whose personal life is descending into chaos. In his darkest hour, he starts to imagine his hero, ex Man Utd star Eric Cantona, is at his side, a dreamlike life coach, giving him renewed confidence. Cantona, as famous for his philosophical musings as for his prowess on the field, stars in and produced this heartfelt slice of magical social realism.

Wed OCT 28 Fire (15) Dir. Deepa Mehta (1999)
The opening film of Mehta's powerful trilogy is suffused with flame, literally and metaphorically. Beyond its sensuality lurks an allegory for India, struggling with tradition versus modernity and women's peculiar place within that struggle. Young, tomboyish Sita and demure Radha, trapped in loveless marriages, turn to each other for support, companionship and other emotions they never imagined .

Sun Nov 8th The Wrestler(15) Dir. Darren Aronofsky (2009 )
‘Aronofsky has pulled off that rare feat - he's made a great film about a niche subject that will delight wrestling fans and cineastes alike. Rourke's performance is a knockout.’ Channel 4

Wed NOV 18 The Miracle Worker(12) Dir. Arthur Pen (1962)
The true story of Helen Keller and teacher Annie Sullivan. As a young girl Helen is stricken with scarlet fever, leaving her blind, mute, and deaf. Sealed off from the world, Helen’s uncontrollable rages and tantrums are born of the frustration and isolation of her internal prison. Sullivan helps Helen understand the world from which she is isolated, freeing her from that prison forever. ‘ a stunningly impressive piece of work deriving much of its power from the performances’. Time Out

Sun NOV 22 Girl Shy(U) Dir: Fred Newmeyer and Sam Taylor (1924)
Stroud Arts Festival Films presents at 8.30pm Doors open: 7.30pm Film & Food - One of the best incarnations off Harold Lloyd’s character, Harold Meadows - poor boy, dreamer, stammerer, stoically faces rejection and despair before shaking off the shackles of his shyness and capturing the girl of his dreams. This hilarious silent film will be accompanied ‘Live’ on piano by local musician/composer Albert Lamb. A unique event not to be missed. Tickets: £6.00, £5.00 concs., £3.00 U.20’s. Available on the door

Wed NOV 25 Tales of the River Severn
Stroud Arts Festival Films presents at 8.15pm Doors open: 7.45pm. A unique, specially commissioned collection of archive footage showing the history and life along and around the river Severn. Highlights include pram racing in Tewkesbury in 1957-58, Human Cannonball Mary Connors, the 1947 floods, an amphibious car during the 1960 floods, an Elver eating contest,1958 footage of a man who lives in a tree and much, much more. Tickets: £6.00, £5.00 concs., £3.00 U.20’s. Available on the door

Sun NOV 29 Jazz on a Summer’s Day Dirs. Aram Avakian, Bert Stern (1960)
Stroud Arts Festival Films presents the film plus Music & Food. 7.00pm Doors open: 6.30pm A priceless record of the 1958 Jazz Festival at Newport, Rhode Island. It just doesn't get better than this.Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, Dinah Washington,Chuck Berry,Thelonious Monk,Gerry Mulligan, George Shearing, Jack Teagarden, Sonny Stitt, Chico Hamilton, Anita O'Day and Big Maybelle. ‘Even non-jazz buffs will be exhilarated by Jazz on a Summer's Day.’~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide PLUS: 10.00pm ‘til late: Jazz with The Divorcees Quintet led by Emma Ordonez plus others & Soul Food from Star Anise Cafe. Tickets: Film:£6.00, Jazz: £5.00, Film & Jazz: £8.00. Available on the door.

Wed DEC 2 The Yes Men Fix The World Dirs. Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno (2009)
Using similar tactics to Sasha Baron Cohen and Michael Moore, troublemaking duo Bichlbaum and Bonanno – aka The Yes Men - pass themselves off as representatives of large corporations and make hilariously outrageous statements on their behalf. They infiltrate TV news shows and conferences, exposing corporate greed and corruption in companies like Exxon and Dow Chemicals, provoking widespread panic among shareholders and politicians.

Sun DEC 13 In Bruges(18) Dir. Martin McDonagh (2008)
Holed up in historic, beautiful Bruges after a horribly botched job, two hit men, play out an often hilarious, sometimes violent series of escapades. Surreal and nerve jangling this film will push all your buttons. ‘Farrell has brought his A-game to this cracking little comedy-noir written and directed by Martin McDonagh. He is absolutely superb.’– Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Wed DEC 16 Los Abrazos Rotos - Broken Embraces (15) Dir. Pedro Almodóvar (2009)
Broken Embraces" centres on a quartet of characters in the movie business whose lives are interwoven in a torrid tale of love, power, secrecy, betrayal and vengeance. ‘Pedro Almodóvar reunites with Penélope Cruz for a sensuous film-within-a-film that is a moviegoer's delight’- Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian.

Sun DEC 20 The Unwinking Gaze(PG) Dir: Joshua Dugdale (2008)
Filmed over three years this film offers a unique portrait of the Dalai Lama and provides behind the scenes insight into His Holiness’ work towards a peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue through dialogue with the Chinese government.

Climate camp: still time to go

I had entertained ideas of catching a day of the Climate Camp but work and energy means I am not going to be able to join them - reports from folk who have been or are still there say it is worth making the journey - you still have time to go - you can see the website with photos and blog and more here: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/

There is also some coverage so far of Climate Camp here, London Green party welcome the camp here and see the Guardian here. As I've said before - see here - non-violent direct action is a crucial part of the challenge to get climate change taken seriously.

Friends of the Earth relaunched in Stroud

Two events on the same night: Wednesday 16th Sept...

Photo: Randwick woods this week

First meeting 7.45 in The Space, Lansdown, Stroud to relaunch a local Friends of the Earth group - we used to meet regularly up until a few years ago then the group folded - it is great to see there are plans again - we need that campaigning as well as political action.

The other event that night is a Workshop on water by Stroud Communiversity at The Exchange, Brick Row, up from Lansdown, on way up to Church Street Car Park, Stroud 7pm for tea, for 7.30pm to 10pm. Details still to be confirmed but I've sadly got a Council Scrutiny meeting s may well miss both of these meetings.

Edward Goldsmith dies

Edward Goldsmith has died aged 80 - he was one of the great environmental campaigners who founded and edited the Ecologist. One of his most influential publications was a special issue in 1972, entitled 'Blueprint for Survival', proposing the formation of a movement for sustainability - it was published as a book that apparently sold 750,000 copies in 17 languages and led to the foundation of the People party, later the Ecology party, which eventually became the Green party.

Photo: Teddy taken from Ecologist website

Teddy probably made the single most important intellectual contribution to the formulation of green politics. To this day his thinking on eco-systems and sustainability underpins the rationale behind Green politics.

Jonathon Porritt said: "Teddy was the first person who articulated the essence of sustainability in a complete and uncompromising way. He never worried about realistic possibilities. His mission was to have it all. Not always the most accommodating, but he was at his best applying scientific rigour to a problem."

Mark Anslow, editor of the Ecologist, said: “We live and breathe Teddy's legacy every day. His rigorous thought processes and endlessly interrogative approach to environmental issues help guide the Ecologist's editorial process: never taking developments at face value, and always asking the bigger, wider questions. He will be fondly remembered, and sorely missed.”

See more in The Guardian here and Teddy Goldsmiths website: www.edwardgoldsmith.com/

Cow's urine: threat to Pepsi or fuel of the future?

India's Hindu nationalist movement has plans for a new soft drink made from cow urine - you can read more in The Times here - but I was also intersted to see that scientists at Ohio University have stumbled on a major breakthrough that allegedly could be the key to bringing hydrogen fuel cells into wide-spread use.

Scientists discovered that placing a nickel-based electrode in a pool of urine and applying a small electrical current produces hydrogen gas. "One cow can provide enough energy to supply hot water for 19 houses," Ohio University professor Gerardine Botte said of the discovery. The scientists are hoping to make commercial version of the technology available by next year. See more here. Is this serious??!!!

One book that sits in my bookcase is entitled 'Liquid Gold: The Lore and Logic of Using Urine to Grow Plants' (see this link for more info) - it tells you how urine—which contains most of the nutrients in domestic wastewater and usually carries no disease risk—can be utilized as a resource in the garden. Well worth a look if you haven't already seen this stuff.

Lastly on this topic, Umbra at Grist discuss whether peeing in the shower does save water - see here and their video here - it seems that there is now even an ad in Brazil encouraging it.

Hedgehog Hospital is getting ready for Autumn

On Friday - ie yesterday - I had the pleasure of visiting the Hedgehog Hospital in Brimscombe.

Photos are from that visit: first up Annie Parfitt, described as 'Hog Mother', then a couple of shots of shed one waiting for the first hoglet orphans, injured or underweight this Autumn and lastly two photos of injured Hedgehog Ash.

You can see most of the SNJ article about the hospital here along with a couple of useful links - including one that shows the dreadful situation that means at current rates there will be no more hedgehogs by 2025 - shockingly they are dying out at a rate of about a fifth of the population every four years.

This project looks set to really make a difference - already it has increased my awareness about the plight of these wonderful creatures - and in my conversations about how to support the Hospital many ideas were discussed like surveys of the area, encouraging more hedgehog friendly gardens etc - more of those no doubt in future blogs - especially in October when the time comes to look out for the underweight hoglets who shouldn't be out - come back to this blog mid to late October for more info on what to do and how the Hospital with Annie and her volunteers can help.

Mind if you are at a loss at what to do in the last days of school holidays then why not consider making a hedgehog home - lots of info on the web - like the British Hedgehog Preservation Society here - and the BBC site here about siting the house, and home building advice here.

Anyhow if you are on Facebook you can join their site here - I can't say I have ever got going with Facebook - I have a site but never really add to it - but did try for the first time and add these photos but have so far failed to link them to the Facebook group - I'll have another go or send them direct to the Hedgehog Hospital. Anyway enough for now congrats to all involved in the project for getting it to happen.

Local group challenges FSA findings on organics

It was good to read in the SNJ that a research group in Stroud is contributing to the debate over organic food. 'Green' ie Gardening for Research Experiential Education and Nutrition – has found in a four year study that is due to be completed very soon, that the amount of living organisms in soil is a better indicator of the mineral take-up in plants than the level of nutrients in the soil. I am not the least bit surprised.

Photo: pinched from SNJ website

More minerals would seem to indicate that organic farming produces more nutritious food than standard farming. Mike Atherton, gardener at Green, is quoted in the SNJ saying: "The accepted idea is if you have a problem in your soil then all you have to do is put on chemicals. What we are suggesting is if you look after life in your soil you will get better plants."

See more about Green at their website which sadly looks like it hasn't been updated for a while: http://www.green-ug.org.uk/

Anyway it prompted me to rewrite a letter to the SNJ that I had originally sent to another paper in response to the Food Standard Agency's report:

I write to give a huge welcome to the front page of the SNJ (26/08/09) which covered the local group, 'Gardening for Research Experiential Education and Nutrition' (Green), who are challenging the new Food Standards Agency (FSA) report which concluded that organic food has no nutritional benefits over conventionally produced food.

They are not alone, many, including the Soil Association, have also criticised the report for looking only at papers written in English, excluding almost half the papers, and ignoring the most recent research from the EU that found large nutritional differences (i). In fact the FSA, despite their conclusions, also found very significant differences in nutritional content like 53.6 per cent more betacarotene in organic veg, 38.4 per cent more flavonoids and 12.7 per cent more proteins. Yet these findings were dismissed.

As most of us understand, the benefits of growing organic food go far beyond nutrition or taste: 50% more wildlife like birds, butterflies and bees, less fossil fuel use, less impact on our climate, better animal welfare and avoiding pesticides and herbicides that are increasingly being linked to health problems like cancer. Isn't it just common sense, that stuff that kills insects, will impact on humans when consumed?

The FSA has failed us. It is meant to be an organisation for improving our food, yet it is mistakenly pushes genetic modification and more intensification. We cannot continue to pump chemicals into our livestock and earth. It is great that a local group is playing it's part in demolishing the myths that more chemicals are the answer to problems.

Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Green Party.

Notes:
(i) The researchers also failed to include the results of a major European Union funded study (QLIF), which ended in April this year, and has already produced over 100 scientific papers. Results from this study include the findings that: 'Levels of a range of nutritionally desirable compounds (e.g. antioxidants, vitamins, glycosinolates) were shown to be higher in organic crops' and 'Levels of nutritionally undesirable compounds (e.g. mycotoxins, glycoalkaloids, Cadmium and Nickel) were shown to be lower in organic crops'. See more here.

(ii) See Joanne Blythman 'A cancerous conspiracy to poison your faith in organic food' in The Mail.

Nuke news

First can I appeal to whoever left the message re nuclear today - and was it a possible radio show each week - can they please get back in touch - the message was deleted in error and I don't have your details....but talking of nuclear prompted me to highlight the couple of bits of news below....

Pic from Russ

First Nuclear will continue to decline according to a new report. "The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2009" just out yesterday says that at this point there is no obvious sign that the international nuclear industry could turn the decline into a promising future. It was commissioned by the German federal ministry of environment, nature conservation and reactor safety, it gives facts on the nuclear power plants in operation, under construction and in planning phases throughout the world. It also assesses the economic performance of past and current nuclear projects including Calvert Cliffs, Flamanville and Olkiluoto. See Nuclear Engineering International 27th Aug 2009. Download the full report in English here.

The second bit of news is that the public prosecutor in Paris has decided not to press charges against a prominent French anti-nuclear activist, Stephane Lhomme. He had been under investigation since 2006 for breach of national security in connection with publication of a classified document acknowledging weaknesses in the EPR reactor design’s ability to withstand the crash of a commercial jetliner. The organization for which Lhomme is spokesman, Sortir du Nucleaire, attributed the closing of the case to a petition in his favor signed by 30,000 people, several of them wellknown political figures, intellectuals, writers and artists, and sent to the prosecutor’s office this spring.

To finish it is worth mentioning The Ecologist article which quotes Will Day, who took over as Chair of the Commission at the end of July and lives near to Dungeness power station in Kent. He said the waste legacy of nuclear power made it unsustainable: 'In an unpredictable climate and world, is it right to leave as a legacy waste and management issues that don't just last five, 10, 20 years but decades and hundreds of years?' He also said coastal erosion posed a risk to future nuclear power facilities. 'I live in a village not very far from Dungeness power station. We defend it 24 hours a day with bulldozers against erosion from the sea. 'Is that a cool thing to have a nuclear power station sitting at sea level with the thought of 10m of sea level rise?'

Oldbury is similarly on the coast can they really not see the madness of any decision to build there?

Randwick School delayed opening

Info from Glos County Council website: The school will be closed on Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd September due to complications with building work. The school will open on Friday 4th September for years 1-6. Reception pupils will start on Monday 7th September as normal.

Airbus nonsense: complaint to ASA

This advert in the National Geographic is titled “See the Bigger Picture.” It is basically an attempt by Airbus to portray environmental credentials by sponsoring a biodiversity photographic competition. It has deliberately chosen the National Geographic to partner with as a further attempt to increase its environmental credentials. They are not alone Shell have sponsored similar events - see my previous comments here.

The advert claims “Airbus sees the bigger picture, and works to minimize environmental impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering fuel consumption, and creating quieter, more efficient aircraft.”

This is misleading for many reasons but not least that they aim to maximise profits for their shareholders. This can only be done by increasing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions which contradicts the advert which is that the company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ad also gives the false perception that the aviation industry can reduce total emissions by technological advances. It is impossible to expect that technology improvements will offset the increasing number of planes and past experience shows this. Indeed it allows more passengers to travel further.

The scientific consensus is that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2050 to have a reasonable chance of avoiding runaway climate change. In this context the idea that minor efficiency improvements in aviation can be environmentally adequate is false and the fact remains that flying an A380 to Australia will always be environmentally destructive. The advert is thus misleading in deliberately ignoring this basic fact.

Join me and others in making a complaint with ASA here.

Help a Hedgehog Hospital

I read in the SNJ about the former veterinary nurse Annie Parfitt who has set up a special hospital at her home in Brimscombe to reverse the decline of hedgehogs. I've since been in contact and we are exploring the possibilities of some research into hedgehog sitings locally - anyone interested in helping? Annie also needs dog food donations (details below).

I've always had a soft spot (is that the right words?) for hedgehogs - and there are too few around here - indeed across the country there has been a massive decline in numbers - Nottingham Trent Uni are doing some research - see here - indeed at current rates there will be no more of them by 2025 - shockingly they are dying out at a rate of about a fifth of the population every four years (see Guardian fascinating article here)!!

I know badgers and foxes, which are common here, are partial to young hedgehogs and certainly the motorcar seems to have too many - anyhow it would be great to see this project take off in the way that the local Global Bee Project has captured people's imaginations. More coming to this blog soon.

Anyhow here is part of what the SNJ wrote: Mrs Parfitt, 41, looks after sick, injured or orphaned animals at the Help a Hedgehog Hospital and eventually hopes to re-introduce the threatened species into parts of Gloucestershire where it has died out.

"I have lived in this area all my life and you don’t see hedgehogs any more, which is very upsetting," said the mother-of-two, who is a teaching assistant at Thomas Keble School. I want to try to put hedgehogs back on the map in Gloucestershire. I just really love them, there is something special about them."

Mrs Parfitt, of Bourne Lane, decided to set up the hospital in 2008 after hearing that hedgehog populations were so low that they were on the British wildlife endangered list. She raised £400 by asking people to donate money instead of presents for her 40th birthday and a further £600 in a sponsored run 12-mile race. Ten year-old twins Milly and Beth Godwin, who also live in Brimscombe, raised £150 through garage sales, while Mrs Parfitt paid £350 from her own pocket to set up the hospital.

Mrs Parfitt has one garden shed with heat pads which will soon become a surgery and examination room for sick or injured hedgehogs. She has another shed to provide food and shelter for underweight autumn juveniles to help them through the winter. There is also a former chicken house in a nearby field where more hedgehogs can be kept.

Mrs Parfitt, a voluntary carer for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, currently gets all her 'patients' from Bowbridge Veterinary Group and Clockhouse Veterinary Hospital.

Mrs Parfitt aims to map the distribution of hedgehogs in Gloucestershire on her website and then release patients in areas where they have died out. For more information, contact Annie Parfitt on 01453 886424 or annieparfitt (at) sky.com

I've already sent an email expressing interest in making a home for a hedgehog - although I do have concerns in this area as their are so many badgers.

Help a hedgehog hospital is situated in Brimscombe near Stroud and offers expert help with caring for hedgehogs found by members of the public and in need of medical treatment and tlc. See the website here: www.helpahedgehog.org/

Bee hugs?

You've perhaps heard of free hugs - a great campaign that was banned in some US cities - now comes free bee hugs - see the video here - and the video re roof top beekeeping in New York here. The idea is to raise awareness about the plight of bees - is this something for Stroud? And don't forget we need 350 bee houses in Stroud by 24th October - see more here.

Photo: Global Bee Project still in Stroud near the Sub Rooms

Randwick: vandalism and petty theft incidents

As Runner readers will know there have been a number of incidents of vandalism and theft recently in Randwick - minor but still cause for concern. These have been raised at the recent Randwick Parish Council meeting - I unfortunately had a Scrutiny meeting that night so was unable to attend but did speak to councillors and local police. It is good that these incidents are being taken seriously.

Quote: From Resurgence magazine - as research shows crime rates are falling but fear of crime remains high - see here.

One residents noted that "in recent weeks I have seen reports of fires affecting the cattle, thefts of toys and other items in the village, vandalism at the Village School and have suffered acts of vandalism and arson to trees" in a field. The resident went onto note that "the latter also being the location of several discovered stolen items and evidence of solvent abuse. It seems we are in the middle of a spate of criminal activity that although probably the work of a handful of people is affecting many throughout the village. I do not want to see the Village School turned into a fortress, nor think people should be forced to lock everything away in their gardens at night. These selfish and petty acts do not have to be a part of life if the community can act to stop these people."

There have also been reports of youths taking drugs by the Randwick tributary and leaving some of their paraphernalia on one occasion. I hope this is an isolated incident.

Plus of course this year we have seen the major damage and rubbish left following the tobbogganning on local hills. However generally we have had very low crime figures in this area.

It is also worth mentioning Ruscombe as this year there has been more use of those fields at the end of the Wheelers Walk estate - young people have had several fires and 'parties' there - and at one point used a motorbike repeatedly across the fields on many days - this seems to have stopped for the time being. This is also the first year for many years that there has been a considerable quantity of rubbish dumped in the brook - it can be seen on my blog here - the Ruscombe Brook Action Group had a clear up on 15th August where in nearly 3 hours 15 or so people cleared the brook - see here.

Some of the incidents have been reported to police but sadly not all so they did not have a full picture - please be sure to report!!

As Randwick Parish Council says in their minutes "residents should: - · report incidents · be mindful of their own security · be vigilant · report the registration numbers of vehicles misusing roads such as Sandpits Lane."

Please report incidents on: 0845 090 1234.

I personally would also be keen to see improved youth facilities - indeed this week had conversations re the problems that Tesco in Paganhill have faced recently. They are apparently also keen to see more done - one suggestion is that if Tesco don't come up with a bus shelter then they could perhaps help fund some activities? I hope also as a result of these issues being more discussed we will have the chance for residents and police to work more closely together on these issues.

Tell truth on NHS

Back to blogging - last few days been trying to catch up on emails - here's one that could do with your help....as you will know there's a fierce debate in the US about Barack Obama's proposals for public healthcare, and our British healthcare system has become a political football. This blog touches on two campaigns and then reminds us of Michael Moores film Sicko' (available in Blockbuster locally).

Cartoon: Russ

Here's what campaign group 38 degrees has to say: "Opponents, including some British conservatives, are deliberately misrepresenting the NHS for political purposes. For example at the bottom of this message we've pasted a forwarded email from right-wingers appealing for NHS "horror stories" to spread round America. The NHS may not be perfect, but it is worth standing up for. We've made it easier to tell ordinary Americans the truth about British healthcare, by teaming up with a leading American website Mother Jones. They'll reach over 2 million Americans with our message of support for the NHS. Please add your name, and share your stories our how our health service has benefited you or your family. The more people who add their name, the more likely this is to send positive ripples across the US."

Meanwhile Avaaz has also launched a campaign in the US - here is what they say: "US healthcare is run by large corporations - it's the most expensive in the world, but ranks 37th in quality, and 40 million Americans can't afford any care at all. It's an awful system for people, but corporations make enormous profits, so they're fighting to keep it. If they win and Obama fails, the Democrats could lose the Congress in elections next year. If this happens, progress on every global issue is endangered, from climate change to the war in Iraq."

Show your support for the NHS by adding your name - click here. And click here for the Avaaz campaign in the US.

38 degrees continue: "Mother Jones is a US web site and magazine which reaches over 2 million Americans every month. They want to cover our perspective on the NHS. As editor Jay Harris says: 'Right now, the media coverage about the future of my country's healthcare system is filled with distortions and lies about the NHS. Ordinary British people can help bring sanity - and facts - back into this debate by stepping up to set the record straight. Please help!'

"It's up to Americans to decide whether or not to adopt public healthcare in the USA. But currently lies about our health service are being spread by special interests backed by huge sums of money. We can help balance the debate by setting the record straight and sharing real stories of what it's like to have a healthcare system where getting decent treatment doesn't depend on the state of your finances."

See myths about the reforms here. In fact I would like to have seen more about the campaign here in the UK to "Keep Our NHS Public" - it seems that while the US are looking to the NHS we have been far too much following the US down the road to more and more privatisation. I came across an old Guardian article here that shows the massive profits being made on PFI schemes including those with the NHS.

Unlike the Thatcher privatisations of the 1980s, the whole NHS is not being put up for auction. Instead, it has been slowly parcelled up into bite-sized pieces and handed over to private control bit by bit by Labour. This is happening on such a scale and at such pace as to make it a unique phenomenon - yet it is hardly in the news....

Alex Nunns, of Keep Our NHS Public, said: "Unbeknown to the public, the NHS is paying astronomical sums of money to the private sector. When the NHS is making cuts and closures across the country, it's time to ask if this is the best use of public money." Indeed.

See also the 2005 report "In the Interests of Patients? Examining the impact of the creation of a competitive commercial market in the provision of NHS Care".
http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/16299.pdf

All this reminds me of 'Sicko' when Michael Moore travels to Britain, France and Cuba in his documentary diagnosis of the US's healthcare system. When it came out the Green Party highlighted how continued privatisation (by stealth) of the NHS is turning the NHS, step-by-step, into that model of ill-health - the US health care system.

'Sicko' demonstrates the dreadful state of US health care driven by private profit, which despite spending 50 per cent more per person than the UK, still leaves tens of millions without access to health care. Stuart Jeffery, Health Spokesperson for the Green Party said at the time: "Michael Moore's new film shows us exactly what kind of health care system we must avoid. It is therefore shameful that the UK is incrementally adopting the US system, with increasing privatisation of health care and support services, and an increasing reliance on the health care market to provide care. We have seen the appalling waste of money that the Independent Treatment Centres have provided across the country, the huge amount spent on private management consultants, and the disgraceful Private Finance Initiative that has mortgaged hospitals across the country and driven up costs. Yet, Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems are all wedded to their corporate friends. We will be showing our support for the NHS demonstration on the 3rd of November. and at this Friday's UK opening of Sicko, and we thank Michael Moore for showing us clearly how a health care system should not be run."

However for those who have seen Sicko it is worth reading Allyson Pollock, author of the excellent book NHS plc, in the Guardian on 'What Sicko doesn't tell you..' - see article here.

Right to float: campaign for river access

I am delighted to hear that Canoeists have been stepping up their campaign for the right to access on rivers in England and Wales, a move that was rejected by the Government two years ago. You can log your support in the right hand column at: www.riversaccess.org

Please note I'm taking a blog holiday for about a week - garden and more needs attention - comments will have to await my return to blogging - see you soon!

Ministers ruled 2 years ago that access for canoeists would be best regulated by voluntary agreements for each river. Nonsense! Now a new campaign, supported by various organisations like British Waterways and Canoe England plus the broadcaster Griff Rhys-Jones and MPs from across the political spectrum, hopes to win the same access to rivers for canoeists that ramblers won with the “right to roam”.

With less than a year to go before a general election, the canoeists realise that there is little prospect of new legislation in the near future. Instead, they are now aiming to press Ministers to broker a new access deal that would open up 5,000 miles of waterways by the time the Olympics are held in 2012. Of the 41,000 miles of waterways that are more than three yards wide in England and Wales, 1,400 miles are currently open to canoeists. North of the border, the Scottish Executive has already approved the right to float.

One of the biggest obstacles to access is considered to be the lack of a national register of riverbank owners, making it difficult for canoeists to find out who owns the water to seek permission. It is reported that some angling representatives do not support the initiative, since they believe that canoeists disturb the fish and interfere with spawning. However, MPs of all parties are said to be mobilising to open up the waterways.

We now have the CRoW Act (Countryside Rights of Way Act) - but this hasn't helped canoeists and swimmers - as someone who used to swim in the Frome and has a canoe in their back garden which has seen little use I would love to see a change in this - amazingly even if you want to watch wildlife from a boat/canoe, put your hot feet in the water after a walk, or allow you children to wade in a river on a hot summer’s day you could be committing trespass if there is no access to or along that waterway. Despite extensive lobbying water was taken out of the CRoW Act at the eleventh hour and still there is no access to and along 98% of the rivers in England and Wales
In England and Wales, unlike elsewhere in the world, the public cannot assume there is an automatic right to have access to rivers. People are incredulous when they are made aware of this situation. Please log your support for this campaign.

Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish meeting

This evening was the Parish meeting and as I have a busy day tomorrow I've not got time to do it justice writing here but here are a few items nevertheless:

- Former District Councillor David Thornton has sadly died. I never met him but I understand he represented the former Whiteshill Ward from 1996 to 1998. His funeral is to be held on Tuesday 18 August 2009 at 10.00am at Gloucester Crematorium.

- the Basketball hoop is getting closer - a contractor is set up do do the work once it is delivered from storage.

- the allotment working group met in The Star pub recently - v nice too but apparently things are still held up re the application for lottery money.

- there is a plea on the Stroud District Council website to have a photo that represents the Stroud valleys at the moment there is one of the Sub Rooms.

- the '20 is Plenty' scheme is now in with the stickers on boxes - see report here - for me the crucial next step is the other calming measures like gateways. I was also delighted to hear that our new County councillor, Tony Blackburn, plans to ask a question about traffic calming in Whiteshill at GCC.

Vestas demo in Stroud yesterday

This blog has covered news re the Vestas campaign - see for example here - the occupation has ended but a picket has started at Newport, Isle of Wight to prevent Vestas taking back control of the machinery etc.

Photos: first: Adam Keating, Matt Goldman, myself, David Drew and James Beecher while below Imogen Shaw joins James and Matt in some bicycle-powered music making

Yesterday I joined the demo/protest in Stroud supporting the National Day of Action in Solidarity with Vestas Workers - I joined the demo at 6pm outside the Sub Rooms - we were a small crowd that was joined by David Drew MP. Not sure if you can see but I coloured the turbines green on the posters?!

As I've noted before the government found millions for the car industry and the banks - now it's time for them to invest just a fraction of that in saving this factory, the 600 jobs, and our hopes of developing viable low-carbon energy. One glimmer of hope is that Green party leader and Euro-MP is putting a proposal to the Leader of the Isle of Wight Council for support for a worker co-operative at the Vestas wind turbine manufacturing plant to be established under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. Failure to keep this Vestas plant open will represent a spectacular failure by the government to match its rhetoric on green jobs with real policy action. See more here.

See more re campaign on the website:
http://savevestas.wordpress.com/

Choice in affordable housing moves one step closer

Below is the press release from Stroud District Council re the new system being introduced - I do believe this will be an improvement but still have some concerns re the more vulnerable who don't have access to the web.

Photo: Randwick horse!

Work has started this week on the introduction of a county-wide system to help people looking for affordable housing. At the moment, the six district councils in Gloucestershire have their own housing waiting lists but over the next two months Stroud, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Forest of Dean, Cotswold and Tewkesbury councils will put the finishing touches to a system that will give applicants more choice and allows homes to be let quicker.

Under the name 'Gloucestershire Homeseeker' the countywide approach will help people looking for affordable rented accommodation in a number of ways. Currently people on housing waiting lists are contacted to see if they are interested in properties when they become available. With the new system they will be able to look at properties that become available and put their names forward for them. Weekly adverts will be published showing available properties and homeseekers will then be able to express their interest via the internet, an automated telephone service or by text.

Gwen Russell, of Gloucestershire Homeseeker, commented: 'At the moment, people at the top of the housing list can often be offered homes which they are not interested in because of its size or location. This new approach will mean that offers will only go to people who have expressed interest in a property. By allowing them to choose which homes they are interested in, it makes the process much smoother. Another benefit of the countywide scheme is that it will allow some people to pick properties closer to families who may live in another part of the county. The current points-based system will be replaced by four different priority bands - bronze, silver, gold and emergency - according to someone's housing need. By combining this with choice, we hope to deliver a better service to everyone looking for affordable rented housing.'

Gloucestershire Homeseeker will replace the current system in September this year. Over 16,000 people are currently on waiting lists for housing across the county. Those on the current waiting lists will be automatically transferred into the new system and will need to activate their application with their existing details. From today, new applicants will be provided with information on how to sign-up, and any urgent advice and assistance on housing matters will continue as normal. Advice and support will also be available for users of the new system who do not have internet access to ensure that they can benefit from it.

Gloucestershire Homeseeker advertisements, publicising available homes, will be on display online and in public places such as council offices, parish councils and libraries. The councils are also looking for other outlets to display their weekly adverts and are keen to encourage anyone who is willing to display them to contact their local housing advice office.

Protest at Tesco breaking promise on bus shelter

Some blog readers will be familiar with the long running story of the Tesco bus stop - see background by clicking here. Below is the latest news release following our demo today outside Tesco - this was all because Hilda contacted me back in 2006....hopefully more news soon re a shelter?????

ANGER AT TESCO OVER BUS SHELTER PLANS FAILURE - AND DELIGHT AT COUNTY OFFER

Petition has nearly 150 signatures to encourage action by Tesco - but now GCC look set to step in to help

Over 15 residents mainly from Randwick and Whiteshill, protested outside the Tesco store in Stroud at their frustration that there was still no bus shelter despite promises by Tesco. Local District councillor Philip Booth then went into the store with some of the residents to meet the Deputy Manager and show him the 150 signatures collected so far on a petition and express their deep disappointment.

Cllr Philip Booth, who has been helping to seek a bus shelter outside the Tesco store in Stratford Road and helped with the petition, said: "Following two years of many letters, emails and phone calls Tesco agent confirmed to me that they would be putting a bus shelter on the site outside their store last Autumn. There were meetings about the site and design of the shelter then we heard nothing. Eventually they said they would look at it in March 2009 and we have only just heard last month, following repeated requests, that it will now not be considered until February 2010 at the earliest."

Philip Booth added: "I wholly recognise this was to be a goodwill gesture by Tesco to help their customers who use public transport and I know the new manager there is also supportive of a shelter, however I am very, very disappointed that they should have failed to honour their promise last Autumn and even now can't confirm a shelter will be built. Indeed you would imagine that Tesco would be keen to encourage and support public transport users to their store, but they seem happy to ignore the years of requests by residents. This is surely a huge PR blunder by Tesco who having gained goodwill by promising a shelter then go back on their word? It isn't just the fact of going back on their promise but also how they virtually ignored all requests for information about their plans and only after many many emails and calls do we learn they are not looking at it again until Feb 2010."

Philip Booth added: "We now hear as part of the works outside the store the County Council are hoping to step in to build a shelter in about two months time. I am sure bus users will be delighted by this news as I don't think any of us are confident that Tesco will come through to build a shelter. At least there is now hope again that before this winter their might be a shelter in place!"

Mrs Hilda Welsh, 85, of Victory Road, Whiteshill (pictured in blue at todays in first pic), who regularly uses the bus to visit the store, contacted Philip Booth after he was elected in 2006 to see if a shelter could be built, said before the latest news re the County: "If Tesco don't get a move on I'll not be around to use the shelter!"

Pam Thorne, who lives in Randwick and helped organise the petition said: "Villagers from this area use buses to get to and from Tesco in Stratford Road and on many occasions they have a wait in the wind and rain. I have sometimes seen more than ten people at one time waiting in the rain there. This shelter would have been a tiny expense compared to Tesco profits - and by their repeated delays they almost seem to be seeking adverse publicity rather than celebrating the goodwill they could have gained from installing the shelter they promised."

Another Peak Oil warning

I have only just got to read that last week The Independent reported that the world is heading for a catastrophic energy crunch that could cripple a global economic recovery because most of the major oil fields in the world have passed their peak production.

Photo: from Russ - he says himself he's not sure about this one - however I like it - the pristine mountain and can of oil......

Dr Fatih Birol, the chief economist at the respected International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris says that higher oil prices brought on by a rapid increase in demand and a stagnation, or even decline, in supply could blow any recovery off course. See Independent 3rd Aug 2009.

None of this is new news to those of us following the research into Peak Oil - but it is good to see it getting more coverage - in the same paper Jeremy Leggett writes that there is one major similarity between the energy crisis and the financial crisis and one main difference. He says these two things tell us a lot about the role of cultures in how our modern version of capitalism plays out. The similarity is that we are dealing with two massive global industries who have their asset assessment systemically, and roundly, wrong. The difference is that few people and organisations warned about the credit crunch as it approached, where as with the oil crunch, a host of people – many in and around the oil industry – are shouting a warning, and so to are a few good organisations concerned companies span British industry. See Independent 3rd Aug 2009.

Tomorrow: national day of solidarity with Vestas workers

This blog has covered some of the news re the Vesta campaign - see most recent here - the occupation ended on Friday but a serious picket is due to start at Newport, Isle of Wight to prevent Vestas taking back control of the machinery etc.

Meanwhile Wednesday ie tomorrow there will be a demo/protest in Stroud supporting the campaign - first up a meeting at both 1pm and 6pm (for those working) outside the Sub Rooms with a possible march to Ecotricity, David Drew's offices, or the District Council or all 3...? James, one of those organising the Stroud event also features in a song about the protests that mentions his exploits: myspace.com/carbontowncryer

Gay Pride in Cheltenham 2009

The third annual Gay Pride march, the first in Cheltenham was apparently a great day - I sadly missed it but reports were that it was as ever a wonderful colourful procession of more than 100 people who marched from Pittville Park through town to Montpellier Gardens. I was also delighted that following my request Stroud District Council flew the Rainbow flag in support at Ebley Mill.

The march had plenty of rainbow flags, pink union jacks, whistles, three drag queens and drummer Christine Murray who led the procession. Below is some of the report by The Citizen/Echo and then below that a list of the Green party's key manifesto points from the Euro elections....

Here is the press report:

One of the organisers, Martin Homer, 23, said: "This is a countywide march and we want to alternate between Gloucester and Cheltenham. It's important to bring everyone together from across Gloucestershire, because we have a higher than usual proportion of gay people in the county."

Friends Clare Connerty and Chris Alcock, who live in Cheltenham, were glad the march was in their home town. Clare said: "I've been to Pride in Gloucester which was much busier, but it's the first one in Cheltenham. There's still too much homophobia about but it's great to see young people coming out and coming on the march and having fun. And it is about pride, because I love being gay."

Clare and Chris were wearing T-shirts with the phrases 'bian' and 'homo'. Clare said: "I made them myself. They're homo-made."

Carrying a large rainbow banner at the front of the parade was Chris Marsh, 41, who lives in Gloucester. He said: "Marches like this are even more important than the ones in London or Brighton, to show that gay people live in smaller towns and are just ordinary people getting on with their lives."

After the march finished in Montpellier Gardens revellers were entertained by bands and cabaret acts and mingled in the park, visiting stalls of support groups, clothing companies and police and fire service offering safety advice. Drag queen Queenie Del Bra, who had marched with her friends Dolly Hollywood and Miss Theresa Tittytassle, was one of the singers. She said: "I'm Cheltenham's only drag queen. Dolly made our costumes and they take an hour to get into, because I've had a lot of practice."

To contact Gay Glos for advice and support on any issue of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender call 01452 306800.

The Green Party launched eight pledges for equality for LGBT people this year...here is 'The LGBT Greens European Election Manifesto'.

The Greens will continue to campaign for:

* Full LGBT equality, including full partnership, insurance, pensions, employment, and housing rights. This includes campaigning to rid ALL EU member states of homophobic and transphobic discrimination in access to goods and services, such as insurance and mortgages.
* All EU member states to comply with the EU directive outlawing discrimination against lesbians gay men and bisexuals in the workplace.
* Equivalent and specific protection in society and in the workplace for trans citizens.

1. Greens will press for policing which reflects the diversity of the LGBT communities in the EU particularly in the new Eastern states, ensuring that homophobic behaviour by police officers is considered an explicit offence which can be remedied with disciplinary action. Also working with the police in deepening their relationship with the LGBT community, including LGBT organisations: improving the rapport between police forces and the LGBT community; addressing the continued under-reporting of hate crimes, and working with authorities to bring hate crime culprits to justice.

2. Greens will work to legalise same-sex marriages and registered partnerships across the EU, particularly in asylum legislation.

3. Greens will campaign to:

* Extend the EU definition of "family" to include LGBT partnerships
* Campaign for lgbt equal access to parenting and fertility treatment.

4. Greens will continue to lobby Police on non-prosecution of consenting, victimless gay offences, such as cruising. Police resources should be concentrated on violent, corporate and hate crimes and active, sustainable measures to create safer communities.

5. Greens will support a pan European HIV Action Plan:

* To improve safer sex education.

6. Greens will also campaign to:

* Cut transmission rates by remedying the financial hole in HIV services and large inadequacies in the provision and scope of HIV services.
* Upgrade the standard of treatment and after-care for people who have transmitted HIV. This will include pressing the UK government to resolve the under-funding and under-staffing of sexually-transmitted infection (STI) clinics.

7. Greens through their MEPs will lobby the European Commission to require all companies doing business with the European Union, or governments and local authorities within it, to be required to have equal opportunities policies that prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and HIV-positive people; thereby enabling local authorities to take a proactive role in encouraging businesses to end homo, bi and transphobic discrimination.

8. Greens propose to celebrate queer culture and history, for example by proposing the establishment of more Lesbian & Gay Museums.

See more: http://www.lgbtgreens.org.uk/

New nuke protest

Some 13 residents of Shepperdine, living near the possible site of a new nuclear power station at Oldbury staged a five-hour protest to prevent contractors getting on to the land. Well done to them! They blocked the access road to a field near the existing Oldbury atomic plant until they were finally asked to move by police.

Munch Nuke by Russ

Power firm Eon has acquired land at Shepperdine with another company RWE and wants to build a £4-billion station. As we well know the process involved in getting permission will last for many years but as part of the initial site development work, small-scale ground investigation and seismic studies were due to have started on the Shepperdine land to help determine the type and best location for the foundations.

The residents have two key concerns at this stage – whether permission had been given by the British Geological Survey (BGS) for the drilling to take place and whether South Gloucestershire Council had given the all-clear for the compound and parking area to be created.

Protester Reg Illingworth is quoted in the Evening Post saying: "Ultimately, we don't want a new nuclear power station here. But this protest is solely about permission for the preliminary work and the compound, which has already been built. We want to know if consent has been given and if we see that in writing, then we will stand aside."

Alan Pinder, of the Green party and South Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, was among the demonstrators. He is quoted saying: "We want to ensure Eon is going through the proper process. You have to do everything by the book if you are going to run a nuclear power station."

I suspect this is one of the first protests of many in building more nukes - an absurd decision that does nothing to help with climate change now when it is needed - indeed it is taking resources away from renewables at a time we should be becoming leaders in new technology....but hey I've written lots before on nukes so wont reopen that discussion here again!

History of the Coop came to Randwick

Several meetings this week - some already mentioned - yesterday the start of the inquiry into planning delegation - four councillors and invited officers started to set the scope of the inquiry - more of that as it progresses, but wanted to blog on the delights of the Mikron Theatre Company who came to Randwick Village Hall to perform 'Fair Trade'.

Photos: from the play in Randwick hall

Here's a it from their website: "Reaping the Dividends, the story of the co-operative movement. Reap the dividends of Mikron Theatre Company's insight into the Co-operative Movement from its roots in the early part of the 19th century when the Industrial Revolution resulted in exploitation and misery for many working people."

The Marsden-based Mikron Theatre Company have been going for more than 35 years - theatre with a big musical element and humour to explore historical and social themes in a thought-provoking way.

Fair Trade is written and directed by Mike Lucas, who formed Mikron with late wife Sarah and friend Danny Schiller. It is great to tell the extraordinary story of the Cooperative Movement - and it's beginnings in Rochdale in Toad Lane in 1844. Indeed the Co-op now has more than 750m members in 100 countries - apparently Sean Connery was a Co-op milkman before acting and there’s even a Co-op for employees in the Emperor’s palace in Japan. The Co-op carries out over 160,000 funerals a year.

The play gave a flavour of some of the wonders of the coop pioneers - and stuff like the Woodcraft Folk and Credit Unions that we have locally - but I still felt it slightly missed giving a real sense of the importance Coops could play - but that might just be me! It also missed some of the dire bits of the Coops history like 1997 - Wikipedia has a brief history of the Coop movement here - but having said that did give balance in the characters portrayed......hey I'm rambling badly and need a cup of tea...

Anyway as well as the road tour the company also has an annual tour on Britain’s waterways aboard the 1936 Grand Union Carrying Company narrowboat Tyseley - their website has more info about that and the plays. Well done to Randwick Village Hall for getting it on locally and to all the others who made it possible.