To all on my enews mailing list  23rd February 2010

Dear all, here is another batch of local information. If you would like anything publicised please send me the details and I will do my best to include it in one of these mailings. The Festival is coming up soon, so if you want to do an extra publicity for an event you are organising please pass it on to me and I’ll distribute it with my next e-mailing. Please remember to keep checking www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk for up-to-date news. Stephen Carrick Davies has taken over the job of editing the web-site and you can contact him via the website.

If you know anyone who would like to be on my mailing list please forward this to them and ask them to send me an email with their contact details. Also, if you get this more than once at different email addresses, or you have moved and no longer want to receive these mailings please let me know and I will update the mailing list.

Wed 24^th Feb, 7:30pm New Cross Transition Town network Upstairs at the Amersham Arms, Next Transition New Cross Social: Transition New Cross's monthly social presents a glorious melange of animation, spoof and environmental science for your consumption. A chance to meet some Transitioners, talk green talk, and watch video shorts including The Meatrix, The Story of Stuff, and Wake Up, Freak Out - then Get a Grip. Food & drink will be available at the bar.   We hold regular socials every 4th Wednesday in the month, at the Amersham Arms, 388 New Cross Rd London SE14 6TY. For more info, take a look at our new website: www.transitionnewcross.org. Films being shown on 24th Feb:

The Meatrix

Watch the movie that started it all! The Meatrix spoofs The Matrix and highlights the problems with factory farming. Join our heroes Moopehus, Leo, and Chickity as they help save family farms! Winner of the 2005 Webby Award and viewed by over 15 million people, The Meatrix will change the way you look at meat!  

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of  Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Wake Up, Freak Out, Then Get a Grip

A seriously old school direct transmission of information to the viewer . . . It turns out that the way we have been calculating the future impacts of climate change up to now has been missing a really important piece of the picture. It seems we are now dangerously close to the tipping point in the world's climate system; this is the point of no return, after which truly catastrophic changes become inevitable.

Transition Towns and Energy Descent Pathways

Chapter 8 of The Powerdown Show, a 10-part TV series that takes a fresh and engaging look at community responses to the converging challenges of climate change and peak oil. In this chapter, the history of the Transition Town process is outlined and the concept of Energy Decent Action Planning explained.

26^th February (starting date) Creative writing workshops with David Bottomley
( see attached Sunflower Centre flyers)  

David says:
‘I'm attaching information about two new Creative Writing Workshops I shall be running at the Sunflower Centre for the Spring term. I would love to hear from anyone who has always wanted to express themselves in writing but never found the time or impetus to get started. I have designed the workshops in order to foster a friendly, supportive group of like minded writers to come together and explore their creativity and learn to give constructive feedback.’

NEW CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS

8 week beginner’s courses starting Friday 26^th Feb 2010 £95  at the Sunflower Centre, 81 Tressilian Road, Hilly Fields, Brockley SE4 1XZ. www.thesunflowercentre.co.uk

 TUTOR: David Bottomley

FINDING YOUR INNER VOICE (10am-12)

Unlocking self expression.

Often we are blocked, mentally and physically or by psychological conditioning. We don’t give ourselves permission to indulge in creative thought and expression. We make a multitude of excuses; too busy, career, children, stress or an illness or bereavement has taken over and stifled self expression. A friendly, supportive environment for you to start to unlock and explore your subconscious and find the voice within to give expression to your creative writing.  Whether you’re interest is poetry, journal, short story or playscript, come and discover the satisfaction in writing for self expression and personal development.

WRITING YOUR MEMOIR (1.30-3.30pm)

How to tell the story of your life

Everyone it seems is publishing their memoirs these days, some with remarkable success. Whether it’s Cherie Blair or Belle du Jour, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or Rifling Through My Drawers by Clarissa Dickson Wright. Even Jordan’s fourth foray or Russell Brand in My Booky Wook. No one, it seems, is too young or old to tell their story. Everyone has a unique journey and path they have taken or been forced to take in life. Learn how to tell yours in a friendly, supportive group with confidence and a critical eye. Learn the tools to help you craft your story. Leave with a draft of your memoir to continue in your own time or in further classes.

To book email sunflowerwriters@hotmail.com

or call David 07932 411455

4^th March, Thursday

Telegraph Hill Festival box Office opens

4^th to 11^th March Sculpture Show at Morley Gallery, Westminster Bridge Road

I am showing three pieces in the Morley Sculpture Society Annual Show. Please see attached flyer (MSS 2010 flyer small pdf) for invitation. If you would like to come to the private view on Wednesday 3^rd March please email me so that I have an idea about numbers to expect.  

5^th March Friday
Tim Ewers (of Erlanger Road) has asked me to pass on this  poster advertising his new piece ‘The Blackbird Sings’ being performed at the Wigmore Hall on March 5^th.

6^th March 2010
A message from Alison Day at Lewisham Arthouse:

Dear All, We are running a free banner making workshop at The Lewisham Arthouse. Please find attached info . I'd be grateful if you could forward to friends colleges and put info in your newsletters.

many thanks,

Alison Day
Please see attached flyer.

12^th to 28^th March
Telegraph Hill Festival 2010. Watch out for programmes – now being delivered to about 4000 Telegraph Hill households or check the web www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk to download the programme (ready in a few days). Box Office opens Thursday 4^th March.

20^th March 2010 

Lewisham Choral Society ‘Classics meets Jazz’ at the Great Hall, Goldsmith’s college. See attached flyer

And for anyone interested in making our environment more sustainable here is some correspondence from Darren Flint:
Edible Street Planting

Dear Transition Town friends,
 
You may be interested to read the following email, which I have sent to Keith Gordon at Lewisham council. He is a landscape architect responsible for the streetscape improvements that will be done around the Kender Street Triangle, under the 'Streets for People' banner. Please note that Keith is not responsible for the major TfL works that are redesigning the main roads around New Cross Gate and Kender - his remit will be to redevelop the newly-formed 'back streets' such as Kender Street itself. My hope is that he will include elements of edible planting into the basic design, which has already been drawn up and was on display at Kender Primary School a few weeks ago. If anybody else thinks that edible street planting in New Cross is a good idea, please consider contacting Keith to add your support.
 
-Darren Flint  (Lewisham Green Party, candidate for Telegraph Hill}.
 

From: dazflint@hotmail.com
To: keith.gordon@lewisham.gov.uk
Subject: Edible Planting around Kender Street
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:47:09 +0000

Dear Keith,
 
A few weeks ago we met at the public exhibition for the Kender Street improvements. We discussed the new planting for the 'Streets for People' scheme and I stressed how important I think it is to include some edible varieties of street planting.
 
Of course you will appreciate that street planting does not just improve the aesthetic impact of an area - it also increases wildlife habitat and biodiversity, reduces the impact of flash flooding and serves to improve air quality. Street planting serves many purposes, and these must be considered together rather than in isolation. Thus it seems reasonable to add a further benefit to street planting, where this can be done at little or no extra cost - namely, providing a source of free, healthy and 'low-carbon' foodstuff.
 
I fully appreciate local authorities' historic weariness of fruit-trees, for example - that they are seen as more troublesome than none-fruiting varieties. But the majority of fruit trees will produce without specialist pruning or other care. The impact of fruit-fall need be no greater than that of leaf- and flower-shedding, and fallen fruits are quickly consumed by urban wildlife. In the past, local authorities acted according to a different set of priorities. Today, food security, energy reduction and healthy, sustainable lifestyles are high on the agenda. Edible urban planting can make a significant local improvement in all these regards, and Lewisham Council increasingly seeks to achieve best practice on issues of environment and sustainability.
 
There are other ways to bring edible planting into the urban realm. Borders and grassed areas can be edged with fruiting shrubs such as raspberries and blackcurrants. There are several very tidy, well-behaved varieties available which will not spread, do not require pruning to fruit and will not over-produce. If flower-beds are to be maintained, highly attractive edible varieties such as courgettes and nasturtiums can be used. Finally, culinary herbs make for effective, low-maintenance planting.
 
It isn't the case that everybody has to come out into the street picking fruit constantly. Rather, the point is to create an additional benefit that can be tapped into if required, without costing extra resources. Any food that isn't harvested simply encourages local biodiversity and attracts increased wildlife (such as birds onto fruiting shrubs). This is not a loss, but rather an alternative benefit to be had. Once again, I insist that fruiting trees or edible flowers can be planted at no or negligible extra cost compared to non-edible types - there is nothing to be lost and much to be gained. A single apple tree can last a lifetime and produce literally tonnes of fruit for the local community.
 
I hope that you will take these comments on board and seek to incorporate elements of edible planting into the 'Streets for People' works. I would be absolutely delighted to clarify any of these points or to advise more specifically on different types of edible planting suited to different contexts. You might also consult Rich Far and Sean McBride (Lewisham's Street Trees Officers, whom I am sure you know). Nick Pond, Lewisham's Ecological Regeneration Manager may advise on other technical issues whilst the London Orchard Project should be able to give further advice on fruit tree varieties that are particularly suited to (and indeed have been bred for) London. 
  
I hope that these suggestions are well-recieved and that you will take every effort to act upon
them.
 
With kind regards,
 
Darren Flint

For Sale

Having refitted my kitchen recently I have an unwanted dishwasher  available for sale. It is a slimline (450mm wide) Bosch free standing machine, just over 3 years old. £60. If you provide someone to lift it in to my car I can deliver. Email  sara or phone me on 020 7638 6311.

with best wishes,

Sara

Sara Scott

(Telegraph Hill local & not-so-local enews)

 click here to send an email

for more local information click to these websites:

www.telegraphhillfestival.org.uk

www.augustineonetreehill.org.uk

www.thehill.org.uk

www.brockleycentral.blogspot.com

for Festival  enquiries please email Vanessa Lloyd (Chair of Telegraph Hill Festival 2010)  

If you want something publicised locally please send details to me in an email.