sl july 2012
TRANSCRIPT
27 July 2012
Pictureby
PictureMarziaNicodemi-E
hikioya
This Shirley poppy grew on Rev. Wilk’s grave in St. John’s graveyard , Shirley
Marzia Nicodemi-EhikioyaEditor, linguist, outspoken campaigner
on local and national issues. Loves opera,books and libraries.
Russell ElliottPassionate believer and advocate ofalternative - Just ‘cos something hasalways been done a particular way
doesn’t make it the best!
Andrew PellingFormer Shirley resident, Councillor,London Assembly Member & MP.Investment Banker & commentator
for insidecroydon.com
Robert DilGraphic Design Consultant and
Co-owner of TD Studio in Addiscombe.Loves playing music & diving.
Giovannan RicciardelliTravel Consultant specialised in Events.Loves entertaining, swimming, cookingItalian food. Seriously interested in
architecture and interior design.
Andrew DunsmoreTop London photographer, runsPicture Partnership in his ShirleyStudio or on location. He helps
you take better pictures.
YOU HERE?
Stuart CollinsShirley resident, former Mayor ofCroydon and Councillor. Loves
music and cats.
Nadia NazirIT Consultant and InteriorDecorator, loves to sew, knit
and bake.
Peter Howard72 this year, in Shirley since 1971. Myinterests are politics and Elder Abuse. Ibelieve in holding politicians to account.This does not endear me to them. Oh
dear!
Helen Campbell-MacDonaldPractitioner of alternative medicine
and regular contributor toAlternatives page.
Jill LatterMiniaturist, Shirley resident formore than 50 years, makes
beautiful cakes.
Tom DunsmoreFamily man. Retired engineer. Hasworked abroad. Speaks Spanish.
Enjoys travel.
Interested inbeing part of our
online magazine?Please contact us
Charles Parkof Planning Partnership Ltd, Shirley.The man to look for if you wantsomething special for your home.
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ContentsShirley Life 5Kony 2012 9Shirley Open Gardens 11Sketch by Andrew Pelling 13Sham Surveys: Open Letter to Croydon Council 18Giovanna’s Column 20Amouage: An Interview with David Crickmore, Amouage CEO 22Cherry Orchard Arts Fest 28Peace Day 29No Incinerator near People 30Compulsory Recycling Consultation by Editor 33Council Tax Support Consultation by Editor 37Shirley Community Centre 38Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign by Adrian Winchester 40Summer Fayre at Millers Pond by Andrew Pelling 42About Andrew Dunsmore of Picture Partnership 43Shirley Library: August Activities 46From ElizCro’s Blog 48
Front Cover: Weeds in Shirley
Editorial TeamTom Dunsmore, Jill Latter, Marzia Nicodemi-Ehikioya (Editor), AndrewPelling, Russell Elliott (Advertising Consultant), Robert Dil (Graphic DesignConsultant) and Nadia Nazir (Website Administrator).
ContactsT: 07940 415532 • E: [email protected] • W: www.shirleylife.com
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Is Life too short to do-it yourself?• Garden maintenance & grass cutting• Painting and decorating• Flat pack furniture assembly• Shelf, mirror, picture hanging• Jet washing of drives, patios, decking
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Weeds are growing all over Shirley. On12 July 2012, at 4.50pm, in the rain,I saw a yellow contraption whizzing
past my window. It was Croydon WeedControl. It was a shame I was not promptenough to take a picture. It reminded me ofthe winter gritters without grit that went past,lit up and making a lot of noise. Things do notseem to change in suburbia.Should readers believe that it is the residents’duty to weed the pavements and cut the grassin the verges, they can do so. I would notdream of stopping them. We pay Council Taxand expect the Council to do such work.
More sham consultations and Croydon ObservatoryPlease read about the extraordinary consultation regarding the “Proud to ServeSurvey” on page 18. It officially closed on 20 July but I filled it in last on 23 July! Itis not a joke. Indeed, it would appear that all residents must have a computer ifthey want to keep in touch with Croydon Council. If the extraordinary procedurereproduced on page 34 is anything to go by, the home computer purchase mightsoon be made compulsory with warning letters being sent to households that donot abide by this rule!!! After 12 weeks, your details might be passed to AreaEnforcement Officers to issue fixed penalty notices!!! If you receive the yourcroydon publication, you will have read about CroydonObservatory. I do not. I picked the information up through twitter. I duly typedwww.croydonobservatory.org and I was amazed to read that it “helps the council(sic) to understand the needs and preferences of residents, and to offer the rightservices to the right people, ultimately delivering better value for money” and thatit “may work to reduce the number of FoI requests the council receives, each ofwhich impacts council taxpayers insofar as officers have to devote many hours toprovide answers.” Another subliminal message? However, much of the data isobsolete and fantastic political spin.Events at the Shirley Community CentreThe Save David Lean Cinema Campaign and Shirley Community Centre hosted avery successful, Italian-themed evening. The screening of Everybody is Fineattracted 96 spectators who also enjoyed light refreshments. Pictures on page 41.
Residents at work
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They hope to offer another screening soon: this time a very “English” evening.Shirley Community Centre will host a fundraising event forThe Tabula Rasa Project on 18 August 2012. Please clickon Shirley Community Centre and you will be taken totheir website where a poster will be uploaded as soon asall details are finalised. It is going to be an exciting eveningfor young people and all donations will go towards helpingthis splendid group whose motto is to “Creating a newbeginning, providing a better tomorrow”.
A friend and the Arabian PeninsulaNothing controversial here. I met a friend I had not seen for just over 10 years. We
had kept in touch via internet and continuedour numerous political arguments over thoseyears. In spite of that, we remained friends andit was as if we had just met the day before. Wechatted away during a very pleasant lunch inKnightsbridge. Serendipity. He now lives in theSultanate of Oman and is the CEO ofAmouage. I love perfumes and asked him a
few questions. See the interview on page 22 and learn about exclusive perfumes.
Bad newsThe world of culture and arts suffered another blow when the Council pulled outof the Open House London Project, scheduled for 22 and 23 September 2012.
Editor
Every other London borough, plus the City of London, is taking part in OpenHouse 2012, with the exception of Kingston, which has never participated in thescheme. Read a full report on this sad decision by clicking onhttp://insidecroydon.com/2012/07/18/croydon-council-locks-its-doors-to-open-house-london/ SL passed on the information to Inside Croydon as soon as itwas received from a Shirley resident and we are grateful to IC for letting thepeople of Croydon know in real time.
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Yes, we can make a difference when we get togetherand speak out against injustice. There is plenty todo and something was done about Koni becausesomebody started a campaign.Stop moaning and start acting. There are plenty of causes you can join. You do notneed to go far.http://youtu.be/Y4MnpzG5Sqc
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Shirley Open GardensShirley Open Gardens took place over the weekend of 23and 24 June. The weather the previous week was dreadful ,lots of rain, strong winds and very little sunshine. We crossedour fingers that things would improve for the weekend. Luckwas on our side, the sun shone for most of the time, albeit fora few sharp showers on the Sunday, and the weekend wasa huge success.
We raised £2320 for Shirley Neighbourhood Care which wasa tremendous result. Friends and neighbours, old and new,enjoyed a pleasant few hours exploring the gardens on thetrail and large quantities of tea and cake were consumed.
We continue to build on this event and local people now lookforward to visiting the open gardens each year. This was thefirst time we were open in June and it would appear that itwas worth all the extra effort. However, not ones to stand still,we are always trying to encourage more Shirley gardeners toopen their gardens. In fact, this year we had three newgardens open, which was wonderful.
So looking ahead to our our next Shirley Open Gardens overthe weekend of September 1 & 2, we would love moregarden owners to share their gardens with us. If you feel that you would like to join in this event, pleasecontact Jenny Hayden on [email protected] or telephoneher on 020 8776 1389.
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A contemporary cafe with great foodserved in a pleasant and friendly
atmosphere at 219 Wickham Road, in the Library Parade
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Council Sketch by Andrew PellingNew Croydon Mayor Eddy Arram came out ofthe blocks in a feisty mood at his first Councilmeeting. The Mayor chairs the Council meetingand he said that he would come down hard onoffenders and also be scrupulously neutral. Hethen proceeded to be partisan. He also fluffedthe agenda and got Councillors’ names wrong.
The Mayor ruled that Labour Councillors areout of order if they speak about past events.Conservatives though would be allowed to lookback in time. No wonder some MPs think thatit’s best just to abolish local governmentbecause of this kind of tin-pot dictatorbehaviour.
As someone who has been on the Council since the 1970s Mayor Arram shouldhave been performing better than this.
A change in protocols meant that the Council was nowgoing to ban the use of cellular equipment such thattweeting to the outside public from the Councilchamber would be banned.
Anyone from the public who objected, the Mayoradvised, would be expelled from the meeting. Themeeting was “for Councillors, not the public.”
It was like attending a meeting of the Tomsk SovietOblast, such was the blatant disregard for the votingpublic and their representatives’ role in holding ourrulers to account.
With the usual level of unpleasantness and the dire quality of debate you canunderstand why the Council would want to ban live reporting. There is also a lotto hide. In fact, the Chief Executive went on to tell Councillors that the lawallowed officials to keep papers to themselves and not share them with electedCouncillors.
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This grab for power by unelected officials came in the debate about theproposed incinerator. Any Councillor who had though been allowed into theprivileged and highly-paid circle of officials and had seen any confidential paperswould have to be very careful what they said in public, the Chief Executivewarned. If a Councillor spoke in public about confidential matters, one presumeslike the health risks of the incinerator, they could be jailed, the unelected ChiefExecutive advised.
Labour then proceeded with a debate on whether the public and Councillorsshould be excluded from meetings about the incinerator. The Conservativemajority said yes they should. This debate seemed likely to show up the LabourParty in a good light. A bit like the subsequent debate on Allders, somehow,Labour fluffed it.
Labour debated the merits of the incinerator rather than the exclusion of thepublic. The pugnacious Conservative Cllr. Thomas pointedly suggested thatLabour would have more reason to complain about their exclusion if theyactually bothered to turn up at public meetings regarding the incinerator.
Labour did point out that the Conservatives promised not to have an incineratorin the locality.
Shirley Councillor and Council Leader Mike Fisher put the blame on Alldersmanagement for their demise and felt that the Council were approached toolate. In fact Allders had been seeking help since 2009 but this all went down wellin the chamber and Labour were going down to another defeat.
Fisher then went on to try to put further pressure on his opposite number byannouncing a joint investigation with other South West London Councils intothe missing £ 21 million in Croydon NHS.
A report by Ernst & Young suggests the missing monies arose out of a “systemsproblem.” Now that may be very English – “it’s no one’s fault really, it was justthe system” – but that finding just lacks credibility.
Fisher’s motivation is not though entirely driven by concern for value for moneyfor the public purse.
On the board of Croydon NHS was – you’ve guessed it – Cllr. Newman.Another Labour luminary on the board, indeed the chairman of the board wasLabour’s Cllr. Letts, a truly saintly character.
Fisher claimed that the investigation was “not a witch hunt.” Newman, we can
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confirm, is not a witch. He’s also hardly a wizard. But Newman is the one Fisheris hunting for, witch or not. If Fisher can pin the charge of malfeasance on hisLabour counterpart, whether true or not, that suits his book. The investigation looks unlikely to be non-partisan.
Such scrutiny is always undertaken by back-bench members; as SelectCommittees do in the House of Commons. That the ruling executive hasinitiated this investigation and instructed back benchers to undertake thescrutiny undermines the investigation from the start.
But these are the games that our Councillors play for their £ 6.6 million pay.
If the local NHS board, which also included Conservative Councillor Fitze(presumed expendable collateral damage close to main targets), were usinginvestment banking style accounting tricks to keep a local NHS, short ofresource, to deal with a population now proven by the 2011 census to be muchbigger than estimated by government, these people may yet prove to bedeclared heroes of the people.
Now that’s something that comrades on the Tomsk Soviet Oblast wouldunderstand.
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Dear Croydon CouncilI am not a customer. I am a resident who pays council tax. If I were acustomer, I would take my business elsewhere because I am not happy withthe poor services I receive.You are not honest, open and transparent. Whenever I ask a question, youtransform it into an FoI and keep me waiting for weeks, sometimes months.I have just discovered that you claim that you want “to reduce the number ofFoI requests the council receives, each of which impacts council taxpayers insofaras officers have to devote many hours to provide answers. (sic)” Are you tryingto pave the way for a world where nobody will ask questions?You do not spend my money wisely or give me value for money. I only need tolook around to see that roads are dirty, pavements covered in weeds, grass vergesare not mowed. And the potholes that grow bigger and bigger and ruin mytyres and suspension! You collect my rubbish every fortnight: the bin stinks andoverflows. I get confused with the colour of the wretched boxes (it might surpriseyou, but I have a life and it does nor revolve around boxes) that I have to lift tothe curtilage of my property, so often in the rain, and then retrieve them fromwherever the contractors leave them. You wasted a lot of money on the food
Sham Surveys: O
pen letter to Cro
ydon Council
Launched on Twitter on 9 July (not in yourcroydon) and officially closed on 20 July 2012. How many people knew about it?
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buckets, imposed without consultation. I share a friend’s bucket: enough for twofamilies who do not waste. Anyway, how many people do you know who canafford to waste food? I have to buy recyclable bags for the food because I donot want to wrap the food waste in paper as you suggested. My house is mycastle: I will not have it look like a dumping site.You never listen and act on what I (and others) tell you. You decide what youwant to do, then spend my money on consultations online, not accessible to themajority of residents because they are not on line. You think that allows you toclaim that it was a democratic process, whilst it is a sham.I also need to remind you that there was no consultation on the incinerator andthat you got caught red-handed when you tried to close down libraries, althoughyou are doing your best to ruin a precious service.I have always said that you do not know what you are doing. Your “efficiencies”are making Croydon a wasteland without arts and decent shops. Big businessesare running away and you want to send homeless families to Hull!Do you value me? No, your minions do not answer questions, but shout at meand call me a liar. I pay good money and want to receive some service in return.
Sham Surveys: O
pen letter to Cro
ydon Council
PS: I almost forgot the shambles of the Skanska lights. Croydon beware! When they get toyour patch, you will understand what I mean.
A Croydon resident
Launched on Twitter on 9 July (not in yourcroydon) and officially closed on 20 July 2012. How many people knew about it?
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Giovanna’s ColumnBack to Italy this month with two recipes which areeasy to prepare and great to eat.The linguine is a form of pasta,wider than spaghetti, but not aswide as fettuccine. The namelinguine means “little tongues” inItalian, where it is the plural of the feminine linguina.Linguine are also called trenette or bavette. A thinner
version of linguine is called linguettine. Linguine originated in Genoa and theLiguria region of Italy. While spaghetti traditionally accompany meat and tomatodishes, linguine are often served with seafood or pesto.
Linguine alla Mollica (Linguine with Anchovies, Capers, Olives and Breadcrumbs)The Italian composer, Ruggero Leoncavallo, who wrote I Pagliacci among otheroperas, was very partial to this dish. It is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve inCalabria. This recipe serves 4.Ingredients:300g linguineSalt and pepper12 tbsp olive oil60g pitted black olives, chopped2 small red chillies, finely chopped1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed6 anchovy fillets60g fresh breadcrumbs
Method:Add the linguine to a large pan of boiling salted water and boil until “al dente”(11 minutes if you use De Cecco linguine).Meanwhile, heat half of the olive oil in a pan, add the olives, chillies, capers andanchovies, and heat, stirring to dissolve the anchovies. Drain the pasta as soonas it is ready and toss this into the sauce.At the same time, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large non-stick pan and frythe breadcrumbs until slightly brown.Now mix the dressed pasta into the breadcrumbs. Fry for a few minutes, untila crust forms underneath. Invert on to a warm plate, so the crushed side is ontop. Cut into portions with a knife and serve.
Picture by Picture Partnership, Shirley
Tiramisu There isn't a classic recipe for tiramisu as such,as there are many varying versions both in Italyand around the world, but the following one isthe one I use. For lovers of strong coffee, darkchocolate and creamy mascarpone, it is one ofthe nicest and most popular desserts around. Iusually make a “big” tiramisu and, believe youme, it does not last long! Ingredients:Ingredients:500g mascarpone;4 eggs;4 tablespoons of sugar;2 packets of savoiardi biscuits (you can buy themat Sainsbury’s or an Italian delicatessen);strong coffee, preferably espresso; cocoa powder;any dry liqueur (gin, vodka or rum) to taste.Method:Mix the sugar with the egg yolk using a beater. Add the mascarpone and mix gently with thebeater. The mixture is ready when it ishomogenous and smooth.Beat the egg whites to snow to give a lightness toyour tiramisu. Incorporate it to the mixture above. Make the espresso and pour it in a big bowl with the liqueur (and some water andsugar to taste).Dip the savoiardi, one by one, in theliquid and place them at the bottom ofyour container.Cover with the mixture above andplace a second layer of dippedsavoiardi.Use the remaining mixture to cover,sprinkling cocoa powder all over. Enjoy cold a few hours later.
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Amouage
Amouage is a niche in the perfumery sector.When was it created? Amouage was created in 1983 at the expresswish of HM the Sultan of Oman to develop aluxury brand that reflected his country’s ancientheritage for frankincense cultivation andperfume creation.Today it is an international brand that sells to themost discerning of consumers who want onlythe best. It incorporates mastery in finefragrance perfume creation, with an amazing homecollection, a bath and body collection and leather goods hand crafted in Florence.We are a brand that looks back to the heady days of perfume creation in the20s and 30s when some of the absolute iconic fragrances were created andwe seek to recreate that level of mastery in all perfumes we develop.What makes Amouage perfumes special? Amouage fragrances do not follow the pack. Our fragrances have a realindividual voice and we are renowned for our creations, having received manyindustry accolades recently. So many fragrances today are so watered downas to be almost non existent after wearing for only 2 hours maximum. Theingredients used by the big conglomerates are often cheap, chemicallyreplicated scents using the lightest possible percentage of concentratedfragrance. The consumer has been conned by the big perfume companies toaccept these light, watered down fragrances because they make lots moreprofit but at the cost of mastery and creativity! At Amouage, not only do we seek out the finest and rarest ingredients fromaround the world, we deliberately create fragrances that reflect a true mastery.Our Creative Director, Christopher Chong, works with all the top noses(perfumers) in Grasse in the South of France, in Geneva and in New York todevelop truly special fragrances that fit our niche accord of floral orientals. OurEau de Parfum is always a minimum concentrate of 22% by volume.The normamongst other brands, in what we call the mass prestige brand sector, isaround 10-12% for an Eau de Parfum.Hence we always say that what makes us special is in the use of the finest andrarest ingredients put together in a very special and unusually creativecombination and then mixed with a higher percentage of concentrate andingredients than other brands giving a truly special, unusual and rare result.
An interview with David Crickmore, Amouage CEO
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I fell in love with Epic and the explanation was simple: frankincense.Please tell me more about this perfume.I believe you fell in love with Epic because it is one of the finest fragrances withinour stable. It has a wonderful inspiration behind it and therefore very specialnotes are used in its creation.Epic was inspired by the history of the ancient Silk Road trading routes from China andArabia leading up to ancient Rome. It is a spicy, oriental fragrance that incorporatesingredients that would have been traded along the Silk Road.The top notes of cumin, pink bay and cinnamon are layered with tea, geranium,Damascene rose and jasmine in the heart notes of the fragrance. In the basenotes, which you will experience after some time of wearing, are such evocativenotes as frankincense, musk, amber, patchouli, vanilla, orris, sandalwood,guaiac wood and oud. Oud is a sap that comes from a particularly rare tree inCambodia. This is very highly prized, especially in the Middle East and this addsto the special Oriental nature of the fragrance.Frankincense of course has, throughout the millennia, been highly prized andvalued as a fragrant tribute to the gods. In ancient civilisations such as Egypt,Greece and Rome the temples of the gods were perfumed with burningfrankincense, just as Christian churches are today. In ancient times its valuewas even higher than that of gold and so Arabia became very rich through itscultivation. Its Latin name is Boswellia sacra, denoting its sacred use throughouthistory.The other ingredients in Epic however are equally alluring and evocative, but wewould say that it is the overall fragrance in its entirety, rather than individualnotes that complete the effect when wearing it. Epic is one of our most soughtafter fragrances and I guarantee you will not find another perfume House thathas such a wonderful fragrance remotely similar to this and so we would claimit to be totally unique creation.Your London shop exudes timeless style and there is a subtle fusion ofEast and West. How did it come about?We have a number of shops around the world and our overall concept is thatwe want our consumer, wherever they maybe located, to feel comfortable in theAmouage environment. For that reason we do not have a one size fits allmentality to our shop design in the way of so many luxury brands today. Wedeliberately try to reflect the local culture and artistic appreciation in the shopfit we design for each region.For example in our recent shop that we opened in Kuala Lumpur we used redChinese lacquer, hand printed Chinese wallpaper, antique armoires as fixturesand locally sourced props to reflect element from the local culture that theconsumers would recognise. In the Gulf and the Middle East our shops havea much more modern approach with lots of gold and mirrored fixtures as well
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as items again sourced locally to reflect the consumer’s taste locally within thatregion.The London shop was considered long and hard and we eventually decidedthat the essence of British and European taste is the, often surprisingjuxtaposition of the very new with the very old and antique. The building itselfwas a former Queen Anne period house and so we decided to create the shopas an eclectic mixture of periods, both modern and old. Some fixtures aretherefore antique Georgian and Queen Anne items, whilst others are newlycreated lacquer pieces. We even have some antique oriental pieces as wellwhich reflects the taste of the Regency period of George IV for all thingsoriental. Of course we also use elements from the Middle East to reflect ourheritage through the use of subtle details and props.We believe that in such an environment our UK and European consumers willfeel at home and this will encourage them to linger longer, so our wonderfulstaff can explain the various collections. We want to give our customers timeto experience the notes of each fragrance properly, rather than being rushed inand out, as in so many shops.Our staff constantly receive praise from customers for their incredibleknowledge and for their ability to put this over in a gentle, non aggressivemanner to help guide the customer towards the right fragrance for them. Ofcourse for those who just want to be left alone to browse and try the fragrancesfor themselves, then they are welcome to do that too.We really love the result of our first shop in Europe and are very happy thatmany of our customers have become regular visitors. Someone said recentlyof us “once you try Amouage you will never go back; you become hooked!”.Long may that feeling continue!Amouage is exclusive. Will you expand?Our strategy for Amouage is to open shops in key opinion-forming cities aroundthe world and this shop in Lowndes Street, Knightsbridge is the first in Europe.We will always remain niche and not a brand that appeals to everyone, but toa more discerning customer who wants not only the highest in quality but alsoa fragrance that is truly special and unusual. We are not a brand for theconsumer who simply follows the whims of fashion. For that reason we willnever be over distributed as we limit ourselves by only wanting to produce thefinest and most exclusive products. We intend to guard preciously our place inthe perfume and luxury brand world and to remain within our niche with limiteddistribution.
Thank you, David.www.amouage.comAmouage, 14 Lowndes Street, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9EX
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Cherry Orchard Arts Fest is looking for
Creative People
Addiscombe In Action is planning a “Cherry Orchard ArtsFest” to invigorate the community, both culturally andeconomically, and to promote artists who live locally.
The festival will be a one-day event on Saturday, 27th Octoberwith a combination of visual arts, music, and hopefully othercreative arts. It will be based in Cherry Orchard Road inAddiscombe.
We are looking for local visual artists, musicians, poets andother creative people to participate. If you are interested,please contact Susan Oliver at [email protected] 07951 366 143.
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BIGGESTCALL FOR
PEACE
THE
THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN
What will you do on Peace Day21 September 2012?
Visit www.peaceoneday.org
GLOBAL TRUCE 2012 21st SEPTEMBER GLOBAL TRUCE
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isit www.peaceoneday.or
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What will you do on Peace Day
isit www.peaceoneday.or
Peace DayWhat will you do on21 September 2012?What will you do on21 September 2012?What will you do on Peace Day21 September 2012?
Peace Day
Read more about the Festival in Crystal Palace by clicking on the link below:http://insidecroydon.com/2012/07/22/you-may-say-im-a-dreamer-join-world-peace-day-on-sep-21/
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NO INCINERATOR NEAR PEOPLEPlanning application: together we can win!It is not a done and dusted businessThere are people who believe that the building of the incinerator will goahead and that there is nothing that residents can do to stop it. Not so.
Councillor Stuart Collins is closely monitoring the progress of the incineratorand had written to the Beddington ERF Planning Project Manager of theLondon Borough of Sutton to ascertain matters pertaining the planningapplication that Viridor must submit to Sutton Council. He received acorteous and informative response. What a difference between the twoBoroughs: one does not seem to get a response in Croydon, just thuggishaccusations of scaremongering and lying. Shirley Life had attended the Beddington Farmlands (New) Liaison Groupmeeting two months ago and had asked to be kept in the loop. An agendafor the meeting of the Group on Wednesday 25 July 2012 was receivedand we went along with Councillor Collins.
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We sat through a well conducted and civilized meeting. We learned aboutPublic Realm and were interested to hear that Councillors were elicitingproposals for small local projects. We then joined table 2 for the Round Table Discussions: Incinerator (akaEnergy Recovery Facility), led by Jim Redwood, Planning LB Sutton, MattClubb, Waste Manager, LB Sutton and Tracy Davis, Environment Agency. Themajority of the residents present at the meeting clustered around table 2,which shows the concern around this planning application from hell.We learned that theapplication had justbeen received and isbeing validated at themoment.It is a “very complicated”document and it should beregistered in about 3weeks. The clock willstart ticking from theregistration date. Mr.Redwood assured us thatall comments would beanswered and suggestedthey be sent by email. Alively and polite discussiontook place and various“planning” points were putforward. Tracy Davisdistributed a useful leafletand a booklet. Matt Clubbsaid that the refuse to beburnt was already inexcess of what theincinerator could copewith. His remark did not impress me. More about this next month.
Get in touch with [email protected] if you want to take partin residents’ meetings to discuss planning objections.
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35 YEARS EXPERIENCEFREE CONSULTATIONS
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Compulsory recycling consultationThe consultation is open until 31 August 2012 and the Council wantsyour views. You can complete the questionnaire online, collect apaper questionnaire from your local library or request one by callingJoanna Dixon on 020 8726 6000 extension 52136 or [email protected] There are 28 questions to answers and many of them arestraightforward. Some are quite unnecessary. The problem lies in thesomewhat paternalistic and condescending/confrontational mannerthey are posed and the underlying suggestion that there are residentswho should be punished because stubborn and unwilling to recycle.
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For example, I object to Question 8: “We should all recycle to reducethe amount of waste that goes to landfill to help reduce costs, freeingup money for other services”. I recycle and reuse because I believeit is the right thing to do for the environment. A barrister would say that Question 11 puts words in the mouths ofsome: “I think Croydon Council should take necessary action againstthose who are unwilling to recycle’ Note: ‘Necessary action’ meansmonitoring whether recycling is set out to be collected andcommunicating with the resident to encourage them to start. If theycontinue to not recycle further engagement will be undertaken andif they still do not recycle a Fixed Penalty Notice will be issued”.
Other London Councils have introduced compulsory recycling aslong ago as 2005. It can be enforced by local authorities undersection 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended bySection 48 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005and by Section 23 of the London Local Authorities Act 2007.
Councils should try to encourage people to recycle, not to catchresidents out. They should only be following up with residents whopersistently do not recycle and ask them why they do not want torecycle. The Croydon draft procedure is insensitively presented andunnecessarily complicated, lengthy and it simply will not work.Offering incentives might.I would urge residents to read the LB Islington website by clicking on http://www.islington.gov.uk/services/rubbish-recycling/recycling/home/compulsory-recycling-policy/Pages/default.aspx and compare the kind of languageused. A good parent or a good teacher does not attack children witha hammer, but teaches them: Cllr. Thomas needs to learn thatconfrontation will always fail in life.
I am tired of lifting the plastic boxes, especially in the rain. From 1September 2012, I will start to use the supermarket recycling bin. Ishop about 3 times a week, so it should be quite easy. After amonth’s trial, if successful, I will no longer use the green and blueboxes. Council inspectors will be welcome to inspect my wheelie:they will find nothing in it that may warrant a £80 fixed penalty notice.I started recycling and reusing a very long time ago.
Editor
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The Chestnut ClinicSpecialising in the Identification &
Treatment of Allergic DisordersHome Visit Service
Tel: 020 8462 5800 · Email: [email protected]: www.chestnuthomeopathy.co.uk
20 Chestnut Avenue · West Wickham · BR4 9ES
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some of whom work for the Council. The proposed rate of 15% they wantpeople to pay is more than the Council is losing in grant. I think that there couldbe serious unrest when people find out the implications of a political dogma-driven scheme that will make them start paying council tax whilst people withsecond homes and empty properties will still get off without paying.It is unfortunate that the government is obsessed with “hoards of shirkers” anda holy war against the benefits culture. This scheme is highly likely to end upinflicting hardship on the poor and vulnerable. I am also concerned the people most affected will not be aware of this“Olympic summer” consultation: I am not sure about billboard ads (where are
they in Shirley or elsewhere?),but few receive yourcroydonand which teams will be visitingwhich town centres? When?Finally, I wonder if thisconsultation may be legallychallengeable. Editor
I happened to spot theabove tweet almost assoon as Your Croydontweeted it. This “consultation” willdetermine whetherpeople who currentlydon't pay council tax willpay towards it. One hasthe impression that theCouncil has alreadydecided the route theywill take unless residentsmake their voice heard.The proposals aredirectly attacking thepoor and low-paid,
Charity No 1116925
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Care Direct UK run its services for Older Adults in the south end partof the Centre. You can contact them 8776 2562 or 07590 202547 forfurther details.
ACTIVITIES at the CentreDay AM PMMonday FOR HIRE Youth Activities 7.30 - 10pmTuesday FOR HIRE FOR HIRE 5 - 7pm
Tenshin Tsunami Ryu 7 - 9pmBible Study Group 7.30 - 8.30pm
Wednesday FOR HIRE Racquet Club 4 - 5pm Shirley Table Tennis Club 7.45 - 9.45pm
Thursday FOR HIRE FOR HIRE 2 -3pmRacquet Club 4 - 5pmFOR HIRE 6 - 7pmFOR HIRE 7 - 8pmRoad Cycling Club 8 - 10pm
Friday FOR HIRE GKR Karate 6 - 9pm
Saturday FOR HIRE FOR HIRE
Sunday SCF FOR HIRE
The Committee Rooms are for hire from Monday to Saturday
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What the Centre offers...The main hall is complemented by a well equipped kitchen; there is apool room and there are two other rooms suited to smaller committeemeetings. The Centre is open for viewing from Monday to Friday,between 9 and 11am.
Where to find us...We are at 28 Shrublands Avenue, Shirley CR0 8JA.These premises are ideally placed in a residential area and are wellserved by two bus routes, 194 and 198.There is some on-site parking.
Availability...The Centre is available most mornings, the early part of each afternoonand some evenings. It is also very popular for private parties atweekends.
To hire the Centre, please contact 020 8777 4298 or [email protected].
For any other purpose, please email [email protected].
There is also a website, www.shirleycca.com, to keep you abreast ofevents.
Charges...Midweek charges are:£10 per hour until 5pm and £12.50 thereafter (£40 for a whole morningor afternoon, £50 for a whole evening)
Private Parties£250 on a Saturday or £350 on a Sunday or Bank HolidayChildren Parties on Saturdays £70 + caretaker’s servicesThe cost of hiring the Committee Rooms is £5 per hour at any time. Theyare ideal for small business or committee meetings.
The Shirley Community Centreis under used. Consider holdingyour meetings or activities in theCentre. Come and see us.SOS
We expect to returnwith a new season inSeptember. TheSpread Eagle plan toscreen some films inAugust after theOlympics, so the firstof these might be onMonday 13 August.Campaign mediacoverageCampaign committeemember Janet Smithincluded theCampaign and theWarehouse Theatre
in a recent pilot arts programme on Croydon Radio. Janet will now returnwith a one hour Croydon Arts Show every two weeks. The first of thesewill be at 3pm on Sunday 29 July and it's likely that some DLC contentwill be included. More information can be seen via the schedule pagesof Croydon Radio's site: http://croydonradio.com/We always welcome opportunities to spread the word via residentsassociations and other community groups, so if you are a member ofone that you think offers scope for such publicity, please let us know.Committee vacanciesOur recent appeal for help in relation to the committee resulted in a fewresponses and a new recruit for the committee. We would still benefitfrom one or two more and a particular vacancy exists in relation to ourmembership records. It isn't an enormous task but it would be desirableto have a committee member who can focus specifically on this. If youhave some basic knowledge of Excel and could consider helping, pleaselet us know.
Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign
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For additional updates, film presentation reminders, etc,please follow the Campaign on Twitter: @SaveDavidLean
Adrian Winchester
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From left to right: Cllr. Simon Hall, Adrian Winchester, Cllr. LouisaWoodley.
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The Summer Fayre of the Friends of Millers Pond wasunfortunate to catch the end of this summer's wet season.
Sheltering under the gazebo was the theme and TS Defiance came well preparedwith their canoe in case the Millers Pond overwhelmed the site.Nevertheless 28 stall holders braved the adverse conditions to advertise the diverseattractions that we enjoy on Shirley's doorstep.
by Andrew Pelling
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About Andrew Dunsmore of Picture Partnership, Shirley
Freebie Fridays August 2012 Offer + BirthdayParty Studio Photo-Shoots
With the Olympics underway we hope you will be able to put in topractice some of our advice from last month’s issue. PP were going torun an Olympics Offer. However, we were unable to do so due to thestrict rules and © surrounding the Olympics. Therefore, we are runninga Freebie Fridays promotion this month!Freebie Fridays You have to be in it to win it! Register your details and every Friday inAugust 2012 two lucky people will win a free photo-shoot + a free print.You only have to register your details once to be entered into each ofthe 5 prize draws, with one held on each Friday of August 2012 – theearlier you register, the more chances you will have of winning yourphotographic experience.Photo-shoots with Picture Partnership, which you could use thisopportunity for, include : Family, Pets, Teenagers, Generations, Couples,Engagements, Baby Bump, Business Portraits, Portfolio shots, Productphotography, and more!Birthday Party Studio Photo-shoots Help keep the kids entertained this summer!If you have a reason to celebrate . . . Create a birthday to remember! If you are looking for a birthday presentwith a difference, join in the fun with one of our Birthday Party studiophoto-shoots for children and teens. Set the scene and bring along some birthday balloons. . . Dress up in your favourite party outfit, or dress down in your pyjamas fora slumber party/sleepover style shot!Come in a fancy dress, hired out or, even better, made by yourself!Personalise your birthday photo-shoot by bringing in your favouritepresent, or even your birthday cake!
@PPPictures
www.picturepartnership.co.uk.
Now Online at www.shirleylife.comand very soonin print
SAVE OURLIBRARIESand make yourvoice heard!!!
27 January 2011
If you stay silent
CLOSED
see page 18
The Council is forgin
g ahead without a
mandate. Read the full
story on
http://insidecroydon
.com/2012/07/17/
council-to-close-new
-addington-
library-in-september/#more-7595
Keep an eye on upda
tes at
soslibrary.blogspot.c
om
POLICE SURGERY
The Shirley Safer Neighbourhood
Team’s Drop-in Surgery on Thurs
day 23
August from 11am to
12noon
original image by Tim Zim
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August 2012Teen Reading Group The first group will meet in September. If you would like tojoin this fun and exciting group, come in and complete a form to let us know whatday and time would be best for you to attend.
Rhymetime Singing for babies and their parents and carers on Fridays: 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31at10amWiggle and Jiggle stopped and no longer runsStorytime Stories and crafts for 3-7 year olds on Fridays: 3, 10, 17,24 and 31at 11am.Once upon a Rhyme A mix of rhyme, stories and a colouring sheet on Saturdays: 7 and 21 at 10amStories and Craft Sessions For 4-9 year olds and their parents and carers on Saturday: 14 from2.30 to 3.30pmChatterbooks is a fun, monthly reading group for Years 3 to 6. Make new friends and chat aboutthe books you have read as well as taking part in games and quizzes. Thursday 12 4 to 5pm. Games Club Tuesday 7 from 2.30 to 4.30. Our games include Scrabble, Monopoly, cards andchess and Battleship. They are kept at the library so come in and play any time!Craft Workshops: Card Making on Tuesday 14 from 2.30 to 4.30pmStitch, Knit and Natter Get together with other knitters for a cup of tea and a chat. Beginnerswelcome. Fridays 10 and 24 from 2.30 to 4.30pmAncestry Library Edition for beginners One off, one to one sessions will be offered on Thursdaymornings 9.30-10.30am. Please contact the library to reserve your place.Computer sessions for beginners Learn to set up an email account, use Facebook, shoponline, use Word, Excel and Powerpoint or improve your typing skills on Monday, Tuesday andSaturday mornings. Please contact the library for further details.
Our display boards are available for use free of charge to advertise your club or society.Please contact Fiona or Irene at Shirley Library on 020 8726 6900 or [email protected]
Girl Guiding Display – We will have a display on Girl Guiding in thelibrary from Monday 23 July until Friday 31 August. The display will be manned on Saturday 4 and Saturday 11 Augustbetween 2-4pm by local Guide leaders so pop in if your daughter isinterested in joining or if you’re interested in becoming a leader.
Book Trail – the summer reading scheme for children and teenagers, will start onMonday 23 July and will be on for 6 weeks until Saturday 1 September. It’s free, you can join on the 23 July or anytime after and it’s a chance to enjoy readingthrough the holidays. You also get prizes for the books you read!
Go to the
Library!
THANK YOU...
You made me laugh. Your blog exposed the populistapproach of a local politician. Half-baked ideas caninflict a lot of damage on children and parents alike.Mrs. Blyton churned out an endless list of books,many containing an embedded, dangerouslypaternalistic and racist slant. May I add ChinuaAchebe and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to your list ofauthors? Children come in all shades and sizes....
Editor
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Who are Care Direct?Care Direct UK is a care agency providing quality care services andsupport to residents of most London boroughs.
Care Direct UK is a care agency registered with the Care QualityCommission (CQC). We have a two star rating. All of our staff are CRBchecked.
How Does Care Direct Work?Care Direct UK has two units of specialist support workers/carers whovisit people in their homes.Unit one provides practical support in people's home.Unit two deals with assessments, personal and palliative care.We work with people from all backgrounds and we can also provideyou with culturally specific services and have a culturally specific unitwhich deals with clients from different ethnic minority groups.
What Services Does Care Direct Provide?Care Direct UK is a care agency providing quality care services andsupport to residents of in all London Boroughs. All our staff arerequired to have an enhanced CRB check.Our care staff and support workers are available to visit you at homeand provide assistance.
Practical tasks that we provide include:• Cleaning and vacuuming & dusting• Laundry and ironing• Organizing wardrobes and cupboards
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• Help with general shopping & payment of bills• Light Gardening• Preparing light meals and helping to tidy kitchens and bathroomsetc.
• Collection of prescriptions• Thorough one-off blitz clean of your home.
We pride ourselves in our quality personal care. We also supplyspecialist support workers and carers who deal with personaltasks such as:• Help and support with bathing & washing• Assist with dressing & grooming• Prompt and assist with feeding• Help with continence management• Provide palliative care/supervision• Dementia Care• Physical and mental disability care• Respite care & sleeping in services• Provide convalescence care services• Care of people discharged from hospital i.e. both personal care andpractical task
Care Direct UK are always looking for reliable staff. They recruit qualitycandidates who will provide you with quality services. If you areinterested in applying for a position, please contact us.
NEED HELP?FREE QUOTATIONS, FREE ADVICE, NO OBLIGATION
Address: The Shirley Community CentreShrublands Avenue, Shirley, Croydon
Surrey CR0 8JA
Telephone: 020 8665 4266On Call: 07590 202547
Fax: 020 8665 4265Email: [email protected]
Website: www.caredirectuk.co.uk
Unfortunately,it could be you.
44% of claims were made by people under 40.
The youngest person to claim for cancer was 28.
The youngest heart attack claimant was 35.
We all dream of winning the lottery,even with odds of 14 million to 1.
However, when it comes to thelottery of life we all think criticalillness will never happen to us. Sadly, the chances of a critical illness strikingclose to home are higher than you may think. Look at the statistics from protection provider Bright Grey below.
Source: 1 Bright Grey claims statistics, 1 July - 31 December 2010.
PC1841C.0611
We’re all natural optimists, but even just a little bit of cover would reduce the need to leave it to chance.
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Thursday’s 6.45pm - 7.30pm
Shirley Methodist Church Eldon Avenue
Shirley, Croydon CRO 8SD
Beginner’s Level 2
Wickham Studio offers professional Hairdressing and Nail services in a relaxing andfriendly atmosphere. We have a member of the team to suit any individual andwelcome all clients from one to one hundred. As well as being passionate about hair and offering honest and professional advice
to help you make the best of your locks, we offer BioSculpture gelmanicures and mini, classic and luxury manicures.
Also on offer is Fake Bake spray tanning only £18.00 the bestvalue for miles around. We are the only local salon to have the
wonderful Flabelos exercise machine, the ultimate 10 minute workout.
In 2009 Wickham Studio were awarded 4 Stars in the prestigious Good Salon Guide.
Please call 020 8777 2714 to book an appointment.
We look forward to welcoming you to our salon.
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