Waste Watch back at Golden Lane!

[Douglas Kemp]

Hi all

Waste Watch are delighted that the 'Our Common Place' project has been extended for another 12 months on Golden Lane. My name is Douglas Kemp (Doug) and I'd like to introduce myself as I will be continuing the work started by Johnny Hazel last year. 

For those that are familiar with the Our Common place project I will be working with the residents of Golden Lane to continue with project started last year and working with residents to get some new and exciting initiatives up and running. 

For anyone not familiar with the Our Common Place project, Waste Watch work with communities to try and help them create the kind of environment they want to live in. Golden Lane is one such community and we are entereing the second year of the project here.

We are therefore keen to get your ideas on what changes you would like to see to your environment, and how we can help you to realise them.  To do this, we intend to hold an exhibition day soon to start the ball rolling. Dates, time and locations will follow once more details are confirmed (It’s likely to be towards the end of August).

Prior to this I will also be carrying out some doorstepping in the coming weeks and hope to meet as many of you as possible.

As Johnny mentioned previously we hope that you will see this as an opportunity to make happen any environmental ambitions that you have been harbouring, either for yourselves or for your community. What we are offering in support is lots of experience, information and advice; time to help organise events and activities; connections with the relevant teams at the City of London to help speed things along; and plenty of enthusiasm! As I mentioned previously I know that last year some very successful initiatives were set and there are also some that might need a bit of a restart. Along with any new ideas I’m very much looking forward to helping Golden Lane make these ideas happen!

If you have any ideas for changes that you would like to see happen, you can share them with us as a comment in this discussion thread, in person when I’m doorstepping, at the exhibition event or directly via [e-mail] on 020 7549 0341. Please also get in touch if you are interested in joining a local group which may meet regularly to discuss the project.

For more information about Waste Watch and the work we do to help people waste less, here is a link to our website

Thank you very much!

Doug Kemp

[Douglas Kemp]

Hi Roland

I can confirm that the project will not affect your service charge either directly or indirectly.

Best regards

Douglas

[Douglas Kemp]

Just to update everyone we are very excited to be holding the Launch Event for the project on Thursday 13th September at 6:30 pm. Venue is to be confirmed but it will be on Golden Lane. Please put this date in your diaries and feel free to invite other residents. Hopefully it will be a great evening and we will use the opportunity to decide on what projects to take forward and bring to life over the rest of the year.

Doug

(corrected - thanks Christine for spotting the error!)

Just to update everyone we are very excited to be holding the Launch Event for the project on Thursday 13th September at 6:30 pm. Venue is to be confirmed but it will be on Golden Lane. Please put this date in your diaries and feel free to invite other residents. Hopefully it will be a great evening and we will use the opportunity to decide on what projects to take forward and bring to life over the rest of the year.

Doug

(corrected - thanks Christine for spotting the error!)

[Douglas Kemp]

Hi Roland

I work for a charity called Waste Watch who have been funded by the City of London to deliver the project - the same project was delivered last year which was coordinated by my colleague Johnny Hazel.

We are working with any residents who would like to get involved in the project and they will be doing so on a voluntary basis.

Let me know if you have any more questions

Best regards

Douglas

Roland Jeffery said:

So are you residents and volunteers? If not, who is paying you?

Douglas Kemp said:

Hi Roland

I can confirm that the project will not affect your service charge either directly or indirectly.

Best regards

Douglas

[Douglas Kemp]

IMPORTANT: Please note due to venue availability the launch event date has now changed to Tuesday 11th September. Please come along to the Nursery Building now used by the Ralph Perrin club at 6:30pm on Tuesday 11^th September. If anyone wants to come along earlier to help me set up the exhibition then feel free to come along at 6:00pm.

Best regards

Douglas

[Paul Lincoln]

Douglas
It would be good if you could outline Waste Watch's main activities to date and set out the framework for activities over the next year.
Many thanks

Paul

[Douglas Kemp]

Hi all

Many thanks to those that came along to the meeting in the Ralph Perring club on the 11th September. We had a good discussion around some ideas for the project.

The following is a list of ideas which we discussed. If anyone would like to show their support or interest in any of them then please get in touch.

Ideas discussed on 11^th September

On September 11^th Waste Watch held an exhibition and launch event for the Our Common Place project currently taking place on Golden lane. The exhibition showed some posters which residents of Golden lane had contributed to showing what they valued in life. A discussion took place focusing around what smaller projects or initiatives Waste Watch and the residents of Golden Lane would like to focus on as part of the wider Our Common Place remit.

The following were ideas brought forward as those which would be worth investigating:

Higher cost

Compost / wormery – Could be contributed to by any resident of Golden Lane – largely used by gardening group but compost could be available to all who contribute. Similar idea could be extended to a wormery. Worm caste being excellent feed for plants.

Improving the play area next to the Nursery Building / Ralph Perring Club - Current play area is underused and play equipment is wrong size, out of date etc. Could redevelop as a safe, sheltered spot with a more toddler focused design. Would need a group of mostly parents to discuss and some consultancy with specialist designers of children’s play areas.

Adult Gym outside Cuthbert Harrowing - Largely underused area of concrete - could be occupied by outdoor all weather adult gym.

Youth club to engage the young people on Golden lane - Former club on estate suffered problems with youths from other estates disrupting it. New club space with member of staff to run it would provide something for young people to do some nights of the week. Could use community centre?

I.T. skills drop in / training - some sort of regular session to allow (possibly older residents) to practise and not forget skills learned at each session. Would involve someone with knowledge / skills to deliver and would need a space to work in – residents would need to bring own laptops?

Low cost

Rotunda: summer contacts - Nice idea to develop use of rotunda space with a programme of summer concerts, jazz, classical, acoustic...

Water Butt - Fixed to Nursery Building – water could be used by gardening group.

Community cafe - new recruits – Community Cafe would need a list of people to be involved that would enable it to continue should Rachel and Tim have more responsibilities / be unavailable. This would give it stability and longevity that would mean it could happen on a more regular basis. It would be beneficial to have a calendar of events on the estate set up that the cafe can bolt on to these.

Toy and or book swap – Opportunity for residents to Swap toys and or books they no longer need. A swap idea needs to be focused on select items (e.g. toys and books only) so that it doesn't become a dumping ground for other items. Needs to be a way that someone / somewhere doesn't get left with excess items. Potential to turn into a toy / book library if there is a build up of items though this would need a level of administration.

If you would like to show your support and or get involved in the development and delivery of any of the above then please contact Douglas Kemp at either [e-mail] or on 07581 4992 209 / 0207 549 0341.