Here's a really interesting local group who are making REAL efforts to save the environment.
Apparantly local councillor Bart Ricketts is the chairman.
Not only is he a hard working councillor, who listens to his electorate, but he is an active environmentalist!
Impressive.
Get involved folks
Comments
or wateraid
http://www.wateraid.org/uk/
How about friends of the earth?
http://www.foe.co.uk/
or recycling groups like,
http://www.recycle.co.uk/
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/freecycle-kingston/
We know, That's why Bart was one of the first people the squatters contacted.
That's why the local community would like Bart to be an Ambassador for the Save Raven's Ait from the property developers club.
That's why Kingston University is so interested in saving this historic piece of land for public and community use.
That's why Richard Turks nose has been put so out of joint.
That's why this is only just begining.
That's all folks!
Sapphire8,
Thanks for the info.
This isn't really a thread on your pet project......
Your contributions are appreciated, but flogging a dead horse is a little dull now.
You will note that i have not attempted to spoil your other discussion, and bowed out to leave you to it.
Perhaps you might be courteous enough to respect those that wish to discuss other topics. It can be confusing to those of us who don't read all the other threads to be bombarded with info on a topic we aren't interested in, while reading another topic
This is getting really boring now. I was one of the people subjected to these squatters cruising up and down the river yesterday in a dilapidated barge, playing 'Anarchy in the UK' at a huge volume whilst shouting at people walking along Queens Promenade. Just embarrassing.
Surely, the small proportion of the local community who were taken in with this environmental claptrap will soon see these people for who they really are.
I think it is a disgrace that the council are having to pay so much to secure the island from these people. Please give it up!
The squatters/caretakers whatever you want to call them, were prepared to mind Raven's Ait on a voluntary basis until the administration/receivership had been sorted out and had offered the council a reasonable time frame to move out peacefully. At no cost to the taxpayer.
The new occupants Sherwood Security plc, will now be insitue until this process is finalised and the council can find a buyer or new tenant, this could take some time. Current conservative estimates of this cost stand at around £50,000 peer week.
When a transfer is arranged, then the new owners/tenants will also have to maintain a security presence while major renovations are made to the already long term neglected buildings, before they can start to operate.
The best bet for the council is to sell this Island to the local community at a fair price, then it can be set up as a charitable trust and grants, funding and voluntary work can begin from within the local community.
Thus:
C.R.E.AITING SIMPLE, COST EFFECTIVE AND LOGICAL SOLUTIONS TO LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.
I totally agree with these aims, but as long as this group is involved it will alienate a lot of the potential support in the community. If they have certain skills and experience in this area, it is fine for them to be involved behind the scenes, but not 'leading the charge'.
They have embarrassed themselves and their cause over the last few days, and now need to step back if we are to get a positive resolution from this. If they are in fact as local as they claim to be, they might have realised that the backbone of support they need in Kingston/Surbiton will come from quite conservative, professional people who will not appreciate being shouted at from a noisy barge disturbing their Sunday afternoon walk. This approach might work for the younger members of the community and students, but others will have felt understandably intimidated.
I tend to agree with your views on this, the intial protest was to raise awareness and get people to start debating the future of the island, questions need to be answered by our local councillors, start asking them please.