PCEG Newsletter

Volume 12 Number 1

Incorporating Minutes of the 65th Meeting (AGM)

Announcements

* Membership Renewals

A reminder that your annual membership renewal is now due: £4 (waged) and £2 (unwaged), children under 16 £1, schools (group membership): £10.00 (secondary) and £5 (primary). Please bring/send to JC at 8 Blendon Terrace, Plumstead Common, SE18 7RR. Cheques should be made out to Plumstead Common Environment Group or PCEG.

NB if you joined within the last 6 months you need not renew until November 2002.

* Best wishes to the following members:

Marilyn Williams, who is suffering from a neurological disorder affecting both her hands; Audrey Deakin, who is recovering from an operation; Amorel Kennedy, who has recently had a baby.

* Orders for the large Group photographs

taken at the Slade Ravine in September can be given (asap please) to JC on 8854 5167. They will then be sent away by Snappy Snaps in Woolwich for processing. Any members not present at the meeting who want to see the photos with a view to ordering a print, or prints, are welcome to call at 8 Blendon Tce.

* Christmas Cards

A very evocative Group card has been produced to celebrate 'Our Common Story': Pupils of St Margaret's C of E Primary School snowballing on the common, 1909. JC was able to borrow the original photograph from the school, so the image is much clearer than in the book, which was taken from a magazine. Clearly visible in the background are the church tower and neighbouring houses. The cards are available for sale now from Abalone Printers, 138 Plumstead Common Road as well as from JC, 8 Blendon Tce. (8854 5167).
There are two sizes and prices:
Large: 21 x 15 cms.
(approx 8 1/4 x 6 inches): 40p ea.
Samll: 15 x 101/2 cms.
(approx 6 x 4 inches): 30p ea.

Nick Day's Christmas card is being put on hold and will hopefully be produced next year.

* Capricorn Organics

A local, established personal home delivery service offering a full range of fresh organic produce. Call Alison on 8306 2786 or visit their website: www.capricornorganics.co.uk

Dates for your Diary

* Music at St Mark's

At 6.30pm, 2 & 23 December
The Church of St Mark with St Margaret
Old Mill Road, Plumstead
Sunday 2 December
JS Bach Cantata No.62
St Mark's special choir with chamber orchestra
Programme £1.00

Sunday 23 December
Benjamin Britten A Ceremony of Carols
St Mark's choristers with harp
Programme £2.00

* Graffiti Removal Day

Saturday 8th December.

Meeting at the Rugby Club at 11am. Hopefully we will remove graffiti from the rugby club and garages at the Tennis Courts.

Please contact Anji Petersen if you can come along.

* Christmas Open Studio

Marilyn Williams, potter,
At 98A Chestnut Rise
Plumstead Common
11am-3pm (not 4pm, as given out at the meeting, because of Marilyn's condition).
Sat. and Sun. 8 and 9 Dec.

* The PCEG party is on Saturday 12 January

. Please let JC know if you are coming (8854 5167) and, once again, a plate of something nice + a bottle would be very welcome.

* Date of the Next PCEG Meeting

Our meetings are bi-monthly, currently generally on Sundays from 3-5pm.
The next meeting, which will include two presentations, will be held on Sunday 13 January 2002 in the Church of St Mark with St Margaret, Old Mill Road. The presentations will be given by the Director of Groundwork (and PCEG member) Laurence Pinturault and Alan Pett, from Parks and Open Spaces.

* Dates of PCEG meetings in 2002

All from 3-5pm unless otherwise stated:-
Sunday 13 January 3-5pm
Sunday 17 March 3-5pm
Sunday 12 May 4-6pm
(followed by environmentally themed church service at 6.30pm)
Saturday or Sunday 13/14 July
Sunday 15 September
Sunday 17 November (AGM)

* Open Museum at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

'Local History: Parks and Open Spaces'
Saturday 9 February 2002, 10.30am-4-15pm.
Speakers will include Julian Watson (10.30 on Greenwich Park), Frances Ward 11.45 'A noted robbing place,' the history of Shooters Hill), our own Angela Saunders and Kirstie Sheddon (2pm Plumstead Common) and Neil Rhind (3.15 Blackheath: 1,000 years of history). There will be a break for lunch (not provided) at 12.45-2pm, as well as two breaks for tea and coffee.
Fee: £28.00 (concessions £16.00) which includes tea, coffee and biscuits.
In view of the cost of the day, enquiries are being made to see if we could obtain a special group reduction, since 20 members at the meeting were interested in going - if the fee could be reduced. More about this at the 14 January meeting. Any other members interested in attending as part of a group, please phone JC on 8854 5167.

* Talk to PCEG and guests by Frances Ward

(of Greenwich Local History Library) on the subject of Plumstead Common.
Monday 11 March, 7.30pm at the
Church of St Mark with St Margaret.

* Slade Ponds Work Days

Take place on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, weather permitting. Forthcoming dates are as follows:-
December 9 & 23
January 13 & 27 2002.
All members welcome to join Pond Group on any work day.
Contact: Chris Day 8473 5932

* Gardening Nature Reserve Group

Meets each Tuesday at 10.30am,
weather permitting.
Location: the wooded ravine behind Blendon Terrace. All members welcome. Contact: Julia Cowdell 020 8854 5167.

News Items

* Winn's Common Barrow:

Angela Saunders writes: "Kirstie Sheddon, Head of History at Plumstead Manor School, has continued her research on the Barrow, in conjunction with the Kent Archaeological Society. It seems fairly definite that the Barrow is Bronze Age, and there is probably more than one! We now have permission for a geophysical survey to be done on the area to see what is actually there to be further investigated. We will keep PCEG informed. Kirstie is running an after-school archaeology club on Thursdays, with the Barrow as a focus."
Concerns were raised at the meeting by Susan Bullivant. Amateurs could cause damage to this heritage site. She wanted more information. JC promised that Kirstie Sheddon would contact her, also mentioning that the Council's Parks department must be involved.

* Winn's Common:

The proposal to erect 6 antenna beside the pavilion has been refused by the Council - very good news.

* 4 The Slade:

There was a proposal to extend the opening hours of the kebab shop to 3am. JC wrote to Planning on behalf of PCEG, objecting on the grounds of disturbance to residents caused by cars stopping and starting, light pollution, potential youth disturbance, setting a precedent etc.
Cllr Ann Hutchinson phoned JC before the meeting with the good news that the Council has refused permission for this proposal. We need to remain vigilant though; this is apparently the third application.

* Biggin Hill Airport

Dot Lawrence informed the meeting that the proposed extra scheduled flights from Biggin Hill Airport had been successfully opposed. However there is now a proposal to build a 100 bedroomed hotel. Nick Day thought that as Biggin Hill was not in our area and the issues had not been considered by the Group - nor was there time to do so - we should not take a group position on the matter. This was supported by Patience Carlisle. It was decided that Dot will inform those members who indicated they are concerned how best they can make their concerns felt.

St Mark with St Margaret Church Hall

Refurbishment Fund, target £4,000: Erica Atkins, as Chair of the Church Charity Committee, has been the brains behind raising £3,700 in just 5 months for the Fund. Taking the concept of people's varied talents as her starting point, she came up with a range of activities which have all contributed to bringing in the much needed cash: cake making/selling, sponsored slim, quizz night, soup sale, 100 jars of marmalade made and sold, voice and organ recital, hanging baskets and tubs planted up and sold, Sunday lunch for friends, recorder concert, table sale and picture painting for auction. PCEG members involved were: Bert Scofield, who did a variety of jobs for people and raised £262, Emily Bennett, who has booked the Metropolitan Police Choir to perform in April 2002 (highly recommended), Irene Crompton, who organised a nearly new clothes sale which raised £150 and Erica herself also organised people to donate to the fund in a variety of novel ways, raising £207 +, of course, £200 from PCEG!

As a result of this success work on the refurbishment will start early in the new year. What a great achievement!

* Monica Meeneghan's Idea for a Pumpkin Party in 2002:

see Gardening Tips at the end of this Newsletter. If any member is interested in obtaining manure, the stables mentioned is Mt Mascal Stables, Vicarage Road, Bexley. It is a bit difficult to find, so phone Min Good first on 8516 8156 to get directions. If you are going, mention Min's name. Remember that the manure is not ready for use and will need to rot down.

* Wildlife Observations

Alan Read: "We have had a lot of long tailed tits in our garden recently, as many as a dozen at a time and, believe me, that's a conservative estimate. There were also a good half dozen in the tree at the front of the house on another occasion. They are seen more frequently than blue tits lately. It's a bit like waiting for a 53. You don't see one for ages - then a convoy comes along."

Julia and Alex Cowdell: "On 22 November we were having lunch when a young healthy fox clambered up on to the cotoneaster underneath the dining room window and looked in at us, just like a cat might (yes really!). It showed no fear at all and after holding our gaze for a few seconds, clambered down again and jumped over the fence into our neighbours garden. Whatever next?!"

Financial Statement

Lynn McCalla
Thanks to Bob Carlisle, who picked up an error in the accounts at the meeting. The grant moneys pertaining to the 'Our Common Story' project were inadvertently listed separately from the printing costs in which they had been included. The revised accounts are attached at the end of this Newsletter.

In response to a request from Dot Lawrence, the book production and printing costs have also been listed separately.
After Lynn McCalla had given the Financial Statement, JC called a vote of thanks for all the tremendous hard work Lynn has put in over the years to the job of Treasurer. She works with great conscientiousness and has handled the complex financial aspects of the 'Our Common Story' project and sales of the book brilliantly. JC then made a personal presentation of a gift to her. Lynn has been the heart and soul of the Group since its formation. She faithfully kept all the records of our meetings from the very first one, and more recently, all the Newsletters. As well, she has always been there to offer advice to JC, when it has been sought - and at times consolation!

Chair's Report

Julia Cowdell
"It has been another great year for the Group, dominated by the success of the book 'Our Common Story,' but with other successes too - on the graffiti front and in the steady maintenance of the Slade Pond and Nature Reserve sites.
I want to thank all those members who have contributed in a range of ways, and in particular the following people who have been quite outstanding in their commitment - in many cases over a number of years: Alex Cowdell, Roger Taylor and Lynn McCalla for their unfailing support and hard work, without whom JC could simply not have achieved anything. Erica Atkins, outstanding, together with her wonderful Make Merry team; Monica Meeneghan, achieving the impossible on the plant front year after year, despite chronic ill health, as well as producing the informative Gardening Tips column for the Newsletter; Nick & Chrissie Day: Nick a tower of strength and support from the early days, coming up with original ideas and seeing them through wherever possible. Chrissie, doing an absolutely brilliant job as organiser of the wonderful Pond Group; Rob Poole, without whom there would be no Slade Ponds, as we know them today, in their cleaner and more viable manifestation;
Anji Petersen, who has moved right into the centre of the Group and is doing excellent work in a committed way; Marc Tuft, who is the mainstay of the Nature Reserve, and the reason why it is generally litter free (he often goes more than once a week); John Bryant and Shirley Newton, who are very active on the graffiti front. Shirley has her own street initiative in Kirkham Street, which is about to get up and running, as do Bert and Ros Scofield in Burrage Road - these initiatives in conjunction with the Council. Then of course, last year Rima Mutimer and Anette Petersen were hugely influentional in the success of the 'Our Common Story' exhibition in their role as designers. I would also like to mention three other members, who get on and do things: Viv Bissett, Barbara Fitch and Kate Chowdhry - all much appreciated. Matthew Cowling's wonderful record over the years we all know about, and we have two new young members who are making a real contribution in delivering Newsletters very efficiently: Cameron McMorran and Matthew Skillen. Councillor Ann Hutchinson's amazing record in attending so many of our meetings in recent years, and her enthusiastic support for our Group, cannot go unmentioned. Last but not least, the following teachers (and PCEG members): Angela Saunders (Plumstead Manor School), whose idea it was to produce a Christmas card from the snowballing on the Common photograph, and whose ability to sell masses of books is rivalled by none; Jane Lawson and Maria Vinante (Rockliffe Manor). Also, many thanks to their respective Heads who have given sterling support to the 'Our Common Story' project and to the schools' association with our Group."
JC went on to say that after ten years it was quite obvious that the Group has most definitely come of age - as witness to its having functioned extremely well in Cowdells' absence during the summer. Having been organiser/chair of PCEG for these ten years, she was - as she indicated at the last AGM - looking to gradually take on a less onerous role in the Group, not least because Cowdells will be spending more time in NZ in future years. Her intention was, with help from members, to work out what aspects could be handed over to other people, making the job of Chair potentially more attractive for a successor. She wanted to prepare for an eventual handover, so that there could be a smooth transition. At the moment it would hardly be fair to hand over to anyone as things are still not sufficiently systemised to make much sense to a successor. She still needed to get all the PCEG files and material in order and also to sort out group photographs. Then there are loose ends to do with the 'Our Common Story' project - some repairs to the photographic panels, more reminiscences to type up etc.
To this end JC asked to shed her organisational role, which had begun to be devolved anyway - eg the Pond Group, so effectively run by Chrissie Day. We needed more sub-group co-ordinators who would organise work sessions, plan dates/sites, phone relevant members etc. Such people should take a higher profile with the Council. When she hands over the Chair to someone else, JC said she would like to continue her involvement in the ongoing 'Our Common Story' project, collecting further reminiscences, creating an archive etc. and taking part, where she could, in activities organised by someone else.
Erica Atkins, referring to the gift and flowers given to JC in the summer, now presented Alex Cowdell with a gift of vouchers from HMV on behalf of the Group, in recognition of all he has done. Alex would like to express his thanks for this appreciation.

Election Results

The Management Committee

are continuing in their present posts:-
Chair Julia Cowdell
Vice Chair Roger Taylor
Treasurer Lynn McCalla
Assistant Treasurer Alex Cowdell
Additional Posts
Newsletter Julia Cowdell
Anji Petersen
Danny Nicol
Publicity Nick Day
Martyn Handley

Delivery of Newsletter
Cowdells
Roger Taylor
Shirley Newton
Lynn McCalla
Erica Atkins
Anji Petersen
Cameron Mc Morran
Matthew Skillen
Alan & Beryl Read
Membership Recruitment
Roger Taylor
Telephoning members with reminders of meetings etc.
Lynn McCalla
Roger Taylor
Shirley Newton

More volunteers needed please. Contact JC on 8854 5167 if you can help. Ideally we need a member in each street who can inform other members in that street. That way the task is not so time consuming.

Monitoring of Planning Applications Andrew & Susan Bullivant

Recycling Rota and monitoring of bins: Christine Smith

Rota Duty
Mon. Kate Chowdhry
Tues Alan Read
Reserve: Cowdells
Wed. Shirley Newton
Thurs. Erica Atkins
Fri. Vivienne Bissett
Sat. Christine Smith
Sun. Volunteer needed!
Please contact Christine Smith on 8316 5125 if you can do this day.

Graffiti Removal Group
Co-ordinator: Anji Petersen Shirley Newton
Bryants
Anette Petersen
Scofields
Bob Carlisle
Cowdells

More members are always needed, the more the merrier: please phone Anji Petersen.
Events
Make Merry

PCEG Plant Stall Organiser
Erica Atkins
PCEG Co-ordinators
Anette and Anji Petersen
Nick Day
Woodlands Farm Open Day(s)
Nick Day
Plumstead Sector Group Meetings

Anji/Anette Petersen
Paula Jordan

Greenwich Agenda 21 Forum

Julia Cowdell
Chris Day
Rob Poole

Greenwich Wildlife Group (GWAG)

John Bryant
Roger Taylor
Julia Cowdell
Winn's Common Watch

John & Teresa Bryant
Diana Ireland
Nature Reserve Gardening Group
Cowdells
Marc Tuft
Kate Chowdhry
Erica Atkins

Slade Ponds Group
Co-ordinator: Chris Day
Matt Cowling
Rob Poole
Barbara Fitch
Vivienne & Bruce
Bissett
Ray & Josephine
Beer
Martyn Handley
More volunteers are needed for both these groups. Please contact JC on 8854 5167 or Chris Day on 8473 5932.

Useful Council & other Telephone Numbers

Parks and Open Spaces Rob Poole 8856 2232

Waste Services - refuse, street sweeping Ernie Whittle 8921 4517
Ian Hornsby 8921 4520

Recycling Jim Perkins 8921 4598

Graffiti Hot Line Cheryl Sushams 8921 6881
Fax 8921`4503

Abandoned Vehicles Dave Collins 020 8921 5703

Plumstead Police Station 020 8855 1212

Police Sector Office
Home beat officers PC Hughes, PC Skinner and PC Moore can be contacted on 8284 9602.

Greenwich Council Community Safety Unit Neil Carne 8921 5101 and
Irene Henderson 8921 6311

Reports

Our Common Story

Since the Financial Statement, we have received an additional cheque for £172.00 from the Woolwich & District Antiquarian Society, for sales of 20 books - 14 of which they sold to members for £8.00 and 6 sold to non-members for the R.R.P.of £10.00. We have also received £75.00 from Angela Saunders, who is doing another book promotion at Plumstead Manor School and with the King's Warren Old Girls Association. More people, including parents, have indicated they want to buy books. At the school's recent prize giving a gift of the book was made to the guest speaker, the film director David Putnam!
Sales of books have continued steadily and our hope is now that we have enough books left to last until Christmas. Abalone Printers and Snappy Snaps have been magnificent in selling the books for us, with no charge to PCEG and the meeting agreed that we should present Brian Strong and Michael Avraamides with a bottle of something really special for Christmas.
The book has been sent to many parts of the world, eg. Australia, New Zealand, America, Britain, Ireland, France, and Snappy Snaps have told JC that a woman regularly comes into the shop and buys two copies which she says she sends all round the world!
Lots of people have asked if there will be a re-print. In principle JC would like to do this (a revised edition) in a few years or so, if we have the funds. Meanwhile, reminiscences are continuing to come in and we will produce a new set for the Make Merry.

Education Resource Pack
Angela Saunders writes:
"The pack has been seen by the Greenwich History Inspector, who was impressed. He has suggested that the pack is put onto a CD Rom for schools to use. There is a new schools Technology Centre based in Eltham and we have already approached the Centre about doing this. The project is ongoing and should not be too costly as the expertise will be free. Kirstie Sheddon and I will be attending to the financial aspects [which are being funded from the Agenda 21 grant] within the next week. Kirstie and Jane Lawson will give an outline of the pack in a talk to local schools this term and give a pack to them. There will also be discussion with schools as to what they would need/like on the CD Rom. The pack has already been trialled with Plumstead Manor Year 7 history groups in the summer term. CD Rom work will continue this academic year."

Plumstead/Winn's Common

Deptford pink: As a result of Mark Angliss observing this rare plant growing on Winn's Common, JC asked Ian Yarham of the GLA to visit the site and confirm this observation in July. He found the location (in the vicinity of the smaller gorse bushes nearer to Grosmont Road) but not the plants. As the Council have strimmed the grass right under the bushes to the stem, this may be why. He suggests JC request the Council to let the grass grow there next year. Over to you, Bob!

Fireworks: John Bryant has asked about the legal position re. people letting off fireworks on the common? "The situation is getting ridiculous - now going into the fourth week of fireworks being let off well into the early hours of the morning by the local yobbery. Winn's Common, around the playground, seems to be a particularly popular area for fireworks. The ground is badly scorched in some spots and one of the green chain posts has also been scorched presumably by catherine wheels or similar. People were using the Common as their private garden and holding their own firework displays there." On the Common near Blendon Terrace fireworks have been plaguing residents since mid-September. Some of the explosions are unbelievably loud, and it is no exaggeration to say that it feels like living in a war zone - except that so far no one has been injured, thankfully.
The bye-laws are not enforced and there is no protection for residents and other members of the public.
Untaxed cars: John Bryant commented at the meeting that the problem of dumped and untaxed cars does not seem to be improving despite the government's highly publicised 'clamp-down'. This has also been an ongoing problem in Blendon Terrace, as in so many other streets, and Judith Miller mentioned that there are 5 untaxed vehicles in Riverdale Road at the moment. John has complained yet again to the local DVLA.
Hopefully there will be new government legislation in 2002 which will give local authorities the power to remove dumped cars which have no commercial value within 24 hours; those cars which have some value may be removed after 7 days, JC understands. She also understands that the government are considering legislation to make car manufacturers responsible for the collection and disposal of unwanted vehicles.
If this problem is resolved, it is likely to be replaced with a new scourge: unwanted fridges on our streets, as it appears many shops are no longer prepared to take away your old fridge when you buy a new one, because of it now having to be disposed of as hazardous waste material, in accordance with European regulations.
Trail bikes: This has been an almost daily problem and it has taken from September till now to get action taken by the police against one of the main offenders at the west end of the Common. It brings into focus the issue of the total lack of protection the public has from anti-social behaviour in parks and other public places, blighting our lives.

Nick Day offered to write a letter to the Home Secretary on all these issues. Members agreed this would be a very good idea.

Nature Reserve

- JC
The gardening group continues weekly, keeping the area litter free, planting, maintaining/pruning the hedgerow, dealing with vandalism etc. Alex Cowdell and Marc Tuft have recently repaired the vandalised chestnut paling fence at the southern end. We will be looking for extra volunteers to help repair some of the steps in due course.

Slade Ponds - Chrissie Day

The group has continued to meet throughout the year on the 2nd and 4th
Sundays of each month. Very special thanks to the regulars who turn up come rain or shine.
Forthcoming dates are as follows: December: 9 & 23
January 2002: 13 & 27
Access to the pond area remains slightly difficult since the gate padlock was first, vandalised and then stolen. A new padlock is now in situ, we need only to be given a key!
Special thanks to Rob Poole for leading the work session, both physically and mentally, on October 28. The willow on the island has been "pruned" right back [nothing more sinister!] to open up a flight path for the ducks and to generate new lower, bushier growth next year. The cut willow branches have been recycled to create a willow wall on the island which, when covered with new growth, will provide sanctuary for wildlife. Min Good planted the bearded iris and other plants that had been donated some time ago and nurtured by Erica. Everyone else pruned and litter-picked and made a good team. Regular maintenance is necessary and new recruits are welcome. Please contact Chrissie Day on 8473 5932.

Recycling

Bags of clothing are often being left at the site of the former clothing bin. This problem is being monitored. We need a new volunteer to take on the Sunday rota duty. Please phone Christine Smith on 8316 5125.

Graffiti Campaign

Please note that the next Graffiti Removal Day is Saturday 8th December, meeting at the Rugby Club at 11am. Hopefully we will remove graffiti from the Club, the rugby club and garages at the Tennis Courts.
Please contact Anji Petersen if you can come along.
Greenwich Businesses Against the Taggers: this scheme was officially launched by the Council on 23/11/01 at WH Smiths in Woolwich. Shops are being asked to sign up to the scheme and a poster has been designed for them to display, informing the public that graffiti is a crime and they will not sell products which could be used for this purpose to persons under 16.
Re. NTL boxes: The Council's Graffiti Officer, Cheryl Sushams, has again spoken with NTL and has arranged to meet with them on 4th December. She has discussed with them the possibility of groups being issued with paint, but they are apparently loath to issue any until checks have been done with their Health & Safety Department; they are concerned that the general public might get electrocuted or harm themselves!

This will be discussed at the meeting, She will of course let us know of the outcome. Certainly our patience is running out and we are keen to paint the boxes on our patch, since NTL seem incapable of taking any action.
John Bryant has put forward the following idea for discussion at the next meeting: He would like to volunteer for people to contact him with new graffiti strikes as they occur, giving the date and address (and even photos) so that every few weeks he can compile a list and officially report the incidents to the police as crimes. He suspects that this will have a dramatic effect on their crime figures and give them an incentive to do something about it! What do you think?
Shirley Newton has produced a street action letter to residents of Kirkham Street about removing graffiti. She has had a response from two people, one of them a new PCEG member. So they will be a small team, but more people may well join in time. Shirley has had a meeting with the graffiti monitoring officer, Cheryl Sushams, been given some materials and is all set to go!

Meetings attended in the borough

Agenda 21 - Chrissie Day

"The meeting I attended on October 4 was a good meeting, extremely and unexpectedly well supported. Discussion took place re environmental policies, green transport for London, biodiversity plans and creation of wildlife habitats. A member of Groundwork was present.
Dr Barry Gray more or less voiced the same concerns as JC and others re. the 'son of ELRC' (East London River Crossing).

Plumstead Area Crime and Disorder Committee

- Anji Petersen
Police Sector meeting on 7/11/01
"I raised issues of the Blendon Terrace residents about trail bikes on the Common and youths hanging about vandalising cars. [Around Half Term 3 Blendone Terr residents had all the windows of their cars smashed - one neighbour's car windows were smashed twice, on consecutive evenings].Inspector Salisbury Jones suggested that residents log all incidents that occur - date, time, what happened etc. More importantly, report it each time by ringing Plumstead Police [this is being done, and what a desperate experience it still is]. We were told at the meeting that a man's motor/quad bike had been seized in the area. The police say they are trying to deal with the problem of bikes. However, the popular excuse of "lack of resources" was still used. Some at the meeting said that we should lobby our MPs and write to the Home Office to improve resources rather than complaining to the local police who are told what resources they are getting.
With reference to complaints about the sector phoneline, the Inspector said the line was manned, or the answerphone put on. JC's experience of the answerphone not being on was corroborated by another person, who said they also couldn't get through, so hopefully this issue has been dealt with since the meeting. We were told about an initiative in Wickham Lane where police put up video surveillance in a house to monitor criminal activities/ antisocial behaviour in the area. Police have written to parents of children hanging about. I suggested they did this sort of thing on the Common near Blendon Terrace."
JC still feels very dissatisfied with performance of the police. The Minutes of the September meeting, indicate she is not alone. It is very important we continue to put pressure on the police to address our needs and concerns. When you are told by the police that it is difficult to deal with groups of youths who roam around each evening (vandalising as they go) because of their human rights, you despair: what about the human rights of the law abiding citizen?

Greenwich Wildlife Advisory Group (GWAG)

Neither JC nor Roger have attended as many meetings as they would have liked. The role of GWAG has this year been developing more positively towards representing the Community Partnership within the Biodiversity Action Plan process, 'as well as acting as a forum for conservation-minded groups and continuing earlier activities.' It has realised that to be effective, however, it needs to have 'a larger and more widely distributed membership.' The Group has had an effective chairman in Councillor Peter Brooks.

Any Other Business

* Path across Winn's Common This path commences from the new housing estate on the site of the former St Nicholas Hospital and stops abruptly on the common.
Due to lack of space this item will be reported on in the next Newsletter.

Gardening Tips, November 2001

by Monica Meeneghan.

The Red Admiral Butterfly The sun was amazingly warm on November 6th when I went out to finish off some trimming of the pyracantha hedge. Presently a red admiral arrived and fluttered around the young nettle tips. Normally red admirals have completed egg laying by the end of October but this exceptionally warm Autumn might have changed the pattern. Only a few of the species overwinter in this country; most of them migrate. Those remaining here rest mainly in sheltered woodland in cold weather, coming out to feed during warm spells. My sunny nettle patch is ideal for them, sited as it is beside a sheltering pyracantha hedge and adjacent to a protective shed. A neighbouring gigantic sycamore tree smothered in flowering ivy looms up in front of "The Oaks" highrise flats. The ivy flowers are a favourite winter food for the butterfly. The nettle patch needs to be managed to provide young shoots at the appropriate times of year for the butterfly egg laying season, including those other species whose caterpillars feed on nettles such as the comma, peacock and small tortoiseshell. This involves a summer cut down to the ground of half the nettles in mid-June and the rest in early July. It's best to leave the prunings where they fall in case there's a few stray eggs that hatch and need some nettle leaves nearby.

A Pumpkin Party As I harvested our 4 large pumpkins through the season which had a combined weight of 104 lb I felt like feeding the 5,000. This led to the idea of a pumpkin hallowe'en party next year. It could perhaps be a combined effort with St. Mark's Church [or perhaps St Margaret's School?]. Children often like to be involved in growing big pumpkins. I would give growing instructions in "the tips" at the appropriate times and those with a patch of ground would grow the pumpkins. The fruits and some pumpkin recipes could be shared in the Hallowe'en season. I have a little pumpkin recipe book myself. Then, everyone could make a pumpkin dish to bring to the party. Unfortunately I haven't the health to organise such an event myself but I have some home-saved seeds I can distribute.

If this idea is considered feasible and there are some people ready to organise it, now is none too soon to start preparing compost from garden and uncooked vegetable waste. Compost heaps are a favourite place for pumpkins to grow. It would help to ensure success if some horse manure is included too. Min Good knows some riding stables which are willing to allow members to come and help themselves to some [see News Items]. Set aside at least 1 square metre of ground for each pumpkin plant, bearing in mind that they will also trail around any spare space in the vicinity. Ours clamber up our high walls and along the garden path! No more needs to be done until sowing time in May. Watch this space.
Botanic Names Niger=black. For example, Helleborus niger is the white-flowered Christmas Rose that usually flowers at Easter! In this case "niger" refers to the black roots.

What do you know 2001? Why do you think pumpkins like compost or manure that is not fully rotted?
September Answer: pH is the measurement used to show the acid/alkaline content of the soil. If it measures 7 it's neutral, above 7 is alkaline and below 7 is acid. Some plants need acid soil whilst others need alkaline. Many do well in either.