Got up early enough to get all my stuff together and jump on the bike at 10 and head off to the station, where I caught the Grand Central service to London just before 11am.
I met a nice woman on the train (in the seat next to me) who recognised me from the talk I did in Northallerton, and we chatted all the way down. She was going to visit a family member with her two teenage children, and we got on well... covered a lot of subjects in two hours!
When I got to Kings Cross I decided I wanted to go and see the Thames... and find somewhere to have lunch... so I got the circle line to Embankment and went up on the bridge where there was a busker playing a pan (steel drum) so I ate my sandwiches listening to him play. Memories of Trinidad!
I decided not to go to Tate Modern but to get the Northern Line to Edgware... found an internet cafe to do emails and blog, then made my way to where I'm staying tonight.
Paul, who's about the same age as me, lives with his parents following a business venture which didn't work out, and they are away so he decided to have a few people over, and Lisa, one of his close friends, invited me following our meeting in May, where we got on well primarily due to our views on sustainability and social justice. When I arrived, Paul and his friend Naomi were just finishing getting ready... in fact there were a few jobs yet to be done so I helped by mopping the kitchen and bathroom floors, as asked.
I also helped chop veg for dipping, and potatoes fo roasting. People turned up in dribs and drabs after work and as they could get to Edgware from as far away as Dagenham and even one from the Welsh borders. The conversation flowed and the food was good. I always enjoy meeting new people and Paul has a diverse bunch of friends ranging from a nightclub entrepreneur through to a teacher of adults with learning disabilities. I really enjoyed the evening and the company of these people.
Paul had provided some blow-up mattresses and things to sleep on, and half a dozen of us slept in the big living room.
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
I was woken by Anna's sweet little girly, at about 8.30, a much more civilised time! Had a quick breakfast and tried to get all my stuff together and set off for the bus with Edward. I'm so glad I've stayed with Edward... we've had some excellent conversations. I'm also really happy to have introduced Anna to Edward, I love being a networker!
Arrived at the Battersea Arts Centre just in time to witness the 'Energising Group Activity' which some of the conference-goers were participating in, and then it was off to the workshops.
I participated in 'Making The Most Of The Media' facilitated by Catriona Ross, who has a lot of experience in dealing with publicity issues, newspapers, representing organisations, and I think is involved in some aspect/s of the Transition Network, although I'm not sure what.
However, the workshop was interesting, starting with a who's who, why were they there and what was their experience of working with the media?
The first 'link' Catriona gave us was to Rob Weston's Groundswell website.. I didn't see the relevance of it until I got onto the computer and found it. Very interesting! Well worth a good long read, probably more interesting than this blog!
Then we talked through what 'News' is, and why do we bother having relationships with the media, and we found out the newspapers and other media that the workshop delegates read, which was over 50% The Guardian. We looked briefly at where 'News' comes from and discussed using agencies and other resources such as the Guardian Media Directory and the Writers and Artists Yearbook.
We looked at some of the reports about traditional media going through its own transition, due to the rise of electronic media and the economic downturn and decreasing advertising revenue. However, we learned that this could also be an opportunity for us!
We undertook a rather hurried exercise which our little group didn't fully understand, but this may have been the speed at which the instructions were delivered. All in all, a really interesting session.
Following a short coffee break was the third 'Open Space' conversation tables time. I chose to go to a table with 'Working with Local Authorities' as it's title, but no-one turned up to host it, so I did, and did some of the 'scribe' work, taking notes on flipchart-sized sheets of paper. About 8 people contributed to this. Then I found another table with the subject of 'Garden Sharing' which was nice to go and listen to; I contributed my experience of having other people with no composting facilities using mine to dispose of their compostables... An excellent chat about EcoSchools and food growing and composting in schools. I decided not to say about the school I'm involved with taking advice from someone saying composting isn't allowed in schools.... after all, this conference is about positive solutions not steps backwards.
This was followed by the closing ceremony, done in a huge circle, with roving microphones allowing some individuals to pass comment, sing, offer thanks and more. I enjoyed this, and whilst the group photo was being taken, gave some pea beans to Alexis the Councillor, and several other people.
Finally, it was lunch, which I spent chatting to Mary Fee from LETSlink UK, very nice to see her and see how she felt about the YorkLETS delay over getting the software. She didn't have a problem with it at all, and respected our desire to do it properly!
I said my goodbyes and walked (with Mary) to Clapham Junction where there was a train very soon to East Croydon. I walked the route I'd memorised from Street View through Croydon and was at Beth's house in about 20 minutes, perhaps less. How wonderful to see her, after all this time, 28 years! What a lot of catching up to do! So many stories to tell and hear.
She showed me her garden and shared her dream of growing some foodplants, and cooked tea (spinach soup followed by risotto with roast butternut, red pepper and tomato) and I gave her the presents of pea beans and home made paprika, plus the remaining dried fruit.
At some time during the evening I realised I had lost my keys so I emailed Anna and she rang and said yes, I had left them at hers, duh! I said I could come and get them tomorrow, and she said she would meet me at Peckham Rye at 9.30am.
We talked til 1am, after which I tried to do my blog sensibly but not too sure how it's come out as I've several glasses of wine in me... what a day, what a weekend, what a life..................
Arrived at the Battersea Arts Centre just in time to witness the 'Energising Group Activity' which some of the conference-goers were participating in, and then it was off to the workshops.
I participated in 'Making The Most Of The Media' facilitated by Catriona Ross, who has a lot of experience in dealing with publicity issues, newspapers, representing organisations, and I think is involved in some aspect/s of the Transition Network, although I'm not sure what.
However, the workshop was interesting, starting with a who's who, why were they there and what was their experience of working with the media?
The first 'link' Catriona gave us was to Rob Weston's Groundswell website.. I didn't see the relevance of it until I got onto the computer and found it. Very interesting! Well worth a good long read, probably more interesting than this blog!
Then we talked through what 'News' is, and why do we bother having relationships with the media, and we found out the newspapers and other media that the workshop delegates read, which was over 50% The Guardian. We looked briefly at where 'News' comes from and discussed using agencies and other resources such as the Guardian Media Directory and the Writers and Artists Yearbook.
We looked at some of the reports about traditional media going through its own transition, due to the rise of electronic media and the economic downturn and decreasing advertising revenue. However, we learned that this could also be an opportunity for us!
We undertook a rather hurried exercise which our little group didn't fully understand, but this may have been the speed at which the instructions were delivered. All in all, a really interesting session.
Following a short coffee break was the third 'Open Space' conversation tables time. I chose to go to a table with 'Working with Local Authorities' as it's title, but no-one turned up to host it, so I did, and did some of the 'scribe' work, taking notes on flipchart-sized sheets of paper. About 8 people contributed to this. Then I found another table with the subject of 'Garden Sharing' which was nice to go and listen to; I contributed my experience of having other people with no composting facilities using mine to dispose of their compostables... An excellent chat about EcoSchools and food growing and composting in schools. I decided not to say about the school I'm involved with taking advice from someone saying composting isn't allowed in schools.... after all, this conference is about positive solutions not steps backwards.
This was followed by the closing ceremony, done in a huge circle, with roving microphones allowing some individuals to pass comment, sing, offer thanks and more. I enjoyed this, and whilst the group photo was being taken, gave some pea beans to Alexis the Councillor, and several other people.
Finally, it was lunch, which I spent chatting to Mary Fee from LETSlink UK, very nice to see her and see how she felt about the YorkLETS delay over getting the software. She didn't have a problem with it at all, and respected our desire to do it properly!
I said my goodbyes and walked (with Mary) to Clapham Junction where there was a train very soon to East Croydon. I walked the route I'd memorised from Street View through Croydon and was at Beth's house in about 20 minutes, perhaps less. How wonderful to see her, after all this time, 28 years! What a lot of catching up to do! So many stories to tell and hear.
She showed me her garden and shared her dream of growing some foodplants, and cooked tea (spinach soup followed by risotto with roast butternut, red pepper and tomato) and I gave her the presents of pea beans and home made paprika, plus the remaining dried fruit.
At some time during the evening I realised I had lost my keys so I emailed Anna and she rang and said yes, I had left them at hers, duh! I said I could come and get them tomorrow, and she said she would meet me at Peckham Rye at 9.30am.
We talked til 1am, after which I tried to do my blog sensibly but not too sure how it's come out as I've several glasses of wine in me... what a day, what a weekend, what a life..................
Woke quite early as Lisa's family were getting ready for a normal day.
Usual breakfast, then tried to get onto the 'net to do emails, but Lisa didn't have the password for her WiFi connection so I gave up and got ready for quite a long walk. Lisa had told me which trains I could get but I decided to walk, as I like walking in London, and Lisa had printed off a map for me to follow.
So at about 9.30 I set off, crossed the railway line on a footbridge/cycle track and walked past Honor Oak, Camberwell New Cemetery. Cheltenham Road and across Peckham Rye Common. East Dulwich Road and up Dog Kennel Hill, Champion Hill, Denmark Hill and over Ruskin Park. It was very sunny and warm, I was hot with the rucsack, laptop and carrier bag. I decided that as Coldharbour Lane was pointing in the right direction to get me to Clapham Common, that I'd get a bus... and as I'd walked for 90 minutes, I was happy with the £2 bus fare to a stop within 4 minutes walk of the Battersea Arts Centre, a huge and imposing building where the Transition Conference was being held, is actually, as there is a WiFi hotspot (not that hot actually, as connection is erratic and speeds slow. But, it does work! You may be reading this on the day of the conference...)
I had pre booked and pre paid, so there was a badge waiting for me and I had an offer of my bags being put into storage, instead of lugging them around. I put my rucksack in, but kept my hand luggage and laptop with me.
The main conference hall is a lovely place, huge and beautifully lit with ever-changing LED colour spotlights. Apparently the lighting, all low energy, has been installed specially for this event. There was food available and Edward arrived and sat with me and a bunch of people from Cambridge, which is where he is originally from.
At 1pm, there were greetings and intros, which included the excellent news that Ed Miliband MP (Sec. of State for Department of Energy and Climate Change) was here in the capacity of a 'keynote listener', which raised a laugh! After this, there was an interesting 'mapping' exercise... all the tables and chairs were moved to the side, and standing up, we had to organise ourselves into 'elders' down at one end of the hall, and 'youth' at the other. I found myself in the middle, along with other not-old, not young 40-somethings. The roving Mic was used to introduce a couple of oldies, sorry, respect those elders, and some of the younger contingent. Other mapping involved looking at the size of the population of your Transition Initiative, the highest being Hong Kong with 6 million plus, and the smallest being a settlement in North Yorkshire with 400. We did geographical mapping too, which finished with a group of us from the North East and Lincolnshire, Sheffield and Gronningen in the Netherlands all getting together and doing an exercise with a sheet of paper, post-it notes and 'what went well, what is challenging and what are you looking forward to' colour coded.
When I had a look around other regions versions of this workshop, some had been much more creative with paper wind-turbines and annotated spirals and wonderful stuff. Ours was tame by comparison!
After tea and cake it was the first 'Open Space' event, and I had volunteered to do one on, guess what, home composting! I had two lovely conversations. Both very worthwhile.
I had also volunteered to help facilitate the Energy Descent Action Plan thing after tea, so I posted a quick blog, ate some lasagne (again, and not a patch on the one last night!) and just got finished before the EDAP prep meeting.
EDAP is a Transition methodology for 'doing a Transition Initiative' and it has 12 steps, which are:
Set up a steering group ans design its demise from the outset;
Awareness Raising;
Lay the foundations;
Organise a Great Unleashing (aka a launch, or if in Kirkbymoorside, a 'Springboarding';
Develop physical manifestations of the project;
Build bridges with Local Government;
Organise a Great Reskilling;
Honour the Elders;
Let it go where it wants to go;
Create an Energy Descent Plan.
These do not have to follow this order, and some may take place at the same time.
So, this evening's EDAP work was for an imaginary place 'Anytown' and was with 400 or so people and took just two hours!
Some of the things that were contained in this session:
Information from theoildrum.com such as graphs and other information;
This little film 'Peak Oil, How will you ride the slide?'
The following subject areas were used as what I know as a brainstorming as part of the 'unleashing 'stage:
Food, Transport, Health, Arts/Play/Learning, Work and Livelihood, Heart and Soul, Water, Waste as Resources (this is the one I helped facilitate), Buildings, Landuse, Local Democracy and Energy. This was really good as everyone got involved and the ideas, aimed at what we envisioned 2029 to be like, or wanted it to be like, were written on big sheets which were to form the pages of a huge book.
The physical manifestations section was presented using a film called Haringey Connections, about some of the recent activities in Tottenham, with the Wards Corner Coalition and the Living Under One Sun allotment group. Well worth a watch.
The local authority stuff was very well described by a local Camden Councillor, Alexis Rowell, who moved from being a BBC correspondent and then a businessman to having a 'green epiphany' and running for election, and becoming the Camden Eco-Councillor. He has done amazing things in Camden, and has been wholly or partly responsible for the council having a policy of installing decentralised energy in all new projects (such as 20% of the predicted energy use to be generated on site), installation of free cavity wall insulation and roof insulation for all properties, whether poor or wealthy, mandatory green roofs and grey water recycling in all new builds, free fruit trees if a sensible place is suggested in which to put them, and a real push for local food growing wherever possible. Have a shufty through the Camden Council website to see if it mentions any of these!
For the reskilling, a ball of string was used to demonstrate that there were loads of skills in the room which could be shared, that people were able to offer and teach these skills, and that there were ample takers or people who were interested in learning them. The string went from person to person, making a huge web of skills offered and wanted...
In 'Honour the Elders', a local gentleman, John Prince, born in 1928, was interviewed and told some of his life story. He was born in St Kitts / Nevis, and grew up in Antigua with his grandmother who grew all her own vegetables plus cash crops. He worked as a teacher, but since retiring has worked on his poetry.
I chatted to him afterwards and he gave me the text of the poem he read out. This was written just a couple of weeks ago.
Reminiscing on the Lea, by John Prince
I sat on the bank of the River Lea,
Pondering the global, human tragedy.
Here, once had been a paradise of earth,
Where flora and fauna balanced the beauty,
In perfect co-existence of a fragile complex ecology.
I sat on the bank of the River Lea,
Thinking of the past, remembering
When across the face of London City
We fished in rivers, which flowed freely,
Enhancing life: developing human communities.
But no more to be seen,
Progress covered the waters clean
And turned them into sewers.
No more the River Fleet;
No more the River Tyburn,
No more the River Westbourne
They are covered and forgotten;
The measure of our progress:
Exchanging rivers for sewers,
Disrupting earth's natural ecology
To inherit a toxic polluted wasteland.
Millenniums created the evolution
Of species and habitats;
But we, in centuries, created the degeneration
Of earth's harmonious ecology;
And we continue its destruction.
We need humility, a new philosophy,
To guide our co-existence on Mother-earth.
The alternative is global catastrophe;
Like the cosmos-created ice ages,
Which nearly eliminated our ancestors.
I sat on the bank of the River Lea
Thinking of the past, remembering
When across the face of London City
We fished in rivers, which flowed freely,
Enhancing life, developing human communities..
(I have reproduced this exactly as it was written on the sheets John gave me)
The big cake which had been made (I'm not sure of it's significance!) was cut up and given out and Edward and I got ready to go. A number 345 bus took us all the way to Peckham and we were soon knocking at Peckham Anna's door, whom I first met through the Carbon Rationing Action Group website and subsequently, when we were both winners of the Oxfam Carbon Footprint Competition, and we (along with Kat from Scotland) spent a day talking to MPs including Hilary Benn at DEFRA. Anna's housmate was away, which meant there was plenty of space for us both, most welcoming and comfortable. It was great to see Anna again, I love her enthusiasm for low carbon stuff.
Spent another hour and a half doing my blog!
Usual breakfast, then tried to get onto the 'net to do emails, but Lisa didn't have the password for her WiFi connection so I gave up and got ready for quite a long walk. Lisa had told me which trains I could get but I decided to walk, as I like walking in London, and Lisa had printed off a map for me to follow.
So at about 9.30 I set off, crossed the railway line on a footbridge/cycle track and walked past Honor Oak, Camberwell New Cemetery. Cheltenham Road and across Peckham Rye Common. East Dulwich Road and up Dog Kennel Hill, Champion Hill, Denmark Hill and over Ruskin Park. It was very sunny and warm, I was hot with the rucsack, laptop and carrier bag. I decided that as Coldharbour Lane was pointing in the right direction to get me to Clapham Common, that I'd get a bus... and as I'd walked for 90 minutes, I was happy with the £2 bus fare to a stop within 4 minutes walk of the Battersea Arts Centre, a huge and imposing building where the Transition Conference was being held, is actually, as there is a WiFi hotspot (not that hot actually, as connection is erratic and speeds slow. But, it does work! You may be reading this on the day of the conference...)
I had pre booked and pre paid, so there was a badge waiting for me and I had an offer of my bags being put into storage, instead of lugging them around. I put my rucksack in, but kept my hand luggage and laptop with me.
The main conference hall is a lovely place, huge and beautifully lit with ever-changing LED colour spotlights. Apparently the lighting, all low energy, has been installed specially for this event. There was food available and Edward arrived and sat with me and a bunch of people from Cambridge, which is where he is originally from.
At 1pm, there were greetings and intros, which included the excellent news that Ed Miliband MP (Sec. of State for Department of Energy and Climate Change) was here in the capacity of a 'keynote listener', which raised a laugh! After this, there was an interesting 'mapping' exercise... all the tables and chairs were moved to the side, and standing up, we had to organise ourselves into 'elders' down at one end of the hall, and 'youth' at the other. I found myself in the middle, along with other not-old, not young 40-somethings. The roving Mic was used to introduce a couple of oldies, sorry, respect those elders, and some of the younger contingent. Other mapping involved looking at the size of the population of your Transition Initiative, the highest being Hong Kong with 6 million plus, and the smallest being a settlement in North Yorkshire with 400. We did geographical mapping too, which finished with a group of us from the North East and Lincolnshire, Sheffield and Gronningen in the Netherlands all getting together and doing an exercise with a sheet of paper, post-it notes and 'what went well, what is challenging and what are you looking forward to' colour coded.
When I had a look around other regions versions of this workshop, some had been much more creative with paper wind-turbines and annotated spirals and wonderful stuff. Ours was tame by comparison!
After tea and cake it was the first 'Open Space' event, and I had volunteered to do one on, guess what, home composting! I had two lovely conversations. Both very worthwhile.
I had also volunteered to help facilitate the Energy Descent Action Plan thing after tea, so I posted a quick blog, ate some lasagne (again, and not a patch on the one last night!) and just got finished before the EDAP prep meeting.
EDAP is a Transition methodology for 'doing a Transition Initiative' and it has 12 steps, which are:
Set up a steering group ans design its demise from the outset;
Awareness Raising;
Lay the foundations;
Organise a Great Unleashing (aka a launch, or if in Kirkbymoorside, a 'Springboarding';
Develop physical manifestations of the project;
Build bridges with Local Government;
Organise a Great Reskilling;
Honour the Elders;
Let it go where it wants to go;
Create an Energy Descent Plan.
These do not have to follow this order, and some may take place at the same time.
So, this evening's EDAP work was for an imaginary place 'Anytown' and was with 400 or so people and took just two hours!
Some of the things that were contained in this session:
Information from theoildrum.com such as graphs and other information;
This little film 'Peak Oil, How will you ride the slide?'
The following subject areas were used as what I know as a brainstorming as part of the 'unleashing 'stage:
Food, Transport, Health, Arts/Play/Learning, Work and Livelihood, Heart and Soul, Water, Waste as Resources (this is the one I helped facilitate), Buildings, Landuse, Local Democracy and Energy. This was really good as everyone got involved and the ideas, aimed at what we envisioned 2029 to be like, or wanted it to be like, were written on big sheets which were to form the pages of a huge book.
The physical manifestations section was presented using a film called Haringey Connections, about some of the recent activities in Tottenham, with the Wards Corner Coalition and the Living Under One Sun allotment group. Well worth a watch.
The local authority stuff was very well described by a local Camden Councillor, Alexis Rowell, who moved from being a BBC correspondent and then a businessman to having a 'green epiphany' and running for election, and becoming the Camden Eco-Councillor. He has done amazing things in Camden, and has been wholly or partly responsible for the council having a policy of installing decentralised energy in all new projects (such as 20% of the predicted energy use to be generated on site), installation of free cavity wall insulation and roof insulation for all properties, whether poor or wealthy, mandatory green roofs and grey water recycling in all new builds, free fruit trees if a sensible place is suggested in which to put them, and a real push for local food growing wherever possible. Have a shufty through the Camden Council website to see if it mentions any of these!
For the reskilling, a ball of string was used to demonstrate that there were loads of skills in the room which could be shared, that people were able to offer and teach these skills, and that there were ample takers or people who were interested in learning them. The string went from person to person, making a huge web of skills offered and wanted...
In 'Honour the Elders', a local gentleman, John Prince, born in 1928, was interviewed and told some of his life story. He was born in St Kitts / Nevis, and grew up in Antigua with his grandmother who grew all her own vegetables plus cash crops. He worked as a teacher, but since retiring has worked on his poetry.
I chatted to him afterwards and he gave me the text of the poem he read out. This was written just a couple of weeks ago.
Reminiscing on the Lea, by John Prince
I sat on the bank of the River Lea,
Pondering the global, human tragedy.
Here, once had been a paradise of earth,
Where flora and fauna balanced the beauty,
In perfect co-existence of a fragile complex ecology.
I sat on the bank of the River Lea,
Thinking of the past, remembering
When across the face of London City
We fished in rivers, which flowed freely,
Enhancing life: developing human communities.
But no more to be seen,
Progress covered the waters clean
And turned them into sewers.
No more the River Fleet;
No more the River Tyburn,
No more the River Westbourne
They are covered and forgotten;
The measure of our progress:
Exchanging rivers for sewers,
Disrupting earth's natural ecology
To inherit a toxic polluted wasteland.
Millenniums created the evolution
Of species and habitats;
But we, in centuries, created the degeneration
Of earth's harmonious ecology;
And we continue its destruction.
We need humility, a new philosophy,
To guide our co-existence on Mother-earth.
The alternative is global catastrophe;
Like the cosmos-created ice ages,
Which nearly eliminated our ancestors.
I sat on the bank of the River Lea
Thinking of the past, remembering
When across the face of London City
We fished in rivers, which flowed freely,
Enhancing life, developing human communities..
(I have reproduced this exactly as it was written on the sheets John gave me)
The big cake which had been made (I'm not sure of it's significance!) was cut up and given out and Edward and I got ready to go. A number 345 bus took us all the way to Peckham and we were soon knocking at Peckham Anna's door, whom I first met through the Carbon Rationing Action Group website and subsequently, when we were both winners of the Oxfam Carbon Footprint Competition, and we (along with Kat from Scotland) spent a day talking to MPs including Hilary Benn at DEFRA. Anna's housmate was away, which meant there was plenty of space for us both, most welcoming and comfortable. It was great to see Anna again, I love her enthusiasm for low carbon stuff.
Spent another hour and a half doing my blog!
Got up at much the normal time, despite going to bed at 2.30am having done my column for Community Care... but had to get up as had a busy day ahead! I cycled down to the station at 8.20 to get the London train just before 9, for which I got tickets well before Christmas.
I popped into the WHSmith at the station to see if they had the February issue of The Ecologist, which several people have told me has the article about my low carbon lifestyle in... and yes, I was able to buy this and the article is pretty good, the photos are excellent. It was written by a journalist called Sam Southgate following a conversation we had, and it is mostly correct, apart from I'm sure I never said my diet was 'well over 99.99% non animal products'. The truth is it's probably over 95% non-animal, as I do eat some cheese, occasional egg and very occasional dairy milk. I am vegetarian, and am a 'wannabe vegan' apart I've never had a good vegan cheese, so I'd miss my occasional fancy cheeses...... Gill also makes cakes, and some of these contain eggs (free range of course, but out of chickens' bottoms) But, I'm DELIGHTED to be featured, under the banner 'How to reduce your carbon footprint'.
I was due to meet Peter Hale on the train, but he wasn't in the seat he was booked into so I just sat where my seat as booked, and chatted with a woman who was into arty fabrics and makes felt and all sorts of other things, and a Polish mum with a lovely smiley 10 month old baby girl who was the epitome of beautiful baby.
We were soon in Kings Cross, I bought a map which I didn't need as the meeting house, opposite Euston, was only 10 mins walk away in a straight line. I could have just asked... but I bought a £2.25 map and then asked the kiosk person. So, to the Friends Meeting House at Euston where there were already a couple of people from the Climate Speakers Network. Including Peter, the organiser, who had been on the train but had found a table seat so he could stretch his legs. It was good to finally meet him after much email conversation.
By 1pm, the start time, there were 15 of us and another 3 joined us soon. A very good turnout. The aim of the meeting was to meet other people who do talks and education about climate change, share information about what works and how to get bookings, and who from. I was particularly pleased to meet Anthony Day, who's from York and is on the York in Transition email list, and has written a book 'Will Climate Change Your Life', a CRAGger called Robin Smith, and my Green Party friend Janet Alty, whom I'm very fond of as she's very outspoken, radical, sensible and friendly. But everybody was interesting in their own way, and the meeting was very enjoyable and useful, lots of ideas, things to research and look up, read, people to email.
The meeting finished at about 5pm and a few of us went for a drink (bottle of 'pear cider' cost £4!!!) and then sometime after 6, walked along to Kings Cross to get the 6.30 train. This journey went quickly as I dozed for some of it and read the rest of The Ecologist. Got back home soon after 9pm.
What a day... really positive and inspiring. I'll have to send some notes to Peter so he can do a mail out to the attendees.
I had some left-over leek and potato soup and some toasted stale bread which was lovely! The family was happy to see my photo in The Ecologist and I read the article to the boys, who seemed proud of me. I am very happy today. VERY!
I popped into the WHSmith at the station to see if they had the February issue of The Ecologist, which several people have told me has the article about my low carbon lifestyle in... and yes, I was able to buy this and the article is pretty good, the photos are excellent. It was written by a journalist called Sam Southgate following a conversation we had, and it is mostly correct, apart from I'm sure I never said my diet was 'well over 99.99% non animal products'. The truth is it's probably over 95% non-animal, as I do eat some cheese, occasional egg and very occasional dairy milk. I am vegetarian, and am a 'wannabe vegan' apart I've never had a good vegan cheese, so I'd miss my occasional fancy cheeses...... Gill also makes cakes, and some of these contain eggs (free range of course, but out of chickens' bottoms) But, I'm DELIGHTED to be featured, under the banner 'How to reduce your carbon footprint'.
I was due to meet Peter Hale on the train, but he wasn't in the seat he was booked into so I just sat where my seat as booked, and chatted with a woman who was into arty fabrics and makes felt and all sorts of other things, and a Polish mum with a lovely smiley 10 month old baby girl who was the epitome of beautiful baby.
We were soon in Kings Cross, I bought a map which I didn't need as the meeting house, opposite Euston, was only 10 mins walk away in a straight line. I could have just asked... but I bought a £2.25 map and then asked the kiosk person. So, to the Friends Meeting House at Euston where there were already a couple of people from the Climate Speakers Network. Including Peter, the organiser, who had been on the train but had found a table seat so he could stretch his legs. It was good to finally meet him after much email conversation.
By 1pm, the start time, there were 15 of us and another 3 joined us soon. A very good turnout. The aim of the meeting was to meet other people who do talks and education about climate change, share information about what works and how to get bookings, and who from. I was particularly pleased to meet Anthony Day, who's from York and is on the York in Transition email list, and has written a book 'Will Climate Change Your Life', a CRAGger called Robin Smith, and my Green Party friend Janet Alty, whom I'm very fond of as she's very outspoken, radical, sensible and friendly. But everybody was interesting in their own way, and the meeting was very enjoyable and useful, lots of ideas, things to research and look up, read, people to email.
The meeting finished at about 5pm and a few of us went for a drink (bottle of 'pear cider' cost £4!!!) and then sometime after 6, walked along to Kings Cross to get the 6.30 train. This journey went quickly as I dozed for some of it and read the rest of The Ecologist. Got back home soon after 9pm.
What a day... really positive and inspiring. I'll have to send some notes to Peter so he can do a mail out to the attendees.
I had some left-over leek and potato soup and some toasted stale bread which was lovely! The family was happy to see my photo in The Ecologist and I read the article to the boys, who seemed proud of me. I am very happy today. VERY!
Up at about 7.30 as Ruth usually leaves the house at about 8, I had a shower and some cereal and we went. Ruth dropped me off very near Ealing Broadway and continued off to work.
I went to Oxford Circus, changed trains and went south to Brixton, which is only a short walk from Denmark Hill, along Cold Harbour Lane. Ruth had photocopied a page in her London map book so I knew where to go, and by 10am I was at the Maudsley.
I waited an hour, reading my NewScientist, and at 11 was collected by a woman who spent the next hour explaining what the day would contain, and doing some rather odd tests and questions and exercises in order to start assessing me. She asked a colleague in to observe and help her with the assessment. The exercises included going through a children's picture book and explaining what I thought was happening, and making up a story using 5 random objects pulled out of a bag, a task I found quite difficult. But she also asked lots of questions about my childhood, friendships, how I'd describe various feelings like happiness, etc etc, so it was quite an intense hour.
Then I had a two-hour session with a Dutch Doctor who did the clinical assessment, about my health and development and lots more. I was invited to explain why I thought I'd had ADHD and subsequently been identifying with some aspects of Aspergers Syndrome.
That finished at 3pm and I went for lunch just down the road, having a plate of very yummy chick-pea stew and rice, and got back to the Hospital for 4pm, as agreed, where I was seen by the whole team including the Consultant. He asked a few more questions and referred to his diagnostic manual a few times, and then asked if I'd have 5 minutes in another room whilst they had a talk, and when I was brought back in, he explained their decision.
It is clear that I did have ADHD as a child, but at that time it wasn't named and I was just regarded as a bit odd, naughty, disruptive and 'bright but lazy'. However, possibly due to growing out of it and/or all the self-development work I've done, I do not exhibit so many of the symptoms or diagnostic features now to be classed as having ADHD. There is a big overlap between ADHD behaviours and some Autistic traits. I do have some of the 'typically autistic' traits, but again, not enough of them to be 'labelled' with Autistic Spectrum Disorder or 'High Functioning Autism', known as Aspergers. So I don't fit any diagnostic criteria, which the Doctor described as 'good news'. There was some discussion as to where I might go from now, what I could do about continuing to improve my behaviour, and I will explore those. The medics will interview my mother when she returns from holiday, just to try to find out some more about my behaviour as a child, and I'l be sent their report in February.
I left feeling quite down as I really wanted to put my diagnosis 'in a box', labelled, so I felt I knew what I was and why I behave as I do, and had a clear way forward with definite outcomes. But as my unique mental set-up doesn't fit any one set of criteria and therefore isn't 'nameable', I feel a bit 'in limbo' or in no mans land. I sadly walked back the mile or so to Brixton and went right up to King's Cross, where I wandered round pretty aimlessly for a few hours waiting for my 10pm train. At 8.30 I waited at where the track-side pub used to be (shut for refurbishment) for a possible meeting with Diana from FlipSide Vision, but she'd been at an AGM and didn't turn up. So at 9.30 I went to the main hall and chatted to people whilst waiting for the platform to be displayed.
The train was lovely and warm and my fellow passengers were friendly and jolly.
Back into York just after 12.30, home just before 1am, really glad to see Gill.
I went to Oxford Circus, changed trains and went south to Brixton, which is only a short walk from Denmark Hill, along Cold Harbour Lane. Ruth had photocopied a page in her London map book so I knew where to go, and by 10am I was at the Maudsley.
I waited an hour, reading my NewScientist, and at 11 was collected by a woman who spent the next hour explaining what the day would contain, and doing some rather odd tests and questions and exercises in order to start assessing me. She asked a colleague in to observe and help her with the assessment. The exercises included going through a children's picture book and explaining what I thought was happening, and making up a story using 5 random objects pulled out of a bag, a task I found quite difficult. But she also asked lots of questions about my childhood, friendships, how I'd describe various feelings like happiness, etc etc, so it was quite an intense hour.
Then I had a two-hour session with a Dutch Doctor who did the clinical assessment, about my health and development and lots more. I was invited to explain why I thought I'd had ADHD and subsequently been identifying with some aspects of Aspergers Syndrome.
That finished at 3pm and I went for lunch just down the road, having a plate of very yummy chick-pea stew and rice, and got back to the Hospital for 4pm, as agreed, where I was seen by the whole team including the Consultant. He asked a few more questions and referred to his diagnostic manual a few times, and then asked if I'd have 5 minutes in another room whilst they had a talk, and when I was brought back in, he explained their decision.
It is clear that I did have ADHD as a child, but at that time it wasn't named and I was just regarded as a bit odd, naughty, disruptive and 'bright but lazy'. However, possibly due to growing out of it and/or all the self-development work I've done, I do not exhibit so many of the symptoms or diagnostic features now to be classed as having ADHD. There is a big overlap between ADHD behaviours and some Autistic traits. I do have some of the 'typically autistic' traits, but again, not enough of them to be 'labelled' with Autistic Spectrum Disorder or 'High Functioning Autism', known as Aspergers. So I don't fit any diagnostic criteria, which the Doctor described as 'good news'. There was some discussion as to where I might go from now, what I could do about continuing to improve my behaviour, and I will explore those. The medics will interview my mother when she returns from holiday, just to try to find out some more about my behaviour as a child, and I'l be sent their report in February.
I left feeling quite down as I really wanted to put my diagnosis 'in a box', labelled, so I felt I knew what I was and why I behave as I do, and had a clear way forward with definite outcomes. But as my unique mental set-up doesn't fit any one set of criteria and therefore isn't 'nameable', I feel a bit 'in limbo' or in no mans land. I sadly walked back the mile or so to Brixton and went right up to King's Cross, where I wandered round pretty aimlessly for a few hours waiting for my 10pm train. At 8.30 I waited at where the track-side pub used to be (shut for refurbishment) for a possible meeting with Diana from FlipSide Vision, but she'd been at an AGM and didn't turn up. So at 9.30 I went to the main hall and chatted to people whilst waiting for the platform to be displayed.
The train was lovely and warm and my fellow passengers were friendly and jolly.
Back into York just after 12.30, home just before 1am, really glad to see Gill.
Spent the morning getting ready to go down to London, back late Tuesday night.
Cycled down to the station in good time to get the 12.53 but it had been cancelled, so I checked that my ticket would be valid for the next train down, which was at 1.36. This gave me time to cycle home again and pick up my NewScientists which I remembered I'd left on the couch as I was cycling down the first time. Back into the station by 1.15, found the 1.36 to be running 10 mins late so I had my sandwiches in case there was a severe lack of space on the train, as the signage said 'standing room only'.
However, although the train was quite full, I got a seat and sat next to a young chap taking a 'gap year', whose parents live in a smallholding near Salisbury, and we had a good chat about coppicing and several other mutually interesting subjects. Arrived in London just before 4pm, and as I'd arranged to meet Ruth at 5 in Ealing, I went for the tube immediately, topping up my Oyster Card with a tenner first. Went to Oxford Circus, got lost between different tubes but eventually got directed to the Central line (I think!) to go to Ealing Broadway. Arrived there at 10 to 5, found a phone box and rang Ruth at work, and 15 minutes later she arrived and we walked to her car in a nearby carpark.
She lives about 20 mins drive from there... if she used public transport, it would take over an hour and she doesn't cycle. We caught up the past year's news whilst she made an apple crumble using a neighbour's apples, and a pizza using mostly pre-made ingredients... they were both delicious.
I showed her my list of 'Dexterwords' to see if she could help me add anything, after all she's known me since I was 18 when we went to college together in Northampton. It provoked lots of memories and chat. A nice relaxing evening.
Cycled down to the station in good time to get the 12.53 but it had been cancelled, so I checked that my ticket would be valid for the next train down, which was at 1.36. This gave me time to cycle home again and pick up my NewScientists which I remembered I'd left on the couch as I was cycling down the first time. Back into the station by 1.15, found the 1.36 to be running 10 mins late so I had my sandwiches in case there was a severe lack of space on the train, as the signage said 'standing room only'.
However, although the train was quite full, I got a seat and sat next to a young chap taking a 'gap year', whose parents live in a smallholding near Salisbury, and we had a good chat about coppicing and several other mutually interesting subjects. Arrived in London just before 4pm, and as I'd arranged to meet Ruth at 5 in Ealing, I went for the tube immediately, topping up my Oyster Card with a tenner first. Went to Oxford Circus, got lost between different tubes but eventually got directed to the Central line (I think!) to go to Ealing Broadway. Arrived there at 10 to 5, found a phone box and rang Ruth at work, and 15 minutes later she arrived and we walked to her car in a nearby carpark.
She lives about 20 mins drive from there... if she used public transport, it would take over an hour and she doesn't cycle. We caught up the past year's news whilst she made an apple crumble using a neighbour's apples, and a pizza using mostly pre-made ingredients... they were both delicious.
I showed her my list of 'Dexterwords' to see if she could help me add anything, after all she's known me since I was 18 when we went to college together in Northampton. It provoked lots of memories and chat. A nice relaxing evening.
What a day! Woke at a reasonable time after a very late night and had a fairly lazy morning playing with M who is adorable! A cutie 5 year-old with a lot of energy and silliness! Soon after 11 we went out to the Peckham Farmers' Market (actually just 2 veg stalls, a plant stall, bread stall and a chap selling honey!). Anna bought some veggies including a butternut squash which I'd been raving on about yesterday, and we went on to look at an allotment site which has installed a compost toilet which allegedly cost £18000... and I wanted to see the design as my lottie site is maybe going to install a compost toilet.
Loo info here... http://www.southwark.gov.uk/uploads/file_28695.pdf
Home to A's flat for lunch which was wild rice and 'tame' rice(!) with a bit of carrot and broccoli with microwaved butternut slices, and a weird slice of breaded quorn thing.... quite nice but not something I've ever had before!
Finished this just in time to go to the wildlife gardening centre (http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/Naturereserves/CentreforWildlifeGardening/tabid/125/Default.aspx )
where A's daughter M is having her party. I got changed there and chatted to the organisers about master composters before doing my usual routine of circus and balloons which went down well (some even popped hahahahaha) and all who attended seemed to enjoy the experience!
Loo info here... http://www.southwark.gov.uk/uploads/file_28695.pdf
Home to A's flat for lunch which was wild rice and 'tame' rice(!) with a bit of carrot and broccoli with microwaved butternut slices, and a weird slice of breaded quorn thing.... quite nice but not something I've ever had before!
Finished this just in time to go to the wildlife gardening centre (http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/Naturereserves/CentreforWildlifeGardening/tabid/125/Default.aspx )
where A's daughter M is having her party. I got changed there and chatted to the organisers about master composters before doing my usual routine of circus and balloons which went down well (some even popped hahahahaha) and all who attended seemed to enjoy the experience!
A totally amazing day
including
breakfast with Oxfam
Meeting Hilary Benn MP at DEFRA
Meeting Peter Ainsworth MP ant the Palace of Westminster
Watching Prime Minister's Questions
Meeting Steve Webb MP
Attending a Lib Dem meeting with MPs and Lords
Doing a photo shoot for CRAGs and nearly getting arrested
Going to the Oxfam Office and chatting
Going back with 'Peckham Anna' to her place via two childrens' nurseries to pick up her child and a friend's child
Doing a short balloon modelling thing for the kids whilst Anna cooked pasta
Talking with Anna during the evening
A memorable day
including
breakfast with Oxfam
Meeting Hilary Benn MP at DEFRA
Meeting Peter Ainsworth MP ant the Palace of Westminster
Watching Prime Minister's Questions
Meeting Steve Webb MP
Attending a Lib Dem meeting with MPs and Lords
Doing a photo shoot for CRAGs and nearly getting arrested
Going to the Oxfam Office and chatting
Going back with 'Peckham Anna' to her place via two childrens' nurseries to pick up her child and a friend's child
Doing a short balloon modelling thing for the kids whilst Anna cooked pasta
Talking with Anna during the evening
A memorable day
Spent some of the day travelling down to London on the train, getting into King's Cross at 145, and then got a tube (bought a £10 Oyster Card) to Leicester Square, where I met Ruth. I have known Ruth since I was 18, when we formed a close friendship at Nene College. We became regular companions but not as close as boy/girlfriend, and have remained fond of each other ever since. She arrived at Leicester Square and we walked over the Hungerford Bridge and had a coffee before going to the Tate Modern. We spent a couple of hours there and then crossed the river on the non-wobbling Millennium Bridge to St Pauls, and had another coffee on or near Fleet Street, and I bought a bottle of Mosel wine for tonight.
Ruth left me at a tube station on the North side of the river and I crossed Hungerford Bridge again and walked South West past the London Eye and down to Vauxhall Bridge, where I found my way past Vauxhall Station and along to where my friend Anna lives. We have a mutual friend and it was very good to finally meet her and her partner.
Ruth left me at a tube station on the North side of the river and I crossed Hungerford Bridge again and walked South West past the London Eye and down to Vauxhall Bridge, where I found my way past Vauxhall Station and along to where my friend Anna lives. We have a mutual friend and it was very good to finally meet her and her partner.
