Rhinocycle goes to Critical Mass by Andy Lindsay

September's Critical Mass wasn't as big as August's - around 450 riders as opposed to nearly 800 last month and sadly there was no hypnotic 'jungle' music to bop to, but none of that seemed to matter because we were riding the RHINOCYCLE!

We were one person short - she actually seats four - but dedicated and determined fellow cyclists, Mike Armstrong and Jeremy Rickard helped power Bridget the Rhinocycle from her base in Coulsdon to Waterloo Bridge in record time.

After a heavy downpour passing through Croydon the weather turned warm and humid for the rest of the evening and we soaked up loads of positive support from bystanders all the way. Bridget stole the show and as we passed swarms of tourists along RegentStreet, Oxford Street and Oxford Circus she not only pushed the message of the need for Green Alternative Transport but also got people thinking about Conservation of Endangered Species and threatened environments.

Around 8.30 pm we peeled off from the main bunch as they headed northalong Park Lane but we still had a long journey home and were getting quite tired. All in all it was a very positive and successful outing. I would recommend joining Critical Mass (last Friday of every month) to anyone for the sheer buzz and thrill of zooming through all those red lights surrounded by like-minded pushbiking mates. It really is the best way to see London! Thanks again to Mike and Jeremy for a tremendous effort.

Andy Lindsay Director: Rhinocycle2007

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Tags croydon, greenparty, Rhinocycle, Critical Mass

October Meeting

The next meeting of the Sutton and Croydon Green Party will be on Tuesday 10th October at 8pm at the Centre for Environmental Initiatives Carshalton, map here.

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Tags sutton,croydon, greenparty

Signatures collected for campaign

Jim Duffy from Carshalton joined Croydon Greens yesterday in the town centre. Jim is coordinator of the Stop Hinkley campaign (www.stophinkley.org). The nuclear power station at Hinkley Point (near Bristol) is one being considered by the government for expansion. The purpose of the stall was to inform shoppers of the issues covering nuclear power and to collect signatures for Million Against Nuclear.

Jim made submissions to the infamous 'energy review ' and has written articles for The Guardian newspaper on the dangers of nuclear power (http://www.stophinkley.org/News%20Pages/news060705Grd.htm). He advised Croydonians that the government's committee that recommended deep geological disposal as the UK's method for dealing with nuclear waste, did so knowing that it would break UK and European laws!

He also advised locals that stainless steel containing early nuclear waste at Harwell, has almost completely disintegrated after just 45 years.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Continued Beulah Hill demo coverage

More coverage in the Croydon Post - Wednesday, September 27, 2006
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on sports teams being left out in the cold.

http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/display.var.918644.0.sport_teams_left_in_the_cold_by_60m_school.php

Dear Editor,

I read with dismay your piece on ‘community sports clubs and societies being left out in the cold’, since the opening of Ashburton Learning Village. We are regularly reminded in the media that our children need exercise and to participate in sports. A la Jamie Oliver, former Crystal Palace striker Ian Wright is using factual TV entertainment to expose the issues surrounding the fitness and health of our kids.

However, in your example, it appears the local community is being excluded by a lack of facilities and a hike in charges.

The Addiscombe Corinthians football team, a local netball team and a dance school say they have been forced out since the school was taken over by Jarvis PLC.
It is obvious that Jarvis PLC is required to provide a dividend to their shareholders. Therefore, in order to prevent the local community being priced out, councillors should have sought assurances from Jarvis before signing a £60 million contract with them.

Using Private Finance Initiative projects, and similar schemes, to fund community facilities is not the answer to decades of underinvestment. It would be better if community facilities, such as this site on Shirley Road, were publicly owned in order to guarantee the level of service required by the local community.

Hopefully the users of this facility have reached an agreement with Jarvis or at least found a suitable alternative.

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan
Croydon Green Party


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Tags croydon, greenparty

Mobile phone mast protest.

Steve Harris (left)


Shasha Khan joined Green Party candidate for Croham ward Steve Harris, to protest against the installation of a 3G mobile phone mast on top of South Croydon Sports Club.

Steve has been working hard to keep the local residents informed of the developments and yesterdays turnout is testament to his efforts.

There has not been nearly enough research into the health implications of masts. Phone masts should not be put up in residential areas, near schools or hospitals until conclusive research has been carried out to prove that they are safe. Moreover the "international guidelines" on EMF levels - which the UK subscribes to - are very misleading. In fact acceptable levels vary wildly between each country: Switzerland's levels are 100 times lower than the UK's levels.

The whole area of mobile phones has developed too fast. International guidelines have been hastily assembled without sufficient research being done. Of course there are many economic and social benefits to the modern telecommunications systems, but these must be balanced by the guaranteed health and safety of local people.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Green Party Conference

Megan and I went down to Hove on Friday for the Autumn National Green Party Conference. It's always a good opportunity to catch up with colleagues.

For me, the highlight of the conference was a presentation given by James Humphreys on, 'The Greens and Labour'. James
James Humphreys was a strategy adviser in No 10 Downing Street from 1997 to 2003 and a former DEFRA official. He is now a full and active member of the Islington Greens and has stood as a candidate for The Green Party. His presentation illustrated the failings of the New Labour project with respect to the environment and identified how the the Labour Party had lost touch with it's more traditional voters.

Megan found the ‘The future of public services’ discussion chaired by Jean Lambert MEP very informing. Essentially, we were told that the European Commission will meet in the winter to issue a new directive which says that the public services demand for EU citizens should be met by the internal market. What is worrying is that people already see schools or hospitals being financed with private money. However, the actual EU directive for these measures is yet to come!



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Tags croydon, greenparty

Mobile Phone Mast Protest

Local Residents will be holding a protest rally on Sunday 24th September at 11am, Beech Copse, Birdhurst Rise, South Croydon to protest against a mobile phone mast on top of South Croydon Sports Club. Many residents are angry at not being consulted or advised.

For more details of the location of the mast, visit their web site
No Beech Copse Mast.

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Tags croydon, phone mast, croham