green pea

Arts Update

2010-10-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

About the school / arts / community side of things we have provisionally agreed a date of 8th December for a Christmas choral performance at Kingsmead School in Enfield. This will involve a performance by Kingsmead school students, but also the Elders Voice Singers who have pioneered successful singing projects involving elders and primary school children in Kilburn. We will be inviting Primary and Secondary school teachers, and also individuals from local Enfield Age Concern and the Over 50s Forum in the hope that Elders Voice can inspire a cross-generational choir to get started in area. Additionally I am in talks with the Enfield Race and Equality Council about a new play to be written about world creation stories, as told by local residents and responded to by students, and then performed at Forty Hall in 2011-2012. For full updates on this, join Enfield Network 21.

Market Update

2010-10-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

The local council here has changed from Tory to Labour so I have been looking into what difference this might make to the campaign. I went to an Enfield Stakeholders "Characterisation Study" meeting last week, at which members of the public were invited to put forward their opinions on the character of Enfield, for better or worse and how they see it might best move forward in the future. Emphasis was placed by participants on the tragedy to community spirit of the building of the A10 and A406, the dangers of traffic/ need to reclaim the borough from the logic of the car via "shared space" initiatives and other traffic calming, pedestrianisation, bike and more generally community spirit friendly measures. Also the subject of Enfield being far removed from eg Palmers Green, Southgate and other peripheries of the Borough, and that this also adversely effects services and increases the need for community based initiatives to increase a sense of belonging.

Lots of talk also of its unique, mixed rural (ie farmed) and urban character, and the need defend green spaces from further concrete encroachment and indeed to actually re-green parts which are presently cemented. Within all these contexts - aswell as the wider one of economic stagnation and local food - the idea of community owned street markets which I put forward in a low key way was warmly received so that is a good sign. I am also in talks with a media advisor about the possibility of a documentary on Big Society / Big Idea which could possibly include our campaign...

pause for thought

2009-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: We hope to resume public meetings, and with an improved structure and schedule shortly. At the moment, core team members are liaising with Stefan Cadek at Enfield Youth Services, with a view to visiting local schools to introduce ourselves and the Anchor project. Also, today I had an encouraging and pleasurable meeting with David Byrne, Principal of Southgate College. David's keen to develop ties between college and local community, and among other things we discussed ways the Southgate Community Anchor and College might work together in the future. Later on I spoke with Palmer's Green resident Francis Sealey of the 21st Century Network (or '21CN') about how to move forward with the Local Sovereignty social action work we've been developing together, ideally in the context of Southgate. More on this later, with relevant announcements and/or discussion on the email list.

gardeners are go

2009-01-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know today's Gardening Club was a success, and everyone had a good time. We did a bit of tidying up of the spot in front of the Alan Pullinger centre, aswell as the TfL green space (where we held the Christmas market) litter picking, raking and so forth. I took a beautiful sunrise trip to Columbia flower market in the morning, so we had some bedding plants and tulip bulbs to plant. We're unclear about how to proceed with the path (to block or not to block, that is the question) but nevertheless after some discussion about how to go about planning the garden (we are thinking to go for a picnic table centrepiece with a mix of flowers, medicinal herbs, other sensory stuff and veggies, possibly with a wee labyrinth of some kind) we got right stuck in with some digging. In the end we planted a 21st century fairy ring (of primroses) around one of the larger trees in the space.

Joe turns out to be a champion digger, as does his son, Archie! Great contributions also in the realm of planting aswell as hole digging, treasure hunting, leave moving and football kicking also by the other Southgate Bash Street kids, Jordan, Zainab, Amina, Michael, Anthony and Leo. Big ups to Sinead for sorting the all important water out, and to Sarah J for coming in all the way from Tottenham. And to everyone who helped to make it a lovely day: cheers!

Looking forward to the next one, let's hope the weather is as good as today.

2008-11-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

Peas on Earth and Goodwill to all Men, Women and Children. From Han Solo, no less

Quick Update

2008-09-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Arul and I have just put a funding application in for the proposed Health Centre project. Joe, Anne and I will be putting together Southgate Phoenix edition 2 in the coming month or so. About the market we are awaiting the Council's decision on street trading, due very soon. 9th September meeting was attended by Cllr Edward Smith, the leader of the Southgate Residents Association SRA, Anne, Joe, Mark and Archie and 7 apologies. The main topics of discussion were the market, our relationship with the SRA, the health project proposal, the newsletter and the possibility of a dedicated Southgate Town website. Next Anchor meeting date, tbc (in newsletter if not before).

9th September

2008-08-27T03:15:00.000-07:00

The next Community Anchor Meeting will be at

Tuesday 9th September 7.30pm
Dolce Mare Cafe, Ashfield Parade

Find below suggested agenda for meeting. Please kindly pass on this invitation to others who may be interested.

Proposed Agenda:

1. Market Update, Report on Petition and Discussion about hearing on 17th Sept.
2. Alan Pullinger Project - Youth Engagement
3. STAR Association Update
4. Website
5. 2nd Edition Phoenix
6. Introducing Arul's Health Project - Proposed Sunday Provision
7. Belgian Waffle Party
8. Local Sports Groups
9 Fundraising report
10. Next Meeting
11. AOB

Has anyone got further suggestions for the agenda..?
If so, pls comment / email southgatephoenix@gmail.com

Urgent

2008-07-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

TO RESIDENTS, TRADERS & OTHER SUPPORTERS

Please read and sign our petition by scrolling down to the bottom of this post and clicking on 'comments' link below.

ASHFIELD PARADE MARKET PETITION

We would like to see a Sunday street market in Ashfield Parade along with the freedom for all cafes and restaurants there to have tables and chairs - subject to pavement access - outside their establishments. We support the initiative of the Community Anchor for a regular Sunday community-owned street market, involving local farm and allotment grown produce and other specialities not otherwise available in Southgate. We strongly believe this to be in the best interests of Southgate, and ask the Council to respect the wishes of Southgate residents and traders by giving them the chance to work together in common cause. Therefore, please grant all the cafes and restaurants in the Parade the right to have their tables and chairs set out outside, and the Anchor association a free license to Sunday street trade in Ashfield Parade, so they can self-fund their community-cohesion and citizenship building project.

Please sign this petition by putting your name in the comments section below or texting your name, postcode and words "support market" to 0785 439 0408

For copy of the Council's draft street trading policy, go here:
Draft Street Trading Policy

And/ or respond to the Council's questionnaire that goes with it, visit here:
Questionannaire

To sign this petition: simply click on "comments" (below), fill in the comments box with name and postcode and whether you are a resident or a trader then publish by clicking on "anonymous" and "publish comment"

If this is too complicated you can also text or email your support to 0785 439 0408 / greenpeaproject@gmail.com or contact the Council direct to tell them you support the Ashfield Parade project (on 0208 379 4743)

For more info on market project, Veg Revolution
Cheers, Mark

The Art of Veg Revolution

2008-06-04T01:36:00.000-07:00

Green Pea Southgate believes that local community self-governance and local provision of public services are the way forward.

A civil society political-economic synthesis which naturally flows from the old state versus private provision debate, but which also encompasses: egalitarian decision making, grassroots planning, a participatory budget and the drawing of commonsense ward boundaries based, here in Southgate on the old, postal N14 neighbourhood. Local decision making, and therefore also: greater administrative efficiency and political accountability, increasing community cohesion and resilience, a lower ecological footprint and an overall upsurge in political freedom, civil liberty and.. joy!

Therefore, using the Southgate Street Market as a pilot scheme we call on Enfield Borough Council to let Southgate N14 show, starting with this modest proposal, what's really possible.

Our request for a community owned market will be formally put to the Council by way of petition at this evening's (Borough Council run) Local Area Forum Meeting. Come along if you can, it's a good chance to air your views and hear others too. Meeting starts at 7.30pm and is being held at the Bourne Methodist Church, the Bourne, N14.

FYI First picture featured is taken of long-time local Hadley Wood farmer, Chris Savva's lovely produce at Palmer's Green Farmer's Market. Chris and other local producers are keen to line Ashfield Parade with fresh produce as a nice alternative to ASDA. Other members are keen that allotment holders can sell their produce too. And we must have music and nice things for the children.

Rather than, for those same children putting up bounty hunter signs on Ashfield Parade. Second picture, the Council's recent 'bag a tagger' - community cohesion building - initiative. talk about 'yob' culture. Blog culture response = ahem.

May 20, 25 & Beyond

2008-05-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ladies, gentlemen, good people of Southgate, you are cordially invited to join us (on the dates set out above) to begin the debate, team building and democratic action now necessary for genuine, commonsense solutions to bear fruit in this lovely lovely town.

You can find out more about the concept of a Community Anchor by visiting Community Alliance

Community Anchors:

encourage people from different cultural and economic classes to get to know one another, united in concern for the locality they inhabit
ensure great participation in decision-making about local affairs
practise community-led solutions to social problems
bridge the interests and aspirations of local people and governing bodies
liberate the power and resources of local people
develop resilient community spirit
support individuals to fulfil their dreams

Yes, we want to build cohesion, something that brings people together to restore the community fabric. But also a new, creative movement: can we beat the beastly bureacratic machine in a skilful, artful and inspiring way - something genuinely-of-the-people to put Southgate Town & Green, Enfield N14 (and all its beautiful Hertfordshire surrounds) right up there where it belongs - on the World City map?

Click here for Next Meeting

Community Anchor Meetings

2008-04-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

Southgate Community Anchor
Click here for: Next Meeting

This project is a new initiative aimed at bringing the various groups making up the Southgate community together on a regular basis, to seek community-led, democratic and ecologically sustainable solutions. You can find details of the proposed agenda for both meetings below this post.

Tuesday 20th May
Community Anchor Forum Planning Meeting and Consultation
Morning session 10am-12noon and evening 7.30pm-9.30pm
Meetings at St Andrews Church Hall, Chase Side next to ASDA

Main Launch Meeting | Sunday 25th May 1-4pm
Community Anchor Forum Presentation and Group Discussion
With shared lunch, music & other refreshments
Alan Pullinger Centre, High Street (next to the Fire Station)

Community Anchors:

encourage people from different cultural and economic classes to get to know one another, united in concern for the locality they inhabit
ensure great participation in decision-making about local affairs
practise community-led solutions to social problems
bridge the interests and aspirations of local people and governing bodies
liberate the power and resources of local people
develop resilient community spirit
support individuals to fulfil their dreams

A People’s Plan | Grassroots Consultation

We hope you’ll also be interested to take part in our Southgate Locality Survey. It’s been developed in consultation with Southgate residents and will contribute directly to the agenda for the Anchor project. Ideas raised in it will be fed into the initial meetings and overall project. If you’re interested to receive a copy, please contact me at the address below.

For more info contact Mark at:
65 Burleigh Gardens | 0785 439 0408 | greenpeaproject@gmail.com

Proposed Agenda Items - tbc

2008-04-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

Introducing Community Anchor / C421 Project
Maybe Show Film
Introducing Concept of People's Plan | People In Common
Participatory Budget | Economic Democracy
Proposed Community Account
The Paradox of Ward Boundaries
Who Owns Southgate Project

Red Tape Issues
Parking
Ashfield Parade Licences
New Licences - Chase Side - Costa/Starbucks etc
Amusement Arcade

Major Projects
Lunch Stop Two
Newsletter
Youth Citizenship Engagement - September Pullinger Project
Police Station
Future of Leisure Centre
Street Market - Local Farm Produce - Introducing Chris Savva
Future of Ashfield Parade
Local & Mental Health Service - progress report

Other
Asylum/Migrant Issues

Agreed Actions
First Campaign ?
Local Honours Ceremony
Next Meeting - date /venue ?
Summer Sunday Picnics :-)

This wish list is ever-evolving, thanks to popular input and the results of our survey. To suggest other agenda items, pls email greenpeaproject@gmail.com

Thanks, M

Local Health Service

2008-03-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to tackle the connected mental, emotional and community health problems prevalent in modern society Green Pea aims to pilot an arts based, free-to-use and local community-driven health clinic.

Essentially, we believe the best health solution will be found in small, independent and innovative health clinics, permanently situated and offering local patients community resident driven mental health services.

Patient feed will be from GPs and other local clinical referrals [*], and the services (which will be neither private, nor state provided, but administered independently) to involve a variety of effective therapeutic activities, provided daily in a local community-based setting, with detailed scheduling in advance.

Therapies will involve a sustained process to improve the state of each individual's overall mental and emotional well-being, encouraging personal healing in the context of the motto 'physician, heal thyself' (encouraging each individual to discover the practices that are most appropriate for them) whilst also encouraging a natural process of participant and community friendship building through the very local nature of the project.

This process will take local patients out of the usual ineffective treatment loop for patients with mental and emotional health issues (drug/one off psychologist referral before being left to their own devices) and instead put them into a healing setting that actively looks at the root causes of eg addiction, depression, obsessive compulsive behaviour, anxiety, anomie and other modern mental health ailments.

We are now recruiting a team to provide a regular programme of activities such as meditation, music, art, dance and yoga therapies, CBT, NLP, Karuna, martial art, sport/physical activities, local walks, intellectual/academic presentations, life coaching for skills such as career and debt/money management, job hunting and relationships etc etc.

[* aside from GPS, other professional individuals who might refer to us could include youth workers, occupational therapists, psychologists and nurses]

If you would like to get involved in this exciting project, either as a therapist, youth worker, local GP, potential funder/networker or patient, please contact Mark, Arul, Illi & Mahdi via
greenpeaproject@gmail.com or
0785 439 0408

"Health, contentment and trust, are your greatest possessions
Freedom, your greatest joy"

Community Anchor

2008-03-19T08:50:00.001-07:00

We're now undertaking a Locality Survey. The purpose of this survey is to get to know the local community, find out what interests and skills local people hold, and begin the process of bringing people together for a better Southgate. The survey will be casting out for opinion & interest in a number of initiatives, including the Sunday Street Market and Local Health project, and we'll also be encouraging local resident and worker attendance at the forthcoming series of Community Anchor meetings. The first of these to be held on Tuesday 20th and Sunday 25th May.You can read more about the concept of a Community Anchor, here.
For more information about these meetings, or if you'd like to receive a copy of the survey in Word to comment on and/or fill in and return, please email us at greenpeaproject@gmail.com

Update

2008-03-18T01:14:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, we've a host of initiatives in the pipeline, and we're now awaiting the outcome of different meetings before we move forward further, specifically about the Health Project & Street Market, but also about funding streams and use of TfL land (at Mayfair Terrace) for a Community Garden project.

This site will updated soon to let you know where we're at in some more detail. In the meantime, please scroll down to read more, and thanks for your patience.

A Real London Pea Souper

2008-01-18T02:27:00.000-08:00

Readers will be happy to hear that the Green Pea soup plot has now thickened considerably, although there is, as to be expected still a fair bit of stirring to be done. In the best (or worst) of the modern tradition, absolutely everything got consumed in the market. So, my apologies (a) for being a bad capitalist (b) as with my garden, for not having tended this blog more regularly..

Thankfully, the fog has now lifted. Aside from the impending, exciting return of Revolutionary PM Tea we have four other pieces of news, about (1) a brazen attempt from trusted local parties to steal the market right from under our very nose (2) an equally brazen theft of aforementioned koanic building design by the powers-that-be (3) a little story about a big camera and how, as with that delightful film about the rat who becomes a gourmet chef, the best ideas will often spring up in unlikeliest of places and lastly, (4) terrible red tape.

Verily, the less said about the first and last probably the better, for fear of upsetting fragile egos, not to mention using clubs where bridges of light may well suffice. So, instead, let's focus on the middle two, which are not unconnected and well worth recounting. Middles making the very best stories, and bridges, after all..

About Green Pea

2008-01-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

Green Pea is an arts-for-education organisation, with charitable purposes started when a number of Southgate residents met randomly, at least two members falling in love in Mr Bagels Cafe on Ashfield Parade, in 2007. The little group were enthused about the need to make a difference to one another's lives, and the future of Southgate. From that origin came the idea that wherever possible a locality should be providing services for itself, from youth provision to mental health, from street market to public events, and from street cleaning to overall democratic self-governance (and tax raising powers)..

Green Pea is not associated with any political party, but its genesis as a public project came out of the grassroots 'People in Common' Parliament Square Picnic initiative. This started in 2005 with the launch of a weekly Sunday picnic against the Government's no-protest zone around Parliament.

The picnic united a diverse group of people in defence of freedom of expression in the vicinity of Parliament, and stemming from this in turn came a series of debates & public fora about the British Constitution, and the path to true democratic fulfillment. This series of fora, called C421 or the Campaign for a 21st Century Constitution concluded that the only way to build a truly democratic constitution is to start at the bottom. Hence our desire for a publically owned market, for local services to be owned and run by the people and the concept of community anchor meetings..

1st July 2008

A. Green Pea Arts Constitution

Our objective is to use the power of art & social enterprise to rebuild and enhance community cohesion and promote friendship, health and good citizenship in and around Southgate.

As a community arts organisation we aim to attract funding through collective social enterprise and if necessary, public sector grants. We are now in the process of setting up a regular street market, the rents from which we hope to make a source of funding for the wider community. Membership of Green Pea and / or the community anchor project is open to all.

October 19th 2007 with update 20th July 2008

B. Our Ethos

1. communities should be running things for themselves, both decisions about their locality and, where possible all other services such as street cleaning, recycling, health, local market etc etc.

2. everyone must be given the opportunity to work out what they really want to create with their lives, in other words if 'everyone is an artist', what is your art? in citizenship terms, this is identity politics, 'the personal is the political' and how to move from citizen-consumer to citizen-creator.

3. we need a process and methodology of how to connect the two, the path to individual self-realization - and its rewards - but also the contribution of that realization to public service provision, or stewardship (of system and society) or, in old fashioned terminology, the common weal.

4. this process can't be rushed, nor can its importance be avoided.

17th January 2008

C. Where We're At - Update
We’re now casting out for support and interest in developing these, or any other relevant Southgate-based community led projects.

(1) Southgate Town Market

We want to see a regular, eclectic, carnivalesque market with performance art to bring in punters, revitalise and Southgate Town on the map. We’re now applying for a licence to hold a Sunday market near to Southgate tube station: a market for local and international art, craft and food, with activities for the kids and room for other social, environmental and educational enterprise. So, we’re looking for artists, craftspeople, musicians and other potential stallholders, sponsors or enterprising individuals to help make this happen.

(2) Community Centre

We’d like to see an independent local community space, with garden and cafe, in central Southgate. We believe there should be a space, to be held and run by local people for the community as they see fit, in every community: an intercultural space that exists for no one interest group, but for all. A place where people from all walks of life can get to know one another, fostering community spirit and developing positive, community-minded solutions, together.

(3) Green Pea Youth Projects

Two potential projects have now been identified: the first at the Alan Pullinger Centre in Southgate, and the second across the Borough. We’re presently putting together a proposal for both. More information on this will follow.

(4) Newsletter

We are now working on the first edition of our newsletter, PM Tea to be accompanied by the survey mentioned below and a call to C421/People in Common meetings.

(5) Locality Survey

In order to gauge support for these, and help identify other key projects, we'll be conducting a Q&A survey of the locality. This survey will include open-ended questions of immediate and long-term concern to Southgate residents and users, including the question of a regular market and the future of Ashfield Parade.

The broad purpose of the survey is to map the area in terms of resources interests and goodwill, to identify issues that are important to the members of the Southgate locality so we can move them up the public agenda, to locate cultural leaders and other interested parties to help move forward the various projects.

After the survey is done we hope to be able to connect those interested in working on the same issues and projects with each other, moving towards a series of C421 meetings that are intercultural, Southgate future orientated and community led.

(6) Local Health Service

We want to ensure the provision of a local community driven holistic health service, something that takes patients out of the usual drug/one off referral left to their own devices treatment loop for addiction, depression, anxiety and into a more sustained healing process operating out of a single location.

If you are a practitioner interested and qualified to work in emotional health we want to hear from you. The basic idea is to secure a space in which to create a regular programme of activities such as meditation, music, art, dance, plus Cognitive Behaviour therapy, NLP and intellectual/academic presentations, life coaching for skills such as career and debt/money management, job hunting and relationships etc. For more info on this project, please contact Arul Vettivelu on 0773 4921607

And if you have any questions about, or are interested in helping with any of these projects, please do get in touch. Email greenpeaproject@gmail.com, text/call Mark on 0785 439 0408 or join the group at http://groups.google.co.uk/group/southgatelondon

17th January 2008

Christmas Markets

2008-01-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

Phew. We managed it. After what seemed like months of preparation we promoted a successful street market, transforming the end of Ashfield Parade each Monday in the month of December. Thanks to Elena at TfL, Zoe, Justine & Rhianna at Enfield Council, Mary Rose at the Nightingale Trust Hospice, Paul, Hannah and Charlie at the Enfield Independent, David Burrowes MP, Mehmet & Cem at Icon 3, Andy and Susie (Saxy Andy featured here with Susie Dalrymple, Santa with the maddest look in his eye, please be reassured he is gently smiling underneath cotton beard) Ginger & Rich in Texas, plus local residents & traders extraordinaire Anne & Peter, Ed, Arul, Sinead, Lucie, Georgia, Luca & Ali for everything they did to make it possible.

In spite of highwinds, no-shows, freezing weather and host of other logistical problems we created a cross between a village, mini-festival and temporary utopia with our Christmas street markets, and on Xmas Eve we were blessed with the presence of a good number of locals who came to sing carols along with the Enfield Brass Band and Father Christmas, who gave out sticks for a ceremonial smashing of pinata.

The aim of the street market was to support local artists, grassroots community organisations and other creative traders, while at the same time team building for a regular street market. And, to contribute to the town's overall economic regeneration and creative revenue for other Green Pea projects, some of which you can read about here, but only the less Top Secret ones. You can see lots more pictures of the market at the Flickr photo link to the right.

House of Rising Sun

2007-10-25T04:51:00.000-07:00

An interesting art project we are now undertaking is the building of a series of scale models for a unique community building.

The design is a cone or tipi shaped structure which, when built to full scale could feature trees inside and a DNA double helix staircase up the middle among many other features.

The basic idea is that by building our maquettes with young children to begin with, and then progressing towards a larger version (working also with older children, including young adults as we go) we can begin a process of creative, intercultural community building, through inspiration and the linking of art to individual, and cultural transformation.

Enfield and Southgate MP David Burrowes is supportive of this project and he has kindly us in touch with a local primary school, located in one of the more socially deprived areas in the borough. This seems like an excellent place to start, and the head teacher is keen to develop the project.

Ultimately we aim to finish with some permanent structures, the first one to be built somewhere in the Southgate/New Southgate area. David has also suggested a number of possible plots of land for this.

So, we aim to start the project with the construction of a small model, or maquette at said primary school but we also want to build larger models to a higher standard of engineering, using art and design machinery and perhaps student facilities, while working with older kids as mentors. This process of model building could take between two weeks or three plus months (depending on the school or colleges's needs) with the young people engaging in the process, and with the artists involved, in whatever way the college feels appropriate.

Model building artists colleagues Edmond Beus (Ed) and Arul Vettivelu, plus myself, artist and teacher Ilham Sadellah, Peter Fennel (local architect) are the core team on this.

The design is a bit like the Eden Project in Cornwall. It's about the individual's relationship with society and the natural environment - from consumers to creator-artist-citizen-stewards. It's a cone, or tipi shaped structure, symbolic of indigenous human wisdom, it's transparent at the sides and at full size could feature trees growing inside. It's got three floors, a spiral staircase in the middle (in the shape of human DNA strands), a maypole structure at the top (with a crows nest for good views/meditation or prayer) plus (possibly) a helter skelter waterflume around the sides.

Since initially posting on this and proposing it to various schools and local leaders we've been advised to start with the reclamation of a small piece of land for a community kitchen gardening/eden project. Two potential plots of land, one in New Southgate owned by the Millennium Trust, and one much closer to home on Mayfair Terrace in (old) Southgate, next door to West Grove Primary School have been suggested. Currently the Mayfair Terrace land is used for drug use and as it runs underneath a set of arches it could make a really great garden, involving the both residents and school children in common cause. We are now in the process of contacting the land owner in question to move this forward.

Carnival as Culture

2007-10-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

'A Model for Culture' by Brian Eno
What makes for a great carnival? I've pondered this question, as I've watched, year by year, the Notting Hill Carnival in London expanding to become the world's second largest (after Rio's).

My conclusions: Carnival is good when the number of participants isn't grossly outweighed by the number of spectators. Carnival is good when many of the `spectators' are actually also joining in (dancing and singing along). Carnival is good when the participants exhibit a range of skills from the absolutely minimal to the absolutely astonishing (the first being an invitation not to be intimidated -- "Hey! I could do that!"--and the second an invitation to be amazed). Carnival is good when people of all ages, sexes, races, shapes, sizes, beauties, inclinations, and professions are involved. Carnival is good when there's too much to look at and everything's mixed up and you have to sort it all out for yourself.

Carnival is good when it dignifies and rewards all sorts of abilities-singing, jumping, laughing infectiously, dressing weirdly, writing the hit song of the carnival, wiggling your backside, standing on a soapbox praising Jesus or the local hardware store, frying salt fish over an oil drum in public, inventing symphonic arrangements for steel bands, designing and building fabulously impossible things. Carnival is good when people try to outdo each other, and then applaud with delight those who in turn outdo them. Carnival is good when it gives people an alibi to become someone different.

Carnival is good when it lets people present the best part of themselves, and be, for a little while, as they'd like to be all the time. Carnival is good when it gives people the feeling that they're really lucky to be alive right here and now. Carnival is good when it leaves people with the feeling that life in all its bizarre manifestations is unbeatably lovely and touching and funny and worthwhile.

Now substitute `culture' for `carnival.' There's a vision for the future of culture..

Read about the mother of London's Notting Hill Carnival, which began with the motto
'A people's art is the genesis of their freedom', here:
The Great Claudia Jones
Claudia Jones Biography

With thanks to Massimo for these two links.

Grian's The Gardener

2007-08-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

The chapter is called "From the Love of Trees"

The arrival of the autumn began to announce itself in the garden. The oaks and the maples had slowly begun to strip themselves, dropping a leaf here and there on the green lawn surrounding the pond.

A young couple, who used to visit the solitude of the garden to find calm, went to see the gardener.

'Forgive us for bothering you, gardener, but we consider you to be wise and good and we would like you to give us some advice on the new life my beloved and I are going to begin. Very soon we will join our lives in matrimony, and we would be grateful if you could tell us how we must nurture our love so that in time it doesn't wither.'

'Nobody is wise and good' answered the gardener with a smile. 'Wisdom and goodness are like a hole in the ground; the bigger it is, the emptier you find it. But, as you have asked me for my advice, I will tell you what Life has shown me. Sometimes by hard lessons, and other times with a caress.'

Inviting them to sit down on the grass, he told them: 'Be careful that your love is not like the mistletoe has for the oak, sinking its roots in its trunk to suck its sap and strength. Nor let it be like the love of bramble for the pine shoot, growing and wrapping around it and suffocating it between its spines.
'Rather, aim for a love like that of the trees. Each one embraces the earth with its own roots, and rises up in the morning sun with arms stretched towards the sky, giving thanks for each new dawn.

'Take care to plant your roots at a sufficient distance from each other, in case the branches of one make the other's flee, and it has to twist its trunk and cannot grow towards the clouds.

'Be careful that you keep the correct distance, so that the earth can sufficiently dampen your roots and the wind can clean the dry leaves from the branches. So that you can grow a large and sturdy crown to give shade to travellers and nests for the birds in the sky, and so that when you have grown and scattered your seeds to the wind, the ends of your branches will touch one another in the high reaches, and you can rejoice at the sound of the Dance of Life.'

1st Green Pea Art Class!

2007-06-02T08:20:00.001-07:00

I figured a report was in order..

What a wonderful, but exhausting week. First of all, a huge round of applause to Sinead, Ilham, Lucy, Samantha, Mary Anne, Vanessa, Lisa and Nisrene (who not only helped out brilliantly, but also brought about 6 children with her, some feat) and everyone else that helped. All of you were brilliant. And the art classes went well, too..

20+ children (of all ages) came to both sessions. All appeared to have a good time: making things, dancing around, listening to stories, jumping about, and singing.

On Tuesday the theme was Africa (the day after Africa Day, which commemorates the beginning of the pan-African political project).

That day we made clay pots, masks, and a jungle collage.We also enjoyed some beautiful African music, Vanessa's wicked face painting and the story of Jumping Mouse which though not African, comes from another, native American indigenous culture.

On Friday the theme was seeds and stars, so we made stars & moon mobiles, half a robot (an unfinished masterpiece) pinned ourselves on the cosmos, and made more masks. We planted sunflower seeds to take home along with decorated watering cans (made from recycled plastic milk containers). Then some of us pretended to be seeds, starting inside the earth, then feeling the sun and the rain before growing tall, reaching for the stars (to the obvious S Club 7 soundtrack). Finally we had a little story, sing-song and a party for Peace Stars and Earth Children, during which time the importance of courage (to not quarrel unecessarily) and of patience and kindness were discussed. Readers will be glad to know even the grumpy stars were welcomed to the party.

Once again, a big thanks to everyone, but also to Punto for the free portraits, which the parents really liked. But most especially, to Lisa for the delicious, DELICIOUS home-made fudge!!

housequake

2007-05-27T09:30:00.001-07:00

Did you know that every Sunday, in countless meeting houses throughout England and elsewhere, there takes place a most beautiful meditation, free of all religious dogma? This is an invitation to come and meet, and worship with, the Quakers, or set up your own..

Three hundred and twenty years from their origins, the Quakers (or, to use their 17th century name, The Friends of Truth, or as is now said, simply friends) meet every Sunday, to pray together. Quaker worship in the UK is different from other churches, and also Quakers in the USA. They do not usually sing hymns, or follow a set prayer, but instead all sit together, in silence ~ waiting on God's Presence. This is known in Christian theology as 'parousia.'

Qs seek stillness, but paradoxically 'quake, in the name of the Lord.' Worship is based on silence, is non-hierarchical (everyone is potentially a priest as ministry is welcome, from anyone at any time during the silence.. if you feel moved to speak, you should.. simply follow your instinct) as in, 'when the spirit moves'..

The Qs started through the work of one preaching visionary man, named George Fox, who walked the length and breadth of the country, speaking passionately about all the revelations he had experienced. This was at the time of the English Revolution and all the religious non-conformism that went with that time.

"Quakerism is a way of life, rather than a dogma or creed. It rests on a conviction that by looking into their inmost hearts people can have direct communion with their Creator. This experience cannot be described in words, but Quakers base their whole lives on it."

Even belief in God is not a necessary part of attending worship. At one meeting I recently attended a woman spoke about how she felt that, after reading Richard Dawkins book, "The God Delusion" and in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shooting she felt unsure about how a benevolent God could exist.

Like Buddhists, Sufis and other contemplative traditions, Qs cultivate equanimity, compassion and wisdom through the practice of silence, stillness and an emphasis on God's presence, insight and revelation. Qs believe that God's presence is everywhere, and that it can be felt through Christ who is simply the 'inner light' common to all.

This is a form of communion unlike other contemporary Christian services. But it is probably as close to the original teachings of Jesus as the modern church gets.

Worshippers at Winchmore Hill are truly fortunate. Q meetings are enjoyed in a beautiful, airy, wood panelled room in a solid 18th century meeting house, set in delightful gardens (yes, I am a real estate brochure) full of flowers, an ancient cedar tree and a peaceful burial ground. And there's an art creche for the kids while the grown ups do the meeting. Afterwards everyone takes tea, and sometimes there's singing too!

But it's worth noting that Q history is not just about spirituality, it is also laced with radicalism and political activism. As progressive bourgouise English capitalists in the new, scientific 18th century, they consistently set themselves apart from others, becoming the most influential, successful but also invariably the most just. Qs have been prominent business people, known for their honesty and prosperity but also for their plain-living, mutually supportive ways and social egalitarianism.

Qs were leading activists in the fight to end the slave trade. This is much less well known than it should be, because Q's were then disbarred from political office, so had to campaign outside the system. They helped to spearhead Wilberforce's successful campaign (Wilberforce was Church of England, so was entitled to be an MP). You can read more about the curious Quaker history, here: Quaker History

And also, on the interesting question of the link between George Fox and Gerrard Winstanley (leader of the Diggers), go here

Apart from incorporating the special spiritual nosh-up we call holy communion, a bit of bowing (to Almighty God, the invisible nameless Living One!) and a spot of dancing to put the stillness into worldly context (+ maybe a permaculture, free-food garden..?) there's really only one person missing at Winchmore Hill Meetings, but I don't suppose..

.. SSHe'll come in a hurry !! ;-)

Click here for more general info on Quakerism in the UK

a star studded cast

2007-05-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

A real, human superhero, taking his top secret codename from the stories of Bond, Q (featured below in his alternative form ~ we put the mess in messiah, the heat in your fire) is possibly our most important ally. His business card reads: 'provider of rare services' and he is certainly that, and more.. he's a co-founder of the outstanding groupDown2Earth which supports social and ecological projects worldwide. Might Green Pea and Down2Earth work together in the future? If so, who's M ? Moneypenny? What about Bond? These are important questions and we need answers!

Anyway, to give you an idea of his superhuman abilities, Q (aka Prasanth) is currently making solar panels for the latest instalment of the author, Dan 'Idler' Kieran's latest project. P&Q being one of 3 intrepid members of Dan's brave, and soon-to-be-famous pilgrimage west (ahhh, to the dreamy land of Avalon, I'm coming over all Arthurian just thinking about it) presumably as part of the quest for that Holy Grail of politics, the future vision for our skeptic Isle, Kingdom of Albion! You can catch this project as it unfurls at: 'Three Men in a Float.' :-)

But to go back to the delightful P&Q (pictured here, fuzzily with Dan at D's recent wedding), he is multitalented, at home making (delicious) potato curry, or dressed as Kim Basinger (guys, got a picture?), fixing electric stuff, building stage sets, doing photoshop, VJ-ing or, seamlessly, carrying out professional photographic assignments. Truly a provider of rare services Pras, from Tamil Nadu South India is, quite simply, a lovely lovely person, and genius, all rolled into one.

Anyway, to introduce you to some more of the extended Green Pea gang, here's a picture of Dan's son Wilf sitting proudly behind the wheel of said Milk Float, nicknamed 'The Mighty One' as it awaits Prasanth's transformative work. Wilf will obviously be a key man in the future enlightened civilisation we are now, even as we speak, struggling to make reality (we are all of us on the Majesty's Secret Service..) so it behoves me to introduce him. Billy Bragg's immortal lines come to mind: "I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint"

So, as they embark on their 'Seige Perilous' of Arthurian legend: May the Farce Be With 'Em, with those 3 floaters as they venture West for their media shower.. full of good ideas and another book in the pipeline.

Green Pea Art Class 29th May/1st June

2007-05-17T08:54:00.000-07:00

Fun, friendly art activities for ages 4 - 6 years
Imaginative workshop for children who love making things.

Painting, drawing, clay modelling and collage.
Class also includes music, movement and meditation.

Tue 29th May 11am - 1pm
Fri 1st June 11am - 1pm

The Bourne Methodist Church Luther Hall,
The Bourne, Southgate N14 6RS

£5 for 2 hour session
or £8 for two children/both sessions

Places are limited, so please book in advance

email: greenpeaproject@gmail.com

Green Pea 1st Sunday Expedition

2007-05-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Green Pea took it's very first field trip. Thanks to a red hot tip off from secret agent aka Lucy (ex military-wing, Bohemia, codename Kingdom of 'O') we knew of a possible dream 'community building' building, located tantalisingly close to our lovely MP's local surgery headquarters, Southgate Town Hall which is, bizarrely, 2 miles from Southgate in Palmers Green. No idea why as of yet though.

So, Sinead, Jordan, Eran & Lucy took a trip, dedicatedly in the bucketing rain to see this fabled house, called 'Truro', for ourselves. On arrival we were greeted with a giant, elegant and suitably ramshackle country villa, built alongside the local canal.

It looked vacant. Could this be our new community centre, just waiting for us to liberate it?? We cased the joint, strolling along the delightful canal in the drizzle, stopping only to commit random canoodle, in time honoured fashion at the kissing gate, oblivious in our love for one another to the misery of the weather.

And, to our great excitement, when we peered over the slanted wire fence, and over the overgrown garden, as we wondered whether the security alarms were working or the satellite dish functioning, lo and behold! we spied a distant shadowy figure in the romantic mist, standing by what looked like a plume of smoke coming out of a barrel. Someone was having a fire in the rain! I waved at the figure and gestured somehow (I forget exactly how) as if to say 'can we come in?'

To our enormous and palapable joy, he waved back, signalling for us to come round to the other side, near where we had originally parked the car. Great! I thought, this is it ~ it could only mean one thing, couldn't it? Squatters!

Excitedly, thinking this was our big break ~ we would easily now make friends with these lovely people, and then of course the rest would be history ~ I urged the others to run with me around the building, we were like puppies slipping and sliding with brollies akimbo, rushing to meet our new soon-to-be-best-friends.

Turned out of course that the individuals were, bizarrely, a somewhat well-dressed group of Romanians, paid to live in and look after the property to protect it from, you guessed it, squatters! They worked for some corporate big-wig, waiting for planning permission to do it and carve it up into yuppie flats.

They were having a barbeque for their friends, who arrived just as we were being turned away. In the rain. No room at the inn..

Oh well, keep looking Lucy Lu, & we will find the perfect space in the end. or die laughing trying!

VIP Photo

2007-05-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

+ in the middle one of the group snuck off to the US of A and here's a picture
of him standing on the bridge over Clearwater, FL

come back soon John

:-)

Community Youth Club

2007-05-01T03:08:00.000-07:00

Would you like your child to take part in a unique, community-led Arts Club?

We are working towards a new, inexpensive 8-13s Club at the Alan Pullinger Youth Centre (near Southgate Library) initially every Monday & Tuesday afternoon. The Club is designed to be working parent friendly, so we’ll be safely picking up the young people from school, and sessions at the Centre will run ‘til 6.30pm. Activities planned so far include sports, self-defense, guerrilla-gardening, fine-art, citizenship projects, film-making and much more.

Our experienced facilitators are all CRB-checked, & pricing affordable for all. For more information, and to ensure a place (with reduced fee for early bookings) please contact greenpeaproject@gmail.com, or call Mark on
0208 211 4681 / 0785 439 0408

April 28th Meeting - Cancelled

2007-03-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

This meeting has been cancelled as we've decided to do a newsletter before we go any further. Watch this space!

Upcoming Meetings

2007-03-01T08:41:00.000-08:00

Anchor Meeting's will restart soon, I promise

All welcome

Date of post 30th April 2009