Renaissance Education – the local teacher agency for South London
Young Street leaders!
YOUNG ENVIRONMENTAL enthusiast from St John’s Primary in Walworth and Grange Road Primary in Bermondsey were among the first schools to sign up to Southwark council’s junior street leaders scheme.
Launched in May 2004 on the back of the council’s adult street leader scheme, the junior version aims to help 6 to 16-year-olds take action on the environmental problems that they come across in their neighbourhoods.
Young participants are given disposable cameras and asked to identify ‘enviro-crimes’ like flytipping, graffiti or litter. They are then encouraged to report these to the council via the 24 hour Environment call centre number and examine the results once the council have sent a team out to clear up. (Southwark News 5/8/2004)
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School has late night bid vetoed
WALWORTH RESIDENTS breathed a sigh of relief this week as council planning officers rejected a bid for permission for a school hall to hold parties running into the early hours of the morning.
Mina Road residents submitted a 70 strong petition against Walworth School’s application for permission to hold social functions until 4am.
I’m so pleased with the council’s decision,“ said petition organiser Ray Cray who says that the street and surrounding area has previously been heavily affected by one off events.
But the school head teacher, Liz Hanham, said that the school has no intention of holding late night parties, rather they wanted to open the hall up for churches to use on Sundays.
“Many schools augment their income through lettings,” said Ms Hanham. “We have no intention of holding loud parties, but we have had a number of local churches interested in using the school.”
Rat Cray found this hard to believe. “If they didn’t want evening events then why apply for a 4am licence?” he asked.
Many of Mr Cray’s neighbours were concerned at the prospect of the hall used for night events as they have already been kept awake by the occasional events the hall has hosted. Bob Lowrie said that he had been disturbed by a recent wedding. “I could hear all the music pouring from the hall and then the car doors slamming as people left,” he said. “You could really smell the exhaust fumes rising up and so I had to close the windows which you don’t want to do when you are sleeping.”
Residents told the council they feared revellers leaving the school could damage their property whilst the extra cars would squeeze them out of their parking spaces.
Ms Hanham now says that the school will consider submitting a new application, having consulted more fully with local residents and which makes clear the application is for day-time use. (Southwark News 5/8/2004)
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