Hi there, this blog has been quiet for some time - but I am hoping to post a bit more regularly.  Sustainable Haringey is thriving in its various groups and networks...

In 2015 Growing in Haringey held a seed swap at Tottenham Chances on 22 February this year....

and once again Transition Crouch End organised a really successful Alternative Clothes Show at Hornsey Vale Community Centre on 14th March.  Muswell Hill also repeated its Open Homes weekend on energy efficiency and home retrofit (21st Century Homes http://muswellhill.greenopenhomes.net/) on 21st March.

So, we in summer 2015.  No Green Fair this year - Haringey Council has less money to devote to environmental issues than ever.  Their initiative to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 has lost momentum.  I guess it's up to us! Haringey Friends of Parks is setting the pace http://haringeyfriendsofparks.org.uk/ with new groups in Tottenham Cemetery and Wolves Lane.

The Eco-hub in Lordship Rec is thriving https://lordshiphub.org.uk/ 

Remember gardening is the new way to keep calm, keep fit and fight off the blues......see you soon....

Pamela  pjharling@hotmail.com

Sustainable Haringey Oktoberfest 2014!

After the fabulous success of last year's Haringey Sustainable Oktoberfest, we are going to do it again this year. It is a beer festival to share and sample local, home-produced beer and other drinks. There will be a band or two, and hopefully some dancing.

It will be held at 7pm on 12th October, at Hornsey Vale Community Centre (60 Mayfield Rd., London, N8 9LP).

The idea is once again for as many people as possible to brew something for the event, then bring a sample along for other people to try. If you don't fancy brewing (but you should – it's easy) then bring along some vegetarian finger-food to share.

It takes about a month to make nice beer, and the event is in mid-October, so start your brew by the middle of September.

Just bring the drink that you have made to the Community Centre at 7pm. Whether you are a producer or just coming along to taste and learn, bring a drinking cup; no-one will bring disposable cups to the event, on pain of instant expulsion.

If you have never made any beer before, don't worry. It is really easy to make quite decent beer without any experience and without much equipment or expenditure. You can buy a starter kit to make 10 or 25 litres from a number of different suppliers, and typically this comes with absolutely everything you need. My favourite suppliers are LoveBrewing and The Hop Shop, who do online ordering but are also really helpful on the phone.

If you are feeling more adventurous you can make some nice beer without buying a kit. There are lots of recipes online – start here. I also make some nice mildly alcoholic ginger beer, which is easier than falling off a log, and I've also made kvass, a mildly fermented bread-based drink. Or make some cider with the fantastic crop of apples we have this year. As long as you make sure that all of your preparation bottles etc. are properly cleaned with a weak solution of bleach, and you take care to release pressure when necessary to prevent the bottles bursting, you can't fail. And Wilkinsons in Wood Green sell basic home brew kits.

If you are thinking of coming please let me know via jezza@jeremygreen.net – I'd like to plan around the right sort of numbers.

The Sustainable Oktoberfest - a report

It went rather well, if we say so ourselves. Lots of people turned up, and several brought some really remarkable locally produced drinks. There was a wonderful bay and mint pale ale, some fabulous strawberry wine that tasted like fino sherry, sloe gin and two kinds of alcoholic ginger beer - one decidedly more dangerous than the other at 8% alcohol.

There was a  brilliant oompah band - see this amateurish and inadequate video, or this one, for some idea as to how good they were. If you have any pictures of the event please send them in or add them here if you can.

Thanks to the band, and to Hornsey Vale Community Centre, and to all those who brought drinks but also food. Exactly what sustainable community ought to be like, right?

All in all a rousing success, and to be repeated next year and every year. Lots of people claimed that they were inspired to re-start home brewing and wine-making again, and some locals heard about the network for the first time.

Crop Drop new veg box scheme in Haringey

Dear Sustainable Haringey - please spread the word.  Crop Drop is setting up a new veg box scheme in Haringey - see their website to get all the info.  Some of the stuff will be from very local producers (eg Food from the Sky)  (so food miles almost zero!)

Here are the current drop points:

• The Selby Trust - White Hart Lane, N17 8JL
• Blight Coffee - Finsbury Park, N4 2JF
• Hornsey Vale Community Centre - Crouch End, N8 9LP
• The Big Green Bookshop - Wood Green, N22 6BG

Website is http://cropdrop.veg-box.org.  Please support this community venture.  Pamela

Apple Day at Hornsey Vale 19th October 2013

Come and join the apple fun again this year with Transition Crouch End in Hornsey Vale Community Centre, Mayfield Road N8 9LP Saturday 19 October 2-5pm.

Sustainable Oktoberfest - Festival of Home Brewing on 13th October at Hornsey Vale Community Centre - 4pm

This year will see the first ever Haringey Sustainable Oktoberfest – a beer festival for local home brewers, to share and sample each other's produce. We hope to have an authentic local oompah band and some snacks too. There will be beer bloggers, expert judges and fermentation geeks present to offer advice, comment, and kibbitzing.

The idea is for as many people as possible to brew something for the event, then bring a sample along for other people to try. It takes about a month to make nice beer, and the event is in mid-October (13th October in Hornsey Vale Community Centre (60 Mayfield Rd., London, N8 9LP) starting at 4pm. So it's time to start thinking and preparing now!

Just bring the drink that you have made to the Community Centre at 4pm. Whether you are a producer or just coming along to taste and learn, bring a drinking cup; no-one will bring disposable cups to the event, on pain of instant expulsion.

If you have never made any beer before, don't worry. It is really easy to make quite decent beer without any experience and without much equipment or expenditure. You can buy a starter kit to make 10 or 25 litres from a number of different suppliers, and typically this comes with absolutely everything you need. My favourite suppliers are LoveBrewing and The Hop Shop, who do online ordering but are also really helpful on the phone.

If you are feeling more adventurous you can make some nice beer without buying a kit. There are lots of recipes online – start here. I also make some nice mildly alcoholic ginger beer, which is easier than falling off a log, and I've also made kvass, a mildly fermented bread-based drink. Or make some cider with the fantastic crop of apples we have this year. As long as you make sure that all of your preparation bottles etc. are properly cleaned with a weak solution of bleach, and you take care to release pressure when necessary to prevent the bottles bursting, you can't fail. And Wilkinsons in Wood Green sell basic home brew kits.

If you are thinking of coming please let me know via jezza@jeremygreen.net – I'd like to plan around the right sort of numbers.

The event is co-located with the Sustainable Haringey Network Autumn Gathering, so there will be a chance to hear about all the other great projects and activities going on within the network.

Our Tottenham Planning & Regeneration for the Community

Our TottenhamPlanning & Regeneration for the CommunityConference on Saturday April 6th 2013North London Community House, Moorefield Road, N17 


Joint organising meeting to help plan the conference togetherWednesday 13th February7pm at the North London Community House, 22 Moorefield Rd, N17
c/o ourtottenham@gmail.com     http://ourtottenham.wordpress.com #OurTottenham 


Organised by the Our Tottenham networkSupported by (so far): Weir Hall Action Group / Bull Lane Playing Fields Campaign, Wards Corner Community Coalition, Lord Morrison Hall / Afro International, Selby Centre, Find Your Voice, Living Under One Sun, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Chestnuts Community Centre, Defend Haringey Health Services, Peoples World Carnival Band, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey Housing Action Group, Haringey Solidarity Group, Friends of Lordship Rec, Day-Mer
 The groups above are planning a conference to bring together the key local community groups and campaigns in Tottenham who are affected by the Council’s ‘Plan for Tottenham’ and other planning and regeneration issues.  The idea is to work together and fight for our common interests, our neighbourhoods, our community facilities and for the needs our communities throughout Tottenham.

     ***     ***     ***     ***     ***     ***

‘Our Tottenham’ Conference Organising Meeting - Minutes, 30th January 2013Present:  15 reps and members of the following organisations: Wards Corner Community Coalition,  Lord Morrison Hall, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Defend Haringey Health Services, Peoples World Carnival Band, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Haringey Housing Action Group, Haringey Private Tenants Group, Haringey Solidarity Group, Friends of Lordship Rec, Haringey Green Party, Sustainable Haringey   Apologies: A number of people sent apologies.

Minutes of last meeting, 16th Jan:  
41 people had attended. Reports from the key campaigns. Preparations for the conference underway. Minutes agreed to be accurate.

Conference details 
Sub-group:  As agreed at the last meeting, a conference planning sub-group meeting had been arranged (open to all) for Wed 23 Jan at Lord Morrison Hall. 5 people met up to draft an agenda for the conference and to discuss various practicalities. These had since been minuted and circulated and formed the basis of the discussion at this meeting.   
Venue:  LMH not available Sat 9th March. Selby offered Sun 10th or Sun 17th March. NLCH offered Sun 10th March or Sat April 6th. We agreed to go for the only Saturday available, April 6 @ NLCH. We will need to make financial contribution (to be raised). 

Basic aims and outcomes: 
These have already been circulated, and have been the basis for support for the conference:

*  Bring together local activists and campaign groups concerned about planning issues in Tottenham
*  Discuss some of the major unsuitable aspects of current local development plans 
*  Aid better understanding of the 'Plan for Tottenham' and local development generally
*  Share experiences of successful local campaigns and community-led regeneration
*  Support and initiate new campaign groups for local areas, facilities and around development plans
*  Show support for and/or help initiate new resident and community-led development plans
*  Offer a clear and viable alternative for resident-led decision-making, regeneration and development in Tottenham
*  Formation of an ongoing Tottenham community planning and regeneration action network

Proposed Agenda & Timings:10am: Registration / get info packs, check out stalls, wall displays and maps. Networking10.30am: Welcome and introduction. Brief presentations from the key affected groups/campaigns. Summary/thoughts.
11.15am. First workshop / 'breakout' session
Each workshop to discuss the campaigns and issues, and standing up for ourselves [with 3 or 4 key Qs each to focus on]
12.noon: Lunch ----------------1pm: Back together. Then second workshop / 'breakout' session - split into 8 Action Workshops 
Each workshop to discuss a specific key issue, to share experiences and how to take action together [See below]
2.15pm: Brief report-backs [eg 3 bullet points for action] from each workshop of the previous session
3pm: Final plenary to discuss community-led regeneration Charter, proposed demonstration, follow-up meeting etc
3.45pm: Final remarks and any announcements
4pm. End / clear up together  The second session of workshops: To cover various key issues, to be introduced by relevant experienced local activists [who hopefully can produce a briefing sheet for their workshop], aiming to promote awareness, solidarity and action. Discussion to be minuted. Each workshop to be asked to report back to the final plenary eg one demand to add to the Charter, and 2 or 3 key specific points for action.  Some proposed themes: 

1. COMMUNITY FACILITIES: Defending local community centres and other facilities under threat   
2. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT: Standing up for local people's housing needs generally, plus in new developments  
3. SMALL BUSINESSES: Defending small, family businesses  
4. LEGAL CHALLENGES: How to fight and win legal challenges to various unwanted developments and 'The Plan for Tottenham' as a whole   
5. COMMUNITY PLANS: Developing our own community plans for specific sites/areas/neighbourhoods (and for Tottenham as a whole?)
6. YOUTH VOICES, SERVICES AND FACILITIES: How to defend our youth & expand the services/facilities they need? 
7. QUALITY DESIGN AND HERITAGE: promoting quality design, respect for conservation/heritage and for Tottenham’s positive characteristics
8. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT: How to ensure effective consultation, community engagement and empowerment, with local people driving all the decision-making in Tottenham

Food: To be discussed - NLCH has a cafe. How do we ask people to pay for this? Discuss next meeting.   

Conference Documentation:  Need a welcome / agenda pack for participants as they arrive. All the key groups/campaigns doing presentations in the first plenary to write up their struggle/issues (up to one side A4 each) for a Digest. Catherine has offered to do a summary of some of the key positive conclusions from post-riot and recent Reports re Tottenham. All presenters in the second workshop session to produce a briefing sheet. A final report to be prepared afterwards. Dave and Jay offered to coordinate conference documentation generally.   

Pre-conference Statement:  It was agreed we needed an Our Tottenham statement about planning, development and regeneration in Tottenham and why the conference is needed. The draft below was circulated at the last 2 meetings and will be discussed/finalised at the next one.   

An 'Our Tottenham' Charter:  We can draw up a loose, draft 'Charter' based on the agreed aims/outcomes, plus anything extra agreed by the conference.    

Demonstration: The meeting agreed to put a proposal to the conference for an 'Our Tottenham' demonstration one Saturday or Sunday in May along Tottenham High Rd - past key development/regeneration sites eg Wards Corner to Spurs ground. For residents to come and show their feelings and solidarity with each other.  Could assemble 12 noon. Leave 1pm. With 11am assembly points/feeder marches beforehand from key sites (eg threatened community centres, St Ann’s Hospital etc) to the Seven Sisters start point.   

Follow up meeting:  To be arranged for just afterwards to take forward the decisions from the conference.   

Leaflets and publicity: Mital reported that the publicity sub-group from the last meeting (which anyone can join) has begun to draft and design a leaflet. There was some discussion about the design. More news to follow... Sub-group may also suggest how to improve publicity via social media, posters, website, press etc.   

Conference finances: We will need substantial funds for the venue and the pre-publicity etc. Sally from the People’s World Carnival Band is our treasurer. We will draft up an appeal for funds and ask each supporting group to donate at least £10-20 each. 

OT Communications: Michelle to set up 2 elists, one for Coordination and one for News (general info/updates). We will add the relevant contacts to those lists. We also have a basic webpage - see top of page.   Everyone is encouraged to spread the word via social media. David is setting up a twitter account: #ourtottenham  

Campaigns/groups update:     
Lord Morrison Hall:    Community Centre in Scales Road trying to negotiate a new lease as their lease runs out 13 Feb. The group have sent a legal letter to the council who have been refusing to respond to correspondence. No acknowledgement from letters sent yet. All present agreed to back them.    
Love Lane Estate:    45 people attended a Haringey Defend Council Housing meeting on the estate on 29 Jan. Residents’ opposition to Council proposals to demolish some of the Council houses between White Hart Lane Station and the new Spurs stadium to provide a ‘Wembley style’ walkway. Action Group forming.
Community centres campaign?   It was suggested that all the community-run Community Centres throughout Haringey get together to support each other now that the Council is threatening some of them with closure or new management. We agreed to support any such campaign.

AOB:  
Decent Housing For All  We noted the coming public meeting event on Sat March 16, Wood Green Library, 2pm.
Collection for room hire:  We collected £15 from attendees of the meeting which was handed over for the hire of the room at NLCH.  
Next organising meeting: 7pm, Wed 13 February, North London Community House 
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