Chair's Report 2007-2008


The Newington Green Action Group 

CHAIR'S REPORT to Annual General Meeting, 18 June 2008
 
2008 is a very special year for Newington Green.  Our Cromwellian Grade 1 listed historic houses at 52-55 Newington Green, said to be the oldest terrace of houses in England, are 350 years old;  the Church – the oldest Dissenters church in London - is celebrating “300 Years of Dissent”, and it is 250 years since the extraordinary man, Dr Richard Price arrived here. He was Minister to the church for 20 years and lived in one of the historic houses at No. 54.
 
As part of these celebrations, Heritage Lottery Funding was obtained to run a “Historic Newington Green” project for young people, through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. Managed by Mildmay Community Partnership, it now has two members of staff in place and results should be evident soon.   It will culminate in an exhibition of their work.   Also, the NewingtonGreenUnitarianChurch have a wonderful programme of events in their tercentenary year.
 
Newington Green Action Group’s celebration for this important year, is to publish a book.   It has the very modest title of “The Village that Changed the World. A History of Newington Green N16” and is by Alex Allardyce, a member of our Committee.    Much of our energy in 2007/8 has been put towards its publication, culminating with its launch today.
 
After our last AGM, Saturday 9 June, saw us holding the Open Garden Squares Weekend and undertaking a public tour of Newington Green. Our Greenspace Park Ranger, Chris Ingram, ran a very successful plant stall and we had great music from Ilana Cravitz and her Klezmer band.
 
We registered our new website www.newingtongreen.org.uk.   It has taken us a long time, but this year has seen the website coming together.   It is still in its infancy but is already proving productive.  
 
Still in June, we attended Islington’s Licencing Committee regarding Tesco in Green Lanes and made representations for a reduction in the hours for the sale of alcohol.   Originally proposed from 6 in the morning, this did not conform to their permitted later opening hours.   We achieved our objective.
 
And with the support of the Georgian Group, we expressed concern to Islington Planners about an application for 47 Newington Green - locally listed Grade A - following unauthorized building works particularly in relation to the roof. No. 47, along with No. 46, forms a pair of early 18th Century houses, once part of a group of four (although in their present state this is hard to see).   We believe that the buildings contain an older core and were one of the few remaining houses from the period when Newington Green played a notable part in the European Enlightenment.   It also forms a significant role in the Newington Green Conservation Area and as a setting for the listed historic terrace.  We would like to see both these building nationally listed.   We urged that the original height of the roofline and valley construction be reinstated and that the Council enforce materials in sympathy with the building’s character.   We will continue to press the Council to carry out the enforcement.

In July, That Place on the Corner opened and has been going from strength to strength, serving well sourced food and excellent coffee to parents and their children.

We attended the Mildmay Crime Panel, and then held our Jazz on the Green and picnic on Sunday 15 July between 12.30 and 3.30pm.   Orlando Gibbons and his band again played for us.    We were very pleased with the numbers attending, and, despite a short sharp rainfall towards the end, the band played on and those picnicing stayed.

Then much to our delight, we heard that the Green had been awarded not only the 2007 Green Flag but also the Historic Site Award, and on 26 July we went to Leeds with Greenspace for the presentation.  The ultimate test of whether a site should receive such status depends on how well its heritage value has been conserved or enhanced, and how much people understand and enjoy its historic character, appearance and features. Our book, then in draft form, was an important factor in this award, and we are the first site in Islington to win it, and one of only 31 in the country.
 
The same month we were again in discussion with Planning over various issues relating to the proposed new Tesco store – storage of trolleys, deliveries – particularly since a condition of approval was that “all servicing shall be from the designated service area (at the rear). You will be aware that servicing takes place from the road.
 
In August, we objected to the huge (and no doubt profitable) illuminated sign that had appeared on the side of Newington Green Mansions next to Tesco in Green Lanes.    Tesco had conformed to planning requirements in the Conservation Area by not putting up an internally illuminated sign.   This new sign concerns us, and we will continue to press the Council to follow its own recommendations for its removal.

We attended Mildmay Festival Committee to discuss events on the Green and we ran a stall at the International Festival there.

In September we started on the design for our seasonal card, and invited a member of Mildmay Community Partnership to our committee meeting to tell us about their proposed “Introduction of Neighbourhood Management for Mildmay”.  

We carried out a survey of birds on the Green (50 pigeons and 1 blackbird).   We now have a bird feeder on the north-east corner in an endeavor to attract more birds to the Green and this is having a small result. (I robin, I blue tit).   The feeding of pigeons is a real problem as it discourages other birds from coming into the Green and it is causing serious problems with the fouling of pavements and buildings.   There is now a huge population of thse birds and we are thinking of ways of dealing with this, including flying birds of prey.  

Another meeting of the Safer Streets Steering Group, and on 15 September Anna Birch held her successful event on a sunny evening on the Green showing a film of her earlier “Wollstonecraft Live” production in which the community had participated.

In October we attended a General Meeting of Mildmay Community Partnership, met with Mildmay Festival Committee, and attended the local Police Steering Group. On Saturday 6 October, with Islington’s Greenspace, we held a flag raising ceremony for the Green Flag and Historic Site Awards, attended by the Mayor, and the end of the month saw us carrying out the final edit of our book. Disappointingly, we heard that our application for a blue plaque from English Heritage for 54 Newington Green, due this celebratory year, was going to take a further 2 years.

On 28 November we held a well attended Get-Together in the Mildmay Club for Friends and the local community, and sold a new Christmas Card designed for us by Alex Allardyce.   We heard that the North London Line “The London Overground” would be operated from 11 November by Transport for London.   There will be various closures on the line over three years commencing December 2007 for completion in June 2010.  Canonbury Station is already looking better.

In December 2007 the lights magically appeared again in the trees on the Green and the Winter Festival took place on 1 December, where we ran a stall. 

We said our goodbyes to Sergeant Graham Cushway who had done such stirling work with Mildmay Safer Neighbourhood Team (the first Neighbourhood Team in Islington and the direct result of our work to reduce crime in the area).

On the 19 December we attended, along with various department heads, a Customer Journeys event at IslingtonTown Hall through our work with Eyes for Islington. We had carried out a photographic survey of Newington Green, highlighting its highs and lows, and this was an opportunity for members from the borough to come together to review the results.   The issues it highlighted are being reviewed by the Council.
 
December also saw the departure of the head of Islington’s Conservation Department and strong supporter of Newington Green Action Group’s work.   His replacement has just been appointed, and we look forward to rebuilding links with the department. It would, for example, be interesting to consider reintroducing the HERS (Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme), which provides funding for the repair of building frontages around the Green’s Conservation Area.
 
January 2008 saw us submitting an application to the Big Lottery Fund “Breathing Places” scheme.   Launched in 2006, the programme is dedicated to small grants from the Big Lottery Fund working in partnership with the BBC.   We applied for the full grant, which if awarded would enable us to provide animal habitats, erect bird, bat & insect boxes on the Green, provide binoculars and reference books for community use and, importantly, plant and maintain 20 trees to help create safe corridors for birds travelling into the Newington Green area. If awarded, this could link in well with the second phase of planting this autumn.

The New Year saw Andy Pakula, the Unitarian Minister being co-opted onto our Committee.   Andy, who came to Newington Green for one year, has extended his contract for a further two years and has moved into Islington.   There must be something about Newington Green that makes its Ministers stay!

We welcomed the arrival of Mother Earth in Newington Green Road at what was formerly Two Figs.   They have this month opened up the back garden as a café and it is looking great. They are also now selling fresh organic vegetables and Neal’s Yard breads.
 
We commented on the Edinburgh Cellars Public House plans for the extension of hours and external seating and awnings. No sooner did we get rid of noisy people standing drinking outside pubs with the new Licencing Act, than smoking was banned, and we found ourselves back in the same situation, although now there are much stricter conditions about noise and the means of dealing with it.    

We received a letter from an ex-resident who asked for information about a boxing club above a pub which he and a friend had joined around 1944.   We were of course able to tell him that it was the Edinburgh Cellars and he has since kindly sent us more information, photo and poster details.     We asked you to support The Nobody Inn’s request for unwanted books.   If you have some good reads you no longer need, just drop them in to Margaret.

In February 2008 we asked Greenspace to investigate the replacement of missing plants on the southern end of the Green, and discussed the deferment of the second phase of planting at the northern end, which had originally been planned for this Spring.   Taking into account the result of the planting in Phase 1, it was felt that the plants would have a better chance to establish themselves if planted in the autumn, and this has now been agreed.   This second planting scheme is environmentally friendly and aims to provide shelter for birds and insects, food, and attract pollinators.   Greenspace are anxious to provide a path in between the planting – something that we have expressed concern about.

Both the Newington Green Unitarians and ourselves will be planting trees to commemorate 2008 – and we have chosen two different varieties of crabapple, known to have existed 300 years ago, which will not only give us blossom in the spring, but colourful berries for birds and insects and good leaf colour in autumn.  

March 2008 saw Orlando Jopling attending our committee meeting to tell us about his campaign against plastic bags and his hope to make Newington Green plastic bag free. He launches it in July at our Jazz on the Green event, and will be telling you about it this evening and rallying your support.   We consider it to be a very worthwhile cause.  

We purchased an original document as part of our collection of archive material. Known as “Particulars 1794” it relates to the land on the north-west corner of the Green with Matthias Road.   We are always looking for new historical documentation, photographs, memorabilia, to add to our archive collection.
 
We welcomed the appointment of Sergeant John MacAninch to the Mildmay Safer Neighbourhood Team, replacing Graham Cushway.   The Team is here at the AGM if you wish to talk to them. Their newsletter, with their new contact details, is available from our desk.
 
Greenspace organized an “Eggstravaanza” on the Green on 24 March in celebration of Easter and we read stories to the children, and we walked around the Green with Council representatives to discuss our concerns over uneven paving causing puddling, unfinished works, loose litter bins and street furniture generally.  
 
Since our year end in April, we welcomed Relish Deli to the Green - now going from strength to strength and opening towards the end of each week for delicious dinners as well as their lunches.

We commented on the proposed new Dog Control Orders which at a stroke will remove the need to keep dogs on a lead whilst on the Green.    Bearing in mind the amount of money the Council has spent on planting and the new scheme coming in this autumn, we felt this to be an unwise move, particularly as the Green is well attended by small children and bull terrier type dogs – not a good mix in the hands of young irresponsible dog owners.   The Police Steering Group has also raised objections, and we await the outcome.

In the same month we became active with the Islington Environmental Group.
 
This May 2008, the Heritage Site plaque was installed at last on the park building facing the historic houses and adjacent to the park kiosk.   It’s small, but perfectly formed.   We also talked to Greenspace about having a community notice board for the Green which could be used to advertise the Green’s events.

June has seen the renovation works to the frontage of the China Inland Mission site and the planting of one tree, despite Planning’s requirement for two to be planted symmetrically, which we feel would have been more attractive, replacing the conservation trees that were removed.    Relish Deli tells us that the installation of awning over their proposed outdoor tables and chairs makes this impossible.   We wonder whether a better solution could be found.  We hear that the left-hand unit outside the China Inland Mission is under offer and likely to be a children’s clothing and toy shop - a welcome addition to the Green.     Gingerlily has opened a great flower shop in what was Coles the butchers. Now all we need is a book shop, gift shop, cycle shop and butcher.

The future - this coming week-end sees the Newington Green Unitarian Church’s Tercentenary Commemorative Service on Saturday at 2.30pm when the congregation celebrates 300 years of the building on Newington Green.   We hope that friends and neighbours will join in and come along.   We have been liaising with the Newington Green Unitarians in this celebratory year, and they have produced an excellent programme of events on and around the Green. It includes a variety of music, singing - they have started a choir which meets regularly - and lectures.   Of particular note is the Richard Price Memorial Lecture given by the BBC’s Evan Davis in November.

We are holding our Jazz on the Green event on Sunday 13 July, 12.30 to 3.30pm with a new jazz band this year – the Brass Volcanoes.   We were recommended to them and went and heard them playing in Covent Garden, and then discovered that the organizer here on the Green.   A delightful co-incidence. Come and celebrate 2008 with us and bring a picnic. It will be a special day, and the Unitarians are joining us there for their picnic to celebrate 300 Years of Dissent.

On September 20 and 21st there will be guided tours of Newington Green Unitarian Church as part of Open House London 2008, and in the evening of the 20th two special events will take place in the Church. Details are in their programme.

Islington’s Nature Conservation Team would like Islington residents who have gardens to fill a short easy questionnaire about their gardens, the plants and the wildlife that they might see there.   You don’t have to be a budding naturalist and anyone with a garden, backyard or balcony can complete the survey.   This information is going to be linked to Islington’s Biodiversity Action Plan and will help the team assess which species need help and how they might advise people who have gardens. It has to be submitted by 8 August 2008 and their leaflet is on our desk.   We understand that Hackney has appointed an officer from September 2008 who will be focusing on environmental issues and creating a biodiversity action plan for the borough.

There is a public lecture on Newington Green’s poet, Anna Barbauld, by Dr Emma Mason of the University of Warwick at 8pm Sunday 29 June in St Mary Stoke Newington Old Church, Church Street titled “Anna Barbauld: Faith, Politics and Stoke Newington. 

Our fourth postcard, which includes the Mildmay Club and the north-east corner of the Green, is now ready for publication and we will probably produce it towards the end of the year.   Our other postcards continue to sell well.

In December, we are planning to link in with the Chapel and local primary schools and have Carols on the Green on the evening of 17 December to close what we hope will be a memorable 2008.

Finally, we have this past week heard that our application to the Big Lottery Fund’s Breathing Places project has been successful.  We now have some funds to help make Newington Green a more environmentally friendly place with new tree corridors and wildlife habitats.   And with Greenspace’s new planting in the autumn we hope kick-start the Green, and help a whole new generation of all kinds of people to find pleasure in coming face to face with nature on a daily basis. 

Nicky Southin                                                                                                    June 2008
Chair
Newington Green Action Group