Rewilding is spreading throughout the land

Rewilding seems to be the subject of the moment. A rewilding themed garden won a top gold prize at the recent Chelsea Flower Show. Then, there is the Mayor of London's plan to rewild the capital. This initiative focuses on eight core areas around London, including Hainault Forest and Rainham Marshes. There are also smaller projects, such as pocket parks and new nature reserves. There is also the role of individuals bringing rewilding into their gardens and places of work. It is an exciting initiative that draws on other major rewilding projects, such as the Knepp estate in Sussex. The idea is to let nature reclaim it's natural state, rather than be pushed into false constructs at the behest of human kind. The government has committed to 30% of land being given over to nature by 2030. Some though have raised concerns about food production, the need to feed ourselves with locally produced produce. James Rebanks is someone who has really taken on this challenge, seeking on his hill farm in Cumbria, to increase biodiversity whilst farming in the most sustainable way. Jame's outlines his journey in his fascinating book English Pastoral - an inheritance. Well worth a read. The owners of the Knepp estate are now trying to do a similar thing with a new farming development. This is clearly the right direction in of travel. In our own area, there have been efforts to rewild, with the Growzones developed in Redbridge. Among these are parts of George and Christchurch Greens plus Roding Valley Park at the end of Elmcroft Avenue. There are plans to extend these wild areas out further across the borough, as part of the Green Urban Landscape plan. The need to develop the green corridors of connectivity has to be central to this development. Epping Forest have also embraced rewilding with the introduction of the Longhorn cattle to parts of Wanstead Park, as well as developing wetlands. The work of Thames 21 on the River Riding fits into the rewilding jigsaw. The growing movement that is no mow May also fits into the ethos of rewilding. It has been great to see the wild flowers and grasses looking resplendent along the road sides and rivers. It is possible to go no mow for May in our own gardens. I have done so for the last few years. It is fascinating to see the insect life develop, when you just leave the grass alone. The role of everyone as mini- rewilders is important as part of the overall effort to improve biodiversity. Allotment sites can also adopt the principles of rewilding. This brings together food production and improvement of biodiversity in a smaller way to the farms mentioned earlier but the principle is the same. The allotment sites also contribute significantly to the development of green corridors. So there is much going on internationally, nationally and locally to extend rewilding. Long may it continue. The future has to see humankind operating much more in accordance with rather than against nature. Then everyone will be able to enjoy a more sustainable future.

Government needs to provide long term funding to sustain TFL

The time has surely come for the government to stop playing silly games with the funding of Transport For London (TFL) and put it on a secure footing. The latest short term funding deal finishes at the end of the month. A decent deal that provides long term security, without imposing cuts and fare rises is needed urgently. The fortunes of TFL were turned on its head, as a result of the Covid pandemic. Suddenly, a transport system that moved millions of people around everyday saw passenger number practically disappear overnight. The initial reduction, saw more than 90% stop travelling on the public transport system. People were told in the early stages to avoid public transport for fear of getting Covid. The virus took a terrible toll on bus drivers, with a number dying. How quickly we seem to forget the sacrifices made by those heroic people. Today, the government seem to be using Covid's legacy to settle old political scores with the Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan. Up to the pandemic, TFL was going from strength to strength. Services were expanded, with fares frozen for four years. The Mayor's transport policy which seeks to get 80% of people travelling by cycle, foot or public transport by 2041 was progressing well. TFL was the vehicle for funding many active travel projects across the capital. The cycle network expanded, as a result. A real modal shift has been taking place in the way people get around. But the government saw it's opportunity to exact political revenge. The lack of passengers during the pandemic brought TFL financially to its knees. It had to look to government for funding to keep going. This has been slowly forthcoming with strings attached. The government has insisted on fare increases and cuts to services in exchange for financial support. The cuts have serious implications for the active travel agenda, with local authorities now restricted by the lack of funds available from TFL for the schemes. It would be good to see the funds raised from the Ultra Low Emissions Zone being reinvested in the active travel schemes The assault has claimed TFL to be badly run, which is why it is in such a poor financial state. No mention of the pandemic. The sacrifice of so many bus and Tube workers is forgotten. The financial pressures are seeing vacancies not being filled, so increasing the pressure on those doing the daily work on the buses and railways. The government's pressure for cuts is what is causing the strikes. What is needed is for the government to stop playing political games and provide a proper long term financial deal to support TFL back to recovery. A struggling TFL has implications across the country, with jobs right across the UK dependent on the network. The supply of new trains, ongoing servicing of infrastructure and vehicles provides work across the country. Unsurprisingly, TFL has a long supply chain. TFL has for a long time represented the best of Britain in providing a sustainable transport network, from the Elizabeth Line to the active travel orientated cycle networks. This all despite receiving far less in public subsidy than the transport systems of most Western capitals (TFL has to find 72% of its operating costs from fare income, compared to 38% for operators in Paris and New York). If the government is serious about levelling up, it needs to sustain TFL, whilst seeking to bring the rest of the country up to its standards. The answer is not to drag everything down to the lowest common denominator. So, the time has come for transport secretary Grant Shapps and former London Mayor Boris Johnson to step up and provide the long term funding that TFL requires.

More voices need to call for peace in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has been raging now for almost four months causing untold harm. Thousands have died even more have lost their homes becoming refugees in their own land. The response of governments across the globe to the suffering has been to support Ukraine via sending weaponry and imposing sanctions on Russia. People have opened their homes to take in the refugees. In many ways the response has been magnificent but where are the voices calling for peace? Where is the peace movement? During all recent wars the voices calling for peace have been ever present. At the time of the Iraq War, millions came onto the streets to protest. There has always been protest against war But in the case of Ukraine these voices have been more muted. They seem to have been drowned out by those seeking to send ever more arms to the region. Ofcourse, many would argue that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not listen. The only thing he understands is force. The Ukrainians need military support, if they are to succeed in the present circumstances. But the voices calling for peace need to be heard as well. The peace movement has played a vital role over the years in stopping conflict and reducing militarisation. The news of the death of the stalwart anti-nuclear and peace campaigner Bruce Kent is a timely reminder of the need for the peace movement to be heard. Bruce was always in the forefront, articulating the arguments against bloody wars. He was an important voice calling for the removal of missiles from Greenham Common back in the 1980s. The protests of the women at Greenham Common helped lead to the removal of the weapons placed there. Among those protesting was the late Sarah Hipperson, who lived in Wanstead for many years. The witness and actions of Sarah and others made an impact on the Russian, American and British governments when it came to disarmament talks. The various peace actions of Father Martin Newell - another hailing from Wanstead - in peacefully disarming planes and other weapons of war, has no doubt had an impact. It cost Martin his liberty on a number of occasions but was an important act of witness Most don't go to such lengths but simply saying no to war and conflict is something everyone can do in their own way. People are no doubt making the case for peace in Ukraine and many don't want to hear those voices. But the call for peace needs to grow louder because every day that goes by is causing more death and destruction. One death or person displaced from their home is too many. The world needs to work to end the war in Ukraine with all its devastating consequences. The danger at the moment seems to be of an escalation of the conflict, rather than the arrival of peace.

Huge growth in demand for Eastbourne foodbank, reflects countrywide poverty trend over past decade

oodbanks are a growth sector in 21st century Britain It came as a shock to read recently that the foodbank in Eastbourne is now the busiest in the UK. Nine years ago, I visited the Eastbourne foodbank to do an article for the local and Church press. The foodbank had only been running for a short time at that point. Among those who had hit hard times was a former soldier called Dave, who picked up his three bags of food supplies. Dave was unemployed and had lost his partner. He was one of 10,800 people who had visited the foodbank, since it opened two years previously. The shock came over a more recent report on the Eastbourne foodbank, now the busiest in the land, giving out 17,144 food parcels per 100,000 people in the last year. The article back in 2013 caused something of a stir in the town, citing also that 4,500 children go hungry in the town each night - how many today? Food banks are one of the growth areas of the British economy. There are now 2,200 foodbanks in the UK. The number attending has gone from 25,000 in 2008/9 to more than 2.5 million. And, things are set to get worse, with a cost of living crisis forcing more people to go hungry. The foodbank movement has been a fantastic response to so much human suffering. The great work of the Trussell Trust and others in getting the whole network going. The efforts of so many volunteers, selflessly giving of time and money every week. The disgrace is that in such a rich country, as this one, that increasing numbers of people have become dependent on the foodbanks to survive. Tory politicians are happy to have their pictures taken at the local foodbank. They just don't see the injustice of millions going to foodbanks in a country with more than 300 billionaires. It has been good to see leading Labour politicians making the injustice arguments. It is also good to see foodbanks themselves becoming more voluble in highlighting the growing suffering. In Eastbourne, the local council recently passed an emergency cost of living motion, highlighting how bad things are getting. The voices against the growing poverty of so many in our land need to grow ever louder. Only then will things really begin to change, with a more equitable distribution of resources and the reduction in the flow of people to foodbanks.

Cost of living crisis demands radical action now

The cost of living crisis is biting hard across the country. Inflation is now running at 9%, a level not seen for many decades. The cost of food, energy and fuel have all been going upwards, due partly to increased demand coming out of Covid and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Inflation amongst agricultural products is up 30% due to a combination of shortages of fuel, fertilizer and foodstuffs. Horror stories have been emerging of people having to choose between eating and heating. The government's response so far has been limited, recently providing some subsidy on energy. But much much more needs to be done. One action would be to restore the £20 a week boost given to those on Universal Credit (UC) during the pandemic This would not only relieve the poverty of those struggling but also stimulate the economy. People on UC will spend that money in the economy not squirrel it away offshore etc. A cut in VAT could also help a lot of people struggling to get by. Wages are lagging behind prices, despite there being more jobs than available people at the moment. There is a potential for people to exert some leverage due to this situation. This was easier in previous decades, when stronger trade unions ensured that working people got their share of wealth created. As mentioned here before, another answer would be to provide a Universal Basic Income across the board, so lifting many out of poverty. The present government''s approach seems to be a little tinkering around the edges, whilst leaving the foodbanks to deal with the growing level of human suffering. It is not good enough. How, in one of the richest economies in the world, can we tolerate millions struggling to feed themselves? Radical action needs to be taken. It happened during the pandemic so why not again now?