Important to mark and celebrate Windrush Day

There has been much celebration over the past week of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMS Windrush. The ship was a troop carrier, that brought a group of people from the Carribbean to the UK in June 1948. The arrival of the Windrush marked the start of a migration from the Caribbean islands to the UK. This generation helped rebuild post war Britain, working in construction, the NHS, transport and many other areas. The welcome, though, was not always friendly. In fact, it was often aggressively racist . The Windrush Generation, together with the Irish migrants that went before, had to endure the ignominy of the no Blacks, no Irish and no dogs notices in the windows of available accomodation. Life was made difficult in many cases. There is an interesting reflection from the times at the London museum' s slavery exhibition. A Black resident of north London reflected that a third of the population are friendly, a third aggressive and hostile and the final third didn't care as long as Arsenal won on Saturday. The Windrush Generation continued to contribute against an often hostile background, contributing to the wealth and well being of the country, bringing up families, building community. Some protections came in with legislation like the Race Relations Act of 1971 - no more racist boarding house notices for one thing. Though, in time racism didn't so much go away as become more covert and hidden. Discrimination in the workplace, in education and particularly from the police force, toward the black community continued. It is still very evident today. The ultimate insult to the Windrush Generation came when the Home Office recently started sending people back to their countries of origin. Many hardly knew the country they were being sent back to, having lived in the UK for practically their whole lives. What a disgraceful way to treat a generation of people who came here to contribute and help rebuild this country. Unfortunately, the attitude that led to this injustice, with the Windrush Generation, pervades the British Government's approach to migrants, which is basically racist. Migrants are not looked on as net contributors to the economy, the culture and the community. Instead, the government spurred on by a right wing media, talk negatiely about numbers, drains on public services etc. The truth is that were it not for the migrants of the Windrush Generation and others most public services like the NHS, care and the public transport network would have collapsed years ago. The Windrush Generation must be celebrated for what they have brought and done for this country. Fortunately, most people recognise that contribution. The indices of the North London man may have changed ( certainly fewer will be concerned about how Arsenal do on Saturday!). But changes in attitude only come about with a constant effort to promote equality, diversity and tolerance. The Windrush Day celebration is a fine way to do this.

Bubbles still rising at West Ham United

What a glorious week for West Ham United, winning the European Conference League Cup in the last minute of the final. The celebratory trip from the Boleyn to Stratford Townhall the evening after was thronged with more than 70,000 supporters. An electric atmosphere, as people sang and danced together. The bubbles blew, as the players paraded the cup. I went down to the parade with a mate from Wanstead High School days. We were at East Ham Townhall back in 1980 to see the FA Cup come home then. Let's hope there is not such a long wait for the next trophy. What a change from a few weeks ago. Then, there were calls for manager David Moyes to be sacked for the poor Premiership form. Now, the question has changed to whether Moyes is the greatest West Ham manager ever. His record is superb, saving the club from relegation twice, finishing sixth and seventh in the Premier League, getting to the semi-final of the Europa League last year and now winning the Europa Conference League Cup. For my money,though, Moyes is still slightly behind Hammers legendary managers Ron Greenwood and John Lyall but only those two. Greenwood was a brilliant coach, changing the way football was played in England, as well as bringing through the likes of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Trevor Brooking. Greenwood also won the last European silverware - the Cup Winners Cup in 1965, following on from the FA Cup a year earlier. ( Many Hammers fans also credit the club's famous trio with winning the World Cup in 1966.) Then, Greenwood's protege Lyall took over, winning the FA Cup in 1975 and 1980, reaching the Cup Winners Cup Final in 1976, winning the Second Division in 1981 and finishing third in the First Division in 1986. I would say Lyall shades it as the greatest manager in terms of results. The one criticism of Greenwood was that with the talent at his disposal, West Ham should have won more, though, in another era, entertainment always came first for the man who later managed England. Moyes, though, could yet eclipse the greats - a couple more cup wins, Champions League qualification. The hard work starts again now, with the club seemingly resigned to losing talismanic leader Declan Rice. All of the money from the Rice sale plus at least as much again will be required if Moyes is to consolidate and push on with his exciting project at West Ham. Reinforcements from the triumphant FA Youth Cup winning team should help with this quest. If, Moyes, gets the backing and makes the right choices, the fans could be back next May to celebrate another cup win and a top six Premiership finish. Come On You Irons.

Here we go again

Groundhog Day The Old Vic This pacey yet profound tale of a weather man caught in a time warp, provides great entertainment with its latest incarnation at the Old Vic. The story is based on a script by Danny Rubin for the 1993 film, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, as the cynical weatherman. The drama has music and lyrics from Tim Minchin and direction from Matthew Warchus. The brilliant Andy Karl returns to the role of weatherman, Phil Connors, which he played in the first run at the Old Vic in 2016. Karl is magnificently supported by Tanisha Spring as TV producer Rita. The arrogant weatherman arrives in the small town of Punxsutawny for Groundhog Day - 2 February, when the little animal's behaviour predicts the coming weather Connors dismissive behaviour of a variety of characters, from a homeless man to an old school friend, leaves him increasingly alienated. Rita notably recalls how "they told me he was an asshole and he is." Connor also has a cavalier attitude to the opposite sex , treating all with contempt. The result of this behaviour is that Connors get stuck in the town, condemned to repeat the same actions each day. The comedic value here is immediate as Karl's character comes to repeat the other characters lines with them. The energy in this show is breathtaking, with the sets so slickly fitting together. Andy Karl must be a very fit man to be able to carry off the part, sprinting across the stage as one scene moves to another. At one point, he is on one side of the set, then suddenly back in the anchor bed scene. The audience are left open mouthed, wondering how did he do that? Underpinning the story is the idea of redemption. Connor reaches the end of his wits, unable to move out of the time warp. Despite a number of efforts to end it all, he finally comes to see the path to redemption which is to become a decent human being. When he does and makes recompense for past behaviour his life begins to turn around. A very simple moral in a zany story, namely if you are decent to other people, they will most likely return the sentiment. The music and fast, witty dialogue make this an enjoyable watch. Spring's "If I had my time again" song is a particularly memorable number. The skill of all involved in this production is in producing a rip roaring comedic musical, yet also carrying a serious underlying moral message The focus on TV anchorman ofcourse also makes the timing of the production particularly apt, given controversies around breakfast TV celebs etc at the moment. Highly recommend - very entertaining watch for all generations. * Groundhog Day runs till 19 August Published - Morning Star

Greater pedestrianisation can bring a healthier way of life

The recent closure of Blakehall Road due to a ruptured water main caused some consternation in the local community. The through traffic had to find other routes, such as via Leytonstone High Road. Buses were re-routed. There was much queueing and frustration before things settled down. The closure lasted for around 10 days. Though, it was not all bad news. Many commented on how lovely it was to be able to walk and cycle along the quiet Blakehall Road. The air was cleaner for a while. A freedom was restored. There was a glimpse of what life can be like when everything is not run in favour of the motor vehicle. Obviously, there was much inconvenience to many, while Thames Water sorted out the problem. Other ways of getting from A to B had to be found. For some with disabilities the motor vehicle is a crucial mode of transport. Also, people need to get around in a timely manner to conduct their daily lives. Everyone was relieved when normal service did resume. But for that week there was a taster of something else - a less car dominated world. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been pushing active travel across the capital.His target is for 80% of journeys to be by foot, cycle or public transport by 2041. He is also expanding the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) right across London from August. The critics of ULEZ expansion have been given much amplification over recent months (BBC London seems to feature the subject on a daily basis). Negativity has tended to dominate. But the Mayor is right to push for a cleaner, healthier, more sustainable way of living. These policies will help bring about that modal change.Maybe some more planned pedestrianisation would help? Then, all will be able to live better ways of life.

West Ham look for European glory

West Ham United's season reaches its climax next Wednesday (7/6) with the final of the Europa Conference League against Fiorentina. The Hammers will hope to go one better in Prague, than they did last year when losing the semi-final of the Europa League. It is 47 years since West Ham reached a major European final, then, they lost 4-2 to Anderlecht in the European Cup Winners Cup. So if Declan Rice lifts the trophy next week, he'll be the first West Ham captain since Bobby Moore to do so. Moore led the side that won the Cup Winners Cup in 1965, so no small achievement.. Rice has played a huge role in leading West Ham to the final, as well as securing Premier League safety, after some difficult times. Fans hope Rice will stay, though there is much rumour that he is on his way to a bigger club. West Ham's owners also deserve credit for sticking by manager David Moyes, when so many were calling for him to be sacked. After some dodgy patches, things finally came good in April, with the team getting together a run that led to Premier League safety and the final. Moyes rather prescriptive, direct style of football is not the most attractive in the world to watch but he does get results. No one can argue with a record that has seen the Scotsman save the club from relegation, then finish sixth and seventh in the Premier League, as well as that Europa League semi-final last year. The manager will need to shuffle the pack a bit in the summer bringing in some new players and letting others go. He also has some excellent young players coming through from the team that won the FA Youth Cup. Fans should be seeing plenty more of Divin Mubama and Ollie Scarlets among others over coming seasons. So, things look bright for West Ham's future. The challenge now is to bring home that European Conference Trophy. Come on You Irons.

Need to recreate a village ethos

The small general store is a common feature in rural communities. It was striking recently travelling along the south coast to visit villages that have been reduced to one such facility and maybe a pub etc. The store often includes a post office. Many other local facilities have disappeared. Pubs seem particularly under threat, at the moment, with the cost of living crisis cutting trade. This effective gutting of the smaller community based enterprises, though, is not limited to rural areas. It was striking recently talking to a friend who lived in Aldersbrook in the 1960s and 70s. He recalled how in those days, they got virtually all their shopping from the parade of shops, opposite the pond at the top of Wanstead Park Avenue. There was a bakers, butchers, greengrocers and various other outlets. Over the years, though, these shops all disappeared, no doubt through lack of use by the local population. People went to the supermarkets, instead, to get their food. There was a period when supermarkets built the big superstores out of town. In those days, there was less concern about creating unnecessary journeys. More recently, the supermarkets seem to have moved toward the smaller express type stores, often right in towns. Indeed, some of the general stores mentioned earlier are supermarket chains. The shopping experience to some degree was skewed toward the car and supermarket. Life in many of the more isolated rural communities must be very difficult for those, particularly the elderly, who do not have a car. Getting the shopping must be a weekly challenge, using, often sporadic rural public transport networks. Though, deliveries from supermarkets have grown incredibly, especially post COVID. None of this is to criticise supermarkets or cars but to wonder whether there shouldn't be more of a move to increase locally based services, rebuilding the community. Supermarkets have a place but so too do the local independent shops. Maybe, rather than letting everything be run on the basis of let the market decide, there should be some support for the smaller independent operators, who are in many cases providing a genuine social service. The cost of living crisis is not helping the plight of those small operators struggling to survive. But there are social and environmental pluses to be had from rebuilding the village ethos across the country. There have been positive moves over recent years, with people looking increasingly to buy local.The development of farmers markets is another plus. But this move toward resilient local community needs support, particularly at the moment, with the pressures of orbiting energy prices and inflation. The re-establishment of the village ethos offers a view for a more cohesive society for the future. Maybe a bit back to the future but a positive view all the same

The bubbles continue to rise as West Ham's season approaches its climax

The final verdict on West Ham’s season will be dependent to a large extent on what happens in the final of the European Conference League against Fiorentina on 7 June. The demands of the European campaign took its toll on West Ham in the Premier League. There will have been no less than 15 games in the Europa Conference, 14 up to the final. Their form in Europe has been impressive winning 13 games and drawing the other. The relentless European fixtures, though, had an impact on domestic form. The season started with much optimism. The club had spent more than £160 million bringing in seven new players. They all looked good quality. However, things took time to settle. Unlike, in previous seasons, when all the business was done early, this time the signings came in pretty late in the transfer window. Moyes declared he was building a new team. One wonders how well this declaration went down in the dressing room, with those who had laboured hard for the past three seasons to stay up, then gain successive 6th and 7th finishes in the Premier League and a Europa League semi-final last year. Early results did not go well, losing the first three games (two at home) before scraping a win at Aston Villa. The club were also dogged with some pretty diabolical VAR decisions, particularly to disallow a good Maxwel Cornet goal against Chelsea in September. This cost West Ham a point. Things though seemed to pick up through October with some good home wins. However, all seemed undone in the week before the break for the World Cup. Three home games that Moyes must have expected to win, against Crystal Palace and Leicester in the Premier League and Blackburn in the Caraboa Cup, resulted in three defeats. This bad run was then compounded, when the season resumed post World Cup, with difficult (and losing) games against Arsenal, Brentford and Wolves. It was at this time that the calls for the sacking of Moyes became loudest. To the credit of the West Ham board they stuck by their man – a decision that was vindicated in the end. The new signings were something of a mixed bag. Pick of the bunch was Brazilian Luis Paqueta, who after taking some time to settle, produced some fantastic displays, particularly in the run in. The tricks and flicks combined with a real work ethic, excited the home faithful, bringing back memories of the diminutive Dimitri Payet. Moroccan, Nayef Aguerd, also showed what a good player he is, when finally getting into the team, following an injury plagued start. Among the others German Thilo Kehrer proved reliable as a utility player operating across the back four. Brazilian Emerson Palmieri showed flashes of attacking dash but lacked consistency. Midfielder, Flynn Downes, had limited opportunities and remains a work in progress. The most disappointing signing was Gianluca Scamacca, who showed flashes of brilliance but seemed a bit lacking on the work ethic side. His heart often did not seem to be at the London Stadium. Scamacca is expected to move on in the summer. Ageing and slowing Danny Ings was bought in January to address the striking problems but did not set the pulses raising. Indeed, his most positive contribution may have been in getting Michail Antonio’s pulse going a bit quicker resulting in the big striker coming back strongly at the end of the season, after some indifferent form earlier on. Not enough was seen of Maxwell Cornet due to an injury prone season. So the new signings were variables. What will concern West Ham fans is that the fundamental weaknesses at full back and up front remain unresolved. Nor has the dependable centre back Craig Dawson been replaced. Moyes will be looking to address these areas in the summer. Though, he may look more to the excellent youth team that won the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 1999. Not so long ago, a FA Youth Cup winning side could be expected to provide three or four first team players. Competition, though, now is stiffer but the excellent Divin Mubama and Ollie Scarles have already made impressive appearances for the seniors. Mubama could well be the answer to the striking problems in the long term. Moyes must have earnt himself at least another season at the helm. His record is among the best. Some are not enamoured with his style of play, which does tend to be rather formulaic and direct. Players have to fit to the system, rather than the system being tweaked to accommodate a new player. Said Benrahma is one who could testify to the problems this can cause. Benrahma has come good this season, putting in several match winning performances but he took a lot of stick from Moyes before really making the breakthrough. The biggest question for Hammers fans ofcourse is will Declan Rice be leaving the club in the summer? The captain has once again been the outstanding player of the season, with some fantastic performances,. He has also led the club well. It is widely reported that Rice is set to go to a bigger club that competes regularly in the Champions League and wins things. Only, Manchester City though really match that ambition. So, if City don’t come calling and West Ham win the Europa Conference League, can the talismanic Rice be persuaded to play another season claret and blue – watch this space? If he goes, how can Rice be replaced – Flynn Downes, James Ward Prowse or Kalvin Phillips? A lot rests on that night in Prague against Fiorentina, with West Ham fans holding their collective breaths. Come on you Irons. published - morning star - 28/5/2023