I'm so glad you've posted this Hugh. Nige and I saw the story on BBC London last night and it warmed our hearts.
It was a special moment when the reporter phoned the council from his mobile (in front of the anti-social nuisances, oops sorry, pensioners!) and got the council to verbally agree in front of cameras that the benches were staying! Typical local cheesy BBC reporting style, but all the same, a reet result. Good on them for keeping community catch-ups alive :-)
Permalink Reply by Liz on November 6, 2008 at 12:15
Seems to me the neighbours would do better to join them on the benches and listen to their tales from long ago. Wish there was a Harringay bench where we could go and hear a bit of history from source. Perhaps we could put a 'making the difference' application for one..
" The Memory Bench - sit down and tell us a story (and show us your photos )."
Superb idea Liz. Where would we put the Memory bench? Inside the entrance of Railway Fields might be nice, but maybe that would be hiding people away and after all, you want to make sure the bench is part of the community. Somewhere in the Gardens? Hmm, interesting...
Permalink Reply by Liz on November 7, 2008 at 10:47
It could live at the community garden , but perhaps it could be a movable bench which is just wheeled around and placed on street corners, in parks, outside community centres and people are invited to tell us their stories (we could record some if people agreed and take photos). Its so simple it could work...