sunday 27 feb: support continues to grow!

community support:
We have well over a thousand signatures on the e-petition and there are many posters and paper petitions out there in shops, cafes, stations, churches, community groups, schools and school councils .......

If you want to sign the e-petition, print any posters or petitions, click on that link on the right .......

Keep spreading the word and gaining support! People really care about this open space!
They want it kept now and for the future!

We don't need to wait for some sort of consultation - we are letting Southwark Council know now!

After all, Barrie Hargrove spoke on BBC London News saying: "We've now reached the point where Southwark cemeteries are almost full and we need to consider different options and one of the options is to reclaim the Recreation Ground."

media stuff:
We had lots of great coverage on BBC London News, Radio 4 Today programme and the South London Press.
This is all now easily available for you to look at on our new Media page - click on the Media link on the right ........

And keep a look out in the New Shopper, Southwark News and SE23 Forum

council business:
We hear that the Southwark Council meeting to discuss burial options has been put back to the end of March. We understand that this will be informed by a burial audit but we are still waiting to find out more details. It isn't for want of trying ......

Meanwhile, in Lewisham, Cllr John Bowen has informed the Friends group he intends to put forward the following motion at the next Lewisham Council meeting on 1 March:

"The London Borough of Southwark is considering taking land from the Honor Oak Recreation Ground in order to expand Camberwell New Cemetery. The Recreation Ground is much used by residents of Forest Hill and Honor Oak, as well as Southwark residents, and the plan under consideration could result in considerable loss of local amenity and leisure space.

This council notes that the Recreation Ground has already had a substantial proportion of its original land taken in by the cemetery, and that other options are available for managing demand for burial space.

This council states its opposition to the further loss of amenity and leisure space at Honor Oak Recreation Ground and, notwithstanding any statutory consultation that may occur, calls on the Mayor to make representations to London Borough of Southwark to this effect."

John Bowen (Liberal Democrats, Crofton Park Ward)

If you are a Lewisham resident, write to your councillors calling on them to support this motion without reservation.

If you are a Southwark resident, write to your councillors and let them know what you think!

This is not a party political issue or a single borough issue but one that affects everybody who lives near to or uses the Recreation Ground!

Campaign to Save the Rec Goes National!!

The Campaign to Save Honor Oak Rec hits the national media

Radio 4 - Today programme did a piece on the shortage of burial space, particularly in London. The item highlighted the tension between open space for the living and space for burial, and focussed on our rec.

We will all, no doubt, have differing views about burial, but that is not the point at issue. Burial in its current form is unsustainable. There may be a shortage of burial space now, but even if the rec is taken for burials there will still be exactly the same problem in a few years - but no recreation ground.

What we need is a sustainable solution to the burial issue, that allows the rec to be protected for the living!

Poster and Petition Launched!!!

things we can do now:

• sign the e-petition, click here
  
  
• get local friends to sign the e-petition
  
  
• download and print the poster and display in your window
  
  
  
  
  click on the pictures
  to download now
  

• print poster and paper-petition and circulate to local friends, shops, schools, libraries etc
  
  
• continue to contact ward councillors
  


• check back here for updates

Our Recreation Ground under threat - We need you!

FRIENDS OF HONOR OAK PARK RECREATION GROUND

(Formerly Friends of Honor Oak Park FOHOP;
Formerly Honor Oak Park Action Group, HOPAG)

We had to change our name once again to keep up with the changing fortunes and challenges our beloved Honor Oak Park continues to face.

Our Honor Oak Park Recreation Ground is under threat as Southwark Council faces pressure to provide cemetery/burial provision. Southwark has only one year's supply of spaces for burials.

This is the alarming suggestion taken from James Barber’s blog, Lib Deb Councillor for East Dulwich:

“Second option is to use an adjacent sports playing field giving another 25 years of burial plots.”

http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/09/09/cemeteries/#comments

These are the questions we are asking Southwark council

• When is audit of burial space in Southwark being carried out? When can we see this burial audit?
• We understand that the next area destined for burials is the old Nursery site near the road which is being prepared now..Information is that this will only last 12 months or so at the current rate of burial. Is this correct? Then what?
• We have just learnt that there is to be a meeting in February. What will happen at this meeting?
• http://moderngov.southwarksites.com/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=11428
• What are Southwark Council’s long term sustainable plans for burial?
• When is the full public consultation planned for?
• Who will be consulted and how? And what is the timescale?
• We want Lewisham councillors to be involved as this is an important neglected border site that has a huge impact on Lewisham residents and most importantly local children
  

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you are a Lewisham resident please contact/email/write to your local ward councillor, tell them how you feel about this. How you use the recreation ground and what it means to you as your local green space. But also we need to tell Southwark Council how we feel too, see below,

If you are a Southwark resident and you use this green space please help us apply pressure on Southwark Council. We value your suppport.

Lewisham - find your Councillor by Ward
http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0

Southwark
http://moderngov.southwarksites.com/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1