If the hat fits -and the t-shirt- and the money

Hastings & St Leonards Observer published letters and articles

For reference in Hastings & St Leonards, here are the Community Development pieces published  there so far:

• 30th September 2011: "Talks to mark anniversary of pier fire"
• 24th June 2011:  "Group is aiming to get Hastings smiling again"
• 10th June 2011 :  "We need to act if we want justice"

And for those also interested in Community Development in India: 

• Gandhi and the Dalit controversy
• Mr Gandhi and Dr Ambedkar
• Dr Ambedkar
• India 2036
• Nagaloka-Dream-Cycle

A summer of fundraising for Pilgrims Hospices in the wake of my mum's death

Please go to the  fundraising page for Pilgrims Hospice which I have set up in memorium of my mum.
I hope to prove* that skilled use of blogging, twitter and YouTube is a valuable way to raise funds

*Part of my working life is as a freelance Social Media Consultant with Freelending CIC; who in turn pay Mediation Support Ltd, of which I am the sole director. In the last few months this Social Media work has been commissioned by Timebanking UK and by The Centre for Peaceful Solutions.

If you can see that your concerns might benefit from some tweaking of the social media you generate, then come to a workshop at the Southwater Area Community Centre or at your place on request. No money payable; I will value your skills equally to mine and trade an hour for an hour through "St Leonards Sharing" timebank.

Three new initiatives in protecting St Leonards concerns

1) The "Non-exploitation card" scheme -making purchases in Hastings & St Leonards 20% cheaper for those who make a non-property-profiteering agreement:

2) St Leonards TownTeam (http://stleonardstownteam.blogspot.co.uk)
A response to the Portas Bid video submitted on 30th March 2012:


Portas Bid video


3) Team St Leonards
[Watch this space & http://teamstleonards.blogspot.co.uk

Meanwhile a St Leonards Community Facebook page has been set up by Ali

Paul has recorded this in the bath!:

& Paul has (allegedly) improved on Damian Hirst's Art:

 The video on YouTube has a link to the website where Paul would be grateful, warm & fuzzy if you engaged in voting for the St Leonards Love Statue of your choice on http://love-statues.blogspot.co.uk

NB 8 themes (for the vote on the drama you want written about what's going on here -& elsewhere):
Local community (re)generation themes:

1. The ongoing loss of justice in relation to those known to have been on the pier on the night of the fire & the consequences of not resolving this to the satisfaction of the community?
2. What difference the Jerwood Gallery is making, or will -in time- make to Hastings, and whether there is harm to be addressed here too?
3. What "St Leonards Love Statues" could do for "St Leonards" in the way that Anthony Gormley statues eg "The Angel of the North" have done for their local areas?
4. How to stop developments squeezing out much that we value here?
5. How we can best address social exclusion and the roots of social unrest?
6. “Sustainable Local Futures” - in the new world economic order, undertaking the transition to a local economy that is more independent of world shocks?
7. “The amazing wealth of original, talented young people ,numerous local, high profile events and projects” promoted by The Respond Academy, amongst others?
8. "Ethical Outings in Hastings & St Leonards" (in relation to Arson etc) & what role we play across all generations in "character building" and taking responsibility, rather than letting things get worse.

http://love-statues.blogspot.co.uk