Better late than never. This is my contribution to the panel fringe on Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) pensions. Many thanks to Hilary from First Actuarial for organising and chairing. Also to Andy and Derek for their excellent contributions. It …Read more…
Remembrance Sunday at All Saints West Ham (and visit to the bells)
This morning I attended the historic All Saints Church in West Ham for the Remembrance Sunday service. Our lMP, Lyn Brown was there, as was soldiers from our local Territorial Army unit, 7 Rifles, Police, Veterans, church members, other Councillo…Read more…
Plaistow North by election & supporting Joel Bodmer for Croydon East
Saturday afternoon I went to support our Labour Candidate, Akthural Alam. I ended up leading a small team using the “Labour Doorstep” smartphone app which is great (but sometimes erratic) for individual canvassing but not that good for a group. Ho…Read more…
Where to mark Remembrance Sunday 2023 in Newham
Each year, Newham Council remembers those who lost their lives during the two World Wars as well as in more recent conflicts.Armistice Day – Friday 10 NovemberService at East Ham Cenotaph in Central Park, E6The service commences at 10.55am, guest…Read more…
Disability Information Day: Thursday 23 November 2023, 11:00-15:00
Sent on behalf of the Greater London Regional Disabled Members CommitteeDear Colleagues RE: Disability Information Day: Thursday 23 November 2023, 11:00-15:00 The Regional Disabled Members Committee hope you will join us for t…Read more…
Black Poppy Rose
This evening after our UNISON branch Executive meeting our Chair, Joseph showed me a badge he had obtained from this site. “In Remembrance of the African, Black Peoples, West Indian, Caribbean, Pacific Islands & Indigenous Communities contribu…Read more…
Happy 61st birthday John!
Many thanks to my wonderful wife Gill for this photo collage birthday card. I cannot believe that I am now well and truly into my 60s!. I am sure that I am only 39 (again).I had to go to court this morning to find out what was happening to a tenant who…Read more…
Longlisted:Joel Bodmer for Croydon East
Fantastic news. Joel has been longlisted to be the Labour Party candidate for Croydon East at the next General Election. Well done to Joel and his team. Check out his website here Read more…
Aythorpe Roding, Woodlard Ash and Hellman’s Cross walk (and the site of the execution of Elizabeth Abbot for witchcraft?)
Gill and I went today for a 5 mile circular walk in North Essex, starting at the ancient church in Aythorpe Roding. There are 8 settlements that take their name from the River Roding, which flows all the way into the Thames and also via Newham.&n…Read more…
Cllr surgery then having proper conversations with residents in Plaistow North
This morning I had my West Ham ward Councillor surgery in Vicarage Lane Community centre then I went off to canvass for Labour in the by election due to take place on Thursday 23 November. I was in a group with our fantastic local candidate, Akth…Read more…
LBTH UNISON Housing Boys Birthday Beer & Curry
A good night in the “Half Moon” Wetherspoon in Stepney (A former Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel) then a great curry in the Lahore Kebab House. Perfect.Eustace (Monty’s older brother), me, Dave, Montrose, work colleague of Eustace, Trevor….Read more…
Unionreps Connect 2023 – 15 November
(I have a clash and cannot go this year) Unionreps Connect 2023 is less than a fortnight away! If you haven’t signed up already, here’s 3 reasons why you should be there: share ideas and experiences with union reps from around the country brush up…Read more…
Newham Council emergency motion on Gaza
I think it is important that the text of this motion passed by Newham Full Council meeting on 16 October 2023 is more widely circulated. I spoke in favour of the motion as did many of my Labour colleagues. The motion was also supported by the 3 Ne…Read more…
LGPS Forum: Opportunity to participate in transnational Labour Rights Investor Network
(UNISON are supporting their members who are pension trustees/activists to join)The Global Union’s Committee on Workers’
Capital (CWC) is a network of pension trustees and staff dedicated to ensuring
that employee retirement assets are invested r…Read more…
Lynn Brenig Walk to the valley of death
Yesterday (Sunday) was very wet in East London, so no local walk. This picture is from a couple of weeks ago, when Gill and I went to sort out some family business in North Wales. We had time for a short but still demanding 2.5 mile walk via Ordi…Read more…
Good Bye to the East Ham Spoons
On Thursday evening after Pension committee, a couple of us went across the road from East Ham Town Hall to “The Miller’s Well” for some food and a drink. While many people are for good reasons anti-Wetherspoons’s (due to the right wing views of one of…Read more…
TUC Regional Council & then “on the knocker” in Plaistow North
Today was a Labour Movement day. In the morning I went as a UNISON delegate to the TUC London, East and South East Regional Council meeting at Congress House. It was good to be back in person at these meetings. There was an important panel d…Read more…
West Ham Ward Councillor surgeries – Saturdays 10am-1pm in Vicarage Lane Community Centre
This is a draft poster of our advice surgeries. All residents welcome, no appointment necessary. The three of us take it in turns and my next one will be a week tomorrow Saturday 4 November. Email the Mayor for an invite to her surgery. Read more…
Proud to be backed by UNISON – Joel Bodmer for Croydon East
Congratulations to Joel for winning the UNISON Labour Link nomination. In our roles as elected Chair and Vice Chair of Greater London Regional Labour Link committee, myself and Yvonne Green (who happens to be a Croydon East Labour activist) interviewed…Read more…
Black History Month: Representation in East London
Hat tip to Ade for arranging and recording this fascinating discussion (and beyond Newham). Ade Adeyemi@i_Ade_Adeyemi#BlackHistoryMonth Black councillors across Newham celebrating and discussing representation in policy and politics across #EastLo…Read more…