Dear Parklifers,
A quick campaign update for you:
As you might be aware from today's press coverage, a Government announcement was made yesterday concerning provision of funding for a number of transport schemes across the country.
We expected a decision to be made and the outcome announced for Priory Crescent and the proposed F5 road widening, but this is still not the case. The outcome is still undecided, pending review of the cost increase from an initially agreed £3.5m in December 2000, to a budgeted figure of £25m to be released from 2011 onwards, IF the go ahead is given (as we understand it).
This figure of course does not include the money needed to evict Camp Bling, and again as we understand the process, the sum for eviction and the then ongoing site security would have to be provided by the local authority. The last comparable eviction was at Dalkeith Country Park near Edinburgh in January, this cost £1.5m in total to remove 30 people over a 10 day period.
So we have everything still to play for, yesterday's news - and a lack of a decision on F5 - is still positive, and certainly not a step backwards at this stage.
In an effort to keep the campaign moving, continue building public support, and prepare Bling for any coming eviction whether legal or illegal - we wont become complacent at this stage - a number of activities have been initiated, or are planned for the coming weeks.
The first of these is the Camp Bling 'Beat the Bulldozer' pledge, aimed at signing up people for call up pending the eviction situation. This is available at the camp, on our street stalls, and hopefully online sometime soon.
Other events include:
Camp Bling 'Energy Rising' ceremony - From Sunset tonight (Friday 7th July) at Camp Bling. Join us for a ceremony to send us out on a positive note for the next phase of the campaign.
Parkstall - from 11.00am Saturday 8th July, under the bridge, Southend high street. Help us to collect letters of support for the campaign, and against the road.
Picnic in the Park - from 6.00pm Friday 14th July, Priory Park, in the area behind the main gates. Join us to celebrate the formal opening of Priory Park in 1920 - don't forget to bring a picnic!
Camp Bling 'Energy Grounding' ceremony - From 2pm Saturday 15th July at Camp Bling. Join us for the afternoon to call on the spirits of the site to protect it. Make prayer feathers, ribbons to add to our wish tree, plus other craft ideas to be decided. Bring something special to you (flowers/crafts/other) if you can, to place on the boundary of the site.
Parkmeeting - 7.30pm Wednesday 19th July, at The Golden Lion (back meeting room), Victoria Avenue, Prittlewell. Join us for a campaign update.
'The Bling Tea Party' - from 2.00pm till late Sunday 6th August at Camp Bling. Visit the site to meet the crew, have tea, and take a tour.
Five years on and we can still win. It's been life changing...
1 User comments.
Bravenet Blog 
Blog Community
Get a Free Blog
Manage your Blog
bravenet.com