The walk is listed in guide book "Walk Wild Essex" by Tony Gunton. This is the 2nd walk we have done from this book and been impressed with both. There is another 48 to explore.
It may not be particularly "wild" but there was lots of fresh air (and a little rain) and my favorite big Essex skies. There was a few people about but most of the time there was a lovely sense of remoteness and isolation.
We finished off with a drink at the "The Railway" next to the station. I was astonished that on the sign for the pub, the train illustrated on it was apparently called the "North Wales Coastal Express"? Anyone know why in wild Essex a train from my homeland is featured?
One of the reasons to do this is to show funders of measures to support rough sleepers and help get them off the streets that we make a difference.
Due to Covid the count team is scaled down from the past. I went out with Kris from Thamesreach to visit Stratford town centre.
We found two people sleeping separately in shop doorways. One of whom was unknown to outreach. This information was fed back to the early morning outreach shift, who would contact both of them and offer support.
While we found evidence of more people sleeping rough in the past (abandoned mattresses and clothing), it is amazing what a difference our outreach teams, local volunteers and other agencies have made.
I can remember previous counts in Stratford when we would see over 100 people sleeping rough. While having to close Stratford shopping centre overnight due to Covid made a huge difference, the joined up compassionate but pro active response has made a huge difference. Well done to everyone involved including former rough sleepers with lived experience.
This "success" also shows that you can deal with street homelessness if you have the will and the resources. However, at the moment many rough sleepers are being housed in hotels and other forms of temporary accommodation. Some of these hotels are now wanting to cater again to the business and tourist market while the government is clearly either getting rid or reducing the financial support they had promised local authorities to get everyone off the streets.
On Tuesday and Thursday evening, it was the Newham Labour Group AGM (Councillors) where I was elected unopposed as Group Chair.
Then on Wednesday UNISON Greater London Regional Council AGM, where (coincidently) I was re-elected unopposed as Regional Finance Convenor (as were all the Regional Council officers).
On Saturday I took part as a UNISON delegate in the TUC London, East & South East Regional Council AGM.
In the UK the Labour movement traditionally has two wings, the Trade Unions and its political wing, the Labour Party. I am a firm believer and supporter of the Labour Movement family.
Like any family, from time to time, there are some major rows and disagreements. But we remain a family.
· "Employers
claim just 2.5% of working-age Covid deaths are from exposure to Coronavirus
at work
·
System
for reporting workplace deaths and infections is “letting bad bosses off the
hook”, says TUC
·
Under-reporting
has badly undermined health and safety regulation
and enforcement during the pandemic
The
number of people who have died from exposure to Covid at work is being
“massively under-reported” by employers, according to a new TUC report
published today (Sunday).
Between April 2020 and April 2021 the ONS reported that 15,263 people of working age died from Covid.
But according to reports filed by employers just 387 (2.5 per cent) of these deaths came from workers contracting Covid at work.
TUC analysis shows that just 1 in 218 workplaces has been inspected by the HSE (between March 2020 and April 2021) and not one single employer has been prosecuted for putting staff at risk.
“This has made it much harder for regulators to track where outbreaks are happening and allowed bad bosses to get away with flagrant labour rights abuses.
