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I had to go to court this morning to find out what was happening to a tenant who was being sentenced for assaulting a neighbour and this afternoon I was representing a union member facing gross misconduct charges.
This evening Gill and I went for a birthday drink and meal in London Bridge. Some more future birthday treats likely in coming weeks.
The walk is listed in one of our earliest walking books "Walks for Motorists - Essex" by Fred Matthews (by coincidence the name of my Welsh Grandfather/Taid - no known relative). I think we did this walk around 2000 but have no record or memory of it!
It is only 45 minutes drive from East London but there is a real sense of remoteness and we came across no other walkers (even dog walkers). Only a mother leading her daughter on a pony and a few cyclists (apart from one very short stretch of road with some traffic around Hellman's Cross). Mostly green lanes and super quiet country roads. We disturbed 4 deer who quickly ran off and we could see bird of prey floating in the skies looking for a meal.
We stopped off at Hellmans Corner for lunch (a handy bench to sit on) and checked out the recreation of the Stocks and whipping posts at this site by the local council. The last "punishment" recorded is for drunkenness in 1860. However, it also mentioned that in 1683 local resident, Elizabeth Abbott, was burnt to death here for witchcraft. I came across this in a previous walk here in 2011. https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2011/11/elizabeth-abbot-burnt-to-death-for.html
However, it seems that there is little evidence that this particular punishment (aka state murder) actually happened http://willowwinsham.com/uncategorized/elizabeth-abbot-and-dionisia-josselyn-two-essex-witches/#comment-21625
There was a mixture of sunshine and cloud with lots and lots of big Essex skies. No gates or styles. Rolling countryside with no hills or tough climbs. At the end of the walk we went for a drink at the "Axe and Compasses" and enjoyed watching sunset over the nearby windmill (see above). Check out more photos on my Facebook account.
There was a few difficult conversations but the majority of discussions I had was with residents, who want to send a national message in this by election, that this dreadful Tory Government must go.
I saw the largest Conservative canvass team in Newham in a decade, out there today and no sign again of any other party campaigning, so it appears this is going to be a fight between Labour and Tories.
Promoted by Luke Place on behalf of J.Gray, Newham Labour Group, St Luke’s Community Centre, E16 1HS.
The motion was also supported by the 3 Newham opposition Councillors.
I would add to this motion, the call last week by my trade union UNISON for an immediate ceasefire which as a NEC member I voted to support as well as a £20,000 donation for Medical Aid for Palestine and the Red Cross.
"Newham council notes:
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(UNISON are supporting their members who are pension trustees/activists to join)
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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. 
