Happy New Year 2024

 Been for some wonderful walks during holiday and looking forward to many more in 2024. Picture Ecton Hill, Peak District

Merry Christmas 2023

 

Turkey is in the oven. Picture from our morning walk to work up an appetite.

Picture Solomon's Tower, Buxton Country Park. Christmas Day 23

Wanstead Flats A Short Illustrated History

 

I have finally just got around to ordering myself this book as a late Crimbo present. I have lived opposite Wanstead flats (now part of Epping Forest) for over 30 years and it is an absolute joy. I went for an early run this morning around the flats, while listening to "Today" on Radio 4. My perfect start to the day. 

You can buy this book by local authors Mark Gorman & Peter Williams, from Newham Bookshop https://www.newhambooks.co.uk/request.php?ref=A422&within=home  for £10 (plus £3 postage). 

"Once part of the riverbed of the Thames, in medieval times the Flats became grazing land. Over the last two centuries the Flats has hosted funfairs and football, become a site for political protest and been a key part of London’ anti-aircraft defences in two world wars.

Wanstead Flats: A Short Illustrated History includes a number of never-before-published photos".

UNISON Direct Christmas Opening Hours 2023

For any UNISON members (or rather the many that will be working 24/7 all through the holidays) who need urgent union assistance. Most branches will be closed from today to Tuesday 2 Jan.

Hap tip UNISON Lincolnshire Police Branch. 

Professional Vs Lay Trustees: The Great Pension Scheme Debate

Picture is from last months Professional Pensions Investment Conference where I put forward arguments in favour of member nominated lay trustees on trustee pension committees/LGPS boards. While Richard Hubbard, spoke in favour of Professional Trustees.

It was pretty good natured debate chaired by the Editor-in-chief of Professional Pensions, Jonathan Stapleton, followed by a Q&A from the audience. Richard argued that the present system was not fit for purpose and the complexity of modern pension fund investment meant it was unfair to expect lay trustees to have the skills and experience necessary to be running massive multi million or even multi billion funds.

My reasoning was that member nominated trustees have a vital role, since this is usually all about their own money. Their pensions, their "deferred pay" in law. Their financial futures. There have been a number of dreadful financial scandals over the years by financial "professionals". Remembering that Member nominated lay trustees was largely brought about following the Robert Maxwell theft of pensioner funds. 

There is a tradition in pensions, local and national government and charities of the interested lay person, assisted and guided by trained officer,s asking the simple but difficult questions and challenging the "Group think" and "follow the herd" instincts that financial services are too often influenced by. 

I think it is naive not to accept that there is a conflict of interest between pension savers and the financial service industry as a whole. That is not to say that the present lay trustee model is perfect and does not need reform and that I have worked with a number of reputable professional trustees over the years. 

I argued that member nominated trustees need greater support from employers and statutory time off to undertake all their their duties and receive proper training. Pension boards or sponsors must pay for this. I mentioned a recent report by the AMNT (Association of member nominated trustees). There should be at least one "accredited" pension trustee on a board, whether professional or lay. The qualifications are the same. 

There was a flurry of questions and no doubt this subject will be revisited again and again, especially with the push to consolidate pension funds. 

Migrants Day 2023: One NHS, many nationalities

 

What on earth will happen to our NHS (nevermind our care services, food production, retail, etc) if  we did not have migrant Labour in this country. 

Hat tip https://twitter.com/unisontheunion/status/1736716695438319848

Merry Christmas.🎄 The best gift you can give to your past, present and future self is to join a union!

 hat tip North West UNISON https://twitter.com/NorthWestUNISON/status/1474363981649358853

https://tuc.org.uk/joinunion #joinunison

@unisontheunion

Walking along Bournemouth Beach

Last weekend Gill and I were in Bournemouth and the weather Gods were kind to us as we walked from the Pier to Boscombe, then as far as Port Man Ravine, before turning back. A little windy but largely blue skies and sunshine. The surfers were out in force chasing the waves, we passed the oldest Council built beach hut in the UK and enjoyed the winter peace and solitude. 

We did a figure of 8 walking route' alternating between the beach and the cliffs, there and back. My Zepp Life app recorded 10.48 miles (it is a little basic and I think it over estimates distance).Good training anyway for my 26 mile homeless charity walk in January. 

Check out further photos in my walking Facebook page. 
 

West Ham Ward Christmas Campaign: Sadiq Khan for London Labour Mayor in 2024

 

This morning I went to my Councillor advice surgery for local residents, then this afternoon I joined colleagues in the ward to deliver leaflets (Labour doorstep was down) for Sadiq Khan, to be re-elected as London Mayor in May 2024. 

We were joined by the Newham Labour Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz and we also delivered leaflets for West Ham ward residents, on how to contact us if they have a problem (and also our Local MP, Lyn Brown and GLA, Assembly member, Unmesh  Desai). We were joined by Cllr Shaban Mohammed, who missed the group photo. 

People appreciated having information on contacting their elected representatives and were as you can imagine for the time of year, quite relaxed and many were happy to chat with us. 

I had one women say that "we are sort of Labour but we don't like Starmer". I responded that I didn't agree with everything he has said or done (I have never agreed with everything any Labour Leader has done) but he is the only leader who can defeat the tories, and that trumps everything. She did not disagree.

We finished off at the beginning (or end) of Corporation Road and had photo outside a relatively new and unusual family business run by two twin brothers - its a mens barbers and a cycle repair shop. One brother is a barber and the other a mechanic. Why not? Will bring my bikes there for a service. Take your bike in and he will give you a price (and if you are male, you can have a hair cut by his brother at the same time). 

Across Newham we had 4 different campaign sessions today.  

26 mile "Winter walk" for homeless charity St Mungo's 27 January 2024

 

I have signed up to this walk via my employer and will be (hopefully) raising money by this "Just Giving" page for homelessness charity.

In the past few months I have visited a St Mungo's hostel, met residents and staff for work reasons and believe this is a worthwhile cause to support. 

When I was younger (much younger) I did a number of 25 mile walks with the cadets and the TA (including the 4 day 40k per day Nijmegen marches). I have also done the 3 Peaks (very tough and we got hopelessly lost and very wet) 2 London Marathons (which were simply awful) and  2 Olympic distance Triathlons (which were much better).

26 Miles in January will be a challenge but London is usually quite mild and of course no major hills or mountains.  Hopefully this will also work off some of the Christmas cheer. 

If you can support with sponsorship then please do.