Taking stock of what Community Development learning I have contributed towards before my mum died

Terminal illness and death of a dear one provide a natural time for us to take stock of our lives.

Although I've been putting at least one blog post a month on the Sussex Community Blog (http://sussexcommunity.blogspot.com) since the October 2010 fire is site, with my focus for the last six weeks being to assist my mother have a peaceful death, March 2012 nearly produced no update to the blog. Yet much is now happeneing in St Leonards in terms of Community Planning / Community Development. That story will be taken up more by the Sussex Community Blog (and associated blogs from Paul Crosland & friends).

For now, here;s some of the last year re-visited:

1) Virtues (A recently discovered YouTube 'rant' that says so much of value):


2)Jo Moon -Stories that heal:


3) Paul Crosland, AGoodWeek begins at St Leonards Warrior Sq- #Hastings Action for Happiness #afhh:


4) The local MP endorses the Action for Happiness work & even Mark buys it!:


5) Poverty in St Leonards, through the eyes of a visitor


6)Introduction to #Hastings for Happiness #afhh @actionhappiness


7)St Leonards Sharing Consortium - some of what we bring together 4 #stleonards:


8) Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness visits #Hastings & #StLeonards #afhh


9)2 things from the chair of HPWRT for a happier #Hastings & St Leonards @thepeoplespier #afhh


10) Ray Chapman, HPWRT, after two day conflict and dispute training in #Hastings #StLeonards #afhh


11) #HastingsPier Fire, HPWRT chair to those there when fire started


12) Ethical Outings in Hastings -Part 1; Southwater Road


13) Hastings Pier Fire 1st Anniversary (1 of 4):


14) Hastings Pier Fire 1st Anniversary (2 of 4):


15) Hastings Pier Fire 1st Anniversary (3 of 4):


16) Hastings Pier Fire 1st Anniversary (4 of 4):

(NB I'm the one who can't count in the video above!)

Kind regards/ Lots of love (whichever you prefer)
Paul
- http://twitter.com/paulcrosland
- http://stleonardssharing.info
- http://nagaloka-dream-cycle.blogspot.com/
(With overview of everything at http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com)

Sussex Community Blog evolves

See the new page of the blog which is describing the transition in the year of the establishment of The Hastings Community Justice Panel
http://sussexcommunity.blogspot.com/p/history-of-sussex-community-website-and.html

Will 2012 be the year that the truth of the October 2010 Hastings Pier Fire comes out?

"The Truth Will Out" in 2012 (some say). Perhaps we have to wait longer before people are sufficiently ready (and supported) to talk?

So meanwhile, here's some of the 2011 highlights with campaigning for a "more caring and sharing Hastings & St Leonards", some brushes with local celebs (notably Sue Coates) and some personal disclosure and opportunity to understand more of why getting justice in Hastings is so deeply linked to my own story and what I want for those who were on the pier that fateful/fortuitous night!

Here's a flashback to the night of the fire (with Jeremy Birch):

& here's a bit more background (again as The 'Man of Many T-shirts'):

And now I search for another 'Man of Many T-shirts' this is what I've found:

Hastings Truth & Reconciliation Commission

The HASTINGS TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION was an idea that came up around the anniversary of the fire; more of which can be found on http://agoodweek.info and on this most inspiring of 3 videos recorded on the second weekend of October 2010 without showing the face of my interviewee:

3)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tgL1OAesYo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Now, Here are some of the videos shown at the Public Meetings around the 1st Anniversary of the Pier Fire in Hastings. (The fire was on 5th October 2010 -see sussexcommunity.blogspot.com)

PAUL WELCOMES THE ATTENDEES  & the two group introductions - a police officer and a foreigner from Hastings

The work being done in restorative Justice under the umbrella of "St Leonards Sharing" Consortium is sustainable if you register on the NatWest site and then click to support us.http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827

That address again for supporting "St Leonards Sharing" is http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827">here
1) Maria Arpa

2) Burning Bridges [The 35 minute film from the IIRP]

[& see http://sussexcommunity.blogspot.com/2011/01/screening-of-bridges-dvd-with-pier.html]
3) Discussing the viewpoint that "Restorative Justice is no alternative to Justice"

4)Jo Nodding on Restorative Justice

5)
6) Police Community Resolutions and the idea of a community bridging fund:


*****************************************************************
The films recorded at the 5th October meeting:
Film 1 of 4 (at top of this page)
Film 2 of 4:

Film 3 of 4:

Film 4 of 4:


*****************************************************************
And the first 2 films of Kier on the Pier
1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWbuOEGb0j8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

2)


**********
and a film I recorded 4 months before setting up the "St Leonards Sharing" Consortium:

Please now register your interest in "a more caring and sharing Hastings & St Leonards" here:
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/stleonardssharing.html

We need your votes to set up a Timebank (& run a Hastings & St Leonards Truth & Reconciliation Commission on the side)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWQ7VNrlePs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

The banner I intend to arrange to be hung on the pier:

The banner I intend to arrange to be hung on the pier:

"St Leonards Sharing" Consortium asks:
What does the pier, as it is at present, symbolise to you?

To us it symbolises a deep wound in the creation of a more caring & sharing community.
www.sussexcommunity.blogspot.com
& www.stleonardssharing.info

A Telling Time in Sussex

Today (2nd November 2010) is the day when the 18 and 19 year olds from St Leonards who were arrested after the fire are due to have their bail renewed today in court, or not. Do add comments below this post, and please do not put their identities in your comments. 'Was 18' and 'Was 19' is what I'm calling them on this website and on the People's Justice website being launched this week for you to communicate with the "arsonists".

My focus is on providing a way for privately recorded videos and text-messaging for those who have something directly to say to 'Was 18' and 'Was 19', their representatives, or others.

I am amazed and greatly heartened by what one local resident in particular wishes to record and communicate to them on an appropriate timescale.

For clarity, I am in no hurry to establish the direct contact with the arsonists, even though I know someone who knows them. Rather, I will prudently be involving individuals employed in the criminal justice system to moderate/mediate communications which do go to 'Was 18', ''Was 19'.
Communication on "The People's Justice" website will also be for anyone else who is charged in Hastings with offences involving criminal damage, especially by fire. (eg Hastings Observer, 29th October, p3 -"A teenager has been arrested after a spate of car fires.)

Other pages on this blog:
Home
Mediation Support at Southwater Community Centre
Action for Happiness -A Good Week
Paul C -AKA Lend-It-All Man
Why Move to Hastings?

WANTED: Garage-sized storage space in Hastings (or preferably St Leonards)

At the end of October 2010 I moved a library of community resources into two garages in Bexhill, which will from Spring 2011 onwards gradually be offered on www.freelender.org 

 
Ideally, I'm looking for a garage worth's of storage space to the West of London Road i.e. in St Leonards. This will largely be to bring the library closer to Hastings, The themes of this library are: 

• Mediation
• Management that serves
• Transition 
• Transformation 

The abbreviated name of this community resource is to be the MMTT library. 

If you have any books & DVDs etc which you are pleased to offer to trustworthy people who will come round at a convenient time and borrow, then return the items as requested then please add these items to www.freelender.org
(By all means consider asking for deposits when you lend using this service)

For more on freelending & this library see:
http://freelenders.blogspot.com
& The Mediation Support Ltd Mediation Library  
Other pages on this blog:
Home
Mediation Support at Southwater Community Centre
Action for Happiness -A Good Week
Paul C -AKA Lend-It-All Man
Why Move to Hastings?

October Meeting for Residents that want to do something about the town of Hastings

Scott Ellis has just phoned, in advance of emailing to 15 supporters of his letter, and has called a meeting.
This will  be held on Saturday 23rd Oct 2pm at The Stag, All Saints St in the Old Town.
He wrote in a follow-up email;
"please encourage any friends or family to come along too if they are interested in getting involved."
 (Scott received 15 responses, all supportive, in teh four days following publication of this correspondence in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer, 8th October)
Other pages on this blog:
Home
Mediation Support at Southwater Community Centre
Action for Happiness -A Good Week
Paul C -AKA Lend-It-All Man
Why Move to Hastings?