| Visiting Auschwitz |
| Thursday, 29 November 2007 11:36 |
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On Tuesday, I visited Auschwitz concentration and death camp (in Poland) with the Holocaust Education Trust. I helped arrange for 2 students from Graveney Secondary School and 2 students from Ernest Bevin College to also attend as well as a local History teacher. The day has to be one of the most chilling and traumatic of my life. It is also one that I can never forget. You can find out more about our visit and see some photos by clicking HERE. To find out more about the Holocaust Education Trust, click HERE Last week was also when the Government laid out our plans for the coming legislative year, in the Queen’s Speech. Some highlights include new legislation to improve youth and community facilities, to provide a more personalised NHS and to protect our environment with the Climate Change Bill. To watch clips of the Queen’s Speech and to read about the new legislative agenda in more detail click HERE. On Thursday, I had the joy of joining 3 leading local community figures to judge my annual Christmas Card Competition. A record number of local children of all ages from 9 primary schools across the community entered the competition this year, with designs as colourful and varied as Tooting’s community. Joining me with the tricky task of judging this year’s competition, was Stuart Lowe, Wandsworth Borough Police Commander, Father William Hebborn of St Anselm’s Church and Jane Bruccoleri, Chief Reporter for the Wandsworth Borough News and Guardian. We chose a winner and 8 runners up. Their designs will now be printed and sent out to 500 people from our community and around the world. To see a photo of us judging the competition click HERE I also arranged for a meeting for local retailers, residents and the Tooting Town Centre Manager to meet with a senior representative of Tescos to discuss their plans to open an Express store in Mitcham Road. Whilst many local people welcome the new store, some local residents and retails have concerns about its impact on the area. I am working with both Tesco Head Office and local retailers to achieve the best deal for Tooting. To read more about the meeting and the arrival of the new store click HERE. You can see a photo of our meeting by clicking HERE. I was also pleased to have helped set up the first formal Interfaith dialogue between local Catholic Church leaders and local Muslim leaders at a special meeting in Gatton Primary School. This is the start of, what I am confident will be, many joint initiatives building on the work of other local interfaith groups such as BATCA (Balham and Tooting Community Association). Father William Hebbon and Maulana Maqsood deserve a special mention for their contribution to this excellent project. You can see a photo of our meeting by clicking HERE. On Friday, I was asked to officially open a new building at Garratt Park School on Garratt Lane. The school invested £2 million in a new state-of-the-art building and in refurbishing the existing school site. I was really impressed with the new building, and it was clear how much hard work had been put in by the teachers and parents and governors to provide the best quality facilities for the students Over the week end, I attended 3 different Diwali celebration events in Tooting. One organised by the London Fire Service, the other by the Mauritius Hindu Organisation and the third by Tooting Business Network. Diwali is a Hindu, Jain and Sikh festival to celebrate new beginnings, and celebrates joy, love and reflection. On Sunday, I also joined local volunteers talking to residents in Earlsfield ward. The main issues raised were the state of the pavements and streets and the lack of adequate street parking in some of the Estates. I have agreed to take up these issues as well as other individual queries raised. |
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