tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66080433189112067412024-02-22T16:09:27.981+00:00Street Play in LondonSIGN UP TO OUR BLOG - IT'S EASY AND FREE AND EVER SO INTERESTINGPaul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-40341180133653248362011-10-31T07:35:00.000+00:002011-10-31T07:35:53.349+00:00London Adventure Playground of the Year 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Congratulations to Islington's <b>Toffee Park</b>, Adventure playground of the Year 2011 </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihidirZvQjdzdr3YHQ3a8AjYu0aqIAdwjoiA9Q0UZJ1DMnWBjLsu5cfGr4TVt2yDZ57LtWc1TEuhaLwoetyrSovE2FmaLJr8773WTfMPuEYT1cT0xaKrsRVhZ2E0PPjHzBT5yUDyIPGw/s400/IMG_4547press.jpg" width="400" /></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCNURomBrppTGjfdbzrG_0bAQ4Wj-d059ZyZ_4Lp8tRNKiK2i_oMW_k_HQP7c35li4t2QbJCo4SmNxZ4yip47VrPkzQK3S9icEMlOFNCErxkgEKaYk5HVz_z6JFaIiomrrOxMLlj2kQ/s1600/IMG_4534press.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCNURomBrppTGjfdbzrG_0bAQ4Wj-d059ZyZ_4Lp8tRNKiK2i_oMW_k_HQP7c35li4t2QbJCo4SmNxZ4yip47VrPkzQK3S9icEMlOFNCErxkgEKaYk5HVz_z6JFaIiomrrOxMLlj2kQ/s400/IMG_4534press.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-62006429144076687722011-07-05T12:20:00.000+01:002011-07-05T12:20:10.955+01:00Street Play book 'When London Played' - NOW IN PAPERBACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Preview or order your copy <a href="http://www.londonplay.org.uk/document.php?document_id=1624"><span style="color: red;">here</span> </a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV2W6uUGFlANNwHjQ2-cEycryUQvIFhTDbmRGa_kU7xdDXVjxDza8og4bcpXyzbf1Zb5sT-DRAcB_rFvOuafcx1OwLNw9PBJzIK5DrjqwHipS5XjlAK4m7H1aps99ooYYUZzz_tthew/s1600/London+Play+Book+COVER+reduced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV2W6uUGFlANNwHjQ2-cEycryUQvIFhTDbmRGa_kU7xdDXVjxDza8og4bcpXyzbf1Zb5sT-DRAcB_rFvOuafcx1OwLNw9PBJzIK5DrjqwHipS5XjlAK4m7H1aps99ooYYUZzz_tthew/s640/London+Play+Book+COVER+reduced.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>When London Played</em> is the new publication from London Play, a first hand account of the award-winning Street Play project written by project coordinator Paul Hocker.<br />
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Funded by the Big Lottery, the project’s aim was to create 100 Street Play events across London. In the face of opposition from motorists, a minority of local authorities and a handful of unwilling neighbours, Hocker vividly charts the ups and downs of the project and includes extract from a diary that follows the uphill struggle to stage a street party on his own street.<br />
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Other contributions come from the project’s partners Play Association Tower Hamlets, Westplay, Lambeth Play Association and an exclusive contribution from Dr Meyer Hillman, author of the seminal One False Move. The forward is by Melian Mansfield, chair of London Play’s trustees and a champion of the project.<br />
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The story is told in the main through the stunning images caught by Ben Jones during the second summer of Street Play events which capture the exuberant play each party generated. A selection of the photographs went on display in London’s City Hall in a major exhibition described by Mayor Boris Johnson as, ‘Splendid stuff!’ The full colour images are annotated with facts, statistics and insights collected during the project’s lifetime.<br />
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One child summed up the transformation to his road in Haringey, when the traffic stopped and the play started;<br />
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‘There were no cars, so it was safer and bigger and everyone was together in the street’<br />
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When London Played is the perfect conclusion to a popular project that street party veteran, Chris Gittens of Bristol’s Streets Alive, noted ‘influenced the nature of Street parties in the UK, away from children being very passive participants to being active contributors’.</span></div><br />
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</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-55639548644389949232011-06-10T14:02:00.001+01:002011-06-14T15:57:47.354+01:00Time Out magazine 8th June 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CuhpY8BV6APTUU7IydQMEa4x1gA_sTm8VY2fWlDvI3ykDe8-pssxRHhTPIyxS-yOdboBYtNz_2jjbdSnYVNYS0y2CTCoj-Nk80npnti6DXafcB5sQixQSJjC1WK2HKeS6BL9x6YNbg/s1600/Sunday+Play+Streets+-+Time+Out+June+9+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CuhpY8BV6APTUU7IydQMEa4x1gA_sTm8VY2fWlDvI3ykDe8-pssxRHhTPIyxS-yOdboBYtNz_2jjbdSnYVNYS0y2CTCoj-Nk80npnti6DXafcB5sQixQSJjC1WK2HKeS6BL9x6YNbg/s640/Sunday+Play+Streets+-+Time+Out+June+9+2011.jpg" t8="true" width="580" /></a></div><br />
</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-70121266410031578062011-06-08T13:17:00.001+01:002011-06-08T13:20:46.492+01:00Grab your popcorn! This film's a good 'un.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Click below to watch a truly inspiring film from a community in Queens, New York who overcame obstacles to create a play street enjoyed by everyone.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.streetfilms.org/a-car-free-street-grows-in-queens/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A Car-free Street Grows in Queens</span></a></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-11852443337786157562011-06-08T12:11:00.000+01:002011-06-08T12:11:05.440+01:00Sunday Play Streets - We have a logo!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD_db8SzZCeqanMp0M2hCKUJVOKIM5GXDJCFY3PR3nvMLiecAkLBU7AdBNeCJSsrQow3vfS1HwpY42nz0n83FiVt_dYQXQe6msv6Z749DHW_VBY7a4tcQQWi01yOILdAOvwlUEFbNxA/s1600/SUNDAY+PLAY+STREETS+LOGO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD_db8SzZCeqanMp0M2hCKUJVOKIM5GXDJCFY3PR3nvMLiecAkLBU7AdBNeCJSsrQow3vfS1HwpY42nz0n83FiVt_dYQXQe6msv6Z749DHW_VBY7a4tcQQWi01yOILdAOvwlUEFbNxA/s1600/SUNDAY+PLAY+STREETS+LOGO.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Visit London Play's new Sunday Play Street page: </span><br />
<a href="http://www.londonplay.org.uk/document.php?document_id=1618"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.londonplay.org.uk/document.php?document_id=1618</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For your free <strong>Sunday Play Streets: The Facts!</strong> download:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.londonplay.org.uk/file/1618.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.londonplay.org.uk/file/1618.pdf</span></a></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-33520310969573721152011-06-07T17:13:00.003+01:002011-06-08T12:06:26.988+01:00Back to the future: Sunday Play Streets<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfSADjwR3q3ZPJix3h-HAl2RyyBsQcCNSR-j897VDmRbrqmJEU1-Q2ZMyqV4Pf6UMYsdZFMC9tGIco155ZjdNWIOilNLeaO5beR7KgLCcDBtxzJJ6NvGi2BiUPvi6mWCWfjx02vJfig/s1600/Low+Gear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfSADjwR3q3ZPJix3h-HAl2RyyBsQcCNSR-j897VDmRbrqmJEU1-Q2ZMyqV4Pf6UMYsdZFMC9tGIco155ZjdNWIOilNLeaO5beR7KgLCcDBtxzJJ6NvGi2BiUPvi6mWCWfjx02vJfig/s640/Low+Gear.jpg" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In May 2011, Anne Milton, Minister for Public Health, proposed an initiative to get children more active in a bid to counter the rise in childhood obesity. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"On Sundays they close certain streets (in Colombia) so that everybody can play in them. That is an outstanding idea," the minister said, adding, "Before constituents email to complain about their streets closing, I should say that I accept it would not work everywhere."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sunday Play Streets are a low cost, yet valuable play opportunity that can provide children and their community with a few hours each week to play out and socialise in a safe space. We have seen through the Street Play project that children playing locally and going in and out of each others homes is a key contributor to better neighbourhood relations. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The currently dormant Play Street legislation is already available for local authorities to use to close the street to general traffic once a week for a few hours. Just to be clear, residents are free to use their cars during this time and visitors and deliveries can also enter and leave but at 5mph, the non-bleed speed. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">See a BBC news film on the subject here.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13325891"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13325891</span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Also please support the online campaign to try to get Play Streets introduced nationwide: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://uservoice.com/a/iw90F"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://uservoice.com/a/iw90F</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> originated by Dave Miller - South Vale, Croydon</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Finally the Street Play Conference/party/finale at Coram Fields, Kings Cross on Saturday July 2nd (10:30am - 3:30pm) will be looking at playing in London and Sunday Play Streets. For free tickets (free lunch and free Play Street book and goodie bag included) email </span><a href="mailto:events@londonplay.org.uk"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">events@londonplay.org.uk</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. This is a child-friendly event in a child-friendly green space so please bring all your family.</span></div><br />
</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-13063979362968645892011-03-23T15:06:00.000+00:002011-03-23T15:06:32.762+00:00Crunchy Numbers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>If, for some strange reason, you actually wanted your child to be abducted in England, how long would you have to leave him outside, unattended, for that to be statistically likely to happen?</strong><br />
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<strong>About 600,000 years.</strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Warwick Cairns, author of How to Live Dangerously</span><br />
</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-49176648010149788932010-11-03T13:15:00.000+00:002010-11-03T13:15:36.878+00:00Take the shirt off our backs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY2s7fnAXLemkVxsPuWZNHkjEIXQ7ylyGNsrebKpten1uJyJgSedjZtAKXWVqlye-RPcKwklT1yshiqLkmhzKp-IBtd9avN61hVgmmd75bKCtgpK9ubPJPV6EnwEdo_euNVBmPGkVvg/s1600/T-shirt+advert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQY2s7fnAXLemkVxsPuWZNHkjEIXQ7ylyGNsrebKpten1uJyJgSedjZtAKXWVqlye-RPcKwklT1yshiqLkmhzKp-IBtd9avN61hVgmmd75bKCtgpK9ubPJPV6EnwEdo_euNVBmPGkVvg/s640/T-shirt+advert.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-54403315954457532482010-10-27T18:18:00.000+01:002010-10-27T18:18:43.275+01:00HarrowingThe London Borough of Harrow has become a new and valued Street Play correspondent.<br />
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The new pen pal arrangement came to life following an email from a Harrow resident to Street Play's inbox last June. The resident wanted to organise a Street Party with her neighbours but was having problems finding the £1600 that the local authority required to permit the necessary road closure.<br />
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£1600!!<br />
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Some might say Harrow likes its neighbour Hillingdon (normally they only consider <em>cul-de-sacs</em> for street parties!!) seems to find the idea of bunting and barbecued bangers beyond the pale and does all it can to deter their residents. <br />
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Street Play sent a letter asking for an explanation and after a month or two Harrow wrote back offering to reduce the charge, as a one-off for Street Play, to £300.<br />
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Street Play wrote back today and explained that £300 is still a lot of money for most Harrow residents and that with the growing popularity in Street Parties the council needed simpler and cheaper road closure procedures.<br />
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We await our new pen pals response.Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-19394291430052428432010-07-28T14:14:00.002+01:002010-08-17T19:52:32.001+01:00Street Play thanks goes to...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbVAV2Mod_Jvb2Qv4t4XK9USIG2GSlqq5-wPj4wWwUjAu22bFXFraZu9pDDMT_hn4lzrrljVKwwBtO9CuUBs4Xuwp4pgMJiKEywra-QEZpxTHU4qvtRuQXa5_vKdXGjCYJ4SHPh7UQw/s1600/image009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbVAV2Mod_Jvb2Qv4t4XK9USIG2GSlqq5-wPj4wWwUjAu22bFXFraZu9pDDMT_hn4lzrrljVKwwBtO9CuUBs4Xuwp4pgMJiKEywra-QEZpxTHU4qvtRuQXa5_vKdXGjCYJ4SHPh7UQw/s320/image009.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZD48E-ssQqrEiM1zQf2xVSnwfmVvQfWphs2oqaT97Y9pUB49kfEXJbaN3xKJICP36K-aRocQ5ODh41b-9zDjqwqo23z_d5-Mewq3bk-30abrALWqyoUz_4MGgraMvMsTmutPlI6zMIQ/s1600/Firefly+Logo+medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZD48E-ssQqrEiM1zQf2xVSnwfmVvQfWphs2oqaT97Y9pUB49kfEXJbaN3xKJICP36K-aRocQ5ODh41b-9zDjqwqo23z_d5-Mewq3bk-30abrALWqyoUz_4MGgraMvMsTmutPlI6zMIQ/s320/Firefly+Logo+medium.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">for their delicious donation of bottled drinks to the 10th July Street Party in Ealing. Much happy glugging all round.</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-58255795957132789202010-07-20T15:14:00.004+01:002010-09-08T16:55:34.523+01:00JULY 2010 - STREET PLAY IMAGES<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjda_mQJqbBI8-Y5fi10v1SwWjLJnNNlFe5Y9Mo8OtNnFT_fJv7TnuHiFnQiFD6PkSsuj5wDZ7RQEygfbRuGGK0k2kDmWVpuaS5N3H_ghn5m6k9Y5SNVmmOPaEu4Ap6XqRSQIuNSeM9HA/s1600/E17+Boys+in+the+road+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjda_mQJqbBI8-Y5fi10v1SwWjLJnNNlFe5Y9Mo8OtNnFT_fJv7TnuHiFnQiFD6PkSsuj5wDZ7RQEygfbRuGGK0k2kDmWVpuaS5N3H_ghn5m6k9Y5SNVmmOPaEu4Ap6XqRSQIuNSeM9HA/s400/E17+Boys+in+the+road+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNncLJemWON5tVlpFE4JYWnfkRjGRK2Zou0jZdVWh82bA_IMQOjuFZpuzViOAt90i5ZaZoPePZCKCzKxUSJSUNZDQ8WphVMxE00HRryPBCty4nMXmCuzsKIawrTkpxLwO5HQTTI5hug/s1600/E17+egg+and+spoon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNncLJemWON5tVlpFE4JYWnfkRjGRK2Zou0jZdVWh82bA_IMQOjuFZpuzViOAt90i5ZaZoPePZCKCzKxUSJSUNZDQ8WphVMxE00HRryPBCty4nMXmCuzsKIawrTkpxLwO5HQTTI5hug/s400/E17+egg+and+spoon.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrSZsRGTdcpB4sQWAIfsNswW-o59egqIf1vp3qyK4NAJJRRaU1Mq9AXPGQcbrMpvLLF62H4lQkT2t7q8uPxf0jE66oSUGXxrtG6-UAKHQOUNTrmVupkduQUICE1Y2wgG0I4jtIY2M0A/s1600/E17+girls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrSZsRGTdcpB4sQWAIfsNswW-o59egqIf1vp3qyK4NAJJRRaU1Mq9AXPGQcbrMpvLLF62H4lQkT2t7q8uPxf0jE66oSUGXxrtG6-UAKHQOUNTrmVupkduQUICE1Y2wgG0I4jtIY2M0A/s400/E17+girls.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy3T3hOsAmjqTs_V8s9FlYeUV-ejLVRiyF23nc7GnTpV9XBFdoERpRmhz91_5v2qvJ9_kB3spLxHAQ4F17hzrYXBKIxvZTPVR__8avyAjRKKAgQzySEQSVxwyuf-A-ptQ6xpuqB5eVA/s1600/DSC00016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy3T3hOsAmjqTs_V8s9FlYeUV-ejLVRiyF23nc7GnTpV9XBFdoERpRmhz91_5v2qvJ9_kB3spLxHAQ4F17hzrYXBKIxvZTPVR__8avyAjRKKAgQzySEQSVxwyuf-A-ptQ6xpuqB5eVA/s400/DSC00016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-5486915620448716172010-07-16T12:51:00.000+01:002010-07-16T12:51:20.159+01:00And now Boris gives Street Parties the Mayoral thumbs up<strong>Lizzie Noel, the Mayor's Adviser on Social Action and Volunteering responded to a question from Chris Gittens at Streets Alive regarding the problems some Londoners face when dealing with their local council over street closures:</strong><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAeWB1OimhuQnXmrMHGMzyf4aYPRaOnzOvLKUVVyqyXV7GsmCEVLx4sF1-u867AHl4MxfinVaiHNqTHrDZ__MA8gemNs7QWXth6wvpGKTB3iyfcBSEC4an3-4-x_AGFlG_eoOyiVgJg/s1600/amd_boris-johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAeWB1OimhuQnXmrMHGMzyf4aYPRaOnzOvLKUVVyqyXV7GsmCEVLx4sF1-u867AHl4MxfinVaiHNqTHrDZ__MA8gemNs7QWXth6wvpGKTB3iyfcBSEC4an3-4-x_AGFlG_eoOyiVgJg/s320/amd_boris-johnson.jpg" /></a></div><blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"Thank you for your email highlighting difficulties with street closures.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Please accept my response on behalf of the Mayor. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This issue has previously been brought to our attention and the subject, particularly in respect of the Big Lunch on 18th July, was on the agenda earlier this week at a London Councils meeting chaired by the Mayor.</div><br />
We intend to keep up the pressure in the two year run-up to the 2012 Games and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and we will continue to raise it in a number of forums."</blockquote>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-14284702698186577992010-07-16T12:03:00.000+01:002010-07-16T12:03:46.584+01:00And the Met Police's view on the cycling to school debate....<a href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23855166-met-backs-children-cycling-on-pavements-after-mayors-plea-in-safety-row.do">Click here to read the full story:</a>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-79037339417400698382010-07-16T11:58:00.000+01:002010-07-16T11:58:37.052+01:00And No. 10's view on the cycling to school debate....<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1292334/No10-backs-couple-let-small-children-cycle-school-own.html">For the full story click here:</a>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-65427802069746566782010-07-06T23:01:00.000+01:002010-07-06T23:01:29.312+01:00Street Play gets caught up in the news cycle<div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">London's Evening Standard, July 5, 2010 (click on article to enlarge)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyDSD9bQZiSfdHhBSJx_FOdjHdU_J8dViGQ4gzp4Hx3vy1b533oAkI96_PTC2brUR-4uL5xRQQhF-GXBvQf1tmq6qF2ei2stNkf6hBcBshKlPO2cDJKR2oYxiU1SBkuXV4pGAJWcQ_A/s1600/Evening+Standard+5+July+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyDSD9bQZiSfdHhBSJx_FOdjHdU_J8dViGQ4gzp4Hx3vy1b533oAkI96_PTC2brUR-4uL5xRQQhF-GXBvQf1tmq6qF2ei2stNkf6hBcBshKlPO2cDJKR2oYxiU1SBkuXV4pGAJWcQ_A/s320/Evening+Standard+5+July+2010.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">London Play's response, Evening Standard July 6, 2010 (click on article to enlarge)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfBX-dVOxZwfu14MdsB9T-pw3ywU3uftpjaUn6YUKos-pv2s3kifBNNSIIedaXXo3q6hmKXzURB_y5rwY-PEcgGX7E-37GFrAuKqNvJzcouT__wdBeMxIPWwKUQZEzRiPe7TOGH_oMw/s1600/Evening+Standard+6+July+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfBX-dVOxZwfu14MdsB9T-pw3ywU3uftpjaUn6YUKos-pv2s3kifBNNSIIedaXXo3q6hmKXzURB_y5rwY-PEcgGX7E-37GFrAuKqNvJzcouT__wdBeMxIPWwKUQZEzRiPe7TOGH_oMw/s320/Evening+Standard+6+July+2010.jpg" /></a></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-71695721823683051692010-07-05T15:58:00.004+01:002010-07-05T17:00:15.571+01:00SEE ISLINGTON'S BEACH LIFE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzq8WH1Cbd21rVu9hJ1EyIHcWvWWouKKBZmj8zywJus-9UDY08bESQwNw_rg93p19TBptvXCfrkVX8NVMox' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><em>In this clip:</em><br />
This summer residents in Islington filled car spaces with sand and hay bales and provided a homemade natural play space.Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-60065946533640691242010-07-05T15:15:00.000+01:002010-07-05T15:15:39.584+01:00WATCH HARINGEY DANCING IN THE STREET<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxFbnbPJFzV4xwvxMzLLI4p8ZHQ_t2s_hi1GHzWA1j1WWxFCo9nbqy0wUyYqyf-Y9h7lozaZJE5diE1wKAAEg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><em>About this clip:</em> <br />
It's summer 2009 and the good folk of an average Haringey street are dancing off the chicken legs and cup cakes with some serious footloose activity. 80s legend Mari Wilson was on hand to serenade the street.<br />
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The day before no one knew eachother so well and cars were whizzing up and down.Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-38088044774002718142010-07-02T14:58:00.003+01:002010-07-02T15:11:34.380+01:00JONATHAN ROSS LOVES HIS NEIGHBOURS<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>On the 19th June 2010, Jonathan Ross was asked on his Radio 2 show if he enjoyed judging his local scarecrow competetion?</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">"Yes but here's the thing: I love doing it! It's great fun to do because you get to meet your neighbours and how often do we get to meet our neighbours."</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxStlxf5_orWbz14c6CHqH1dBBBdq6CykfNvshAq72EdgveZowjMa251Z_M9_q6z3XbMkIM3pM1JAHsiDADB1bTMs-KIkawlptHFCchqomK4IqF1f71KaFEzp_DhxPfUzzR0xjwzTwQ/s1600/jonathan-ross-quits-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxStlxf5_orWbz14c6CHqH1dBBBdq6CykfNvshAq72EdgveZowjMa251Z_M9_q6z3XbMkIM3pM1JAHsiDADB1bTMs-KIkawlptHFCchqomK4IqF1f71KaFEzp_DhxPfUzzR0xjwzTwQ/s200/jonathan-ross-quits-001.jpg" width="173" /></a> "We rush around in town, we close our doors behind us and we don't chat to people. It always fills me with a great sense of enthusiasm for the area and you know its very nice, I feel happy afterwards. And I get to eat lots of cake."<br />
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<strong>We can't argue with Mr Ross. </strong><strong>It really is nice to spend a sunny afternoon with the people that live around you yet somehow never get to know. </strong><br />
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<strong>Contact </strong><a href="mailto:paul@londonplay.org.uk"><strong>paul@londonplay.org.uk</strong></a><strong> to find out how easy it is to bring some fun and warmth to your street and how we can help you on the way.</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-1366686692251362032010-06-28T13:49:00.002+01:002010-06-29T22:44:51.331+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 9<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJGTC4DERF7Jqb6_HO3PpSuLwdRqGPDiaLdSTLifsKgP4oikpm9YssLBkye7OY1Q1blbEl7C0je0uEk6CZ_yrCodtpQB1vNStm6h5A7-oyZCNsA60phdZ13WyUFD64XtmnFmb_CM7yQ/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJGTC4DERF7Jqb6_HO3PpSuLwdRqGPDiaLdSTLifsKgP4oikpm9YssLBkye7OY1Q1blbEl7C0je0uEk6CZ_yrCodtpQB1vNStm6h5A7-oyZCNsA60phdZ13WyUFD64XtmnFmb_CM7yQ/s200/untitled.bmp" width="145" /></a><br />
<strong>Iona Opie, childrens folklorist</strong><br />
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We wore old clothes in the garden – ‘rumbling’ clothes we called them – and spent long hours out of sight of the adult world, climbing trees, baking mud pies, borrowing an old saucepan from the cook and making toffee on a bonfire.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-14436329084956212262010-06-28T13:06:00.002+01:002010-06-28T14:05:00.224+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 8<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPthm9ICMMJY4sN54Sb-l3iVj3sj-LmKqMlNkf84QHezH_Fo4-CGJJlz-bdgiqODIczSuHYMK8N8mLQ8pbhm1cUfQOUlj67jWQ0If1apMEZCH2zMFXHMYl_Rb8IisxTLCLIPby5QHUA/s1600/r155137_559197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPthm9ICMMJY4sN54Sb-l3iVj3sj-LmKqMlNkf84QHezH_Fo4-CGJJlz-bdgiqODIczSuHYMK8N8mLQ8pbhm1cUfQOUlj67jWQ0If1apMEZCH2zMFXHMYl_Rb8IisxTLCLIPby5QHUA/s200/r155137_559197.jpg" width="146" /></a><strong>Tony Blair</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I was a child I enjoyed playing in some grounds near Durham Cathedral which had woods and the River Weir. This was a good place to run around in, especially during the long days of summer.</div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-64320439309553030622010-06-28T12:55:00.003+01:002010-06-28T12:59:39.186+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MffUwe1siXdRUJmZQlDN8Vd9MMAzr18D72-YRgw9278LXZ0FAXnnxjzVE5O4EgEpHpKyUoGvZ_HEox0g_I0OJAE1h-fYMKyrGuVFbo8ijy-JVnI0l1_dFmy1wpBEK1eStmCnHY9DKA/s1600/article-1028222-01AB8C2400000578-837_468x431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MffUwe1siXdRUJmZQlDN8Vd9MMAzr18D72-YRgw9278LXZ0FAXnnxjzVE5O4EgEpHpKyUoGvZ_HEox0g_I0OJAE1h-fYMKyrGuVFbo8ijy-JVnI0l1_dFmy1wpBEK1eStmCnHY9DKA/s320/article-1028222-01AB8C2400000578-837_468x431.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Sir Terry Pratchett, author</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>My favourite play area was – it still IS – called Roundhead Wood, although it has fewer trees and more barbed wire now. And here four or five of us roared around like some screaming, multi-legged animal, building camps, riding bikes around the little chalk pit in the middle and growing up a little bit more everyday. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-79870832570899387622010-06-28T12:52:00.002+01:002010-06-28T12:58:57.921+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLydFZ0i9uDRRuPDb26g0j_UI0IDkeWXI78WVE1s6Ge_sX559hzZsMXPwlRqZa9499WbTR6zapIPc4riU1RnDnBvEesj1gaNNZ6gBrL_hARnPgyze5l1sdhA-lUdko2-UFN6TT0XmT9w/s1600/Fiennes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLydFZ0i9uDRRuPDb26g0j_UI0IDkeWXI78WVE1s6Ge_sX559hzZsMXPwlRqZa9499WbTR6zapIPc4riU1RnDnBvEesj1gaNNZ6gBrL_hARnPgyze5l1sdhA-lUdko2-UFN6TT0XmT9w/s200/Fiennes.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><strong>Sir Ranulph Fiennes, explorer</strong><br />
<br />
In 1952 when I was eight, I became a boarder at Eastern province preparatory school. I enjoyed the weekly official game of ‘skop die blijk’ or ‘kick the can’, in which two large teams attacked each other inside a forest adjacent to the school.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-17844018030795719902010-06-28T12:45:00.004+01:002010-06-28T12:57:38.759+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 5<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwGeF9vyEkTH9FC53xDi6pOiSDoz1uw12lkPuxJMnKuU8Siqb_rzHYUfwilcyuKFbs1vbH0J33L7uGf_5faydd9VMlPqlQ4h1psazC41ntuKaBmBljO3bQe3KR2_wComjVzeIW6U_yQ/s1600/Lulu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwGeF9vyEkTH9FC53xDi6pOiSDoz1uw12lkPuxJMnKuU8Siqb_rzHYUfwilcyuKFbs1vbH0J33L7uGf_5faydd9VMlPqlQ4h1psazC41ntuKaBmBljO3bQe3KR2_wComjVzeIW6U_yQ/s200/Lulu.jpg" width="152" /></a><strong>Lulu </strong><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I was young I used to climb on to the thin garden walls in front of peoples homes. I used to pretend the walls were tightropes. With hindsight it was quite dangerous, because I was only young, and the wall seemed quite high. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>I did fall a couple of times but only scraped myself, and I did not suffer any bad injuries. I did love the danger factor, even at such a young age.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-3685442670641425902010-06-28T12:40:00.003+01:002010-06-28T12:58:35.044+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 4<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ftCfQqy2kdnvkp5fftxWSFJLIf9S7a4Z5fnUZkFgkNmdaO2QVHPgTB66_E_WuMUiieXFuV2P9O-AB53Lr3pSfqqXecznWMA_vb_muuJ7ACByo9Z9hM3f0IaxqRyBVyQrE7JRO8jDbw/s1600/dodd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ftCfQqy2kdnvkp5fftxWSFJLIf9S7a4Z5fnUZkFgkNmdaO2QVHPgTB66_E_WuMUiieXFuV2P9O-AB53Lr3pSfqqXecznWMA_vb_muuJ7ACByo9Z9hM3f0IaxqRyBVyQrE7JRO8jDbw/s200/dodd.jpg" width="193" /></a><strong>Ken Dodd, comedian</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
"I had a wonderful childhood as, adjacent to my home in Knotty Ash, there were about 250 acres of fields. Myself and the Knotty Ash band of outlaws ran wild. </div><br />
I was brilliant at digging holes, setting fire to my coat and falling out of trees – a fabulous time of my life."<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract taken from <em>Playground Memories</em>, edited by Nick Gammage</span>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6608043318911206741.post-79757060173380644262010-06-18T16:46:00.005+01:002010-06-28T13:03:37.186+01:00FAMOUS CHILDHOODS 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cvdkGkqJ7-267L3DJgYKORARIa-YqVHiNuq2Su6BJk42vnQyiDENn1iOfUh0QXEEjoN2w2jnJXVfvOgQk1IiNzcHLiOcIlw2b4nIlHh8Qr49IGjY4RVZD7S-bElxXDliiWDAvW8EDA/s1600/russell-brand-pic-getty-586094430.jpg"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484143223167835922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cvdkGkqJ7-267L3DJgYKORARIa-YqVHiNuq2Su6BJk42vnQyiDENn1iOfUh0QXEEjoN2w2jnJXVfvOgQk1IiNzcHLiOcIlw2b4nIlHh8Qr49IGjY4RVZD7S-bElxXDliiWDAvW8EDA/s400/russell-brand-pic-getty-586094430.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 384px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"> <strong> </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong>Russell Brand </strong></span><br />
<br />
<div><span style="color: black;">“Over the road from where I grew up there was a disused chalkpit and an overgrown and abandoned army barracks. I would go there – losing days at a time – to retrieve newts.<br />
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It was amazing that bit of wasteground. Obviously now, through the nostalgic haze of my adult perspective, it seems impossible that this place could ever have existed.<br />
<br />
There were these concrete bunkers – utterly featureless, like Stonehenge, but all overgrown with brambles and moss. They were linked by underground tunnels, in which you’d have to completely trust yourself – walking into absolute, terrifying darkness, within which anything could lurk.<br />
<br />
The whole place had a mythical; air about it and – informed by reading C.S Lewis and Enid Blyton at a very early age – it felt like a magical kingdom. I was lucky to have a place where my fantasy life could manifest itself.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Extract from his autobiography, <em>My Booky Wook</em></span></span></div>Paul Hockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05959460413485192421noreply@blogger.com0