Friday 29 May 2020

Historic England's London History Day this Sunday 31 May

If you have a bit of time this Sunday 31 May you might want to check out or get involved with London History Day hosted by Historic England.
This year, in what are very difficult and challenging times for many, we are celebrating London’s resilience on Sunday 31 May. We will come together, virtually, to celebrate London’s resilience and share stories that remind us of the incredible strength, courage and community spirit Londoners have shown, today and throughout history. It’s a day to reflect, create, connect with each other and have fun.
Here’s the link:
https://historicengland.org.uk/get-involved/visit/london-history-day/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=lhd

The ATA's own Spring Wildlife Census needs more volunteers

We all know the Triangle is green. But how green? Lock Down has made London a quieter, cleaner place. And it's given us time to pay more attention to what this means for the wildlife in our own neighbourhoods. A group of Triangle residents are using this extraordinary opportunity to find out - and they want more help with recording what's moving, and what's growing, all around us.
There's definitely something exciting in it for kids - show them this video of Ashburnham Grove's fox cubs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwaXIbBpLyM
But whatever your interests - birds, blossoms or insects - there's plenty more to see: here are some of Egerton Drive's busy bees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSbkAcT3LeA
Each week those helping with the Spring Census are sending in a short record of what they have seen - in words, or in pictures like these - to Census co-ordinator, Mick Delap. They've been at it since April. And the Census will continue to gather information until the end of June. We already know which birds are most often seen in Triangle gardens (can you guess? Answer below *). But the Census needs more help, to capture everything that's going on this Spring, day, and night. As well as the night time foxes, we know there are bats in the Triangle - but we don't know how common they are, or what species. Help us find out this - and much more.
The target is to have enough data by the end of June to write up a detailed account of the Triangle's wild life. You don't need to be an expert to contribute - everything helps. And there's a new website which provides basic information, and allows you to use your phone to record what you are seeing: www.trianglewildlife.co.uk . You can also get to the website by pointing your phone camera at the image below.

 

Alternatively, Mick Delap has a Spring Census Starter Pack he can send out. Contact him on mick@delap.plus.com to join in, or just to hear each week how the Spring Census is progressing.
It's easy to contribute - and it's fun. Be part of this exciting new project. (* And the commonest Triangle birds are Blue Tits, Great Tits, Blackbirds and Pigeons).

Friday 22 May 2020

Volunteers wanted by the ATA History Hub

Barbara from our History Hub writes:
I can’t say yet when we’ll be able to have another History Hub meeting but in case anyone has a bit of free time on their hands I’m flagging up something that you might want to take part in. Margaret Luce has been helping to trace the Charles Booth's Poverty Maps of London and more volunteers are needed. It’s something you can easily do at home. Booth’s Poverty map has poverty classifications for different buildings, but there has been no way to read the locations as data. You can help trace the colours and label them, so that researchers can use the data in the future. The London School of Economics library developed a website on Charles Booth’s London which includes his maps and notebooks. You can find out more here
All the information about the project and a demonstration of how to do the tracing and colouring is on a YouTube webinar produced by Layers of London
You can do as little or as much as you like because the maps are divided into small squares. You can take an area of London that you are familiar with and get to know it better or choose an area you don’t know. There’s something soothing as well as informative about the activity.
The Layers of London website has other new features and user feedback has been taken on board so do take another look at it www.layersoflondon.org

Sunday 17 May 2020

ATA Plant Swap


The annual ATA Plant Swap is ‘going walkabout’!
Saturday, 23rd May 2020 11.00 – 12.30 
Come and find new plants at the following
addresses:
16 /17 Egerton Drive 
75 Ashburnham Grove 
38 Greenwich South Street
Plants to swap can be dropped off at the same time
Look out for the logo and please don’t forget social distancing – stay two metres apart

Friday 8 May 2020

Safer Neighbourhoods April update

Earlier this week the Safer Neighbourhoods Panel had a telephone conference call to discuss Greenwich West. Here is a summary of that call:
Within the Triangle
Over the last 6 - 12 months there have been numerous reports of drug dealing within some of the blocks of flats in Devonshire drive. Together with residents help the police believe they know who the dealer is and have now identified most of the users. They are currently collating evidence.

Antisocial behaviour was reported prior to the lockdown involving the North Pole Pub and mopeds using the pavement via Norman Road. No more incidents more recently.

In fact the only real crime still being committed within the Triangle is theft from or theft of motor vehicles. There has been an alarming rise in theft of items from parked cars. When questioned by police amazingly some of these cars were not locked. Even during a pandemic there are opportunist thieves and if you leave your car unlocked then anything of value inside will not be there for long!

Remember:
  • Do not leave unattended items on display in your vehicle
  • Always lock your vehicle 

Theft of bicycles and mopeds /motorbikes is also on the rise. The police had started patrolling the Triangle in an effort to reduce vehicle crime but unfortunately since the lockdown and with police resources stretched to the limit this is currently not happening. They will resume these patrols as soon as they are able to. 

They have asked for all crime to be reported even if you don’t think it’s necessary. The Met Police use a system called “Crime Mapping” - a simple system that reports crime type, crime location, date and time and then based on past crime data it generates a hotspot map identifying areas where crime is most likely to happen. This is why it is essential to report EVERYTHING. Officers will be deployed into hotspot areas to catch criminals in the act. For non emergency crime report to 101 or complete the online form.  For any crime in progress Always 999.

Outside the Triangle
Car crime is not exclusive to the Triangle. There has been a spike in thefts from vehicles along Crooms Hill and Hyde Vale and the police suspect it's linked to the crimes within the Triangle. 

The theft of catalytic converters is rising rapidly within the borough. The catalytic converter is part of your car's exhaust system, and works to convert the toxic gases your motor produces into less harmful substances to be emitted. They are stolen as they contain precious metals and are sold for scrap. Catalytic converters (CATs) have been fitted in the exhaust of the majority of petrol cars manufactured since 1992 and diesel cars since 2001. Taller vehicles (4x4s) are particularly vulnerable as the converters are more easily accessible. 

Ikea car park in North Greenwich was the target of such thefts and before Christmas the police patrolled the area with plain clothes officers. Dartmouth Row has recently seen a spike in the these thefts. Using the Crime Mapping system police will be deployed to patrol areas that are seen as vulnerable, so once again it is really important to report this crime.

You will know if you are a victim of this type of crime as the muffler gets disconnected when a catalytic convertor is taken making your vehicle sound really loud once turned on together with a stronger smell of toxic fumes. Police suggest fitting a protection device made specifically to cover the converter – known as a cat lock. A Thatcham-approved alarm should also detect and activate if the vehicle is tilted or lifted.

Prior to the lockdown there were a few robberies within the Town Centre together with antisocial behaviour in Greenwich Market.  At the moment this has calmed down.

The council made sure they found shelter and accommodation for any homeless person in the borough during the pandemic. However there are still beggars in the Town Centre as they have refused any help. The police try to move them on as many are not practising social distancing.

Greenwich Park
During the lockdown thankfully Greenwich Park has remained open. However the park has been seen to be very busy at certain times. As you may know all the Royal Parks have their own Park Police to patrol them during the day. Greenwich Park Police has had to ask for the help from Richmond Park Police to carry out these patrols and make sure everyone is acting as per government guidelines to social distancing. 
As at the 5th May, our Safer Neighbourhood Team has issued 4 fines in breach of Covid-19. They emphasised that they prefer to talk and guide anyone not following government guidelines and will only issue fines as a last resort.

At the meeting we all thanked the police for their continuous hard work during these difficult and challenging times.


Tina Pugh
ATA Security / Police Liaison

Emergency dial 999
Non Emergency dial 101
Greenwich Safer Neighbourhood Team: 020 8284 5494 (not 24 hour)