Africa and bees mainly in Issue 43

Tues   Nov 1st    £4    Silver Screen begins
and on Thursdays at Hackney Picture House, Mare St. Any film before
5pm.

Thurs  Nov 3rd   free  6-7.30pm Hackney
Museum, Mare St. Africa Today with ref. to Ghana. A discussion.

Book on 02083562509

Fri       Nov  4th  free 10-noon  British Bee Keepers
talk.  Stamford Hill Library N16

Sat     Nov  5th  free
10-12.30pm. Ainslee Wood look about. Meet Normanshire Drive
entrance to

Larkswood Playing Field, Chingford . Contact 020 8524
5794

                                 cinema
prices   3pm Film Africa season 2011 begins
at Hackney Picture House

                                                 4 screens, 4 different
films.

Ongoing events:- Monday..Ballroom
lessons at Round Chapel, Tuesdays  exercise dance at St John’s at
Hackney,Wednesdays…cake decorating, and  Songololo (Different times and venue.
Ask me), A Taste Of Hackney (Ask me), Stratford East Singers.

gillianamuir@aol.co.uk

Whoopee!

Recently Up Your Street has had
more reason to whoop…..

                          This past week seniors have

received free tickets to watch Paul
O’Grady at The Hackney Empire,

got their tickets for Diwali celebrations in Walthamstow
Asssembly Hall,

had places reserved for free films at BFI South
Bank

had their bookings confirmed for free Christmas
lunches….

heard that Mary  of “Mary
Katherine Presents”, our very own Silver Sounds community radio
presenter, and senior herself, will feature @ the Sound Women Website as

                                           an inspiring woman in
radio.

                     ************Well done Mary @ Streetlife Radio!***********

and have been glad that a GLL Leisure Centre approached Up Your Street to rally the troops for
more social sessions starting end November.

All this and more through Gillian Lawrence of

Up
Your Street an information-sharing service for seniors listing free events and activities in the 6 London 2012 boroughs. Keep in
touch!

Mary is a volunteer radio
presenter/dj at Streetlife
Radio

                                  

Fashion’s Best Kept Secret

After High Street Seniors I raced up to Dalston Junction to the new CLR James Library. Those of us who booked with Joy Francis, Managing Director of Words Of Colour were the lucky ones to get into the venue before the masses. Tonight’s presentation as part of Black History Month celebrations in Hackney Libraries and, let’s remember it’s UN Year of People Of African Descent (which means all of humankind), was a debate chaired by Joy. The pertinent issue debated or rather discussed by the panel of eminent writers, editors and entrepeneurs is the fact that African fashion designs, black designers and black models in UK 2011 are not achieving equality of opportunity.

The room was packed. The session was serious and really the speakers wanted we the audience to get the message that when they support each other as black business people  they will have the power to  make others (mainstream white businesses and media) realise that they, black designers and  black houses of fashion, will have definitely and without compromise equal and solid shares in the business hierarchy. Often the word African  was used such that one listener asked whether the panel saw themselves as Africans designing fashionable attire  or black fashion experts creating all that is marketable based on African designs.

There was much to ponder in less than 90 minutes. There are many people from many backgrounds who are surprised at the British Gas’s advert  which reflects the diversity in London,  at least,  with a cartoon using what could be  a Sikh guy, then a woman technician/engineer, a black guy  and  a laughing cat. There are many people of many hues  asking “Where are the black people in the adverts?” Age UK had their token black guys and that was noticed and I mean that it was not enough.

Media keeps the world spinning and so is powerful. That lightweight Dyson still belongs to a woman. We all have miles to go yet. Tonight at CLR James Library was a step more towards demolishing complacency about the status quo.

Let me tell you about Stratford East Singers!

Went along yesterday for 3 hours of singing; bit of soul and some harmonised soul/pop too. We assemble in our eagerness at Theatre Royal Stratford east where Shawab of the TRSE and Openstage2012  is our host. We sing to express our connection to the song and not to perform or entertain or be X Factorites. We do that.

Many subscribers to Up Your Street are involved  and all the three groups of singers, and I have heard the word “choir” bandied about, represent a good mix of ages.

Our tutor is ace; disciplined and passionate.

What more can you want from a freebie?

Come on down. Monday and Wednesday evenings. Phone Shawab at TRSE for more info.

High Street Seniors

We don’t walk in the rain, but to remind folk that Pierre Vannoni
is showing his Africa Photos at Hackney Museum 5-7.30pm tonight despite the
wet.

Free
event.

You
are allowed up to 5 free Diwali tickets for Nov 4th if you prove you are
resident in Waltham Forest. Collect from library staff.

enough for me

“If it wasn’t for  Up Your Street we’d be in a cocoon: we’d be stuck indoors”, said an Openstage volunteer just today.

Enough for me. Issue 43 on its loaded way.

sharing Age Exchange’s work and free films

Age Exchange the leading UK charity working in reminiscence arts, presents two free film screenings with BFI Southbank
Copyright William Ball Overload is part of Hearts and Minds, a three year creative arts and reminiscence programme for people who use mental health services in South London. Throughout the 3 years of activity Age Exchange, is developing major projects in creative care working across Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon. The programme is funded and supported by South London and Maudsley Charitable Funds.	Overload Tuesday 15 November 11.00am-1.00pm A film about how modern day living in South London affects people’s senses; sight, hearing, taste, touch, thought processes, feelings, memory and sense of space. The film uses people’s accounts of mild to severe effects of Overload, what triggers it, how it affects their lives, how it makes them feel and what they do to cope with it. The screening includes a short film documenting the making of Overload made by Simon Purins. Overload is directed by Ivan Riches working in partnership with people who suffer from mental health distress, that attend various projects or volunteer at CoolTan Arts. Commissioned by David Savill, Artistic Director, Age Exchange. The film will be introduced by Stuart Bell, Chief Executive of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. After the film there will be an opportunity for discussion with the filmmaker, participants and audience and an optional lunch. The screening is free but booking required. Email claire.pollock@age-exchange.org.uk
www.peoples-story.co.uk		The People’s Story Monday 5 December 11.00am-1.00pm A documentary recording the process of a unique 18 month intergenerational project that has involved diverse communities across Enfield and Edmonton. The film illustrates how reminiscence, drama and film making can bring together different individuals and communities to work collaboratively through creative arts to tell their story, and the story of their community. In recent years major parts of Enfield and Edmonton have suffered from high levels of deprivation and unemployment, particularly among young people. Since 1999 the area has experienced a major period of regeneration. The project has taken place across the London Borough of Edmonton with particularly focus on Enfield Island Village, renowned for the famous Royal Small Arms Factory and Edmonton Green, an area steeped in cultural heritage. The People’s Story is a film by Ivan Riches commissioned by David Savill, Artistic Director, Age Exchange Following the film there will be an opportunity for discussion with the filmmaker, participants and audience and an optional lunch The screening is free but booking required. Email claire.pollock@age-exchange.org.uk
How to get to BFI Southbank http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/visitor_information/how_to_get_here NFT 3 BFI Southbank Belvedere Road South Bank London SE1 8XT
Also coming up
copyright Simon Purins The exhibition will formally open on Friday 25 November 6.00-9.00 pm. Opening times 11am-6pm Saturday 26 November 11am-6pm Sunday 27 NovemberArch 402 Gallery Cremer Street London E2 8HD How to get to Arch 402 Gallery http://www.arch402.com/about.html www.peoples-story.co.uk	The People’s Story exhibition at Arch 402 Friday 25 November – Sunday 27 November The People’s Portrait iis a newly commissioned film installation by artist Simon Purins that tells – through their own voices – the story of people and place. Using dual-screen projection, it threads the stories and life experiences of the diverse populations of Edmonton and Enfield in North London to create ‘dialogues’ and patterns of interpretation and association between both the audience and the on-screen personalities. Visually rich and immersive, it is at times funny, sad, hopeful and uplifting. With a central theme of migration – free, economic and enforced -it uses personal experiences that are universally relevant to 21st Century Britain. The installation is one of the outcomes resulting from The People’s Story, an 18 month intergenerational project with the people of Enfield, created and directed by Age Exchange working with London and Quadrant Housing Trust.
	Share this with a friend x

Remove me from this list

 

Spirits rising

Yesterday I went off to Theatre Royal Stratford east to join in the Stratford East Singers. Jan i/c Theatre and Education at TRSE had arranged it since 8th October and before and there was plenty of interest in free singing in the theatre. Agewell Singers happens every Thursday lunch-time at Stratford Circus but restricts its participants to over those 50 years old or better. Here was a place and a time for those just wanting to open their mouths and sing. Shawab, TRSE assistant director, welcomed us and introduced us to Byron Gold our tutor  and the TRSE creative music director. Well, we had fun and scary bits too when we had to sing solo. Of  course, we weren’t forced to but we like to get in the spirit if it all. GREAT. There was a good mix of ages, ethnicities and boldness. Charlotte i/c Openstage2012 TRSE joined in with volunteers who’d also come via Up Your Street. We were great.

Went over to Downhills Park in Tottenham for half term adults’ brooch-making with buttons and bows, rags and pins, sewing and Nina. Was an eye-opener. What you can do with scrap eh?

Ended the day with a guest pass to Hackney Picturehouse. All the founder members have their names in light and then on the screens in colour and in B&W. Watched Clooney’s “Ides Of March”, a tale of a man’s integrity, falls from grace, values of life bla bla. A brave thing to do another drama about the American presidency campaigns and their shenanigans. Clooney damn handsome as ever.

I love the fact that we can munch and rustle bags like rats in the dark cos it’s the flicks and not the theatre. The founder members look nothing like what I thought Hackney people are i. e. mixed up racially and deliciously diverse. And I saw very few  people look like they aged more than 50 years.

I’m wondering who will come to show songs at TRSE tomorrow Wednesday because it finishes at 9.30pm. I’ll be there for sure. High Street Seniors exists to encourage seniors to be out in their neighbourhoods after dark. We walk on Thursday. See issue 42 of Up your Street.

Stuffed! The Hackney Picturehouse. The new schmoo

Well there I was at noon and the first founder member of the new Hackney Picturehouse to go through its swanky doors. The staff are welcomimg, and the toilets are just beautiful. The main cinema screen is massive and I was shown a smaller one too. What a lovely visit on a Sunday morning! From the top window the Hackney Empire looks smart. Inside the Picturehouse there’s huge foyer space and settees to sit on in every nook. What can I say but well done Hackney Picturehouse.

Decided to patronise my new favourite venue and have some tasty teasers from the all-day menu in The Kitchen bar area.  Cheap as chips for a £3.50 plate  of ginger-stuffed spring-rolls with a good side sauce. Treated my palette to some special peppers too for £4.50. Felt full and happy. Members get discounts on wines at the bar. I was okay with my delicious hot chocolate which outshines the Stratford Picturehouse E15’s one by swirly creamy miles.

Hackney Picture House

Getting quite excited about Hackney Picture House.  At a book club I heard people groan at its name. Oh What! They be the same who moan about The Olympics. Well the two things are here and let’s use them. My nearest flicks is Stratford which I love and then the Vue E20 will damage it, you see. Nice to have a choice and as I love Hackney I shall be at

Silver Screen before 5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. £4 though!  Did Hackney people lose their ‘poor’ mantle? I suspect Stratford cinema charges will increase from £2.50 to £4 now.  At Stratford we get tea and biscuits before the screening but at Hackney  it’s afterwards. We’ll see about that. There’s still ole Rio though with its free monthly matinees with cake and tea. But their films are dragged screaming from the archives where they hide with the Lavender Hill Mob.  We ain’t all war babies. However there’s going to  be a Reminiscence club talking about and enjoying archive films and “old gems” (shiver) at Hackney PH once a month.

From Jan 2012 there will be workshops in film theory. See what that costs!

So that’s all good and on Tuesday coming I get to see a preview for free. I shall see how many Hackneyites turn up.

On November 8th at Hackney Empire the BBC is offering places  to a free concert and a laugh with Paul O’Grady. You apply to BBC  ticketing and wait to see if you’re lucky. That same evening the Hackney PH is putting on a satellite beamed screening with Mariella Frostrup and Tim Marlow talking about Leonardo da Vinci’s work at the National Gallery. Cheap as chips. £7 or £6 members. or there is a programme of beamed opera and ballet too at a speckle of the price of watching it all in the flesh.