Emmaus South Lambeth

Plans have come to fruition on a number of Emmaus fronts this week.

Since we are a ‘toddler’ Community, we aren’t able to do much in the way of helping others, but what we can do is offer our services to other new/newish and even nearly-new Communities.  Thus Mike took two Companions on a fact-finding day to the Colchester Community last week, and our Chef David and Steve are going down to help Winchester for the month of April, with me following their footsteps for May.

Finally, Mike and I are off to Norwich in mid-April.  There isn’t in fact a community there yet, but they have been offered a convent.  The building out-grew the Sisters’ needs some time ago and has been used as a Conference Centre since they built and moved into their smaller premises next door.  For a  variety of reasons, they have hit on the idea of getting the Norwich Trustees together with a handful of Emmaus staff and Companions for an overnight experience and advice - and we’re part of that delegation.

Betwixt and between shopping and bookings and working in our shop, etc, a bunch of us went up to the Salvation Army HQ in Elephant and Castle to attend the Emmaus UK AGM and Forum, which was a great chance to meet lots of friends, and get to learn a little more about how the Emmaus Family works together here.  

We have an exciting week ahead, starting our ‘annex’ at the newly formed Recycling Centre at Vale Street AND taking over the fourth quarter of our full allotment holding on … April Fools Day.  At least, with luck, it will keep Mike’s mind off silly hats, bubble-blowing  or some other fun way to celebrate 1st April (or do I speak too soon……:?) 

The allotments are getting soggy again, but many barrowfuls of ‘tripost’ (three year old compost) and horse manure have been ferried down from the free supplies, to be dug in when (if?) it dries up enough.  I’ve been busy potting up things ready for the plant stall at our Anniversary Party on 11th April;  I can’t remember if I mentioned it before, but do make a note of it, and be sure to come.  Yes, I KNOW it’s Easter Saturday, that makes it 80% likely that you won’t be at work, so that’s fine, come along - it’s free entry for all blog readers.

Well ok, it’s free entry to all, but I just thought you might feel specially priviledged….

Have a good week,
Elizabeth

We have concluded a really good ’swap’ which was confirmed last week:  prior to my joining, the Allotment Committee offered to cancel our rent and maintenance fee in return for us mowing the grass on the communal paths.  Mike put it to the weekly meeting and four volunteers have come forward, so it can be done on a regular basis - once the paths have finally recovered from the muddy morrass they became until last week!

A Companion and I went up to the allotment last Tuesday and returned early and worked down here because it was simply too wet to work.  Magically, the weather turned for me to rush up last Friday and I was whirling-dervish-meets-happy-as-a-sandboy by day, and an arthritic agony by evening!  However, I had two helpers two days this week and it has transformed our two patches.  Thank you very much all four of you, those still with us will be receiving the fruit (and veg) of your labours over the next few months!

We lost one recently-acquired Companion mid-week, and another is leaving this weekend;   our very good wishes to Philip, we will miss you.

At the moment I am glowing with pleasure at a minor triumph.  As regular readers may know only too well, I am get a little obsessive about our rubbish collection.  Llast week our landlord’s contractors came and cleared the bin area last week, GOOD, but put black bin sacks into the green Recycling bin, BAD.  Bad, ‘cos on Wednesday, as previously, the Recycling men came, looked, saw black bin bags, and left - without collecting black bags, of course.

So today the ‘main’ bin men came and I grinned at them and explained what happened and asked if they would possibly empty the green bin as it was full of black sacks, and they did it!

Those of you who haven’t glazed over at this epitome of provincial pedantry and might still be awake will know another regular bug-bear is late-night noise.  No, I’m NOT talking about our beloved Community Leader’s snoring this time - it’s the over-flow at the pub….  I had expected late night revellry on Tuesday, it was St Patrick’s Day after all;  however, when there was raucous chat and laughter beyond midnight the next night as well, I was building up to fury - a girl like me needs every ounce of beauty sleep she can get, after all!

Lambeth have a system where people can contact the Council to complain about noise after 10pm.  Unfortunately their operatives don’t attend for an hour, which mostly means you stand listening to silence, the noise having stopped 10 minutes earlier…  So I emailed them this time, and I very much hope something long-term WILL be done this time, ‘cos if we have trouble with late-night noise in March, I dread to think what sort of summer we’d be in for.

Well, I’m off to the allotment now, and I shan’t half enjoy what the forecasters predict is going to be a warm and sun-filled weekend.

I hope you do too.

Elizabeth

A welcome this week to another Jason, making us a Community of 4 John’s, 3 Davids and 2 Jasons, which makes life… interesting!

It has been another week of gifts from all quarters; our Trustee Lorna arrived for a meeting on Tuesday bearing a gooseberry bush under one arm, a redcurrant bush in the other; then we were given some very pretty flower pots, and a huge array of Gardening Goodies were given us by Betty, who pays for our Lambeth Horticultural Society sub. Then came another gooseberry bush from one fellow allotmenter, and a stack of allotment-grown onions and potatoes - to eat - from another! I can only hope at least some of them will read this and if so I thank them once again.

I have been invited to join the Allotments Committee, which is an honour; admittedly it may only be until the AGM, when I could fail to get elected, but I have decided to accept.

We have had a good deal of interest in the Baby Grand piano I mentioned last week, which turns out to be an excellent talking-point, though not everyone has the handful of grands needed to purchase it, of course!

Deputy Chris has been invaded once again, caring for our former Business Manager’s cats; when I first saw them about 4 months ago, they were pretty small balls of fluff, but they have now grown into extremely handsome slinky felines. Chris is hoping the weather doesn’t warm up too much, as he is keeping his windows firmly shut this time after one of them leapt 30 feet or more into the car park on one visit! It was, of course, totally unfazed by the experience, which was more than could be said of the ashen-faced host when he got the cat safely back into his arms!

Unfortunately, the rest of the Community is definitely NOT with Chris on the wish for cool weather; there was a work party at the allotment today, and Muggins got the job of holding a ladder whilst another person was creosoting the upper part of the hut (alas, I get vertigo on the second step…); it was abso-tively ffffffreeeezing, and I ‘wimped out’ after 20minutes of the lower section, when it started to rain, which turned to hail, then thunder, then, then, then… ugh.
Cycling down Knight’s Hill with two blocks of ice at the end of your wrists is not a task to be done for longer than necessary, I can tell you - so much for the vanity that prevented me putting my gloves on in case they got covered in creosote from my fingers…

Take care,
Best wishes,
Elizabeth

Spring has broken, not I might add on our quality beds in our warehouse, but in the new season bringing fresh ideas blossoming.Out with the cold and frosty mornings as life starts anew.

New life means new companions, and we have been blessed with Leo, Rogerio, John, and Andy.

Well my friends I’m impressed. But then I’m easily impressed. In the words of the late great Larry Grayson “he’s anyone’s for a can of beans.”

These additions to our Community are part of an expanding enterprise. In the months to come we intend to open a refreshments kiosk in Norwood Park and a shop at the household waste depot in Vale Street.

Bye the way, we’ve got a social life . An addition to our household is a snooker table.

Now that our allotment is a compulsory  part of the duty schedule, I can see myself becoming a good potter.

Until next time.

Jason

It cannot be just middle age beckoning (OK, so I’m aiming to live to 325, thank YOU) that makes time go faster every week, surely?  However, it has been doing so with particular effect this week.  Come to think of it, there seems to be a corresponding slide in memory - the faster time flies, the harder it is to recall where it went….

Well, after the fun at the allotment last weekend, related in my last, I dragged weary bones round the hypermarket for the weekly shop on Monday, then spent a busy afternoon driving the Bookings Desk.  Tuesday was out of the ordinary:  another Companion and I went with Mike and a Trustee to a site visit of a potential new venture which I will not scupper by mentioning here - suffice to say it has exciting possibilities!  Then after lunch we joined the training session and in the evening we had a poignant treat, having a meal at a local restaurant to say ‘Farewell’ to our longest-serving Volunteer, who’s decided to call it a day at the age of umpty-2 or so! 

On Wednesday I spent the day with Companions Jason and Andy on the allotment, getting a lot sorted out ready for the Invasion of the Seedlings which are threatening to completely take over the house at the moment!  It would have proved an even greater success had the anticipated delivery of one ton of compost to the site in general taken place;  unfortunately the lorry got held up in traffic so the delivery had to be cancelled - so much for reducing ‘food miles’ then!

I was cooking on Thursday, when we had confirmation of yet ANOTHER new venture proceeding somewhat sooner than we expected :  Mike and John H had a site visit to the Council Tip in Vale Street (we send them to the most select places, don’t you know - no expense spared, they walked!).  Lambeth are turning the whole site over to Recycling, and have invited us to have a spot there on a permanent basis, so we can haul items out to be reclaimed before they get broken in disposal, etc.  It’s no joke :  we’re starting there on 1st April….

It was back up to the allotment on Friday and then helping Andy in the kitchen on Saturday, when he put up nice meals for his first time as Cook.  We were donated a Baby Grand Piano which we collected on Saturday, and I just wish I had been there to see this beautiful, but massive - and extremely heavy - object being manhandled by six Companions through the pretty narrow doorway of the electrical shop.  We’ve been told it is worth around £4-5,000, which we think is quite a Grand number of Grand, and very many thanks to the generous donor.  Quite some Baby, too, since it’s about 120 years old! 

The 3 hyacinths in a basket we were given a couple of weeks ago are in full bloom, and the amaryllis (another kind donation) is about 2′ tall now, ready to burst into bloom as well;  SOME Companions have been putting up a running commentary on the slugs, birds, mice and diseases the hundreds of seeds I’m raising will succumb to, but guess what - I’m NOT LISTENING…

More news next week,
Take care,  Elizabeth