Happy Winter Solstice 2009!!

I know it doesn't look & feel like it, but...........

.................. summer is on it's way!!

Today is the shortest day of the year - so they get longer from now on! Roll on Summer!!!!

Urgent!!!! Crisis in Copenhagen

With three days to go, the crucial Copenhagen summit is failing.

Tomorrow, the world's leaders arrive for an unprecedented 60 hours of direct negotiations. Experts agree that without a tidal wave of public pressure for a deal, the summit will not stop catastrophic global warming of 2 degrees.

Click below to sign the petition for a real deal in Copenhagen -- the campaign already has a staggering 10 million supporters - let's make it the largest petition in history in the next 72 hours! Every single name is actually being read out at the summit -- sign on at the link below and forward this email to everyone!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_copenhagen

An Avaaz team is meeting daily with negotiators inside the summit who will organize a spectacular petition delivery to world leaders as they arrive, building a giant wall of boxes of names and reading out the names of every person who signs. With the largest petition in history, leaders will have no doubt that the whole world is watching.
Millions watched the Avaaz vigil inside the summit on TV yesterday, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu told hundreds of delegates and assembled children:

“We marched in Berlin, and the wall fell.
"We marched for South Africa, and apartheid fell.
"We marched at Copenhagen -- and we WILL get a Real Deal.”

Copenhagen is seeking the biggest mandate in history to stop the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. History will be made in the next few days. How will our children remember this moment? Please Leabank Square let's tell them we did all we could.

My Wheels Have Been Nicked!! Help!!

Earlier today some toe-rag gained entrance to the communal stairwell and nicked my wheels.

I know in the scheme of things in Leabank Square at the moment - this is nothing. But as someone who cycles to and from work every day - this is going to have some impact. Of course I'll be able to save up and replace it.

But guess what - this is my 4th bike to have been stolen here in Leabank Square in 10 years. Is that about average for london?

Anyhow - if any of you are offered a Claud Butler 700s grey men's bike with a child's tag-a-long attachment still on the seat post - please get in touch with me. Oh yes - they decided the panniers weren't cool enough - and left them for me - so just look out for the bike - with front & back lights. Thanks.

Happy Hanukkah 2009!!

leabanksquare.blogspot.com Wins Prestigious 'Garden Planters Award'

Pic: Andy Wilkes

Okay - so I know not everyone has heard of it - but believe me when I say that this award is very sort after by all gardeners who blog.

Besides being the largest international garden website, they actively seek out bloggers who make a difference to their communities through blogging. And last night Shiela got in touch to say that we'd won the award for this month!!

http://garden-planters.com/blog_awards/index.php?id=2596


Previous winners have included the amazing
http://lifeofagarden.blogspot.com/
http://giveagirlafig.blogspot.com/
http://earth-shattering-gardening.blogspot.com/

Please check them out to see what worthy company we keep!

So well done to all the Leabank Square Gardening Club (like Aamna above) - and everyone who nominated us. Together we really can make Leabank Square a much better place to live!

December Moon

Yeah - I know it's a crappy shot - but until a very generous reader donates a digital SLR to us - this is the calibre of photo you get!

Aaaaaaaanyway - if you squint just the right amount - you should just be able to make the halfish moon out through the cranes of the Olympic athletes village.

Arena Fields - Then & Now

Hackney Wick Flea Market - Xmas Special

Eric Man Hon Luk - who runs the excellent Hackney Wick Festival -has told me that there are still some stall spaces left in the Xmas Special on the 19th December.

I know that some of you are already signed up - but if anyone else has any unwanted goods lying around their home - or stuck up in the attic - now is the time to get some extra Xmas dosh.

Almost anything goes at this flea market - so start gathering all the stuff you no longer need - and book a stall through their facebook site:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=197350336605&mid=1810c07G494f1af6G93c49eG7

Also - please put this date down in your diaries - and come down to the Flea Market in old Carpenters Road - next to the big blue Olympic gate - you'll be sure to buy some amazing Xmas pressies.

Leabank Square Art goes up in Olympic Park!

A massive thanks to Gemma (Senior Community Relations Executive from the ODA) and Carrillion for making our view over the canal a lot more pleasing to the eye!

During the summer, one of their photographers visited our gardens and snapped these lovely pictures. Of course the best one was of Lucy's garden - which was naturally the best garden in all of Leabank Square.

They have now magically pasted the portakabins with these images. So we will have reminders of summer all the way through the chilly months to come.

Gemma - we all know how many challenges you faced getting this project completed - so we doubly appreciate the dedication and commitment you showed making our lives that much better. Thank you!