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In this issue
Cover image
Back to Schooldays
Rowson's Comment
Around the Block
News in Brief
Stop the War
Mini-march
Lysistrata Day
Fringe Festival
Straight to the Point
Time to Finnish
Day in the Nick
Starting Over
Readers Letters
Herbal Cleansing
Local Music
Tripping Out
Tippling at the Tup
Property
Housing Matters
Very Testi
Art Happenings
Vietnamese Food
Entertainment
Gardening
Marathon Man
Surfing N16
Man in North Bank
Xword
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The patrol took us from estates in the south overlooking the
Regents canal right up to the top end of Green Lanes. After a call to a shop were a young
girl was being held by a shop-keeper for stealing, the CAD directed the crew to pick up
two police probationers who were on foot patrol and take them to the shop. Off at high
speed again, to the scene of the crime, to discover a juvenile too young to be charged
with any offence. Her older sister arrived and the girl was released. The two probationers
were tasked with visiting the house, as the shopkeeper explained that two young girls had
been in and out of his shop all day and on each occasion boxes of chocolates had gone
missing. He reckoned nearly £70 worth of goods had disappeared.
One of the last 'shouts' of the day saw me back at Dalston, where a young woman was
causing a disturbance in a beauty salon. She had paid a substantial sum of money for a
beauty treatment which she considered had been a failure. The salon said that its policy
was not to give a refund but a voucher towards a future session. The officers on the scene
suggested that the easiest option would be for her to claim off her credit card.
As this dispute was being settled, we were off again, answering a call for assistance with
a suspected drug overdose. The patrol car arrived at a local women's hostel several
minutes before the ambulance. Quickly up to the second floor, to find a woman who was
obviously seriously ill. After talking to the hostel staff, it became clear that the
woman, who had just been released from hospital, had reacted badly to her medication and
was not an attempted suicide.
With the ambulance on the scene, we were able to head back for Sean and Dawn's supper
break. The canteen was crowded, the news on the large TV at one end of the room reporting
that the largest demonstration Britain had ever seen had passed off quietly - a good
result in policing terms. Food from the canteen plus a wide range of takeaways were
scattered over the tables, as police officers chatted about the football and rugby
results. Crime on the streets of Stoke Newington seemed the last thing on most people's
minds.
For much of the time policing in Stoke Newington is about the mundane and ordinary, sad
people with sad stories. As I left the station, a number of people – as ever –
were queuing up to speak to the front desk. Time moved slowly on.
N16 would like to thank the men and women, both officers and civilians, of the
Metropolitan Police for their help in this article.
A new team, fresh drive, novel ideas, little money … but hey, with a little
help from our friends, a 2003 Festival is just a lot of good will and effort away.
As the expensive wreck of the one time flagship Stoke Newington Festival sinks in the
mire, the new look 'Stokefest' emerges. The date to keep your summer holidays away from is
Sunday 15 June. The venue will be Clissold Park and the weekend will also see N16 Fringe
events and gigs at many of the usual Stokey haunts.
The one-day Stokefest event is themed as the 'Street in the Park'. So why the virtual
street and not the street festival back by popular demand? Dominic Mandrell, from the core
team of volunteers driving the Stokefest, is refreshingly frank.
'This is a new beginning. We are back to the basic ingredient of the spirit of wanting to
express a festival and tapping in to all the talent and enthusiasm here in Stoke Newington
and which was the old festival at its best. We just don't have the money, the
infrastructure, or the in-kind services from Hackney Council to deliver a street festival
this year. But next year? Let's see how this year pans out.'
So, on the principle of mountains and Mohammed, the Stokefest team are targeting
businesses, traders, schools and groups to take the street to the park. The idea is to
produce branded stalls, performance art, installations, and the proverbial 'much more', to
present all the participants in ways which will be entertaining and different.
No doubt the artistically challenging and provoking will also be present! Focusing on the
children's interest appears to be a strong theme in the forward planning, with proposals
for a circus tent, kids Ibiza, giant monopoly and a lost parents DJ zone.
What materialises on the final programme will depend very much on sponsorship.
Other ideas that are looking for funders include a theatre tent, community music stage,
and wideworld tea dance.
The success of year zero in the life of Stokefest is in the hands of a completely unpaid
core team of enthusiasts. They have set up a not-for-profit, limited by guarantee umbrella
body, 'Open Space', to underpin the Stokefest and indeed other opportunities for
presenting and promoting the arts in Stoke Newington.
Stokefest doesn't have any formal leader but, as Dominic has surrendered one day a week of
his paid job to the cause, he has more time to represent and organise the work. The team
brings a variety of strengths and talents to the task. Dominic is a graphic designer by
trade, Robin Collings is an events producer and stage manager, Vashti Waite runs events,
Nicole Driberg works for The Generating Company, Geoff Brooks brings IT consultancy
experience, and Sophie Cameron is a solicitor specialising in charities law.
There is even a continuity link with the old festival through the former arts programmer
Fiona Fieber, who chairs the art side.
What is most important now is sponsorship and volunteers.
The Kiosk Gallery on Kynaston Road (N16 OED), run by Regitse Bondenson, has kindly
provided temporary office space. You can write c/o of this address, leave messages on
07092 359183 or email stokey2003@hotmail.com
You might be reading this just in time to clock a Stokefest fun and fundraising event at
the White Hart, Stokey High Street, on Saturday 29 March. The talent of the team will be
there to enthuse your interest and take-over your life if you let them. But seriously, as
Dominic says 'If you want to see a new Festival emerge and prosper, then join us in
getting involved to what ever extent you can. It might be in delivering leaflets,
supporting a specific project or being a steward.'