Think Global, Act N16

By Jenny Wight

ACT N16
It was Oenwen - Sally's sheep - that started it. She used to wander through gaps in fences on the large rectangle of back garden land between Cranwich and Bethune Roads.  She got the neighbours talking to each other, pioneered the idea that going from garden to garden was actually a good thing and that this large area of green was a common resource. 

Sally and her neighbour, Ruth, have been living on Cranwich Road for over 20 years. When they first arrived a magnificent line of trees formed the boundary between the two rows of gardens. In recent years the trees have been disappearing, and Sally and Ruth have seen the effect this has had on the urban wildlife. The loss was gradual in the first 15 or so years - a tree felled every now and then – but it has accelerated in the last 5 years. One was 'reduced' (chopped) by 30% as it as it may have aggravated allergic symptoms, another similarly cut back as it hung over a nursery and was a risk to the children, but Sally and Ruth say all the other trees removed were due to insurance companies insisting that trees increase the risk of subsidence.

'Then it is the next tree, then the next’, says Ruth. 'But we have been looking at the science and it is not as clear-cut as that. The increase in subsidence is also due to the paving up of gardens - which means water can't soak into the ground. We are up against big financial interests who are prompting a wave of devastation in our back gardens. We are losing trees and green space - so we set up CRABtrees.'
   
CRABtrees is a small group of residents who want to try and protect these trees and wildlife. They also run tree walks and tree workshops, which have been well attended. 'I've met people that I lived nearby for years, but have never said hello to before,' says Ruth, 'CRABtrees helps create links - not just with neighbours but between communities. We want to create a neighbourhood of people who care about the trees, plant life and animal - who can see who important they are.'

They have identified all the remaining trees and plotted them on a map for the tree protection officer at Hackney Council, but have recently discovered he might not be able to help.
    We are trying to educate our neighbours - so that they know they don't just have to do what the insurance companies tell them. To let them know that trees act as sponges to hold and retain water - so helping to prevent flooding, absorb noxious gases, have proven psychological benefits in providing a relaxing and calming environment, save huge amounts of money in terms of reducing the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, and more! One thing is for sure - we are not going to give up.'
THINK GLOBAL
* According to an article in the Guardian, insurance companies say trees are the cause of 70% of subsidence claims, costing the industry £140m a year.
* A large beech tree can provide enough oxygen for the daily requirements of ten people.
* Trees have a positive impact on the incidence of asthma, skin cancer and stress related illness by filtering out polluted air, reducing smog formation, shading out solar radiation, reducing noise and by providing an attractive, calming setting for recreation. (from www.treesforcities.org)
TAKE ACTION
* Are you worried about the trees in your back garden, street, or estate? CRABtrees would like to join forces with other local groups and residents’ associations to increase the impact of their campaign. Contact us at shaywill@blueyonder.co.uk

Do you run a local group or charity and would like to be featured on Think Global... Act N16? Then send an email to js@jswight.co.uk giving details of your group.

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ellisborough

By Helen Griffiths

2007 has been an excellent year for local young designer Mark Stevenson-Ellis.

After graduating with a degree in womenswear, Mark spent six months working at cutting-edge fashion magazine POP, followed by a stint at Alexander McQueen before launching his – almost eponymous – fashion label. Ellisborough – a hybrid of Mark’s surname and his beloved hometown Middlesbrough – creates unique, handmade designs stitched in colourful buttons onto 100% brushed cotton t-shirts. Mark’s creations are currently being stocked in Topshop Oxford Circus and at THE LAZY ONES on Brick Lane, and are heading for the US in 2008. Here he chats with N16 Magazine about his life in buttons.

All of your t-shirts feature beautiful designs but what was the prototype ellisborough creation? The first t-shirt I created with a button design was a birthday gift, so it wasn’t actually a conscious business decision. I’ve always been interested in texture and layering, and one day I just picked up my Grandma’s tin of buttons and clustered them all together and really liked the effect. From there I stitched a big flower in buttons onto a charity shop vest for my friend’s birthday and was really quite pleased with the outcome.
Why buttons rather than sequins or ribbon? Well, since I’ve started working with buttons I’m starting to think I might have a secret fetish about them. Not all the buttons I source make it on to the t-shirts: I have a small jar that I keep for myself which contains any buttons that I come across that I just love and simply can’t bear to give away – sometimes I even sew my favourites straight onto whatever I’m wearing to make sure I save them! Obviously buttons are not new but I think its partly because the buttons I use have a history, and I love the fact that by using them in my designs I can breathe new life into them. I’m also quite a romantic and like to imagine the journey any individual button might have been on during its lifetime – almost a link back in time.
What are your major influences? So many different things. People in the street usually influence me most. I walk in different circles sometimes hanging out with my fashion friends in hip bars and clubs, but equally I’m a huge folk fan and spend a lot of time at folk festivals and clubs from which I draw just as much inspiration. Once I was watching some Morris dancers and noticed that one of the men was wearing an incredibly rare pair of trainers with his traditional white costume which I know for a fact would induce an ebay bidding frenzy in some of my fashion friends. So I guess sometimes there is a gentle crossover I like to see.
Do you have a favourite design or commission? Because they are all handmade it’s hard to have a favourite t-shirt because no two ever turn out the same. I finish one and think it’s the prettiest, then do another and that becomes the prettiest. At the moment it’s quite exciting to have a few celebrity fans. I’ve been working with Remi Nicole and I just found out Alexa Chung from T4 has a cardigan, which is quite cool. The most exciting thing I’ve done so far is to create a pair of giant bow t-shirts for the dj duo Broken Hearts which they wear while they’re djing and look amazing.
What’s next for ellisborough?
Lots, hopefully! 2008 will be absolutely frantic and I’m really looking forward to getting to work on it – developing ellisborough and working on a US project. The great thing about ellisborough is that everything is handmade, and so it has the potential to be applied to anything. Currently stockists of ellisborough hold both t-shirts and delicate knits for winter– and if people have specific commissions – I’d like to work more on knitwear, dresses, coats. Basically, everything!

To see the full range of designs, place orders or for more information go to www.elliborough.com.