Category Archives: General

Our Countryside Deserves Better Than Endless Development

This is a blog post I wrote for the Broadland Green Party website, partly in my capacity as a Green Party district councillor. I think I therefore have to include a digital imprint, so here it is: Promoted by James Harvey on behalf of Broadland Green Party, a constituent party of the Green Party of England & Wales PO Box 78066, London, SE16 9GQ

It can often feel as though our farmland, countryside, and the few remaining wild spaces are being steadily consumed in the name of “growth” — the relentless drive to build more houses and satisfy developers’ appetite for profit.

This was evident at the recent Broadland District Council Planning Committee meeting, where permission was granted for 200 dwellings, including 90 retirement apartments, alongside a country park and parking. This decision was made despite the development not being in the local plan, and despite strong objections from the Parish Council, local residents, and Green Party district councillors.

Communities Ignored

Time and again, developments are approved against the wishes of local communities.
People are rightly concerned about a wide range of issues, including:

The loss of good-quality farmland needed for growing food
The destruction of nature — our woods, hedgerows, and wildlife habitats are under threat
Local roads already struggling with traffic and in poor condition
Overwhelmed sewerage systems and limited water supply
Insufficient local employment opportunities
Overstretched doctors and dentists, making appointments hard to get
Local schools with no spare capacity
Flood-prone land — a risk worsened by climate breakdown
Rising air and noise pollution from more houses and roads
Poor public transport links and lack of cycling infrastructure

Yet these legitimate objections are often ignored, overruled, or dismissed due to complex planning regulations and housing targets set by central government.

How the System Fails Local People

Planning officers frequently cite what can be a bewildering array of planning rules and legislation that make it hard for councillors — let alone residents — to challenge inappropriate developments.

Government policy requires councils to maintain a five-year housing land supply, ensuring “sustainable residential development” as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024. Unfortunately, the Labour Government under their “Build, Build, Build” mantra increased the housing target for every Local Plan by 34%. Hence, no sooner had we agreed and published the GNLP it was out of date.

There will now be a “call for sites” in early 2026 to accommodate the extra 600 houses per year, an increase from 2,000 to 2,600. Because Broadland currently cannot demonstrate a five-year housing supply, developers are allowed to put forward speculative (or predatory) proposals for sites outside the Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) – even when local people object.

It’s worth noting that Broadland Green councillors were not in favour of the GNLP, but without a plan, developers would have free rein to build wherever they wanted. Supporting the GNLP became, unfortunately, the lesser of two evils.

A Growing Sense of Anger and Frustration

We fully understand why residents feel angry and powerless as excessive housing developments encroach on towns and villages, straining local infrastructure and changing the character of cherished communities.

We can argue that new developments can bring opportunities, diversity, and economic benefits. While that may sometimes be true, it’s hard to make that case when local councillors and residents alike see their surroundings being irrevocably changed — often without meaningful local input.

The Challenge of Objecting

To make a legitimate objection, we must show how a proposal conflicts with planning policy. Each application must be judged on its own merits, and when there’s a housing shortfall, the so-called “tilted balance” comes into play — meaning that planning permission should be granted unless there are strong reasons for refusal.

This makes it incredibly difficult for communities to resist developments, even when the case against them seems obvious.

Developers and Trust

Many people simply don’t trust developers — and who can blame them? Too often, promises about affordable or social housing are quietly dropped once planning permission is secured.

Meanwhile, faith in national politics has eroded. Too many politicians fail to understand or represent the people they serve. The planning system itself is deeply flawed, with too much power concentrated in the central Planning Inspectorate, which can and does overrule local decisions.

If proposals for single “unitary councils” — Broadland has suggested three — go ahead, this erosion of local democracy could get even worse. All the while, the drive for endless growth continues on a planet with finite resources.

Smarter Solutions Exist

There are better ways to meet housing needs without destroying green spaces.

In England, there are over one million empty homes — including long-term vacant properties, second homes, holiday lets, and homes left empty due to care or probate. According to Action on Empty Homes, around 325,000 people are currently in temporary accommodation, with many more sleeping rough.

Instead of relentlessly building on our countryside to enrich a small number of developers, why not prioritise bringing empty homes back into use?

We also need a wealth tax to address the widening gap between the super-rich and everyone else, ensuring fairer funding for housing and public services.

Building the Right Homes in the Right Places

Some new housing is, of course, necessary. But it must be the right kind of housing — affordable for local people and built in the right locations.

We need more urban regeneration and brownfield development, not sprawl across our countryside and remaining natural habitats. It’s unacceptable that key workers in the NHS, emergency services or care-workers, and other essential services can’t afford to live near where they work, or that local young people are priced out of their own communities.

Likewise, those moving into new areas should have access to suitable housing — and that means utilising empty properties and building responsibly.

And it’s long past time to end the Right to Buy scheme, which has depleted social housing stock and worsened the housing crisis.

Hope for a Greener Future

The Green Party is growing, with more members and support than ever before. Under the new leadership of Zack Polanski, we will continue to challenge government policies that fail local people — both in councils and in Parliament.

With your support, we can build a fairer, greener, and more democratic future — one where communities have a genuine voice, and where hope becomes normal again.

James Harvey, Green Party district councillor for Plumstead Ward

Resist or Be Ruled: The Fight for Freedom in a Fractured World

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We Are at Risk

An existential threat looms over us — one that grows stronger every day.

The world is being divided, conquered, and exploited by arrogant men — mostly, though not exclusively, old and white — and by their allies. Trump in America, Netanyahu in Israel, Putin in Russia, Orbán in Hungary, Xi Jinping in China, Lukashenko in Belarus, and Milei in Argentina to name a few. They are supported by political movements rapidly gaining power and influence: Reform in the UK, National Rally (Rassemblement National) in France, and the AfD (Alternative for Germany) in Germany.

The institutions and laws that were created after the Second World War to safeguard peace, democracy, and justice are being eroded, undermined, and dismantled — and they were built for a reason.

The Institutions Under Attack

These include the Council of Europe, of which the UK was a founding member — a leading human rights organisation.
European integration, beginning with the European Economic Community, built prosperity and trust between nations.
NATO, designed as a deterrent to aggression from Russia, China, and North Korea — though critics argue it has also been provocative.
The European Union, founded to promote peace and democracy, from which the UK was misled into withdrawing.

There are also critical human rights protections: the European Convention on Human Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Convention Against Torture, the Human Rights Act, the Equality Act, and the fundamental right to peaceful protest.
Yet these cornerstones of democracy are being chipped away by successive laws restricting free speech and dissent — the very essence of a free society.

The Authoritarian Playbook

The first step for those who seek authoritarianism — and in some cases outright fascism — is clear: dismantle or discredit the institutions that oppose them. Then exploit public anger over poverty and inequality to consolidate power. The irony, of course, is that these same leaders are the ones perpetuating that poverty and inequality. They are taking us for a ride.

Trump appears intent on destabilising Europe and the United Nations, whether by design or through alignment with Putin. Both support Germany’s AfD — a direct threat to European unity and stability. Empowering the AfD is like planting dynamite beneath the foundations of peace and democracy that have protected Europe for decades.

Trump knows exactly what he’s doing. As a narcissist, he believes his actions are justified. In the U.S., he governs by emergency decree, steadily eliminating opposition. ICE agents patrol the streets, spreading fear; the National Guard is deployed to American cities under the guise of quelling “violence.” Trump describes Portland as “war-ravaged” — yet people there post pictures of peaceful parks, open cafés, and calm streets. He claims “It’s anarchy,” though he clearly has no idea what that word means.

Trump has even pardoned far-right rioters convicted of violence during the January 6th insurrection — an armed attempt to overturn a legitimate election. If you’re violent but pro-Trump, it seems that’s acceptable. If you care about honesty, equality, and justice, you’re branded as “woke.”

The enemy doesn't arrive by boat, he arrives by private jet

The Fragility of Freedom

Everything we now take for granted — our freedoms, comfort, and relative stability — could vanish in an instant. Trump is normalising military presence on American streets, perhaps laying the groundwork to declare sweeping emergency powers, suspend elections, or bypass democratic oversight. If not him, then perhaps Vance or another successor will.

Meanwhile, in Europe, governments are suppressing protest, increasing military budgets, and pandering to Trump’s ego. China grows more assertive. Russia, vast and patient, plays the long game. The world risks being carved up by the U.S. and its allies, by China and Russia, while nations in the Global South may only influence outcomes at the margins. Africa, rich in resources, remains exploited by all — Europe, China, Russia, and the U.S.

Over it all looms the climate and biodiversity crises, driving food shortages, violent weather, floods, fires, and mass migration. These may soon eclipse every political crisis — or accelerate our slide into protectionism and authoritarianism.

Choosing Courage Over Fear

The world feels increasingly frightening – and it’s okay to be afraid. What matters is how we respond to that fear.

Do we stay silent as freedom of speech and the right to protest are eroded? As citizens are arrested for demanding an end to genocide, or for calling for urgent action on the climate and nature emergencies?

Or do we stand up? Do we engage in protest and nonviolent resistance, call out hate and lies, and demand that our politicians act? Do we build a more tolerant, inclusive, and equal society — one that dares to reform the systems that no longer serve the people?

Recently, a video surfaced of a lone woman on the Norfolk coast confronting a group erecting nationalist flags. It was a small but courageous act, especially when others have been harassed or attacked for similar resistance. She refused to be a bystander. We all must do the same.

Resistance Begins with Us

We are being manipulated — by politicians, by media, by the ultra-wealthy, and by the far right’s lies and division. Patriarchy and privilege still dominate the stage. We are told what to think, who to blame, and which words are now forbidden. Migrants are scapegoated for problems created by the powerful.

We must rebuild from the ground up — stronger local communities, solidarity, and hope. Stop consuming the propaganda of our supposed leaders. Deploy hope, not hate.

Act now, before we are convinced that 2 + 2 = 5.

King Charles the Destroyer?

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A bit of an odd topic for me, but I was just so taken aback when I saw the new portrait of King Charles III today. I mean, what was he thinking? Did he really think it was a good idea?

The artist, Jonathan Yeo, claims it depicts the transformation, or metamorphosis of Charles from Prince to King, and his connection with nature because of the butterfly. Umm, alright, but not sure I’m getting that from it.

For me it’s depicts Charles ascending to a throne built on blood, fire and violence. Maybe not current violence, but definitely historical, an empire built on colonialism, subjugation, slavery and theft. Out of this fiery maelstrom comes King Charles, the conquering hero, with a butterfly on his shoulder for some reason. Is that like the butterfly chaos effect or something? Or is the butterfly a last remnant of nature, pleading with the monarch for sanctuary?

The portrait looks like something you’d see in the comic 2000AD, a kind of dystopian tyrant, or hero maybe. All very odd. A friend commented it reminded him of Ghostbusters 2, with the haunted portrait of Vigo the Carpathian. Sounds legit to me.

Ghostbusters 2 - haunted painting — Ghostbusters 2 – haunted painting

Who you gonna call?

General Election now

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Our illustrious Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, laughed or maybe giggled nervously yesterday when asked when the General Election will be. The BBC presenter asked him why he was laughing.

It’s not a joke you horribly out-of-touch person. You already had a green card to live in the US, and clearly want to go back there, so please just get on with it and leave. The Conservatives have had 14 years in power and I’m struggling to think of anything that’s improved. I quite like the fact bus fares are capped at £2, but it’s hardly game changing. A lot of people can’t even get a bus because they don’t run through their villages.

I started to make a list of reasons not to vote Tory. I expect some of these will be the same when Labour get into power too, but they can’t do a worse job can they? Surely not. Unfortunately, with our first past the post voting system it’s only ever going to be a two party race. Neither party is brave enough to bring in proportional representation. As the Green Party peer Natalie Bennett said on a recent visit to Norwich, we don’t really live in a democracy. No wonder so many people don’t vote. We need to change the system, it’s corrupt and broken.

Here’s my list of reasons not to vote Tory, in no particular order.

The destruction of the NHS: This really is unforgivable. They’ve privatised parts of it, made ludicrous contracts with Private Finance Initiatives, poor management, over-worked an underpaid staff. Not sure where to stop. People have and will continue to suffer and die because of Tory neglect and ineptitude.
Dentists and GP Surgeries: Getting an appointment ain’t exactly easy is it? I don’t exactly blame doctors for moving abroad to work.
Licensing of North Sea Oil and Gas: Driving climate breakdown and ecological destruction. Licensing Rosebank/Cambo. No energy security, no new jobs, and no cheaper bills. More death and suffering due to climate breakdown, whilst they are at the same time degrading the NHS to the point it won’t be able to cope. Also means we won’t hit our emissions targets; they lie about our carbon emissions anyway as they don’t include goods produced abroad which we consume, or aviation, or shipping.
Energy company profits: Tied to the above, during a cost of living crisis with a bogus windfall tax that has too many loopholes. The oil and gas companies are making billions at our expense, and still don’t think they are making enough money.
Lack of investment into green energy: No new onshore wind, solar panels still aren’t mandatory on new builds, behind on targets for heat pump installation, behind on training skilled workers in the industry.
Subsidies for oil and gas companies: The Government subsidises the oil and gas industry to the tune of about £236m a week, that’s billions more than it subsidises the Green energy industry. Why are we subsidising an industry that is wrecking our lives and the planet, especially when they’re making grotesque profits?
Lack of investment in public and active transport: We are so far behind many European countries. Very little in the way of segregated cycle lanes. So much remains car centric. Why is it often more expensive to take a train than it is to fly? Underinvestment and mismanagement of our railways and rail stock. Lack of active transport options puts more strain on our NHS too.
Brexit lies: We were lied to. Where is the extra £350m a week for the NHS? Where are the amazing trade agreements? It’s now harder to trade with Europe, harder to travel, and prices have gone up. Immigration has gone up. Nothing is better. Why aren’t the Tory politicians that lied to us in jail? And oh good, I have a blue passport.
Failure to support farmers post Brexit: They’ve been hit by more regulations, a failure to deliver promised subsidies, and no benefits. Look at the poor mental health and suicide rate amongst famers; I read an article suggesting 3 suicides a week amongst agricultural workers.
Politics by division: That’s how they are desperately trying to cling on to power, by wedge politics, dividing the country on issues such as Brexit, stirring up hatred, lying, profiting from conflict. Look at the hatred and language used around immigration such as ‘invasion’, and the de-humanising, whilst refugees fleeing persecution die in small boats or commit suicide on the Bibby Stockholm.
No team work or statesmanship: Division within the cabinet, fighting and one-upmanship rather than working together. No continuity, roles change to often, and no long term strategy or vision.
Water companies: Shit in our rivers. Pollution in our lakes and coastal waters. Our water infrastructure is so poorly maintained we’re losing millions or litres of water in leaks. No new reservoirs despite water shortages. And all the time they’re paying out millions to shareholders, and bonuses to their executives, and saying they’re going to put our bills up. All started by the Conservatives privatising the water industry. Enough is enough, renationalise them now. Hold the execs to account with criminal trials. Get our money and our clean rivers back.
COVID: Tories partying whilst ordinary people couldn’t visit their relatives in care homes, or when they were dying in hospital. The Queen sitting alone at her husband’s funeral, whilst Boris partied in Number 10, and then lied about it. PPE scandals, with contracts worth millions given to friends of the conservatives that then failed to deliver – Baroness Michelle Mone and £200m springs to mind. We will not forget, we will not forgive. You should all stand trial.
Truss mini-budget: Truss was only PM for 50 days, the lettuce lasted longer. Her ‘mini’ budget with Quarteng cost the economy billions, and hiked interest rates. It meant many people couldn’t retire as their pension funds took a massive tumble. It meant lots of peoples mortgage repayments went up, including mine by £200 a month. She added to the cost of living crisis, and has the audacity to still show her face in public. Shame on you.
Trickle down economics: Well, something is trickling down, but it ain’t wealth.
Tax con: Trying to con the electorate with tax/national insurance cuts that aren’t really tax cuts. They’ve frozen thresholds and allowances rather than lift them in line with earnings or inflation, which is in fact a massive tax rise. We are not stupid. And what about a wealth tax, and closing down tax loopholes, and chasing companies that operate here but fail to pay tax?
HS2: Billions of pounds into a railway few will use, which has destroyed large swathes of countryside and farmland and doesn’t even go all the way into London. This is not levelling up, it’s a scandal.
House building: Massively behind plan, and not social/affordable housing or building in the right places – more brown field sites needed. People paying rent have to pay more than people paying mortgages, with little in the way of security, or a chance of getting on the housing ladder.
Stifling freedom of speech and the right to protest: A new raft of anti-protest laws including the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and the Public Order Act. Peaceful protest is part of true democracy, even if you don’t agree with the cause. Peaceful protesters are now being arrested in ever greater numbers, and even thinking about taking action can land you in hot water; the Thought Police are coming.
Corrupting the judiciary/legal system: Allowing private companies to take out injunctions – money driving laws. Silencing defendants, and not allowing juries to make decisions based on conscience. Judge Silas Reid is prime example of this. If the Tories don’t like the Legal system they just try and change the law – see next point on Rwanda.
The Rwanda Bill and immigation: The Tories want to send 300 people to Rwanda. How is that going to discourage people from trying to get into the UK, often when they are fleeing persecution? The courts said this wasn’t legal, so the Tories try to change the law. They think they are above the law. It was always a stupid idea and besides, we’re going to need immigrants to pay for pensions because we’re having less children. Plus we have a massive number of job vacancies that need filling. And I’ve just read that Sunak is hinting we might leave the European Convention on Human Rights if the Rwanda Plan is blocked; pretty sure most of the UK population will be appalled if this happens.
Gaza: Labour are just as guilty here, for not calling for an immediate ceasefire, and continuing to sell arms to Israel that are killing civilians and aid workers. Collective punishment is a war crime. The Tories have massively misjudged the public mood on this, as have Labour, and they will both suffer for it in the polls; allowed George Galloway to become an MP again.
The Climate and Ecological Crises: Failure to give the Climate and Ecological Crises the priority they need, putting us and future generations in peril. Doing the opposite of what is needed, often for profit and short term gain. The UK is the most nature denuded country in Europe.
The three-line whip system: Alright, this one isn’t just the Tories either. It means MPs often can’t vote in line with their constituents wishes, or with their conscience, like on Gaza. It’s corrupt and undemocratic, and should be banned or severely restricted to issues of national security.
Lobbyists: Again, not strictly just the Tories, but why are they so influenced by the right wing media, oil and gas companies, the building industry, all giving them money in the hope of influencing policy and decisions. It’s corrupt. I’d be up on criminal charges for such behaviour in my job.
Tory donors: Why are Tory donors given peerages in the House of Lords? In fact, why do we allow private individuals to give money to political parties for their campaigns? Wouldn’t a central fund of some sort make more sense, and be much fairer?
GB News: Why are Tory MPs allowed to use GB News to promote their agendas, whilst also failing to be impartial when reporting the news; as stated by Ofcom in the case of Jacob Rees Mogg. This news channel is toxic, tells lies, and promotes a nasty right wing agenda. I’ve had the ‘pleasure’ of doing interviews with them just so they can say they give a balanced view. They’re rubbish, and thankfully losing millions of pounds a year, but their owner doesn’t care about that.
Homelessness: Is on the rise, despite Tory pledges to end it by 2024. I certainly see more rough sleeping in Norwich. We have more billionaires in the world than we have ever had, yet we can’t give people basic food and shelter. Redistribution of wealth please.
Food banks: Why are nurses and other essential workers having to use food banks. More and more people are being forced to because of the cost of living crisis caused in a large part by Tory policy. You can’t blame it all on the conflict in the Ukraine, or COVID, or Brexit. Other countries are doing far better than we are. Even Russia’s economy is growing faster than ours.
Inflation: I am sick of hearing the Tories talk about cutting inflation. It doesn’t make prices go down. They are already high and still going up. Get real, please.
Road building: They want to build new roads, but can’t even maintain our existing ones, with a pandemic of potholes across the country. We don’t need new roads, we need better public transport; bus and rail. New roads means more traffic, more emissions, and more opening up of our already denuded countryside to more unwanted development.
New coal mines: Nearly forgot about this one. They want to build a new coal mine in Cumbria, even though the steel industry has told them it’s the wrong type of coal for coking. I think they want to take us back to the Victorian age, and increase carbon emissions whilst they’re at it.
Drax: Have you heard about the Drax power plant. It burns wood chips from prime untouched forest in Canada, and claims to be carbon neutral. What utter nonsense. Destroying nature, burning it, with the associated carbon emissions. And stop peddling the lies about carbon capture and storage technology which is unproven at scale. And stop giving them subsidies.
They are unkind: We need politicians that are kind, that have some empathy. Not the likes of Braverman or Patel, Sunak, Johnson, Baker, Coffey etc. Please can we have some kindness from politicians?

I am sure there are lots more reasons to vote for someone other than the Tories, I might add to the list over the next few days. They are degrading the UK, dividing society, destroying our public services, making us poorer, and both mentally and physically sicker. We’re still supposed to be the 6th biggest economy in the world, how can you have made such a complete mess of things? Do the right thing and call a General Election now, then go off and sort yourselves out.

That being said, the current political system and main political parties just aren’t fit for purpose for the challenges ahead. We can’t reform what is fundamentally broken. We need a revolution. Visit https://umbrella-org.com/

I think I might take a leaf out of Gideon’s book and just sleep a lot more.

Lu’s Birthday

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It’s Lu’s birthday today, she is forever 39.

I prefer to celebrate her life on her birthday rather than the day she died, from cancer, on 26 Feb 2012. I hate cancer.

I spent the day looking through old photo albums and thought I’d share a few for friends and family. Had to take a photo of some of these on my phone as don’t have digital versions. Treasured memories. And by the way there’s really no order to these.

Lu, walking up a volcano in New Zealand I think.

Graduation day, UEA, probably 1997 — Lu, walking up a volcano in New Zealand I think.

I so love the photo of Lu walking up a mountain in NZ, it exemplifies her undauntable spirit. We had the joy of travelling to some great places, something I won’t do these days as don’t fly anymore. Maybe I’ll pedal there again some day.

Ur, Susan (Lu's sister) is gonna berate me for posting this — Ur, Susan (Lu’s sister) is gonna berate me for posting this

Sheila's rose garden in Milton Keynes was amazing — Ur, Susan (Lu’s sister) is gonna berate me for posting this

Okay, so if you don’t hear from a for a while, it’s because her sister (Dr Susan K Burton) has done me in for posting the wig picture. But, god, how beautiful is Lu in these, that smile, her soul that shines through.

Snow in Horsford Woods — Cricket in Eaton Park

When I think about Lu/Lucy/Beeb I’m sad, but also happy from all the memories, and great times. She was formidable. She got things done. She produced stuff. She cared. She was kind. She loved a cuddle. I would love to have her alongside me on activism stuff cos I think we’d have won by now.

New Years masked ball, at the Lily Langtree, in the noughties

Wengen - Lu was not a great fan of ski-ing, but liked the gluhwein — New Years masked ball, at the Lily Langtree, in the noughties

These memories and Lu herself give me so much motivation to get on and try to make the world a better place, and conserve the wonders we have for future generations.

The Olgas, safari in Australia which Lu organised cos she was brilliant

VB beer in Sydney — The Olgas, safari in Australia which Lu organised cos she was brilliant

She reminds me to take nothing for granted, carpe diem.

Gran Canaria - sangria and wine — Gran Canaria – sangria and wine

Wedding day, so beautiful — Gran Canaria – sangria and wine

Our wedding day was amazing. Surrounded by friends and family. It was everything we wanted with a great location, singing (thanks Chris B), camp fire, dancing, great food and speeches, but mostly just the surrounded by friends and family thing.

Waitomo, chilling out post caves. — Food market in Auckland I think

The memories and grief will always be there. Fire and Ice. The thoughts that I should have done more, the ‘I will fix you’ Cold Play song that goes round my head. I know we split, but we were together at the end, and I love her so much.

Lu, I don't know where this was! — Lu, I don’t know where this was!

Horsford Woods in the snow, one of my favourite pictures — Lu, I don’t know where this was!

Susan, my sister, you look amazing in some of these. It intrigues me that you are also forever young, like Beeb 🙃

I really hope we create a cure for cancer soon, so we stop losing loved ones with so much potential.

After Lu died, I got out on the road, I cycled round the coast of Britain, I pedalled from Nordkapp to Tarifa, to Istanbul and back home. At some points I wouldn’t have made it without Lu’s voice in my head telling me to get on with it, telling me I could do it. Donate to the Big C if you can, they do good stuff – https://www.big-c.co.uk/

Love to Sheila, Norman, Susan, Mum and Dad, and all who knew Lu. She was/is the best.

#fuckcancer

What the f*ck are we doing to ourselves?

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I think this has been brewing since Christmas, however a few things have happened today which made me really want to write it. If you don’t want to read this in its entirety then please skip to the end, there are a couple of call-to-actions I implore you to consider. And when I say you, I mean all my friends in Norwich and around the country, my family, people I’ve met on my travels; please consider taking some sort of action to get us out of the mess we’re in. There will probably be some swearing in this post, and it’s quite raw. I might forget to include asterisks.

Here’s a picture of Gideon being judgemental, to ease things in. But we will be judged by future generations for not doing enough, of that I have no doubt. We’re being judged by the current younger generation. Gideon reminds me that we are very much a part of nature, not apart from it or above it. When nature dies, we do too. He is wise (but sometimes quite stupid like when he thinks the weather will be better through the back door compared to the front door).

I was in an online meeting earlier which included several young supporters of Just Stop Oil, people who have also taken action with Extinction Rebellion and other environmental campaign groups. I was listening to their personal stories, what they are feeling, what they’ve gone through, what motivates them to take action. Some of them have only just turned 20 and are terrified about the future, about what is happening right now. These are extraordinary individuals, they are my friends, I love them all. I was immensely moved by some of the accounts they shared, I could feel my eyes tearing up and that big lump in my stomach and heart I get when I feel emotional and anxious.

Why the f*ck have we allowed this to happen? What are we doing to ourselves? Why are these young adults so afraid for their futures? Why am I worrying about asterisks in swear words when the situation is so awful? My friends don’t dare consider having children, and long term plans are a luxury they don’t risk dreaming about.

I take action on the spokesperson team for Just Stop Oil, as well as Extinction Rebellion sometimes. I watched this interview on Good Morning Britain again earlier. I’m sorry, Richard Madeley is a bastard. He treated Miranda with utter contempt, and was a patronising fool. Miranda was excellent, intelligent, thoughtful, passionate (although I hate that word), and clearly understands how dire a situation we’re in far better than anyone else there. How dare they and other journalists accuse young people of taking action to boost their egos? How fucking dare they sit there being anything but journalists telling the truth and going after the real criminals, when ordinary people are suffering and dying all around the world whilst they sit in their comfortable, privileged seats paid for in the most part by historical colonialism. It fills me with rage, grief and a fair amount of despair, but I can use that. I can definitely use that; hope may be lost but love and rage drives action.

Here is the interview on GMB, watch it and tell me you think Madeley or the other guest they have on should be given any more airtime?

https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceUK/status/1513835066928951301?s=20&t=FVBYkaHWv7N5yuID8lCFEw

I am not doing enough. I take action with Just Stop Oil (JSO) and Extinction Rebellion. I have joined the Green Party and am going to stand as a district councillor to try to make things better for local people. I still sign petitions although I don’t know why, they don’t seem to do anything. I still write to my MP, I did so earlier this week about the abhorrent profits Shell and now BP have made off the back of the energy crisis, whilst we’re in a cost of living crisis. I’ve stood and sat in roads with placards, filmed and live-streamed countless actions, banged drums, put up posters, handed out fliers, helped with talks, been to picket lines, spray painted protest artwork. Not been arrested but that seems inevitable now the Government have brought in, and are trying to bring in more draconian anti protest and anti freedom of speech laws. It’s like the V for Vendetta film but this isn’t a fantasy, it’s actually happening; ordinary people are being arrested in their homes for doing nothing but exercising their democratic right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest. The police have arrested journalists for fucks sake. Do we actually live in a democracy, I don’t think so, although it’s still just about ahead of the likes of Russia and Syria. It’s getting very like 1930’s Germany, have politicians, media and business not studied history? Have we learned nothing?

I’m not doing enough though. And this isn’t ego talking. I wake up every day, and often during the night, thinking I’ve got to do more. Why am I bothering thinking about a pension, my job, about saving to buy stuff I don’t actually need when the world might be unliveable in many places within the next 50 years; it’s already starting to happen now with 1 person dying every 36 seconds from climate induced drought/famine in parts of Africa.

I have a niece who is 9, a nephew 11, god children who range from 5 to 12. I am terribly afraid they won’t live to my age. I’m 47. How can I protect them from what’s coming? Food and water shortages, extreme weather, war caused by mass migration and battle for remaining resources, I could go on but it makes me want to cry, again. I wish I was being sensationalist but scientists are telling us, via peer reviewed studies, just how bad things are and how much worse they’re going to get. But the Government and media just seem to ignore it, and as a consequence the general public seem to mostly ignore it too.

Okay, photo break. Well done and gratitude if you got this far. I wish I could describe better the emotional state I’m in; guilt, sadness, grief for sure, and massive amounts of rage. It doesn’t have to bloody be this way but the system we’re in seems incapable of realising where we’re at and what we need to do.

Gideon lounging — A world within a world

Consulting notes I made earlier. I don’t want to write an essay on this, so I’m going to summarise why I’m really scared, sad, depressed, anxious, fucked off, desperate, angry, so concerned for people that are being utterly mislead or suffering right now. Here goes (list not exhaustive and if I was more talented I’d turn it into a poem).

Bee killing pesticides the Government keep licensing, plus Glyphosate use. Dumping sewage in rivers – Government voted to say that’s fine. HS2 – costing billions and report out today says it’s destroying nature. Licensing new oil and gas fields, and opening new coal mines – Tories are doing it when every other political party, climate scientists (other scientists too), Antonio Guterres etc say no. Building new roads – we don’t have the carbon budget for them and they destroy ancient woodland/habitat – local Western Link Road plans for example. Fucking grouse shooting and moorlands – urgh. Fixation on growth and GDP – it’s killing us, other models of existence are available and more promising in terms of the existence bit. Freedom of speech. Freedom to Protest. Actual democracy. Media ineptitude (although a few local journo’s have been great) and failure to tell the truth. Refugee crisis and our failure to take responsibility and be welcoming. Intolerance. Racism. Sexism. Transphobia – extreme right wing in Norwich have been at it recently. Insect numbers plummeting (this is really serious, think windscreens and bugs). Artic/Antarctic ice melt. Glacier ice melt. Greenland ice sheets disappearing. Amazon rainforest tipping point. Electric vehicles being hailed as the solution. Ocean acidification. Ocean over-fishing. Global North just keep on consuming (buying stuff). Global South just keep on dying as a result. Institutional police racism, misogyny, sexism – no wonder a lot of people don’t feel safe to protest – sort your own house out before you arrest anyone. Hurricanes. Rain bombs. Drought. Famine. Air pollution. Flooding. Wildfires. People striking for fair pay, terms and support – NHS, teachers, railway workers, ambulance drivers etc

These things are all happening right now. And are going to get worse. I need to do more.

It feels like we’re going backwards with the current Government, and big businesses. The BP boss Bernard Looney has said he’s gonna invest more in oil and less in renewables for Christ’s sake (other gods are available to profane). Shell and BP have announced record profits, billions of pounds, profiteering off the back of a war and putting us into a cost of living crisis.

Why on Earth do we think this is all acceptable? There are other ways of living that would bring us closer together as people, communities, faiths. We could be happier and healthier, yet the current system is driving us into an existential crisis; repeat, young ones today won’t live to my age if this continues, and thousands are dying right now because of our greed, ineptitude, ignorance and unwillingness to change. It’s so frustrating because it could all be so much better.

Please help. I and many others are sick, quite literally, of trying to change things. And I count us lucky as we’re not the ones suffering and dying from drought, famine, or fighting for resources. My home isn’t being flooded or burnt as many people’s are round the world, or even here in the UK.

Join Just Stop Oil. Join Extinction Rebellion. Join Friends of the Earth. Join Greenpeace – checkout their current oil rig occupation. Join Stand Up to Racism, ACORN, a Union, anything that makes a difference. Take some sort of action; yeah, write some letters, sign petitions, join digital storms on Twitter, Insta and Facebook. Just do something whilst we still have time (1.5C target is blown by the way).

And don’t let the Government and Oil/Gas companies get away with Greenwashing or blaming individuals. We can only do so much with recycling, stopping flying, stopping buying, or moving to a vegetable diet. We need SYSTEM CHANGE, otherwise we’re trapped.

As promised. Links to stuff you can do.

Join Extinction Rebellion and many other organisations in London on 21 April. Thousands will be gathering. Police won’t arrest you. Peaceful protest that won’t disrupt the public. Find out more and sign up here – I’m gonna repeat my plea to friends, family and colleagues at this point – https://extinctionrebellion.uk/ – IF YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING ELSE THEN PLEASE JUST COME TO THIS (sorry for shouting)

Come to a Just Stop Oil talk about Our Responsibilities At This Time. Learn that it’s totally possible for you to make a difference, and meet like-minded people that stop you feeling so alone – https://juststopoil.org/events/

Stay safe my friends. Stay in contact. Hug your loved ones. Keep learning, reading, communicating, organising and taking action ✊

Oh, and vote Green, we can win, and it’ll make a hell of a difference.

Tree Survey – NDR – initial visit

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Today was one of those glorious Autumn days, cold and bright, with a lovely fresh smell in the air. For a while now I’ve been wondering how many trees the council planted alongside the new dual carriageway near me have actually survived, so I thought I go take a look. Short answer from the small survey of 216 trees on one particular stretch: 16% have died.

Cherry Tree reaching for the sky — Sun low at this time of year

The Northern Distributor Road (NDR) has been open for a few years now, and had lots of trees planted alongside it to try to restore the damage done by the road. We’re supposed to call it the Broadland Northway now; I think this is probably an effort by Norfolk County Council to disguise the fact that its purpose is to open up the countryside to more development, distributing traffic to new parts of the county.

Unfortunately, many of the trees planted have died due to the extreme weather we’ve been having. It’s just been too hot and dry, and they haven’t been watered sufficiently. A plethora of plastic tree guards now stand empty in many places, grave markers for the saplings that have sadly perished. It was good to see so many other plants growing in the verge alongside the road, however I’m sure Yarrow shouldn’t be flowering at this time of year; I guess that’s because of how warm it’s been.

Ribwort Plantain - Plantago lanceolata — Comfrey

My plant ID skills aren’t brilliant, but I saw Comfrey, Yarrow, Ribwort and Greater Plantain, as well as thistles, Red Campion, Hogweed, Common Mugwort in abundance, Oxeye Daisies and Buttercups. There were loads of other species however I’ll have to take along a guide to ID them next time. Roadside verges can contain lots of biodiversity, I’ve seen hares feeding alongside the cycle path, kestrels hunting, and lots of insects in the summer. However, I don’t think the verges really make up for the swathe of destruction caused when the road was built.

Today was an exploratory visit. I counted trees on a hundred metre stretch not far from the Plumsteads, noting down species as well as dead or missing trees. I concentrated on the eastern side of the bank built up next to the dual carriageway, which is more shaded. The western side looked to have more empty tree guards, however it’ll need a return visit to confirm this. Results of this initial exploratory survey below.

Species	Count	Pecentage
Dead/missing	35	16.20%
Hawthorn	49	22.69%
Field Maple	56	25.93%
Oak (English)	23	10.65%
Dog Rose	7	3.24%
Cherry	7	3.24%
Dogwood	6	2.78%
Apple	3	1.39%
Blackthorn	26	12.04%
Spindle	4	1.85%

Total	216

TREE SURVEY 25 NOV 2022

Here’s a pie chart of the results.

Field Maple came our top, followed by Hawthorn, however it was good to see other species mixed in such as Cherry, Spindle, a good number of English Oaks, Dogwood and Blackthorn. Lots of good species for wildlife to use. Unfortunately 16% of the tree guards were either standing empty, or had dead saplings inside them. I suspect the percentage is in fact a bit higher than this as some tree guards have either been removed or have blown away. I think the western side of the bank will have a bigger percentage of dead trees, and I know other stretches have been impacted to a greater or lesser degree. I’ll have to get out and do other surveys in different locations.

Dogwood - Cornus sanguinea — Oak Apples (galls)

I believe around 6,000 trees were cut down to build the NDR, a road that cost £205m to build. It was reported in October last year that around 3,500 of the trees planted to replace those lost when the road was built have died. Norfolk County Council pledged to plant 5 trees for every 1 they cut down, 30,000 in total. They must be a long way off this target, especially as many more trees and shrubs, lots of them replacement replacements, perished during the heatwave this summer.

It’s frustrating that Norfolk County Council think you can just replace mature trees and habitat, destroyed to make way for road building, with saplings that will take decades to do anything meaningful in terms of carbon sequestration. It will also take centuries for the soil to recover, species to translocate, and for any sort of mature woodland landscape to settle back in. The Council are planning the same with the Northern Distributor Road; it just doesn’t add up when we’re in a climate and ecological emergency, not to mention the impact it has on local communities, flood mitigation, and local wildlife. It’s also frustrating to see so many empty plastic tree guards littering parts of the landscape next to the NDR.

Me next to NDR drainage pond — Holly berries abound

I hope to get out for further surveys over the coming weeks so I can report back findings to Broadland Green Party, who will be able to raise this with Broadland District Council. Tree ID gets a bit trickier as they lose their leaves, so I’ll have to put my winter buds knowledge to use.

No pictures of Gideon on this blog post I’m afraid, he’s hiding somewhere after having an argument with one of the neighbour’s cats. I’ll leave you with some pictures of a glorious Norfolk sunset from the other evening.

Sunset 1 - all a bit yellow — Sunset 1 – all a bit yellow

Just start doing something

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Today has to go down as pretty memorable in terms of stuff that’s happened in my lifetime, although not in a particularly good way. Liz Truss resigns, the shortest ever UK Prime Minister; not in terms of stature, rather in terms of term served. It really seems like the blind leading the blind in the Tory party at the moment. A shambles. Complete chaos. Other adjectives no doubt apply. The ‘Have I Got News For You’ Twitter account summarised things quite well:

BREAKING: Only 67 more Cabinet ministers till Christmas.
BREAKING: The Government.
Truss resigns. U-turn expected imminently.

I mean, you really couldn’t make this up.

Here’s a nice picture of Gideon, my cat, just to calm things down a bit before I continue. He doesn’t really care about UK Politics, although he is a bit vexed about me going down to London repeatedly to complain about the Government and Oil companies, leaving him without lap time and treats (lies).

Gideon getting some well earned lap time

If this blog post ends up not making much sense it might be because I’ve caught covid again. I caught it the first time around in September 2021 and it wasn’t too bad, aside from losing my sense of smell and taste for a bit. This time I have the annoying persistent cough and am generally feeling a bit crap, hence this post might go off-road. Gideon says it’s my fault for going to the germ filled capital and leaving him to fend for himself (the latter is also lies).

Alright, on to the serious stuff. Because the farce going on in the Houses of Parliament at the moment is nothing compared with the challenges facing ordinary people in the UK. Or the challenges we face on a wider front due to the climate and ecological crisis. Thousands in the Global South (non-western nations) are already dying.

I was thinking about it today, and whilst the Tories can’t even agree on a Prime Minister and Cabinet, the following is happening:

UK people are being forced to choose between heating or eating, or can’t afford either. Children in the UK are suffering now, and 1000’s of the elderly may die this winter due to the cold.
I read about a kid today who pretended to eat stuff out of an empty lunch box cos his family can’t afford food, and he doesn’t qualify for free school meals. He didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of his friends.
Inflation and interest rates are hitting ordinary folks hard, whilst the rich just get richer. Big energy companies like BP and Shell are making record profits at our expense, and the Government refuses to tax them.

Division in the UK, between the rich and the poor, as well as different communities, is getting worse. One has to conclude this is an active policy by the Government to make sure we don’t unite against them.
Harvests are failing around the world due to extreme weather, driving up food prices. I read East Anglian potato harvests are down by as much as 50% due to the hot and dry weather.
Floods in Pakistan have killed thousands and displaced 33 million people. Imagine for a minute if that happened in the UK.
Floods in Nigeria kill 100’s and displace over a million. One person every 36 seconds is estimated to be dying from hunger in East Africa. Drought and famine in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan – list not exhaustive. These crises are all exacerbated by Climate Change but you won’t hear about it as much because, you know, it’s Africa rather than Florida.
The Amazon and rainforests around the world continue to be slashed and burned to make room for farming – mostly cattle or to grow animal feed. The Amazon is now at, or may have crossed, a tipping point towards savannah/desert.
Wildfires still rage, heatwaves are getting worse and killing people, conflict for remaining resources is increasing often breaking out into all out war (e.g. Ukraine).
The refugee crises just gets worse and worse, many of them climate refugees, and we want to fly them to Rwanda.
Civil liberties, the right to protest and freedom of speech are being restricted and criminalised by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, and now the Public Order Bill; please look the latter up as it’s truly dystopian and scary, and will turn the UK into a police state like Russia, Syria or Iran.

I’ve not added lots of climate and ecological items to the above list, but lets not forget oceans are dying from over-fishing and acidification, insect numbers have plummeted, rare habitats are still being destroyed, we’re still slaughtering mammals for sport or ‘scientific research’, and parts of the world are becoming uninhabitable. Greenhouse Gas emissions are still going up, and we’re seeing dangerous levels of methane released from the permafrost that could trigger a rapid extinction level event. Oh, and storms really are getting fiercer and more frequent.

People often ask when societal collapse is going to happen? When will the apocalypse strike? I think it’s already happening right before our eyes. Given all the above how can it not be? We’re hanging on by a thread and whilst it could take years, there may be no coming back from it now.

I really think mainstream media is very much to blame for a lot of this. They fail to report key issues, concentrating instead on trivialities and celebrity culture. They vilify or ridicule ordinary people taking action to try and bring about change, and scare off anyone else who was thinking about taking action. A few billionaires own the majority of mainstream media. I think it’s safe to assume they’re just protecting their own interests at everyone else’s expense, and most are blind to it because we’re hit with their messaging day in day out. Just watch the film ‘Don’t Look Up’ to see what’s happening; terrifyingly accurate.

But it’s ok, because the world’s Governments have got this all in hand, haven’t they?

Bollocks they have. COP26 was a failure, and COP27 is likely to be too with fossil fuel companies having far too much influence, and green washing endemic. In politics short-termism is rife, egos abound, lobbyists make sure the Government doesn’t upset the status quo, and the police and criminal justice system is clamping down on any dissenting voices. Any politicians who make it into serious positions of power seem to only have their own interests at heart, or are narcissists, or frankly psychopaths.

So what can we do? Just start doing something at least. Recently I’ve been down in London taking direct action with Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil. Why? Because nothing else is working and civil disobedience has a track record of bringing about a change. Writing letters, signing petitions, talking to your MP or even going on marches have very limited if no impact. Check out this film clip from Zoe Broughton of Lora Johnson, a Just Stop Oil activist.

Lora tells it like it is, whilst being arrested ✊

At the moment 100’s of Just Stop Oil supporters are being arrested down in London for demanding a different future, an end to new oil and gas projects. 1000’s of Extinction Rebellion activists have been arrested over the last few years for demanding the Government tell the truth, act now, and form citizens assemblies to guide us through a just transition.

We’re not saying stop using oil and gas right now, we’re saying we can’t afford the emissions from any new projects, and yet the Government wants to license 130 new oil and gas fields. This goes against what climate scientists, the IPCC, Sir David King, Antonio Gueterres, Sir David Attenborough and many others are saying. We have 2 to 3 years to rapidly reduce green house gas emissions and transition away from fossil fuels or it’s game over. Renewable energy is 9 times cheaper and much quicker to build than extracting new oil and gas, which can take decades to come online.

Why on earth would we want new oil and gas, it’s only purpose at this stage is mega profits for a minority at everyone else’s expense, especially those that live and are dying in the Global South.

Politicians and mainstream media, and members of the public led by this toxic media, are vilifying ordinary people fighting for a future which doesn’t involve more famine, war, death and societal collapse. Here a film mash up I made of a recent Just Stop Oil protest in Trafalgar Square. I’ve got more in the pipeline from last week.

These protestors, ordinary people of all ages and from all walks of life, are some of the kindest, most selfless and courageous people I have ever had the privilege of calling friends and taking peaceful action with. They’re people that have properly emotionally connected with the danger we’re in, not just understood the facts and figures. They are retired, students, have jobs and have taken holiday, or yes they might be between jobs sometimes. And yes they still have to use fossil fuel products because that’s the system we’re stuck with at the moment; we’re all hypocrites to one degree or another.

Yet we are being called selfish, arrogant, and accused of destroying the cause we’re fighting for. Critics say we block emergency vehicles when in fact we have a blue light policy which means we always let them through. The media have slammed two young women for throwing tomato soup on a Van Gogh they knew was covered in glass protection, and two climbers for shutting down the QE2 bridge for two days. People say I agree with your cause but not your methods and that we’re hypocrites; that’s ok, just do something.

You're all hypocrites — You’re all hypocrites

So many claims are being made, many of them false, about our actions, however look at what is happening. Spoke persons from Just Stop Oil (JSO) and Extinction Rebellion (XR) are being invited on TV and Radio shows to debate these issues. The newspapers are covering our actions. The public are talking about the climate and ecological crisis, new oil and gas, and insulating homes. People are starting to understand that the cost of living and energy crises are linked to the climate and ecological emergency; we can solve them together with a just transition. And thousands are joining movements like JSO, XR, Enough is Enough and Friends of the Earth. Yes, JSO actions can be regarded as radical and down right annoying, however they push the window, and as a result more people join the more moderate activist flanks.

People hated the Suffragettes and Dr Martin Luther King when they were active, yet the actions they and many others took are regarded as justified and necessary now. Martin Luther King explained the need to create tension to drive change far better than I can.

Please look beyond the headlines when you hear about people taking non-violent direct action to demand change, to demand a survivable future, to demand we stop ecological destruction and new oil and gas projects. They’re not doing it to piss you off, or because they want self-attention, they’re doing it because they’ve realised we’re screwed and this is the only option left to them. And now the Government want to clamp down even harder on these legitimate protests.

Please, whatever you are capable of: Just start doing something.

Just Stop Oil are taking action in London throughout October and into November, meet 11am ish outside Downing Street. Extinction Rebellion are planning to get one hundred thousand people out on the streets next April. There’s a big multi-movement march planned in London on 05 November. Don’t be a bystander, get involved in the fight for our futures.

A calming cat picture of Gideon to round things off, hiding in a wrapping paper tepee for some reason. He is still vexed about me going to London, but really thinks humans are making a right old mess of things and need to step up.

Not sure if I should get ill more or less often if it makes me write blog posts like this. I think I’ll go and watch Question Time to relax now, that should be interesting.

Seals and Sunsets

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The title of this blog post might end up being slightly misleading, that remains to be seen. I’m not entirely sure where it’s gonna go. Best if I start off with some pictures of Gideon, in reclining mode.

Gideon - it's a Trap! — Gideon with egg box

The egg box is currently one of his favourite things. He sometimes sleeps on it, which looks very uncomfortable if you ask me. He is very ‘playful’ at the moment, just this morning ambushing me from behind the sofa and savaging my leg; note to self, shorts not always a good idea.

Newsflash just in from BBC – ‘Met police chef Cressida Dick to step down’. Earlier today she said she had no intention of stepping down, so the writing was on the wall really. Maybe now they can appoint someone who will really sort out the institutional racism and misogyny within the police force. I did say I didn’t know where this blog post was going to go didn’t I?

There have been some beautiful sunsets in Norfolk recently. It’s been nice taking a break from work to go and watch them. This one was particularly startling, with an amazing sequence of colours over the course of a few minutes.

Norfolk really does have big skies, which is especially evident when you visit the coast. I popped up to see the seals recently at Horsey Gap, with a couple of friends. Aside from seals, windswept sand dunes, and endless horizon, I just love the sound of the sea and being next to it. I think that’s one the things I loved so much about my Bike around Britain cycle tour in 2013; being next to the sea everyday.

Horsey Gap – sound of the sea

Horsey Gap is home to a massive seal colony, consisting of Atlantic Grey Seals and Common Seals. There must be thousands of them, with thousands of seal pups born every year. Sadly many of them perish before reaching adulthood, but they’re a delight to witness.

Horsey Gap - big horizons — Horsey Gap – big horizons

Behind the dines - bit flat and floodable — Horsey Gap – big horizons

When walking down the Norfolk East Coast it’s easy to see how just a small sea level rise could result in massive flooding. It’s so flat behind the dunes, which if breached could see sea water covering vast stretches. I guess it was all under-water once, and probably will be again in the not too distant future.

Best just to take it easy — Seals lazy at Horsey

Did I mention there might be quite a lot of pictures of seals? It’s worth it though, they’re so wonderful to see. The wardens are really good too, able to give you loads of information whilst also keeping the seals safe.

Seal splashing — Me at Horsey Gap – interesting hair

The wardens are very good at keeping people away from the seals, especially those who might otherwise think it’s a good idea to try to pet them, or get a selfie. I am told that if the mother can smell a human on her pup, she may well abandon them, so whilst I’d thoroughly recommend going to see them, best not to get too close.

Rolling about — Looking towards Winterton

I took pictures using my old Cannon 550D with a zoom lens, but I think the ones I got on my phone might have actually been better. The Cannon pictures just don’t seem to have picked up the colours as well as the phone. Here are some last ones of mother and pup.

What you looking at? — Mum and pup in surf

We walked all the way down to Winterton, had some chips and a hot chocolate, and then walked back. I was sad to see the cafe at Winterton is no longer there, due to coastal erosion, however there was a very good circle of food vans which met requirements.

Other stuff that’s been happening. We had a great turnout for the protest versus the proposed Western Link Road. The road will cut through rare chalk stream habitat, endangered Barbastelle bat colonies, and destroy a swathe of precious Norfolk countryside; the last natural corridor into Norwich and its green lungs.

Over 300 gathered to oppose the road — Mustering outside Ringland Church

The protest was organised by Norwich Extinction Rebellion, and attended by loads of local groups including Stop the Wensum Link, the Wensum Valley Alliance, Norwich Friends of the Earth, Green New Deal, Green Party and Labour Party councillors and Clive Lewis MP, Trade Union reps and many others. It was so heartening to see so many people come together to oppose an ecocidal road scheme, one that will increase emissions, traffic and pollution, whilst also opening the countryside up to more development. We should be investing the £200m+ it’ll cost for the 4 miles of road into green sustainable transport (buses) and active transport (cycling infrastructure), instead of investing in ultimately our own demise.

Great press coverage and opposition is definitely growing versus the road, with Norwich City Council recently coming out against it. Norfolk County Council and institutions like the University of East Anglia just need to catch up a bit.

You can sign a petition against the road here – https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-wensum-link-road

But why not also get involved in an opposition group too; let me know if you want to learn more.

Ok, nearly there. I really will try to do blog posts more often so I don’t deluge you with updates.

Have you heard to the Nationality and Borders Bill, currently going through Parliament? It will criminalise refugees and asylum seekers, and allow the Government to strip people with dual-nationality of their UK citizenship without warning (clause 9). It’s pretty awful, and another step towards authoritarianism and fascism. I joined a protest in Norwich against it last Saturday, as I don’t want to see more people fleeing for their lives drown in boats crossing the channel, or get persecuted for just wanting a better life for their children. Especially when it comes to climate refugees, of which there are already thousands and will be millions. The UK is historically and currently responsible for this, and we need to help.

XR drummers out in force — Down Magdalene Street we go

It feels like the Government is trying to dehumanise refugees by calling them illegal immigrants, and painting them as a burden and threat. Refugees rebuilt cities like Hamburg after the second world war, and have brought so much to this country already. They deserve a chance like anyone else.

Outside City Hall — Scrap the Nationality and Borders Bill

I think that brings us about up to date. A few bullet points to round us off:

Still doing physio on my knee after falling off climbing wall in November, and awaiting operation to build new ligaments. Luckily I can still cycle and walking is fine
Planning a cycle tour for later this year – I fancy Cornwall
Also might be going to Scotland for a bit for some walking, will probably get lost
Don’t just think about how wrong things are sometimes, try and do something about it. There are tonnes of groups to get involved with, and Extinction Rebellion are taking to the streets in April on another effort change things
Anxiety and depression are a thing, friends are amazing. Keep on keeping on
Gideon wants me to let him in, so I’d better go

Stay safe and and hope to see you soon…

2022 – Here we go…again

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Happy New Year, here’s to hopefully a less contagious 2022! Or at least less in the way of lockdowns and bad decisions by the powers that be. Maybe I should just stick with less contagious and hope for the best.

Gideon had a good Christmas despite me having to abandon him for a few days; he was well looked after by a friend whilst I escaped to my parents (thanks Adam). I don’t think he would have got on very well with my brother’s dog, given previous experience of him chasing canines around.

Gideon enjoyed Christmas — He likes cards with cats on them

Now it’s getting colder he’s decided staying inside with blankets is probably for the best. I can’t say I blame him.

I had a good Christmas break down at my parents’ house in East Sussex, with my brother and sister-in-law’s family too. Great to be able to get together after last year’s shenanigans. Got out for some lovely walks on the beach down in Bexhill, and ate too much.

Dog thinks it's brilliant — Beachy Head in the distance

I’m generally not a big fan of Christmas. I really hate all the commercialism and pressure to buy stuff. It brings back memories of people no longer with us like Lucy. I can’t believe it’ll be 10 years since she passed away this February. Lots of happy memories of Christmas’ with her but that makes it harder when it comes round again somehow. Still, this was a good one and had lots of fun playing with my niece and nephew; just waiting for reports of what my niece has broken with the catapult I bought her. Naughty presents are what Uncles are for…right? I’m not playing Monopoly against my nephew again though, too many hotels on Mayfair for my liking, and I kept ending up in jail, which as an Extinction Rebellion person does not bode well.

Beach visit again - murky Channel — Beach visit again – murky Channel

Good lookout spot — Beach visit again – murky Channel

In between Christmas and New Year I managed a few days of not doing very much, aside from more eating, and reading books, pretty good really. Did get out for a few nice walks including down to Salhouse Broad.

Salhouse Broad - peace — Salhouse Broad – peace

Greylag Geese - I think — Salhouse Broad – peace

It’s really peaceful and regenerative down there at this time of year, without all the boats and bustle. Always seem to bump into someone I know as well – was good to see Nigel, an ex-colleague from work now with longer hair and living the dream playing in bands and whatnot.

I’ve got a bit of a broken knee at the moment due to falling off a climbing wall in November. Some ligaments that are quite important aren’t there anymore, and need to be rebuilt from bits of my hamstring later this year. Means I can’t climb or do Kendo, but can still walk about, albeit with one of those huge knee brace things. I can still cycle. Cycling is in fact encouraged as apparently I need (I was going to do a bad knee pun then but resisted) to have thighs like Chris Hoy’s before the operation. This could be challenging. As always I am thoroughly impressed with the NHS and how hard they work, and enjoyed the MRI scan. They weren’t very complimentary of the Government and how they’ve handled COVID, unsurprisingly.

Before going back to work I went for a walk round the Wensum Valley, to look at the proposed route for the Western Link Road. The road will destroy large swathes of beautiful and massively important Norfolk Countryside.

The Wensum Valley is a Special Area of Conservation with ancient woodland, rare chalk stream habitat, endangered barbastelle bat colonies and diverse flora and fauna. It would be a travesty if the link road went ahead.

Wetland habitat - Wensum Valley — Wetland habitat – Wensum Valley

Bracken and birdsong — Wetland habitat – Wensum Valley

Building the road will devastate rare habitat, plant and animal species, and increase traffic and emissions. We simply can’t afford to carry on with schemes like this whilst we’re in the middle of a climate and ecological emergency. It would be far better if the Council invested in a joined up green public transport plan, including cycling infrastructure, instead of opening up the countryside to more development and cutting 5 or 10 minutes off a journey. The Wensum Valley is the last natural corridor into Norwich, it needs to be saved.

Woodland thickets - Wensum Valley — Road will cut through this landscape

The good news is that the EDP reported today that Norwich City Council no longer back the road, great news in fact – thank you! Just need Norfolk County Council to catch up now. More on that story here – https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/norwich-western-link-city-council-rejection-8600434

I really do dream of the day when politicians start taking the climate and ecological emergency seriously. Maybe 2022 will be the year for it after last year’s disappointing COP26. Here’s the proposed route for the link road – if you’re Norfolk based please write to your MP and/or councillor to tell them to oppose it, and you can always join the Stop the Wensum Link campaign (or XR Norwich).

Whilst you’re at it please ask them to oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could stop you protesting about anything, and will send this country sliding further info authoritarianism. Have a look at the Netpol site for more info.

What else does 2022 have in store? More Extinction Rebellion stuff for me, it feels more important than ever to be out on the streets demanding change, for ourselves as well as the sake of future generations. With wildfires and floods raging round the planet, Antarctic ice melt getting really scary, emissions still going up and the Global South really suffering we need action now, not by 2050. I know this means big lifestyle changes, but surely that’s better than loads of people dying and society breaking down? Maybe see you out rebelling for life later this year – message me if you want to get involved.

I am also hoping for a bit of a gradual career change in 2022. I passed my level 4 Bushcraft course last year, which took two years due to COVID. I am really proud of the achievement and would love to teach stuff to others. Stay tuned for more on that soon. And I can’t recommend The Woodcraft School enough.

And I want to do more cycle touring again. Formulating plans for that too.

Have you watched ‘Don’t Look Up? And if so what did you think? I thought it was brilliant commentary on how politicians and the media don’t take the climate and eco crisis seriously, and how society reacts to it. This was reinforced by much of the media and critics slating it, cos they really don’t get it.

All the best for 2022, and Happy Birthday to Sheila and Susan who are both very young again imminently.

Self Propelled

Self propelled adventures through life; blogging on cycling, touring, micro-adventures, general shenanigans, and environmental news

Category Archives: General

Our Countryside Deserves Better Than Endless Development

Resist or Be Ruled: The Fight for Freedom in a Fractured World

We Are at Risk

The Institutions Under Attack

The Authoritarian Playbook

The Fragility of Freedom

Choosing Courage Over Fear

Resistance Begins with Us

King Charles the Destroyer?

General Election now

Lu’s Birthday

What the f*ck are we doing to ourselves?

Tree Survey – NDR – initial visit

Just start doing something

Seals and Sunsets

2022 – Here we go…again