EcoLocal 
May News

Dear All There’s plenty going on in May and we thought you might be interested in progress on the Hyperloop rapid transport system under development…..Plant Sale at Wallington It’s Wallington Farmers’ Market this Saturday 14th 9am-1pm. As well as the usual range of local quality produce, Bessborough Farm will be bringing the first of the English summer strawberries! Plus EcoLocal will be holding a plant sale stall outside the front of the Old Town Hall. We’ll have Cornflowers, Forget-me-nots, Sunflowers, mint, oregano, strawberry plants, peas, onions, garlic, Crown Prince squash, lettuce, chicory, heritage tomato varieties (Black Russian, Ryders Midday Sun, Yellow Currant, Orange Heart, Snow Cherry), unusual spinach (Seabeet, Red orach) as well as gooseberry and loganberry. All at amazing prices, and funds raised go to Carshalton Community Allotment activities. Easy cycling for all Do you like the idea of cycling, but not been on a bike for years and want to cycle in a safe environment? We have the perfect solution. Come to our Gear-Up cycling sessions on the athletics track at the David Weir Leisure Centre. We have an array of cycles you can try out; ladies and men’s two wheelers, adult trikes, side-by-sides where two people cycle together, recumbent bikes and lots of other fun cycles which are also helpful for those who might have limited mobility. Sessions are aimed at adults but 14+ year olds are welcome. For dates and price see www.ecolocalcycling.org.uk During half term we have a special family cycling session on Wednesday 1 June 12-1pm for families with children aged 7+. No need to book – just drop in Speedy Green Travel! SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk put forward proposals a while back for a new rapid transit train system. Called the Hyperloop it will travel at the ‘speed of sound’ and will be solar powered. The plan is that the system will eventually export energy to the grid. Tests are underway And for those interested in more down to earth transport technology, www.pedelecs.co.uk has interesting reading. The use of electric assist bikes is becoming ever more popular in the UK having become a huge thing in China. If you can’t afford one of the fancy new electric bikes on the market, why not look on ebay for kits to convert your existing bike. Could this be part of the solution to London’s problems with air pollution? Enjoy Sutton Farmers’ and Artisan Market Following the successful launch of this new market last month, the Enjoy Sutton market returns on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd May to Sutton High Street outside Waterstones. New this month will be Julian’s Artisan Bakery, Wrights Originals ginger preserves, Cocoa Jones chocolatier, Jennifer’s Passion Flowers and Herbs, Fair Trade clothing, plus lots more quality food and craft. EcoLocal are working with Successful Sutton to bring you this market. School Allotment sessions EcoLocal have launched a new school allotment programme. Available in summer after half term, Key Stage 2 classes can visit Carshalton Community Allotment to get hands on food growing experience and go on a quiz trail around the allotment plot. Download a flyer for more information. A Peace Symposium Held on Saturday 21st May 6.30pm, Thomas Wall Centre, Benhill Avenue, Sutton, this Peace Symposium aims to create awareness about many local, national and international issues, including extremism, prejudice, human rights abuse and wars. There will be plenty of well-known speakers. Click here for more information. Volunteer at People’s Kitchen Sutton People’s Kitchen are looking for volunteers to help set up and run their healthy eating promotion market stalls and assist with banquets; setting up, cooking, serving or welcoming people. Click here to find out more. Regards Trevor PS – whilst we are keen to include a variety of activities that we consider are worth covering in our e-newsletters, EcoLocal does not take responsibility for the content of other websites or activities being run by other organisations and individuals.

Plant Sale Enjoy easy cycling High Speed Hyperloop School Allotment Service Enjoy Sutton Market www.ecolocal.org.uk like EcoLocal on Facebook    www.ecolocal.org.uk

Over 150 young Sutton athletes aged between 9-17yrs took part in numerous different sports at the finals weekend of the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games, held at Crystal Palace National Sports last weekend.

The Sutton athletes joined thousands of other young athletes from all the London Boroughs in the annual min-Olympics style sports festival.

Highlights for Sutton were the Boys Table Tennis who pulled off an amazing victory over rivals Barnet in what turned out to be a very tense and tight 5 game match. Also victorious were the Sutton Girls Squash team who for the third year in a row, reigned supreme and outclassed their finalist opponents, also from Barnet, to once again take home the squash trophy for Sutton.

Other notable successes for Sutton were the mixed Badminton team who narrowly missed out on the gold to win the silver team medal, as well as the girls Football team who just missed getting through to the finals on penalties, before claiming a valiant bronze team medal. Not to be outdone by Wimbledon Tennis, Sutton’s tennis players showed their skill and nerve by claiming a hard thought 4^th team place in the mixed tennis competition.

Other teams in action included: Boys Squash, Netball, Boys Swimming, Aquathlon, Girls Hockey and Archery; who all gained a top 10 position in their competitions, as well as the Girls Swimming, Cycling, Diving, Athletics and Boys Football.

Individual medals were also won by Sutton competitors in the Athletics, Aquathlon and Diving competitions. Other sports teams competed earlier in the season as part of the same competition, including the Sutton Judo team, where the girls won the silver team medal; and also the boys Handball team who took the bronze team medal. Not forgetting the boys and girls Paragames Swimming Teams who won silver for their team back in June.

The annual London Youth Games competition kicked off in November with the Cross Country event, all the way through to Sunday evening, 6 July – with Sutton finishing in 15^th place in the overall championship, out of all 33 London Boroughs.  Throughout the year there were weeks and months of open sports trials and training sessions at various venues in Sutton, leading up to the Games’ finals. All sports teams are managed and trained by an army of volunteer sports coaches from across Sutton’s local sports clubs.

Councillor Cllr Ruth Dombey, Leader of Sutton Council said:

“The sporting achievements of the borough’s youngsters have been quite brilliant; they have made the entire borough proud. The London Youth Games are a tremendous occasion and it was fantastic to see Sutton do so well. It has been an honour to watch all our athletes compete.”

Councillor Jill Whitehead said:

“I’d like to congratulate everyone who took part in the London’s Youth Games 2014. Yet again our youth have given some fabulous individual and team performances. A big thank you should also go to the coaches and parents who nurture this sporting talent.”

Sutton will soon start to prepare for the 2015 Games. To be eligible for the Sutton team, athletes must either live within the London Borough of Sutton or attend a Sutton School. All training and competition is free. To find out how you can take part next year contact the Sutton Community Sport & Activity Team on: 020 8770 4667 or e-mail getactivestayactive@sutton.gov.uk or check out Sutton Council website;- https://www.sutton.gov.uk/londonyouthgames

Olympic Legacy

Earlier this year the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) was established to deliver the physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and surrounding area after the 2012 Games.  The new mayoral body takes over from a number of organisations and will have planning powers from October 2012.

Much work has been carried out to ensure that there is a future for each of the permanent venues in the park. 

The Stadium has received four bids: from West Ham United, Intelligent Transport Services in association with Formula One, UCFB College of Football Business and Leyton Orient.  They are now being evaluated ahead of negotiations.  These bids would add to the legacy uses already secured for the Stadium such as host to the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships.

The Aquatics Centre will be operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited and will cater for all levels of swimming ability and aquatic disciplines for the community and training athletes.  Similarly the Handball Arena LINK will be transformed into a multi-use arena used for a wide range of indoor sports training and competitions as well as cultural and business events.

The Velodrome will be owned and managed by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and will be known as the Lee Valley VeloPark.  The velodrome will need very little transformation and will become the hub of the VeloPark.  The BMX track will remain, but be reconfigured, and a road cycle circuit and mountain bike courses will be added.

The Press and Broadcast Centre now has a preferred bidder iCITY to become the long term tenant.  iCITY aims to create a leading centre for technology, design and research with the potential to generate more than 4,000 jobs.  The digital hub would harness innovation and creativity in east London.  The iCITY vision also has a community focus including a conference centre and a pedestrian square for broadcasting major sporting events, along with cafes, restaurants and bars.

After the 2012 Games, the park will be closed and works will start to take down temporary venues and to adapt some of the existing venues for future use, as well as building more housing.  The park will be re-opening in phases starting in 2013. This link shows the timeline for the next stages at the Park.