Lack of step-free access at Newbury Park and Seven Kings stations

The Seven Kings & Newbury Park Resident's Association (SKNPRA) has recently written to the Mayor of London about the lack of step-free access at Newbury Park and Seven Kings stations.

It is our understanding that Newbury Park Station, amongst others, were designated to have lifts installed some time ago. However, as confirmed by a poster at the station in November 2009, these plans were dropped due to financial problems which TfL were experiencing at the time. The Yellow Advertiser reported in December 2009 that “workmen at Newbury Park station have begun filling in lift shafts after cash for disabled access ran out”. The reported £4.6 million already spent on the project appears to have been wasted.

Our members believe that this would be a good time to revive the plans for Newbury Park Station and have identified numerous reasons for this:

1. The financial situation of TfL is now much improved. This being augmented by income from the Olympic Games sale of tickets, both from the IOC directly and the general public.

2. The improved facilities at Stratford particularly the lift installations on all platforms have been of great assistance to disabled people. In many cases enabling them to attend the Olympics and the Stratford Westfield shopping centre.

3. The installation of two lifts at Newbury Park Station, we understand would be a simple and cheap operation (perhaps the reason it was selected in the first place) as comparable to some other stations.

4. It is also worth noting that Newbury Park station is the first point of entry to the underground system for people living in Romford and further along the A12.

5. It is one of the few underground stations in the area with significant car parking facilities, 456 spaces, including 6 disabled bays.

6. The district has an ageing population and hence a large number of people who are disabled. Unlike many other stations which have either lifts and/or escalators for part of movement from platform to street Newbury Park has neither. Therefore many are prohibited from using the station altogether for this reason.

We believe that the cancellation of this work and the changes to the Crossrail plans for Seven Kings station mean that local residents have moved from a position where step-free access was promised for both stations to the current position of many continuing being denied access to the public transport system in the area. We believe this to be unacceptable in the 21st Century. We believe too that there is considerable support in our approach from local MPs, MEPs, Councillors and Transport Unions as well as the general public and we will be sharing our correspondence with them.

SKNPRA will hold its AGM at St John's Seven Kings on Monday 17th June at 8.00pm.

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The Dream Academy - Power To Believe.

InSpiration @ Westfield

I got to see InSpiration, the faith zone in Westfield Stratford City today. Designed as a worship and prayer area and also as a quiet space, InSpiration is a facility which is being used by people of all faiths and none. Located on the 3rd floor near the Food Court, it has an open area used for collective activities and a smaller area with armchairs and tables for private prayer, quiet time, one-on-one conversations and small groups. Volunteers from local churches staff the facility in a variety of time slots and a chaplain, Rev. Julia Murphy, is also located there on a part-time basis. InSpiration is open 11am to 7pm Mondays to Saturdays, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays. Christian services are held daily in the space.

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Iona - Let Your Glory Fall.

Olympics Prayer Walk

A series of prayer walks is being organised to pray for and around the Olympic Park in East London.

The prayer walk on Saturday 1st October will be focussed on Stratford and the major gateway into the park through the newly opened Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre. It is expected that 70% of the hundreds of thousands visiting the park during the Olympics will use this entrance.

Those attending will be briefed by David Richards, Vicar of St John’s Stratford, and by Julia Murphy, Coordinating Chaplain to Westfield Stratford City. Starting at St John’s Stratford on the Broadway the walk will conclude with prayer in Inspiration – the Quiet Space in Westfield Stratford City.

The full programme is as follows:

10.00 am - Arrive by 10.00 am please at St John’s Stratford - David Richards to give briefing.

10.15 am - Pray for St John’s and other Stratford Churches in the ‘churchyard’.

10.30 am - Walk to and pray for Stratford Cultural Quarter. Walk through and pray for Stratford Mall [Local shopping centre]. Pray for Transport and the Olympics from opposite Stratford Station.

11.00 am - Arrive Westfield Stratford City Shopping Centre - Julia Murphy to give briefing. Walk over the bridge and through Westfield Southern Boulevard which will be the main entrance to the Olympic Park to vantage point overlooking the Park. Pray for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

11.30 am - Adjourn to Inspiration the Westfield Stratford City Quiet Space where we will pray for the ministry there and for Julia Murphy.

12.00 pm - Depart.

Please pass this on to those who would be interested – no need to book - just come to pray - whatever the weather!

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Delirious? - Sanctify.

Olympic Park tour

The Barking Area Regeneration Group toured the Olympic Park this afternoon to see and hear at first hand the Olympic Legacy plans.

The Olympic Park Legacy Company's aim is that the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be at the centre of London’s growth this century, and a vibrant focal point for events, sport and leisure. Its connections, sporting facilities, parkland, waterways and family housing will form a unique mix – building on the best of London’s traditions to create a ‘21st Century garden city’ and liking into surrounding neighbourhoods to promote convergence, regeneration and prosperity in east London.

The Park site will be developed into two distinct areas: a vibrant, urban south plaza akin to London's South Bank and a green, scenic north park. The south plaza, adjacent to Westfield Stratford City, will be a crossroads for sport, culture and quality design with a rolling programme of events starting from 2013. Home to the Olympic Stadium and the iconic Aquatics Centre, the plaza will also feature the 115m tall ArcelorMittal Orbit designed by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond - a unique, global attraction and the UK's tallest sculpture.

The north of the Park will include extensive revitalised waterways and landscaped parklands with an emphasis on sport and leisure. Visitors will enjoy cycle paths, play areas and use of the Velodrome and neighbouring Eton Manor sports complex, both of which will be owned and managed by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority after the 2012 Games.

In addition, a new campus-style business district will be developed in the north-west of the Park. Focused on creative and innovative industries, the area will offer affordable and flexible office space to encourage the successful businesses already based in East London to grow. The stated need from local residents is for real jobs and opportunities to build careers across a range of business sectors. The Park and its key employment hubs will aim to address this need by creating 8-10,000 jobs located in these modern workspaces within an inviting parkland setting.

The neighbourhoods of the Park will provide residents with a range of homes in a location that it is hoped will become one of London’s most celebrated places over the next ten years. These neighbourhoods will include vital community facilities such as schools, shops, places to relax, play and exercise as well as faith, health and community centres.

As the gateway to the Olympic Park, Westfield Stratford City is part of one of the largest urban regeneration projects ever undertaken in the UK. Stratford City and the Olympic Park together form a 700-acre development. Seventy per cent of spectators will pass through Westfield Stratford City en route to the Olympic Park Games venues, and Visit London has forecast that the London 2012 Games will contribute an additional £1.3 - 2.2 billion to London tourism over the period 2007-2017.

InSpiration will be the faith zone in the biggest urban shopping centre in Europe, Westfield Stratford City. Designed as a worship and prayer area and also as a quiet space, InSpiration is a facility which will be used by people of all faiths and none. Located on the 3rd floor near the Food Court, it will have an open area used for collective activities and a smaller area with armchairs and tables for private prayer, quiet time, one-on-one conversations and small groups. There is currently an opportunity for people to staff the facility in a variety of time slots. InSpiration will be open 11am to 7pm Mondays to Saturdays, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.

The 2012 Games provides a unique opportunity for UK churches to be seen for what they really are.
By playing their part in the programmes of outreach, hospitality and service every church can help tell a different story. And waken fresh interest in who it is who makes us different and how they can know him for themselves. More Than Gold exists to enable the UK churches to engage with the 2012 Games.

As churches and communities nationwide are preparing to put on special events to celebrate the Games, a prayer composed by Reverend Christopher Woods has been issued by the Church of England:

A prayer in preparation for the 2012 Games

Eternal God,
Giver of joy and source of all strength,
we pray for those
who prepare for the London Olympic and Paralympic games.
For the competitors training for the Games and their loved ones,
For the many thousands who will support them, For the Churches and others who are organising special events and who will welcome many people from many nations.
In a world where many are rejected and abused,
we pray for a spirit of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect
and for the health and safety of all.
May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold, today and forever. Amen

Perhaps, in light of the above, a prayer is also needed for the Olympic Legacy:

Our Father, in praying your kingdom come on earth as in heaven,
we pray for the hopes and dreams
invested in the Olympic Legacy to be realised.
For the formation of uniquely mixed neighbourhoods,
the attraction of innovative industries creating employment,
spaces to relax, play, exercise, pray and serve,
affordable family housing combined with vital community facilities.
May we build on the best traditions
of convergence, regeneration
and sustainability in east London
to seek to create a garden city
which is a crossroads for sport, culture and design
and come to see in our human striving to achieve this vision
a sign of your kingdom coming. Amen.

Click here for my earlier visit to the Olympic Park site.

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Bjork - Oceania.