Walk in the Park
Sometimes the problems of the world weigh heavy on my shoulders; then I take a walk in the park (obviously not Southall Park!) and a new lightness appears.
I had the unexpected opportunity to spend an hour in Regent’s Park today and it was such a relief to be able to walk around alone, happy in my solitude, without fear of anything weird happening. It’s amazing that it takes going into London to find peace and safety. It was so pleasant to just wander round, quietly observing the people resting, jogging, sun-bathing and enjoying school outings. I didn’t see a single drug deal, not one trick and the most dangerous dog I saw was a placid looking Jack Russell waiting patiently for its owner and companion dog to catch up. The most yobbish behaviour I saw was from the wildfowl, stunning in their number and diversity and for being by far the noisiest creatures in the park.
Recent events have got me avoiding my local park (there’s been another murder there in the last couple of days), so I’m seeking out safer places to take my three little nippers; Regent’s Park is definitely on my list and quite accessible too.
I kind of dread going ‘up town’ because of the heat, busy-ness, traffic and almost total self-obsession of most of the people living and working there. I usually come back sweaty and smelly, knackered and irritable. Today I found myself having a coffee with an artist friend/colleague on Regent’s Street in the middle of a building site. Our table was outside the café between two boarded off sections which made us a private little alcove. In fact, we probably found the most comfortable place to sit outside on such a hot and sweaty day.
After my walk in the park and my pleasant meeting I even managed to get to school early, so for once I’ve had what you could call a ‘nice day!’ I guess all it takes is to get out of Southall!
I can’t leave on that note, as I’ve always loved and defended Southall from all those wankers, like the taxi drivers who ask in that tone of voice ‘Do you like living in Southall?’ (yeah it’s great, I love the diversity and the sense of community, I feel strange anywhere else!) or those that say Southall smells (yeah, with every step you enter a new and wonderful olfactory experience – coriander, Chinese herbs, coconut, cardamon, mmm!)
What I detest is the lack of informed focus by the local and national governments: Southall has a peculiar and unique character and unique needs. For 50 years wave after wave of new peoples have moved in, first Irish, then Asian, then Somali, now Eastern European. Other smaller groups have moved in too, I’ve met people from so many nations – from South Africa, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Iraq, Nepal, Jamaica, Barbados, Ghana, Kenya and many more. We all live together in relative harmony despite powerful forces trying to stir up hatred and violence. Southall is a model of multicultural harmony, but the authorities have no concept of how much support is needed in a town with such a transient population. There are massive levels of TB, HIV, poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and all sorts of other difficulties faced by our community here, and the input from ‘above’ is complacent to say the least. A clear policy to work with the many communities here, to build cohesion and understanding, to create education and employment opportunities is vital but sadly missing. The work is being done for sure, by hordes of committed locals (go to any Gurdwara, Mandir or Mosque to see some for yourself), which is why there’s not even more drug dealing and murder on the streets, but governmental support is inconsistent and usually lacking.
I had the unexpected opportunity to spend an hour in Regent’s Park today and it was such a relief to be able to walk around alone, happy in my solitude, without fear of anything weird happening. It’s amazing that it takes going into London to find peace and safety. It was so pleasant to just wander round, quietly observing the people resting, jogging, sun-bathing and enjoying school outings. I didn’t see a single drug deal, not one trick and the most dangerous dog I saw was a placid looking Jack Russell waiting patiently for its owner and companion dog to catch up. The most yobbish behaviour I saw was from the wildfowl, stunning in their number and diversity and for being by far the noisiest creatures in the park.
Recent events have got me avoiding my local park (there’s been another murder there in the last couple of days), so I’m seeking out safer places to take my three little nippers; Regent’s Park is definitely on my list and quite accessible too.
I kind of dread going ‘up town’ because of the heat, busy-ness, traffic and almost total self-obsession of most of the people living and working there. I usually come back sweaty and smelly, knackered and irritable. Today I found myself having a coffee with an artist friend/colleague on Regent’s Street in the middle of a building site. Our table was outside the café between two boarded off sections which made us a private little alcove. In fact, we probably found the most comfortable place to sit outside on such a hot and sweaty day.
After my walk in the park and my pleasant meeting I even managed to get to school early, so for once I’ve had what you could call a ‘nice day!’ I guess all it takes is to get out of Southall!
I can’t leave on that note, as I’ve always loved and defended Southall from all those wankers, like the taxi drivers who ask in that tone of voice ‘Do you like living in Southall?’ (yeah it’s great, I love the diversity and the sense of community, I feel strange anywhere else!) or those that say Southall smells (yeah, with every step you enter a new and wonderful olfactory experience – coriander, Chinese herbs, coconut, cardamon, mmm!)
What I detest is the lack of informed focus by the local and national governments: Southall has a peculiar and unique character and unique needs. For 50 years wave after wave of new peoples have moved in, first Irish, then Asian, then Somali, now Eastern European. Other smaller groups have moved in too, I’ve met people from so many nations – from South Africa, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Iraq, Nepal, Jamaica, Barbados, Ghana, Kenya and many more. We all live together in relative harmony despite powerful forces trying to stir up hatred and violence. Southall is a model of multicultural harmony, but the authorities have no concept of how much support is needed in a town with such a transient population. There are massive levels of TB, HIV, poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and all sorts of other difficulties faced by our community here, and the input from ‘above’ is complacent to say the least. A clear policy to work with the many communities here, to build cohesion and understanding, to create education and employment opportunities is vital but sadly missing. The work is being done for sure, by hordes of committed locals (go to any Gurdwara, Mandir or Mosque to see some for yourself), which is why there’s not even more drug dealing and murder on the streets, but governmental support is inconsistent and usually lacking.
posted by Firegoat @ 5:59 pm
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