Kensington and Fairfield RESPECT week

Respect, what a powerful word.

Give respect, get respect

That is what the logo says

And next week, the Labour Government initiative comes to Kensington and Fairfield in Liverpool.

Imagine that.

Yesterday I went to a meeting at the Lifebank on Quorn Street, Kensington (hats off to my mate Cath for saying that only in Liverpool could we name a street after a vegetarian meat product, and she lives half a mile from Upperthong and Netherthong, what does she know?).

Anyway, there must have been 50 people there, all officers from agencies working for our local population. They worked for the council, the police, the fire service, the JET service (getting people back to work), four different housing assocations, local wardens, local environmental services, training and learning, public health, traffic wardens, enforcement agencies for fly-tipping, dog fouling, domestic violence project, HEAT project, health projects, schools and colleges, rats (shudder) (Wendy is MC for rats, I cannot "do" rats), PCT, Anti-poverty action, Youth service, the clean team, the A team and the Brady bunch (and whoever I have forgotten in my excitement)

And they were all there to talk about our ward and our residents

And every single one of these wonderful officers was there to plan a whole week of intensive activity right here in our ward

I dont care how corny you think I am, I had a lump in my throat at the sight of such a huge number of paid professionals, all there to benefit our residents. Our residents whose average age of death is 60 something and half of whom are either on the dole or long term sickness. If every a group of people needed a week of special treatment, it is them.

The programme of activity - fighting car crime, drug crime, gun crime, ASB, obesity, alcoholism, debt, dirt, debility, promoting, health, housing, horticulture and happiness (and aromatherapy and football and nail-art) and all those things is going to be available here although it is not up just yet.

There will be a police mobile station and a council caravan in Lidl carpark on Kensington for the whole week next week and I intend to be loitering with intent there most of the time most of the week if you want to stop by and engage me or any one of our huge numbers of partners in this special week.

See you there, RESPECT!