Yesterday was a very interesting day.
A Sunday, when one might expect to be at home with the family, relaxing and reading the paper and watching my football team crash out of the FA cup.
Or then again...
I went in the early afternoon out door-knocking with Liam and Tim and we talked to residents about the threat of the BNP in the forthcoming European elections and the need for all mainstream voters to get out there in June and vote for the party of their choice, rather than let the wrong Griffin become a MEP.
Then Wendy and I went to the annual Jewish Civic Service at the Princes Road Synagogue where four of our five Deane Road Jewish Cemetery patrons happened to be gathered together; Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP, Louise Ellman MP, Dame Lorna Muirhead, the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, and the indefatigable Professor E Rex Makin, Freeman of the City of Liverpool. It was a good service with a funny although slightly discombobulating speech from a Rabbi from Leeds.
Then I went over to Kensington Junior School to an International Women's Day event organised by the United Colours of Kensington (our group of face-painters who offer multi-cultural training and support to these wonderful volunteers) and it was truly international. There were women at the event (and a few husbands and lots of children) who are from all over the world but now live in Kensington or Fairfield. I made a very short speech as beautiful adorned children ran round at my feet, and then chatted to some of the attendees. This included a woman who has set up a project to support adults who were sexually abused as children, with the help of us councillors and our working neighbourhood fund and hurrah for that!
When I got home, I got into a bit of an email debate with a LibDem councillor who was trying to claim that the rise of the BNP (if there is such a rise) was the fault of the Labour Party for neglecting their communities. I felt very strongly positive that after a day of engaging across the city on precisely such issues, I could decry his views.
One of the joys of being a councillor is the window it allows us to have into the lives of all sorts of people who live in our areas and to represent some really fascinating communities. It was a long day but a good one.
3 comments:
I think you are very priviliged to represent a ward that is so very culturally diverse. Keep on getting the message across about fighting racism in all its forms.
Your team put up a good fight, if it's any comfort I hope they stay up. Any news on your mural?
There is some news on our mural, we have met Peter again to talk about it and we were back to finding a suitable location, but the money is there and the will is there so the painting will be there, eventually.
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