Blanche Cameron

Hello andrewc, thanks for your comment. It's not the fact that these graves are 'local' that I was valuing, but the fact that they already exist and should be preserved, for families with relatives buried in them, and for our history. They were buried to rest in peace. The Council wants to excavate them or mound them over. Ample burial provision is available at cemeteries like Kemnal Park without the need to obliterate or excavate other families' existing graves. Hope that explains the position. Blanche

Good heavens! It is like arguing over the number of deck chairs about to be lost on the Titanic. The level of so called 'debate' on here is really poor and from some posters just plain rude, whichever 'side' people are on or none. Over two acres have been scraped clean of trees and wildlife. The graves of thousands will be mounded over with crushed building demolition waste, historic memorials destroyed, to be replaced with rows of graves sold to anyone who can afford them inside or outside the borough as Southwark's Cemetery Strategy identified an opportunity as inner London burial gets scarce. We did a video this week showing what the Council is doing. Tell me what you think. It's a lovely day. You might want to go and visit the remaining 10 or so acres of woods in Camberwell Old Cemetery or the half an acre they are going to cut down on One Tree Hill in the New Cemetery. Or maybe visit the old graves that people will be visiting today on Mothers Day of their mums, nans, aunties, sisters. Or perhaps you just want to spend it on here, claiming that everyone in inner London must have the absolue right to be buried within the inner city boundary? Even some people on here must recognise how irrational that would be. Appalling air quality is resulting in childhood respiratory and kidney diseases, poor physical development and lower life expectancy. Almost 10,000 people die early every year in London from air pollution related illness. How ironic it would be of an inner city council to cut down trees to bury people, just because they demand the right to be buried in the inner city. I'm not so sure it's what they would have wanted. Blanche

John K On the plan of consecrated areas and plot overlays I sent you, the consecrated area is hard to see as the landscape architect decided to use a light mustard yellow to define it - almost invisible. It incorporates the whole of Area Z and a bit more to the east and does not follow plot sections. The unconsecrated area as mentioned inside, plot sections 105-107, is hatched in blue and more easily visible.

Dear all, Sorry, I'm ill at the moment with one of the colds that is going around. This has been a learning experience for us. We didn't realize some people wouldn't think the wild places amongst graves were worth saving. We thought that would be enough to stop the Council. We have been offering a whole range of reasons why their plans are so bad. These include: Increased flood risk, reduced air quality, reduced wild natural space and ecological value, religious discrimination, possible ground water contamination, insufficient public engagement or consultation, the financial cost of the project and lack of financial transparency, no cost benefit analysis with alternatives, no environmental impact assessment, There has been far too little engagement or consultation either with families with existing relatives buried at the cemeteries who might not want their relatives dug up or mounded over (as we are finding), or with residents who would choose to be buried there if it was an option but who may not want their loved ones buried in crushed building waste over other families' remains, to be dug up again in 75 years time. A video made by Lewis Schaffer this week shows what the Council is doing right now, and what they plan on doing. As said before, I'm not on here all the time so if anyone wants to discuss the campaign's proposals or any aspects of Southwark's plans, please do call or email me - although I have lost my voice at the moment, so best by email at the moment: savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com Cheers, Blanche Cameron Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk

No problem Loz, 2011 Census gave figures for religions, 8.5% of Southwark residents were Muslim. To May 2015 Southwark's population increased by almost 20% from 256,700 to 306,745 and a bit more since then. 20% of 8.5 is 1.7 = 10.2% hence around 10% Nunhead Cemetery provides a tiny proportion of burial space, 6-8 a year, for Turkish Muslim residents but none for Orthodox Muslim residents, the majority of Southwark's Muslim population. Most go to the Gardens of Peace in Ilford or Kemnal Park. The main issue is not what % of Southwark's population is Orthodox Muslim but that the Council should not pretend to provide burial for all residents when they don't and claim it is for 'local people' when it isn't - it is only for certain types of 'local people' and not others. It's unfair. This is why Cllr Renata Hamvas said she would look into it. Best wishes, Blanche Edited for typos.

Hello JohnK, It takes time to answer everyone, but there you are. > What is the area of the revised Area Z? As stated above, 2.5 acres > Which part of Area Z was consecrated in 1913? All of it. One part was later unconsecrated (don't know at what date) to allow perhaps for other religions/unconsecrated burials to take place. The mustard yellow outline all the way around Area Z and a bit to the east too is the consecrated area. The oblong of blue hatching inside showing S 105 - 107 is the unconsecrated area. > It there a map/plan of the 1913 consecrated area? It's part of the Council's planning documents. Attached. Blanche

Hello John K, At ground level we stopped counting after 200 and hadn't even reached half... 48,000 is from Southwark's own documents of numbers of public burials at Area Z. The area is 2.5 acres. The aerial Google photo of COC - Area Z is/was one third of all the wooded area, to the left/west end. Canopy cover well over 20%, the FC definition of woodland. Sadly this has been largely felled now, and the photo above from LauraW just starkly shows the contrast. Blanche

Hello dbboy, SSW registered our objections with the Diocese on Tuesday, to become a 'party' in Church hearing to decide whether to grant or deny Southwark permission for their plans. W'll present objections at the hearing, currently due late spring. We haven?t applied for an injunction yet but we?re considering every option. Penguin68 is not correct to say Southwark's works do not affect consecrated ground - Area Z is both consecrated (1913) and unconsecrated. We asked whether they had considered green/woodland burials. But Southwark Council didn?t even want to discuss, they just said 'they take up too much space?. No compromise available. Best wishes, Blanche

Hello JoeLeg, I'm keen to answer all queries but I also work and have limited time I can spend on here. So I'll answer as fully as I can as I don't want to be superficial but it takes time to get round all the questions - I guess I'll never manage them all. It is good people are so interested in the campaign, even if they don't agree, it's what a democratic society is about. Best wishes, Blanche Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods

Hello JoeLeg, I'm sorry if I'm not being clear, hopefully respectful explanation and discussion is what this forum is for :-) SSW isn't proposing a moratorium at COC. Some people have already either purchased plots at COC or have spaces in existing plots waiting for them when their time comes. SSW has no wish to interfere with any of that of course. But the fact is COC is otherwise full and CNC is very nearly full. So full in fact that Southwark's own Cemetery Strategy identified there wasn't a piece of bronco to put between existing graves as every bit of space has a burial in it. We proposed green burials, woodland burials, burials in pods that grow trees, everything to the Council. They said they took up too much space. This really reinforced to us that their actions having nothing whatever to do with biodiversity or even diversity in burial options. So SSW proposes a transition period of two years and then make both cemeteries Nature Reserves as Nunhead Cemetery and many other inner London Cemeteries are, with burial for all faiths ad none at Kemnal Park Cemetery or similar cemetery, it doesn't have to be this one. The Diocese of Southwark erected their own Monument to the Unknown Southwark Parishioner at Kemnal Park in 2013. Natural benefits - mental, physical, emotional, spiritual - and benefits to families with relatives already buried there and anyone interested in history will provided for the long term for all. So far I haven't really heard a good argument to support such substantial loss for so little gain. Best wishes, Blanche Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods Edited to add Kemnal Park info

Hello Sue, There are many reasons for fighting this campaign. SSW is not anti-burial, as some have suggested, in fact quite the contrary. We support the right of ALL residents to a fair and equal Council burial service. As you probably know, the Council itself thought burial outside the borough could be an option, and Cabinet in June 2012 agreed to explore it. But this was dropped in favour f felling trees and mounding over public graves. When asked why out of borough options had not been explored, Cllr Darren Merrill claimed it was because the Council didn?t want to give money to private companies. Yet they are spending ?5M on private contractors felling trees, excavating land, building roads and on private consultants? fees? He also said it would be unfair on local people to have to travel and that local people 'deserved' local burial as many on here have also said - even it seems if this is at the cost of digging up someone else's local grave to provide it... For Southwark Councillors to say they want to provide local burial for local people is anyway absurd on several levels, and disingenuous in fact. Firstly, burial is - or should be - a borough wide service available to all residents equally, not just for people local to the Cemeteries. Secondly, it should cater for residents of ALL faiths who require and seek burial not just those it suits the Council to bury. Orthodox Muslim residents are only around 10% of Southwark residents, but since 77% of residents choose to be cremated, Orthodox Muslims residents are over 40% of the remaining 23% who choose or require burial. They are one of Southwark Council?s largest burial groups - and are not catered for. This heavily subsidised new burial will not change this. Few people are prepared to discuss the fact that burial does not and will not provide burial for Southwark's Orthodox Muslim residents and they will continue to be discriminated against. We have tried to discuss this many times with Councillors, as it breaks both Human Rights Law and Southwark's own Local Authority Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010. To have to highlight to a Council such obvious discrimination on grounds of religion in London in 2016 is actually shameful to me. The issue has been ignored and even actively denied both by Councillors Mills and Parks Manager Rebecca Towers. They claim the 6-8 Turkish Muslim burials a year in Nunhead Cemetery are all that is required - yet they now this is not true. They know these residents already have to travel and pay privately for burial out of borough at three times the price of other residents. When we met MP Helen Hayes to discuss this and other matters, she said she was unaware it was a problem ? despite us sending information on it all last year when she was still a Councillor. Cllr Renata Hamvas has said she will look into it, but it will take more than that to turf out discrimination. So, a solution, a genuine compromise exists that makes sense for ALL residents, for those who want to be buried and for those who love trees and nature and want to keep the wild places and the history and for families who want to preserve their relatives graves. Southwark intend to write off the ?5M it is spending on contractors to destroy woods and mound over graves. ?5M would buy burial land for ALL faiths at Kemnal Park Cemetery 6 miles down the road ? 5 acres, for 4,000 burial plots, 8,000 interments, 20 years provision. And these plots will actually recoup revenue and the revenue could be ploughed back into more burial land - or put into essential Council services. And Southwark could lay on a free twice-weekly bus service to Kemnal Park and STILL save money, removing any barrier of cost or distance. Continuing with the current burial project will only embed racism and religious discrimination deeper in Southwark Council. Blanche Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods

Kiera, Precious Star, I haven't had much time to reply to posts on EDF recently but I have a little time this afternoon. Thank you both for your comments about the beauty and importance of the wildlife of the cemetery woods - I keep thinking back to last summer when we carried out a tree survey on part of Area Z and in the rest of the woods at the Old Cemetery - and the buzzing insects and the haze of pollen and the shady cool refreshing air and the beauty. Here's the short video made last summer by nature filmmaker Sarah Rees, when the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree specialist Jill Butler came to verify the older ancient and veteran trees and Sarah came to record the woods before they went. Many people when they say they love nature actually mean they like managed parks and green space such as the more managed parts of Camberwell Old Cemetery. These are the least abundant or biodiverse of any of COC's 30 acres. For the solitary bees, the stag beetles, bats and myriad of other species, it is the wilder places that nature loves and needs so badly. Messier places that humans haven't controlled, sterilised and subdued. Best wishes, Blanche Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods

Hello Loz, We are looking at every single option available to stop Southwark felling even more trees, especially when they don't have permission from the relevant authorities. Blanche

Hello John, There's no deviation from Southwark's actual plan. But what you've posted there is one of Southwark's outline plans for Area D1 on One Tree Hill. You have to read through hundreds of pages of small detail, tree surveys, design and access statements and plans to realise Southwark Council state they will actually fell up to 60 trees, which is not what their plans show. Regarding the number of trees now felled at Area Z, it is easily many hundreds. At the Overview & Scrutiny Committee of 17th September, when asked why all the trees were not shown on plans, Tree Officer Gary Meadowcroft said because 'there were too many to count'. Best wishes, Blanche

This week's update from Save Southwark Woods: Yesterday 1st March, Save Southwark Woods delivered our objections and became a formal party in the Church proceedings to decide Southwark Council's applications for development at Camberwell Old and New Cemeteries. Southwark Council needs Church permission for all work on consecrated ground. This includes felling hundreds of trees and mounding over 48,000 graves at Area Z Camberwell Old Cemetery and felling up to 60 trees on One Tree Hill Area D1 at Camberwell New Cemetery. The Diocese of Southwark received 800+ objections to Southwark's applications so a hearing will be held to decide on the plans later in the spring. But as you know Southwark did not wait for Church permission. Two acres of woods have now been felled and cleared to the earth. You can see from attached photos the impact. We will be proud to represent so many people who have objected to the Council's destructive plans at the hearing. We believe no local authority should feel they can get away with whatever they want without any fear of challenge. London is a highly polluted city and these woods are in an Air Quality Management Area. We need the woods and trees for our health, for nature, for climate change adaptation and many other reasons. And we need the graves with respect for the dead already buried here, their families and their history that helps us understand our own lives and deaths. More info is here: www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk/ssw-joins-church-legal-process Feel free to contact me on the email below or call, I'm always happy to discuss anything to do with the campaign. We also have a weekly meeting on Tuesdays 7.30pm at the Herne Tavern in the back bit, everyone welcome. Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods

This week's update on Southwark Council's works at Camberwell Old Cemetery: Sadly, these three pictures show hundreds of trees felled without Church permission across both the consecrated and unconsecrated areas. Next Southwark plan to excavate 12,000 tonnes of soil and rubble, up to 50 daily truck journeys to and from the Old Cemetery over several months. Then they intend to mound over the graves of 48,000 paupers' graves, six Commonwealth War Graves areas and more than 30 private graves, for less than four years' burial space. The Chancellor of the Diocese of Southwark has warned the Council they are working without permission and 'at their own risk'. The Church Consistory Court hearing into their project is to be held in late spring. Blanche Cameron for Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk @southwarkwoods Facebook Page Save Southwark Woods Southwark?s work at Area Z before Church permission Watch Southwark?s ?sustainable? felling of the first trees of Southwark Woods: Watch the ITV New Report 13th Jan 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=0eklxkk30bQ Watch the aerial video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b76wj7BO8yI Sign the petition to save Southwark Woods https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-southwark-woods

Hello John, good to meet you on here. What false statements have been made? Southwark is currently clearing 2.5 acres of land in Camberwell Old Cemetery including cutting down dozens of trees as part of its strategy to cut down 12 acres of woods, mound over the public graves of tens of thousands of Londoners and then excavate all private graves over 75 years old. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/3046/cemetery_strategies Here is a video showing the most recent works by Southwark Council If you find anything that says the Council aren't going ahead with this project, please let us know. That would be great news. Sincerely, Blanche Blanche Cameron For Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com Twitter: @southwarkwoods Facebook: Save Southwark Woods www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk

Dear all, I'm grateful to the administrator of the east Dulwich Forum for registering me on here. I am part of the Save Southwark Woods campaign team that has been working to protect and preserve the woods and graves of the Camberwell Cemeteries for the future. I would like support Penguin68, HopOne and Panda Boy's proposals that this thread keep to the topic. I hope we can have a respectful and productive discussion and look forward to sharing information as it occurs, and in relation to this topic. Last Thursday 18th February, the Diocese of Southwark wrote to Southwark Council's Parks Officer Rebecca Towers (cc me) to remind her that the Council has no permission from the Church for works to Area Z at Camberwell Old Cemetery. In the letter, the Diocesan Registrar Paul Morris reminded Ms Towers that a hearing by the Diocesan Consistory Court will be held to decide whether to give Southwark Council permission or not for works [which are already underway]. Until the hearing Southwark Council has no permission from the Church and works must be at 'their own risk'. The letter from the Paul Morris, Diocese of Southwark, to Rebecca Towers, Southwark Council, is here: www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk/no-church-permission-for-works If anyone would like any information at all about the Save Southwark Woods campaign, please do email me, I'm always happy to discuss it. savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com or call me 07731 304 966 We also hold meetings every Tuesday 7.30pm at the Herne Tavern - all welcome. Blanche Cameron For Save Southwark Woods 07731 304 966 savesouthwarkwoods@gmail.com Twitter: @southwarkwoods Facebook: Save Southwark Woods www.savesouthwarkwoods.org.uk