What is Norwood Action Group?
It is a non-party political group of people who live and work in West Norwood, dedicated to the economic, environmental and social regeneration of the area.
The group started informally following a public meeting in autumn, 1996. The suggestion for regular meetings of local people came from Anne Orange, a youth worker for St Luke's Church. She now chairs the group. After about eight monthly meetings, the group called a further public meeting in June 1997 at which it was properly constituted and a committee elected. The committee has 13 positions currently filled by 11 people.
At the 1998 annual public meeting, the constitution was amended to provide for membership. Individuals pay £3, or £1 unwaged. Affiliated organisations pay £5. Membership has built up slowly, mainly through our quarterly newsletters and now (June 1999) totals 42.
The group includes people of varying social and ethnic backgrounds and ages and has a balance of both men and women. Although we make no claim to officially represent the people of West Norwood, we feel we are fairly representative of people in this area. We keep in touch mainly through our newsletters which usually have a questionnaire on the back. We invite people to fill this in and post into one of a number of boxes we set up in town centre retail outlets.
This way, we can tell people what we have said to the council and other bodies about developments in the area - and we can find out what you think, as well, and pass this on. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month, usually at 8pm. Meetings are open to anyone who is interested. We regard our catchment area as stretching from Crown Point to Tulse Hill and from Croxted Road to Leigham Court Road, although we are not inflexible about this.
Issues we have addressed so far include car-parking, community facilities, such as the need to re-open the old library building as a youth and community centre, the closure of Lambeth College's Norwood Centre, environmental improvements, transport and even Christmas decorations.
The group has been advised and encouraged by Lambeth Council, although it remains strictly independent. In particular, it receives help from, and supports, the West Norwood town centre manager, Isabel Elder.
We are now looking forward to further contributing to council work through the new West Norwood town centre forum - one of five which the council intends to set up throughout Lambeth.
The group can be contacted through Isabel Elder (ielder@lambeth.gov.uk) in the West Norwood area office in the Nettlefold Hall/library building, or by emailing Jane Pickard, secretary: jane@norwoodaction.org.uk
