9th April 2020

Give us more room!

Issue 1474

Established: 1987

50p

April 9 2020

www.southwarknews.co.uk

• PUBLIC DIVIDED OVER ISSUE

• "People can’t be trusted. This is a really sad fact of where we are with this. So yes, draconian measures, for at least the next two or three weeks while the epidemic is peaking."

Can opening up private land ease pressure on public parks and prevent a full ban on all outdoor exercise?

• "Tightening the rules will only create tensions and motivate more people to break rules."

• "Stand outside your front door if you need fresh air, it’s really not hard we are all in the same boat together!"

• "What has happened here is the adult equivalent of everybody being kept in at break time because one or two kids were naughty."

• "Golf course are very expensive to maintain and the members pay for that. To open them up to the public would put them out of business very quickly."

• "This would only invite more people to go out.

‘Oh, let’s go to Dulwich College!’. Really, stay in."

• "I had this exact thought as I walked past the empty Alleyn’s playing field on my way to crowded Dulwich Park on Saturday. Yes please!"

• "Ban joggers. Sick of them coming up close behind, jogging through the two metre gap etc.

Close roads so they can jog."

• "If less people were sunbathing and treating it like a usual holiday, then there would be ample room to “walk, run and cycle”.

Families of coronavirus victims Terry and Andy urge locals to follow the rules Tributes: see page 7

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

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2 NEWS

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Contents NEWS Pages 2-16 OPINION Pages 14-15 arts Page 17 PROPERTY Pages 18 Public notices Pages 20-21 SPORT Pages 22-24

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Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

Update from the council Reactions to new leader on open spaces, Southwark-born PPE and major projects Labour leader Keir

By Josh Salisbury

josh@southwarknews.co.uk Council leader Peter John has called on the borough’s schools to turn over their green space, amid fears of packed parks over the bank holiday weekend.

The town hall boss said he would be writing to Dulwich College among others to ask that they allow public access to their land as those in dense areas of the borough do not have access to their own gardens.

He also said that any gaps in personal protective equipment (PPE) for council staff, including care workers on the frontline, were an issue of distribution, not supply.

Speaking to the News on Tuesday afternoon, Cllr John said Southwark would be receiving its share of 30 million pieces of protective equipment ordered by the government, some of which was delivered to the capital on Monday night.

“From what I’ve been told, this is not a supply issue, it’s a distribution issue,” he said. “What we’re in effect seeing is the creation of a new distribution system across the nation which did not exist two weeks ago, so there will be some teething problems.”

London boroughs have in the past week urged businesses to donate their supplies of PPE to the town hall to give to priority workers.

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Southwark is among those, having asked building sites to donate what supplies of protective gear they have spare.

Amid ever-growing uncertainty over when the lockdown will end, key infrastructure projects backed by the council to deliver new homes could be under threat, says Cllr John.

One of those is the Bakerloo Line extension from Elephant and Castle through to Lewisham - a key plank of a council ambition to build 20,000 new homes around the Old Kent Road.

“My fear is that we will get to the end of this and the government will say sorry, we can’t afford the infrastructure investment we had promised,” he said.

“The public finances are going to be in a dire state… It would be easy for the government to say, ‘we’ve had to spend billions over this period’, but that would be wrong because the country won’t grow out of the hole that it’s in unless it invests.”

Last week, neighbouring Lambeth closed Brockwell Park over fears of crowds of people congregating over the sunny weekend.

Cllr John is disparaging of those “selfish” people sunbathing or BBQing outside, alleging that one group even had an eighteenth birthday party inside the park - despite the law banning gatherings of more than two people.

Part of this may be because government rules were not clear enough, he said.

“In fairness, I don’t think government guidance was as clear as it could’ve been until Sunday in terms of if you go to the park what you can do.”

However, he insisted that Southwark did not want to close green spaces unless necessary, and urged owners of private land, such as independent schools, to make them available to the public.

“I would ask them to make what space you can available to us - we’re not asking you to do anything you don’t want to do but if there’s green space you can open please do what you can at this time.”

Starmer pledges to ‘engage constructively’ during crisis

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Labour has united behind its new Southwark-born party leader Keir Starmer and his deputy, Angela Rayner.

As the results of the election campaign were announced over the weekend, Dulwich MP Helen Hayes - who had publicly backed Starmer from the early stages of the contest - said: "The Labour leadership contest has been a positive, thoughtful and essential debate on the future of our party.

"Congratulations Keir Starmer on a brilliant result and resounding mandate from our members. I look forward to working with you in these difficult times and beyond." Hayes also sent her congratulations to Rayner, who is currently recovering from COVID-19.

Born in Southwark on 2 September 1962, Keir is the second of four children to Josephine (nee Baker) a nurse and Rodney Starmer,’ a toolmaker.

They named him Keir after Keir Hardie - Labour's first leader - and he went on to study law at Leeds and Oxford University before becoming a high-flying human rights barrister and head of the Crown Prosecution Service.

In his first statement as leader, Starmer said: "It’s the honour and privilege of my life to be elected as Leader of the Labour Party.

"I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and hope, so that when the time comes, we can serve our country again – in government."

In the video message, Starmer pledged to 'engage constructively' with Number Ten during the Coronavirus crisis, while challenging mistakes and holding those in power to account.

"When we do get through this, we cannot go back to business as usual.

This virus has exposed the fragility of our society. It's lifted a curtain. Too many will have given too much," he said.

Starmer also promised to unite the party, saying the future must be faced with honesty: "Anti-Semitism has been a stain on our party. I have seen the grief that it's brought to so many Jewish communities.

"On behalf of the Labour Party, I am sorry, and I will tear out this poison by its roots and judge success by the return of our Jewish members and those who felt that they could no longer support us."

Bermondsey MP Neil Coyle, who had campaigned for Jess Phillips as leader, described Starmer and Rayner as a "massive improvement". Camberwell and Peckham MP Harriet Harman has also voiced support for their strategy so far, and said she agreed with 'every word' of Starmer's first speech.

The Southwark News is proud to be the only independent, paid for newspaper in London Editor: Kevin Quinn Deputy Editor: Katherine Johnston Chief Reporter: Josh Salisbury Sports Editor: John Kelly Arts Correspondent: Michael Holland Weekender Series Editor: Laura Burgoine Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Sales Manager: Tammy Jukes Advertising: Clarry Frewin, Lorraine Wood, Samantha Ratcliffe Design: Dan Martin, Aurelio Medina Finance: Em Zeki Subscriptions/Announcements: Katie Boyd Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Published weekly on a Thursday at: Unit A302, The Biscuit Factory, Drummond Road, Bermondsey, London SE16 4DG. News and Sport: 020 7231 5258 Advertising: 020 7232 1639 News: news@southwarknews.co.uk Advertising: ads@southwarknews.co.uk Printed by Iliffe Print. Tel: 01223 656500 www.iliffeprint.co.uk

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Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

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NEWS 3

Appeal’s £20,000 anonymous donor

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk A fundraising appeal for King's ‘Hospital Heroes’ has received an incredible boost after an anonymous supporter donated £20,000.

Last week the News reported how the King's College Hospital Charity has set up the emergency appeal to raise funds for frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

The charity now tells us the response has been incredible and, as of early this week, over £81,000 has now been raised for the heroic NHS workers. Companies have also given food, toiletries and other goods - including the Body Shop while a campaign to 'feed the NHS' has also seen the public buying meals for staff.

The charity now wants to expand this work to include care packages for ward patients unable to have their loved ones visit due to isolation rules.

On their ‘wishlist’ for patients are DVD players, puzzles and other games, radios, earphones, tablets and lavender humidifiers which nurses say help provide a calming atmosphere.

Fran Roberts, a clinical lead physiotherapist at King's who lives in Catford, hasn’t been able to see her Huddersfield-based family since March.

“I’m really missing my family, my partner and my friends, so I really make the most of the time I can spend catching up with my dad," she said.

"A lot of us living in London are away

from our loved ones, and my work colleagues have now become like my family. This experience has brought the local communities around the hospital together in a really positive way.

"We’ve had some extremely generous donations to the trust, and I never would have thought I would see myself getting excited about being given some vegetables at the end of the working day.

“Getting through the next few weeks and months would not be possible without every member of the team working and supporting each other.

"This experience is bringing out the best in everyone with people showing amazing flexibility and pulling on skills to help in any way possible to make everything count.

“I could not be prouder right now to be an allied health professional. I am very proud of my team and I am proud to be a part of the massive effort in the fight against COVID-19.”

Her dad, Chris has now also signed up as an NHS volunteer in his area.

“I’m so proud of Fran working hard at King’s to help her patients in spite of everything that’s going on," he said, adding: “I know that Fran relishes a challenge and that she will always go the extra mile if she can help someone in need.

“We’re all cheering her on, and can’t wait to see her again when things are better.”

To donate to the fund and support staff like Fran, please visit www.supportkings.org. uk/hospital-heroes-appeal.

I could not be prouder right now to be an allied health professional.

I am very proud of my team and I am proud to be a part of the massive effort in the fight against COVID-19.

Fran Roberts, clinical lead physiotherapist at King’s

King’s ‘Hospital Heroes’ now wants to expand to care packages for their patients

4 NEWS

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LOCALS DIVIDED OVER DEBATE ON OPENING PRIVATE GREEN SPACES

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Calls for privately owned land including school fields, sports grounds and golf clubs to be opened up to the public during the Coronavirus pandemic have divided Southwark.

There are broadly two camps in the debate: those who want a total lockdown with all outdoor exercise banned, and those who think the government’s ‘draconian’ actions will leave us worse off.

And, in the middle, are those who believe confused messaging about what is and isn’t allowed has pitted the public against each other.

MPs Harriet Harman and Helen Hayes, and council leader Peter John have all backed the idea of making more land available, saying it will help relieve pressure on busy parks.

Lambeth Council took the extraordinary decision to close Brockwell Park on Sunday after 3,000 people went through its gates the day before, with park-goers spotted sunbathing, playing team sports and failing to observe the two metre rule.

Three thousand may have visited during the course of the day, but this is a fraction of the overall population.

Dulwich and West Norwood constituency alone has over 71,000 people.

Although the park was reopened by Monday, and so far Southwark Council has said it has no plans to close its parks,

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

health minister Matt Hancock failed to allay fears when he hinted all outdoor exercise could be banned in future.

Dulwich and West Norwood MP, Helen Hayes, told the News she was in favour of private land being opened up in her constituency; home to large estate-owning private schools.

“I’d encourage any organisation with a large area of private open space to consider opening it up to the public, where this doesn’t compromise the safeguarding of children on site,” she said.

“I know that some of the local schools are already doing this where they are able to without compromising safeguarding and it would be really great to see golf courses and sports clubs opening up their grounds too.”

Alleyn’s, Dulwich College and Dulwich Prepatory have already opened up some - but not all - of their fields. Southwark is also home to a number of golf clubs, other sports clubs and Thames Waterowned land.

It’s an issue our readers have been very vocal about.

Andrea Salinas commented on our Facebook page: “People should stay home and only go out for food, medicine and emergencies,” while Carol Stavely concurred: “Staying at home doesn’t mean sunbathing or picnics. If people need exercise then walk around the block.”

While Rose Read said the excuse of ‘not having a garden’ was simply not good enough: “I’m not lucky enough to have a garden and have two young

children, one of whom is autistic.

“It’s a case of tough love. Find them something to occupy themselves with inside the home.” She added: “Getting sick of hearing I haven’t got a garden.

Tough tits! There are worse things in life to go without.”

“It doesn’t really help capacity by closing a huge park like Brockwell.

What would really help is better monitoring at the gates by police. If you open private spaces, who is going to monitor them?” asked reader Tom James.

Others highlighted the impact closures would have on mental health. Clarissa Aykroyd said: “I’m mad at joggers like a lot of us, but this really would be bad for so many.

“I don’t have a garden or much space or a great living situation. Also, there’s a lot of weird judgemental stuff with people leaving the house and being enraged that anyone else has left the house.”

On the question of a full lockdown, Soraya Zaccaria said: “No bloody way.

At the end of the day London councils have allowed blocks of flats to be built on every bit of available land and now they’re moaning about overcrowding in parks. I was in Burgess Park yesterday and of course it was full but people kept away from each other.”

While one groundskeeper for a local church commented: “To open up some of the private land you’d need more police, greater penalties for those who break the rules, and compensation to the land owner.”

and all the others went home when asked by police.

“To my knowledge it’s just the one [fine],” he said. “We’ve had a number of people arrested for breaching the lockdown but they were arrested in connection with other offences.”

Among them are possession of Class A drugs and driving a suspected stolen vehicle.

A challenge for local cops is to persuade those taking to green spaces for sunbathing or beers in hot weather to comply, even if they don’t personally feel their behaviour is spreading the coronavirus.

Asked to explain why police enforce the lockdown against sunbathers, Inspector Pyle said: “For me it’s two-fold. Firstly it’s not an essential purpose to come out of your house.

“It’s a breach of the lockdown, it doesn’t have any respect for the fact we’re in a lockdown.

“Secondly, as soon as people see that [sunbathing] is acceptable, we’ll get

more people coming out, they won’t socially distance and parks won’t be able to be used.

“It would become difficult for us to enforce the lockdown.”

Pyle added that while crowds may be able to socially distance on grass, parks have “pinch points” on the paths, meaning the two metre rule will not always be followed.

Using loudspeakers on police vans, cops have been patrolling Southwark’s largest parks warning residents to go home unless out for essential exercise.

One difficulty is that in some, like Burgess Park, once officers have cleared one end, more people have come in from the opposite end, starting the task over again.

“It’s a challenge for us – once we’ve done one end, people have come in the other end,” he said.

While unable to give specific numbers for operational reasons, Inspector Pyle said more teams will be on-duty to patrol parks over the long Easter bank

People confused: What are the rules?

The government says people should only go outside for food, health reasons or work - but only if you cannot work from home.

Even non-essential workers can actually still go to work if they are unable to work from home.

If outside, you should stay 2 metres apart from other people at all times, and wash your hands as soon as you get home. And you should not meet others while outside.

Government guidance explicitly says you can still go for a walk, run or cycle once a day alone or with members of your household once a day while observing the two metre rule.

However, there is no guidance on taking part in other specific types of exercises.

Although communal areas like tennis courts have been locked in parks it is unclear, for example, whether members of the same household could play with their own football on the grass as their daily exercise or would be told to ‘move on’ by officers on patrol.

People are also ‘advised’ not to travel to green spaces further away from home - it is unclear what distances are unacceptable but this is usually taken to mean driving to a beauty spot.

The police can disperse those they believe are non-compliant, make arrests and issue fines of £60 which double for repeat offenders.

Questions have been raised over how

clear the government’s lockdown rules are, and exactly what powers police have to enforce them.

This week, Harriet Harman - in her capacity as chair of parliament’s human rights committee, wrote to Met commissioner Cressida Dick asking to see clear guidelines issued to officers on how to enforce social distancing in public places.

“We have seen police tape preventing the use of park benches and police surveillance to identify people who are breaching the guidance not to drive to beauty spots,” she said.

“I think it would be helpful if you could be clear about the instructions which have been issued to your officers about their role in parks and public spaces during the crisis.”

Man fined for breach as Inspector explains policing approach

By Josh Salisbury josh@southwarknews.co.uk A man has been fined for breaking the coronavirus lockdown at Potters Field Park by City Hall at the weekend.

Officers at Southwark say they don’t want to dish out the new £60 fines unless absolutely necessary.

According to Southwark’s Inspector Owen Pyle, the vast majority of residents obeyed the social distancing rules at the borough’s many parks this weekend, despite the green spaces being busy.

But one man who did not heed officers’ warnings to move on was slapped with the penalty notice following a ten-minute standoff with cops at the SE1 park.

“He simply refused to engage with us,” said Inspector Pyle on Tuesday morning.

“He wasn’t out for essential exercise and when told to leave he did not.”

However, the inspector added that only around fifteen per cent of those out did not comply with social distancing rules,

holiday weekend.

Asked by the News whether there had been any need for greater police action in supermarkets to ensure socially distancing is followed, the senior cop said this has not been needed.

“I think people understand there’s no issue with food shortages,” he said.

“There’s been no issue in the last couple of weeks.”

Staffing levels among local police also remain good, despite some staff having to self isolate over the coronavirus, he said.

This means police do have the resources to deal with breaches of the lockdown – and Inspector Pyle encouraged residents to continue to report them.

“I’d like to thank the vast majority of people who are complying,” he said.

“We’ve got enough resources to deal with it so please keep reporting.

“To those who aren’t complying: take a step back, and think about whether you really need to do what you are doing.”

HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS

STAY AT HOME PROTECT THE NHS SAVE LIVES You should only go outside for food, health reasons or essential work.

2m

Stay 2 metres away from other people when you go out Wash your hands often with soap and water or use sanitiser Do not leave home if you or someone you live with has a high temperature or a new, continuous cough

www.southwark.gov.uk/coronavirus

 covidsupport@southwark.gov.uk  020 7525 5000  @lb_southwark

 facebook.com/southwarkcouncil

If you are very unwell or have symptoms that last longer than 7 days visit www.111.nhs.uk, call NHS on 111, or your local GP.

@southwarkcouncil

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

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NEWS 7

aged just 34, terry battled to the bitter end Terry with his nephew Frankie and sister Toni

kevin@southwarknews.co.uk

Terry with his nephew Sidney and Toni

Thirty-four-year-old Terry Coakley passed away from the virus just one week ago and the hole it has left in his tight-knit family brings home to the whole community just how important it is take seriously all of the precautions.

He worked in heating maintenance and was in and out of people's houses. I know I'm struggling. There really are no telltale signs that people can see when you are out.”

Before Terry was admitted to hospital his sister said he came down with the virus on the Sunday and was diagnosed with bronchitis, and told to self-isolate for fourteen days. But by the Wednesday he was struggling to breathe. She drove him straight to the new doctors’ surgery in Downtown, Rotherhithe. “He was taken through the back door and then straight to hospital. Again all very impersonal but the surgery did the right thing.” He had a chest x-ray and was diagnosed soon after, immediately locked away from his family.

“Mum went to give him his charger because we did not wait around. We thought, thank God we acted so quickly.

Mum saw him through the glass, he had his mask on and said he was fine. That was the Wednesday.”

Since Terry passed Toni says the only comfort they have now is the support and messages – over 500 – from local people on Facebook and other social media. “His friends wanted to get a plaque in memory of him, that is how they are dealing with it. They have been brilliant. Terry knew so many people, we did not know how many.

He was always saying hello to this person and that.”

The justgiving page from Jake Burton www. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jake-burton2?utm_id=106&utm_term=EpwxbAEpk set up by his pals with a target of £1,000 for the plaque and donation to the NHS was well over the £6,000 mark at the time of writing this article.

“We want the money to go to the doctors and nurses who personally looked after him. Because that it what Terry was like. He would personally want to give something to someone, he would want to do it face to face.”

As Terry is being prepared for his funeral at the Chapel of Rest at Albins in Bermondsey, the Coakley family are grateful for all the messages from local people. He was a massive Millwall fan, and condolences have come from the club.

“Tim Cahill even tweeted and my brother would have loved that,” Toni added, fighting back her tears.

funeral, but Albins are going to arrange to live-stream the service from the crematorium on April 29, so his family here and in Ireland can see it. “Only eleven of the immediate family are allowed to be there.

Dad did go to church at St Gertrude's in Rotherhithe. We will have How Great Thou Art as well has favourite song The Rugged Cross. But dad would have had a massive send-off. After this over we will have a mass and a get-together at the Old Bank.”

Michelle has worked for the last seven years at Pyramid Pharmacy on Southwark Park Road and said she really wants people to know just how serious the situation is. “I'm with mum at the moment and was not there last week, but I will have to go back. And I'm frightened to go back,” she said. “I just hope that people have changed their habits. Half of the people coming in were coming in for unnecessary items like hair brushes and to weigh themselves. It makes me cross.

Please, please only come out if you really need to or we are never going to get rid of this.”

By Kevin Quinn

A young man with his whole life ahead of him, Terry's sudden death has shocked friends in Bermondsey, who are now raising money for a plaque and a donation to the doctors and nurses who battled to save him for over two weeks at St Thomas' Hospital.

His younger sister Toni, who grew up with him on the Longfield Estate, spoke to the News this week, saying, “if you can take anything away from this, it is the need to look after yourselves, protect yourselves and do as you are told.”

Heart-broken Toni said that as a family they are struggling to grieve properly, as the whole scenario is “just so surreal.”

A beloved uncle to her two boys, aged two and six, as Terry lay in his hospital bed in lockdown the first thing he asked her on FaceTime was “how are the boys?”

“He loved his family and he would take the boys absolutely anywhere. Nothing was too much. Swimming lessons. They are not going to see him growing up. I spoke to my eldest boy Frankie. He has started primary school, so they were learning about it prior to the school closing down. What can you say? I said Terry was very poorly and was

in hospital and then had to say he had gone to heaven, that we were not going to see him anymore, but he had gone to see family we had lost. Frankie looked up to the sky yesterday and said ‘I can't see him, but he can see me’ and I said he was having a party up there.”

For his mother Joanne and father David, as well as his other brother, also called David, and girlfriend Amy, this tragedy was made all the most heartwrenching as they were not able to hold his hand and sit with him as he battled the pandemic.

Only seeing him through glass, the family were allowed to call as often as they liked and spent the entire two weeks waiting for updates. Toni continued: “You can't do

anything to help. I went around cleaning his flat, getting it ready for when he came home. Mum had just one video call with the consultant to explain what the machines were for. Mum was able to visit after he passed away, but just briefly. It is all so impersonal. But the doctors and nurses have been fantastic. They tried their very best.”

His mum told the News that she could not say how hard it was to be at home away from him. “I knew when the doctors were making their rounds and I would time my calls to that. And I would call first thing in the morning and last thing before going to bed at night.”

His father David added: “All we wanted to

do was to give him a cuddle and you can't do that. Everything is on the phone.”

Terry did have asthma, but Toni says it was by no means the worst. He was not taking daily tablets and when he did get ill before what would normally take someone a week to get over it it took Terry two. “Terry got access to all the treatments while in intensive care for two weeks and actually died of a heart attack,” Toni explained.

“People need to understand the severity, more and more young people are losing their lives. Once you get coronavirus, because of the high temperature and dehydration you need kidney dialysis, it’s not just your lungs.

“My children have asthma a lot worse, and have to have daily steroids, so as a parent this makes extremely worried. Entering my house you shower from head to toe, wash with Dettol. I can't risk it. Some people have said that it is extreme but I say I have lost my brother.”

This week Toni, 31, a receptionist at the Beormund Community Centre off Abbey Street in Bermondsey, took the kids out for a walk after three weeks in self-isolation and was shocked how many people were not social distancing. “People were standing next to us at the crossing. I think some people have a false sense of security but we know differently. We don't know where Terry got it and we'll never know.

By Kevin Quinn

week for a pint, usually to the Old Bank in the Blue, but he was serious about keeping to the rules. We knew this when he was not even tempted to go out for St Patrick's Day,” Michelle told the News.

Suffering from Parkinson’s disease, COPD and heart problems, Andy knew that he could be in danger, but with three children, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren Michelle said he loved being surrounded by his family and was not going to take any chances.

Due to have celebrated his 71st birthday next Thursday on April 16th, Andy was a hard working man who retired from labouring just five years ago, having worked from the day he arrived in England aged sixteen from Tipperary in 1965. He was quick to meet his Nora at a dance in Kilburn and right up until the end the pair enjoyed taking to the floor together.

“Dad was a good dancer and a really great family man, a brilliant grandfather and wonderful great-grandfather - nothing was too much for him. Don't get me wrong he could be a pain the ass,” she joked “but he

was our pain in the ass.”

Looking forward to a trip back home to Ireland later this year with his two sons Andy and Kevin, he was quick to get help once he showed signs and first visited his chest clinic two weeks ago last Wednesday. “They identified a virus but could not say which virus it was. He perked up a bit, but by the Friday he had to be rushed to hospital and they told us he was unlikely to survive 24 hours. He was not on a ventilator, but the highest dosage of oxygen and at times he seemed okay. He lasted until the Tuesday. The nurses were excellent - they even helped him FaceTime me, but fifteen minutes later they told us his time was almost up.”

Unusually his wife and Michelle were able to see him, “but we were all suited and booted with masks. He perked up again, but and hour and half after we left he died,” Michelle said.

Andy was one of a whopping 21 children and thirteen of his siblings are still alive, some dying really early. Of course all of his extended family are unable to attend the

Terry with his mum and dad and girlfriend Amy

Andy couldn’t have tried harder to escape the virus kevin@southwarknews.co.uk Despite self-isolating and taking every possible precaution, on day twelve of his lockdown 70-yearold Andy Shelley succumbed to coronavirus and died last Tuesday week.

Like most victims of the virus, he died alone after battling the disease several days.

The Irish born great-grandfather who brought up his family in Bermondsey, living here for past fifty years, had underlying medical issues, but his daughter Michelle says he could not have done anymore to protect himself.

Living in Amina Way off St James's Road with his wife Nora, the pair had received their letters from the NHS telling them that because they suffered from certain conditions they were to self-isolate for twelve weeks.

“Dad was a typical man of his generation and time and enjoyed going out twice a

8 NEWS

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Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

Bishop labels news the anti-christ

Camberwell pastor at centre of storm for ‘selling coronavirus protection kits’ hits back at the media for ‘smear campaign’

By Josh Salisbury josh@southwarknews.co.uk The pastor at the centre of a media storm after selling oil he claimed would protect from coronavirus has said it is a “smear campaign” being run by “antichrist.”

Camberwell’s Bishop Climate Ministries found itself catapulted into the national spotlight last week after the News broke the story over its £91 coronavirus ‘plague protection kits’ made of only oil and red string.

Its leader and self-styled prophet, Climate Wiseman, has hit back at the reports, calling them an “evil accusation.”

He has also hailed a victory by the “hand of God” after the advertising regulator closed a complaint against him.

“You need to understand that the people running this smear campaign… these are antichrist,” said Mr Wiseman in a press conference posted on YouTube.

It is entitled ‘Update From Prophet Climate About The Evil Accusation Going Around On Media.’

“As you are entitled to talk about your antichrist, I am entitled to talk about what I believe in. There is religious freedom and I believe it with all my heart, with all my mind,” he said.

“There have been people going around saying I am exploiting people, I am not

exploiting anybody.

“It’s a smear campaign that’s been run by not any other than the secular, I’m talking about the secular movement … people that hate God.” Mr Wiseman denied he had made any money from selling the £91 kit, which has now prompted an investigation by both Southwark Council and the Charity Commission.

A complaint lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority was closed this week. “The hand of God has once again given me victory,” he said.

“I’m not exploiting people. This is not just a normal oil. This is according to the ingredients in the Bible and it is very expensive,” Mr Wiseman stated.

“We are not making profit out of it, all we wanted to do was offer a solution.”

The faith healer, who is also a bishop and trustee of the Kingdom Church, insisted that the oil being sold by Bishop Climate Ministries was not connected to the church.

Posts from the ‘prophet’ uncovered by the News had originally stated: “You can be saved from the Coronavirus pandemic by covering yourself with the Divine Plague Protection Oil and wearing the Scarlet Yarn on your body.”

It has now been edited to remove reference to specifically protecting from coronavirus.

I’m not exploiting people. This is not just a normal oil. This is according to the ingredients in the Bible and it is very expensive

borough market to feed the frontline

By Josh Salisbury

josh@southwarknews.co.uk Borough Market has launched a campaign to provide frontline NHS staff with free fresh fruit and vegetables.

It comes after a video of one nurse, Dawn, went viral, after she posted a tearful message about being unable to get fruit and veg at the supermarket following her shift.

The ‘Feed the Frontline’ campaign will see St Thomas’ Hospital, King’s, and the Maudsley given four thousand bags of seasonal fruit and veg every week.

The market is also calling for the campaign to go national, asking for companies to fund its expansion across the UK. “With the UK in lockdown, we owe an enormous debt to the fantastic people of the NHS and other frontline workers battling COVID-19,” said Darren Henaghan, the managing director of the market.

“They are working around the clock to save lives, care for the sick and control the spread of coronavirus.

“With London at the heart of the UK epidemic we want to play our part in the national effort against COVID-19 by caring for the carers – giving them fresh, high quality food to help them stay healthy and feed themselves and their families.”

Private companies have pledged funding for the campaign throughout April. Once at the hospitals, the bags of fruit and veg will be distributed to

Partnering up with local hospitals to give nurses and doctors free fresh fruit and veg

frontline staff by NHS volunteers.

Other markets following suit include Bradford St James’s Wholesale Market, in Yorkshire, which is also providing fruit and veg to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

With London at the heart of the UK epidemic we want to play our part in the national effort against COVID-19 by caring for the carers.

First stage of ‘Illuminated River’ Thames installation unveiled online The first phase of Illuminated River, the artwork that will eventually span up to fourteen central London bridges, from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge, is now accessible online via the Google Arts and Culture platform.

In these uncertain times where access to the public realm is limited, the ability to experience art, city landmarks and outdoor heritage is essential for wellbeing and maintaining a certain level of normality.

Last July, artist Leo Villareal and British architecture practice Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands illuminated London, Cannon Street, Southwark and Millennium bridges in the first phase of the project that will be the longest public art commission in the world once complete. The second phase, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Golden Jubilee, Westminster and Lambeth bridges, will be completed in Winter 2020/2021.

See more at artsandculture. google.com/exhibit/explorelondon-bridge/eQLi6JsP0ze-LQ

Trio charged after police drug raid

By Josh Salisbury josh@southwarknews.co.uk

Three people have been charged with drugs offences, following an operation which saw addresses in Southwark and Lambeth raided.

Kieran Ashiagbor, 27, of Barringer Square, Wandsworth, and a 17-year-old male from SW9 were charged last week with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin.

They were both bailed, and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 7.

Ashiagbor and the 17-year-old were arrested on Friday, March 27 during warrants executed at addresses in Lambeth and Southwark by officers from the Met’s Central South area proactive team.

Another man, Ajay Stephens, 19, was charged with one count of conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and four counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Stephens, of Parry Road, South Norwood, was arrested on Monday last week.

Stephens appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on April 1, and was bailed to next appear at Inner London Crown Court on Wednesday, April 29.

Season tickets saver period

extended indefinitely

Millwall Football Club can confirm that the saver period for 2020/21 season tickets has been extended indefinitely.

The decision has been made due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19 and its impact on the lives and finances of supporters Everyone at Millwall wishes to thank fans for their loyalty, support and understanding during what is a challenging time for us all.

All information relating to season tickets for 2020/21 can be found on www.millwallfc.co.uk. If you are in a vulnerable situation and need assistance of any sort then please contact the club's supporter liaison officer, Shona Groves, by email to slo@millwallplc.com.

In my Den

S TAY

H O M E .

S AV E

LI V E S.

Photo by @speediemeadie and @londonisforlife

10 NEWS

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

Thank you Guy’s and St Thomas’ is at the forefront of the coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis. This is no ordinary time and we are facing an extraordinary challenge.

Our amazing staff are working around the clock to care for those people affected by the pandemic.

Thank you for all your donations and messages of support for our hospital and community teams.

If you would like to support Guy’s and St Thomas’, visit: www.bit.ly/Appeal-2020

Patient visits – stay at home to stop coronavirus spreading

To reduce the spread of infection, Guy’s and St Thomas’ is not currently allowing visitors to its hospital or community sites.

There are exceptions, including for women in labour. Please visit www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/ coronavirusupdate for more information.

To help us manage increasing demand on our services due to coronavirus, appointments may need to be cancelled or rearranged for some patients. For others, telephone or video appointments will be offered.

Find out more about making, changing or cancelling your hospital appointments at www. guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/ appointments.

Wash your hands Our staff use a six-step hand washing technique and we encourage patients and visitors to do the same. Find out how by watching the hand washing video launched by the Government and the NHS at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

Millwall Mural Mystery solved

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk IT WAS the Mural Mystery of Zampa Road after the iconic painting of Lions record goalscorer and former manager Neil Harris disappeared overnight last week.

The image, originally done by Kieran MacIver, showing the former striker with his arms outstretched, was etched on the railway bridge tunnel and was a beloved feature for Millwall fans entering the Lions’ Den on match-days.

Tourist football supporters from abroad would stop to take photos of it, and it was a reminder of the club’s resilience, Harris having fought his way

Hamza El-Bhaireien

man gets Six months for stealing equipment from ambulance at guy’s

There was no sign of Neil Harris last Wednesday morning

The iconic image of the striker back from testicular cancer to overtake Teddy Sheringham at the top of the alltime club scoring charts.

But on Wednesday morning there was no sign of it, a fresh coat of paint wiping out an iconic piece of Millwall history.

After the News was alerted to the mystery, we confirmed that it was not an April Fools’ joke, and contacted Network Rail to see if we could get to the bottom of the matter.

It turned out that the wall was listed to have graffiti removed, but they had no knowledge of the image of the former Lions manager.

National Rail Kent and Sussex said: “We were not aware of this mural in Zampa Road and so unable to warn our graffiti removal team that it was there.

Osama Chafi

By Josh Salisbury josh@southwarknews.co.uk Two men have been jailed after a shooting in which their injured victim cried out for help in an SE1 street.

Hamza El Bhaireien, 18, was given eleven years behind bars on Tuesday last week. Osama Chafi, 22, was sentenced to eleven years and four months.

The court heard how on June 16 last year, the pair had travelled as passengers in a Mercedes being driven by a 24-year-old.

CCTV captured the car going into an underground car park in Pimlico at around 9.20pm, leaving less than an hour later with just the driver inside.

At around 10.20pm, he pulled up on Royal Street in Waterloo and shouted out for help, saying he had been shot.

A resident rushed to his aid and flagged down a nurse and other emergency services.

The victim had been shot in his upper thigh. But despite spending a night in hospital because of the serious injury, the victim refused to cooperate with cops, officers say.

A key piece of the investigation was unlocked when a member of the public found a bullet on the floor of the car park and handed it over to police.

A motion sensor camera had recorded the sound of a gun being fired twice on

We work with artists and communities across the South East to make our bridges and viaducts better places for people to live around and we have completed murals for other football clubs in London, too.

“However, those structures are owned and maintained by Network Rail and people do need to talk to us before taking action to paint their own artworks. We make sure the artwork on our property reached our standards and that the artists have appropriate insurance and safety arrangements before work begins.

“If anyone is interested in working with us to improve one of our structures, please get in touch with Eddie at eddie. burton@networkrail.co.uk.”

Court hears how victim was shot in SE1 street

the night of the shooting, say police.

CCTV also showed the two defendants, both from Paddington, running through the car park immediately afterwards and leaving, the court heard.

One of them was Chafi – who could be seen with the gun in his hand. It was later recovered in the city centre.

On July 16, Chafi was arrested.

But El Bhaireien fled the country and travelled to Morocco.

He was arrested when he got off the plane at Heathrow Airport on November 16.

Both confessed to possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on the first day of their trial.

“The victim in this case was

unsupportive of prosecution and refused to provide any details of what happened,” said investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Chris Ladmore.

“This, along with the fact there were no witnesses to the crime, made it a very difficult case to prove.

“However, thanks to the diligent work of the investigation team – including a meticulous trawl of CCTV in the area – the suspects were quickly identified and arrested.

“They denied the offences right up until the first day of the trial, when they no doubt realised the extent of evidence against them left them with no other option but to admit their guilt.

“This successful prosecution means two violent individuals have been removed from London’s streets, as has the firearm itself.”

NEWS 11

By Kevin Quinn kevin@southwarknews.co.uk A man has been jailed for stealing equipment from an ambulance at Guy's Hospital.

Mark Manley, 35, of no fixed address, was jailed for six months at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 30, for stealing equipment from a stationary ambulance and assaulting a security guard. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.

Police were called out on Saturday evening (March 28) at 9.19pm, to reports of a male having stolen from an ambulance at St Thomas Street.

When challenged by security staff, police said he assaulted one security worker and racially abused another.

He had taken a bag containing personal protection equipment [PPE] from the vehicle, which included masks, paper suits and hand gel. Some of the items were rendered no longer usable due to contamination.

Before Manley was arrested by Southwark Police he was detained by the security guards and patrolling British Transport Police.

Officers arrested him on suspicion of theft, actual bodily harm and a racially aggravated public order offence.

He was subsequently charged with theft from a motor vehicle, a section 4 Public Order Act offence (causing fear or provocation of violence) and a racially aggravated Public Order Act offence.

He is also charged with assault against an emergency worker in relation to the security guard, who sustained facial injuries which were not life threatening.

London Bridge businesses supporting NHS workers and delivering online offerings in the pandemic The London Bridge business community has been busy reinventing itself, keeping stayat-home customers happy and supporting NHS staff.

The Coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc across the country and businesses are being forced to close for the public good. However, the business community in London Bridge is coming together to keep their customers fed, watered, fit and mentally strong as they stay at home over the weeks to come.

Local bars, fitness clubs, restaurants, wellbeing experts, theatres and museums are among the businesses that have used this time to bring customers new online offerings. In addition, Business Improvement District leaders Team London Bridge are scheduling webinars and asking individuals for their good news stories, keeping the local business community together even when it’s spread out all over the country.

Keeping local employees healthy, Fitness First is broadcasting live workouts at 11am, while Pizza Pilgrims and Brigade Bar and Kitchen are staging cook-a-longs to follow at home. The Unicorn Theatre’s production ‘Girls Like That’ is available to watch online and The London Bridge Experience is posting daily history content and games to keep the kids entertained. The first of a series of webinars from Team London Bridge will be a wellbeing at work workshop with Renar Wellbeing.

The community has also got firmly behind the NHS staff working so hard on our behalf. Nip Nip are offering free cycle repairs, Fully Charged are offering three months’ free rental of electric bikes, The

Shard and Tower Bridge have both been lit blue to show their support, Leon have launched a national ‘Feed NHS’ initiative, and Pizza Pilgrims have made ‘hero drops’ to hospitals across London.

In addition, Brigade Bar and Kitchen have been giving out free meals to the homeless and vulnerable.

Team London Bridge Executive Director Nadia Broccardo, said: "We have always known that London Bridge businesses are resilient, they’ve had to be, and now they are showing their strength again through entrepreneurial innovation. The 45,000 local employees at home for the next few weeks can cook a recipe from their favourite restaurant or even ‘go to the gym’, keeping them in touch with their ‘normal’ lifestyle and making this situation a little more pleasant as we fight the pandemic.”

Pizza Pilgrims, who usually run a busy branch in London Bridge, said: “Ever since opening in London Bridge, we’ve felt welcomed and supported by everyone in the community. Pizza really does bring people together and we wanted to make sure that even though our ovens are off for now, you can use your grill and a frying pan at home to have a crack at making our pizza through our cook-a-longs!”

Participants can follow James to make pizza from scratch, step by step, on the Pizza Pilgrims Instagram page and share their creations by tagging @ pizzapilgrims.

An online hub is growing daily where visitors will also find a section to keep adults and kids entertained and a lockdown-friendly ‘Love Lunch’ series of free to view sessions.

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

NEWS 13

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

New charity fund

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Nearly £400,000 of cash for voluntary organisations is being given out by Southwark Council during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The new community fund has a total of £390,000 for charities and community groups that help the most vulnerable and at-risk of COVID-19, and organisations struggling financially during the outbreak. £100,000 will be available each month up until the end of July 2020.

Groups can apply more than once.

Registered charities and other voluntary groups are eligible.

The applications are being assessed

and managed by the council in partnership with Community Southwark, an umbrella group that brings the borough's voluntary organisations together and offers support and advice.

The first round of applications are open until Monday, April 13.

Assessments will take three working days with funds, if successful, arranged as soon as possible.

Councillor Victoria Mills, cabinet member for finance, performance and Brexit, said: “The voluntary sector will be crucial to us in the coming weeks and months as we protect the most vulnerable within our society.

"The funds will be used to help the voluntary sector provide a wide

range of essential deliveries, advice and support, especially to those identified by the government as being particularly exposed to the effects of the virus.

"This initial injection of funds supplements the significant investment that the council already makes in the voluntary sector.

"If necessary, more funds will need to be allocated to maintain the safety of our residents.

"We will continue to work with the government to ensure that they recognise these needs, and where appropriate, provide the necessary money.”

Apply here: www.southwark.gov.uk/ covid19grant

“Their dynamism and agile approach to the public health requirements has been phenomenal, with many businesses quickly adapting to new ways of trading in order to keep the local economy going, and ensure residents continue to receive the essential goods they need.

“But there are many more businesses in Southwark who are either really struggling, or have had to cease to trade, and these are the ones at the forefront of my mind as the situation develops.

“We aim to do all that we can to administer the government support where it is our role to do so, offer our own support – both financial and practical, and work with the expertise of the voluntary sector in order for

Southwark’s businesses and residents to continue to thrive as this economic storm hits us.”

There are cash grants of £10,000 for small businesses receiving small business rate relief. Grants for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with a rateable value of under £15,000 can receive cash grants for £10,000 per property, while those with a rateable value between £15,001 to £51,000 can receive up to £25,000.

The council is also bringing in a hardship fund for those businesses ineligible for government-backed support.

Small businesses owners should email southwarkbusinessdesk@southwark. gov.uk for more information.

How to get urgent help

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk If you know a vulnerable Southwark resident who is unable to leave the house and may not have friends, family or neighbours to support them, you should let the council know immediately.

form by visiting www.southwark.gov. uk/health-and-wellbeing/publichealth/for-the-public/coronavirus

Call 0207 525 5000 and choose option 3 Email covidsupport@southwark. gov.uk You can complete an online referral

Financial support for households Southwark Council’s Emergency Hardship Fund is open to people who have lost their job or are struggling financially as a result of COVID-19.

This includes support while waiting for the first Universal Credit payment.

Call 020 7525 2434 or apply via www.southwark.gov.uk/benefitsand-support/emergency-support

Food If you are unable to afford food, some food banks and organisations can arrange deliveries if you are unable to leave the house.

Free services include Southwark food bank (You will need to be referred with a voucher to access support.) Call 020 7732 0007 or email foodbank.support@pecan.org.uk Pembroke House, based in Walworth, 020 7703 3803 and info@ pembrokehouse.org.uk Borough Free Fridge, St George The Martyr, Borough High Street, Tuesdays 3-5pm There is a full list of organisations on Southwark Council’s website.

If you need help with deliveries/ errands Mutual Aid Groups can be a valuable resource Southwark’s COVID-19 Mutual Aid groups have been set up by volunteers in your area to support

their neighbours.

These are self-organising groups and usually not council-affiliated or charity-run. Be careful when sharing information and requests on social media.

The Southwark Facebook group is named “Southwark Mutual Aid Covid 19”. There are also ward-level and even street-level groups on Whatsapp. To find yours, visit https://tinyurl.com/ mutualaidsouthwarkmap In the first instance, we recommend contacting the council if you are in need of extra, or specialist support.

For example, if you receive at home care or have complex health needs.

If you are struggling with support or have a problem you need help with, your MP, or your ward councillors, can also help. For example, if you are unable to get food delivered or have problems with utilities or services.

Nunhead and Peckham Nunhead Knocks is helping people in the Nunhead and Peckham areas, including with prescription deliveries via Krystal Pharmacy.

This is a group set up by Nunhead Rocks founder Claire Sheppard. The group has set up secure systems for managing personal information.

If you need help call 02074594428 or message via their website at https://www.nunheadknocks.com/

Rough sleeping If you see a rough sleeper or know someone is sleeping on the streets, alert StreetLink whose outreach workers can get them into safe accommodation.

Either download the app, call 0300 500 0914, or visit www.streetlink. org.uk/ If they are in immediate danger or need urgent care call 999.

Help for businesses

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Fifteen million pounds of emergency funding has already been paid into business accounts across the borough.

The council-funded scheme is helping businesses tide over until government cash and support schemes kick in.

Council leader Peter John sought to reassure sectors left panicked by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I am immensely proud, not just of our active voluntary sector who have already put their hat in the ring to help at every opportunity during this crisis, but also of the resilience of our local businesses,” he told the News on Tuesday.

Food parcels for the ‘shielded’

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk From this week onwards Southwark Council will be able to make 250 deliveries of essential food supplies to the most vulnerable residents shielding themselves from COVID-19.

Already, 152 food parcels have been dropped off to those in greatest need, with 50 more sent to partner organisations for delivery.

The supplies - for clinically vulnerable groups identified at most risk - are being coordinated with the borough’s food banks, Community Southwark, Pembroke House, Age UK and various tenant and resident organisations.

Cllr Alice McDonald out delivering food to residents

Housing help If you are struggling with rent or rent-related costs, and receive Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit, the council may be able to either give you a ‘discretionary housing payment’, or ‘extended payment of housing benefit’.

If you are living in Southwark Council temporary accommodation and need help with any Coronavirusrelated issues, call 020 7525 1093.

If you are made homeless the emergency out of hours service number is 020 7525 5000.

Financial support for charities and community groups Charities and groups helping people during the pandemic, or that are now more stretched financially due to the outbreak, can apply for support.

Applications are open for monthly rounds - April’s deadline is Monday, 13th.

Forms and further information, including eligibility criteria, are available online: www.southwark.gov.uk/healthand-wellbeing/public-health/for-thepublic/coronavirus/southwark-covid19-community-grants

14 OPINION

www.southwarknews.co.uk/letters

Comment from

Westminster

helen hayes

MP for Dulwich & West Norwood

Pandemic laid bare a series of weaknesses I want to start my column by saying thank you to all of the key workers who are working so hard during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, from the NHS workers at our hospitals and GP practices, to the care workers looking after thousands of people across the borough, our teachers, supermarket workers, street cleaners and many more.

For many of these key workers, access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser is critical and I’m working flat out to raise this key issue with the government and to make sure that supplies reach the frontline.

This is an extremely difficult and anxious time, and since the start of the coronavirus pandemic more than a thousand residents have been in touch with me each week. I’ve been working hard to raise the concerns of constituents who have lost their jobs, or whose incomes are threatened at this time. Whilst the government has made steps to support many residents, there are still thousands who fall between the gaps, or suffer the failings of the Universal Credit system that Labour has pledged to abolish.

I’d also like thank everyone who is volunteering to help their neighbours out at this time, particularly those who are self-isolating or have been advised

SOUTHWARK NEWS DIARIST Carey’s tribute to NHS Mariah Carey’s singing sometimes might move people to tears. But the superstar was brought to tears herself by our hero nurses and doctors at Guy’s and St Thomas’.

The diva came across a video of the staff choir at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Trust singing her song Anytime You Need a Friend. The vid was a campaign to highlight the work of NHS staff during the pandemic.

by the government to stay at home for the next twelve weeks because of their underlying health issues.

Southwark and Lambeth councils are working hard to support residents who need additional help, with many staff sick or self-isolating and my thanks also go to everyone working hard to keep our basic services going, whilst also ensuring support for the vulnerable and isolated.

This is a difficult and challenging time for us all, but the local response to this crisis is a reminder of the strength of our local communities.

It is the care we have for each other which will get us through this crisis.

But it is also clear that this dreadful pandemic has laid bare a series of weaknesses in our society – insecure and poorly paid work, a welfare and benefits system which is simply not fit for purpose, a National Health Service and social care system which are stretched to the limits and public services which are a breaking point as a result of a decade of austerity.

Once this crisis is over, we must seize the opportunity to rebuild our society to make sure that all those key workers on whom we are so reliant are properly valued and paid, our welfare system provides a real safety net for all who need it and our NHS, social care and all our public services are properly resourced. It is time to change the UK for good.

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

READERS’ VIEWS Hospital Heroes appeal raises funds for meals, ‘care packages’ and transport for King’s staff Thank you Southwark News for featuring our ‘Hospital Heroes’ appeal. The fund has helped develop new wellbeing hubs and additional support for our staff who are working day and night to save patients with COVID-19.

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

News labelled ‘antichrist’ after running ‘smear campaign’ by Coronavirus protection oil pastor Do people actually believe in this!

I’m not saying that faith and prayer don’t have a place in all this but I’m pretty sure that paying £91 for a bottle of olive oil and a bit of cotton is gonna do nothing but line the pockets of this greed-ridden person!

Jeannette Hopper, via Facebook Well done Southwark News.

This is an absolute disgrace.

Paul Weary, via Facebook

The Range: ‘We’re scared of getting Coronavirus claim SE16 staff as thousands sign petition for chain to close I think it's cos they sell toiletries and pet food that they're classed as essential? Close the whole store - or tape the aisle off with items that aren't essentials.

Get people in and out.

Eden-Rose McCarthy, via Facebook

BBC’s Huw Edwards thanks King’s staff for pneumonia treatment Hope Hugh feels better, legend!

Fleur De Lys via Facebook

Get well soon Huw x

Sue Smit, via Facebook

‘Brilliant result and resounding mandate’: Reactions as Southwark-born Keir Starmer becomes Labour leader Oh look it’s Mr ‘I want a Second Referendum’ himself. If Labour had any sense they would have put Lisa Nandy as leader, at least she actually accepted the result of the referendum and didn’t blame Labour’s general election loss on the media like the rest of them did.

Pete Moxham, via Facebook.

We look neighbourhood by neighbourhood at what the community is doing during the Coronavirus pandemic Warms your heart how people are pulling together.

Chris Sandford, via Facebook

Disgust over discarded gloves and face masks left strewn around Southwark There are literally about 50 off ones I’ve just seen by the side of Bermondsey station, on the floor in front of an empty bin. Animals!

Millionaire marriage

A Southwark arts centre manager is to marry her husband again - after winning the lottery.

Mo Reidman (pictured) has won £3.6m on the National Lottery last

week and now will be marrying her husband Paul again, after being divorced from him.

“I got an email on Friday telling me to check my account, but when I logged on, at first I couldn’t see anything special.

Then I checked again and saw the reminder telling me I’d won,” said Mo. The Barbican Centre boss couldn’t believe her good luck - and even had to ring a colleague to check her numbers for her. But Mo says it won’t be paying for the wedding or the trip to New York to pay for the wedding - “Paul knows that’s his project!” she said.

If you look after the pennies...

I live on St James’s Road, Bermondsey. People and cars are travelling up and down the road as normal. Why is this road not being monitored for people not staying indoors? Anyone would think by seeing them that they are taking a Sunday stroll. We have joggers, shoppers, cyclists and dog walkers but the rest don’t even live here.

I have been shut in my home for three weeks as I’m shielding myself due to health issues and feel it’s unfair that they are not following the government guidelines. What’s the use of having the daily updates when no one is following the advice?

Heather, via the website

Park closures: Necessary step to save lives or draconian move that will cause more damage?

Definitely the right thing to do.

People should stay home and only go out for food, medicine and emergencies. The more people go out, the longer it is going to take to get back to normal.

Five London bus drivers confirmed to have died from Coronavirus

People don’t follow the two metre rule. I have seen it so many times in the last weeks while out doing food shopping with people brushing past me even those coughing.

My condolences to the bus drivers’ families. I think now that TfL should permit free travel to passengers for the duration of this dreadful virus. Seal the drivers in completely, let them access the bus by having external access instead of getting ‘on’ the bus.

It is shocking to see how so many people don’t take this virus seriously.

For those that have a very good immune system, they can carry the virus without knowing and risking to infect others. Stay home, save lives.

Charley Miller, via Facebook

Jan Thornton, via the website

What the Dickens?

“This brought tears to my eyes,” she said. “Thank you so much to all the people at NHS. We are so grateful to you.”

It’s part of an international effort to recognise the effort of all the nurses and doctors across healthcare services.

Southwark Inspector: ‘We don’t want to fine for social distancing breaches unless we have to’

You want a bit of fresh air, open the window, you need to do a bit of exercise, do it in the house.

Andrea Pavez Salinas, via Facebook

St Thomas’ livestream As St Thomas’ found itself in the headlines this week, some outlets camped outside the hospital’s emergency department.

Mo Reidman

Among the most bizarre reasons for this comes from one national outlet, which ran a six-hour live video of the outside of the hospital as the world awaited updates of the prime minister’s very serious condition.

There were no updates on this rolling footage of the hospital exterior, which as most are staying in doors because of the lockdown, did not even change for hours at a time.

Despite that hundreds of people signed in to watch ‘Views of St Thomas’ Hospital’. Might it not have been less tasteless and simpler to use a picture?

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

T

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OPINION 15

Do not let the victims of coronavirus become nameless statistics

he true death toll in our borough is still not known, but one thing is for sure is that the numbers are rising and those dying are in danger of becoming nameless and faceless statistics.

The News has always taken seriously the role of paying tribute to those who die in tragic circumstances.

Of giving that person a proper write up, despite the terrible or sad means by which they came to their untimely death.

But in this lockdown, and with no real way of getting information about individual lives lost from hospitals, the council or other authorities, we are asking people to get in touch with us.

Every life deserves to be marked, and every person, no matter how ordinary their life might have been, does not deserve to be just a number counted daily on our news site and other sites across the country.

We want to pay tribute to your loved ones and would ask that you get in touch with us, so we can mark their life in your local paper.

Never before in our lifetime have we faced such a horrendous disease.

Never before have so many family and friends been stopped from attending funerals, prevented from mourning and celebrating the life of someone they loved in the usual way.

The paper has always carried family announcements, but this is not about paying for a memorial in the paper, this is about talking to us so we can write up a tribute that shows who these people are and what their lives have meant to those closest to them.

Over the last few weeks we have paid tribute to victims who families have got in touch and have even highlighted people who have passed away from other conditions, but whose families are unable to have the funerals they would have wanted for them.

On each occasion we promise to write the piece with the family to give them back some sort of control of how their loved one is remembered, at a time when everything else appears to be so out of their control.

Please contact us at editor@southwarknews.co.uk or mobile number 07973175511 and leave a message if you want us to pay tribute to a loved one who passed away with the disease, or in other circumstances and is unable to have everyone attend their funeral. As with 98-year-old Alice Woodgates, her article in the paper allowed more people to know of her passing and because her funeral was live-streamed, many were able to watch it and pay their respects from home.

As a local paper it is our duty to pay respects to those who fall victim to coronavirus - please share this with your friends and family.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Clues Down

Clues Across

1 He will intervene between boards for the sake of publicity (11) 9 One concerned with a violent emotion (3) 10 This edible Plant is cunning I can’t breath after it! (9) 11 Men go for the little fellow (5) 13 Manage to get an Oscar, we hear, and indulge in loose living (3,4) 14 Big noise’s swindle taking a knock in court (6) 16 Rain’s terrible about the end of the day in a Middle Eastern land (6) 18 Eggs expensive, we hear may need a buck! (7) 19 Not our part of the Irish (5) 20 Food in tin to ruin after being turned upside down (9) 21 Express contempt for an incomplete volume (3) 22 It’s perverse to realign the guns a sin (11)

2 Imitate a dog, for example, without a tail (3) 3 The admiral bird? (5) 4 Confine at home on a rota, so it’s said (6) 5 The carriage to use too much? (7) 6 Australian native dress put under a form of boa in the East (9) 7 The mark of one who would handle the picture? (11) 8 Air den for a change and smarten up the study (74) 12 Where the players are, or box under which the Sun god is positioned (9) 15 The time for smoothing things out? (7) 17 Tar it’s specially mixed for a painter (6) 19 Joint denial among decemvirs, for instance (5) 21 Vehicle that’s the reverse of a seagoing vessel (3)

QUICK PUZZLE Clues Across

1 Subsidiary erection (11) 9 Time (3) 10 Waste metal (5,4) 11 Cacophony (5) 13 Torture (7) 14 Superstitious symbols (6) 16 Against (6) 18 Dig up (7)

19 Kind of cement (5) 20 Type of dyestuff (9) 21 Owns (3) 22 Orator (11)

Clues Down

2 Custom (3) 3 A herb (5) 4 Encroachment (6)

5 Bewail (7) 6 Daffodil (9) 7 Animal pen (6,5) 8 Insert at intervals (11) 12 Meadow flower (9) 15 Part of a joint (7) 17 Flail (6) 19 Kind of dance (5) 21 Shade (3)

SOLUTIONS to last week’s Cryptic Crossword

ACROSS: 1 Contact 5 Ropes 8 Fine 9 Register 10 Statesmanship 13 Peri 14 Bear 17 International 19 Flamingo 20 Inch 21 Liege 22 Asphalt DOWN: 2 Opiate 3 Trestle 4 Christian 5 Reign 6 Pitcher 7 Scraper 11 Albatross 12 Gainful 13 Pottage 15 Abolish 16 Rascal 18 Raise

Quick Crossword

ACROSS: 1 Outline (7) 5 World War I battle (5) 8 Blemish (4) 9 Grassland (8) 10 Tyranny (5,2,6) 13 Needle case (4) 14 Measurement (4) 17 Extra (13) 19 Message (8) 20 Summit (4) 21 Soil (5) 22 Previously (7) DOWN: 2 Firework (6) 3 Honest (7) 4 Chronicler (9) 5 Declare (5) 6 Sovereign (7) 7 Encourages (7) 11 Victorious (9) 12 Remainder (7) 13 Expounder (7) 15 Slaughter (7) 16 Companion (6) 18 Attain (5)

16 NEWS

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

leader’s dismay over education provision legal threat

By Josh Salisbury

circumstances. No-one wants to see anyone going without or suffering more than necessary.

“Threatening legal action isn’t the way to solve it. Let’s just see if we can find a solution rather than trying to win legal cases.”

The legal challenge has been backed by the headteacher of Charles Dickens primary school in Borough.

Mr Maugham launched a fundraiser to support his litigation as the News went to press. The appeal states that lawyers will write to Southwark to notify it of its intent to sue.

It also states that lawyers will write to the Secretary of State for Education demanding central government give local authorities extra funding to help with provision.

It is estimated around one million children do not have access to adequate devices or internet connections at home.

josh@southwarknews.co.uk Southwark’s top councillor has slammed a prominent lawyer threatening to sue the council over education provision for poor pupils during the coronavirus crisis.

QC Jolyon Maugham told the Guardian newspaper this week that his Good Law project intended to take legal action against local authorities including Southwark on behalf of parents.

He said that local authorities had a duty to ensure disadvantaged children had access to laptops and internet connections for online learning.

Mr Maugham, himself a Southwark resident, had previously hit the headlines for clubbing a fox to death in his back garden while wearing his wife’s kimono. He has also been prominent in regulatory cases made against Uber.

“Local authorities in England have a clear obligation to ensure that all children can access teaching, so there’s a very strong claim against them to ensure that they are doing so,” he told the newspaper.

“Southwark is an inner-city local authority with a high percentage of children eligible for free school meals who we know to be unable to effectively access education online.”

The shift to online education after the schools closure last month has forced some schools in the borough to fundraise to be able to provide their pupils with access to materials.

Among them are Compass School, in Bermondsey, which has launched an appeal for businesses to supply their students with laptops to allow access to

lessons.

The SE16 school says the majority of its students are on free school meals and may lack IT equipment at home. The appeal has reached more than £11,000 at the time of writing.

When contacted by the News on Tuesday, Council leader Peter John reacted with dismay to Mr Maugham’s intention to back legal action against the

council.

Referencing Mr Maugham’s wellpublicised ‘fox killing’, Cllr John said: “I suggest he concentrate on rehabilitating himself rather than causing more problems.

“My heart sinks when I hear people say they’re going to take legal action at a time like this.

“We’re living in extraordinary

Let’s just see if we can can find a solution rather than trying to win legal cases - Cllr Peter John, Leader of Southwark Council

QC Jolyon Maugham

The lockdown literature list: Dulwich Books’ top isolation reads When author Stephen King was asked ‘what is your idea of perfect happiness?’ for Vanity Fair’s Proust questionnaire, he responded with “time to read.” Now, during the Covid-19 lockdown, this is a luxury afforded to many of us. Start at Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own and don’t look back.

To help us make our selections, Dulwich Books owner Cathy Slater has prepared a lockdown reading list specially for the Southwark News.

After a career in publishing, working as rights director for Murdoch Books, Cathy started working at the independent Dulwich bookstore four years ago before buying it and taking it over.

“I was approaching 60 and needed something new,” Cathy said. “Indie book shops have been having a hard time but that sector was beginning to upturn. We had two good Christmases across the UK.” While book shops are now officially closed all over the world, Dulwich Books, which has been serving the local community for over 30 years, is still taking orders and delivering books to customers.

“All the government suggestions for soothing lockdown activities are cooking, gardening and reading,” Cathy said. “This is a great time for reading.”

The bookseller talks us through her top picks: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh is a must for our

lockdown times. Two other appropriate titles to read are The Plague by Albert Camus and Journal of the Plague Year

by Daniel Defoe.

If future dystopias are your thing, I recommend Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, which depicts a post-literate future society where books are banned, and On the Beach by Nevil Shute.

Just published in paperback, I loved Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan, a world where robots have developed

beyond our imagining with chilling consequences; this brilliant book raises profound questions on ethics and what it means to be human.

Also Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe, which celebrates its 42nd anniversary this year. The answer to everything!

After all these unsettling books we will probably be in need of some humour

and light relief. Diary of A Somebody by Brian Bilston is part fiction, part poetry, part diary and completely delightful.

Also I regularly recommend Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford, and I Feel Bad about my Neck by Nora Ephron, plus any of P.G. Wodehouse’s hilarious books, especially the ones set in Blandings Castie.

With all this time on our hands, now is the time to read a classic, ideally a nice big fat one: War and Peace

perhaps or Dickens’ David Copperfield.

James Joyce’s Ulysses or one of my personal favourite books of all time: Middlemarch by George Eliot.

I would like to include a memoir, and what better than Life Class, the selected memoirs of literary legend Diana Athill, who died at 92. This is a dazzling and inspiring account of an extraordinary woman at the heart of publishing.

Immersive and beautiful nature writing will bring great solace in these lockdown times, and there are some fantastic books out there: Reservoir 13 by John McGregor, Lanny by Max Porter, H is for Hawk

by Helen Macdonald, Waterlog by Roger Deakin, and The Outrun by Amy Liptrot. And Robert Macfarlane’s wonderful, profound and incomparable Underland, where he journeys deep into the earth, and raises questions of man’s relationship with, and impact on, nature. The paperback is due to be published in May; I was so looking forward to seeing this in the bookshop and being picked up by our customers.

Finally, a classic children’s book, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, is the enduring story of a young girl’s empathy for a sick, housebound boy. Its themes of friendship, helping the vulnerable, hope, joy and the life-affirming power of nature are all especially relevant today.

You can order books from Dulwich Books’ website: www.dulwichbooks. co.uk. Phone: 020 8670 1920. Email: Hello@dulwichbooks.co.uk

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

www.southwarknews.co.uk/arts

what’s on

Collaborators wanted for Post-Virus Exhibition

Ed Gray, the 21st century Hogarth continually documenting the fluctuation of London life, is still able to work through the coronavirus lockdown as he works alone in his East London studio by day and isolates with his family in Rotherhithe by night, cycling alone between the two. He also found time to talk to the News, writes Michael Holland...

How did you get in to art?

Coming from a large family drawing was an escape for me. I loved to look at faces in the street and loved the emotions written on them. I would draw them in my mind and then fill pages with these images when I got home. We had a book indoors about William Hogarth the 18th century painter and engraver, and his work struck a chord with me which still resonates today. Then there was Tintin, Herge’s adventures provided

in Southwark

Rod Kitson is an artist who works from life with oil paints.

Rod also delivers community art projects and collaborates with other artists, writes Michael Holland...

looking at the interior of my flat and painting from it for five or six hours every day for 190 days straight. It was quite an introspective process which left me hankering for human contact – much like the current situation.”

Like all areas the arts has been hit hard. Artists who had relied on teaching life drawing classes for their income have been finding ways to carry on, including online classes and live sessions through Skype and Zoom: “My classes at Time and Talents have been cancelled for now, as well as the painting group who I taught, but I am keeping in touch with them by phone and I am planning ways to keep that creative energy going remotely.”

The artist’s current project has been put on hold due to socialdistancing and isolation: “When the coronavirus crisis hit I was in the process of making a huge collection of portraits from life at my Lower Road studio. I have so far done about 140, and expect to make about the same number again. It was developing into a really collaborative project where sitters were increasingly having input in the outcome of the portraits.”

Those interactions have had to stop but the artist is trying to find new ways to keep the project moving by sending pictures back and forth online and working from drawings

and photos.

He has also started a chain-letter style project where he made a small picture and let other artists add to it before sending it on to another artists who would do the same. This all feeds into future plans because he reveals, ‘’When all this is over I am going to put on an exhibition called Artists in Isolation. The aim of the exhibition is to document the output of artists while in lockdown, to show what we have produced and how these strange times have been documented and interpreted…

‘The Surrey Quays shopping centre has kindly agreed to let me use their space to host the joint exhibition, which I aim to open within a month of lockdown ending.

“It will be a chance for people to get together to reflect on this shared experience and the ways that we found to get through these strange and difficult days. On a personal level it is good to have a goal to focus on and something to work towards in these uncertain times.”

Rod wants artists to submit work, by getting in touch through his website or Instagram.

Look out for the official launch, coming soon.

Website: www.rodkitson.art Instagram/Twitter: @rodkitsonart

more inspiration with beautiful artwork that transported me deeper into my imagination.

Parliament is broken and bandaged.

The title is ‘Torsion’ which I’ve borrowed from the title of the Naum Gabo fountain sculpture in the hospital garden. Torsion is what happens during surgery when an artery is twisted to stop bleeding. It is also a painful condition of twisted testicles and I can’t think of a better metaphor than that for a health service that’s been twisted under the pressure of years of pointless austerity.

They had us by the balls, literally.

locations, so that’s six new paintings. I’m not interested in painting the current empty streets; that’s not my city. Cities are about people, I’m an artist of social proximity and that’s what I’ll always be as long as I have a paintbrush in my hand.

Rod tells the News that, “From a young age I have always done art and had a need to make things, in whatever form that may be. It has become a bigger and bigger part of my life as I have got older…I love the feeling of bringing something new into the world, of capturing some kind of character in the person I am trying to represent. And I love the energy and surprises that come from collaborating with other people.”

Some might remember Rod from his show Machines for Living In at Surrey Quays shopping centre last summer. He says, “The exhibition was a big highlight for me as it was a life size replica of my studio flat made from 190 1-square-foot oil paintings, which joined together in a sort of giant jigsaw.”

Visitors were then encouraged to paint a one foot square piece of art that joined with others to create one big piece. “Ironically,” he begins, “that would have been the ideal project to be doing now during lockdown, as it was very much made in isolation.

I made a piece of work every day by

Torsion Twists New Life Into London

ARTS 17

Tell me about your current work I'm working on a large painting of patients and staff at St Thomas's Hospital.

Our children were born at Tommy’s and I had a couple of operations there, so I was able to see first-hand the dedication and professionalism, the love and care provided by staff working at a time when the NHS was being drained of resources. Around that time Brexit was beginning so I was sketching Leavers and Remainers in the pantomime over the bridge in Westminster. Then I would walk back over to Tommy’s to sketch patients and staff. It was hard to believe that these two worlds could exist one river apart - two contrasting sides of our country: the hot air generated in parliament and the media from futile debates about nationalism and identity, and the life-giving breath that I felt when I was watching and sketching at Tommy’s.

The elderly and infirm would pass before me, and the parade of new Mums and Dads with their new-borns unmarked by the world, heading off with their warm bundles as they blinked into the sun after exhausting births, but triumphant in their possession of new life.

So this painting was always going to be the one I worked on after my Brexit work.

It will be a celebration of the theatre of life there. And when the virus happened I didn’t change my plan. I had all I needed so didn’t revisit and draw people in masks and in fear. This painting is not about the virus, it is about what the NHS means to me, to all of us; the staff and the patients are my focus, and in the distance

How has Covid-19 impacted on your profession?

The effects are not clear yet, but as I can’t plan for exhibitions I just have to keep working. My teaching work has largely dried up, and although I’ve been cushioned by recent sales of paintings and prints, that won’t last for long. I worry because many artists survive on tight margins and need these other jobs to pay for studios and materials, so it will become tighter.

This crisis will deepen every crack in our country. Grenfell revealed so much about the divisions in London, and little has changed, but maybe the virus will make us rethink the way we live and value our key workers and the everyday hidden folk who really make the city function.

What do you plan to do to get through this current crisis?

Our focus is on making the kids as happy as possible. Doing art projects every day, meditating (and mediating), dancing and some schoolwork. We are lucky to live by the river and we have so many green spaces on our doorstep where we can exercise.

In the afternoons I can do my work so I’ll just keep creating. I have six sketchbooks filled with drawings from six London

How different do you think your life will be when we get back to normal?

I feel greatly for the people that will lose family members, but I think in the end we will come out of it stronger, but poorer.

The time of division since 2016 has been harmful; the message of Brexit that we were stronger as a nation on our own was a desperate plea to take back control of something undefinable, and events have shown we need to find a different path. We have to stand together, with our scientists and experts working together, wherever they are in the world. This should be seen as a test, because the climate crisis won’t be solved by isolationist policies and nor will future pandemics.

I also think we’ll value the public places that bring us together even more than before, the pubs that we have been losing from our communities, our theatres, our live music venues, cinemas, stadiums, museum and galleries. There will be a thirst for social interaction and cultural experience. We will value our key workers and the people who make these places happen. There will be a return to the importance of local community Already you can see that happening, so sustaining that will make this a better city for everyone, one that looks after its vulnerable, isolated and homeless citizens.

My work has always been about the way the city brings people together and I want to celebrate that. That’s the future for me.

For a virtual tour of Ed Gray’s London paintings and accompanying videos: www. edgrayart.com/gallery/london

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

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COMMUNITY NOTICES 19

CAMBERWELL CONSOLIDATED CHARITIES THE TRUST COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH FINANCIAL HELP IF YOU:

• •

•

Are over 65 years old Have lived in the Old Parish of Camberwell (which includes Dulwich and Peckham) for more than 2 years Receive only a state pension

Please ask the Hon Clerk for an application form.

Please let other people know about us too

Our key activities helping local people make life better: Bede Learning Disabilities Service, Bede Youth Adventure Project, Bede Starfish Domestic Violence Project.

Registered charity no 208441

www.bedehouse.org , tel: 0207 237 3881

Janet McDonald Telephone: 07538 071 457 89 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BF

If you are a charitable or community-oriented organisation and want to let people know about your services, please call

Follow the fox... urbanfox.london

0207 232 1639

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Get in contact

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20 PUBLIC NOTICES

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LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (WHITE HART YARD, MELFORD ROAD, UNDERHILL ROAD, ROTHERHITE NEW ROAD, MEADOW ROAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable highway works and a crane operation to be carried out, it made an order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named road.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload in: (a) White Hart Yard, between Borough High Street to 80m East of Chaucer House. (b) Melford Road, between Underhill Road and Lordship Lane. (c) Underhill Road, between Melford Road and Lordship Lane (d) Rotherhithe New Road, between St James Road (slip Road) and also St James Road between Verney Road and Old Kent Road. (e) Rotherhithe New Road, between St James Road and Verney Way. (f) Meadow Row, New Kent Road and Arch Street. (crane operation)

3.

The alternative route for affected traffic (2a) White Hart Yard, Borough High Street, Kings Head Yard, White Hart Yard (for pedestrians) access for vehicles via service road. (2b) Lordship Lane, Underhill Road. (2c) Lordship Lane, Melford Road, Lordship Lane, Wood Vale, Melford Road. Lordship Lane, Belvoir Road, Underhill Road. (2d) Rotherhithe New Road, Ilderton Road, Old Kent Road. St James Road, Old Kent Road, Ilderton Road, Rotherhithe New Road. Catlin Street, Rolls Road, Humphrey Street, Old Kent Road. Old Kent Road, Dunton Road, Southwark Park Road, St James Road. (2e) Rotherhithe New Road, Ilderton Road, Old Kent Road, St James Road, Old Kent Road, Ilderton Road, Rotherhithe New Road. (2f) New Kent Road, Falmouth Road, Harper Road, Rockingham Street

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

6..

The works will be in operation for (2a) 20th April – 17th July. (2b) 22nd April. (2c) 23rd April.

(2d) & (2e) 20th – 23rd April. (2f) 18th – 19th April and 9th – 10th May.

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network & Parking Management on 0207 525 2014.

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

PREMISES LICENCE APPLICATION – ORBIT BREWING LTD (01st April 2020) Notice of Application for a Premises Licence made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003 Please take notice that we Orbit Brewing Ltd have made application to the local licensing authority for a new Premises Licence in respect of Orbit Beers, Arches 224 & 227, Fielding Street, London, SE17 3HD. The relevant licensable activities and proposed times to be carried on or from the premises are: The retail sale of alcohol by retail (for consumption off the premises only): Mon, Tue, Weds, Thurs 09:00 to 18:00 Friday 09:00 to 20:00 Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Weds, Thurs 12:00 to 17:30 Friday 12:00 to 20:00 A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by The Licensing Service, c/o Southwark Environmental Health and Trading Standards, 3RD Floor Hub 2, 160 Tooley Street, PO Box 64529, London, SE1 5LX A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the office during normal office hours by appointment on 020 7525 4261; details are also on our web site at www.southwark.gov.uk/businesscentre/licensing/currentapplication It is open to any person to make representations about the likely effect of the grant of the premises licence on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below.

Note: It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

Date of application: 01st April 2020 LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (ASYLUM ROAD, LYNTON ROAD, ST JAMES ROAD, COMMERCIAL WAY, FURLEY ROAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable highway works to be carried out, it intends to make an order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named road.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload in:

Dated this 9th April 2020

(a) Asylum Road, at it’s junction of Old Kent Road (southbound lane of carriageway) (b) Lynton Road, between Monnow Road and St James Road. (c) St James Road, Rolls Road and Rotherhithe New Road. (d) Commercial Way, between Furley Road and Naylor Road. (e) Furley Road, at it’s junction with Commercial Way.

Nicky Costin Road Network & Parking Business Manager Southwark Council Environment and Leisure Network Management PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 5244/ 428574 (2b) 5202/ 435635 (2c) 5203/435638 (2d) & (2e) 5210/435660 & 435665 (2f) 5344/ LBSCR11206-1/2

3.

The existing one way working in Friary Road and Ledbury Street located between Bird in Bush Road and Commercial Way, will be made two way for access and egress purposes for (2d)

4.

The alternative route for affected traffic (2a) Old Kent Road, Peckham Park Road, Commercial Way, Peckham Hill Street, Peckham High Street. Old Kent Road, Gervase Street. (2b) St James Road, Simms Road, Monnow Road. (2c) Rolls Road, Humphrey Street, Old Kent Road, St James Road, Rotherhithe New Road, Catlin Street. (2d) Naylor Road, Meeting House Lane, Goldsmith Road, Peckham Hill Street, Buller Close, Peckham Park Road, Bird in Bush Road. (2e) Commercial Way, Friary Road, Fenham Road, Furley Road, Goldsmith Road, Peckham Hill Street, Buller Close.

5.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (CLINK STREET) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC) 1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable a crane operations to be carried out, it intends to make an order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named road.

6.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload in:

7.

The works will be in operation for (2a) 27th April – 1st May. (2b) 27th April. (2c) 28th – 29th April. (2d) 29th April. (2e) 30th April.

(a) Clink Street at it’s junction with Stoney Street

8.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network & Parking Management on 0207 525 2014.

3.

The alternative route for affected traffic will be, Stoney Street, Park Street. Park Street, Redcross Way, Southwark Street (for emergency vehicles)

Dated this 9th April 2020

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

Nicky Costin Road Network & Parking

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

6.

The works will be in operation on the 24th April – 16th June

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network & Parking Management on 0207 525 2014.

Business Manager Southwark Council Environment and Leisure Network Management PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 5194/ -498084-2 (2b) 5217/437304 (2c) 5218/437308 (2d) 5219/437309 (2e) 5220/437310

Dated this 9th April 2020 Nicky Costin Road Network & Parking Business Manager Southwark Council Environment and Leisure Network Management PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: 5361/LBSCR11296

To place a public notice, please email em@southwarknews.co.uk Cut off is Tuesdays at 5pm

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL TREATMENTS PREMISES LICENCE MADE UNDER PART ll OF THE LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITIES ACT 1991 & 2000 Please take notice that I / we: Sasho Mihajlovski have made application to Southwark Council for a new Special Treatments Premises Licence in respect of Sasho Mihajlovski, 100 Borough High Street, SE1 1LB, Alfa House, 3 floor, 32 room A register of all applications made within the Southwark area is maintained by: The Licensing Service, Hub 1, 3rd Floor, 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH Email: Licensing@southwark.gov.uk Opening hours: 12

Days Mon to Sun

Start time 09:00

Finish time 21:00

A record of this application may be inspected by visiting the office during normal office hours by appointment on 020 7525 2000; details are also available on our website at http://app.southwark.gov.uk/licensing/licenseregister.asp. For applications for Special Treatments Licences, there are no set objectives. However, the grounds for the objection must be relevant to the application and reasons for the objection must be given. Representations must be made in writing to the Licensing Service at the office address given above and be received by the Service within a period of 28 days starting the day after the date shown below. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/business/licences/how-to-lodge-a-representation Note: it is an offence to knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. A person guilty of such offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. Date of application: 6th April 220

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

www.southwarknews.co.uk

PUBLIC NOTICES 21

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (as amended) PLANNING (LISTED BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATION AREAS) ACT 1990 (as amended) The planning applications listed below can be viewed on the planning register at http://planbuild.southwark.gov.uk You can use facilities at your local library or ‘My Southwark Service Points’ to access the website.

How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked ‘confidential’ will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: ACA-development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; ALB-development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); CNA-development within a conservation area; DDPdeparture from the development plan; LBA-works to or within the site of a listed building; MPA-major planning application; EIA-environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council – there will be a charge for the copy).

136-142 NEW KENT ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK (Ref: 19/AP/7564) Minor-material changes to planning permission 17/AP/3910 [Approved: 19.12.2018] for: "Demolition of the existing building and construction of a part 13 storey/part 9 storey block fronting onto New Kent Road and a part 6 storey/part 4-storey block fronting onto Munton Road, to provide a mixed-use development, with basement, providing 81 residential units, 1361sqm of flexible business floor space/nonresidential institution (Use Class B1/D1) and 448sqm of retail floor space (Use Class A1) with associated cycle parking, servicing, refuse and recycling, landscaping and private and communal residential amenity space" Changes comprise: - Changes to detailed architecture and external appearance, including to the size and configuration of windows, balconies/terraces and to the roofline - Increase in overall height from 46.8m AOD to 49.0m AOD (i.e. +2.2m) - Changes to the internal layout to some residential units, resulting in changes to the approved dwelling mix, habitable rooms and bedspaces but no change to the total number of dwellings - Increase in the number of Affordable Housing units from 22 to 39 units (48 percent by unit) - Reconfiguration of commercial space at basement and ground floor levels - Landscaping changes to the first floor residents' terrace, including the relocation of rooflights to serve the commercial space below - Changes to design of forecourt area fronting New Kent Road, including the relocation of two disabled parking bays Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Michael Glasgow 020 7525 1249) 25-33 PARKHOUSE STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 7TQ (Ref: 20/AP/0858) The redevelopment of the site to provide a mixed-use development comprising residential dwellings (Use Class C3) and commercial floorspace (Use Class B1c), car parking, cycle parking and associated landscaping. Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Terence McLellan 020 7525 5365) 5 ANCHOR TERRACE 125 PARK STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 9EW (Ref: 20/AP/0918) Structural alterations to internal layout (Within: Thrale Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Tracy Chapman 020 7525 1948) BECKETT HOUSE 60-68 ST THOMAS STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 3QU (Ref: 20/AP/0944) Redevelopment of the site to include demolition of Beckett House and the erection of a building comprising basements, ground floor plus upper storeys in office use (Class B1), with a retail unit (flexible Class A1/A3) at ground floor, cycling parking, servicing, refuse and plant areas,

public realm improvements and other associated works incidental to the development Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Terence McLellan 020 7525 5365) 72 GROVE PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8LF (Ref: 20/AP/0940) Demolition of existing single storey rear projection, erection of proposed single storey rear and side infill extension, replacement of existing first floor roof terrace balustrading, proposed dormer window to existing rear facing pitched roof, associated amendment of internal layout (Within: Camberwell Grove Conservation Area CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Anthony Roberts 020 7525 5458) 25 LAVINGTON STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 0NA (Ref: 20/AP/1009) Application for full planning permission for demolition of an existing office building and the erection of a basement, plus ground, plus 14storey building, and partial demolition of an existing office building and the erection of a basement, plus ground, plus 9-storey building to provide (Class B1) office use, (Class A1) retail use, flexible (A1/A3, A3/A4, D2/A3/A4) retail and leisure use, landscaping, public realm, highway works, disabled car parking, cycle parking, plant and associated works. Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Terence McLellan 020 7525 5365) 2 HASCOMBE TERRACE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8SQ (Ref: 20/AP/0970) Variation to Condition 1 (Approved Plans) pursuant to planning permission 19/AP/2202 'Construction of a new two storey detached 3bedroom dwelling next to existing building as well as construction of a two storey rear extension to existing building'. The proposed amendment is as follows: to split a double bedroom into two single bedrooms. (Within: Camberwell Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Mumtaz Shaikh 020 7525 0585) 150 IVYDALE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 3BT (Ref: 20/AP/0980) Variation of Condtion 1 'Approved Plans'' of planning permission LBS reg no 19/AP/7530 for the construction of an L-shaped roof extension with juliet balcony and roof terrace over part of the outrigger, including raising the roof ridge by 450mm: to increase the roof height of the outrigger to match the approved pitched roof height along with an increase in the width and depth of the outrigger and terrace to match the lower floors. (Within: Nunhead Cemetry CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Zaib Khan 0207 525 0311) 15 WESTMORELAND ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 2AX (Ref: 20/AP/0984)

The construction of a mansard roof extension to convert the existing dwelling into 3 self contained flats (2 x 1 bedroom and 1 studio flat), including alterations to the ground floor shop front to make residential entrance. (Within: Walworth Road CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Abbie McGovern 020 7525 0254) THAMES TUNNEL MILLS 113 ROTHERHITHE STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE16 4NJ (Ref: 20/AP/0985) External lighting scheme to the Chimney annexed to Thames Tunnel Mills (Within: St Marys Rotherhithe CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Jessica Potter 020 7525 0036) 24 DULWICH VILLAGE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7AL (Ref: 20/AP/0990) Demolition and new-build family home with works to trees, additional car parking space and air conditioning condenser. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Jessica Potter 020 7525 0036) 54B BEAUVAL ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE22 8UQ (Ref: 20/AP/0997) Creation of an additional floor to a first floor flat, a new rear roof extension, demolition of an existing chimney stack and window replacement. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Shanali Counsell 020 7525 1770) 2 LONDON BRIDGE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 9RA (Ref: 20/AP/1015) Replacement of the modern automatic entrance doors with manual Crittal style doors (Within: Borough High Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Jessica Potter 020 7525 0036)

Replacement of front and rear windows with new trimber double glazed windows to match the existing. And replacement of rear garden door with new timber double glazed door.

(Within: Thorburn Square CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Danielle Campbell 020 7525 2427) 2 LONDON BRIDGE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 9RA (Ref: 20/AP/1014) Replacement of the modern automatic entrance doors with manual Crittal style doors (Within: Borough High Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Jessica Potter 020 7525 0036) 12-15 BERMONDSEY SQUARE LONDON SOUTHWARK (Ref: 20/AP/1013) Replacement of existing timber rainscreen cladding (Red Louro) with anodised aluminium cladding and other minor external works to external balconies and replacement of building insulation (Within: Bermondsey Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Louise Dinsdale ) 39 CRYSTAL PALACE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE22 9EX (Ref: 20/AP/0738) Construction of a L-shaped rear extension and a dormer roof extension. (Within: The Gardens CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Abrar Sharif 020 7525 3992) Dated: 07 Apr 2020 - comments to be received within 21 days of this date.

SIMON BEVAN - Director of Planning

147 SNOWSFIELDS LONDON SOUTHWARK (Ref: 20/AP/0744) Demolition of existing buildings and construction of a 10 storey building plus basement consisting of 17 residential units, commercial at ground floor and basement and associated cycle and waste storage and other associated works.

Reason(s) for publicity: MAJ (Contact: Abbie McGovern 020 7525 0254) 97 AZENBY ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 5AJ (Ref: 20/AP/1004) The removal of the existing timber pool house and replacement with a new similar timber structure, albeit with an increased foot print.

(Within: Holly Grove CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Kerri Simpson 020 7525 3487) FLAT A AND B 54 SOUTHWARK PARK ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE16 3RS (Ref: 20/AP/0591)

To place a public notice, please email em@southwarknews.co.uk Cut off is Tuesday at 4pm

22 MILLWALL

www.newsatden.co.uk

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

Waiting game

The football season is suspended indefinitely

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk MILLWALL ARE not currently sharing any tactical information with the squad – with manager Gary Rowett more concerned about the welfare and well-being of the players.

The Lions squad are following individual training programmes at home, and last week Rowett and his staff were working on adding technical drills to that.

But Rowett feels there is little point sending them tactical information, with the season currently suspended indefinitely.

"It's something we've looked at but we've not done that," Rowett said. "When we get back we're going to be preparing for games exactly as we would. If I look at a Monday to Saturday approach in a training week, I wouldn't mention the opposition until around Wednesday.

That's just the way I work, I don't like to flood the players' heads with too much

information.

"I like them early in the week to concentrate on creating that intensity and that enjoyment in training. There's no point me preparing the players potentially four, five, six weeks out from the next game.

"They've got enough to think about, they've got enough to get on with. We will start to share some sort of video material with them, but it won't yet be massively tactical.

"I'm more concerned about the state of mind of the players, the welfare of their families. That's the most important thing at the moment rather than pinging them through loads of tactical stuff which I think at this time won't have the same affect this far away."

The EFL confirmed the suspension of football indefinitely after a meeting with football authorities late last week.

Fixtures were due to resume on April 30, but the escalating coronavirus pandemic has prompted football bodies to agree that they will only return when

Neser contract cancelled as Stewart issues rallying message

By John Kelly

johnk@southwarknews.co.uk SURREY HAVE confirmed they have cancelled the contract of Michael Neser.

The Australian international was set to join the club until July and play County Championship cricket.

But all fixtures have been cancelled until May 28 and there is doubt about what will happen beyond that date.

Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart spoke to Neser and a mutual agreement was reached.

“Given the testing times we find ourselves in, I would like to thank Michael Neser and his management company for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision,” Stewart told Surrey’s website.

“The wider issues the sport is facing is paramount and it was refreshing to know Michael and his representatives are looking at the bigger picture in this sensible and responsible way.”

Meanwhile, Surrey’s players are training at home as the coronavirus lockdown measures continue.

Stewart released a message via video to update members and supporters on how the squad are keeping fit, and to encourage people to follow government guidelines and stay in contact with family and friends.

Stewart said: “Just checking in to see

how you’re getting on in these testing times. I’ll also give you a little bit of an update on what the players are doing.

“They have currently all got individual programmes to keep fit, to keep strong and be ready for when the season does eventually start, whenever that may be.

“But how are you getting on? Are you listening to the government guidelines?

I certainly hope you are. You know what they are, you can only go out once a day for a bit of fitness and fresh air which is vitally important. You also can only go out if you need food and for medical reasons.

“Also remember to always wash your hands at every single opportunity. You may not show symptoms but you can still spread it. Please keep that two-metre distance when you are outside.

“Try and find a way of keeping in contact with friends and family whether that’s through Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom and other outlets too. That’s how I’m keeping in contact with the players and the management. Checking in on them and their health and wellbeing.

“We’re all trying to do this together. So, stay fit, stay healthy. We’ll hopefully see you at The Kia Oval later on this summer.”

The club also revealed that coaches and senior players have been calling members recently to check in with them and thank them for their support.

And Sam Curran has opened a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the ‘HEROES Help Them Help Us’ cause.

Gary Rowett and his players haven’t been at the training ground since March it is "safe".

On its website, the EFL said: "As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the EFL, Premier League, FA and Barclays FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship has today collectively agreed to postpone its football competitions until it is safe to resume.

"Football is committed in supporting the Government's efforts in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak and the staging of

football matches in this country. It is clearly something that simply cannot happen at this time. The thoughts of everyone associated with the EFL and its member Clubs are with anyone currently affected by the coronavirus.

"The situation will be kept under constant review with matches only returning at an appropriate point and based on the latest guidance provided by the relevant Government departments

and health authorities.

"The EFL also notes and appreciates the decision taken today by the Premier League in respect of the short-term financial relief it is to provide EFL Clubs through the advancement of solidarity payments, parachute payments and Academy Grants. These actions will have a positive impact on individual Clubs across our three divisions at a difficult and uncertain time."

Alec Stewart

Southwark News, Thursday April 9 2020

www.newsatden.co.uk

MILLWALL 23

Hutch: Season must finish EXCLUSIVE

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk SHAUN HUTCHINSON doesn’t necessarily feel a break from football could benefit Millwall’s relatively small squad – because the Lions prefer the rough and tumble of a packed schedule.

Hutchinson was one of the best defenders in the division when Millwall finished eighth in 2017-18, which included a seventeen-game unbeaten run in three months from January to April.

Former Millwall manager Neil Harris named an unchanged line-up for eleven consecutive games during that sequence and compared his side to a “steam train”.

The previous season, Hutchinson headed in the winner with five minutes to go to clinch a 4-3 win at Bristol Rovers and send Millwall into the play-offs on the final day of the regular season.

The Lions took that momentum with them as they defeated Scunthorpe in the semi-finals and Bradford at Wembley to return to the Championship.

And they showed signs they were about to go on a strong run before the suspension of football due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After just one win in six games, Gary Rowett’s side drew with Birmingham and Bristol City before Matt Smith’s hat-trick gave them a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest last month.

Millwall are currently without the injured Ben Thompson and Frank Fielding, the former the most likely to return if the season resumes in the summer.

“The injured boys might be happy with that because they’re not missing games,” Hutchinson said. “But, to be honest, since I’ve been at Millwall we’ve been better when the games have come thick and fast and we can just roll our sleeves up and get on with it. That’s when we’ve normally played better.

“There are a couple of players, people like Coops [Jake Cooper] and Jed [Wallace], Mahlon [Romeo], who’ve almost played every minute of every game and could need a break a little bit more than others.

“The whole thing is going to be strange. Do we come back, play nine games and get the same amount of time off? You don’t know. You’ve just got to keep going, take it day by day and see what happens.

“One hundred per cent for me the season has to finish. I don’t know the ins and outs of everything, we’re just waiting and if the season gets going again you just pick up from where you left off. You deal with the consequences next season once this season is finished.

“That’s how I see it. I would want the season to finish. I think if I was in any other position than the bottom three I’d want it to finish. You work so hard and have done so well, for it to count for nothing.

“We had a few mixed results and then we got back in again. We didn’t pick up wins and felt like maybe we were drifting away. But then we picked up results in vital fixtures when we needed

‘The sooner everyone sticks together and works together the sooner we can get back to normal’ to, and kept ourselves in the hunt.

“It seems quite strange talking about football again because we’ve not been around it for so long. But as I say every time we needed to win to hang in there we did that. That just shows the character we have in the dressing room.”

Millwall’s squad are currently following individual training programmes at home, with players such as Billy Mitchell and Murray Wallace taking things to extremes.

One problem for the players is how to maintain technical sharpness on the ball.

“That is difficult because obviously you’re self-isolating, you’ve not got anyone to pass the ball to, you’re not getting any distance in your passing or anything like that,” Hutchinson continued.

“I’ve got a few soft balls in the back

garden that I kick around with my little one. I know it’s not the same, but it’s something.

“I’m sure once we get back into training we’ll get the touch back. At the moment it’s more the fitness stuff that we can do away from the pitch that can help.

“We’re all footballers and we’re only here because we’ve got that competitive edge. Okay some people might take it more seriously than others, and I think there are a few boys trying extra hard because of the fact it’s on Strava [fitness app].

“There are a few boys that have gone for marathon sprint times. I saw the other day Murray Wallace was trying to do a five-minute mile which I think is absolutely outrageous. There has been some interesting stuff.”

Last week, Millwall confirmed they were using the job retention scheme

for the management staff and squad, which allows an employer to claim for 80 per cent of an employee’s salary from the government.

There has also been talk of wage deferrals, but Hutchinson is not keen to speculate.

He said: “You’ve got everyone giving their opinion on what might happen and no one really knows. Unless it comes up as a factual thing I haven’t really paid much attention to it.

“There’s so much information out there that you read and half of it’s not even true. Until it’s something that’s said to me I’m not really listening to anything until it’s put on paper.

“I’ve got the cartoons on all day [for his daughter] and then I’ve got a few hours at night when I catch up on all the news. There’s just so much false information out there.

“The things you do, you just can’t

please everybody, there’s always someone who’s going to be angry or upset. I just wait to see the factual stuff and take that on board and forget about the other stuff.

“We’re so grateful for everything that the NHS are doing, we can’t thank them enough. We’re all following the news and see videos online of how hard they are working.

“All I can do is do my bit and stay at home. That’s all I can do.

“We knew [Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis] got it but none of us got it so we thought it was going to be fine. It’s gone much further on now and you’re just hoping everyone can stay in good health, follow the rules and guidelines that have been put in place.

“The sooner everyone sticks together and works together the sooner we can get back to normal.”

inside

Sport Southwark

Defiant

Waiting game: football suspended indefinitely

page 22 Shaun Hutchinson

Hutch: ‘We’ve worked too hard to throw it away now’

EXCLUSIVE

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk SHAUN HUTCHINSON said he has no intention of throwing away all the hard work this season by being “lazy” and letting his fitness drop during the current suspension of football.

Millwall’s head of sports science, Laurence Bloom, has put together fitness programmes for the players with data recorded on the Strava app.

That has led to competition among the players as they have their own leaderboard. Lions boss Gary Rowett revealed last week that midfielder Billy Mitchell had recorded a 15km run.

Football authorities and clubs don’t know

when the season can resume, if it is to conclude.

Steps 3 to 7 of English football have already been brought to an end, though clubs at that level want the FA to do a U-turn on that decision.

Over 25 games before the suspension as the country tries to deal with the coronavirus crisis, Millwall are fifth in the form table. That includes Rowett’s 24 league games in charge and Adam Barrett’s last caretaker fixture, the 2-2 draw with Cardiff at The Den. That form has taken them to within two points of sixth place with nine games left.

Hutchinson has been one of Millwall’s players of the season. The defender is a mainstay in the side and has shown his versatility when playing as a right-sided centre-back taking the ball forward.

The 29-year-old has also scored five goals, his best return in his fourth season with the club.

The Lions looked like they had come through a

dip that saw them win just once in eight games.

But they were unbeaten in their last three, including the stunning 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest.

Millwall players must now try to keep their fitness up over what could be some months if the season resumes in the summer.

“Listen, it’s a lot of running and most footballers don’t particularly like it,” Hutchinson said. “But we’d put ourselves into such a good position this season and worked so hard to get to where we were, to then just to be lazy now, in this sort of situation we’re in, and not keep ourselves in good shape, would be a big waste.

“I’m in no mindset that if or when it gets going again, when we’re back in training, to just throw it all away because of being lazy in this situation.

“We’re supposed to be self-isolating so you find a field in the middle of nowhere where there’s

no one near you, to do an hour’s work and then get back home.

“Speaking for myself, I want to keep myself feeling pretty fresh and keeping myself in the best shape I can because I don’t want to throw so much hard work away.

“We’ve got Strava, and Bloomy, the fitness coach, puts a fitness session on the chat. We all have to do it and then he checks it on that app to see what distances we’ve done and all that. It’s quite a good app, to be fair, it can follow us quite well. You can get your distances, speed, and keep track of it all.

“It’s been alright, I’ve been with the family. The fitness sessions that we have to follow break up the days.

“It’s hard for everyone, but I’m just grateful we’re in good health and we’re just doing the best we can in the situation.”

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