Picture Story Assignment
For this assignment I had initially wanted to photograph the occupied job centre on Deptford High Street by local activists including Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance. Due to my work schedule and the timing of their meetings this didn’t work out before today’s tutorial but I was informed that Goldsmiths students had just gone into occupation at Deptford town hall in solidarity with their lecturers in the University and College Union (UCU) who were on strike. I thought this would be and interesting story for the assignment so off I went to New Cross.
The UCU strike is the first national strike in higher education for five years and coincides with the March for the Alternative tomorrow. Students support this march and have used the occupation as a space to organize and build for it.
Goldsmiths has a tradition of strong solidarity between staff and students. In November 2010 when students were attacked in the press after protests against rising tuition fees, Goldsmiths lecturers publicly supported with them.
University College London went into occupation hours before Goldsmiths, following other UK campuses. Students hope to see a wave of direct action across UK universities. Goldsmiths students previously occupied Deptford town hall in November over the proposed cuts to education and rising tuition fees.
I had to whittle the images down to 5 and this is my edit:
Music students trying to gain entry (unsuccessfully) into town hall to take an exam.
Students barricade the door to town hall stopping all lectures and staff entering the building.
Local activist wears his badges with pride.
Students showing support on the picket line outside college library.
Staff and tutors on the picket line.
Related articles
- Goldsmiths college has taken lead in anti-cuts movement (telegraph.co.uk)
- Lecturers set to strike across UK (independent.co.uk)
- College staff strike in pension row (mirror.co.uk)
- University staff in second strike (bbc.co.uk)
- Lecturers staging UK-wide strike (bbc.co.uk)
- University strike action spreads (bbc.co.uk)
- University staff strike in pension row (independent.co.uk)
Help Japan
Badminton Awards for Muslim Women
A couple of images I quite like from an event celebrating the success of the 24 women who qualified as Badminton Coaches through the free Badminton Coach Training provided by the Muslim Women’s Collective and Newlon Fusion in partnership with Badminton England and GLL. The ceremony, in Stepney, was attended by guest speaker, Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets.
South London Botanical Institute
This week I headed to the South London Botanical Institute to photograph Sarah Davey one of the main gardeners at the Institute and was totally amazed at what a gem of a place I had found.
Founded in 1910 by a keen botanist, Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912), the aims of the Institute have remained almost unchanged in 100 years. Hume’s lasting contribution has been to provide an environment where those interested in plants, be they amateur or professional, may meet and develop their knowledge of plants.
Several generations of botanists have benefited from, and contributed to, the facilities available at the Institute. Today, members still enjoy, as they have done since the Institute’s inception, the evening lectures and field trips, the library, garden and herbaria.
During my visit a Brazilian artist was furthering her knowledge of botanical art making very detailed drawings from their specimens which totally added to the ambience and charm of the building which appears to have been untouched in a century.
I wish to return to SLBI again to develop a project about the Institute and I would like to thank Sarah and Nell for making this visit possible – I hope to see you soon!
