Elm Disease – the new reality in Prestonville

Have you noticed the waist-high tree stumps, stripped of their bark, that have been appearing on our streets? Elm disease, which we all thought would never reach us in Brighton & Hove is now a reality and we need to know what we can do about it.

This is why the Prestonville Community Association has arranged for Alister Peters, City Arboriculturalist to come and explain how elm disease is getting into the city, how to recognize the signs, and what can be done about it.

7.30-8.30, Tuesday, 7 NOVEMBER

St Luke’s Church, 64 Old Shoreham Road, BN1 5DD

The PCA will also be launching its new Street Trees Fund, to ensure that the lost elms can be replaced.

 

Neighbourhood Care Scheme coming to Prestonville

“Knowing Sarah is visiting really lifts my day. She is cheerful, dependable, caring and good at pushing wheel chairs! We have really good conversations and never stop talking.”

This is what Bea says about Sarah, a volunteer she met through the Neighbourhood Care Scheme (NCS), the befriending scheme run by the local charity Impetus, which helps people who are isolated or lonely in Brighton & Hove. Bea had contacted NCS when, in her early nineties, she could no longer get out of the house.  She was still mentally active and wanted to have real conversations about what was going on in the world.

Sarah enjoys learning about Bea’s life, and likes the fact that she is really open and easy to talk to. When she had worked as a carer, she had not had time to chat with the people she visited.

If, like Bea, it is hard for you to get out and you would like some company; or if like Sarah you would like to develop a nice friendship with someone you would not otherwise meet, why not get in touch and find out more?

Tel. 01273 775888

Email: ncs@bh-impetus.org

Website: www.bh-impetus.org

Great Get Together – 18 June, midday onwards

A street party for the whole community is being organised as part of the Great Get Together movement, inspired by the memory of Jo Cox MP.

It will be in area in front of the Chimney House pub, with all three roads closed to traffic. Bring your own picnic and enjoy a bar, live music and children’s games.

And then come along at 4.00 to the Hall and support the Prestonville Community Association AGM – a quick run-down on our activities of the past year, and the normal procedural stuff that needs to be gone through if we are to continue to operate as a registered charity.

Big Euro Lunch

A hearty lunch, provided by The Real Junk Food Company, was enjoyed by around 100 people outside the Exeter Street Hall. Children played on the car-free road, while adults turned their minds to the upcoming referendum and their feelings about Europe.

Young and old grappled with the Big Euro Family Quiz and if you would like to have a go, download it here. BIG EURO FAMILY QUIZ

 

 

 

 

 

Big Euro Lunch Sunday June 5!

Trees Freed!

Elms uncovered and ready to bask in the spring sun.

Down at the mainline railway bridge, the community’s golden elms are no longer hidden by a hideous hoarding!

Directional Media, whose name was on the advertising billboard, told us that they had passed our inquiry about it to the landlords.

In fact, the ‘landlords’ turned out to be the Council. The billboard was put up on Council land without permission.

And so the Council have taken it down.

Big thanks to Cllr Julie Cattell and the Council officers who sorted it out!

 

PCA meeting minutes – Big Euro Lunch!

Here are the minutes of a PCA committee meeting held on 29 April 2016. Including discussion of the Big Euro Lunch event we’ll be holding on Sunday 5 June – more details to follow!

PCA Minutes 16.04.29

 

Prestonville Community Association

The Prestonville Community Association (PCA) brings together people who live in the Prestonville neighbourhood of Brighton, or have other connections with it, such as through work, school or family.

Its aim is to support and enrich community life, and you are encouraged to use this website to do just that.

If you would like to post a notice about a community event, or to comment about something of local interest, contact us.

Councillors and Poet Back Our Trees!

 

 

 

 

 

Cllr Julie Cattell has reported the ghastly billboard covering up our Community Elms to the Planning Enforcement Team.

“Planning officers are actively looking into it,’ Julie said.  ‘Such a hoarding would generally need advertisement consent.  To date, no application has been submitted. 

 ‘Where an advert does not have the right consent we will consider taking enforcement action.

 ‘We’re checking ownership of that piece of land.  If an advert has been planted on council land without consent we could remove it without invoking planning rules – if that’s decided to be the correct course of action.’

Directional Media, who are selling the ad space, refused to tell us who owns the board, but they will be required to tell the Council when served with an enforcement notice.

Meanwhile Cllr Leo Littman has passed on this message of support from Ogden Nash 😉

I think that I shall never see
a billboard lovely as a tree.
Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,
I’ll never see a tree at all.

It’s called Song of the Open Road. Drivers stuck in the traffic jams leading to the bridge may appreciate the irony, with the billboard right in their faces.

The Argus has run the story too.

Free Our Tree!

This billboard just went up in front of the New England railway bridge. And in front of the two elms we had planted, as part of our community trees project, to make the spot a less ugly and gloomy place. They are Golden Elms, specially chosen for their glorious bright leaves.

You can barely see the one on the right now. The hoarding has blocked out nearly all its light and space to grow. If the hoarding stays, this young elm will probably die. Its companion will doubtless suffer too.

This is a staggeringly crass and insensitive installation. We’ll do our best to get rid of it. Keep watching this space.