Green Issues: July 2009

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Australian town bans bottled water

Related External Links

BBC spends £406,000 a year on bottled water

Commons bottle water use revealed

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Lambeth Country Show 18th July - 19 July 2009

If you are looking for something to do this week-end, head down to Brockwell Park in Herne Hill, South London for the Lambeth Country Show which will be taking place on Saturday 18th July and Sunday 19th July 2009 from 11am - 7pm. This two-day event is free for all to enjoy.

The show will be held in the Park and usually features a range of attractions catering for all. This is a yearly event that you must not miss.

According to this year's show guide, "The Lambeth Country Show always brings together a unique blend of traditional countryside activities with live music and entertainment."

You can look forward to hearing music from Red Earth and Soothsayers Collective as well as Black Voices, an acapella group and Latin salsa band Coco Xpress playing salsa and merengue music on Saturday. Little Roy, Michael Prophet , Sylvia Tella, Top cats featuring Brixton's Natty Bo will be playing on Sunday as well as The Buru Drummers, a Brixton based band. Prince Malachi and Jamaican Reggae Legend Johnny Clarke will also be featuring in the music line-up. According to the show guide, there will be many more bands on hand such as the South London Jazz Orchestra and Tea Dance.

Programme for Saturday 18th July 2009
Click on picture to enlarge

Programme for Sunday 19th July 2009
Click on picture to enlarge

Map of Lambeth Country Show 2009

Click on map to enlarge

There will be a number of Business, skills and work activities taking place at the show with talks and top tips on starting a business, employment opportunities and job advice including organisations such as the Waterloo Job Shop, Business Link and GAIN. If you need help with a CV, then you can take your current CV along for advice.

I was in attendance at the show where I was working last year, but I did have a chance, during my break and after the show, to go round and have a look and grab some freebies, which included free insulated travel mugs, cloth bags for life, energy saving light bulbs, panic alarm, wrist bands and a host of goodies.

At the show, I also bought a number of things including fudge in a number of flavours and some water bubbles for flowers. There were also product tastings for a range of juices, smoothies, lots of fresh fruit cocktails, ice cream, country cider and of course lots of food catering for everyone from vegetarian dishes to burgers with relish. I must say I had a taste of nearly everything going and I bought the fudge in coconut and rum and raisin, which was very enjoyable to eat.

Kids and families having a fun day out
at the Lambeth Country show

I went on a number of rides and screamed so loudly with excitement, I must say that I had a fun time. It was also very funny watching the faces of other people on these rides as they had the funniest expressions you can imagine *LOL*

Fresh fudge in lots of flavours

Pink Bouncy Castle

Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Tent

Midnight express funfair ride

Funfair and blue sky scene

Future Lambeth stand

Taking pride in Lambeth

There was a massive fun fair and lots of rides, bouncy castles, music and it generally had a festival atmosphere with a number of indoor stalls in huge tents featuring lots of fun things that the kids usually love. Google were there giving away free ice lollies, I turned my back for a minute to talk to someone and the ice lollies were gone in a flash and I remember thinking at the time when I saw the Google maps icon in the distance I thought to myself, is there anywhere that they don't get to, these guys are everywhere.

Google mobile demonstration

Another Google Demonstration

Huge Bouncy Castle and Google Maps Icon

Lambeth Markets

There was a huge focus on recycling and there were a number of recycling points to dump used containers as well as a recycling doctor surgery, and lots of competitions with goodies you could win straight away as well as art and a host of interesting things like demonstrations for good handwashing techniques, jobs showcase, free blood pressure and health checks, volunteering, drawing/painting and personalised sun hats for the kids.

Blood pressure check at the Clapham Park tent

Recycling Doctor Surgery - Open for Business

Lambeth First stand and friendly staff

Ladies deep in conversation at the Clapham Park Project stand

The Lambeth Country show is also a nice event to attend as you can meet a number of new people and bump into old friends you haven't seen for ages, particularly if you are from South London. It really is a nice fun day out for the whole family and even your dog. Last year the event was peaceful with a fun atmosphere and there seemed to be something for everyone from the kids to your grandma.

I have a number of pictures which I took on my camera from last year's Lambeth Country show 2008, so take a look as it will give you an idea of what you can expect at this year's show if you decide to go....