Page 3 - HGS Suburb News 134 - Spring 2018
P. 3

Holocaust Memorial event at the Suburb Library

                                                                                         Naomi Blake had survived                                                  PHOTOS: MARC HULL
                                                                                      Auschwitz and, after being
                                                                                      caught up in the international
                                                                                      chaos  following  World  War  II,
                                                                                      she finally made her home in
                                                                                      North  London.  Much  of  her
                                                                                      sculpture has focused on the
                                                                                      expression of her experiences –
                                                                                      but her work also promotes a
                                                                                      principally optimistic vision for
      The Suburb’s Community Library   with that grip strengthened by   invitation to the library trustees   uniting faiths, building under-
      marked Holocaust Memorial Day   the maintenance of her belief   to a workshop, which resulted in   standing and hope. “An artist is
      on January 27 in two ways:  in the possibility of goodness,  the library displays for Holocaust   a mediator, a channel through    Naomi’s sculpture has been
      •  A fortnight’s display of posters   and her subsequent artistic   Memorial Day in 2017 and 2018.  which motivations of the past...  extensively exhibited and collected.  Great Ormond Street Hospital,
      and available books, a majority   growth to  a huge oeuvre now   Secondly the information   hopes for the future are sub-  Her sculptures are permanently   Bristol Cathedral, the Holocaust
      of which were borrowed during   visible in so many public places.  received at the workshops about   consciously transmitted into   exhibited at over fifty public sites   Centre, Nottingham and Tel
      the period.                   The story brought hope that   local boroughs’ Community   forms and lines” and so her art   including Hampstead Garden   Aviv University.
      •  A talk on January 31 by Anita   humanity can be kind as well as   Engagement Officers, which led   affirms enduring human values.  Suburb Synagogue, Fitzroy Square,   JONATHAN SERES
      Peleg – Suburb resident and Trustee   ghastly, and that art and nurture   the trustees to research and then
      of  the  Government-funded  can save one’s spirit. Her mother   attend Barnet’s impressive (but
      Holocaust Memorial Day Trust   always believed in a ‘Glimmer   poorly publicised) Holocaust        Saving Suburb seats
      (HMDT) – about her mother,   of Hope’, the title given by   Memorial Day commemoration
      Naomi Blake, holocaust survivor   Anita to one of her books about   in Hendon on Sunday January   We are fortunate in the Suburb to   There is an RA initiative that   with the location and preferably
      and member of the Royal    her mother, now in the library.   28 this year.      have many benches for residents   tries to rectify the dilapidation of   a photo, to Harry at rabenches@
      Society of British Sculptors,   After the war Naomi journeyed   Thirdly he drew attention   to use to watch the world go by   benches. So please report any   hgs.org.uk and the RA will try
      currently living in Muswell Hill.   to British-ruled Palestine, staying   to the information from HMDT   or for rest if they have mobility   broken benches by e-mailing,  to have them fixed or replaced.
         The library was packed to   for the establishment of the State   that the post-war genocides in   problems, whether caused by
      capacity for the talk. Anita gave   of Israel, until she married her   Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and   respiratory disease, which, given
      the audience a unique, as well as   London-based husband, who had   Darfur, like the Holocaust, were   London pollution levels, are often
      inspiring, experience. The factual   escaped Nazi Germany. After   planned and carried out in the   in the news, or simply old age.
      background on the effect of the   enrolling at the Hornsey College   stages illustrated by the key   Many of our benches are the
      Holocaust on her mother’s town   of Art she eventually became   poster in the library; the lessons   result of bequests by residents,
      and  of  the  ‘death  marches’  of   today’s renowned sculptor, with   are still there to be learned, and   or memorials funded by the RA,
      1945,  briefly  but  graphically   works in cathedrals, churches,  the signs need to be recognised.   and others have been installed
      illustrated by the black & white   synagogues and parks across   He pointed out that in these   by Barnet.
      photos  of  the  time,  combined   the country, as well as abroad.  days of ‘fake news’, the testimony   The passage of time and the
      with her mother’s personal story,   The chairman’s introduction   of the historical record needs to   ravages of the elements can have
      from happy schooldays through   mentioned to those present three   be remembered, and the annual   a destructive effect on these useful
      to the death march  and then   other things. Firstly the originating   HMD is an opportunity to bring   pieces of street furniture and, as
      escape, gripped the audience;   effect in 2016 of the HMDT   this to mind.      our photo demonstrates, they
                                                                                      can become virtually unusable.
                Post Office raided by thieves                                                Trust grant giving


                                                            of the  forced entry,  and who
                                                            assumed there was a fight taking         (continued from front page)                                     DAVID JOHNSON
                                                            place on the street. Unfortunately   the  Trust  Council  on  its  grant   It was agreed that grant would
                                                            the thieves had made their
                                                            getaway before police arrived   giving. The Committee usually   be repaid and subsequently the
                                                                                                                 Trust Council asked the Grants
                                                                                      meets twice per year to review
                                                            on the scene. The shop front   applications  submitted  by  & Amenities Committee to
                                                            was so badly damaged that the   organisations and to make   review the Trust’s procedure for
                                                            newsagents could not open for
                                                            business the next day.    recommendations  to  the  Trust   future grants. The Committee
                                                                                      Council, who make the decisions
                                                                                                                 did so, also reviewing the recently
                                                               Mr Dave said, “I’m astonished   on all grants.    published Charity Commission
                                                            that the men were able to force   Over recent years the Trust   Guidance on grants to non-
                                                            open the shutter, which was
                                                            meant to be burglar-proof.”  has given grants to bodies such   charities, recommending that
                                                                                      as Fellowship House, the Orchard
                                                                                                                 each meeting be provided with
                                                              The  police  are  examining   Housing Society, Abbeyfield House,  a summary of the relevant parts   Any resident with a query
                                                            CCTV footage but the car used   Proms at St Jude’s, Garden   of the Trust’s Memorandum   regarding the Trust’s grant giving
                                                            for the burglary is thought to
                                                                                      Suburb Theatre, HGS Archive
      There has been a worrying spate   also taken from the till.  have been stolen. There were   Trust, St Jude’s Church, the Free   and the Commission guidance,  is invited to contact me, the Trust
                                                                                                                 to ensure compliance with the
                                                                                                                                            Manager, via the Trust office.
      of burglaries recently at some of   CCTV  footage  of  the  no  clear  images  of  the  men’s   Church, Resources for Autism,  Trust’s obligations.
      our local shops including a   burglary shows three men   faces in the recording and few   Alyth Synagogue, the Youth Music                          NICK PACKARD
      serious theft from the post   arriving by car at 2.30am. With   eyewitnesses to the event. At
      office in Market Place.    faces covered they can be seen   the time of writing there have   Centre  and  Northway  Gardens
                                                                                      Organisation.
         In the early hours of   forcing open the  protective   been no arrests.         Amongst other things the                                                    SYLVIA  COURY
      February 25 the popular W H   metal shutter covering the shop   Several shops in Temple   grants have contributed towards
      Smith newsagent and sub-post   front and then smashing the   Fortune  have  suffered  similar
      office run by Jitendra Dave was   glass door to gain access.  recent raids so it seems likely that   performing plays, replanting
                                                                                      important communal gardens
      raided and a large quantity of   Police were alerted by a   a gang is targeting local businesses.  and refurbishing a playground
       GAD_Suburb_News_137mm x 120mm_Layout 1  07/04/2014  17:15  Page 1
      cigarettes was stolen. Cash was   neighbour who heard the noise       GARY SHAW
                                                                                      open to all on the Suburb,
                                                                                      preserving historic Suburb archives,
           Property                                                                   outings, the repair of important   Trust grant recipients: Orchard Housing Society (top), Proms at St Jude’s (above)
                                                                                      taking elderly residents on
                                                                                      Suburb buildings, improvement
                                                                                      to communal facilities for elderly
                                                                                      residents, providing communal
           Lawyers                                                                    dining for residents and the             G Cohen
                                                                                      staging of an international
                                                                                      quality series of Proms events.
                                                                                         The annual amount granted
                                                                                      by the Trust has risen from under
                                                                                      £3,000 in 2006/7 to an anticipated
                                                                                      £29,835 in 2017/18 (the final             ANTIQUE SILVER
                                                                                      accounts are being prepared at
           Serving the suburb for 30 years                                            the time of writing).
                                                                                         To raise awareness of these
           You’ll want us on your side.                                               activities, the Trust publicises   We wish to purchase items of silver in any
                                                                                      grants in the Annual Report &
                                                                                                                       condition. As a long standing resident of the
                                                                                      Accounts and Trust Gazette,
                                                                                      which are sent to freeholders    Suburb,  Gideon  Cohen  is  happy  to view
                                                                                      and members of the Trust each    your silverware at home and will make an
                                                                                      year. Copies of each are         offer to purchase, free of any obligation.
           For fast and competitive conveyancing,                                     available on the Trust’s website
           call Oliver Joseph on 020 8209 0166                                        www.hgstrust.org
                                                                                         Following the publication of         17 The London Silver Vaults
                                                                                      last year’s accounts some members   53-64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1QT
                                                                                      contacted the Trust about a                   020 7404 1425
           746 Finchley Road, Temple Fortune, London NW11 7TH                         grant that had been given to a            enquiries@gcohen.co.uk
           Email: info@gadllp.co.uk                                                   member of Trust staff, correctly         www.gcohen.co.uk
           www.gadllp.co.uk                                                           pointing out to the Trust that
                                                                                      such a grant was not allowed
                                                                                      under the Trust’s Memorandum.
      SUBURB NEWS IS PRODUCED AND DELIVERED TO YOU BY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEERS                                                                             3
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