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Support from shoppers A group of Save Camphill supporters attended one of the main supermarkets in Aberdeen on Friday April 30th and met with a warm welcome from shoppers. The purpose of the visit was to highlight the
campaign and receive added support, both of which were achieved,
with over 300 signatures being added to a 'Save Camphill' petition. |
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MSP lodges Camphill
motion in Parliament The campaign to save a special- needs community that is threatened with being split in two by Aberdeen's planned bypass has received new backing from a North-east MSP. Tory MSP David Davidson has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting the impact on the Camphill Community at Newton Dee, at Bieldside, if the city's western peripheral route passes through it. Mr Davidson hopes to secure enough support from MSPs so that a debate can be held in the parliament. "I took the opportunity to visit Newton Dee and was struck again by quite what a special place it is and what a huge impact it has on the local community and the North East as a whole," David Davidson explained "My motion calls on the Scottish Parliament
to recognise the invaluable work done by the Camphill Movement at
Newton Dee and elsewhere in Scotland, and further afield,"
Mr Davidson continued, "and also that everything possible should
be done to allow the community to continue undisturbed and indeed,
to develop in the future." |
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"The Bill"
star adds her support for Camphill Trudie Goodwin, who plays Sergeant June Ackland in 'The Bill', has joined the growing support for the Save Camphill campaign, which opposes the routing of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route through the Camphill community for vulnerable adults and children in Aberdeen.
Trudie has a close family interest in the Camphill community at Newton Dee Village, where her sister-in-law is a resident. "Emma has been a resident in the Camphill community for around 20 years," Trudie Goodwin explains. "She is very happy there and has progressed to living in a self-contained flat in the village. But she still needs the support she gets from the wonderful community around her. "I know Emma and her many friends in Newton Dee are extremely worried and anxious about the threat that is hanging over them at the moment. It would be such a tragedy to destroy this magical place and undo all the good that has been done over the past 60 years. I can't believe people would stand back and let it happen. "We have to protect the vulnerable members of our society. That's why Emma and her friends need others to speak out against this proposal. They need to know they are not fighting this battle alone." Best known for her current role in "The Bill", Trudie Goodwin also starred in "The Gentle Touch", "Softly, Softly", "Fox" and "Love in a Cold Climate". Trudi Goodwin's support follows on that of fellow celebrity Timmy Mallett, whose brother Martin has lived in the Newton Dee community for 23 years. The Save Camphill campaign was launched in February to raise awareness of the threat the new road poses to the internationally renowned community of almost 200 vulnerable adults and children and the volunteers that work with them. The community believes its objections, which have been presented to the authorities consistently over the past ten years, have not been properly heard or understood. In the six decades since the Camphill Movement began in Aberdeen, thousands of vulnerable adults and children have been helped to reach their potential, thanks to the special therapeutic environment that has been developed in the community. This depends on a calm, peaceful atmosphere for residents who are often over sensitive, stressed by noise and many have complex medical needs and sleeping difficulties. There are also major concerns about a busy dual carriageway running through a community where many residents have either a fascination, or fear, for traffic. Often this is combined with a lack of appreciation of danger. Camphill began in Aberdeen in 1939 when Karl König and his followers escaped the Nazi regime and set up their pioneering community at the Camphill Estate in Milltimber. The Newton Dee community was established a few years later. Aberdeen is now at the centre of the international
Camphill Movement, which has 90 centres in 21 countries worldwide. |
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MP's backing for residents'
concerns Anne Begg, the Member of Parliament for Aberdeen South is backing residents at the Camphill community of Newton Dee. After visiting the community and speaking to residents to hear their concerns about the proposed routing of the AWPR, Ms Begg said: "The residents are quite clear in their request. They are not saying 'Don't build the road', but they want surveyors to look at a route which is further out". Ms Begg's visit was highlighted in local newspapers
and resulted in an interview on independent local radio. |
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Camphill community at
Newton Dee agrees to limited AWPR survey The Save Camphill campaign has confirmed that, following the recent meeting with the Minister for Transport, Nicol Stephen, the Camphill community at Newton Dee will permit a limited ground survey to take place on its property. The survey work it has approved is for two boreholes on the agricultural land within the Aberdeen community and a further four bore holes on land that the Camphill community leases at Ewe Haugh on the north bank of the River Dee. The work is part of the programme to establish the detailed route of the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR). The Save Camphill campaign was set up in February this year to oppose the proposed routing, which has the new trunk road dual carriageway slicing through the Camphill community in the Bieldside area of Aberdeen. The Camphill community at Newton Dee is home to almost 200 people, including vulnerable adults and children, and the volunteers who live with them. Commenting on their decision to allow this limited survey, Dr Stefan Geider, spokesman for the Save Camphill campaign and Medical Officer for the Camphill Community, said: "In the spirit of co-operation following the meeting last week with the Minister for Transport, we have decided to permit this limited survey work to take place on our land. "There are a number of possible routes through Camphill, which the AWPR team are looking at. The most destructive of these passes within 100 metres of some of the most sensitive homes in the community. We have been informed that this survey could lead to this most damaging option being ruled out before the planned route is finalised later this year. "We have also been given assurances that the six boreholes will be carried out in a manner that will avoid undue intrusion into the community, or damage to the land which has been farmed using biodynamic and organic techniques for the past six decades. "It is important to underline, however, that our decision in no way reduces our resolve to fight any proposal to put the AWPR through the Camphill community. At our meeting with the Minister we reaffirmed the objections that Camphill has repeatedly expressed over the past ten years. "We recognise there are economic arguments for an Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. But, we are determined that it must not be built at the cost of destroying the calm, safe and supportive therapeutic environment which is central to our work with vulnerable adults and children." The Camphill Movement was founded in Aberdeen
in 1939. Over the past 64 years it has helped thousands of vulnerable
children and adults to reach their potential. Aberdeen is now at
the centre of an international movement that has 90 centres worldwide.
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Roads team barred from
Camphill Around 40 residents and co-workers from the Camphill community at Newton Dee mounted a protest at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 30, when officials from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route team tried to gain access to the community's land to carry out survey work for the proposed road. Wearing Save Camphill T-shirts and waving campaign placards the group lined up in front of a tractor that had been strategically parked to block the access road. Senior co-workers told the roads team that they were refusing them access, pending legal advice about their rights to demand access. See coverage of the protest on the following media websites -
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TV personality gives
his support to Save Camphill campaign Television personality Timmy Mallett has joined the Save Camphill campaign to oppose the routing of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route through the Camphill community in the Bieldside area of Aberdeen. Timmy, who began his television career presenting on the Wide Awake Club on TVam, has a particular interest in the Camphill community at Newton Dee, where he is a regular visitor. His older brother Martin, has Down's Syndrome and has lived and worked in the community since 1981.
Timmy Mallett says he is horrified by the proposal to run the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route through the community: It's important to speak up for Martin and the residents in the Camphill community at Newton Dee - many of whom are unable to express themselves - and who need their interests protecting," Timmy explains. "The people at Camphill can't decide to pack up and set up home elsewhere if a dual carriageway goes through their community. For people like Martin, Newton Dee is their entire life. It has been Martin's home for more than 20 years. Some of his friends have been there much longer. "I care deeply for my brother and there must be another route for this road. Destroying the Camphill community is too high a price to pay, even for an important project like this." Timmy adds that his brother is a baker at Newton Dee and proudly adds that he makes "the best bread in town". Martin is also very involved in the community as a bell ringer and greeter at St Devenick's Church in Cults. He is also an avid supporter of Aberdeen Football Club. Timmy Mallett feels so strongly about the Save Camphill campaign that he has added a page to his website to express his support. The page is on his website at www.timmymallett.co.uk and is reached by clicking the "charities" link on the left. The Save Camphill campaign was launched last month to raise awareness of the threat the new road poses to the internationally renowned community of almost 200 vulnerable adults and children and the volunteers that work with them. The community believes its objections, which have been sustained over the past ten years, have not been properly heard or understood. In the six decades since the international Camphill Movement was founded in Aberdeen, thousands of vulnerable adults and children have been helped to reach their potential, thanks to the very special therapeutic environment that has been developed in the community. This depends on a calm, peaceful atmosphere for residents who are often over sensitive, stressed by noise and many have sleeping difficulties and other complex needs. There are also major concerns about safety and the destruction of the organic and biodynamic land which has been tended by the community for six decades. Aberdeen is now at the centre of the international
Camphill Movement, which has 90 centres worldwide.
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Camphill taking legal
advice on survey work The Save Camphill campaign has confirmed that the Newton Dee community is taking legal advice about access to the village for survey work in connection with the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR). The proposed routing for the new trunk road dual carriageway slices through the Bieldside community, which is home to almost 200 people, including vulnerable adults and children, and the volunteers who live with them.
Commenting on their decision, Dr Stefan Geider, spokesman for the Save Camphill campaign and Medical Officer for the Camphill Community, said: "We have been served with notice by the Scottish Executive requiring us to provide access for survey work in connection with the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. "The initial work involves access to put down markers which will be used for an aerial survey of the proposed route. The next stage would involve providing access for excavators and drilling rigs. "As a community, Newton Dee has taken the decision to permit access for the aerial survey but has notified the Scottish Executive that it is seeking legal advice over access for excavation and drilling equipment. "We have agreed to the aerial survey work because it involves little or no disruption and is therefore not likely to cause undue stress for the residents, or damage to the land which has been farmed using biodynamic and organic techniques for the past six decades. "However excavators and drilling rigs would not only damage this precious land, their presence would be extremely upsetting for our residents. That is why we are seeking legal advice in the hope that we can prevent this." The Save Camphill campaign, launched
last month by the Newton Dee community and Camphill Medical Practice,
seeks public support for re-routing of the proposed AWPR. The community
feels that their objections, which go back to November 1993, have
not been properly heard or understood by the authorities.
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Councillor backs Newton
Dee anti-road stance Milltimber and Bieldside councillor Matthew Duncan has backed Newton Dee in their campaign to oppose plans for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Mr Duncan was speaking after Newton Dee launched its campaign earlier today. He called justification for the road "dubious" and accused First Minister Jack McConnell of attempting to "buy Aberdeen" by approving funding for the road just months before last year's Scottish Parliament elections. Commenting on the matter Mr Duncan said: "As a member of Newton Dee's Local Management Committee, I am very supportive of their campaign against the Western peripheral Route. The justification given for the road is highly dubious, and flies in the face of actual research that has been carried out into the project. "The Oscar Faber report that was published in 1998 pointed out that the road would lead to a reduction in city centre congestion of just 2%. This seems to me to be poor value for money at an estimated cost of £120 million. "It seems fairly obvious that Jack
McConnell's announcement just months before last year's Scottish
Parliament elections that the Scottish Executive would fund the
road was a blatant attempt to buy Aberdeen for Labour. In that respect,
the move was a failure, but the villagers at Newton Dee are going
to have to live with the consequences."
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| Campaign launched to save internationally-renowned community Feb 24, 2004 A campaign has been launched today (Tuesday, February 24) to save the internationally renowned Camphill Community at Newton Dee in Aberdeen. The future of the community is threatened the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
At the request of the Camphill Community at Newton Dee and with the support of the Camphill Medical Practice, the Save Camphill campaign has been set up to oppose this route which will destroy the heart of the community. As currently planned, the new dual-carriageway trunk road would slice through the Newton Dee community at Bieldside in Aberdeen. Commenting on the decision to launch the Save Camphill campaign, Dr Stefan Geider, a general practitioner with the Camphill Medical Practice on the Murtle Estate, said: "We recognise that there are economic arguments for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. However, for more than ten years now, the Camphill communities have objected in the strongest terms to the planned routing. "Surveying work has begun in earnest and we are already seeing how this, in itself, is unsettling and stressing some of the children, their parents and adults in the Camphill community. "If Camphill was a site of special scientific interest, the road would probably not be permitted to encroach upon it. Surely a site of special human interest like Camphill must deserve even greater protection. "Our hope is that the Save Camphill campaign will raise public awareness of the threat we face and thereby motivate support to avoid destroying this precious community." The Camphill Movement, with 90 centres around the world, was founded in Aberdeen 64 years ago. Its purpose is to create safe and supportive communities that provide a home for vulnerable children and adults and which encourage them to reach their full potential. Dr Geider continues: "The therapeutic environment at Camphill depends on the calm, peaceful atmosphere for the residents who are often over sensitive, stressed by noise and many of whom have sleeping difficulties and other complex needs. "The safety issues are all too obvious. Many of the Camphill residents have either a fascination for, or a fear of, traffic. Often this is combined with a lack of appreciation of its danger. "The new road would also sever the links between Newton Dee and Murtle and destroy an area of farmland that has been cultivated using biodynamic and organic techniques, for 60 years. As a medical practitioner I am also extremely concerned about the effects of pollution and stress on the residents, many of whom struggle not only with complex needs but also suffer common illnesses such as asthma, allergies and epileptic conditions which would most likely be exacerbated by exposure to constant heavy traffic." Work, home, health, safety and recreation facilities for the residents are all threatened by the proposed road. In addition the campaign believes the Newton Dee residents' concerns have not been properly heard and understood. The Camphill community at Newton Dee is home to almost
200 people, including vulnerable adults and children and the volunteers
who live with them.
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