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Paxman speaks out for
Camphill "I had fondly assumed that the people who make planning decisions had some sense of priorities in life," comments Jeremy Paxman. "Assuredly, if the road was going to be routed across an old battlefield, or through a hedgehog sanctuary, there would be weeping and gnashing of teeth, protests from eco-warriors and the rest. They should find somewhere else to put their road." Jeremy Paxman spent a day at the Camphill community
at Newton Dee several years ago, meeting with residents and co-workers,
when he performed the official opening of a new agricultural building
within the community. |
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Sunday Herald: Camphill
"one of Scotland's hidden gems" In a moving article in the Sunday Herald, journalist Kenny Kemp highlighted the threat that Camphill faces from the proposed AWPR. He points out that the proposed by-pass would be just 50 metres from the bedroom window of his daughter Katie who has Down's syndrome. In an impassioned plea Kenny Kemp describes Camphill as a "one of Scotland's hidden gems" and says it is "too important a part of life to be bulldozed away". You can read Kenny Kemp's article on the Sunday Herald
website at http://www.sundayherald.com/42895 |
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Camphill residents
take campaign to capital Residents from the Camphill community at Newton Dee in Aberdeen are taking the Save Camphill campaign message to Edinburgh for the Scottish Parliament debate on the motion put forward by North-East Tory MSP David Davidson. Mr Davidson's motion, which already has the backing of 19 other cross-party MSPs is to be debated on Wednesday, June 23. Wearing Save Camphill campaign T-shirts and carrying a campaign banner, they are to greet MSPs attending the debate in Edinburgh's Lawnmarket. David Davidson's motion does not directly mention the threat to the Camphill communities for vulnerable adults and children, from the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, but it calls on the Scottish Parliament to do "everything possible" to allow the community to "continue undisturbed and to develop over future years". Click
here to read the official report of the Scottish Parliament
debate on Camphill. |
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Camphill pupil shuts
up shop Andrew Geddes, a 19-year-old pupil at the Camphill Rudolf Steiner School in Bieldside has shut his popular shop as he leaves the school after more than seven years. Andrew's shop, based in a converted garage on the school's Murtle estate, has raised some £200 since it opened its doors twice a week in January. The money he has raised is going to the Camphill Medical Practice to help the Save Camphill campaign. Clive Lancaster, Andrew's teacher explains how the shop came about: "It was difficult to find work experience for Andrew because of his disabilities. We realised that working in a shop might be most suitable and he went to help in the Camphill Blue Door charity shop." The charity shop is now located at Newton Dee and, because of his mobility problems, Andrew had to be taken along the busy North Deeside Road. As someone who is very disturbed by noise and movement, this journey became almost impossible due to the involuntary movement that each car and each noise provoked. "Andrew needs peace and quiet," Clive points out. "He is very disturbed by noise and motion, so every car caused him distress and provoked involuntary movement. But we wanted to carry on with the work experience for Andrew's sake, so we converted the garage. In many ways it was better for Andrew in that it could be built around him and his needs." The shop has been open twice a week, selling second hand goods, mainly toys. Another big attraction has been coffee and Andrew's own home made cookies. Among his most loyal customers have been patients attending the surgery at Camphill Medical Practice. Clive explains that noise and movement is even a problem in the shop. He, or Andrew's helper, will always try to warn him before the shop door opens, as the movement and noise will startle him. Even the noise of motorbikes across the Dee on the South Deeside Road upsets him. As a result he gets very tired just trying to keep his muscles under control. When Andrew Geddes, whose family live in Edinburgh,
first attended Camphill Rudolf Steiner School seven years ago, he
was part of a group of young pupils who built a giant playhouse
in the style of a Roman Villa, transporting bricks from the van
to the site on his wheelchair. |
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Parliament to debate
Camphill A motion, led by North-East Tory MSP David Davidson, will be debated in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, June 23 asking members to recognise the work of Camphill and the Newton Dee community in particular. Although it does not directly refer to the threat the Camphill communities in Bieldside face from the AWPR, the motion calls for parliament to do "everything possible" to allow the community to "continue undisturbed and to develop over future years". David Davidson's motion received cross-party support from 19 other MSPs - John Swinburne (Scottish Senior Citizens' Unity Party), Murdo Fraser (Conservative), Nanette Milne (Conservative), Phil Gallie (Conservative), Alex Johnstone (Conservative), Rosemary Byrne (Scottish Socialists), Eleanor Scott (Green), Mark Ballard (Scottish Green Party), John Scott (Conservative), Robin Harper (Green), Shiona Baird (Green), Bill Aitken (Conservative), Roseanna Cunningham (Scottish National Party), Brian Monteith (Conservative), Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Conservative), Jamie McGrigor (Conservative), Sandra White (Scottish National Party), Mark Ruskell (Green) and Dr Jean Turner (Independent). The text of David Davidson's motion is: "That the Parliament recognises the huge
investment in, and the excellent and unique work accomplished at,
the Newton Dee Village Community since 1940 and also at the 11 other
centres of the Camphill Village Trust through the provision of fulfilling
work opportunities and homes for adults with learning disabilities;
commends the pioneering health care provision available to residents
and the local community; recognises the impact this has on the development
of wide-ranging interests and participation in cultural and social
activities, and believes that everything possible should be done
to allow the community to continue undisturbed and to develop over
future years." |
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MSP raises Camphill
issues with AWPR team Following a visit to the Camphill Newton Dee community on Friday, June 4, Brian Adam, MSP for Aberdeen North has written to the AWPR team to raise the Save Camphill campaign's concerns. In particular he has asked the team about noise
issues both during construction and after completion. He has also
asked them if a tunnel could be costed - this apparently being a
solution that had been taken with a road close to a special needs
community in Switzerland. |
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Green MSP "100%
behind Camphill" North East Scotland Green MSP Shiona Baird has pledged her ongoing support for the Save Camphill campaign and other campaigns against the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR). Ms Baird says it is time the Scottish Executive started to heed public opinion about the damaging effects the bypass will have on the environment and local communities such as Camphill. "Building a road through an established community is wholly unacceptable, but putting members of a special needs community such as Camphill through this level of stress and uncertainty about their future is nothing short of shameful. I remain 100% behind their campaign." Ms Baird remains fundamentally opposed to the WPR. "The WPR has been promoted quite unrealistically as the only means to tackle traffic congestion around Aberdeen, when all the evidence suggests that better integrated public transport, investment in the cross-rail project and the re-opening of smaller stations would all help reduce vehicle use. "We simply can't go on road-building our
way out of congestion problems. Our countryside and local communities
must not be sacrificed to yet another transport project which is
doomed to failure." |
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Guardian article spreads
the word across the UK The Society Guardian, Wednesday's supplement within the Guardian newspaper this week carried an article about the threat the western peripheral route presents to Camphill. A comprehensive and informative article, the national coverage in a respected newspaper further highlights the issues and brings them to a national audience. The article constitutes the supplement's 'Off Diary' column of May 12th and is entitled The Road to Ruin. For the full story www.guardian.co.uk
Select the 'society' option, and under the heading 'Regulars', click
on Society Guardian supplement. |
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International support The Save Camphill Campaign is gathering support from across the globe: Visitors to the campaign website have come from 25 countries outside the UK, including many European countries, the USA, Canada, Israel, Taiwan, China, Australia and New Zealand. In addition, letters, donations and pledges
of support have been received from as diverse a list as California,
Berlin and Brunei, underlining that this is a cause which has truly
international backing. |
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Tory MSP says, "Save
Camphill or suffer delays" The Nanette Milne, Tory MSP for Northeast Scotland has called on the Transport Minister to revise the proposed route of the Western Peripheral Route (WPR) in order to save Camphill and end delays. In a letter to Nicol Stephen MSP, Mrs Milne drew attention to the serious delays that may occur if the Scottish Executive presses ahead with the proposed route. Mrs Milne explained: "Dr Geider of the Camphill Schools is in no doubt that there are serious health implications for students, associated with the disruption, noise and activity of the WPR.
"He has received legal advice which indicates there may be a human rights issue that the community is prepared to pursue right up to European Court level, if necessary. I am convinced that this is no idle threat and it concerns me greatly that the road could be delayed by several years if this route is pursued, against local feeling."
Mrs Milne added: "As a resident of Bieldside for over thirty years, I know the Camphill Estates very well. However, I admit that I had not appreciated just how great the impact would be until my recent visit to the site.
"The preferred corridor will destroy the community, which now houses some extremely vulnerable people and which for over sixty years has been a secure and peaceful haven for many of these residents.
"I am on record as a former City Councillor
as being opposed to the proposed route, my opposition then was principally
for reasons other than those I am now addressing, which are purely
concerns for the Camphill community." |
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Students Torcher Parade The Save Camphill Campaign was represented at the annual Students Torcher Parade, one of Aberdeen's main events of the year. Among the 40 colourful floats to leave the city's Marischal College on a busy Saturday night was one bearing the campaign message, banners and livery. The torchlit parade, now in its 115th year,
is one of the highlights of the students' fundraising year, raising
raises thousands of pounds for local charities and good causes.
Students in fancy dress from Aberdeen University, the Robert Gordon
University and Aberdeen College work together to create the decorated
floats, which travelled from Schoolhill up to Queen's Cross and
back down Union Street.
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Jeremy
Paxman has become the latest personality to speak out against the
threat to the Camphill communities in Bieldside from the proposed
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.