From losing a leg in Havana Harbour at the age of 14 in 1749 as depicted by John Singleton Copley
to becoming Lord Mayor of London in 1796. He was known as the one-legged Mayor.
He lived at the Cedars (demolished in 1929) from 1801 to 1808 and is buried in Mortlake Cemetery.
Last Thursday it was announced that the Executive Director, Hannah Streeter, was leaving the OTT for prestigious pastures new in Stratford East in June 2025.
| This Monday, the Orange Tree Theatre was awarded ‘Theatre of the Year’ alongside Nottingham Playhouse at The Stage Awards 2025. Two big achievements in a week! A message from the OTT Artistic Director, Tom Littler and Executive Director, Hanna Streeter: |
| This time two years ago at Tom’s first board meeting at the Orange Tree, we were forecasting a huge financial deficit. We were struggling post-pandemic, not selling enough tickets, and as you’ll know we don’t get any core Arts Council funding. Seven of the ten best-selling shows in our 53-year history have happened since that board meeting. Our supporters are more numerous and more generous than ever. Our community work is reaching more participants in more ways than before. We’re nurturing the artists of the next generation. We’re back in surplus. We’re planning ahead for a transformational capital project. And this award is the icing on the cake. There are so many people to thank, but the biggest thanks is owed to our supporter community. You inspire and challenge us every day; you love new plays and old; your kids come to our youth theatres, and you’ve been with us for every step of this journey. You’ve enabled the ambition of our small but mighty theatre, and ensured that we can thrive long into the future. Thank you. |
Sheen resident Louise Hunt is well known in south west London as singer and songwriter LuLu Ash. Why Ash you might ask? With typical artistic thinking she combined the fallout from the Phoenix, one of her early songs, with the H of her surname Hunt. Rising from the ashes encapulates one of her guiding principles, overcoming adversity.
Her website at www.luluash.com describes her musical style as Cinematic soundscapes written from the heart and talks of dreams, distractions and sonic landscapes inspired by everything it means to be human. She draws inspiration from artists such as Kate Bush (to whom she has been compared), Tori Amos and Izo Fitzroy and is influenced by traditional Folk and Celtic music, which is where her roots lie, from Celtic parents..
In spite of attending a music orientated school, LuLu came to her musical career relatively late in life, but that brought the benefits of skills from an early career in accountancy and expertise as a systems analyst and IT. She started the guitar in her forties, having played piano by ear all her life, and then performed for 4 years as a singer in a duo with Noris Schek, a local professional guitarist and teacher.
LuLu writes her own songs, which include an album released last year called “A Trick of the Light”, which can be found on all streaming platforms and at Luluash.bandcamp.com. She is in the recording studio with local music producer, Niko Tsonev, two to four hours a week and combines that with her writing. Her songs are often based on poetry (“A Trick of the Light came from a series of poems entitled Enduring Love) and her own life experiences (the Ballad of LuLu Ash), as well as the life stories of others. She has another two singles lined up for imminent release, Break the Horizon and Bonnie & Clyde” , and is hoping to release four more during the year.
LuLu has performed locally at Sheen Lawn Tennis Club social events with her band Fox Haus, a five piece band which performs covers of other artists material. They are always looking for new gigs! She has sung at the highly prestigious local venue, the Half Moon in Putney, and at other venues both locally and further afield. She can be found performing at the Jam Sessions at the Barnes Home Guard Club.
Sarah Olney MP has now tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons
EDM (Early Day Motion) 650: tabled on 17 January 2025
The motion has to date been signed by seven Members, all Lib Dems.
That this House recognises the excellent work that the Parks Police undertakes to minimise levels of crime in parks across London; notes the important role they play in tackling anti-social behaviour in open spaces; acknowledges their expertise in their domain; understands park users’ appreciation of their presence in assisting with policing matters; and urges the Home Office to provide the Metropolitan Police with sufficient funding to ensure that cuts to the Parks Police division are not on the table.
What is an Early Day Motion?
Am Early Day Motion (EDM) is a motion submitted for debate in the House of Commons for which no day has been fixed. As there is no specific time allocated to EDMs very few are debated. However, many attract a great deal of public interest and media coverage.
They are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns. By attracting the signatures of other MPs, they can be used to demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.
It makes sense to include all the Royal Parks in the Motion, but given that they have deer herds and concentrations of traffic, Richmond and Bushy must be in a special category. And then there is the Site of Special Scientific Interest…..
Councillor Roberts has given notice to move the following Motion at a meeting of the full Richmond upon Thames Council at 7pm on 28 January 2025.
“Council views with concern the comments made by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in which he outlined his ‘worst case scenario’ which included reductions to various specialist units and the cutting of the Royal Parks Police.
Council believes the Royal Parks Police hold specialist knowledge, experience and expertise which would be impossible to replicate by other units within the Metropolitan Police.
Council calls on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Mayor of London to ensure sufficient funding is provided to ensure the survival of the Royal Parks Police and to mitigate impact on other services identified in the ‘Worst Case Scenario’.”
Can we have a stall for visitors to be alerted to Met Police plans to disband the Police Units in Richmond and Bushy Parks!
And what has happened since the Network Rail Assessment in 2017?
Their conclusion filed as evidence for the Brewery Inquiry was:
” even though Network Rail is currently managing the risk as far as is reasonably
practical at Mortlake it is the recommendation of this risk assessment for Network Rail to
engage with the local council/developers to not only establish possible user impact but to
broach mitigation options. At the time of writing a meeting with representatives of the
developer is planned for August 2017.”
The first concert of the All Saints Concert Series at 7pm on Saturday 1st February 2025 will feature 2023 Young Classical Artist Trust winner, violinist Hana Chang performing works by Mozart, Elgar and Strauss. Tickets are £15 – (students and children are free) – and will be available at All Saints Church on Sunday mornings in January and on the door on the night.
 | Richard AH White on Get your red flags out |
 | inspiring641c639631 on Get your red flags out |
| Richard AH White on Get your red flags out |
| inspiring641c639631 on Get your red flags out |
 | butteryluckye3eac174… on Sheen Rocks! |
