Monday 14 May 2007

Actione Ecole!

Tonight's post bears witness to the creation of a community action group! a group with morals of steel and loin of cloth! This group shall fight the effort to undermine the School and persuade that most feared of adversaries - Sheffield City council, to relent its campaign to sell the School building from under its loyal tenants. Emotive rhetoric aside, will it work? Dunno, but its worth a try.

What am I rambling on about? well. The council have given notice to the tenants of the Heeley community centre building which is home to the School board. Originally we understood that we would be evicted by May 08, but we've all had letters to tell us to be out by the end of November. The building is home to a number of artists, 30 odd climbers and a number of community groups who use the downstairs bit. These include scout groups, sugar artists, womens writing groups, lesbians, martial arts clubs and a mystical group called the herbalists. They (the council) claim to loose £36000 a year on the building, and to be fair we don't pay much rent. There's something about a change in the management of the councils asset portfolio moving the management over to a group who have basically been tasked with cashing in some of these assets. So, this is how we get to the present. The building has been nominated as one of those that will be sold, and letters of intent issued. Thus far, there has been no formulated response as it wasnt known whether people wanted to fight for the building, but as of this evening, it seems people do.

Of the people at the meeting, Keith Hayman did a good job of chairing the meeting but the most useful input was from a dude from Heeley community trust called Andy. He had fought and lost a battle to keep St Annes grove (similar building, different area). His steer was that although St Annes had been fought and lost, there were less groups and users of the building in that case, and it was wilfully mismanaged into ruin. There was much more procrastination but ultimately Seb, Nic and Roy are our elected nominaries and we should feed our inputs to them for submission to the group. I plan to write a paragraph about what the school is, where it comes from and what it means. This is intended for inclusion any media coverage of whats going on. There was some discussion of involving a reporter from the star who is a climber apparently.

But will it do any good? well, I feel quite encouraged! I entered the meeting feeling rather that it was a done deal and that there would be no way we could change the councils mind. I still dont think we have a great case and that there is much chance to save the building, and to be honest, I have pretty much no spare time now, so worry about what I can contribute. But I do think there is a good chance we can at least extend the time before it comes to an end. I just don't think we will find anywhere else.

Anyway, climbing - was rubbish tonight. Felt good warming up but then tired fast when I started campussing. You need to be so on it to get anything out of Campussing. Nige looked amazing on the campus board, and Keith (arms like Legs) was doing one armers on the campus board! hellfire! got to get stronger! I want to be able to do one armers on the campus board rungs too! Think I need to take some weight off and train specifically for it! but then that makes me think - why do I want to do that? cos its cool! yes, but it doesnt translate into hard redpoints outside does it? or does it???? Anyway, got dead psyched for power endurance campus work and now think thats the way forward. Target is to get up 1-3-5-7-9 back down 9-7-5-3-1 then up and down again. Waddage!

Nothing really to report from the weekend except the excitement of finding a new finish to Ben's roof! dead exciting! after the hard cross to the good hueco, still move the left to the edge of the roof, only now bring right hand into undercut above the head, tension tension tension! and work those feet up before left go and go again to the penultimate hold, then finish with the right hand. Apparently this is how Ben Moon first did the problem. Ed 'I'm shit and weak' Robinson blazed through it nonchalantly. Rupert was on Evolution, Rich heap was filming, STONE IS ON MECCA!!! loads of people out. Not sure I like this populist revival of limestone. It was better when I had the crags to myself ;-)

12 comments:

Unknown said...

1. lets save the school
2. need to learn how to do campus rung pull ups
3. fuck me keith looks like a climbing shire horse
4. STONE IS ON MECCA!
5. STONE IS ON MECCA!
6. STONE IS ON MECCA!
7.Is that ed's number still that you gave me, i might hit the tor on thursday eve
8. STONE IS ON MECCA!
9.why the hell aren't you?

Unknown said...

10. that means keith looks fucking strong I'll have what he's having. and I doubt its a fish fingersandwich and a glass of health wine

Paul Bennett said...

I like your take on the groups that attended this evening! I feel that the building is a lost cause and that the best we can realistically hope to achieve is the council suggesting/providing somewhere else for us to continue training. I must say everyone was looking alarmingly strong (shire horse like) this evening, Nic put it well stating he could feel the testosterone within the room. Which rung was KB one arming? I'm psyched....

Unknown said...

the normal ones, not the new standard
but none the less
good to see you paul
get on the growth hormone

Paul Bennett said...

I've been hammering the weights like a true meat head for a good few months now, I would of thought even with my twig like stature something would of changed...
I can go one better than the one arming of the standard rungs, keenus was attempting one arm snatches on them one session!

Unknown said...

I heard that some years ago, Gaskins WAS doing a series of snatches on the normal rungs up there. 1-2-3-fail. Amazing. On a good day I have managed single snatches (ooer) on the biggest ones, but it isnt pretty and it makes my back hurt (?). Interestingly, when I wear my "posh" shoes for weddings, funerals and meetings, they also make my back hurt too.

Anyway, this is pointless rambling. James, I shall meet you at the Tor thursday. Went last night. Was bone dry and I was the only person there which was unbelievable, and whcih is why I also my medium term goal of Stevoloution into the Girdle Traverse, reverse pumpup the staminaband and finished up saline drip for the old school tick. Nice little link up. Going back there tonight anall.

Like you, was also shocked to see Stone on Mecca. Mortay, get to it!
And good luck with the School petition.

dobbin said...

Dammit - dont go tonight - go tomorrow night when winners go! Actually, I might open my account on Zeke. Its either that or its staminaband. One would be good training for the other of course. Ed, love the shoes analogy.

bonjoy said...

I think you'll find Tuesdays and Thursdays are the correct days to visit this establishment. You could go on other days....if you don't mind being laughed out of town whilst being pelted with eggs by the baying pack of hecklers

dobbin said...

I myself used to claim that wednesdays at the tor where the preserve of transient freaks and not for serious climbing heroes. Ah well. not going tonight after all - last night before going away tomorrow so gonna hang out with honey monster.

bonjoy said...

T'was fair brimming with folk last night. So much so I couldn't get of Revelations which was a pain! Had a go at PUTP instead. Did moves fine so have high hopes for a moderately unprotracted ascent.
Where you off to yoot? Climbing trip?

Unknown said...

Ended up going for a run last night instead along the tissington trail. She is training for a marathon and I am not, which is why I cant walk this morning. Grrrreat.

Die to overpowering peer pressure, I will be with the cool kids at the Tor tomorrow night.

dobbin said...

Re - climbing trip? wish it was but rain is so bad that I think the lakes will be soaked. Definately going to look at the stone and see what there is, but hold not much hope as think its wet.

Each year we have had a trip munro bagging in scotland around now, and the rest of the team are on their way as I type. THe other northern monkey (the rest are from london) has got a cartiledge tear to his knee, so is happy to go to the lakes and do some lightweight days out, but walking miles from anywhere with a tent strapped to your back strikes fear into his heart.

As I was driving home last night I thought - I dont want to go to teh board, I want to go out! so I did, and I will blog something later. Just got to pop out for 5 (and have a poo).