Reopen Harrison's Rocks Toilet Block
Contact the author of the petition
Please add your support
2014-01-02 20:26:49Dear Friend
You will be aware that to secure the long term future of the toilet block and campsite at Harrisons Rocks, the Forestry Commission will need to be convinced that a workable plan is available to secure the lease beyond November this year.
To achieve this, activist climbers and concerned locals have worked tirelessly developing a robust idea to present to the Forestry Commission. The idea centres on the formation of a CIC or "Community Interest Company" ( Read 'big society- not for profit organisation here) to effectively act as custodians for the facilities.
We now have until January 10th to gain support for the idea hopefully to ensure the Forestry Commission will not demolish the toilet block and camp site in Novemberin 2014.
We need you to add your voice of support . This will take just 3 minutes of your time. Please follow the link and instructions below:
1. Click on this link to the Forestry Commission website:- www.dialogue.forestry.gov.uk/visitor-facilities-at-birchden-woods-2013-public-discussion
2. It's not the easiest website to find your way around so please follow these steps so you don't waste time.
3. Click on 'see all ideas'
4. Click on 'highest rated ideas'. This will bring up the Birchden Wood Facilities CIC as the top idea. This is the name of the Community Interest Company that is being formed to save the Toilet Block and Julie Tullis Memorial Campsite.
5. On the Birchden Woods CIC panel click 'read and rate'
6. This will load our 'IDEA' document and comment. Cursor down to the bottom of all comments and click 'please log in to add comments and rate ideas'.
7. Under 'new user' click 'registration form' and complete this.
8. IMPORTANT - cursor down to 'add a rating' and put your cursor over the 5th star and it will say 'excellent' so PLEASE CLICK IT and you will see the revolving circle that means it is saving your 5 star rating.
9. If you want to add a comment of support, please do so.
Many thanks for your support.
P.S. If you are associated with a club, climbing wall or a group of friends who climb or who have an interest in what happens at Harrison's Rocks/ Birchden Woods then please forward this to them so that we can show the Forestry Commision that we want the toilet block to remain.
chris gibson
And here's the link...
2013-12-12 14:48:39The link to the forestry commission web site where you can Vote is:
www.dialogue.forestry.gov.uk/visitor-facilities-at-birchden-woods-2013-public-discussion
chris gibson
Please help secure the longterm future.
2013-12-12 14:38:27
chris gibson
Good News!
2013-11-17 18:36:44The Petition - as work in progress, was handed to Sport England with a copy to the BMC and the Forestry Commission at the meeting onthe 4th November. There was unilateral support from these stake holders for the facilities and campsite to be repaired and SPORT ENGLAND is currently
commissioning the work with a view to reopening facilities 'in January'. From conversations at the meeting it is apparent that the stakeholders did not
understand the value that Climbers, parishioners and other users place on the amenities and the strength of support you have all given through this petition has come as a bit of a shock to them all!
So well done everyone who signed.
The facilities are now safe until the lease Sport England
have with the Forestry Commission expires in November 2014.
The next major task is securing the long-term future at
Harrisons.
My own conviction is that the BMC should have a central role
in the continued management of the amenities which they have been running using Sport England (and Sports council before that) funding for the 40 years previous.
If you, like many of us, want the BMC to continue supporting Climbers in London and the South East in this way, please join me in asking them to do so at the BMC London & SE Area Meeting this Wednesday 20th November 2013, at 7.30pm Venue: The Alpine Club, Charlotte Road, London, Greater London, EC2A3QF (between Old Street tube and Liverpool Street Mainline stations) Open House. If you've never visited the Alpine Club- here is your invite.
Please join us in asking the BMC to take centre stage in securing the long-term future of Harrisons.
Or post your thoughts on their web page:
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/harrisons-toilet-block-meeting-update
Chris Gibson
chris gibson
Thank you again
2013-11-03 09:17:11Could I ask you to show how much you want this by encouraging just one more person to sign today?
In this way the petition will top a thousand voices- a number which must surely mean something to Sport England.
chris gibson
Save Harrison's Rocks Toilet block
2013-10-31 09:38:10Thank you all for a fantastic response. As I write 745 have signed, but more pressure is needed to really make a difference.
We need one big push before Monday 4th when a meeting between Sport England and the British Mountaineering Council takes place. Copies of this petition will be handed to both parties.
Could I ask you again to ask others you know might wish to sign but have not as yet to do so?
Please resend the link via facebook and twitter http://www.petitions24.com/reopen_harrisons_rocks_toilet_block
chris gibson
Well done!
2013-10-24 19:30:18chris gibson
Harrison's petition
2013-10-21 18:27:05Could I ask that if you have not already done so you circulate the link via face book and twitter?
If you belong to a club please circulate and encourage others to join the campaign?
With enough signatures Sport England will take note I'm sure.
Did you know that back in the '70s it only took 270 signatures to get the loos and car park built there in the first place?
Can you imagine the state of the rocks and woodland if the tens of thousands of people who have visited the rocks since then had not had the facility?
chris gibson