Balcony Blog # 2 - Derek
Derek, Gasgoyne Estate resident
“We’re so privileged to live in one of the greenest wards in London, surrounded by accessible space.”
Hi Derek! What can you see from your balcony?
Plane trees directly in front on Well Street Common, in the winter when the leaves go I can see right across to the City. I was once able to see St. Paul’s way off on the horizon until they built the Heron Tower and much else, my neighbour used to clean it’s windows until he became a plumber. There are some lively sounds from the Common which seems to have been discovered: I’ve never seen so many people socialising, there’s a party spirit partly enhanced both by relief from lockdown and by our good summer. Well Street Common is a favourite location and unlike Victoria Park it never closes! Can you imagine if Covid had emerged last December it would have been a disaster. I have noticed many more joggers of all ages and abilities, the smell of barbeques permeate the Common and the block’s balconies, all illegal but who cares. Skywards there are very few vapour trails, in the first month of the lockdown the air quality was amazing: no cars or planes, now with more traffic on Cassland Road it’s crept back to previous levels.
What does your day look like?
I am very lucky in having always done quite a lot of my work at home, so not much has changed in that respect. I’m used to organising my time and this gives me chance to squeeze in a few estate duties.
Fortunately there’s enough like-minded volunteers on Gascoyne to keep an eye on any vulnerable residents and organise. My media background has come in useful in helping to get essential messages out either as films or flyers - there’s so much simple software to make this easy.
The Community Centre is increasingly becoming a focus and the Residents Association has great plans. If things do go drastically wrong ahead this hub will be a key asset where people can gather in small numbers to distribute food, give advice, do keep fit.
Alana our chair (pictured, above) has set up mask-making workshops there, and, with limited resources, produces sizeable batches free for estate residents, while sales bring in income to invest in new sewing machines. The hall is also a centre for food distribution two days a week.
What are your worries?
I do feel keenly for young people, who are missing out on important schooling and personal development. Already opportunities for school leavers here in Hackney were a challenge for some sections of the community: there were certainly not enough apprenticeships and training. I was shocked to discover how low-grade some of the available technology is on the estate with young people doing school work on their phones. Sanctuary Housing our landlord made five laptops available on loan to young people to help with just that, but how do you make a choice when so many are needy young people on an estate of over 300 homes and when laptops are a lifeline? I’m not sure the essential extra tutoring will be available to help young people catch up.
What are you missing from the old days?
Being able to hop on a bus or train and feel relaxed about travelling, I am cautious and walk to most destinations if I can but I need to use public transport now and then.
How are people coping these days?
There is a remarkable mix on Gascoyne, there are a lot of single parents with children, who are struggling anyway, but the confinement and the worry of missed schooling has been stressful for some. Many of the professionals are working and doing OK remotely and a few now getting back to their desks. Freelancers in creative fields are struggling, I know at least one couple who have just given up their flat and gone to live with their respective parents; a furloughed neighbour in the concert business fears redundancy-post October. The prospect of five million unemployed is daunting. I remember the 1980’s with three and a half million on the dole, it was tragic - we need to be prepared for the worst. Fortunately there is a support infrastructure emerging from the crisis in so many communities, which hopefully will get bigger. It may well be needed!
What’s changed?
There is a distinctive bonhomie where people watch out for each other more and communicate more. We’ve always been very lucky on Gascoyne anyway because the four blocks are gathered round a central communal space which is an ingenious layout socially - you can see what’s going on, people meet and talk, children can play safely.
WhatsApp also keeps us in touch and if any issues pop up there is often an instant response. A vulnerable neighbour went missing for a few hours last week and residents were out looking for her. In fact she was at the hospital having a check up and returned safely wondering what all the fuss was about!
Good/bad - what are we going to lose when we go back?
The whole social landscape is changing, let’s hope we can sustain some of the spirit that has been built up because a lot of people are going to need help to deal with a whole range of shortcomings.
What will the community look like in Hackney Wick next summer?
A lot will depend on the virus but the community could emerge stronger. Many things remain reassuringly constant: our communal garden (pictured, above) is a good example. I’m especially looking forward to the vine we’ve just planted, which should look spectacular - we might even get some grapes. We volunteers were charmed by an elderly neighbour who chose to break her lockdown with a visit to the gardens, a space rescued by a concerned resident from being turned into a car park twenty years ago. We are so privileged living in one of the greenest wards in London surrounded by so much accessible space. Maybe more of us will venture out into it for gentle exercise – if we’re allowed to !
