# Volunteer as a Snow Warden in Lambeth this winter!‏



## Gramsci (Sep 13, 2011)

Got this email from Lambeth. Make of it what u will.

Good afternoon,

This winter Lambeth council are looking for community-minded volunteers to help clear snow and ice from local streets and help keep the borough moving during periods of bad weather.
We are looking for individuals as well as members of community groups to become Lambeth’s first ever snow wardens and make our pavements and footpaths safer for everyone.

During the winter months our focus is on keeping public services and main transport routes running. We’re continuing with our usual winter maintenance service this year, but this still means that many quieter residential roads don’t get gritted. This is why we are offering you the opportunity to get involved and make a real difference in your local area.

We will give our snow wardens all the training and tools they will need, including; 

a shovel 
hi-visibility jacket
gloves
grit bin 
a supply of grit. 

We will provide community groups with additional equipment which can be shared amongst members.

Training sessions will be held during the weeks beginning 10 October and 24 October 2011, with some sessions during the early evening and some during the day. The sessions will be a great opportunity to meet and mix with other snow wardens in your area.

To sign up as a volunteer or to simply find out more about the scheme please reply to this emailor telephone *020 7926 0524*. Up to date information on the scheme can also be found at www.lambeth.gov.uk/snowwarden


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## zenie (Sep 13, 2011)

'we're all in this together'


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## weepiper (Sep 13, 2011)

They're doing this in Edinburgh too. Although seeing as last winter the city literally ground to a halt in some parts because we had snow lying on the ground up to two feet deep for up to a month, I can sort of see the point. I predict a number of public-spirited retired gentlemen having heart attacks brought on by vigorous shovelling.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 13, 2011)

Saw something about that in either the SLP or free newspaper

No good if everyone breaks their legs on the way to their duties though


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## pogofish (Sep 13, 2011)

I am kind of chuckling here!  Edinburgh, yes.  Lambeth!


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## weepiper (Sep 13, 2011)

pogofish said:


> I am kind of chuckling here! Edinburgh, yes. Lambeth!



Do they know something we don't?


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## editor (Sep 13, 2011)

I want the snow to stay! Where do I sign up for the 'shovel it back' group?


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## 19sixtysix (Sep 13, 2011)

Lambeth who failed to even grit after several days with out more snow the 50ft slide of 2 inch thick ice commonly known as a path at the entrance to Gipsy Hill station. Utterly useless fuckers.


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## 19sixtysix (Sep 13, 2011)

weepiper said:


> Do they know something we don't?



All about trams


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 13, 2011)

editor said:


> I want the snow to stay! Where do I sign up for the 'shovel it back' group?



You can come and shovel the snow on Brixton Hill towards your neck of the woods if you like


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## ddraig (Sep 13, 2011)

Cardiff press had a story about charging people for 'snow kits' ready for the winter
£1600!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-14224883


> Head teachers have until Friday to put in orders for the kits - two gritting bins and a spreader machine.
> A teaching union said schools do not have the spare cash while city GPs said "buckets and shovels" were cheaper.
> The council said the kits would improve school and community "resilience" in bad weather "until assistance arrives".



http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/l...6/city-schools-shun-snow-kits-91466-29187126/


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## pogofish (Sep 13, 2011)

19sixtysix said:


> Lambeth who failed to even grit after several days with out more snow the 50ft slide of 2 inch thick ice commonly known as a path at the entrance to Gipsy Hill station. Utterly useless fuckers.



Just fifty feet of two inches - wow!


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## 19sixtysix (Sep 13, 2011)

pogofish said:


> Just fifty feet of two inches - wow!



If they'd organised more than zero grit it might never got as fucking bad as it did. I'm fit and able on my feet and it was a fucking joke trying to get down the path. I bet they spent more on road humps than grit.


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## hmmph (Sep 13, 2011)

the email did give us a much needed laugh in the office


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## 19sixtysix (Sep 14, 2011)

Are there any con dem MPs living in Lambeth who can be asked to take part in this big society event?


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## Puddy_Tat (Sep 14, 2011)

Do you get a hat with "W" on it?


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## ajdown (Sep 14, 2011)

Whilst a great idea in practice, of course, the reality is that most of us living on these ignored back residential roads when it comes to gritting will still have to go to work and thus won't be able to do anything about clearing the roads.  The hill will no doubt be cleared and all the buses will be running so there's no excuse for us not to go in.

Why not use unemployed people or even low risk prisoners and get them to do something useful spreading grit instead?  If the schools are closed get the kids to work on it too.


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## 5t3IIa (Sep 14, 2011)

Massive mis-read  Volunteer as Snow White! Get a gift bin!


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## bluestreak (Sep 14, 2011)

speaking as an unemployed person i'm not sure i'd like to be used as drafted labour to ensure people with jobs can get there.

"oi, dolescum, here's your broom, now make sure that road's clear before ajdown has finished his breakfast"


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## ajdown (Sep 14, 2011)

It's not just those going to work though that would benefit, would it?  Many years ago I was unemployed for a while and jumped at the opportunity to do something productive with that time, I was living in the country then and volunteered to go and strim footpaths for the local council to occupy my time, as you can only spend so much time looking for and applying for the limited jobs that are out there and suitable.  That was before the internet was really common and things like jobsearch sites weren't around - you had the local paper and visiting the job centre, or cold letters to random companies - that was it.


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## Gramsci (Sep 14, 2011)

Im concerned its just a way to save money without saying so. Very Big Society/ Cooperative Council.


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## bluestreak (Sep 14, 2011)

oh arnold! you do make me laugh. tbh in this day and age anyone on the dole who isn't volunteering for something probably doesn't want to be doing something else with their time anyway.

that said, i've been turned down by the last two things i volunteered to do, that's how the market is at the moment.

but if anybody reading this thread can't wait for the snow so they have an excuse to give some of their time to manual labour for their fellow man, contact the lambeth volunteer bureau and you'll find some very worthwhile causes crying out for labourers etc.


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## Gramsci (Sep 14, 2011)

19sixtysix said:


> If they'd organised more than zero grit it might never got as fucking bad as it did. I'm fit and able on my feet and it was a fucking joke trying to get down the path. I bet they spent more on road humps than grit.



Exactly. The gritting lorries went out and only did the main roads. Its not rocket science. The Council could have gritted the pavements and roads in the side streets as well. What they see as main roads is Brixton Hill and Brixton road only. None of central Brixton was gritted even though its area of the Market and normally busy. So its not just "quieter residential streets" that are not gritted.

If u wanted to get grit yourself u had to be quick as the containers in the street ran out next day.

The Councils in London only have a few gritting lorries. Not enough to cover more than High streets. This wouldnt happen in other parts of Europe.

In West End last winter they had the street cleaners gritting pavements if there was a forecast of snow.


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## Kanda (Sep 14, 2011)

ajdown said:


> Whilst a great idea in practice, of course, the reality is that most of us living on these ignored back residential roads when it comes to gritting will still have to go to work and thus won't be able to do anything about clearing the roads. The hill will no doubt be cleared and all the buses will be running so there's no excuse for us not to go in.
> 
> Why not use unemployed people or even low risk prisoners and get them to do something useful spreading grit instead? If the schools are closed get the kids to work on it too.



I managed to help clear my 'back street' off the Hill with some neighbours...as well as going to work!! Get off your lazy fucking arse you whining twat


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 14, 2011)

Gramsci said:


> Exactly. The gritting lorries went out and only did the main roads. Its not rocket science. The Council could have gritted the pavements and roads in the side streets as well. What they see as main roads is Brixton Hill and Brixton road only. None of central Brixton was gritted even though its area of the Market and normally busy. So its not just "quieter residential streets" that are not gritted.
> 
> If u wanted to get grit yourself u had to be quick as the containers in the street ran out next day.
> 
> ...



I think you'll find that a large portion of the pavements on Brixton Hill were *not touched by grit*


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## netbob (Sep 14, 2011)

Personally I think this is a good idea. I live on the market which get's gritted and lots of footfall which keeps the ice away once the grit is down, but I can understand with council can't grit every pavement across the borough. (How many miles of pavement to grit in Lambeth in the window between it stopping snowing and people waking up in the morning?)


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## paolo (Sep 14, 2011)

zenie said:


> 'we're all in this together'



Indeed.

I'm doing two weeks on the bins.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 14, 2011)

memespring said:


> Personally I think this is a good idea. I live on the market which get's gritted and lots of footfall which keeps the ice away once the grit is down, but I can understand with council can't grit every pavement across the borough. (How many miles of pavement to grit in Lambeth in the window between it stopping snowing and people waking up in the morning?)



I realise they can't grit every side street, but with the ones they can't, why can't they bring back grit bins, chuck 'em in each road and let everyone do their own roads?


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## Wolveryeti (Sep 14, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I realise they can't grit every side street, but with the ones they can't, why can't they bring back grit bins, chuck 'em in each road and let everyone do their own roads?


cos people were nicking the grit.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Sep 14, 2011)

Wolveryeti said:


> cos people were nicking the grit.



Yeah, well that's London for you I suppose


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## netbob (Sep 14, 2011)

Wolveryeti said:


> cos people were nicking the grit.


That's what the email Gramsci got says they are planning (I think)


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## bluestreak (Sep 16, 2011)

look, i just wanted grit, alright


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## Gramsci (Sep 17, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I think you'll find that a large portion of the pavements on Brixton Hill were *not touched by grit*



I meant the roads. I know the pavements were hardly touched. Even in the case of the main roads they were largely free from snow as they are used day and night which pushed the snow to the edges.


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## Gramsci (Sep 17, 2011)

Wolveryeti said:


> cos people were nicking the grit.



How? The grit bins were put out for people to use. They emptied quickly- not surprising- and not refilled.


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## geminisnake (Sep 17, 2011)

Gramsci said:


> Im concerned its just a way to save money without saying so. Very Big Society/ Cooperative Council.



Of course it is, so then they can buy more overpriced sandwiches and chocolate biscuits!  Least that's what Dundee and Edinburgh City councils do!!
We clear our own path and the bit outside the house, always have done. Doesn't really matter coz the road often doesn't get done for a few days anyway.


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## Brixton Hatter (Sep 22, 2011)

geminisnake said:


> We clear our own path and the bit outside the house, always have done..


me too. but fcuked if i'm gonna volunteer for lambeth to do it and get a hi-viz jacket!


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## Badgers (Sep 22, 2011)

Wonder if anyone will follow a 'warden' down the road then 'slip' and sue for the incorrectly cleared snow?


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## Gramsci (Sep 29, 2011)

Or better volunteer then have an accident and sue the Council.

This is what the training is about. It would cover the Council if u had accident. They would say they trained you and you didnt follow procedure.

Friend told me that is real reason why companies do H&S training. To cover themselves.


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## Gramsci (Sep 29, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ9J8DdN2b0&NR=1

If I was given a mini snow blower id do it.


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