Congratulations to local group PLAYING OUT, which has secured major government funding for its work in encouraging “resident-led street play activity” (that’s helping parents make roads safe for kids to play on).
The announcement of the cash injection came just as several streets around the City Centre were closed to traffic for the first ‘Make Sunday Special’ events. The latest bright idea of Mayor George Ferguson – who’s still having trouble getting his ‘boulevards of solar-powered giant inflatable vegetables’ scheme off the ground – five monthly traffic-free Sundays are planned until October, costing Bristol a total of nearly £200,000.
Whilst a boon to the street performers and circus groups paid to entertain, you can’t help but wonder if the money could be spent better elsewhere…
Certainly KWADS, the Knowle West–based support service for friends and family of those affected by alcohol and drugs, which has just had £180,000 funding snatched away by the council-supported quango Safer Bristol, could do with a bit of that JUGGLING-AND-MIME CASH.
So maybe KWADS could ask Fergo for some assistance – or perhaps not. Knowle West isn’t really fashionable enough for Fergo, and anyway kids there already play out in the streets safely…
Without help from Playing Out (director: ALICE FERGUSON – DAUGHTER of the MAYOR).
KWADs is not middle class enough, although im not sure of its current situation it wss a great support to the community!
Mr Ferguson should have been the Conservative candidate for his independance for supporting all aspects of the community isnt totally credible.
Theres something vomit inducing about wannabe middle classes and their ‘play out’ areas such as in Greville Road where Fergusons daughter lives. Or the ‘Home Zones’ in Southville where you feel youre trespassing if you dont live there- which coincidentally are where the councillors live. Ferguson needs to realise not everyone in Bristol aspires to be middle class or to have a holiday home in Tuscany and make their own pesto.
Ferguson is an opportunistic self-serving turd with no self-awareness and a huge capacity for self-deception and self-pity. Perhaps Bristol gets the mayor it deserves.
Real street performers have no interest in taking Ferguson’s money. The ones that do are aiding and abetting the takeover of our streets by corporate and political interests. Real street life is free and spontaneous. If you want to pay you pay. Fergo’s phonies are paid out of your council tax and blocking up your streets whether you want them or not.
Are you suggesting that George Ferguson had any influence in the decision to award government funding to Playing Out, and if so what is your evidence?
Cheshire chap again. I/we know all about cutting of funding to those in need of basic support. It’s not that long ago our county council did just that to a charity that provided 3 hours of respite care for my partner, allowing her some time to go into town (Sandbach) or, whatever. However, Cheshire East withdrew the funding leaving us (and many more) to go without or pay £15 an hour for the very nice young lady who came to us for 3 hours each friday. (one elderly couple were devastated, enough fof the wife, in tears, to say she felt like jumping of a motorway bridge!).