Two, free all-day Eltham Music Festival events

BY DANNY THORPE

Festivals in the borough are in full swing and, like hundreds of other residents, I have already enjoyed some spectacular crowd-pulling events. There is still a chance to see one of the stunning out-door performances which the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival is famed for.

The Parkfest events at local parks are ongoing, which provide the chance for residents to enjoy entertainments on their doorsteps as well as socialise with their neighbours.

For live music fans there are multiple opportunities to enjoy sounds from around the world and see talented local musicians perform.

There are two all-day Eltham Music Festival events on the next two Saturdays in Passey Place, off Eltham High Street which are free for all to attend. Other highlights to come include the Thamesmead 50th Birthday Festival on Saturday to celebrate the milestone for the town which is currently undergoing a major regeneration scheme.

Like many cyclists and walkers across the borough I was delighted to welcome the new link for the Thames Path at Charlton.

This £1.5million investment to connect a break in the riverside route means cyclists and walkers will no longer have to divert inland onto the busy Woolwich Road to undertake their journeys.

There are now no permanent obstacles to the route along the borough’s impressive eight-mile riverside stretch for journeys from Greenwich Town Centre to Thamesmead.

The development makes an important contribution to our work to improve cycling safety across the borough and make it more attractive to all.

Our ongoing work to improve air quality in the borough is also gathering momentum with two welcome developments. I am extremely proud that our rubbish collections are now to be collected by the world’s first electric refuse lorry.  Under a trial one of our old lorries has been retrofitted with an electric motor to give it a new lease of life and cut air pollution along its routes.

Another major bonus for residents is that it is also much quieter, so the loudest noise during early morning bin rounds could be our staff whistling.

We have now launched a consultation to ask residents where we should install easy-to-use street lamppost charging points for electric vehicles. This is all part of our work to encourage drivers to go electric and help reduce the dangerous polluting emissions from vehicles.

To take part visit www.greenwichlamppostcharging.commonplace.is

For listings visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/festivals

I would also like to invite all residents to come along and share their valuable views on safety in their communities with us at one of our Better Together meetings this month.

To check out the dates and venues for these visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/bettertogether or call the team on 020 8921 5585.

And finally for summer fun, and potentially life-changing inspiration, I hope as many young people as possible will take up the free opportunities on offer from the Futureversity holiday scheme. The programme, funded by the council,  for young people aged from 11 to 19 (or up to 25 for youngsters with disabilities) offers a dazzling array of 60 courses.

For details www.futureversity.org or call 020 7247 7900.

Pictures from the free Royal Greenwich Get Together on Saturday, June 30. There was a carnival parade, veterans’ presentations and performances from a range of artists including Jazzie B (Soul 11 Soul). An estimated 30,000 people attended the event in General Gordon Square and on the Royal Arsenal.

Danny Thorpe is leader of Greenwich council