Channel 5 News - if you missed it

Channel 5 News DID show the 1 minute clip! You can see what was broadcast here.

Watch channel 5 news tonight 5.00 - 5.30

We are hoping that channel 5 will show a one minute film, today Monday 24th Nov about our campaign to save Morden Park from Goals. If you miss it you may be able to see the report on their website under the "your news" heading. Click here

Video: How Goals would ruin our field

Just take a look at this video to see why it is so important to stop the proposal to build a Goals Soccer Centre on Morden Park playing fields. The video contrasts how the fields are now with the way they would be if the Goals scheme went ahead. Scary stuff! Be warned: there is some swearing on the clips recorded at Goals.

Sundays activities

Well done to all those who turned out on Sunday to help us get some good video footage of the the field. We were really lucky with the weather! Karl and I are ploughing through the footage and pictures. Will post some here as soon as I get a minute.

Thanks again to everyone who turned up at such short notice!

"Green spaces promote good health", says study.

Richard Mitchell from Glasgow University has found that the difference in life expectancy between rich and poor shrinks amongst those who live in an environment with parks and trees.

The study makes the case that walking and spending time in green open spaces ( defined in this study as open, undeveloped land with natural vegetation) is more beneficial than taking exercise in developed artificial spaces.

Click here to read an account of this study in todays Independent

"The implications of this study are clear: environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities."

"Populations that are exposed to the greenest environments have the lowest levels of health inequality related to income deprivation,"

Here are just 2 quotes I found from this study that support our case against the Goals development.

Goals illuminations

Just have a look at the Goals centre in Raynes Park. Would this really enhance Morden park? Flood lighting doesn't look highly controlled and focused to me! Well done Imran for taking the pictures. Maybe we should ask people over the country to email us pictures of their Goals centre by night. we could build up quite a gallery!

grass v artificial surfaces

Grass

• It produces oxygen,
  
• filters rainwater,
• cools the air,
  
• is a useful home to plants and wildlife.

Yes it needs cutting and you can't guarantee playing football on it all year round, (though interestingly they seem to manage with it in the past )

Artificial surfaces

• adds to global warming. Heat from sun is reflected back into atmosphere rather than being absorbed into the ground
• leads to large amount of disinfectant being added to the soil. Cleaning off the blood, sweat and spit from artificial turf requires disinfectant and detergent where as these materials are easily absorbed and broken down by natural soil
• disposal of the artifical surface is a real problem. Goals plan to replace surfaces every 7 years yet we know that they are very real problems with disposing of the old surfaces as they don't disintergrate. Some landfill sites in America have banned them.
  

Yes, it does create a surface that can be played on all year run, 7 days a week, 9.00am til 11.00 every day of the year.