V Festival - the great clean up

Over a week after the V rock/pop festival in Hylands Park near Chelmsford and the park area is still recovering. The adjacent campsite was littered with abandoned tents - another symbol of the throwaway society, I guess. And other litter marked many of the routes to/from the park. Not to mention parked cars damaged by buses speeding past on their way to the park.

Whereas 40,000 Scouts and leaders spent 12 days in Hylands Park - and the area around the park hardly noticed any negative impact. The Scouts have left a lasting legacy, having helped various community projects (see pictures on Writtle Parish Council website).

In common with most (?) local residents, I am happy to have V in the park. But the negative impact on the local area still needs reducing.

The budget of the EU : how is your money spent?

I know UKIP (and most of the press) never let the facts get in the way of their anti-European prejudices. But here are some of those crucial facts. Including how very little the EU actually spends, as a share of our total, collective income - 1% in fact. Not to mention that the EU Commission actually employs FEWER people than Essex County Council. See it all at The budget of the EU : how is your money spent?

Help Little Jack Strike Back - Campaign to stop formula milk promotion in the UK

I am backing the campaign to stop the advertising of formula milk in the UK, because a mother's own milk is best: Help Little Jack Strike Back

Although illegal since 1995, baby milk companies are still advertising formula products by taking advantage of loopholes in the law. NCT, Save the Children and UNICEF UK are calling on the government to tighten the laws and to adopt a complete ban on the advertising of all formula milk products so that parents can access impartial information on the best way to feed their baby.

Their joint report, "A weak formula for legislation: how loopholes in the law are putting babies at risk", was released on the 7th August and calls on the government to:

* ban the promotion of all types of formula including ‘infant formula’ (for babies six months and under) and ‘follow-on-formula’ (for babies over six months)
* stop formula milk companies from using their company name or logo on leaflets and in magazines as a form of advertising

Said the NCT: "How a baby is fed has profound health implications for both mother and child. It is very important that all parents, those that use formula and those that breastfeed, have access to reliable information based on evidence that is free from commercial pressure, in order to make the right decision for their child."