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Best Few
http://www.lifeisland.org/index.php
lifeisland.org is a support website for Manor Gardening Society Allotments in Hackney Wick, whose future is in jeopardy due to pending eviction from the current site.
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/gamesmonitor/
Notice board and discussion group for local activists concerned about Olympic developments
http://hackneyenvironment.org.uk
Hackney Environment Forum (HEF) is a network of groups and individuals committed to protecting and enhancing Hackney’s built and natural environment. HEF works to:
  • Raise awareness of environmental issues and solutions to problems.
  • Promote communication between local groups and individuals with an interest in sustainability and environmental issues.
  • Campaign against threats to Hackney’s environment which detract from the quality of life for local people.
    • Provide a point of contact and help groups and individuals to get involved in environmental action.
  • Set up meetings to bring groups and individual together around environmental and sustainability issues
    • To encourage local authorities, statutory and voluntary bodies and businesses to develop and implement good environmental policies.
  • HEF reports on campaigns, projects and views in its newsletter.
  • It has useful links to local green groups and organisations

Check the 'Olympic' topic for responses to Olympic planning applications.

http://www.hackneyindependent.org
Hackney Independent is a working class organisation based in Hackney. We are trying to stem the tide of New Labour’s pro-middle class policies, which are damaging the lives of the majority of people in the borough.

Politically, the working class is without a voice. The interests of the middle class have been prioritised locally and nationally for far too long. The quality of our lives and future generations is at risk from New Labour. Continual cuts in and privatisation of services ignore the real needs of Hackney’s diverse population. We seek to oppose them and encourage working-class political independence. However, we can’t do this on our own, and we need your help.

http://forum.insidehousing.co.uk/
Recent information about developments at the Clays Lane Estate
http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.403
This page provides links to outstanding LDA planning applications
Government
http://www.ippr.org/aboutippr/
The Institute for Public Policy Research is the UK’s leading progressive think tank, producing cutting edge research and innovative policy ideas for a just, democratic and sustainable world.
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/social_exclusion/
The Social Exclusion Task Force will concentrate on identifying the most at-risk and focus on specific hard–to–reach groups including children in care, people with mental health problems and teenagers at risk of pregnancy
http://www.direct.gov.uk/
Public Services all in one place
Citizens
http://lndn.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_lndn_archive.html
Diamondgeezer's 2012 blog features five walks photo-documented just before the July 2nd 2007 enclosure. Also follow the link in the right hand menu to his main blog in which he regularly writes about new developments around the Olympics Park. And lower down in the right hand menu in the link "olympics 2012" see what he had to say when the bid was won.
http://www.hackneyindependent.org/
Hackney Independent is a pro-working class organisation based in Hackney. We are trying to turn the tide of New Labour policies which are damaging the lives of ordinary people in the borough.
http://www.londonpoolscampaign.com/about
This is the website of the ‘London Pools Campaign’ an organisation set up by 6 of the threatened and closed London swimming pools to highlight the plight of swimming in the capital, particularly in the light of the government’s very recent commitment to combat Britain’s couch potato culture. Backed by Sport England, the London Pools Campaign is asking for 1. Greater recognition of swimming as a prime sport for healthy living and building local communities 2. Funding for London’s threatened pools 3. A London-wide strategy for promoting swimming and preserving the capital’s historic pools and lidos Following the Performance and Innovation Unit’s report A Sporting Future for All in December 2002, The London Pools Campaign welcomes the initiatives and commitments set out by The Government.
http://www.telcocitizens.org.uk/
The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO) is a diverse alliance of active citizens and community leaders organising for change. Over 35 faith groups, schools, student organisations, union branches and charities are in membership, across 5 East London boroughs.
http://www.lgtu.org.uk/
The London Gypsy and Traveller Unit works with Travellers and Gypsies in North and East London boroughs, and in particular Hackney, where the office is based. We use local experience to influence policy and practice across London and nationally, and support Gypsy and Traveller representation at all levels. London Gypsy & Traveller Unit, 6, Westgate Street, London E8 3RN. Tel 0208-533.2002 Fax 0208-533.7110
http://rampart.co.nr/
Autonomous social centre in Commercial Road E1
Hackney
http://www.dianeabbott.org.uk
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/
http://www.hackney-labour.org.uk/councillors/
http://www.meghillier.com/
http://www.clissoldleisure.com/stories/storyReader$64
For over two years in this website we have posed all those local urban-myth questions about our leisure-centre that everyone used to ask and talk about in the changing rooms (and that no one that should know will answer) in a forum that will hopefully be impossible for Sport England, Hackney Council and others to ignore. We have been pretty well ignored though despite the profile we have created for the closure. During the period of the closure we also hope that it will keep the centre in the public-eye and maintain pressure for a speedy re-opening.
http://opendalston.net/
OPEN is the trading name for Organisation for Promotion of Environmental Needs Limited, a not for profit membership company limited by guarantee. OPEN's objects are to promote excellence in the quality of the built environment, the provision of transportation and the provision of amenities, and to ensure that changes to these have proper regard to the needs of residents and businesses and the maintenance of a sustainable residential and business community. For more information please email info@opendalston.net
London
http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/nav.001002001001
London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games page
http://www.labourinlondon.org.uk/
http://www.london.gov.uk/londonissues/planninganddevelopment.jsp
National
http://www.culture.gov.uk/about_us/olympicgames/
We are the lead Government department for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp
The Thames Gateway & Olympic Legacy page
http://www.parliament.uk/
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
TheyWorkForYou.com is a non-partisan, volunteer-run website which aims to make it easy for people to keep tabs on their elected and unelected representatives in Parliament.

Newham
http://www.friendsofqueensmarket.org.uk/
Queen's Market, Upton Park is a thriving and profitable covered street market. Situated in the East End it has been in existence for over a century and is the heart of a vibrant community that draws in people from across London and beyond. Famed for its affordable and culturally appropriate produce, it is much more than just a market, it is a living information exchange and a communal space. Queen's Market is an important centre of employment as well bringing millions of pounds into the local economy. It exudes entrepreneurial spirit, tolerance and good humour. Little wonder then that Londoners love it. Sadly, it is now under direct threat due to the arrogance and irresponsibility of Newham Council. Local people are determined to resist the Sir Robin Wales' (Mayor of Newham) scheme to hand the market community over to far from saintly - St Modwen Properties Plc. See Alamy for photos.
http://www.newham.gov.uk/Services/2012OlympicGamesAndParalympicGames/
The London Games will speed up the regeneration of Newham, East London and the Thames Gateway forever, providing hundreds of jobs and business opportunities before, during and after 2012.
http://www.newham.com/2012Games/AboutThe2012Games/TheOlympicPark/ViewtheOlympicParklive.htm
This webcam shows live pictures from the main site of the 2012 Games in Stratford.
NGO's
http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/
URBAN FORUM is an umbrella body for community and voluntary groups with interests in urban and regional policy, especially regeneration. It was set up in 1994 as the national voluntary organisation through which local and central government could relate to the community and voluntary sectors on such issues.
Tower Hamlets
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/data/discover/data/olympics/
Waltham Forest
http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/index/2012games.htm
Housing
http://www.cohre.org/
COHRE is the leading international human rights organisation campaigning for the protection of housing rights and the prevention of forced evictions.
http://forum.insidehousing.co.uk/shwmessage.aspx
Recent information about developments at the Clays Lane Estate
http://www.londonchildpoverty.org.uk/
Monitoring child poverty in London
http://www.londontenants.org/Links.htm
A links page which connects to a range of agencies concerned with housing
Media
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/default/default.aspx
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/london2012/0,,1134327,00.html
The Guardian’s London Olympics page.
http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/
http://www.london2012.org/en/news
Recent stories from London Olympics organisers.
http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/
http://www.uel.ac.uk/risingeast
An online journal drawing content from professional academics to students, journalists and other writers concerned with issues arising from the transformations taking place in the East of London.
http://www.sportinglife.com/olympics/headlines
Olympic headlines from 'Sporting Life'
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/
News page
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/index.jhtml
Sport stories from the Telegraph.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/uk/
The Times and The Sunday Times online
Show more
Mega Events
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/people/s.szymanski
Academic economist critical of Mega event hype
Olympics
http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
The IOC guarantees the promotion of Olympism and the smooth running of the Games in accordance with the Olympic Charter. Discover in detail the structures, missions and financing of this prominent institution.
London 2012
http://www.derelictlondon.com/derelict_london_com.htm
This labour of love contains a section 'London 2012'. An excellent piece of photojournalism about the Olympic site before redvelopment.
http://www.london2012.org/
Connects to a range of agencies which are engaged in the roll out of the London Olympics.
http://www.london2012.org/en/news/publications/Candidatefile
Access to the original Bid Documentation
http://www.molas.org.uk/projects/report_tei.asp
London Olympics site information
http://www.notjustlondon.com/
http://www.petitiononline.com/2012hra/petition.html
Sign the petition here
http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/
"Our totally UNOFFICIAL 2012 London Olympics news forum is aimed at becoming a young, vibrant, and totally THE UNOFFICIAL 2012 London Olympics forum to visit - We aim to provide high quality, accurate, informative, and useful information to any visitors wishing to visit London and watch the London Olympic games in 2012... As to us, we are a dedicated team of Olympic enthusiasts keen to do our bit for the UK to promote the future 2012 London Olympic games, please note that we are not a multi-million £££ corporate business, and yes we do all have our own day jobs."
Construction
http://www.construct2012.co.uk/nav
News about Olympic constructors
Culture
http://www.culturalpolicy.arts.gla.ac.uk/research/research_introduction.html
In the lead up to Liverpool 2008, European Capital of Culture and the London 2012 Olympic Games, CCPR is developing its major events research strand with a mixture of academic and commissioned projects and a particular focus on Olympic-related research.
Jobs
http://www.youngfoundation.org.uk/index.php
This report provides useful information on the state of knowledge and preparation for the Olympics of two important, predominantly Asian retail and catering streets in London’s East End. As the report describes,these two streets, one in Tower Hamlets and one in Newham, could be affected by the impact of the Olympics for better or for worse. The report analyses what local retailers believe will happen to their street and to themselves. It also points to some of the possible hazards brought about by successful regeneration, in particular the danger of large retail chains driving out small independent and family-based businesses.
Skills
http://www.hlst.heacademy.ac.uk/olympics.html
HLST and the Olympic Games. London’s hosting of the 30th Olympiad in 2012 brings a unique opportunity to raise the profile of the subjects in our Network, their contribution to a successful event and to the long-term legacy of lifestyle enhancement which is promised. Our courses provide the professional skills, knowledge and understanding which are essential for success in such a multifaceted and complex event and to ensuring secure foundations for the future development, our research and scholarship, and our capacity to provide consultancy will inform practice.
Legacy
http://www.villierspark.org.uk/vpabout.php
Villiers Park Educational Trust was founded in 1924 as The Manor Charitable Trust by four old Etonians (Arthur Villiers, Gerald Wellesley, Alfred Wagg and Sir Edward Cadogan) to provide a charitable trust to run and support the Eton Manor Boys Club in Hackney.
Planning
http://www.beyondgreen.co.uk/
Their Mission Statement says: "Sustainable development is a tough agenda that people tend to think of as someone elses job. We help people to treat sustainabilty as an integral part of what they do. Our aim is to help make the ideal practical, working in close partnership with clients and their stakeholders to translate what once seemed like wishful thinking into tangible programmes and achievements. Beyond Green applies the principles of sustainable development to housing, regeneration, place-making, lifestyles, design, and communications. We conceive, plan, design, communicate, consult on, train, develop business models for and help to deliver sustainable developments." Their client list includes: Olympic Delivery Authority, East of England Development Agency, The Housing Corporation, English Partnerships, The London Borough of Islington, Manchester City Council, New East Manchester Ltd (urban regeneration company), The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, Unilever.
http://www.cles.org.uk/
Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) is an independent think-doing organisation involved in regeneration, local economic development and local governance. CLES brings together a network of subscribing organisations, which includes regeneration partnerships, local authorities, regional bodies, community groups and voluntary organisations.
http://www.persona.uk.com/olympics/
Lower Lea Valley, Olympic and Legacy, Compulsory Purchase Order Inquiry website. Objectors submissions available here.
http://www.edaw.com/inTheNews/pressRoom/pressRoom.aspx
The Olympic Masterplanners' News page.
Show more
Sport
http://www.olympics.org.uk/home2.aspx
Olympic Studies
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/00sa2.html
The modern Olympics were established with the highest ideals, including fostering international reconciliation. Yet in practice the Olympics have become the plaything of powerful interest groups, especially governments and corporations. So great is the divergence between rhetoric and reality that it makes sense to examine the assumptions underlying the design of the games. Help in explaining the Olympic trajectory may be found by looking for ‘design flaws’, namely problematical assumptions inherent in the conception of the games.
http://www.olympicsforall.ca/reading.htm
Links to articles and books related to the issues that concern the Canadian 'Impact on Community Coalition'. Includes useful material on the impacts of other Mega-events and Olympics.
http://www.royalroads.net/olympics/index.php
The OCRC website provides a clearing house for research materials concerning the Olympics in general and preparations for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games in particular. OCRC is a service of the School of Communication and Culture at Royal Roads University in Canada. Royal Roads University is located in Victoria, B.C., on Vancouver Island, which is a 90-minute ferry ride away from Vancouver and Whistler. The service was initiated by Professor Michael R. Real in the spring of 2006 with support from the Royal Roads University research office. If you have research studies on the Olympics, you are invited to submit them to us for possible posting on the website. You must have copyright clearance to do so. Has some interesting articles about the role of television in shaping the ideology of the contemporary Olymics at Selected Olympic Studies
http://olympicstudies.uab.es/directory/about.htm
"The Olympic Studies International Directory is the major reference source and research tool on a world-wide scale on documentation and research in the area of Olympic studies. The Directory aims to be an information and research tool as well as to facilitate the exchange of information between the Olympic academic community".
http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/96freedom.html
There are lots of reasons to oppose Olympic Games as we know them, not just the 1996 or 2000 games but all of them. A brief outline of ten reasons is given here. The points made here summarise ideas analysed in far more depth and detail in various studies. Unfortunately, critical analyses of the Olympics receive virtually no attention compared to the massive governmental and commercial promotion of the Olympics.
http://igeographer.lib.indstate.edu/v3.htm
A journal with a critical article on the economic myths of Olympic boosterism
http://www.uwo.ca/olympic
"The International Centre for Olympic Studies, established at The University of Western Ontario in 1989, was the first of its kind in the world. It remains the only such Centre in the Americas. It has as its primary mission the generation and dissemination of academic scholarship focused specifically upon the socio-cultural study of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement".
http://www.ioa.org.gr
"The International Olympic Academy functions as a multicultural interdisciplinary centre that aims at studying, enriching and promoting Olympism".
Other Olympics
Beijing 2008
http://en.beijing2008.com
Official Beijing Olympics website.
http://china.hrw.org/
Human Rights Watch on Beijing 2008.
http://www.olympicwatch.org/
Beijing 2008 & Human Rights.
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/beijing_olympics_2008/
China Digital Times (CDT) is a collaborative news website covering China's social and political transition and its emerging role in the world. CDT aims to use the new generation of participatory media technology to create a fully interactive network that will track and report news, facilitate conversations and debate, and share resources and knowledge in a virtual China community. CDT is run by the Berkeley China Internet Project out of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley.
http://www.freetibet.org/campaigns/olympics/background.html
Describes FTC's unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with the IOC and UK government regarding support for independent Tibet and action on China's suppression of dissent and press freedom. Has links to interesting reports and press releases.
http://www.playfair2008.org/index.php
Play Fair 2008 is an international campaign taking place in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games to push for respect for workers’ rights in the global sporting goods industry.
Salt Lake City 2002
http://preview.tinyurl.com/427379
Matthew Burbank, author of "Olympic Dreams: The Impact of Mega-events on Local Politics", challenges 4 myths about the relationship between the IOC and host cities. Published in the Daily Utah Chronicle just prior to the Salt Lake City games that resulted in a big corruption case concerning bid rigging.
Sydney 2000
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sydney/archive/0,,351496,00.html
http://www.gamesinfo.com.au
Archived Sydney 2000 web pages.
http://www.columbiajournal.ca/04-05/Games.html
Review of book about Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Vancouver 2010
http://2010watch.com
Vancouver Winter Olympics critical forum site.
http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/
Telling the Untold Story of the Genocide of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. Amongst other objectives they call for the support an international boycott of Canadian tourism and goods, and a boycott of the 2010 Olympics in British Columbia.
http://www.no2010.com/
"The 2010 Winter Olympics, to be held in Vancouver-Whistler from February 12-27, 2010, is today a very real threat to Native peoples, the urban poor (many of whom are also Native), and the environment. While cutting social services, healthcare, education, etc., the BC Liberal government is at the same time providing billions of dollars to construction companies & other Olympic-related industries. The capitalists are making millions, while the poor are literally dying in the urban & reservation ghettos."
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/ioc/index.php
The IOCC is a broad-based independent community coalition whose mission is to evaluate the development of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games from social, environmental and economic perspectives.
http://www.davideby.blogspot.com/
Thoughts and news from Pivot Legal Society lawyer David Eby on the 2010 Olympics, Vancouver, Olympic traffic lanes, housing and other city happenings. He writes: "I work full time with the Pivot Legal Society on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. My work there focusses on housing and policing, although it would be more accurate to say that what everybody down there is working on is directly related to poverty. I also work with the Impact of the Olympics on Community Coalition as a board member, working to ensure the Olympics in 2010 benefit all of Vancouver, and not just the fortunate few."
Sport
http://www.playthegame.org/
Ethics in elite sports by various European journalists
http://www.cleanclothes.org/news.htm
The Clean Clothes Campaign is an international campaign, focused on improving working conditions in the global garment and sportswear industries. There is a Clean Clothes Campaign in 9 European countries. These are Austria, Belgium (North and South), France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
http://www.transparencyinsport.org/links.htm
Website of Andrew Jennings, investigative journalist who has published books about IOC & FIFA corruption.
Tourism
http://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/en/fe/page.asp
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) had worked closely with key partners throughout the whole bidding process to ensure not only a successful result but also a sustainable legacy for the whole region. The success of the Bid is only the beginning of what will be an exciting and challenging time ahead. We will now continue this partnership working and play our part to deliver the Olympic and Paralympic Games and facilities that will serve the whole region for generations to come.
Sustainability
http://aworldtowin.net/frontline/CrystalPalace.html
Campaign to save Crystal Palace Park
http://www.campaigncc.org./
"Climate change is perhaps the gravest calamity our species has ever encountered. Its impact dwarfs that of any war, any plague, any famine we have confronted so far. It makes genocide and ethnic cleansing look like sideshows at the circus of human suffering." "We need to put climate change right at the top of the political agenda — it is by far the biggest threat to humanity. We have to turn this into the primary political campaign. That means keeping on the streets, keeping up the demonstrations and putting an enormous amount of pressure on our politicians." "It's not just ... that Bush has withdrawn from global agreements and global attempts to do something about this problem, he has actually quite deliberately gone about to try to destroy those attempts, and try to destroy any agreements to sort out climate change." George Monbiot
http://www.elbf.co.uk/
ELBF was set up in August 1997 as a forum for local birders to network more easily and to accumulate data on the local avifauna and most importantly to promote the importance of local patch birding. We meet on the second Tuesday in every month (except July and August) at 8pm, upstairs in the County Arms , Hale End Road , Highams Park , London E4. £1 towards room hire.
http://www.hackneyenvironment.org.uk
Hackney Environment Forum (HEF) is a network of groups and individuals committed to protecting and enhancing Hackney’s built and natural environment. HEF works to:
  • Raise awareness of environmental issues and solutions to problems.
  • Promote communication between local groups and individuals with an interest in sustainability and environmental issues.
  • Campaign against threats to Hackney’s environment which detract from the quality of life for local people.
  • Provide a point of contact and help groups and individuals to get involved in environmental action.
    • Set up meetings to bring groups and individual together around environmental and sustainability issues
  • To encourage local authorities, statutory and voluntary bodies and businesses to develop and implement good environmental policies
  • has useful links to green organisations
  • HEF reports on campaigns, projects and views in its newsletter.

    • Check the Olympic link for information about background and recent developments

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx
Show more
Thames Gateway
Transport
Cycling
http://www.bikeforall.net/
Everything you wanted to know about cycling but were afraid to ask
http://www.cyclemaps.net/
London Cycle Network and Minor Roads Cycle Route Planner
http://www.hackney-cyclists.org.uk/intro.htm
The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is the world's largest urban cycling organisation. It has a local group in most of the London boroughs, with larger memberships in the inner London boroughs. Hackney has more LCC members than in any other borough - almost 1000 at the last count.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp
Sustrans' Greenways for the Olympics and London - GOAL 2012 - vision continues to gather momentum. Working with Transport for London (TfL) we have produced more detailed proposals for six Greenway routes with links into the main Olympic Park.