Saturday 13 October 2012

Barnet is in the spotlight again

Once more, the London Borough of Barnet finds itself in the National spotlight. The Guardian has a large article about how Barnet Council are completely disengaged from the community - http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/oct/12/friern-barnet-library-cuts-fight?commentpage=last#end-of-comments - Yesterday I attended the Friern Barnet Peoples library with Charles Honderick to film a couple of interviews for the film Barnet - The Billion Pound Gamble. We interviewed a refugee from Rwanda named Alfred who told how the library had literally saved his life when he arrived as a refugee with his children. His moving story is one of success and hope. His eldest children are at University. He told how he was able to recommence his own studies and how how was thrilled to find books in Latin and Greek at the library. The right wing press demonises Asylum seekers. Alfred dispels the lies and shows that as a nation we are lucky to have people from all around the world, who see Great Britain and the London Borough of Barnet as a safe haven.

You can find out more about the film at the film website  -  billionpoundgamble.co.uk - please make sure you come to the World Premier on Monday 22nd October at 6pm, at the Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley. It is only £1 and the Cinema would be worth a visit even if there wasn't a great film about Barnet being shown!

At a recent meeting with Barnet Council officials, I explained that Barnet will always find itself in the media spotlight, due to the huge numbers of journalists and other media people who live locally. This prophecy is proving true.

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