For me, it all began about 7/8 years ago, on a beautiful sunny day. I was in the countryside, sitting outside surrounded by and soaking in England’s natural beauty. It was perfect, bar one thing. For almost an hour in the garden not one butterfly appeared. Even though I am not in the countryside a lot, I recalled a setting such as this will have a couple of them flying around. I spent the rest of my stay actively looking for them while outside and from inside, yet nothing. That got me thinking.
When I got home, I did a little research on why we’re not seeing butterflies like we used to? It turned out not only butterflies, but all of our pollinators are at risk and suffering from rapid decline. Because their natural habitats are being destroyed either for urbanisation or due to climate damage. These creatures mostly exist and fertilise by resting, eating and flying from flower to flower.
The loss of biodiversity was creating longer gaps between trips thus making pollinator journeys longer. Not all bugs were able to survive it. That’s when the idea of a Superhighway of connecting corridors to allow pollinators a continued and safe travel came to me.
So why Bee?
Because, in my opinion bees are the royalty of bugs and pollinators. Plus ‘The Bee Superhighway’ is catchy and has a nice ring to it.
Four years later I was elected Councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. That’s when I thought now I can really do something about it. I had the platform, an audience and the resources. All I needed was the setting. Which came about the flowing year when I became Deputy Mayor in May 2019. I am very proud to say, with the backing of the then Mayor Cllr Will Pascal, I hosted an event that launched The Bee Superhighway putting it firmly on the borough’s map.
Yes, it was my idea, my vision and dream, but so many people are behind it’s success and existence. I, and the pollinators are very grateful for all of them. I am not going to mention names, because I will undoubtedly miss someone, but you all know who you are.
Today, on this World Bee Day, I and the Bees thank, appreciate and celebrate you all!
Happy World Bee Day!
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]]>When parliament triggered Article 50, MPs knew what they signed up for. They knew they had two years to negotiate the terms of Withdrawal, followed by a withdrawal without a deal if a deal cannot be agreed.
Now, three years after the referendum and we still haven’t left. Parliament is stuck. Government is stuck. The country is stuck. The uncertainty of this stuckness is chipping away at our economy and slowly destroying us, as individuals, as communities and as a country, and it needs to stop.
Parliament now has a duty to break this deadlock. It is the job of MPs, as the elected representatives to deliver what the country instructed them to do. And deliver it despite personal views or feelings. We are now at a crossroad, our democracy is at stake and trust in our politicians is at it’s lowest because Brexit hasn’t yet been delivered.
The time to argue there wasn’t enough information during the 2016 campaign or the vote was advisory, or after three years people changed their minds or, or …… are all pointless. Frankly, they are also baseless, because in a democracy when people cast their vote they expect it to be honoured. They expect those they sent to parliament to represent them do as instructed.
That is why we must now leave. That is also why we must all support Boris Johnson. He has the commitment to honour what the country voted for. The leadership to carry it through, and the vision to be bold and pragmatic while delivering it. His choice of ministers and announcements to date are prove of it.
The PM and all his cabinet have repeatedly set out their desire for a deal, and their willingness to renegotiate and agree one. However, it is correct and encouraging they are all in agreement that if a better deal is not agreed we will still leave without one. This is the certainty the country and our economy has been craving for for three years and that is why we must all back Boris Johnson and stand united behind him to leave with or without a deal on October 31st.
]]>I decide to put myself forward to chairing the Family Services Committee. See below my address to fellow councillors:
I am writing to ask for your support in my decision to chair the Family Services Council Select Committee. Last year I served in the Adult Health & Social Care Scrutiny Committee, besides that experience, I bring personal and lived experiences to this role.
As a mother, a sister and a daughter, family is very important to me. It is the umbrella under which we rear and empower our young, and support and care for our old. As Conservatives, we understand that family is the foundation of every community and the bedrock of every society. By nurturing all our families, whatever shape or size, we enrich our communities and strengthen our futures.
Safeguarding of vulnerable children and support for families will sit at the heart of my chairmanship’s work as it is among the council’s most important statutory responsibilities. We have excellent schools. Both my daughters used local authority schools: first St Mary Abbott’s, and then Holland Park. They also used after school clubs and summer programme activities. It was the only way I could afford to work full time and raise them as a single parent. I was so impressed with our youth services provision, I became a trustee and campaigned alongside residents to save a failing local youth project from closure then helped to turn it around into a successful programme. Keeping the youth safe and occupied by providing them with after school activities is a lifeline for many parents. And, although I never adopted or fostered children, I came across some who did, many found the process good but some felt it needed improvements. If elected; I promise to closely scrutinise the process, in order to promote greater kindness and efficiency.
In my first year as a councillor, I shadowed Gerard (Cllr Hargreaves) and got to know and understand many aspects of the diverse communities in our borough. During that time, I understood good chairing and how to bring out the best in people – by giving a voice to those too quiet to hear or a little shy to speak. This experience, plus part chairing a number of meetings throughout the year, has allowed me to understand and appreciate effective chairing, collaborative working and respect to members’ valuable time and contributions.
As a member of the Governance Review Panel, I listened to and spoke with hundreds of residents: and it is because I know our constituents want to see scrutiny groups active and out in their communities that I am so determined to take on this role. At this Council, we want scrutiny to be more resident – facing, more geared towards policy development and less Town Hall centric. Those priorities directly respond to what residents told us they want from scrutiny. And to bring that dynamic scrutiny vision to life, we need people who believe in it.
Besides bringing life and personal experience into the fold, I can empathise and effortlessly relate to others’ experiences. That coupled with my calm and measured reasoning, will make me a suitable chair for this committee. I want to empower residents to be consistently engaged, trust the council more and not be afraid to come forward with new and untried ideas. I also want meetings to become extra efficient and run to time. Additionally, I want to engage members of the committee further by enabling them to have more say and bigger involvement in working groups. I want them to feel that their opinion and the issues they value are valued.
We are very lucky in this borough, as we have good public services and some of the best schools in the country. But the best is only as good as our commitment to excellence. And excellence can only be achieved with robust scrutiny.
Thank you for your time.
Walaa
]]>Our next leader needs to be optimistic, believes in Britain and her might. They also need to be someone who is ready to hit the ground running. The person to next lead us, must be able to unite and protect our country. Unite it by delivering Brexit no later than October 31, and protect it form Jeremy Corbyn by winning the next General Election with a working Conservative majority. He or she must also be able to work with the outside world and garner support for Britain.
And since this leadership contest we are not electing the leader of the opposition, we therefore, don’t have the time or luxury to develop and test an unknown, a fresh new face. We need a statesman, and someone who is readymade for the job. A candidate who becomes Prime Minister from day one. This person, also have to be a Brexiteer. We had a Remain PM and we all saw how that ended. This time we need someone who can deliver Brexit because they campaigned for it, believe in it and can deliver it.
Ladies and gentlemen, the only candidate who can do this is Boris Johnson.
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