An expensive walk.

All of a sudden the annual church walk will require a safety assessment and a rolling road block costing £600.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/police-threatening-community-says-rochdale-3410035

It does make me wonder if the EDL and BNP marches required such costs and risk assessments before they could go ahead or whether this was all done and paid for them by the tax payer...

The 'coco-nutters' in Rossendale came across a similar problem this year - interesting read on what they thought about it...

Rossendale Free Press - coconutters-say-no-event-marshalling-1703962 (apologies couldn't post link)

Zaphod wrote: The 'coco-nutters' in Rossendale came across a similar problem this year - interesting read on what they thought about it...Rossendale Free Press - coconutters-say-no-event-marshalling-1703962 (apologies couldn't post link)

Zaphod: Welcome to the Forum. -------- I think this is your link:

http://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/local-news/coconutters-say-no-event-marshalling-1703962

It looks a bit like Clog dancing .. I wonder where this old British tradition originated from !

Thanks Mojo Hill.

New users can't post external links for 7 days unfortunately... The 'coco-nutters' do have there own website.

Watched them for the first time at Easter this year and was thoroughly impressed.

These sorts of parades, walks etc. should be encouraged not putting burdens on very small often voluntary organisations and churches. The 'Nutters' encouraged a lot of visitors and people to come together. The police should be embracing stuff like this to 'connect' with their communities, not putting barriers up.

Would love to know if the EDL and BNP marches were forced to follow the same rules.

They can be beaten at their own game.

There is no requirement that the police 'Marshall' such an event, 'suitably trained' people can do it, and I I am sure the police, who run speed awareness courses for £80.00 per head could be persuaded to lay on suitable training at an appropriate rate.

As to risk assessment, if churches (and other organisations) who are saddled with the mountain of paperwork surrounding 'Safeguarding' can't manage a tick the box risk assessment on traffic management then we are in a very sorry state.

Doing the pointless paperwork cuts the rug out from under those who would restrict our freedom. Saying it is 'too hard' and rolling over empowers them.

Zaphod wrote:Thanks Mojo Hill. New users can't post external links for 7 days unfortunately... The 'coco-nutters' do have there own website. Watched them for the first time at Easter this year and was thoroughly impressed.
These sorts of parades, walks etc. should be encouraged not putting burdens on very small often voluntary organisations and churches. The 'Nutters' encouraged a lot of visitors and people to come together. The police should be embracing stuff like this to 'connect' with their communities, not putting barriers up.
Would love to know if the EDL and BNP marches were forced to follow the same rules.

Zaphod: Protest Marches and Protest Rallies come under people’s legal ‘Right To Protest’ … a very different Kettle of fish where Police risk assessment seems to be a (public order) duty of their own ‘core’ role, also like happened for the Anti-Cuts Rally, Animal Rights' Protests, etcetera.

Agree that our traditional Community-led walks, parades and local festivals should be actively encouraged and supported by councils and police; perhaps this is a 'minority' view about what encourages communities, interactions, cooperative spirit, pride, identity and British heritage.

I found the website; an interesting, novel and colourful background, thanks.
The History of The Britannia Coco-nut Dancers http://coconutters.co.uk/history.htm

By Jove you’ve got it Hinch. I would gladly pay my share of pavement tax, in fact 3 times the rate with Lewis having 4 legs, if it would even out the burden on our poor motorist. Just one, or two caveats though. Motorist who use the pavement as car parks should be dragged to the stocks and roundly pelted with fag ends and other detritus flung from said motor car and charged pavement tax. Motorist who cut pedestrians up by turning left, approaching from rear (ooo matron), when crossing side streets or driveways should be named and shamed, especially the old sod who nearly run me down last week turning into the Royal Toby.

I note on the news today that Greater Manchester have been taken to court for breeches in air pollution levels, the main cause? Exhaust fumes, which kill more than smoking and alcohol related deaths put together. My my what a shocker.

I’m off for a walk got me high viz vest rear view mirrors and automatic forelock tugging device enabled to kowtow to my betters as they speed past gassing us.

Breath easy Old Regulator in Manchester.

Twenty years ago the Bacup Nutters would dance all day going from pub to pub, with very little audience, and the dance was apparently more informal, but it was the real thing. They are still brilliant. The more these events are blathered with health and safety, inevitably, the less real and spontaneous they become.