In mid September we posted an item questioning the negligence and profligacy of leaving the entire Kensington Aldridge Academy fully lit all night, and every night, thus wasting electrical power and causing light pollution and great inconvenience to neighbours in Grenfell Tower and elsewhere (notably the senior citizens in the sheltered housing complex on Silchester Road).
https://grenfellactiongroup.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/kaa-the-lights-are-on-but-no-one-is-in/
The picture illustrating today’s post is a ‘still’ borrowed at 2.50 am on Saturday 8th November from the Council’s live 24 hour live camera feed intended to advertise the merits of the new academy, locally referred to in jest as ‘The Westfield Academy’ because of its cloned design and garish cladding which makes it so closely resemble a Westfield Supermarket.
The picture clearly shows the obscene and unnecessary light levels still emitted overnight, and almost every night, from this building complex. Readers should note that the appearance of fully lit lower floors in Grenfell Tower is actually caused by the reflected glare from the overlighting of the south side of the academy. It is noteworthy also that the lighting on the north side of the academy (left of picture) overlooks the neighbouring sheltered housing complex for senior citizens on the other side of Silchester Road. No respect or consideration for the old of our community either!
This tends to remind one of the nasty sleep deprivation techniques used by police and military the world over to soften up prisoners for interrogation and/or torture. We suspect the comparison may not be entirely inappropriate.
Does nobody in authority listen, or pay the slightest attention, to the feedback they receive on this and other issues? It would seem not!
David Benson, the headteacher of the academy, appears to be a fairly reasonable man who has previously earned our respect by responding positively to correspondence from us. Please Mr Benson, can’t you use your powers to intervene now and find a remedy for this outrageous intrusion?
On a separate, but related note, we sent the email below to Melanie Rieder at the Aldridge Foundation challenging their breach of promises made earlier to engage meaningfully with the Lancaster West community on such (and other) issues:
Dear Melanie,
I hope that you are well.
The Lancaster West community was informed that the Kensington Aldridge Academy intended to engage with us and that residents of our Estate would be given the opportunity to meet the new Headmaster, Mr Benson, and tour the Academy campus.
We were told at the time, however, that Mr Benson was very busy and that we would have to wait until September 2014 before this “community engagement” would begin.
It is now nearly November 2014 and it appears that no effort seems to have been made by the Academy to reach out and engage with residents on Lancaster West as promised.
We would, therefore, like to invite Mr Benson to come on a short tour of our Estate so that he can see the slum like conditions we are forced to live in.
Before visiting us, Mr Benson might like to reflect on why £65+ million has been spent on the shiny new KALC project but despite the Council having £260 million in reserves his nearest neighbours are treated like less than human and forced to live downtrodden and defeated in Hell.
Thank you for your assistance with this matter.
Regards,
Grenfell Action Group
WE EAGERLY AWAIT A RESPONSE FROM MS RIEDER, OR PREFERABLY FROM MR BENSON HIMSELF. REGRETABLY THERE IS LITTLE MORE THAT WE CAN DO. ONE HAS TO WONDER ALSO WHERE OUR LOCAL WARD COUNCILLORS ARE, AND WHY THEY APPEAR TO CARE NOT A JOT ABOUT SUCH ISSUES.
Grenfell Action Group 