On Monday 16th December I led a delegation to meet with Sir Edward Lister, Boris Johnson’s Chief of Staff and head of Policy and Planning.

We pressed the case for reclaiming Deptford’s significant role in the London riverscape, capitalising on its heritage values and creating a lasting legacy.

Willi Richards from Master Shipwright’s House likened its potential to the building of Shakespeare’s Globe:

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Deptford to capitalise on its impressive heritage assets to create a vibrant contribution to the river and to London life."

The group demonstrated how the whole central area of the site would have public value with a park at its entrance, the listed Olympia shed in the centre and a restored water basin leading to the jetty park.

Roo Angell and Bob Bagley presented their plan for Sayes Court and the John Evelyn Centre:

“This is a project to create a national centre for urban horticulture, delivering education, training, jobs and research set within the new garden promoting active participation in London’s green infrastructure. Changes in society have led to a long-term decline in people’s daily contact with nature in London. Sayes Court is uniquely placed to continue its powerful tradition of finding new solutions to this perennial challenge.”

Julian Kingston presented his plan to build a replica of the 17th Century warship, the Lenox, saying:

“The developers have given the site a body, but no one has got its heart pumping. The Lenox would give it a soul as well as a heart.”

We are offering solutions to the planners that meet local aspirations on these specific issues. There are many local objections to other aspects of the plan that will have to be addressed in due course, but none are compromised by the projects. We believe if these projects are adopted, Convoys Wharf can be and should be a jewel in London’s crown.

On Monday both Houses of Parliament paid tribute to Nelson Mandela. I chose not to speak because I didn’t have a special story to tell. Nonetheless, he was a very important part of my political life.

I joined the Anti Apartheid Movement as a student. It was a movement particularly well understood by multi-cultural London where, despite the universal right to vote, racial discrimination was rife and there were no laws to prevent it.

For the radical youth of my generation the causes were inseparable, justice at home and abroad.

Today’s young people cannot imagine a country where a minority of white people control the majority black population though a legal system that prohibited any contact between the races both in private and in public life. The whites controlled where black people lived and where they worked. They had to carry identity passes at all times. They were, of course, not allowed to vote.

2014 will mark the beginning of a four year programme to commemorate the First World War on a local, national and international level.

£50 million has been set aside to organise a number of events around the country, including the refurbishment of the WW1 galleries at the Imperial War Museum, a nationwide scheme to allow school students from across the country to visit WW1 battlefields and community projects designed to educate young people to conserve, explore and the share their local WW1 heritage.

The Heritage Lottery Fund is making grants of between £3,000 and £100,000 available to people wishing to commemorate WW1.  These grants are designed to help groups, communities and organisations mark the centenary by exploring, conserving and sharing the heritage of the First World War, from memorials, buildings and sites, to photographs, letters and literature.

If you are interested in applying, please visit the Heritage Lottery Fund website at www.hlf.org.uk.