Latest news with #Southwark
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
From Roman London, a Jigsaw Puzzle for the Ages
The jigsaw puzzles that Han Li assembles at the Museum of London Archaeology, or M.O.L.A., are as bewildering as a Latin riddle. Mr. Li, a building-material specialist at the institution, has spent much of the year laying out 'thousands upon thousands upon thousands' of fragments of painted wall plaster that date to the early Roman occupation of the area around London, which began in A.D. 43. Mr. Li's task would confound even jigsaw buffs. The cardboard puzzles familiar from summer camp had straight edges and corners, and you could work from the outside in. The delicate fragments that Mr. Li and his team of conservators are refashioning have irregular edges and form no apparent border. Pieces are embellished with images of lyres, candelabras, flowers, white cranes and native plants. One is illustrated with the face of a woman in tears, recognizable by her Flavian-period (A.D. 69 to 96) hairstyle. Four years ago, the plaster was recovered during an excavation at a construction site in Southwark, just south of the Thames. The scraps filled 120 assorted boxes. Mr. Li's job is to carefully arrange, categorize and restore the original artwork. The frescoes that have emerged, the most colossal of which measures 16 feet by 10 feet, were hidden from view for more than 1,800 years. The museum's haul of discarded Roman-era plaster is the largest ever amassed in the English capital. Rob Symmons, the curator of the extravagant Fishbourne Roman Palace in West Sussex, called the site 'a discovery of the first magnitude.' It is not unusual for painted wall plaster to be recovered from Roman archaeological sites, but rarely is it found in quantities that it was in Southwark, he said: 'Also, it's unusual for excavators to have the time and expertise to attempt reconstructions like the one that Han undertook.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
BBC News
19 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
The 'bionic bishop' who broke every bone in his face
"I think it made me look very differently at life... at what really matters... the importance of one's health and wellbeing, not taking it for granted... and to value each moment."I'm sitting in Southwark Cathedral with its bishop, the Right Reverend Christopher Chessun, as he reflects on the night that changed his September, the taxi he was travelling in came to an abrupt halt - he didn't. He smashed his face against the taxi, breaking every bone in his face apart from his lower jaw."I had no face after the accident," he tells me. "The injuries were extensive, I wasn't aware of them at the time, I was just aware of my face crumbling." 'Cornflake face' The Rt Rev Chessun was rushed to St Thomas' Hospital, then to a specialist maxillofacial trauma team at King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill, south-east the team that night was Professor Kathy Fan. The bishop remembers their first conversation."She said 'Your face is cornflakes' but she said my airbag had protected my skull, my brain and my neck. She said 'It's my job to put it back together'... and that's what she set out to do." Professor Fan told him she wanted to make the repairs in one long operation - it would be complicated but she had one aim in mind."She told me: 'When I do it, I don't want people staring at you and thinking what's different? I want them to listen to what you're saying because you're a bishop'. "So again there was that massive sense of trust, confidence, the skill, expertise, the wisdom, the experience... all those things came into play and it took away that sense of trauma for me." 'Face is identity' Professor Fan told the BBC both eye sockets were damaged, his entire left cheekbone had dropped and "entire upper jaw was hanging loose". Most of the bones on his face were was keen to get the bishop back working again before the busy Christmas period and praised the efforts of the whole said: "I have a pretty amazing job. I always think it's a real privilege to work on people's faces: people trust us."We have the ability to try and put people back when they've been unfortunate enough to be injured."Our face is our identity - people look at us and make judgment about us so it's important to recreate someone's identity." There were moments when Bishop Chessun wondered if he'd be able to return to work, but three months later, just before Christmas, he was back at Southwark face is held together with numerous pins and plates - I ask if he considers himself to be the 'bionic bishop'."Something like that, I think I am", he laughs, and recalls a recent trip to the Holy Land when he feared his face might set of the airport scanners. It didn't. Nine months on, he is nearly fully recovered and can't praise the medical teams who gave him back his face enough."People look at your face - this is how they make contact with you - so your facial identity is a crucial part of things."I think that sense of being supported by the prayers of those in my diocese, those who knew me, those who cared for me, made an enormous difference."I think not just to morale but to confidence and sense of wellbeing. I had an underlying feeling that all would be well."
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour council ‘using socialist sledgehammer' to impose LTN
A Labour-run council has been accused of using a 'socialist sledgehammer' to establish a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) without proper consultation. The Kennington Triangle LTN, planned to cover streets in both Lambeth and Southwark, has provoked anger from local representatives who say Lambeth council has not informed them of the decision. The dispute comes months after a judge ruled that the same council must scrap an LTN in West Dulwich, saying Lambeth council had ignored residents' 'legitimate concerns' about the zone. Metropolitan Tabernacle Baptist Church said the Kennington scheme would 'adversely affect' its long-standing work in support of elderly worshippers. The church also runs weekly youth activities for more than 400 children, bringing many of them door-to-door using minibuses. It said the incoming traffic restrictions would block vehicle access, and reduce the street parking needed for staff and their accessible transport. Neighbouring area 'ignored' by council Graham Neale, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Southwark council, said as many as 1,500 homes could be affected on the Southwark side, including two 40-floor tower blocks, but no effort was made to consult elected officials or service providers in the area. 'They've used this sort of socialist sledgehammer. It's just the wrong way of going about it,' he said. He described the process as 'a dog's breakfast', claiming Lambeth officials failed to name any Southwark contacts when asked, and had only engaged with stakeholders inside their own borough. 'They consulted Lambeth libraries, schools, community groups, but nobody in Southwark,' he said. 'Residents have seen Lambeth flyers and are bombarding me with questions.' The LTN has been championed by Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Lambeth council's deputy leader, who was recently urged to resign after a judge ruled she had misled the High Court over the separate traffic scheme in West Dulwich. Mr Justice Smith ruled in May that the council had ignored residents' 'legitimate concerns' about the zone. It is the first time that an LTN, a zone where traffic is restricted in residential roads and fines are issued to unauthorised vehicles that enter the area, has been shut down by the courts. Campaigners from the West Dulwich Action Group said it set 'a powerful precedent' for residents locked in similar battles nationwide. A Southwark council spokesman said: 'We have worked closely with Lambeth Council to ensure residents in both boroughs have the opportunity to share their views. We will carefully review all responses once this initial engagement exercise is complete and will make a decision once we have weighed up all of the facts, ensuring it reflects the needs and concerns of local residents.' A Lambeth council spokesman said: 'We are committed to consulting with as many stakeholders as possible on these proposals to make local streets safer, cut harmful air pollution and improve people's health. 'That consultation is ongoing, we have distributed the engagement materials to people who live in Southwark, within the scheme area and beyond, to ensure people have a way of participating and provide their feedback. The proposals are still at formative stage and people have until July 7 to respond.''
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Tourist tax a 'step closer' in Southwark
Plans to introduce a tourist tax in Southwark, which could raise millions for the area, have moved a step closer after the local council agreed to go is home to some of London's most visited attractions and areas including London Bridge, the Shard, the Globe theatre and the Tate Modern art are 6,000 hotel and hostel bedrooms in the borough, and at average occupancy rates a levy could raise over £2 million. The revenue could be put towards community safety measures and general upkeep and maintenance of the area. The impact of visitors to areas such as the Bermondsey Beer Mile could be eased by a tourist tax contribution towards cleaning up so costs are not entirely shouldered by council tax Liberal Democrats on the council had originally proposed a voluntary, £2-a-night fee, which is already used in Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh, the Local Democracy Reporting Service was amended to the motion both the Lib Dem and Labour groups on the council agreed. The move comes after Brent Council passed a similar motion in July which could see a mandatory visitor levy on hotel and short-stay 3 million UK and international visitors attended events at Wembley Stadium. Brent Council said the number of visitors brings "very real challenges" and it wanted to make sure visitors "contribute fairly" to the area's upkeep.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Fake doctor jailed for carrying out unsafe and illegal circumcisions
A man has been jailed for nine years after a court found he had been impersonating a doctor to carry out unsafe and illegal circumcisions on infants and older boys. Mohammed Alazawi, 54, was convicted of 40 offences, including multiple counts of fraud, wounding with intent, administering and supplying prescription-only medicines, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday. He admitted 20 charges and was found guilty of a further 20 following a trial. Between October 2016 and January 2022, Alazawi performed non-therapeutic male circumcisions, a procedure in the UK that is unregulated and does not legally require a qualified medical practitioner. But the court heard that his methods were inherently unsafe and dangerous, transforming what should have been routine, sanitary procedures into unlawful assaults. In sentencing, the judge described his actions as a profound breach of trust and a serious threat to public safety. Posing as a doctor, Alazawi secured parental consent for these operations. The court heard how he would present to parents a bogus document attributed to Istiklal Hospital in Jordan that stated he was trained in circumcision. He explained to police after his arrest that he was a 'circumcision expert and a taxi driver'. Among the operations he performed was the circumcision of a two-week-old baby on a coffee table. Speaking after the verdicts in May, Judge Perrins said that the law around male circumcision should be changed because it 'remains almost entirely unregulated'. Anja Hohmeyer, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Alazawi had carried out circumcisions in 'unsafe, unsanitary and harmful ways', which demonstrated 'a blatant disregard for the safety of his young patients and the impact of his actions on his victims, their families, and communities'. Detective Inspector Neil Hunt from West Midlands Police 's public protection unit, who led the investigation into Alazawi spanning seven years, said: 'Some of his young victims went on to have complications following the procedures, like infections, and it was after one such incident in Birmingham that we were alerted and began an investigation. 'These complex enquiries went on to find many victims from across the UK. 'It has been the bravery and support of these families, some from as far away as Canada, in supporting our investigation which has seen this perpetrator jailed today.'
