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Let's get a new view of how to decarbonise our City Churches or any heritage building. The Church of England has committed to decarbonise their estate by 2030 and the City Churches are stepping up to this challenge. #StAndrewbytheWardrobe became the first net zero Grade I listed church 2 years' ago. Many others are making progress. But let lose a group of school students with engineering interests and let's see how they can innovate and learn about heat pumps, bore holes, geothermal and heat transfer from the underground and the Rivers under London. #MappingEnergy is part of the Square Mile Churches - Diocese of London project for a Sustainable Future. Year 12 students and engineers have been working on this as a science, art and history project. They visited several Churches and measured volume and temperatures and then measured heat levels in nearby tube stations working out how the comparative ambient temperatures could use piping systems to transfer heat into the Churches. A culminating event at #StAndrewHolborn allowed the students to speak about their projects and created a display of the City and its Churches and the links to the underground heat sources.  The models showed #StAndrewbytheWardrobe represented as having a flowing velvet gown. Brilliant work by The Bishop Wand Church of England School #StMaryWoolnoth inspired some imaginative responses so that we all sang Amazing Grace the hymn written by John Newton, its famous priest, and the model was inspirational with wonderfully detailed 3-D printed panels. Thanks to John Lyon School. The model will be on display briefly at #TheFleot Fleet Street Quarter and may then have a further show elsewhere in the City. Details to follow. Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Royal Academy of Engineering

I love bridges. When I was approached by Peter Wells-Thorpe about the work of Dale Inglis I was amazed that Dale had taken on as a project the painting of Cannon Street Railway Bridge as part of his exploration of River Crossings. Asked if I could find a location for an exhibition led to the kindness of Nomura who occupy Watermark Place in my Ward of #Dowgate which overlooks the railway bridge. What more fitting building and outlook? The paintings are amazing, created from a range of materials, from mixed media on canvas and panels, to oil on paper and spray paint on metal, each panel has an earlier life history, which informs the preliminary stages in the development of the work, but ultimately may almost entirely be submerged. The paintings are then subjected to a process of deconstruction, brought about by the use of paint remover, heat gun, blow torch, scraper and sandpaper. The layers of paint bubble, curl, shrivel and go up in smoke. Sometimes the destruction is nearly total and the process of building begins again. The result is … to be seen below. I used to be a regular commuter over #LondonBridge and it was always a moving sight to see the trains and bustle over the other bridges and especially as I looked towards Dowgate Ward with Cannon St Railway Bridge such a vital artery to the City –the paintings give such a feel of the energy of the bridges and the City. A direct link to my role as Board member of City Bridge Foundation. Many thanks to Nomura Peter and Dale.

Yesterday the formal Ward Mote took place to confirm my re-election as Alderman of the best ward in the City – #DowgateWard. Robert Howard presided acting as the Lord Mayor's Aldermanic Representative assisted by the Ward Beadle Christopher Cash MBE and Hon Ward Clerk Michael Stewart I was first elected to represent Dowgate as a Common Councillor in January 1991 and served as a councillor and deputy until 2002 when I was elected Alderman. I was the second women ever to take on that role in the history of the City. My #values and #purpose remain the same: To make the City of London the best place to work and prosper, where you can live healthily and visit expectant of surprises around every corner. I pledge to use my experience and drive to bridge the traditional with the innovative and ensure that what we are building is a sustainable City with a future for all and where responsible business and engagement creates a thriving environment. In my speech to the Ward Mote I updated everyone on the infrastructure challenges in the Ward - Transport for London works in Arthur Street; the foreshore works in the River Thames at Riverbank House and the possible planning application for a new floating Livery Hall at Swan Lane Pier. Alongside this is the future of the Church we met in which is being sold. Attendees took the opportunity to view #StMichaelPaternosterRoyal Next event is the Dowgate Business Forum on September 29th it will be in the early evening at about 5.30 in the offices of Natixis Investment Managers with a speaker from the Bank of England. Watch out for more details

How do you feel about the rough sleepers on our streets in the City of London? Whilst campaigning recently for re-election as Alderman I was frequently asked by the businesses and residents in Dowgate Ward about the many people sleeping rough. Most people were concerned and wanted to help, but felt unaware of what to do and also worried that no one was actually doing anything. The replies that I gave and the reassurances that I could give come from the fact that I know that the City of London Corporation with other agencies are working hard to help and assist those sleeping rough and in need. If you want to report someone then do use StreetLink an online reporting app.  Streetlink processes information on behalf of all Local Authorities, who then use that information to target referrals at the location described. You can use it outside of the City as well. You will be asked if you want feedback which you should receive. It may appear that the continued presence of a rough sleeper after referral is evidence of a failure in the system. It is important to note that this is not usually the case.  It can take time to sort out the best course of action. Rough sleeping continues to rise - both in the Square Mile and across Greater London.  City elected members oversee the work via a subcommittee, chaired by Dowgate member Mark Wheatley, which has been proactive in ensuring an operating protocol which helps officers and commissioned services work more effectively with rough sleeping encampments and problematic sleep sites. To date, the focus of this work has been around improving safety and hygiene at specific locations. The policy also enables officers to tackle anti-social behaviour, where it occurs. This work is now coordinated through a Joint Working Group chaired by City of London Police. The City's approach remains support first and the key commissioned partners include - St Mungo's, Thames Reach and Providence Row. The City of London Police have recently launched a survey and please look and reply to this to make your views known.  https://lnkd.in/ehX9pkiT

Inviting all electors, businesses, employees and residents in Dowgate Ward to the Ward Mote on Wednesday 18th June at 12.30. Would be great to meet you all at this special event. The Ward Mote is a short formal ceremony which gives you a chance to find out more about the Ward and my plans for future. #DowgateWard

How has the Thames Tideway super sewer changed the River Thames? The obvious answer is to give credit to the removal of the majority of polluting discharges into the River. A process that happens underground and out of sight and smell - thank goodness. But above ground, the delights of a series of new spaces, public art as well as gardens and playgrounds are emerging from behind hoardings. A river trip last week hosted by Tideway London and Open House London Ltd revealed the delights as described by Benedict O'Looney Architects and gave us a boatload of delight despite the rain and cold evening. See below the new Bazalgette Pier near Blackfriars where the Fleet collides with its big sister the Thames and a planted garden with a waterwall and splash area; by MI6 a wedding cake confection slows the flow and echoes the river’s curves; at Chelsea an island built entirely of brick echoes the Royal Hospital adjacent; Chambers Wharf still under construction. Concluding at #DowgateWard Great to see these sights and learn more of the history and heritage and future delights.