Martin Redston in high vis jacket protesting over redevelopment of Willesden Green library
I am sad to hear via social media of the death of Martin Redston, a Brent man of many interests, totally involved in our community. A model 'active citizen' who was terrier like in his campaigns for justice and afraid of no-one. My condolences to family and friends.
Martin in Neasden Shopping Precinct with the Christmas lights he funded in the background
I bumped into him on several occasions recently and he told me about his illness and the poor outlook. Nevertheless he kept going and was at the last Brent Connects meeting where, ironically, he backed my request made via the chat, that the meeting pay tribute to another veteran local local campaigner, Dilwyn Chambers. Now it is my turn to pay tribute to Martin.
Martin as actor
I am sure others will write about his involvement with Brent Arts, the Mad Hatters Theatre Club and other organisations but it is through the Keep Willesden Green campaign and later, his pursuit of Dominic Cummings that I best knew him.
Martin had his own civil engineering company, Redston Associates LINK
Martin was co-chair of Keep Willesden Green LINK, a campaign set up to fight the redevelopment of Willesden Green Library and the subsequent loss of the much-loved Willesden Bookshop, other amenities in the building, the open space in front and the Victorian library. We also opposed the sale of public space behind the library for a private development of flats.
In order to save the public space Martin launched a campaign to get it protected through designation as a Town Square.
That campaign, along with the effort to save the bookshop, was lost but the Victorian library was retained.
Martin's co-chair of Keep Willesden Green, Alex Colas said:
Martin's tenacious campaign to register the area in front of the Willesden Green Library as a town square failed. But his David-like fight against the Goliath developers and their Council allies galvanised residents in saving our Library turret as a local landmark. It stands as a fitting tribute to Martin's efforts on behalf of the local community.
Brent Arts said
Martin Redston, 1949-2022 , was long time chair of Brent Arts, a local charity.Martin was a tireless campaigner for local causes such as saving the Old Library and the Queensbury Public House, both in Willesden where he lived.He was a participant in art events including art shows held inside St.Catherine's Church, Neasden, community drama with Madhatters Theatre Club and the Kingsbury Operatic Society (KAOS).
On top of this he found time to sit on numerous local committees including the successful Neasden Festivals Group.Any messages of sympathy to his wife Sheila and family can be sent to stablesinexile@gmail.com
His most recent high profile campaign was over Dominic Cummings breach of Covid regulations where he launched a crowdfunder to raise £30,000 for a jusicial reviw of the failure of the DPP to investigate Cummings' actions. On his crowdfunder page he wrote:
My name is Martin Redston and I am bringing judicial review proceedings against the Director of Public Prosecutions for his failure to properly consider the actions of Dominic Cummings, the chief advisor to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in relation to a potential breach of Regulation 6 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020/350.I, like many other citizens, have fully complied with the Government’s lockdown requirements at all times. Despite the police and the public having been made aware of Mr. Cummings’ potential breaches of the rules since 22nd May 2020, there has been no investigation into those potential breaches in London.Why does this matter?The rule of law should apply for all persons, irrespective of any friendships in government. The public health measures which were put in place to protect us must be applied to everyone, including in particular those who helped to make the rules. A number of individuals in public office who have flouted those strict rules have resigned. That provided some accountability for breach of the law by those who are central to the public health message and the need to encourage full compliance. In respect of Mr. Cummings, however, representatives of the Government have taken to social media in support of him. The Attorney-General has tweeted in support of Mr. Cummings’ actions. This raises a real concern over the state’s obligation properly and fairly to investigate the case of Mr Cummings where a law officer has prejudged it by issuing a peremptory statement that sought to exculpate Mr Cummings, without due process of the law.
Martin lived long enough to see echoes of that case in 10 Downing Street.
Martin was passionate abour righting injustices and not afraid to take risks in launching legal proceedings. Many of his campaigns have been reported on Wembley Matters. Here are a few links:
Speech at Muhammed Butt's first meeting as Council Leader regarding Willesden Green Library (May 2012)
Reasons for Rejecting Willesden Green Library Plans (June 2012)
Public Inquiry into registration of Willesden Green public space as Town Square (December 2012)
Martin's comments on Public Inquiry report (February 2013)
Martin's comment on rejected of Town Square registration (March 2013)
Concern over the cutting down of apparently healthy trees by Brent Council (July 2014)
Martin launches campaign for judicial review of DPP's failure regarding Dominic Cummings (June 2020)
Guardian report on Martin's campaign (June 2020)
After refusal of case Martin says 'This isn't over yet' (November 2020)
Martin persists and ask for permisison to Appeal ther case (November 2020)
'We can't give up now' (January 2021)
The most recent intervention I can find is about the Neasden Gyratory system just 5 months ago on Brent's Have Your Say site !
3 comments:
I am saddened to learn of Martin Redston's death. We have been in touch occasionally in recent years, but he had never mentioned that he had cancer.
He has given support and encouragement over the campaign to save "Altamira", the locally listed Victorian villa in Stonebridge Park, from demolition by Brent Council, as part of its 1 Morland Gardens redevelopment.
As recently as 27 January, after receiving a local history circular from me with a "link" to Paul Lorber's article for Holocaust Memorial Day, he emailed me and Paul to say "Thank you. Very moving."
I first met Martin Redston 10 years ago, when we both played a part in the campaign to save the original Victorian 1894 section of Willesden Green Library building.
I got to know him better during an intense three months, up to and including the Public Inquiry over his application to have the open space in front of the 24 year old Willesden Green Library Centre registered as a Town or Village Green ("TVG").
The open space had been deliberately created by Brent Council in the 1980s, because that open space was desperately needed in the Willesden High Road area. By 2012/13, the Council wanted to give away 70% of the Library site to a developer, who would build them a new Library Centre over that open space.
When Martin Redston asked for my help, to give evidence on the history of Willesden Green in support of his application, we sat down and looked at what he needed. For his application to succeed, he had to prove that five tests required for registration had been met. It looked as though he might succeed with only 1, possibly 2, when all five were needed.
He was a man of principle, and despite the odds against him, he felt he owed it to his supporters in the local community to fight his case at a Public Inquiry.
Martin was even willing to pay a lawyer to represent him at the hearing, out of his own pocket, but I managed to persuade him that even if he did, he would still have to do most of the work, while the lawyer would pick up a fat fee (probably £10k minimum), even if he contributed little but legal eloquence to what appeared to be a lost cause.
With some help from me on the history, legal and tribunal procedure side, Martin fought his case for four days in front of the Planning Inspector, up against QC's and solicitors representing Brent Council and the Galliford Try subsidiary, Linden Homes.
He exposed some of the lies and underhand tactics that Brent's lawyers tried to use, so much so that, at the last minute, they refused to put forward one of Brent's key witnesses because they realised he would destroy that manager's credibility in cross examination.
When the Inspector's report on the TVG came out, Martin, with the help of his witnesses, who gave honest evidence, had proved 3 of the five tests, with one 50:50, but because he could not prove all five, his case was lost.
But it was lost with honour, with integrity, with commitment and tremendous effort, and on behalf of his community. That is why his death is such a loss.
I am so sad about Martin’s death. I worked with him on the committee which organised the Neasden Festival and the Neasden Lights and Father Christmas. He was a lovely man. Fiercely passionate about trying to improve the neglected shopping centre and utterly unafraid to call things as he rightly saw them. It wasn’t just about words either. He gave massive amounts of time and resource to the festival and to the lights. His visible legacy is the festive lights in Neasden which he personally funded.
He will be much missed.
Sorry to hear of Martin's death. I met him a few times over the last couple of years and liked his dynamism and sense of what is right. He will be much missed. Condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
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