Author Archives: thephraser

Unknown's avatar

The Tree of Kindness – London

by

“We are a charity and social business providing homes, jobs, food and support to empower people to transform their own lives.
Our vision is a society where no one should have to be homeless. We challenge the status quo by pioneering solutions that create lasting change.” Social Bite

The tree in the photograph above was standing in the same spot last year – vivid and demanding to be noticed. This year I tried to catch the amazing light displays while passing on a bus, but they changed as fast as we moved, and the best result was this.

My first impression of the tree was that it was an eye-catching design statement, and I assumed that Charing Cross Station had decided that the season was right for some dramatic decoration. However, a little research soon ended that theory. The tree in the photograph is in fact the Tree of Kindness, put in this spot by Social Bite who describe themselves as “a movement to end homelessness”. Their foundations lie in a coffee shop in Edinburgh, where a young, homeless man came to look for a job in 2012. Out of that first contact grew Social Bite.

Their website shows an impressive list of projects, as well as providing more information about the tree in London. The hope is that the public will donate to support the charity either delivering presents to the tree which will be passed on to those experiencing homelessness, (there are guidelines as to what and how to give on Social Bite’s website), or else that people might donate online (information about that too is on the website). I also read, in case you’re interested in taking something to the London Tree of Kindness, that it will be accepting donations until 8pm on Friday 22 December.

And if you’re not in London there are another four of these vibrant trees in Scotland – Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dundee.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

Unknown's avatar

Symbol of London – the Underground roundel

by

These ’roundels’ are such a part of London. Their colours make them easy to spot, and the simple lettering means that they can be read even through rain, and often from quite a distance.

This one is outside Charing Cross Station, and was photographed from the top of a bus. The pigeons flew off just as the camera clicked.

Apparently there is no one person’s name on the clear branding of the Underground signs, but it seems that the creative vision of two men in particular resulted in the symbol rooting its way through the city.

The man who designed the lettering on the roundel was Edward Johnston CBE (1872 – 1944). He was already well-known as a calligrapher when Frank Pick (1878 – 1941), the Chief Executive of London Transport, asked him to design the lettering for the capital’s transport system. The typeface – Johnston sans serif – was ready by 1916. The style, which must have looked different to most typefaces of its time, is now over a hundred years old and still doing well. It is clear and easy to read, especially when surrounded in the bold eye-catcher colours of the roundel. The design and lettering of the signs have been tweaked over the years, but they are still like beacons, whether you’re on foot or looking at a map, there they are, flagging up the transport options, and belonging always to London.

Edward Johnston loved good lettering for its ‘readableness, beauty and character’, and Frank Pick loved design for the harmony it could bring. At Frank Pick’s old school, St Peter’s in York, there is a memorial to him which reads:

“In tribute to Frank Pick 1878 – 1941 a scholar of this school. He served his fellow-men, made transport an art and sought beauty and good design in all things.”

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

Unknown's avatar

On a bus moving slowly through a busy London

by

“Kids believe in Santa; adults believe in childhood.” Cate Kennedy, Dark Roots

I knew London would be busy, but I did not expect it to be as busy as shown to me by the 139 bus, on diversion around Trafalgar Square to Oxford Street. And I did not expect to see so many Santas.

Halfway through the journey, I was busy wondering if the bus would ever be able to make its way through the stream of shoppers on a pedestrian crossing, when I saw the junction to our left crowded in red. I looked again. They were Santas. As I reached for my camera the bus began to inch, and then to accelerate forward. The result was the blurred picture above, confirmation at least of what I thought I’d seen. I’ve no idea where these Santas were headed, or where they’d been.

At last the bus made it to Oxford Street and I jumped off. By this time I was late, and the pavements were packed. They were also very relaxed. Too relaxed. They were having a good time, meandering like slow rivers, ferrying family groups and their packages to and fro. I dodged and huffed, trying to make my way around and through the window shoppers, and out-and-abouters, as best I could, praying hard that I wouldn’t get run over by a flourescent pedicab. Somehow I didn’t. Even more miraculously, I arrived where I had to … and just in time.

On my way back I decided to cram on to the Underground. That was a squished experience, but it did take about one fifth of the time it had taken the bus to reach the same point. The downside was there were no Christmas lights, and there was no sign of any Santas.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023