LGR

London Greek Radio is important to the London Greek community for a number of good reasons. It is a medium through which those of us who live and work in the city can keep in touch, it helps the first, second and now third generation of British citizens of Greek origin be kept informed about issues and events that affect us all and third it is a focus point for a community that is, in many other ways, ignored or forgotten. So the message from Vizantinos is to make every effort to ensure that the station survives and thrives. It is fortunate that LGR now has people like John Kyriakides to help sort out its finances and we hope that his plan to streamline succeed.

Helen Nicholas

Meeting with the PM

I attended a gathering of Cypriot community leaders on Wednesday the 6th of May where Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Europe Minister Caroline Flint were the hosts. The event took place in the splendid Locarno Hall at the foreign Office.

It was interesting to hear the PM speak on the Cyprus problem and assure us of his profound commitment for a peaceful settlement. Lets just hope that action follow the words but the cynic in me thinks that this was a pre election photo opportunity more than a real initiative.

You can locate the moment via youtube all you have to do is google Cypriot federation then hit the various links on the site. Some good publicity there but for whom?

Nick Venedi

How are we organised?

Byzantinos has conducted a survey to identify how the Greek community receives information and is kept up to date in the Greater London area. The results show that we interact with each other in the following ways:

1. Church gatherings;

2. Social events; (mainly weddings, christenings or attending musicals)

3. Restaurants;

4. Schools where there are high concentrations of those of us of Greek origins;

5. Other family occasions.

We are also influenced and keep in touch through the following:

1. London Greek Radio (103.3 F.M.)

2. The two papers Parykiaki or the NEA

3. Through Apokrisi (soon to stop)

4. The Internet (face book twittering etc)

The survey shows that those of us under the age of 25 keep in touch via the Internet or L.G.R the findings support the idea that all age groups either listen to L.G.R some time or most of the time. Those over the age of 55 are more likely to keep up to date via the Greek papers produced here in London (Parykiaki or NEA)

The survey was based on a brief questionnaire of 60 people randomly selected from the phone book (because of their Greek sounding surnames) People were asked where they meet or socialise with other fellow Greeks and how they keep in touch with community events. The annual summer wine festival was the one single event that most people were aware of and L.G.R the most popular way to keep in touch with information and events.

Byzantinos will use this information to make proposals on how to organise the community more effectively.

Operation Greek Vote

The 2001 census shows that there are about 300,000 British citizens of Greek origin living and working in the Greater London area. These people are to be found in north and central London (Bayswater, Kensington, Southgate, Enfield, Haringey, Cambden, Islington)

Operation Greek Vote is an initiative through which people of Greek origin in London are encouraged to register to vote and take part in the elections coming up soon (European election 4 June)

There is still time to register and the 19th of May is the deadline for that. Nikos Venedi will be talking about this on London Greek Radio ( 103.03 F.M) the date will be announced here soon. So get everyone you know to go out and register. Every vote counts!!

You can also contact us via email : neobyzantinos@aol.com

Roulla