Lambethtalk
MONTHLY INFORMATION • DATES • CONTACTS • EVENTS • FEATURES • PEOPLE • PLACES
MAY/JUNE 2015
FREE TO YOUR DOOR
A cooperative council
2 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 3
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
Welcome
ADVERTISEMENT
to the May/June edition of
Lambeth talk
in this issue...
Regulars
News
Youth Mayor’s positive
stories
Lambeth Living
What’s on
4
8
16
18
Features
Vauxhall improvements
7
given thumbs up
Find out what you told us you
would like to see as part of the
plans to create a thriving centre
for Vauxhall.
Taking care of our
10
environment
Find out how we are getting
tough against anti-social
behaviour, our plans to improve
air quality and where to get rid
of unwanted items.
The election confounded pollsters and
the pundits, but I’m pretty sure there are
challenging times ahead for local government.
Local government touches the lives of people through
health and social care, school places, buildings and developments that affect
your neighbourhood, clean streets and green spaces. But the real impact is on the
funding we have to provide those services because most of it comes from central
government. As you know, that’s been halved which has meant difficult decisions
and hard choices for Lambeth Council.
Of course, we should always consider how we spend public money – your money
– on services that make a real difference, by preventing problems that cost more
to fix in the long term. We’ve achieved that working with over 1,000 families in
Lambeth, supporting children and their families at school and at home, into work
and out of multiple problems. Working with neighbouring Lewisham, Southwark
and Wandsworth we’re helping local people into jobs and training.
There is growing evidence that local knows best in building stronger local
economies and communities, but we need investment from central government to
support us. We also need more powers so we can raise revenue locally to invest
in new housing, keep the high streets you want and stop the spread of fast food
outlets, payday loan and betting shops.
Good government is about partnership, pragmatism and principles. That’s how
we’ll work with the new government over the river, but our priorities are rooted
and remain here in Lambeth.
Councillor Lib Peck, Leader of the Council
Listen to Lambeth
12
Listen to Lambeth, supports
young adults involved in crime
to explore new ways of thinking.
Taste the world at
13
Streatham Food Festival
This five day festival in June is
set to showcase Streatham’s
vibrant and thriving food scene.
Lambeth Country Show
15
The dates are set for 18 and 19
July and this year we’re getting
all lovey dovey.
Let us know what you think about any of the features in this edition on our
blog love.lambeth.gov.uk or join in the conversation @lambeth_council
To contribute stories, events or advertise in Lambeth talk, email
[email protected]. For our monthly enewsletter, sign up to
love.lambeth.gov.uk/newsletters
For council services:
Visit www.lambeth.gov.uk
Email [email protected]
Call 020 7926 1000
Sign up www.lambeth.gov.uk/mylambeth
CONTRIBUTORS: ANDREA
STEWART, BARRY NORRIS,
GILL YORK, HELEN MANNION,
JACQUELINE GOMES-NEVES,
JO PHILLIPS, MICHAEL
STRINGER, PAULINE MILLIGAN,
ROGER BLACKMAN
DESIGN: STEPHIE ROLFS
EDITOR: CHRISTINE LOUM
4 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
www.lambeth.gov.uk
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 5
www.lambeth.gov.uk
NEWS
Lambeth offers a primary
school place to every child
delighted that we have once again
managed to offer all these families a
place for the coming year.
“It is particularly pleasing that we
have seen another rise in the number
of children who will be going to the
school of their choice.”
Families applied for primary places
through a pan-London system which
linked Lambeth, the other 32 London
authorities and Surrey County
Council. They were allowed to list up
to six schools, in order of preference.
The number of families winning a
place at the school of their choice
has risen to record levels, with 84.6
per cent of applicants receiving
an offer for their first-preference
primary – up from 82.4 per cent
last year.
The combined total of those families
getting their first or second preference
is also up, to 94 per cent.
Lambeth Council’s Deputy Leader,
Councillor Imogen Walker, said:
“Deciding on your child’s first school
is a difficult process and we are
Lambeth received 2,993 applications
for primary school places this year,
a slight fall on the 2014 figure. The
vast majority of the applications were
made online, with the number of
paper applications falling from 609
in 2014 to 90 this year.
A total of 2,461 applicants were
offered a place in their firstpreference school, and 272 were
offered their second preferences.
Lambeth has a
new mayor
Counclillor Donatus Anyanwu has been
appointed as the new Mayor of Lambeth. He
takes over from Councillor Adedamola Aminu
who has performed the ceremonial duties since February last year.
The new Deputy Mayor is Councillor Saleha Jaffer.
Lambeth Council’s cabinet was also confirmed at the Annual General
Meeting in April with one change seeing Councillor Jane Pickard
announced as Cabinet Member for Children and Families.
The full Lambeth Council Cabinet is:
Leader of the Council: Councillor Lib Peck
Deputy Leader of the Council, Policy: Councillor Imogen Walker
Deputy Leader of the Council, Finance and Investment: Councillor Paul
McGlone
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care: Councillor Jackie Meldrum
Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability: Councillor Jenny
Brathwaite
Cabinet Member for Children and Families: Councillor Jane Pickard
Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing: Councillor Jim Dickson
Cabinet Member for Housing: Councillor Matthew Bennett
Cabinet Member for Jobs and Growth: Councillor Jack Hopkins
Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods: Councillor Jane Edbrooke
Lambeth aims to help
residents in debt
Lambeth Council has outlined a
new strategy to help residents
struggling with debt.
Thousands of residents in the
borough have been affected by
the changes to the benefits system,
with research showing that debt,
especially short term, high cost
debt is increasing. The Income and
Debt Recovery Strategy approved
by cabinet this month, sets out how
the council will ensure that vulnerable
residents get the right support and
council tax debt is collected from
those with the means to pay, but
choose not to.
Lambeth Council’s Deputy Leader,
Councillor Paul McGlone, said:
“This strategy is about identifying
economically vulnerable residents
and offering them support through
debt management charities and
good financial advice. We are
making payments easier and have
worked with residents to change
our debt advice service so it is
easier to navigate. We want
residents to turn to us for support,
not high-interest payday loan
companies.”
For information and advice, visit
www.onelambethadvice.org.uk
Brixton Rec refurbishment
More space in reception, brand new
changing rooms and some serious
new kit in the gym and other
training areas have given Brixton
Rec a makeover for summer.
The investment was partly in
response to last year’s survey of
users that found people were
unhappy about queuing and the
state of the changing areas.
Darren Pope, manager of the rec,
said: “Queues are a thing of the
past, with more space and a fast
track entrance for members.
“We know people want clean, safe
and comfortable space to change
so we’ve installed new changing
rooms on level four with showers,
lockers and vanity areas.”
The gym’s been transformed with
cardiovascular equipment replaced
by top of the range Technogym
equipment, brand new air
conditioning and the new group
cycle studio has been moved to
level six. Four spin bikes have
been added to the gym floor so
customers can use them outside of
the group exercise classes. To find
out more, visit www.better.org.uk/
brixton
Lambeth delivers new
homes in Brixton for
council tenants
The first tenants have been
handed their keys after squatters
were cleared from Victorian
housing blocks in south London.
Twenty two flats with two bedrooms
are being made available at council
rent levels in Rushcroft Road, Brixton,
after a thorough refurbishment.
Councillor Matthew Bennett,
Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for
Housing, said: “I’m delighted that
tenants are being handed the keys to
some of the first new council homes
in Brixton in a generation. These are
lifetime council homes at proper
social rents, being made available to
local families in housing need.
“There are now 21,000 people on
Lambeth’s waiting list and homelessness has risen over the last year
with about 1,800 families now living
in temporary accommodation. We
are committed as an administration
to 1,000 extra homes for council
rent over the next four years.”
The villas in Rushcroft Road have
been brought back to their former
glory by the council’s housing
management firm Lambeth Living
who worked with contractors
Pellings and Thomas Sinden.
The work saw the complete
refurbishment of three blocks of
Victorian flats.
6 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 7
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
Results from the Vauxhall Cross
consultation, which ran between
November 2014 and January 2015,
show strong support for a return
to two-way streets, a redesign
of the existing bus station and
development of a more attractive
and vibrant town centre. The
consultation focused on broad
principles underpinning the
scheme and 2,181 responses
were received.
Vauxhall
improvements given
thumbs up
BY BARRY NORRIS
Support for town centre
improvements
The consultation results reflect
a sense that Vauxhall's unique
character and potential as an even
more attractive and vibrant town
centre has been held back by
traffic and the gyratory.
The strongest supported priorities
for how Vauxhall could change
were:
• 77 per cent support for the
overall aim of creating a thriving
centre in Vauxhall.
• 76 per cent thought that making
the area more accessible for
vulnerable users such as people
with disabilities, children and
older people, was important.
• 66 per cent thought that creating
more and better quality, open
spaces were very important or
important.
• 65 per cent thought that better
connections to the river and the
rest of Vauxhall including parks
and open spaces were very
important or important.
The three most popular requests,
in relation to what people wanted
to see in Vauxhall centre, were:
• shops
• independent or local businesses
• facilities for the young.
Support for transport
improvements
There was broad support for transport
improvements which included:
• 65 per cent support for proposals
to return the gyratory to two-way
working
• 63 per cent support for proposals
to redesign the existing bus
station at Vauxhall, providing
safer, more attractive and more
accessible facilities.
Next steps: Thank you to everyone who contributed. A high number and broad variety of responses
were received. These include ideas for how to improve Vauxhall, requests for more detailed information
and in some cases concerns too. All of this will be taken forward with residents, businesses and
commuters in the next stage of design and before the next consultation on the proposals. We'll keep
you informed of opportunities as they arise. The Vauxhall Cross consultation report is available at:
www.lovevaux.com/results. Sign up to our enewsletters at www.lovevaux.com/signup.
8 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 9
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
Youth Mayor’s
positive stories
Each month I receive many
amazing stories about
outstanding young people.
Please carry on sending me
your stories and inspiring
other young people to create
their own.
BY JACQUELINE GOMES-NEVES, LAMBETH YOUTH MAYOR
Corpus Christie School Council
Year’s 2–6, Brixton Hill
Corpus Christi pupils are encouraged to take an active role
in running the school and decision-making. From Year 2
upwards, each class nominates two children to represent
them on the school council. When I recently visited the school,
the children were discussing improvements they would like
to see. These included extended hours for their after school
clubs, to bigger fruit portions at lunch time. I was absolutely
blown away by their level of maturity – they were all so
inquisitive and diplomatic in their decision making.
Sofia Nunes Cardoso (14)
Joseph Kuranga (15) and
Victoria Taiwo (15)
Norwood School
I’d like to congratulate
Sofia, Joseph and Victoria
who won the Lambeth
School’s Debating
Competition 2015. The
trio were formidable and
posed eloquent and
rationally thought out
arguments in proposition
of the ‘votes at 16’
motion. They put
forward a very
convincing case to me
and my fellow panel members,
which included members from
Lambeth’s Conservative, Labour
and Green parties. They are an
absolute credit to their school
and Lambeth.
Lambeth Youth Council
update
In April the Lambeth Youth Cabinet
and I held a speed mentoring
event at the Lilian Baylis School in
Vauxhall. The purpose of the event
was to bridge the gap between
young people and professionals
in their aspiring sectors. We
had a phenomenal turnout from
professionals, Lambeth students
and young residents. The event
was an absolute success and
proved that there is a demand for
this kind of initiative. Young people
networked with directors, barristers,
politicians, academics, senior police
officers and editors from the BBC
and Channel 4. We look forward to
holding a similar event in the future.
If you’re a young person who has a positive story to share, email [email protected] with the
subject ‘Positive Story’. You can also follow Jacqueline @lamyouthmayor
10 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 11
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
Our environment matters
and we all need to take
responsibility for keeping
our streets clean, green and
safe. Whether it’s recycling
more and wasting less,
or putting our litter in bins,
we all have a part to play.
Improving the air that
we breathe
We will soon be producing an Air
Quality Action Plan for Lambeth
which will outline our plans for
improving air quality throughout
the borough. Air quality affects
all those who live, work and
travel in Lambeth and we would
like to hear your views. If you
would like to be involved in the
process and receive details of
upcoming consultation sessions,
email greenchampion@
lambeth.gov.uk
For more information, visit
www.lambeth.gov.uk/
antisocial or #noASB
Taking care of our environment
Our residents are telling us that they
are fed up with the small minority
of residents who don’t take care of
our environment and we are taking
action to crack down on all forms of
anti-social behaviour on our streets.
We are taking a zero tolerance
approach to anti-social behaviour
and warning people through a new
campaign that this behaviour on our
streets will be met with on-the-spot
fines of up to £80.
Under new powers, which came in
last year, we can issue on-the-spot
fines for anybody in Lambeth
seen damaging the environment
by spitting or urinating in the street,
failing to clear up after their dog,
fly-tipping or littering.
We have listened to our residents,
who are fed up with the small
minority of people who make our
streets dirty and unpleasant, and we
are bringing in a new enforcement
team, with a single point of contact,
who can respond quickly to local
incidents of anti-social behaviour.
Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for
Environment and Sustainability,
Councillor Jennifer Brathwaite, said:
“Our ‘Do the Right Thing’ campaign
encourages residents to act in a
responsible way to help make
Lambeth a clean, pleasant and safe
place to live and work.
“While the majority of residents already
do this, a small minority is damaging
the borough, polluting the streets,
causing offence and costing the
council money to clear up after them.
We are now saying ‘Not on our streets.’
“These on-the-spot fines will make
offenders think twice about doing it
again and protect our streets for our
BY GILL YORK
more responsible residents.”
Posters have been put up around
the borough warning people of
the fines they risk and the new
enforcement team will start work
later this summer.
Last year, the council issued nearly
a thousand Fixed Penalty Notices
(FPNs) for anti-social behaviour, with
almost half of those for littering.
In October, Lambeth issued its first
FPN for spitting under current antilittering legislation, resulting in a
£120 fine after the case went to court.
There are already hundreds of
people taking up Lambeth’s Do the
Right Thing challenge; making the
borough a better place to live and
acting as role models. To read their
stories, visit love.lambeth.gov.uk/
dotherightthing
Cabinet Member for Environment
and Sustainability, Councillor
Jennifer Brathwaite, is also
campaigning for cleaner buses
to come to our streets to cut the
amount of noxious fumes from
traffic. To find out more, visit
www.lambeth.gov.uk/cleanair
Have you visited Vale Street Reuse and Recycling Centre recently?
Lambeth Reuse and Recycling Centre, in West Norwood SE27 9PA,
accepts a wide range of material for recycling and reuse. From fridges
and televisions to bicycles and carpet, you can dispose of your unwanted
items free of charge at the centre knowing that anything suitable will be
reused and what can’t be reused will be recycled.
As well as improving the range of materials we accept, we have also
made a number of changes to make the site easier, more pleasant and
safer to use. Signage has been updated, road markings have been
improved and all large containers and staircases have been replaced.
You can find full details at www.lambeth.gov.uk/recycling
When can I visit the site?
The site is open on weekends and Bank Holidays (excluding Christmas)
and there are staff on site at all times.
Monday, Thursday and Friday / 7.30am to 4.30pm
Tuesday and Wednesday / Closed
Saturday and Sunday / 8am to 5pm
What can I take to Lambeth
Reuse and Recycling Centre?
Aluminium foil, batteries, bicycles,
books, car batteries, cardboard
and paper, CDs, carpet (no
underlay), clothes, cooking oil,
DVDs, electrical items, engine
oil, fire extinguishers (empty),
flat glass, food and drink cartons
and cans, garden hand tools,
gas bottles, glass bottles and
jars, hard plastics, light bulbs
and tubes, mobile phones, printer
cartridges, scrap metal, shoes,
spectacles, textiles, water filters
(any brand), white goods and
wood.
12 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
www.lambeth.gov.uk
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 13
FROM THE COMMUNITY
Would you like to get involved?
We would like to recruit and train
volunteers who can work specifically
with this group and we are looking
for people from Lambeth that have
experience of the criminal justice
system. Email [email protected]
or call 08000 149 256.
Listen to Lambeth
BY ROGER BLACKMAN
First, we will build a group of 10 young adults,
aged 18–30, who have either been involved in
or are at risk of being involved in the criminal
justice system. Young adults who want to break
free from old lifestyles and negative behaviours
to make positive changes in their lives, but find themselves
stuck and unable to move on.
Using our unique approach, we will work with them to
identify and understand their motivations and to explore
new ways of thinking and behaving. Thereby enabling
them to create new lives that are both positive and
productive as well as seeing them become contributory
members of their communities.
One of our first ever service users, Shelton (pictured right),
will be leading on this project and we are excited to
welcome him to the RWF team. When we first met Shelton,
he was recently out of prison and finding it hard to get
work, not feeling anyone believed in him. Since then he
has been an inspiration to many and stands as an example
of what can be achieved when someone is supported in
a genuine and authentic way.
Recently we ran a crowdfunding scheme to raise money
to fund the project and encourage the community to be
involved in making the project happen. We raised more
than our target, which we think demonstrates the strong
commitment of the community and their belief in our work.
PHOTO CREDIT: SUSANNE HAKUBA
The Reasons Why Foundation (RWF) is a not-forprofit organisation that runs behavioural change
programmes to help people involved in crime to
make better life decisions. Since 2012 they have
been supporting young adults in Lambeth with
a history of offending. More recently, they launched
the Listen to Lambeth project, which supports
young adults to explore new ways of thinking
and behaving. Some will also gain employment.
We found out more…
www.lambeth.gov.uk
FROM THE COMMUNITY
Taste the
world at
Streatham
Food
Festival
BY PAULINE MILLIGAN
Now in its sixth year, Streatham
Food Festival is a five-day
celebration of the area’s vibrant
food scene. From Wednesday
3 to Sunday 7 June, involving
businesses, community groups,
schools and the public, the
festival aims to bring people
together through a shared love
of food. The festival boosts
the local economy, celebrates
the cultural diversity in the
community, and helps to promote
healthy and sustainable living.
With support from the Streatham
BID, festival-goers are once again
invited to take a food tour of the
world in Streatham – visiting up to
31 local eateries for taster plates of
food. With dishes priced from £2 to
£5 each, the Streatham Food Tour
creates an affordable way to try lots
of local restaurants – and it’s great
fun too. The high road was buzzing
last year with participants comparing
notes, recommending favourites and
attempting to visit as many eateries
as possible.
A regular feature on the programme,
our Sunday Food Fair will be returning
to Streatham Green on Sunday 7
June for another day of food stalls,
cooking demos and live music.
We’re particularly excited to be
hosting the final of our new children’s
recipe competition on the day. Nine
local primary schools are taking
part, with pupils invited to create a
recipe that celebrates the rich mix
of cultures in our community.
the festival to taste their school’s
winning dish and get stuck into
some food growing.
There’s lots more happening, with
partner events including a Big Lunch
at Streatham Common Community
Garden, a ‘world cuisines’ fundraiser
for the local refugee centre, a Brixton
People’s Kitchen waste-food pop-up
and the British Home’s Summer
Fayre.
We’re always in need of volunteers
to help out so if you have a few
hours to spare, visit
www.streathamfoodfestival.com/
volunteer and get in touch.
As one of the GLA’s Food Flagship
boroughs, Lambeth is leading the
way in tackling childhood obesity,
and we’re proud as a festival to
be encouraging pupils to develop
an appreciation of healthy
and sustainable food. Visit the
Lambeth Food Flagship stand
Rosie Boycott, chair of the London
to find out what it’s all about and
Food Board, will be visiting Hitherfield how this could benefit you, your
Primary School on the first day of
family and community.
For more information, visit www.reasonswhyuk.org
For the full line-up of events and to find out more, visit www.streathamfoodfestival.com
14 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 15
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
The Lambeth Country Show is
back on Saturday 18 and Sunday
19 July in Brockwell Park, and
this year we’re getting all lovey
dovey with our theme ‘Love
Lambeth Country Show’. With
our unique mix of country and
city, there really is something
for everyone to enjoy.
There are lots of things you’ll
love about this year’s show.
We have eight fantastic zones
for you to enjoy including our
brand new Eco Zone.
For the first time,
the show will start
at noon and run
until 8pm.
Love Lambeth Country Show
BY ANDREA STEWART
Main Stage Saturday’s Main Stage
will feature an eclectic mix of afrobeat, drum and bass and soul, and
Sunday welcomes back roots and
reggae. The headline acts are still to
be confirmed but we’ve set the bar
high in previous years so won’t
disappoint in 2015. Keep up to date
on www.lambethcountryshow.co.uk
arts, football, tennis and more.
Main Arena Enjoy amazing
performances from Knights of the
Damned, Berkley Owls, Ridgeside
Falconry, Dog and Duck Show,
Essex Dog Display and Brixton
BMX Club.
Farm Zone Alongside a new
sheep shearing show you can enjoy
Brymills Best in Show; animals from
Vauxhall City Farm, meerkats and a
mini-zoo with creepy crawlies (not
for the faint hearted.).
Activate Show off your sporting
skills with demonstrations in martial
Flower Zone Take part in our
famous flower and vegetable
Village Green An eclectic mix of
local and national talent playing
soul, funk, samba and more.
Cultivate Bringing out your
creative side, this zone will have
dance perfomances and workshops
for all the family.
competitions and have a cuppa in
our tea tent with entertainment from
Punch and Judy and the South
London Saxophone Quartet.
Eco Zone New for 2015, you’ll
find a showcase of sustainablyconscious groups and organisations
all committed to conserving energy
and resources, and reducing waste
and pollution. Learn how to become
a beekeeper, get involved in local
food growing initiatives and find
out about recycling. We’ll be asking
you to do your bit too, so look out
for our sustainability tips in the
run up to the weekend and at the
show too.
We’ll be adding more to the programme so to keep up to date, visit www.lambethcountryshow.co.uk
16 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 17
www.lambethliving.org.uk
www.lambethliving.org.uk
Some of our older and also most web-savvy residents have
recently won the national EROSH award for innovation and good
practice. The award recognises the knowledge they developed to
build, launch and manage their own website.
Email CITenquiries@
lambethliving.org.uk
or call 020 7926 3713,
020 7926 0262 or
020 7926 0282
Young Tenant of the
Year: Trevor Elliott
One of our younger residents
was also a TPAS finalist for
Young Tenant of the Year,
congratulations Trevor Elliott!
The TPAS awards showcase the compelling, inspirational and success
stories of tenants, landlords and contractors working together.
Trevor, born and raised on the Valley Road Estate, Streatham, decided when
he turned 20 to make a difference locally and started to work with young
people in his community.
“My focus was to run the not-for-profit community football club to make sure
all young people can take part, even if they didn’t have the funds to pay.”
You may recognise Trevor. In November, he received the Lambeth Young
Champion award and also featured on ITV’s Surprise, Surprise.
Moyra Pettengell, Castle
House Resident, at the
TPAS awards.
From left to right: Mark Hobart, Managing Director of Clearview, Lambeth Living
officer Maria Athini, residents Ben Green and Andrew Dias, Dame Esther Rantzen,
and Castle House manager Mary Killoughery at Mercers’ Hall.
Silver surfers win gold
at national awards
After a year’s training from the
Vauxhall Community Interest
Company, 29 residents of sheltered
housing scheme Castle House,
aged 70-95, launched their own
website which they now manage.
By working on this digital engagement
project, residents strengthened
the sense of community at Castle
House, while also reconnecting
with families online.
The website also now promotes
activities to the ‘outside world’.
Older people across the borough
have now been trained and the
project is on-going. The training
itself provides socialising
opportunities as well as the digital
learning which helps to overcome
isolation and loneliness. And
residents’ improved confidence
has resulted in greater engagement
generally.
wonderful but to be a winner is
fantastic. It has given the residents
at Castle House such a boost
and vote of confidence in their
commitment and enthusiasm.”
Castle House resident, Suvi, 86,
said: “Since my husband passed
away earlier this year, I miss my
children even more and I love
being online. I can now type a little
bit, and see the pictures that my
children send me from South Africa
on email. It makes me feel very
independent.”
The Castle House ‘Silver Surfers’
led this project, funded by the
Lambeth Living Getting Involved
Grant, which supports activities that
get residents more involved in their
local community.
The Resident Manager at Castle
House, Mary Killoughery, said: “We
feel so valued and it has all been
worthwhile. To be nominated was
You can take a look at the website
at www.castlehousedigital.co.uk
The Castle House Silver Surfers
were also finalists in the Excellence
in Digital Engagement at the 2015
TPAS Awards in February.
If you’d like to get involved, visit www.lambethliving.org.uk/get-involved
or call 020 7926 8319 to find out more.
Lambeth
Housing
Standard
improvement
works
Ms A from St Matthew’s Estate,
Brixton, tells us about her
surprise when she was told she
was getting a new kitchen and
bathroom under the Lambeth
Housing Standard (LHS).
kitchen around my new cooker.
“At our first meeting the officers
brought samples of door handles
and we agreed they’d design the
“When my bathroom was done
it leaked into the flat downstairs
and when they did upstairs, it
“When the builders came they
told me I was going to get a
new bath, sink, shower curtain,
bathroom floor and tiles – I was
so surprised. I didn’t know I was
getting all that.
To find out more about the LHS, visit www.lambethliving.org.uk/lhs
leaked into mine – both times it
was fixed the same day.
“After a week, I knew I could
trust the builders and went back
to work. I’d usually get home
just as they were tidying up.
“The kitchen has a much better
storage space – I’ve got 12
kitchen cupboards now instead
of seven.”
18 Lambeth talk may/june 2015
may/june 2015 Lambeth talk 19
www.lambeth.gov.uk
www.lambeth.gov.uk
Help for families
affected by
domestic violence
There are lots of interesting
things to do and places
to visit in Lambeth. In this
section you’ll find a few
suggestions to suit a range
of interests. If you would like
to have your event listed
in this section, email us at
[email protected]
A guide to
what’s
on
in Lambeth
Buttle UK can provide individual
grants of up to £2,000 to families
with children who need help to
recover from the trauma and
upheaval they may have
experienced from domestic abuse.
Grants can be tailored packages
and could include children’s
bedroom furniture, counselling, play
therapy, swimming, school support
or educational toys. For more
information, email anchor@
buttleuk.org or call 020 7828 7311.
South London String Orchestra
Every Friday 10.30am – 12.30pm.
The South London String Orchestra is the only daytime amateur string
orchestra in South London. They are a ‘mixed ability’ group and no
auditions are required. But they take their music seriously and their
repertoire is wide-ranging. They perform two or three concerts each year.
For more information, visit www.southlondonstrings.org.uk
Chatsworth Baptist Church, Chatsworth Way, West Norwood, SE27 9HN.
Penny Lecture: Gardening
without boundaries
St Leonards risen from the
ashes church open day
Wednesday 27 May, 6.30 to 8pm
(doors open 6pm), 1p.
Discover the secret world of
guerrilla gardening and hear tales
of the motivations, obstacles and
unexpected consequences of
transforming forgotten patches of
land into beautiful adopted gardens.
By Richard Reynolds, guerrilla
gardener and author of ‘On Guerrilla
Gardening’. For more information,
visit www.morleycollege.ac.uk/
pennylectures
Morley College, 61 Westminster
Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HT.
Saturday 30 May, 11am to 4pm,
FREE.
The event celebrates the 40th
anniversary of the rebirth of the
church after a devastating fire in
1975 which left only the outer walls
and tower standing. The day will
provide an opportunity for people
to explore parts of the building
not normally open to the public
including the crypt and the bell
tower.
St Leonard’s Church, Streatham
High Road, Streatham, SW16 1HS.
Volunteering opportunities: To find out about volunteering opportunities in
Lambeth, get in touch with the Lambeth Voluntary Action Centre (LVAC). Call:
020 7737 1419, email: [email protected], visit: www.lambethvac.org.uk
New library service in
Tulse Hill
The Engine Room Sound
art exhibition
Crystal Palace Overground
Festival
Every Monday (from 1 June)
9.30am – 12.30pm (excluding bank
holidays), FREE.
There will be books to borrow, under
5s story sessions, a community café
and much more. Come along to the
opening on Monday 1 June to find
out how you can join, borrow books
and access all library services.
For more information, visit
www.lambeth.gov.uk/libraries
Tulse Hill Library, Old Scout Hut,
4 High Trees, SW2 3PU.
Until Friday 12 June, Monday to
Friday 11am to 6pm, Saturdays
midday to 4pm, FREE.
Showcasing work by emerging
sound artists from around the world
and a specially commissioned piece
by established sound artist Janek
Schaefer. For more information, visit
www.morleycollege.ac.uk/gallery
Morley Gallery, 61 Westminster
Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HT.
24–28 June, FREE.
A five-day festival, run by volunteers
and supported by local businesses,
will start with fringe events around
Crystal Palace in anticipation of
the main big festival weekend. Visit
www.crystalpalacefestival.org
Lambeth Local Entrepreneur
Forum
Tuesday 2 June, 2 to 9.30pm, from £5.
Transition Town Brixton is curating
the first Lambeth Local Entrepreneur
Forum where Transition Enterprises
can pitch to the Community of
Dragons for financial and in kind
support. For more information, visit
www.transitiontownbrixton.org
or call 07958 635 181.
The Friends of Ruskin Park
Photography Competition
2015
Competition closes Friday 26 June
Take a photograph of what you do
when you go to the park, or what
other people do. Explore the medium
of photography, use as many of its
possibilities as you wish to make
an image that says “This is how
I see Park Life”. Visit
www.friendsruskinpark.org.uk
Carnegie Library, Herne Hill Road,
SE24.
Abbeville Fete
Saturday 27 June, midday to 4pm,
FREE.
The annual Abbeville Fete celebrates
London’s diversity, community spirit
and local enterprise by bringing
Londoners together in raising funds
for five local causes: Ace of Clubs,
Lambeth Summer Projects, Age
UK Lambeth, Kid's City and the
Church of the Holy Spirit. There
will be more than 50 street stalls,
a street BBQ and bar, a dedicated
kids zone and events including
live music and even a dog
beauty pageant. Visit
www.abbevillefete.com
Abbeville Road, Clapham SW4.
Streatham Festival
Saturday 4 to Sunday 11 July,
FREE.
The theme of this year's Streatham
Festival is Coming of Age – a
celebration of growing up, gaining
prominence, respectability, recognition
and maturity. Explore a critical moment,
a rite of passage or celebrate that
book, film or piece of music that
changed your life. There will be lots to
see with over 40 events throughout
the week. For more information, visit
www.streathamfestival.com
At various venues and locations
in Streatham.
Lambeth Country Show
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July,
12pm to 8pm, FREE.
The Lambeth Country Show returns
for its 41st year, boasting a unique
line-up that celebrates the very best
of the city and countryside. Expect
horticultural shows, sheep dog and
owl displays, home grown vegetable
competitions, numerous craft and
food stalls and our very own farm.
You can also expect to see an
array of international and local
music acts across two stages.
For more information, visit
www.eventlambeth.co.uk/
countryshow
Brockwell Park, Norwood Road,
SE24.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lambeth talk is published by Lambeth Council. All information in this magazine is correct at time of going to print.
For enquiries, please email [email protected] or phone 020 7926 0023. This magazine is printed on recycled paper.
Please recycle it when you have finished with it.
PRODUCED BY LAMBETH CAMPAIGNS AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
10785 (5.15)