Forest Hill Society

One Tree Hill Festival

2012-05-17T11:16:00.000+01:00

If you are in the mood for some culture, then you are in luck. St Augustine’s is very excited to launch their first One Tree Hill Festival. Building on their reputation for high quality, professional performances and exhibitions, they hope this will become an annual event as a way of gathering together local creativity in SE23 with local artists, musicians and organisations bringing you a fantastic line up of events.

The festival kicks off on Friday, 18th May with a party at the Hop Scotch Café, a great way to meet festival contributors, local residents and artists.

The festival has a wonderful range of music from classical to jazz, folk, contemporary and musical theatre. They will be celebrating the spoken word with poetry and readings as well hosting an amazing children’s show presented by Pirate Productions who’s sell-out production of Cinderella ran at St Augustine’s earlier this year. There will also be a community art show, including a children’s painting competition which will run throughout the week. If that wasn’t enough, the festival will conclude with the Annual Spring Fair, community picnic and festival celebration service on the final weekend. For more information see www.augustineonetreehill.org.uk and the festival programme.

Programme

Friday, 18 May at 7:30pm. Launch party at Hopscotch Cafe, Honor Oak Park.

Saturday, 19 May at 11am & 2pm (£5, £3 concessions – under 4s free)
Pirate Productions Present: Jason Mavrick goes bananas! A fun show for age 5-11s
Jason, who has performed for Her Majesty the Queen and Madonna as well as being the former Children's T.V Presenter of channel 5’s Havakazoo, presents a high energy all age family show of comedy, slow motion clowning, mime, incredible tricks with crystal balls, amazing juggling, robotic dancing, gentle audience participation and bananas!

Saturday, 19 May at 7.30pm (£5, £3 concessions)
Entente Chorale: A singing celebration. Trade Winds welcome L'Air de Rien with special guests Raise The Roof Choir and Raise the Roof Singers.
L’Air de Rien led by their musical director Olivier Capmartin perform songs drawn from their musical heritage in the south west of France as well as Corsica, Spain, Sardinia, Africa and England while Trade Winds will be presenting their repertoire of international songs drawn from many cultures and genres. Special guests Raise The Roof Choir and Raise The Roof Singers will be joining together with L'Air de Rien for a grande finale, truly an evening not to be missed. Bon Sante.

Sunday, 20 May at 3.30pm (£5, £3 concessions)
Chamber Music Recital: Orlando Jopling and friends
Cellist and conductor Orlando Jopling is joined by Matthew Truscott, Ania Safonova, Dorothea Vogel of the Allegri Quartet and Becky Truscott to present a concert of chamber music including works by Bach and others. Orlando regularly conducts the English Chamber Orchestra and has been a guest performer with some of the UK's finest orchestras, among them the Philharmonia and London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Tuesday, 22 May at 7.30pm no pre sales - free entry with retiring collection
Fairlawn Singers present: Come and Sing! (clue in the title!)
The Fairlawn Singers invite you to join them for a fun sing along evening. Well known songs of all sorts are on the menu! With some special guest soloists and other surprises, this promises to be a great event. Come and Sing is led by the choir’s musical director, Alistair Digges, who plans to make the rafters ring at St Augustine’s. Come along and join the singing, or just to listen and enjoy.

Wednesday, 23 May at 7.30pm (£5, £3 concessions)
Epiphanies with Patricia Doyle (Poems/Readings)
Patricia Doyle, a Brockley actress and director, is presenting a programme of prose and anecdotes taking the lid off a life in the Arts, with extracts from plays and books reflecting her theatrical experience and her life.

Thursday, 24 May at 7.30pm no pre sales - suggested donation £5 on entry
An Evening with Nunhead Community Choir and friends
The Nunhead Community Choir present an evening of accompanied and a cappella contemporary music, from artists such as Queen, Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan. They are joined by the jazz vocals of Konni Deppe accompanied by Martin Slade and ‘The Strum Pets’ - Dominic Spitzer and Corrie-Anne Burton, an acoustic dance/rock duo on guitar uke and mandolin

Friday, 25 May at 7.30pm (£5, £3 concessions)
Kaleidoscope: An evening of folk music & original songs
This energetic and colourful triple bill brings folk music and original songwriters to One Tree Hill. Acclaimed south London trio Shadrack Tye, all members of the same family, perform an eclectic and vibrant mix of original songs, folk and traditional music, and contemporary songs from different genre, combining rock and jazz inspired punchy rhythmic riffs and Innovative harmonies with skill and finesse. The Nunhead Folk Circle starring Emily Hall (violin, concertina), Datsun (banjolele, charango) and Matt Allin (guitar, melodeon) will perform original songs inspired by the folk music of Britain and Ireland and further afield. Finally, singer/songwriter Carollyn Eden is joined by Hannah Monaghan (cellist), Kate Jones (violinist) and Drew Stallcop(percussionist) performing a new set of her original songs in which she blends the influences of Celtic and English folk music with classical music in her own unique style.

Saturday, 26 May from 10am-4pm FREE
Spring Fair: stalls, craft, food, games, art, music...
A fun family event for all ages with community stalls, craft, plants, variety of foods, games, live music, community art show and judging of the junior art competition.

Saturday, 26 May at 7.30pm (£5, £3 concessions)
The Hills are Alive! featuring All Souls Orchestra & West end singers
Noel Tredinnick and the All Souls Orchestra present an evening of musical theatre classics and toe tapping orchestral favourites. Enjoy the delights of Broadway show music, offset with 2 of J S Bach's most popular Brandenburg Concertos - No. 2 and No. 4. Back by popular demand after their autumn concert at St Augustine’s last year, Noel brings his wonderful wit and charm to entertain and lead us through another uplifting musical journey. He will also be joined from London’s West End stage by David Erik, Kelly Rainham and Lisa Olsworth-Peter promising an evening full of excitement and energy!

Sunday, 27 May at 10.30am FREE
Festival Service to celebrate St Augustine’s
An opportunity to celebrate and give thanks for the local community and the life of St Augustines. Come and join us in worship as we are joined by guest musicians from the festival.

Sunday, 27 May from Noon-2pm FREE
Community Picnic (bring a rug and your favourite food!)
Enjoy the beauty of One Tree Hill by picnicking in the grounds of St Augustine's. Bring your hampers and rugs to enjoy with old friends and make new ones!

Sunday, 27 May at 3pm (£10, £5 concessions - all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Children's Society.)
Orchestral Concert by members of the European Doctors Orchestra, conducted by Rupert Bond.
The European Doctors Orchestra will perform a concert conducted by Rupert Bond with pieces by Haydn: Symphony No. 101 ‘The Clock’, Bach: Double Violin Concerto [soloists Helena and Richard Gullan], Mozart: Overture ‘The Magic Flute’ and Schubert: ‘Unfinished’ Symphony.

Booking and Tickets

All ticketed events can be booked online or purchased on the door on a first come first served basis, subject to availability. For more information visit their website www.augustineonetreehill.org.uk or call the parish office on (020) 8699 0172.

Honor Oak Rec's future

2012-04-30T20:40:00.001+01:00

Southwark Council have published their Cemetery Strategy, which will go before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 8 May 2012. The meeting will be held in the Ground Floor Meeting Room G02A at 160 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2QH.

According to the Executive summary, the Strategy considers a range of options addressing short, medium and long term provision of burial space, and focusses on the Camberwell Old Cemetery and Camberwell New Cemetery.

The ‘immediate’ options presented to cabinet have been considered and are being developed alongside and as part of the ‘short term’ options proposed in this report. These include recently decontaminated land at the old Honor Oak Nursery site, as well as an area of old public (or common) graves in the south of Camberwell Old Cemetery which requires to be ‘topped up’ with soil to enable it to receive burials. A wooded area of virgin ground in the west of Camberwell New Cemetery is similarly proposed to be taken forward.

In addition further burial is proposed for the remainder of the old nursery site and for a second area of public graves that had previously been ‘topped up’ in the north of Camberwell Old Cemetery. These proposals also include capacity for Muslim burials.

‘Medium Term’ options from 2022 onward include the re-use of unmarked public graves older than 75 years old (and in most instances nearly 95 years old) in consecrated parts of Camberwell Old and Camberwell New Cemeteries. This would be subject to church permission (a ‘Faculty’) and any remains encountered would be re-interred and recorded in a consecrated grave adjacent. This has been approach has been successful elsewhere, notably in the City of London Cemetery.

In addition, in the medium term, it is proposed that rights to private graves older than 75 years could be cancelled under the provisions of an Act of parliament of 1975. Unused space in that grave could then be reclaimed for burial, or alternatively, if the grave is set within consecrated ground, the grave could be re-used subject to a Faculty. In these instances memorials would be selected and where appropriate restored and reinscribed.

The whole process would require the adherence to a Conservation Management Plan bespoke to each cemetery. Reclamation of graves along with the restoration/re-inscription of memorials has also been successfully implemented at the City of London.

Other measures proposed in the medium term include development of mausoleum sites in Camberwell Old and Camberwell New Cemeteries and the remediation and use of a disturbed area of ground (currently being investigated) in the north west of Camberwell Old Cemetery.

According to the Strategy report, medium term options potentially provide space until 2040 depending on burial rates and delivery of space. However, the Council has been noticebly inaccurate in its previous estimates. Long term options proposed include the re-use and reclamation of both private and public graves, mainly in Camberwell New Cemetery.

There are, however clouds on the horizon.

Firstly, whilst other authorities in London may re-use private graves in areas that are not consecrated (under the provisions of Acts of parliament of 1976 and 2007), that same provision does not extend to Southwark on account of the way the 2007 Act is drafted. This needs legal clarification and/or a change in the law to remedy and it is proposed that Southwark should pursue that matter in the short and medium term.

Secondly, most areas of Camberwell New Cemetery do not become ‘old’ enough for re-use until at least 2045, by which time all the short and medium term options will have been exhausted.

The Strategy report proposes taking up a third of Honor Oak Park to bridge this gap, whilst retaining the football pitches and substantively enhancing the remainder of the Park. (See page 65 of Strategy Report)

The Strategy report recognises that this is likely to be unpopular and, at this point in time, it is not an option preferred by the Council. The Strategy therefore considers it essential that the Council should also conduct a review of Nunhead Cemetery to ascertain whether there is any scope for limited reclamation/re-use in conjunction with restoration. In addition, the Council should work in partnership with other London authorities and seek to secure alternative burial space, (potentially also including natural burial space) by way of an additional landholding.

We appreciate that this is a sensitive issue and that the land was originally purchased for use as burial plots. However, although a lot of the area had been developed by the time the New Cemetery was purchased in 1901, significant further development has gone on as evidenced by the large number of 1930's houses nearby. We must, therefore, keep the pressure on to ensure that the amenity provided by Honor Oak Rec is not lost to future generations.

Nominate your Favourite Businesses

2012-04-24T13:54:00.000+01:00

It's time for Lewisham's Business Awards again.

Nominations can be made at any time by customers, suppliers, partners or the business themselves, but the deadline for the current awards is Tuesday, 19 June.

All nominations will be considered by a judging panel which meets four times a year and includes people from business and professional business advisors. Winners are able to use the Mayor of Lewisham Business award winner logo in promotions and the Council will promote them through existing channels, such as Lewisham's website, Lewisham Life and in local media.

There are eight categories to choose from:

Corporate and social responsibility
Creative digital entrepreneur
Customer care
Environmental practice
Fairtrade business
New business
Social enterprise
Young entrepreneur

Further details on the categories can be found on Lewisham's website (here). Nominations must be made by Tuesday 19 June 2012 using the online form or you can download a paper copy

The Mayor of Lewisham Business awards are an opportunity for local businesses to celebrate their successes and to increase their profile within the community. The awards are open to any business in the borough.

Forest Hill Food Market - A Great Success

2012-04-22T16:59:00.000+01:00

The stalls almost all ran out of stock before the end of the day in a busy Sunday in Forest Hill Station Car Park. Many thanks to all the stall holders and everybody who came along to sample the culinary delights of Forest Hill and beyond.

Food Fair - Sunday 22nd April

2012-04-20T11:45:00.000+01:00

This Sunday (22nd April), the Forest Hill Society will be holding a Food Fair at Forest Hill station from 10am - 4pm.

There will be eight stalls selling Fresh Delicacies - Hot Food - English Cheeses, Pies & Tartlets - Handmade Scotch eggs - Award winning Chutneys - Caribbean Sauces and Spices - Artisan Bread - Delicious Cakes - Fresh Coffee from Fleisch - Hills & Parkes - The Egg Boss - BreadBread - The Forest Hill Cake Company - Mridula’s Kitchen - Pimento Hill - Franklins and On The Hoof.

The majority of the stall holders live locally and are trying the waters out here to see what demand is like. Please come along and show your support.

Once you have made your purchases, why not try one of our local restaurants? The Black Hummingbird, India Gate, Canvas & Cream, Sylvan Post, Question Bar, Dartmouth Tandoori and All Inn One are all running special taster dishes for £1 - £2. The Dartmouth Arms will also be offering free nibbles.

Finally, Sugar Mountain will be selling their sweets at the special rate of £1/100g

News and Events - April to May 2012

2012-04-20T11:42:00.001+01:00

We have been extremely busy in the past three months, pushing forwards various projects including our "Portas Pilot" bid. If you haven't seen the video yet, then please watch it on Youtube and then and 'Like' it. The link is http://bit.ly/LoveOurTowns.

This month there is plenty going on:

Sunday, 22 April 10am-4pm Forest Hill Food Fair at Forest Hill Station

We will have a Market at the station, with eight stalls selling various produce and a taster trail involving nine pubs, cafes, restaurants and a sweet shop offering small portions for you to try - go along and sample those restaurants you haven't yet tried

Saturday, 28 April 2pm - 4pm Honor Oak Planting Honor Oak Park Station

Join us as we start this year's "In Bloom" effort with planting at Honor Oak Park Station. All you need is a little enthusiasm - we have four planters to plant and may try to clear the weeds by the bins too. Beginners welcome. If you cannot make it on the day, please contact email@foresthillsociety.com to get involved with the watering and nurturing of the plants.

Sunday, 29 April 11:30am - 3:30pm Birds of Prey Devonshire Road Nature Reserve, 170 Devonshire Road, SE23 3SZ

The Devonshire Road Nature Reserve are hosting another of their successful "Birds of Prey" days. There will be flights at 12 noon and 1:30pm, with tickets limited to 80 per flying session (Adults £3, Children £2, Family £8). The reserve will be open until 5:30pm.

Some photos from a previous event can be seen here.

Sunday, 29 April 2:30pm - 4pm Forest Hill Planting Forest Hill Station

** PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE ** NOW 29 APRIL.
Come along and build on last year's success. We only have two new planters to plant as two have been damaged in storage, but we need to tend to the existing beds as well. Beginners welcome - all you need is a little enthusiasm. If you cannot make it on the day, please contact email@foresthillsociety.com to get involved with the watering and nurturing of the plants.

Saturday, 12 May 10:25am Lullingstone Castle outing Meet at Catford Bridge Station

Lullingstone Castle is one of England's oldest family estates, dating back to the time of Domesday. Henry VIII and Queen Anne were both regular visitors. In addition to the Manor House and Norman Church, the World Garden is a special attraction.

The Forest Hill and Sydenham Societies are arranging a joint trip. If interested, please contact Quetta by emailing environment@foresthillsociety.com. Departure will be 10.25 a.m. from Catford Bridge station to Eynsford. This is one station beyond Zone 6 so a ticket for the extra should be purchased at Catford Bridge if using a Travelcard.

Light refreshments are available on site or at the Country Visitors' Centre a short walk away along a path beside the River Darent - or take a picnic with you.

Please book your ticket with Quetta the week before the visit - i.e. between Monday April 30th and Saturday May 5th so that we can qualify for the Group rate (£6, in additon to train fare).

Saturday, 12 May 11am - 3pm Sydenham Garden Spring Fair 28A Wynell Road, SE23 2LW

Sydenham Garden's annual Spring Fair takes place on Saturday 12th May 2012, 11am to 3pm.

They are a community charity and part of their mission is to involve the local community in their project, which offers therapeutic horticulture and creative opportunities to promote the physical and mental wellbeing of residents. There will be a stall aimed at promoting wellbeing and breaking the taboo about talking about mental ill health - their clients will be running many stalls at the event. Go along and find out more about who they are, what they do and why.

Saturday & Sunday, 12-13, 19-20 May 11am - 6pm Open Artists Havelock Walk and others

Various artists are opening their doors as part of the Dulwich Festival.

Almost all venues are open on the first weekend and many are also open on the second. A few venues are open on the second weekend only. For easy reference in the booklet and on the maps, green denotes venues open on both weekends, blue those open on the first only and yellow those open on the second weekend only. There is also an alphabetical list of artists at the back of the booklet. Full details can be found at http://www.dulwichfestival.co.uk/openhouseprogramme

Saatchi and Nigella come to Canvas & Cream

2012-04-15T22:55:00.000+01:00

Press Release from Canvas & Cream:

Canvas & Cream a new concept art space and dining experience in Forest Hill were host to Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson yesterday, there was a bit of something for both of them in Canvas & Creams’ unique Up-Cycled dining room which adjoins their Gallery/Project Space where artist Raf Zawistowski is exhibiting his new work.

Saatchi......

Raf Zawistowski’s solo debut show was bought outright by Saatchi before the show has opened.
Raf Zowistowski’s show Halo curated by Juan Bolivar is showing at Canvas & Cream Gallery/Project Space from Thursday 19^th April until 1^st June.
Zawistowski’s exhibition focuses on the relationship between materiality and his use of religious iconography, what Zawistowski refers to as existing between "the sublime and the anti-sublime".
In this new body of work comprising of twelve paintings derived from the imagery of the 265 Popes to have reigned to date, Zawistowski hints at the Apostolic connection they have with the Christian faith, and the succession of spiritual authority embodied by these religious figures.

Contact:
Joanna Gore at info@canvasandcream.com
+44(0)208 699 9589 / +44(0)7745 899462
Gallery Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday 12-5pm (or by appointment)
Canvas & Cream, 18 London Road SE23 3HF
www.canvasandcream.com

Above photo by Annie Nilaker ©

Nigella........

After viewing the artwork in the Canvas & Cream gallery Nigella, wowed by the eclectic selection of cakes tweeted... ‘Fabulous Cakes at Canvas & Cream SE23 ‘You Must Go’, after being presented with an Up-Cycled gift box made from a cigar box, two glass trinket boxes and fairy lights, containing homemade cakes she sent out a picture saying ‘My enchanting parcel of takeaway cakes, why haven’t I, of all people ever thought of fairy light giftwrap’.
Canvas & Cream casually offers a fine dining cook to order menu and/or a tea with ‘fabulous cakes’,diners are surrounded by a creative Up-Cycled environment as they eat. See www.canvasandcream.com for details and events

Planning Applications: 113 Bovill Road and Forest Hill Hotel

2012-04-15T22:50:00.002+01:00

113 Bovill Road
The Forest Hill Society has objected to a three storey office block in Bovill Road.
The details of the application can be viewed on the Lewisham council web site.

Our main reasons for objection are:

1. The site is not suitable for a 3 storey office building and other workshop uses
2. The inappropriate design of the replacement building

The full objection can be read here.

Forest Hill Hotel (Stanstead Road)
The Forest Hill Society has objected to the conversion of this pub to residential units.
The details of the application can be viewed on the Lewisham council web site.

Our main reasons for objection are:

1. The application fails to provide affordable housing

2. Poor internal layout

The full objection can be read here.

Into the Garden

2012-04-02T18:58:00.002+01:00

Sydenham Garden will be opening its gates to the public for a unique musical event. Dreamt up by two students from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, ‘Into the Garden’ is all about promoting local musicians and highlighting the work of Sydenham Garden.
This is not your average concert; everyone is welcome to pop in at any time during the event. Performers will include the fabulous Sydenham Garden Choir and students from the Guildhall School, with further acts to be confirmed. Please see their website for the latest information – http://www.intothegarden.moonfruit.com
The event will run from 2.30-5.30pm on Sunday, 15 April at Sydenham Garden (28a Wynell Road, SE23 2LW) with performances taking place around the garden throughout the afternoon. There will be plenty of refreshments and homemade cakes on sale. Entrance is free, but donations for Sydenham Garden will be welcomed. They ask that children under 16 are accompanied by a responsible adult.

Vote for Forest Hill

2012-03-31T15:25:00.000+01:00

Show your support by 'liking' our Portas Pilot video on YouTube.

The Forest Hill Society has been working with our bid partners to secure £100,000 funding for the Sydenham, Forest Hill and Kirkdale Town Team. This will help pull together the various traders' groups, civic societies, landlords and organisations in the area to drive improvement in our Town Centres.

The aim of the Portas Pilot is not to pay for all the improvements that we would like to see - it is much more about effecting change which will lead to those improvements through dynamic leadership.

We would love to get the street clutter removed, install better signage, let people know where the car parks are, link the Horniman Museum with Forest Hill, and fill our empty shops with quality independant offerings, but this is not going to happen unless we make it happen. We cannot just sit back and wait for TfL, the council or whoever to do it for us.

The Town Centre Team will work together to promote Forest Hill, Sydenham and Kirkdale, address the issues and effect change. It will benefit by sharing the many talents and enthusiasm that we have in the area and, by sharing the workload, will result in more changes for the better.

We look forwards to being active participants.

(The Forest Hill Society's bid partners include Lewisham Council, Sydenham Society, Kirkdale Village Traders, Sydenham Town Centre Steering Group and many other individuals.)

Pools Update - July Opening?

2012-03-28T12:18:00.001+01:00

At a recent meeting of the Stakeholders' group, presentations were made by Fusion Lifestyle and Willmott Dixon. The facility will be open 7am-10pm on weekdays and 7am-6pm at weekends and will include:

a 25m length swimming pool
a 16.7m length learner pool
a 54 piece, state-of-the-art fitness suite with 20% of the equipment being IFI accredited. The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) is a programme supporting the fitness industry to become more inclusive - catering for the needs of disabled and non-disabled people, as well as raising physical activity participation levels.
two studios
a café area. Fusion are currently tendering for the café operator. They have advertised through local and national press and received 14 expressions of interest, of those 8 have submitted pre-qualification questionnaires (the first phase of selection) and will be invited to submit a full tender brief on how they will manage the café. Fusion stated their desire to work with a partner who will actively engage with the local community.
a community room for hire
spectator viewing and
an exhibition area

Fusion's presentation included provisional schedules for the pools. These can be viewed on our Flickr account - Blogger refuses to display them correctly. Please feedback any comments to email@foresthillsociety.com.

The timetable for the main pool can be found here. One lane will usually available at all times during a general swim session for lane swimming.

The timetable for the Learner Pool can be found here. The community sessions are a new addition for Forest Hill Pools which have been created to allow community groups such as disabled groups a slot on the timetable to use their local leisure centre. These sessions will be open to the community and Fusion Lifestyle would like groups to come forward who are interested in using them. If you email us, we will forward your email to Fusion.

Fusion Lifestyle also asked for any opinions on how the studios should be used to be fedback

Two other items were also discussed. A specialist design company called Atelier has been commissioned by Lewisham to design a permanent exhibition or artwork reflecting the history of the old Forest Hill Pools which will be displayed in the new building. Stakeholders were encouraged to bring forward any old pictures/ photographs or information they may have of the building or the area that could be contributed to this work. Contact Tim Andrew for further details.

Finally, the Council wish to go out to tender for an organisation to take on Louise House. They are open to innovative ideas on how to feasibly develop the site whilst retaining a community focus to the site.

The Council are hoping to open the building by July 2012, with an official opening ceremony on 22nd September 2012. Photos of the current progress can be found on Lewisham's, Willmott Dixon's and Forest Hill Society's Flickr accounts.

Planning Application - 49 Houston Road - DC/12/79665

2012-03-27T21:56:00.001+01:00

There has been another planning application for 49 Houston Road following the rejection of the previous application.
The new planning application can be viewed on the Lewisham Council website. The Forest Hill Society have written to object to this application on the basis that the application includes poor internal layout, poor outlook and daylight, and will increase overlooking of neighbouring properties.

Horniman Licensing Application

2012-03-27T15:46:00.001+01:00

Horniman Museum and Gardens have recently applied for a licence for entertainment and serving alcohol for up to 15,000 people. We contacted the Horniman to ask for more details about this application. Here's what they said:

The Horniman currently has a licence to provide what is termed “regulated entertainment” this means that we can show plays, films, have live music, dance and things of a similar description. The licence allows for “the provision of entertainment facilities” for making music, dancing, and entertainment of a similar description. Our current licence also allows for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises at certain times and we are applying to change these times to enable us to sell alcohol through the shop, cafe and at some events.

Our current licence is complex in terms of the different hours for which different activities are licensed, and we now need to update it to include our new ‘Gardens Pavilion’ which will sometimes be used for the licensable activities referred to above.

We plan to base our programme around the traditional size of event we have been running for many years. Typically over the last decade our larger events have attracted 5,000-10,000 people over the course of the day. This year we have World City Music Village planned for June (5-10,000 people), the Big Dance Picnic planned for 8 July (2-5,000 people) and a community launch for the Gardens planned for 31 May (approximately 2,000 people).

We have had experience of one very large scale event in the summer of 2009 (attended by approximately 20,000 people) which we believe was too large for our site and facilities. We have no intention of staging such very large scale events in the future.

We are not planning events attracting over 10,000 in the course of the day, but we have applied for up to 14,999 on site ( licence bands go up in units of 5,000) to ensure that just a few people over this target do not put us in breach of our licence.

We very much hope that local people will enjoy and participate in our summer programme this year.

Be a star!

2012-03-22T12:21:00.000Z

We want you to make a 20-30 second video for our Portas Pilot bid.

Each bid needs to include a video which shows how much the local community cares about their Town Centre and how they would improve it. We would like to include locals' views about the area in a way that will make our bid unique and personal. Your video should therefore include a high and low about either Sydenham, Forest Hill or Kirkdale shopping areas. It can be as simple or complicated as you like, with or without commentary - use your imagination! But it needs to be done quickly. We must have your video by 6pm on Sunday (March 25).

We need the actual file for editing purposes, so please use www.sendspace.com to email your video to myfilm@foresthillsociety.com. If you post your video to YouTube as well, please add the tags se23, se26, forest hill, sydenham and portas.

The legal bit.
You will keep the copyright to your video in its raw format. By sending the video to us using sendspace.com, you will grant Forest Hill Society full rights to include the video in our Portas Pilot bid. Forest Hill Society and its bid partners will have full copyright of the bid video.

St George's Food Fair

2012-03-19T13:51:00.000Z

On Sunday 22 April,10 until 4, we are holding a Food Fair in the forecourt of Forest Hill Station.
We are busy putting together a group of the finest local food producers and retailers to bring real quality food right into the heart of Forest Hill.
Alongside On THe Hoof's coffee stall, we'll have hot food and great drinks from Fleisch, Forest Hill's newest caterers.

Honor Oak's recent newcomer Hills & Parkes will be selling their delicious home baked pies and a range of superb English cheeses. Their new chef is cooking tartlets filled with lemon/rhubarb and custard/choc/strawberry and savoury flavours too.

Mridula Baljekar's Kitchen will be selling their Pure & Fresh range of spiced fruit chutneys. Using no artificial additives or colours they have an unmistakably delicious Eastern quality.

The fruit and vegetables are supplied by Perry Court Farm in Kent and the recipes are then developed and cooked by Jacqueline Evans & Mridula Baljekar in Mridula Baljekar's Kitchen. Sean 'Egg Boss' Lawson will be selling his six flavours of Scotch Egg, to eat on the day or to take home for a delicious lunchtime treat and Pimento Hill will be bringing the Caribbean to Forest Hill with their sauces, seasonings and jellies. Let's hope they bring the sunshine too!

Local Dulwich favourites Franklins will be offering wonderful deli produce, both local and from around the world and there will also be stalls from artisan bakers BreadBread and the Forest Hill Cake Company to round off our list of quality food merchants.

There will be music and entertainment throughout the day, so mark the date in your diary and come and experience 'all the fun of the fair!'
With thanks to the Station Operators LOROL.

Events

2012-03-12T22:48:00.000Z

SPRING WOODLAND WALK, SUNDAY, 25 MARCH, 11.00am

Join us on our Woodland Walk. Starting from London Road, Horniman Gardens lower entrance, bottom of Sydenham Hill (not Sydenham Rise). A guided walk will take us through Sydenham Woods looking at the disused railway line and spring flowers. 'Pissarro's bridge' is shown to the right.

FOREST HILL PLANTING, 28 APRIL
Join us for Forest Hill in Bloom 2012!
Meet at 2.30pm, Sat 28 April, at the station forecourt. Bring gardening gloves, trowel and a plastic bag.
We will be holding a similar event in Honor Oak Park (timing to be confirmed)

Development News

2012-03-12T22:45:00.000Z

Recently there have been several planning applications for high street developments to which the Society has objected. This may seem at odds with our intention of championing the local shopping areas, so we thought we should explain why we have taken this position.
In Dartmouth Road there were applications to change the use of three separate retail units into a financial service, an office, and a bar. Although they have been empty for years and it is great news that new businesses want to open here, we were concerned about the loss of units for retail. Lewisham has guidelines about maintaining a mix of uses in town centres to encourage shopping. We expect that the new swimming pools will increase passing trade and help to revitalise Dartmouth Road, so we don't want too many retail units to disappear.

In Honor Oak Park we objected to two applications on the shopping parade. The first was Domino's Pizza wanting to open a pizza delivery outlet in the former Old Bank restaurant. There was a lot of local opposition and we took the view that it was poor use of a prime location, and there were concerns about parking and noise from the delivery bikes. Lewisham refused the application on those grounds. The applicant appealed against the decision. This was dismissed on the basis of unsatisfactory parking for the delivery bikes.

The second application on the HOP parade was for three units to be combined into one unit for a supermarket (thought to be a chain) with flats above. Local opinion was divided: some feared a supermarket would be detrimental to existing shops, while others thought it would benefit the parade by encouraging more people to shop there. We came to the conclusion that the new unit would probably be good for the area, but some of the flats above had poor layouts and we therefore submitted an objection setting out our concerns about that. Lewisham are yet to decide whether to grant the application.

Contact planning@foresthillsociety.com.
See www.foresthillsociety.com/search/label/Planning for all applications in which we have been involved.

Neighbourhood Planning

2012-03-12T22:40:00.001Z

Over the past few months things have been moving forward on the proposals for the SE23 and SE26 Neighbourhood Plan. Now that the Localism Act has become law (November 2011), we have a better view of what is required and the regulations that will control the process of creating a Neighbourhood Plan.
The exciting thing about Neighbourhood Planning is that it has the potential to give real control to communities in helping shape their area. It also places a responsibility on Local Authorities to support communities in producing neighbourhood plans.

We have been meeting with Lewisham Planning Officers to discuss ideas for the area the plan will cover and how we can work closer in the future on this and other planning policy documents.

Our next steps include presenting our ideas to each Ward Assemblies in SE23 and SE26; identifying areas of funding to support our work with the wider community on the plan; and building up our database of people who are keen to help. We are keen to progress work on Forest Hill town centre, to gain a better understanding of what gives the area its special character, and how we can try and make sure that future development proposals support and reinforce what makes the area special.

If you can offer your time or skills to the Neighbourhood Planning process we'd love to hear from you. We will continue to keep you informed as work progresses over the coming months. Please email your details to Hilary@foresthillsociety.com with details of your interests, how you are able to help, or the issues we should be covering.

ST AUGUSTINE'S - URGENT APPEAL

2012-03-12T22:39:00.000Z

St Augustine's church in Honor Oak urgently needs £300,000 for essential repairs, or we may face losing this landmark building. Please go to www.augustineonetreehill.org.uk/donations.htm
The deadline for donations is March, so please act fast!

Future of Police

2012-03-12T22:37:00.000Z

Doubts have been raised by the Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panel about the future of Sydenham Police Station on Dartmouth Road. The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (which took over from the MPA in January) are reviewing the entire property portfolio as part of a London-wide review of Police station provision.

The Metropolitan Police (MPS) may want to sell off the building to raise much needed cash and relocate the Forest Hill, Sydenham and Perry Vale Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) and the Rapid Response Team to Catford.

The Station may open only Part time to the public, but is home to our SNT. Relocating the SNT to Catford will result in them spending less time policing the very streets they are supposed to protect and is contrary to the idea of local policing. We feel that this is far from ideal and are calling on the MPS to review the situation.

Borough Commander, Detective Chief Supt Burton, will 'neither confirm nor deny' the rumours and will only say that there is a review of Police Stations happening across London that will look at counter provision across Lewisham.

The Forest Hill and the Sydenham Societies held a protest at the Station on 18 February, which was supported by Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick and are calling on their members to sign the petition available in local shops or online at www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-sydenham-police-station/ and email Detective Chief Superintendent Jeremy Burton: Jeremy.burton@met.police.uk

Raising the Roof at the Devonshire Road Nature Reserve

2012-03-12T22:35:00.001Z

The Nature Reserve is looking for volunteers to help build the new Green Oak Shelter.
Specialist green-oak carpenter and teacher Tom Trimmins (tomtrimmins.co.uk) is running carpentry workshops on Saturday March 3rd, 17th and 31st from 10.00 until 2.00 , cutting and shaping the green-oak frame for the building, making the mortice-joints and bracing pieces and forming the curved roof timbers. Work will carry on later into the afternoon for those with a passion and there will be other sessions on weekday evenings to continue the work learnt on the Saturday sessions.

Volunteers are also needed to clear the site and cast the pad-stones ready for the timber frame, so, if you don't see yourself as a carpenter but feel like some honest labouring, there's plenty to do.

The Oak frame will be erected on Sunday, 1 April. There will be a party to celebrate, so dig out your dancing clogs. There'll be hard work, music and food and drink. Families welcome to raise the barn!

There will be further hands-on workshops in May to build and plant the living roof (similar to the Horniman Museum). Guided by Dusty Gedge (dustygedge.com), one of the foremost experts in green roof technology, this is the opportunity to learn all about this environmentally friendly method. Contact jacob@foresthillsociety.com.

Sydenham Garden

2012-03-12T22:32:00.001Z

Established for ten years, this community project provides gardening and art therapy to local people with physical or mental health issues.

The new resource centre was opened in 2010 and the Garden is looking to expand to serve other community needs. The Gardens are actually just in Forest Hill, on Wynell Road, next to the Forest Hill Bowls club on the site of a, wait for it ... a former market garden (used up to the middle of the last century. The Gardens were proud to win a Lewisham in Bloom prize last year.

The charity has ambitious plans to grow food commercially at the former allotments in De Frene Road. Rubbish and debris has been cleared to get the land ready. In coming years you will dine in local fashionable restaurants knowing your produce is both fresh, local and supports the community. See www.sydenhamgarden.org.uk for further details including how to get involved and open days.

New Community Orchard

2012-03-12T22:30:00.000Z

The community orchard in Mayow Park was planted on Saturday 28th January 2012, after months of preparation that saw Friends of Mayow Park (FOMP) working with London Orchard Project (LOP) and Lewisham Council.

Numerous local adults and children helped, learning from LOP how to dig a square hole, mulch and stake the trees. Eleven trees were planted: ten trees were sponsored by local people and one was a gift. The Society sponsored the Brandy Pear tree, which is a medium sharp perry pear.

Six people volunteered to be orchard carers. They will receive basic training on care for the trees and will water them during the growing season for the first two years. A fruiting hedgerow was also planted. We look forward to autumn fruit harvesting and other celebrations annually. If you would like to be an orchard carer or would like to know more about the orchard. Contact FOMP on friendsofmayowpark@ymail.com

Wassail!

2012-03-12T22:29:00.000Z

In January, as part of their 'Mummers, maypoles, and milkmaids’ series, the Horniman Museum and Gardens presented an event on the traditional Twelfth Night celebrations. Some of you may have seen this for real at London Bankside, where The Lions Part performed a few weeks ago.

Participants had their chance to join in, including a traditional Wassail to bless the coming year's apple harvest. Fruit is abundant at the One Tree Hill allotments, where they carry out their own Wassail, helped by cider (the product of the previous year - see photo to the left) every autumn. For further details including open days see www.othas.org.uk

Environment & Leisure

2012-03-12T22:27:00.000Z

The Environment & Leisure Committee continues to work to promote SE23 as a green, clean and exciting place in which to live, work and play.

Volunteers worked with Lewisham's Nature's Gym to plant hedgerow whips and create a stag beetle loggery in the Horniman Triangle on Saturday 18 February and we ran our fourth Bring and Take Day on February 25, this time at Holy Trinity Church hall in Sydenham Road.

Following the success of the Christmas tree-lighting event in the station forecourt, we are working to use that space again on Sunday 22 April for a St George's Day themed food market featuring the 'best of English produce'.

Our gardening volunteers are hoping to improve on our 2011 In Bloom 'thriving' award by adding summer planting to brighten the station platform planters and, in the nearby town centre, new planters will be added and planted up on April 28th. New granite planters will also be installed at the entrance to Honor Oak Park station.

A joint trip is being planned with the Sydenham Society for a guided tour of Lullingstone Castle and its World Garden in Kent on Saturday, May 12th. Anyone wishing to help or join in with any of the above activities please contact Environment@foresthillsociety.com.