Burns Night 2016

One of the most fun events in the Forest Hill Society calendar is our annual Robert Burns Night Supper where we combine Scottish food, Scottish poetry, and a wee dram of Scottish whisky in a great evening.

This year the Forest Hill Society in conjunction with All Inn One, on Perry Vale, will be hosting a Burns Supper on Saturday 23rd January.

There will be the traditional Address to the Haggis and the opportunity to listen to or to read from the works of Robert Burns. We will also have some local musicians to round off the evening.
The meal is from 7.30pm, and if you'd like to join us you must book in advance, please call the pub on
020 8699 3311 or email info@allinnone.org.uk to book. The cost is £19.95 per person for 3 courses and a very enjoyable evening. (Please let them know if you would prefer the veggy haggis to the meaty version).

Everybody is welcome; members, non-members, Scots, Sassenachs, and all friends of Scotland.

Early booking is recommended. Last year not everybody who left it until the last minute was able to get a seat.

If you are not sure whether you would enjoy our very own Burns Night, let me assure you, you will!

Consultation: Dartmouth Road Streetscape Improvements

Lewisham Council is conducting a consultation process to agree significant improvements to Dartmouth Road between the junction with London Road and Thorpewood Avenue. The Council would like to receive further comments on these documents from the community, to inform the continuing detailed design process.

Please respond either email to transport@lewisham.gov.uk. The closing date is midnight on Sunday 17 January 2016.

Full details on: https://lewisham-consult.objective.co.uk/portal/regeneration/regeneration_and_asset_management/dartmouth_road_streetscape_improvements?tab=info

 

Sports News - Forest Hill Park FC

Clayton Walters tells us about Forest Hill Park Football Club, our local team in the Kent Invicta league.

Due to our success working up the leagues, we play our home matches at Ladywell Arena. This is due to the fact that the stadium must be of a suitable standard (graded by the FA) to compete in the Kent Invicta league at Step 6 level of the National League System. The league has requirements for floodlights and other facilities for the ground grading standards.

We have progressed quite rapidly and are key in providing a good non-league level of football within our community and beyond. It's vital that we continue to compete and offer coaching to some local schools and clubs within our community.


Club History
Forest Hill Park FC was officially formed in 1992. A group of keen young footballers (Dean Dennis, Peter Stephens & Clayton Walters) - residing in the Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park – decided to form a team, registered with the Football Association, so that they could compete in a structured football league - a progression from the weekly matches in Honor Oak Park.

The club name derives from the area links between Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park. The club badge was designed around this idea; each elevated arrowed tree stands for each founder member, and the Oak tree of Honor, in One Tree Hill, which is a woodland park offering superb views over South London and beyond.

We joined forces with local side Lewisham Steelers, and entry into the Crystal Palace and District Sunday league in 1992 proved to be a positive step. Many of the players were playing a higher level of football on Saturdays, and due to the success of FHP, it was decided that Saturday football was the next step. Entry into the Bromley & District League was achieved. Our home ground was at Burbage Road in Dulwich for a few seasons, but it was agreed to move back into Lewisham borough. After that, for two seasons we competed in the South London Federation League, during which time we were runners up in the league cup.

We then transferred to the South London Alliance league 2001, playing at Catford Wanderers Sports ground. The committee members of the sports club saw our potential and requested that we play under the name of Catford Wanderers FC ‘FIRST TEAM’. We obliged for two seasons but it was felt, by the committee members, that Forest Hill Park FC must retain their identity and consequently reinstated their name with the league. A new dawn ensued as FHPFC, with the club name back and a new home ground secured in the heart of the borough at Ladywell Arena. Progression through the South London Alliance League followed, as Division one champions 2005/06 and runners up in the premier division for the following two seasons.

Entry into the Vandanel Kent County Football league was gained in 2008. In the second season FHP were crowned Division 2 West Champions and gained promotion to Division 1 West. The formation of a new Step 6 league in Kent was on the horizon, open to clubs of suitable standings. FHP fitted the membership criteria and applied to join the new league, but bizarrely a ruling from the FA deemed the application unsuccessful. In spite of the disappointing news, in the 2011 season FHP won the West Kent Challenge Shield.

A slow building process by linking with other clubs in Lewisham allowed younger players a pathway into adult county level football. FHPFC have always strived for progression and enjoyment of grass roots football by forming partnerships with other groups, gaining the prestigious charter Standard accreditation in 2010, The FA intermediate status, Lewisham Football Partnership, with a newly formed reserve side for season 2011/12. In season 2014/15 FHPFC were Hospitals Charity Cup finalists and were successful in their renewed application to become members of the National League System Step 6 Kent Invicta League for 2015/16.

For details of fixtures check out their website:
www.fhpfc.co.uk
Twitter @FHPFC
And you are welcome to attend home matches at Ladywell Arena.

Member's Profile - Dr Penelope Jarrett

How long have you lived in Forest Hill?I have lived in Sydenham or Forest Hill since my parents moved here when I was one year old. My siblings and I attended Eliot Bank School. My sister, sister-in-law and I all went to Sydenham School; my brother and brother-in-law both went to Forest Hill School, so I feel quite rooted here.

I was away in various places at University or work for 14 years, then came back in 1994. Oliver and I moved into our current house in Forest Hill in 1997.

When did you join the Forest Hill Society and which committees have you been on?I was at the founding meeting of the Society 9 years ago in the Dartmouth Arms Pub. At that time I did not know any of the other committee members, but we quickly agreed to work together, and I was involved with organising our inaugural general meeting at the Friends Meeting House. Since then I have been on the planning committee. I have no professional expertise in planning, but I am interested in what our environment is like, and do not mind asking lots of questions.

Do you enjoy using Forest Hill swimming pool?I remember walking to Forest Hill Pools from both my primary school and my secondary school to attend swimming lessons. It was part of my childhood. Later, my children had lessons there. So when proposals came up in 2002 to refurbish or rebuild (one pool!) I went to the meetings because I was concerned for the future of the Pools. That consultation did not come to any conclusion, in part because the local community was divided over what was wanted. By the time the next consultation began I was a member of the FH Society committee, and I agreed to be our lay representative on the Stakeholder Group.

The Council brought forward various unacceptable proposals and we had many meetings from 2007 until 2011, with much protesting along the way. I think in the end it was worth it as finally almost everyone got what they wanted: the historic facade building was retained, the actual pools are new facilities built to modern standards - and there are two of them!

What do you do when you're not looking after Forest Hill?I work as a GP in Lambeth, and I row or coach rowing - but I do spend a lot of time looking after Forest Hill! Apart from the Forest Hill Society and its various activities, I am an active friend of the Devonshire Road Nature Reserve (mainly this involves baking), I am a governor of Forest Hill School, and I am a member of Perry Vale Ward Labour Party (where I argue a lot about health related issues).

Were you involved in the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign?I became involved with this in my capacity as Honorary Secretary of the Lewisham Division of the BMA. We were outraged by the proposals, both as clinicians and as local residents who use the services. The Trust Special Administrator did not have clue! It was a great campaign to be involved in, with a real communality of purpose between the scientists, clinicians, health policy experts and ordinary inhabitants of Lewisham. My daughter and I went to the High Court to hear some of the Judicial Review, which was a learning experience. It was even better when we won! But we cannot be too complacent: funding cuts and reorganisation of services are still a threat.

What's the furthest you have rowed?The furthest measured distance I have rowed was 31 miles from Lincoln to Boston with a college alumnus crew in September this year. The absolute furthest would have been an attempted cross-channel row in 2013.  This was in a Waterman's Cutter, which has fixed seats; again a crew of veterans, this time all local women. It was very successful in fundraising for the Ahoy! Centre in Deptford (over £40k). However, shortly before we left the French shut their waters to cross channel rowers, so we decided to row to a buoy in the middle and back. Aiming for the buoy was a mistake: we should have just gone to the middle according to the chart and come back. The tides pushed us South, then North, and we were at sea for over 8 hours... I do not know how far we rowed but it was a lot more than the planned 22 miles.

What do you like most about Forest Hill?I like that it is green – lots of trees – and the people are friendly.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in the local area?It is hard to choose these days, but I have always found myself drawn back to the Dartmouth Arms.

What improvements would you like to see in Forest Hill?I really wish we could bury the South Circular in a tunnel! And indeed anything which makes life easier for pedestrians and cyclists. Otherwise, I am always in favour of more trees and greenery (Quetta does a great job!), and I love a variety of independent shops, cafes and restaurants/pubs.

Business Profile - Sugar Mountain

Most people in Forest Hill know Pauline Wright, owner of Sugar Mountain on Dartmouth Road, but we wanted to know more about the person behind the sweets and ice cream.

What made you want to open a sweet shop?
Originally another local and I were planning to open a coffee shop with a sweet shop within, where The Perryvale is now - but it didn't quite work out so I decided to open a sweet shop on my own, which suits me down to a tee as I'm just a big kid at heart!

Did I see your shop on TV?
Yes, recently ITV's Lorraine filmed a fashion shoot at the shop which was shown in early September, but watch this space as a pilot was filmed recently by a local TV and film director for CBBC. We'll have to wait and see what happens with that.

I hear you have a bit of a 'musical' past, can you tell us more?
 I trained at The Urdang Academy of Performing Arts which was in Covent Garden at the time. Amongst other things I did a stint in Starlight Express, but the funniest thing I did was dance in an Always Ultra advert when they first started selling them. It took a while before I lived that one down!

When did you move to Forest Hill?
 I moved to FH about 16 years ago and before that I lived in Beckenham for a while, and Brockley for a few years. Before that I lived in North London. But I first moved to London from Glasgow in the 80's which is why I've got a funny accent! I must say that after living in FH I'd never live anywhere else. I love the vibe and feel of FH and most of all the community spirit.

What positive changes have you seen in Forest Hill since you opened the shop?
The pools have re-opened and V22 have moved into Louise House (I'm looking forward to the community space when it's finished). Lots of independent shops have opened including The Archie Parker, The Butchery, Aga's Little Deli, Best of Both and Kids on The Hill, and The Framing Salon to name a few and I'm looking forward to more new shops opening soon on Dartmouth Road. One of my favourites though is our street piano.

You've been involved in lots of community activities including setting up a grotto for santa in previous years, and Forest Hill Fashion Week. What has been your favourite memory?
I've loved doing all of these, so it's hard to choose. My favourite event recently has got to be the FHFW alternative catwalk show with Pavement2Catwalk. For this we worked with Seniors Lewisham (aka Silver Threads), as well as people affected by mental health issues, physical disabilities, homelessness, addiction and domestic violence. Myself and Donald are planning on extending this part next year by working with more groups in the community.

My all-time favourite memory is the fundraiser I did for The Evelina Children's Hospital a couple of years ago which I done because my little customer Riley has a rare kidney disease. She's now doing really well after her transplant. This was such a fun event which included my shop landlord singing, another of my little customers playing classical music on the piano, an auction where all the other shop keepers donated items and last but not least dancing a Greese medley with other traders, customers, and friends. The best part of the event was raising around £1000 for The Evelina.

Are you involved in Forest Hill Traders Association?
There's quite a few of us that are active in FHTA and we all bring something different to the table which works really well. We'll be launching a new website soon to coincide with the unveiling of our new shop directory which will be at the station forecourt. It will be very different from the stand that's there at the moment. It will be made from bronze castings and treated oak with a sculpture on the top. You'll have to be at the unveiling to see the amazing sculpture that Cyrus from The Framing Salon & Stag & Bow has designed for us.

What advice would you offer to somebody wanting to open a shop in Forest Hill?
Do your research. I did a year’s worth of research before I opened. Check what business rates you will have to pay on the unit you are taking on as this can sometimes be a bit of a shock if you're taking on a large shop. Last but not least come and have a chat with the local shop owners. Most of us chat to our customers, so know what they would like to be added to the independent shops we have already.

If there was one thing you could change in Forest Hill, what would it be?
Pedestrianise Dartmouth Road so we can have a street party every weekend.

The Path to a New Visitors’ Centre in Devonshire Road Nature Reserve

Those of you who know the Devonshire Road Nature Reserve will have seen the site develop over the last decade and a half from a run-down, underused bramble patch to the vibrant, lively place it is today. A host of projects from digging ponds to building permanent garden shelters and paths have transformed the place and the Friends of Devonshire Road Nature Reserve have become experienced at delivering projects and events to involve the whole community.

We now want to tackle the big one; we want to replace the crumbling, 40 year old pre-fab classroom that serves as a visitor centre with a purpose built, ecologically designed flagship building. More than that, we want to involve volunteers from the community to deliver the building, as we have with all the other infrastructure projects.

A good deal of preparatory work has been done over the last few years; we’ve attended courses on community building and consultation, got to grips with funding applications, learnt green-oak carpentry skills, installed a living roof, dug and cast foundations and spent countless hours dreaming and discussing the project. What we need now is fund-raisers, architects, craftsmen and willing volunteers to get involved with all stages of the project, people who have that feeling that they have something to contribute but lack an outlet for their energy.

If you are interested and feel you can contribute, please contact Jacob Twyford at jake at fhsoc.com for more details.

Article by Jake Twyford

Forest Hill Traders Association reject Library Proposals

Forest Hill Traders have come together to oppose Lewisham Council's plans to convert Forest Hill Library to a Community Library.

"We do understand the Council has a need to cut costs and that there is an opportunity to reduce outgoings by re-structuring the existing council-run libraries in the borough.However we wish to stress in the strongest possible terms that in our opinion a community library would not be suitable for the Forest Hill, nor would any change of use of the current space on the ground floor into a café, or indeed any other commercial operation."

Full text of their letter to Sir Steve Bullock can be read here.

AGM Update

The Society’s AGM took place at the Honor Oak Pub on 22 October. Chairman Michael Abrahams began by looking back over a successful year for the Society. For the third year running, the Royal Horticultural Association judged our planting at the station and on the adjoining High Roads to be “Outstanding”. The Society was prominent in the successful bid to the Greater London Authority for funding to improve the public space in front of Louise House. Our planning workshop had also informed plans to improve Dartmouth Road, which will begin to be implemented in 2016.

Thanks were due to Kirkdale Pianos for replacing the street piano at the station, which continues to be a much loved source of fun and entertainment.

The Society had arranged talks on climate change and local history and continued to press for improvements to rail services. Most services have now been restored following major disruption at London Bridge Station and the Society would continue to make the case for late night services especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

Expanding on Michael’s review, Quetta Kaye summed up some of the Society’s environmental achievements during the past year. The launch of the Edible High Road in May had been a great success with shops sponsoring tubs and the Horniman Museum donating free plants to encourage people to grow their own. Hundreds of bulbs planted in the Horniman Triangle had added colour to this important community space while Sydenham School pupils had helped us clear litter from the High Roads.

Alisa Owens, the Treasurer, said that while expenditure had exceeded income during the year, this was planned and the Society’s financial position was “healthy”. There was no need to raise subscriptions but new members were always welcome.

And going forward – the issues that matter to local peopleA major purpose of the AGM is to give local people the opportunity to talk about the things in Forest Hill that matter to them. This year the discussion focused on the busy Forest Hill Library.

Local residents were concerned about proposals to build two blocks of flats and new houses on Eliot Bank and the demolition of a large house in Dacres Road. In both cases, the Society will share with residents planning experience and expertise. Also, there continues to be a desire to see improvements to Forest Hill’s play areas and green spaces.

Electing a New Executive Committee
Finally the AGM elected a new committee to take forward the Society’s work. Michael Abrahams was duly re-elected as Chairman, along with Alisa Owens as Treasurer, John Firmin as Secretary and Belinda Evans as Membership Secretary.

The Executive Committee was strengthened by the election of four new members: Alistair Dey, Brendan Cuddihy, Andrew Orford and Rob Owen. The following existing members were also duly re-elected: Quetta Kaye, Hilary Satchwell, John Wysocki, Jake Twyford, Katherine Willett, Penelope Jarrett, Sheila Carson, Alona Sheridan, Katrin Klinger and David McKenzie.

Article by John Firmin, Forest Hill Society Secretary