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SoWN News 15 October 2024

 
Welcome to your South Bank and Waterloo Neighbours newsletter.

This newsletter contains:

  • South Bank and Waterloo Forum meeting summary

  • Community Chest - last chance to apply - deadline Monday 21 October

  • Discovery your passion at Morley College

    • Morley Dance, in collaboration with Corali Dance Company, Monday 28 October

  • Updates

    • British Transport Police at Waterloo Station

    • Community Grants from Cory Group

  • Events

    • Epic! Celebrate St John's Waterloo's 200th birthday, Saturday 2nd November

    • Exploring Spirit at St John's Waterloo, Monday evenings

    • Coin Street's Black History Month Community Day, Saturday 26 October

    • A range of other events and opportunities in the SoWN area

  • Spotlight on... SoWN member Steven Okeya


 

South Bank and Waterloo Forum, Thursday 3 October, 7pm

Florence Eshalomi MP hosted the SoWN Forum on Thursday 3 October at at The Garden Museum. The agenda was brimming with updates on activities happening in the area. 



Florence said she had been busy since the General Election as the new Government focuses on what they want to get done. Florence confirmed that her top priority will continue to be representing the people of Vauxhall and Camberwell Green.




Christopher Woodward, Director of the Garden Museum, spoke passionately about the need to protect and develop green spaces. Christopher recently completed a sponsored swim to raise funds for Lambeth Green, a project to create a new garden adjacent to the Garden Museum. You can read about it here. The Museum is hosting a Harvest Festival this Saturday, 20 October, from 10am to 4pm. You can find out more about it here.


Laura Mitchison gave an overview of a very interesting project called Moments of Grace that captures reflections from nurses on shift at St Thomas' Hospital. You can find out more about it here.


Patricio Forrester spoke about the incredible Waterloo Sunset mural in Sandell Street. You can read more about it here.


Paul Cons gave an update on the Emma Cons Garden project. The team hosted uplifting events in the Gardens throughout September. You can read more about the project here.


Colleagues from Guys and St Thomas' spoke about a new scheme to deliver urgent blood samples between their sites by drone. This trial could pave the way for other uses of drones to help medical staff and patients. You can read more about it here.


Finally, Natalie Bell reported on the outreach work she has been doing on behalf of SoWN to engage more people to sign up to SoWN membership, raise awareness of SoWN and the South Bank Forum meetings, diversify the membership and find out what issues and concerns people living and working had about the Waterloo and South Bank area. Natalie carried out a survey, delivered posters and flyers about how to join SoWN all over the catchment area, sent emails via newsletter contacts and carried out research for ways to contact Tenant Resident Associations. 70 extra people have signed up to the SoWN newsletter and Natalie is keen to add at least 30 more to reach the target of 730 newsletter subscribers altogether.


SoWN Chair, Rev Giles Goddard, thanked everyone for coming and noted that the breadth of activities on the agenda at the meeting demonstrates how important it is for groups like SoWN to exist for local residents and organisations to come together to hear what's happening and have a chance to contribute.


The last forum of the year will be on Thursday 12 December. Everyone who lives and works in the South Bank and Waterloo area is welcome to attend and your contribution is important.


 

London Eye Community Chest - last chance to apply

Just a reminder that applications for the 2024 London Eye Community Chest grant programme close at 11 p.m. on 21 October. Grants of up to £10,000 are available for projects that help build community and strengthen community resilience in the SoWN area. Full details can be found here together with the online application form.


 

Discover your passion at Morley College


Start the college year with new opportunities at Morley College!

 

As we welcome the start of a new academic year, Morley College is thrilled to open enrolment for our exciting range of short courses. Whether you're a young adult aged 16-18 looking to expand your knowledge or someone who is eager to upskill, change careers or simply try something new - they have something for you.

 

This autumn explore your passions, develop new skills or dive deeper into a subject you've always wanted to master. With hundreds of courses available in creative arts, humanities, music, dance and wellbeing - there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

 

Check out their latest prospectus for unaccredited short courses starting in September 2024, January 2025, and April 2025. As a specialist college in the arts and social sciences, they offer thousands of opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.


Discover more and find the course that’s right for you: Morley Short Courses.


Morley Dance, in collaboration with Corali Dance Company have their annual Morley Waterloo-based workshop scheduled for Monday, October 28th, 10.30am to 3pm, £45.


The session will explore creative and educational methods to suit an integrated participatory group - i.e., participants with and without learning disabilities. The facilitators will be drawn from the Corali Dance Company and will represent a diversity of experience and learning needs. 


Target audience: Teachers, facilitators, choreographers, those seeking professional creative development opportunities.



 

Updates


British Transport Police (BTP), Waterloo Station

The BTP team at Waterloo Station report that this month they had a visit from Florence Eshalomi, as well as a busy month for arrests and safeguarding interventions. Theft of passenger property was the highest crime type as usual, followed by retail theft and violence. The team will continue to carry out high visibility patrols at times and locations of peak offending. You can hear directly from the BTP Waterloo team here.



 

Community Grants from Cory Group


Cory Group have recently opened applications for this year’s Community Fund. Grants of up to £7,500 are available for groups and organisations which have a positive impact on their local communities.

 

The aim of the Community Fund is to support groups and projects that play a role in strengthening local communities, with a particular focus on activities that support Cory’s wider goals of: 

 

  • Enhancing the local environment 

  • Preventing waste and growing the reuse economy 

  • Enhancing science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics skills 

  • Supporting employability skills and helping people to access education 

  • Increasing engagement with the River Thames 

 

Grants are available to groups based in the boroughs in which Cory operates, which are: Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, City of London, Gravesham, Greenwich, Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hertfordshire, Kensington and Chelsea, Thurrock, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, and Westminster. 

 

Applications are open until 29 November 2024, with grants distributed to successful organisations in 2024 and 2025. Community Fund application | Cory Group


 

Events

Epic! St John's Waterloo's 200th birthday


Come and celebrate the 200th anniversary of St John's Waterloo at the unique historical extravaganza at the church on Saturday, 2nd November 2024!


Doors open at 6.30pm and almost immediately you will be plunged into the early 19th century, with Regency dancing courtesy of Mrs Bennet's Ballroom, followed by a re-enactment of the debates in Parliament voting the money for the 'Waterloo churches'.


Next you will find yourself in wartime London, when the church was a direct hit by an incendiary bomb in 1940. Afterwards, you will emerge into 1951, when St John's was the church for the Festival of Britain on the South Bank, with dancing of the period, led by Jean Leclerc.


Fancy dress from the past 200 years encouraged - some items available for borrowing on the night.


Raffle, Beetle Drive, light supper, cash bar and concluding with celebration of another 200 year old masterpiece, with mass audience participation in the part of Beethoven's 9th symphony.



Exploring Spirit at St John's Waterloo, Monday evenings from now until 18 November, 7 - 8.15pm


Exploring Spirit is a series of talks and discussions for anyone looking to explore faith, the spiritual and God. It will encourage you to contemplate your own spiritual life and to explore the spirituality of the world through many different topics and spaces. This seven week series will consist of talks and discussion giving space for all to nurture our spiritual selves.


Topics include: spirit and creativity, spirit and justice, spirit and death, spirit and beauty.


The full list of speakers and topics are on the website and you can register here.



Running alongside Exploring Spirit, in the Old Crypt, is Breathe, a special meditative service starting at 6pm. No need to book for Breathe, just turn up.


Coin Street Black History Month community day, Saturday 26 October, 1 - 7pm


Join Coin Street on Saturday 26 October for a Black History Month celebration at the neighbourhood centre. Everyone welcome.


1-6pm - DJ, face art, stalls, wellbeing workshops and refreshments

2pm - Premiere of Coin Street film 'Imagine' and 40th anniversary cake

4.30pm - Community feast

5-7pm - Community party

Free and no need to book







Baytree Centre’s Black History Month event celebrating successful Black Women

When: Wednesday 23 October 4:30 - 6:30pm 

Where: The Baytree Centre, 300-302 Brixton Road, SW9 6AU 

Who: Women and girls ages 14+

  

Mosaic Trust’s LGBT Homoween Ball

When: Friday 25th October

Where: Regents Place

Who: LGBT+ under 18s

 

Halloween at Brixton Windmill

When: Sunday 27 October, 1pm to 4pm

Where: Brixton Windmill

Who: Families

Free


Yellow Box Theatre performance on Elimination of Violence Against Women Day

When: 25 November, 7pm

Where: Lambeth Assembly Hall

Who: everyone

  

Community Connector training in November

Project Smith offers free training to support your neighbourhood by becoming a Community Connector.

Four-day course during November in Carnegie Library.

Gain a Level 2 qualification in Behaviour Change.

 

Free course in Cyber Security for 16-25 year-olds

Palace for Life are offering a free 3-week course on Cyber Security in Crystal Palace for people aged 16-25 who are not in full-time education or employment.

Starting date: 29 October, 10am to 3pm

Email ETE@palaceforlife.org for an initial chat.

 

 

Spotlight on... Steven Okeya


What’s your role in South Bank and Waterloo?

I’m the Community Connector for the Southbank Centre, working in the Creative Engagement team. My role is to strengthen the ties between our vibrant arts centre and the diverse communities of Lambeth and Southwark. We develop and deliver programmes (often free!) that provide creative opportunities for locals, families, young people, and schools.


Our Arts and Wellbeing strand will have a major focus on young people and mental health, and our Talent and Artist development will provide opportunities to develop a career in the arts. Lastly, the Schools Strand offers creative learning experiences for students through take-over days, workshops, and projects, such as Imagine a story, a creative writing project for schools.


The Southbank Centre has also recently launched a new series called Open Doors, which are free, drop-in events for communities to come together and enjoy creative activities.


What’s your favourite thing to do on the weekend?

I love catching up on shows and movies I haven't seen, especially sci-fi and disaster films. The thrilling, heart-pounding storytelling in those genres excites me and fuels my passion for writing comic book stories. Something about the intensity and creativity of these narratives sparks my imagination and inspires me. I also regularly go to the gym on weekends. I believe a healthy body is key to fueling a creative mind.


What was your dream job as a child?

As a child, I always had a creative mind, and my dream job was to be a game designer. I was fascinated by the imaginative worlds that were built and the unique stories they told. It felt like an escape, and I was drawn to the idea of creating those kinds of experiences for others. That passion for storytelling has stayed with me and continues to inspire my work today.


Who is your hero?

My grandfather was my hero. He was the calmest, most peaceful person I’ve ever known. That calming energy is something I deeply aspire to embody in my own life.


If you could live in any movie, which one would it be?

Back to the Future


Do you have a message for SoWN members?

I’d love for SoWN members to come and visit the Southbank Centre! Whether it’s the Haegue Yang: Leap Year exhibition (contact me for free tickets!), Ghetts at the London Literature Festival, or an amazing day of music and activities for the family at our Open Doors events, there’s always something new to explore. Come and experience creativity, culture, and connection all in one place. We can’t wait to welcome you!

Who do you nominate for a spotlight?


 

We're always looking for community news for the SoWN newsletter. If you have anything to be included, please email news@sowneighbours.org


If you would like to volunteer to be part of editorial team please email news@sowneighbours.org

© 2023 South Bank & Waterloo Neighbours, registered charity 1189832

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