Welcome to your South Bank and Waterloo Neighbours newsletter.
This newsletter contains:
Thriving to 100 - Elders event for people of all ages, Sunday 26 January
South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us update
South Bank updates
OurBike at the Oasis Hub
Lambeth Civic Awards - deadline for nominations Sunday 26 January
Lambeth Wellbeing Fund - deadline for applications Friday 31 January
South Bank Spine Route update
Local support
Lambeth Age Friendly forum meeting, Tuesday 18 February
Energy Support from Age UK
One-to-one income generation surgery appointments with Integrate
Spotlight on... SoWN member Obadiah Emaru, Groundwork London
Thriving to 100 Elders event, Sunday 26 January
Join local people on Sunday 26 January for a 'Thriving to 100' Elders event at The Warehouse, 13 Theed Street, from 3 to 5pm.
This event is not just for Elders but also for youngers and carers and anyone else who may be looking to the future, asking the questions that need to be asked and seeking sensible answers.
There will be three inspiring and expert key speakers, a Q&A panel with plenty of time for questions, plus informal time afterwards.
This is an open event for all friends and neighbours. If you are part of a Co-op, Residents Association, local charity etc., please circulate this information to your members so that no-one misses out.
South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us: Innovative Sustainable Drainage Design Planned for Waterloo East
The Sustains Us partnership is thrilled to announce that £40,000 in funding has been awarded to develop an innovative landscape design in Waterloo East. This project will focus on streets south of Waterloo East Station, including Windmill Walk, Cons Street, Greet Street, and a small section of The Cut.
The project aims to reimagine these streets with additional greenery for residents, visitors, and businesses and to reduce surface water flood risks.
We encourage residents and local businesses to share their ideas and insights to shape the design, ensuring the proposals reflect the needs of the community and enhance the space for those who use it most, while delivering wider benefits for visitors. To learn more or get involved, please visit the full article on the Sustains Us website here.
South Bank Updates
Miracle on Leake Street
We hope all those who went to the Leake Street in December to celebrate the neighbourhood’s free alternative Christmas Party had a great time.
Hosted by WeAreWaterloo and South Bank BID, 2024’s Miracle on Leake Street was the biggest yet, with many local businesses getting involved on the night, topped off by a community wide “Christmas-aoke” powered by Lucky Voice’s van.
As well as providing a great opportunity to celebrate and get in the festive spirit, the night also helped raise money for Waterloo Foodbank.
Government officials visit the neighbourhood
In November, SoWN - along with local councillors and partners including South Bank BID, WeAreWaterloo, and Oasis - welcomed a team from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to Waterloo and South Bank. The session gave the civil servants an insight into how local groups work together to address issues that matter to residents, businesses, and employers. The MHCLG team heard about the history of community activism in the area, including the creation of SoWN as the neighbourhood forum. They also heard about the work impact of the dedicated Outreach Worker who supports those that are homeless and are rough sleeping around Waterloo Station, providing support and access to pathways to further long-term assistance. Initially funded by South Western Railway (SWR) through their Customer and Communities Improvement Fund, the Outreach Worker is now fully funded by South Bank BID and is part of a partnership approach that involves Lambeth Council and Thames Reach. South Bank BID has recently secured additional funding from SWR for an additional part-time worker.
Audience research
Last year, South Bank BID commissioned research into the various kinds of people that visit the area, and to gauge their feelings and experience whilst here. The results have been shared with SoWN and other local partners. The research drew on the experience of a sample of residents, workers, and those visit and provided helpful insights as to their current experiences and perspectives. There was much that was positive - 94% of respondents rated South Bank as ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’, and 98% of visitors felt that South Bank was safe. Culture, entertainment, and the area’s open spaces were highlighted as particularly positive aspects of the South Bank area.
Important points were made about wayfinding and signage, with some finding it confusing and unhelpful. These issues will no doubt be addressed through the new Wayfinding strategy for Waterloo and South Bank, which has recently been commissioned by Lambeth Council, with input from local groups including SoWN and both BIDs.
OurBike at the Oasis Hub
OurBike is an e-cargo share scheme allowing businesses and residents to hire an electric cargo-bike for just £3 an hour.
An OurBike can simply be booked and unlocked through the OurBike app. Waterloo is welcoming its own OurBike hosted by Oasis Hub who make sure to swap the batteries to keep the bike available for hire to the local community.
Lambeth Civic Awards
The deadline for the Lambeth Civic Awards is Sunday 26 January. Please nominate if you’d like to recognise a volunteer in your community organisation, or invite the people who use your service to nominate you!
There are 9 categories to nominate from, including recognition of young people, volunteers, thriving communities, arts & culture and health and wellbeing.
Finalists will be invited to an award ceremony in the Town Hall and winners will be recognised for excellence in their community work.
Nominate here.
Lambeth Wellbeing Fund
Lambeth Wellbeing Fund is offering small grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 for health & wellbeing projects for adults, for projects running for up to 12 months.
Projects must support community groups for ideas and small projects that can support adults with the following priority ‘I’ statements identified by Southwark and Lambeth Integrated Care Citizens Board and Big Lambeth Health Debate:
I can manage my own health and wellbeing (or condition) and I am supported to do this, including having access to information and being able to stay healthy
I have systems in place to help at an early stage to avoid crisis and as small a disruption as possible if a crisis happens and I live independently
I feel part of a community
Full details here: London Community Foundation | Lambeth Wellbeing Fund
Deadline for applications: 31 January
The South Bank Spine Route
Lambeth Council have provided an update on Phase 2 of the Spine Route Masterplan, the traffic circulation changes through Experimental Traffic Orders (ETO’s). An ETO can only be in place for a maximum of 18 months, and places an obligation on the council to collect responses and review the scheme before deciding whether or not to make it permanent.
The traffic restrictions as part of the Spine Route Masterplan were installed in October 2023, and will come to an end by the end of April 2025. This means that Lambeth Council must complete a Decision Report, which needs to be informed by a round of quantitative data collection and gathering qualitative feedback.
For the quantitative data review, Lambeth will look things such as:
Traffic volumes and speeds
Road danger statistics
Air quality levels
Origin and Destination of traffic
Pedestrian movements
For the qualitative side, Lambeth will be hosting various activities over the next month together with Citizens:
An engagement survey, which can be viewed here. This will be live from13 of January to the 9 February.
They will be organising 3 workshops, one for residents, one for businesses and one for stakeholder organisations. Information on these can be found on the engagement page.
Physical copies of the surveys will be available from the Coin Street neighbourhood centre, 108 Stanford Street.
Lambeth will be sending all local residents and businesses in the Spine Route area a letter and leaflet.
They will be distributing the leaflets to visitors on select days and hang up local posters with QR codes linking to the survey.
Let Lambeth know your thoughts on the initiative using one of the methods provided.
Local support
Lambeth Age Friendly forum meeting
Lambeth Council has committed to become an Age Friendly Borough and wants to work with older residents, carers and groups supporting older people to achieve this.
Join the next Age Friendly Lambeth forum meeting:
Date: Tuesday 18 February 2025, 2 - 4pm
Location: The Assembly Hall, Lambeth Town Hall, 1 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW
Tea, coffee and refreshments will be provided.
At the meeting you will discuss:
Age-friendly communication including the Age-Friendly bulletin and webpages (meeting focus)
Skills and employment
If you would like to take part in this meeting, please let them know by:
Emailing AgeFriendlyLambeth@kaizen.org.uk
Calling 020 4536 6321
Energy Support from Age UK
Age UK are offering support and practical advice to people who are struggling with their energy bills or want to improve safety in their homes.
Energy Boost Service - support includes: - contacting energy providers - exploring cheaper providers - offering practical advice about reducing cost.
Home Energy Checks - a trusted handyperson will visit an older person’s home to check its efficiency. The handyperson fits appropriate equipment to increase the energy and thermal efficiency in the home.
Safe At Home - their reliable and trustworthy handyperson can help with: - home safety advice - security checks - lock fittings and repairs.
See the flyer below for eligibility and how to access these services or visit the website.
One-to-one Income Generation surgery appointments with Integrate
Are you a Lambeth voluntary sector organisation or do you want to start one? Then Integrate is here to help. Integrate has access to a number of funding databases and are networked into the trusts and foundations community including as a member of London Funders.
They would love to chat with you to learn more about what your organisation is up to and what we can do to help your fundraising strategy and indeed address any barriers you may have to access funding.
These sessions are 60 minutes and a safe place to throw around ideas and explore opportunities.
There are 1-2-1 sessions available every Friday. Book your free fundraising advice slot here.
Spotlight on... Obadiah Emaru
What’s your role in SoWN?
I am a Project Manager for Groundwork London, and I lead several community-focused initiatives, including Strengthening Families, the Southwark Parenting Circle, the Strengthening Father program, and Peckham Studios. My work centres around supporting families, empowering fathers, and fostering creativity within the community.
What’s your favourite hidden gem around the South Bank and Waterloo area?
One of my favourite hidden gems is the Garden Museum by Lambeth Bridge. It's a peaceful spot where history, gardening, and creativity come together, offering a refreshing escape in the heart of the city.
What does a perfect day look like for you?
A perfect day starts with a calm morning, followed by connecting with the community through projects or workshops. I’d enjoy a scenic walk along the Thames, some quality family time, and a chance to relax with music or a good book in the evening.
Where’s the best place you’ve been on holiday?
One of the best places I've visited is Lake Como in Italy. The serene landscapes, picturesque villages, and delicious food make it an unforgettable destination.
If you could choose to be friends with one fictional character, who would you choose?
I’d choose Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. His integrity, wisdom, and compassion make him an inspiring figure and someone I’d enjoy learning from.
Who do you nominate for a SoWN spotlight?
I’d like to nominate Elizabeth (Liz) Fajemisin, who is the service manager for FEH Early Help (Under eleven locality service and family help support team).