SoWN News October 2026
Updated: 13 hours ago
As autumn arrives, there is plenty happening across South Bank and Waterloo that highlights the strength of our local community. In this edition, we reflect on recent discussions shaping the neighbourhood, celebrate the people and partnerships helping our area thrive, and recognise achievements that are putting Waterloo on the map. You'll also find opportunities to connect with local history and celebrate Black History Month. Remember to put Thursday 10 December in your diary for the last SoWN Forum of the year.
Inside this issue:
Highlights from the South Bank and Waterloo Forum
Minutes from the SoWN Annual General and Trustee Meeting
Updates from South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us
Waterloo winners at the London in Bloom awards 2026
Join the Waterloo and South Bank Community Space Strategy workshops
Coin Street Black History Month celebration, Friday 30 October
Waterloo Local History Society - Working in Waterloo, Tuesday 3 November
Spotlight on... Rebecca Sycamore, new CEO of Coin Street
South Bank and Waterloo Forum
It was great to see many of you at the Forum at Southwark College on 8 October and a big thanks to Principal, Scott Peasey, and the team for providing a welcoming space and refreshments. Thanks also to the student ambassadors who spoke about their experiences at the College and what matters to them as young people studying in this area. They brought our attention to the need for areas for students to study after the college closes at 5.30pm and their concerns about safety in the area. If you have suggestions of where students can go to study or hang out after 5.30pm, please let us know.
Doug Buist, Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Waterloo & South Bank ward of Lambeth Council, gave an update and answered questions on Council priorities and local activities including a focus on safety measures incuding around educational centres, compost recycling, renovations to Waterloo Bridge and the volume of bikes.
You can get in touch with Doug here.
Cait presented the Adopt a Street initiative that Charlotte Glazier has been leading. You can find the presentation here. The initiative encourages residents, businesses and community groups to become local street champions.
Volunteers can help by reporting issues, supporting occasional clean-up activities and identifying improvements that make our neighbourhood cleaner, greener and more welcoming. Several streets across South Bank and Waterloo have already been adopted - highlighted below. If you would like to adopt a street, let us know.
Carole Milner, leader of the local Elders network gave an update on the groups activities and refelcted on the success of the Age Well Here directory, which has highlighted both the support available to older residents and the significant gaps that remain. Concerns were raised about the shortage of local housing with care, extra care facilities, nursing homes and other services that enable people to age well within their own community. Looking ahead, the group's priorities are to support plans for a future care and nursing home in the Waterloo area and to identify trusted local home care providers to help older residents remain independent for longer. The Elders Group is keen to work with local organisations, health services, developers and community partners to help create a neighbourhood where people can continue to live and thrive as they grow older. Contact Carole for more information or to join the Elders group.
Ryan Jakes and Soheb Panjaand from HB Reavis gave an update on the Elizabeth House project. You can find the presentation here. Plans for the redevelopment next to Waterloo Station continue to progress. The updated proposals focus on refurbishing much of the existing building, alongside new homes, workplaces, public spaces and improved pedestrian routes. The scheme aims to create a greener, more accessible gateway to Waterloo, with ongoing opportunities for community feedback.
Cait gave an update on two Coin Street activities. Firstly, following the closure of Gabriel’s Wharf, Coin Street have been looking at options for a new meanwhile use that brings a unique activity to the site, delivers a high-quality concept and community benefit, is considerate of local neighbours and contributes to Coin Street’s income and financial sustainability. No final decisions have been made but the leading concept is a year-round ice rink with a public area for food and drinks on the riverfront. The ice rink operators are a charity with the hope of promoting ice sports in London. They will deliver a high quality concept and a significant amount of community value while being considerate of local residents. Once the final decision is made, Coin Street will let everyone know and the new operator will carry out a public consultation during the planning process.
Cait also mentioned that the Coin Street Community Builders board is looking for new members who live within the SE1 area of North Southwark and Waterloo, highlighted on the map. As a board member, you would help guide Coin Street's future, work with the executive team to set strategy, oversee performance and ensure the organisation remains true to its purpose of creating a thriving South Bank and Waterloo community. If you are interested, email recruitment@coinstreet.org.
The final meeting of the year will be held on Thursday 10 December at 6pm at the new Waterloo Library. If there is anything you would like to see on a future agenda, please let us know.
On Monday 1 October, community members joined the SoWN Trustees for the Annual General Meeting followed by the Trustee Meeting. You can find the minutes below.
Updates from South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us
The latest on Reimagining the River
Sustains Us have recently launched the report Reimagining the River Thames: community visioning for a resilient future along the South Bank.
This draws together the insights shared by over 70 local stakeholders – residents, landowners, community groups and partners – at Reimagining the River held in May.
The event explored the future of the Thames along the South Bank in the context of the need to raise local flood defences by 2050. Sustains Us are already using this report in discussions with decision makers and to shape shared community next steps. They look forward to continuing working together to move towards this reimagined river and riverside.
Thames Beach Clean and Sketching Workshop - Thursday 29th October 9.30-1pm
Inspired by conversations at Reimagining the River where residents expressed how they would like to get more involved in caring for the Thames, Sustains Us would like to invite you to join your neighbours for a morning on the Thames foreshore, helping to clear litter and care for our local river environment.
Afterwards, local artist Alice Angus from Topolski Studio will lead a sketching workshop inspired by the beach clean, the objects collected and our shared hopes for the river's future. Whether you're interested in taking environmental action, being creative or simply getting involved locally, they'd love to see you there.
All welcome, no experience of drawing necessary. Gloves, litter pickers, and all equipment for both the beach clean and creative workshop will be provided.
Find out more and register your interest here.
Thank you for joining us at South Bank and Waterloo Eco Fest 2026!
The South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us team say thank you to everyone who joined South Bank and Waterloo Eco Fest 2026 last month. On Sunday 13 September, neighbours came together at St John's Waterloo for a celebration of sustainability, creativity and family fun. The event was organised by South Bank and Waterloo Sustains Us in collaboration with SoWN, Coin Street, and many local partners.
Together they browsed clothes and book swaps, learned new repair skills, received personalised energy-saving advice and energy-saving tools like draught excluders, got hands-on with low-waste planting, explored clay reuse, learnt about retrofit and circularity, refilled pantry essentials and discovered more about local recycling and waste services. Families enjoyed face painting, jazz dancing, arts and crafts, while the Junk Orchestra sound garden brought music and creativity with instruments from reclaimed materials. It was an afternoon buzzing with activity!
Take a look at some highlights and photos from the day here.
Join the next Sustains Us Residents Group meeting
The Sustains Us team are always keen for new faces to join the Sustains Us Residents Group that helped organise Eco Fest. Run with SoWN, the group supports local action on issues that matter to residents, like waste, air quality, greening and sustainable transport. Please reach out at sustainsus@sbeg.co.uk if you would like to get involved.
Waterloo awarded Gold and Silver Gilt at the London in Bloom 2026!
We're delighted to announce that there were multiple winners from Waterloo at the annual London in Bloom competition. St John’s Churchyard was awarded a Gold award and was best in category for churchyards, and WeAreWaterloo was awarded Silver Gilt, recognising the work taking place across Waterloo to create greener, more biodiverse and climate-resilient spaces.
The award marks an improvement on last year’s Silver, with judges visiting sites including Hercules Road, Kennington Road, Lower Marsh, Emma Cons Garden, Secker Street and Waterloo East SuDS.
Over the past year, WeAreWaterloo has continued to bring the local community into its green spaces through initiatives such as the Rooted lunchtime gardening club and Edible Marsh workshops. On Lower Marsh, a former Tappy Stall has also been transformed into a mini allotment, growing tomatoes, beetroot, chard and kale.
The award recognises not only the planting and green spaces across Waterloo, but the people and community behind them. From the gardening and cleaning teams to local residents, businesses and partners who help care for the area.
Read the full story from WeAreWaterloo: WeAreWaterloo – Silver Gilt at London in Bloom 2026
Join the Waterloo and South Bank Community Space Strategy workshops
Lambeth Council is inviting local residents, workers and students to take part in community workshops exploring how spaces in Waterloo & South Bank support people and communities.
The workshops will help identify what works well, what's currently missing and what improvements could support the area in the future.
These will take place on 24 and 27 October, and 3 November at St Johns Church Waterloo. Participants will receive a £30 voucher as a thank you for their time.
To find out more and register here.
Coin Street Black History Month celebration, Friday 30 October
Join Coin Street on for a special Black History Month celebration led by Jreena Green, exploring the lasting influence of Black dance on British culture, from the Charleston to Hip Hop. This exciting event will feature a live dance performance, interactive workshop and refreshments, offering an opportunity to learn, participate and celebrate the richness and diversity of Black culture.
Date: Friday 30 October
Times:
3 - 5pm | Family friendly session
6 - 8pm | Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult
Location: Studio 1, The Colombo Centre, 68 Colombo Street, SE1 8DP
Find out more here
Book your free ticket here
Waterloo Local History Society - Working in Waterloo
Join the Waterloo Local History Society for three presentations about businesses in the Waterloo area from the 1800s to 1930s.
Date: Tuesday 3 November
Time: 6pm for 6.30 - 9pm
Location: St Andrew’s Church, Short Street
Ticket price £5.42 including booking fee
Book here
The evening will open with a brief AGM.
Spotlight on... new CEO of Coin Street, Rebecca Sycamore
What's your role in the South Bank and Waterloo area?
As the new CEO of Coin Street, my focus is on making sure we deliver our social purpose, support local people and communities, and remain a strong, sustainable organisation for the long term. Just as importantly, I want Coin Street to be a positive and trusted partner within South Bank and Waterloo.
In these early months, I'm spending time listening and learning. I'm keen to meet people, organisations and businesses across the neighbourhood to understand their ambitions for the area and explore how we can work together to support a thriving South Bank and Waterloo for everyone.
How do you spend your free time?
I made a New Year’s resolution to go to the theatre at least once a month in 2026, which has been a good excuse to see more plays. My October theatre visit was to see The Story at The National - which was really good. I’m also a bit of a politics and history nerd, so there’s usually a book or podcast on the go. I enjoy going to the gym, and I have had a good summer growing berries and vegetables in my back garden.
What was your first job?
I waitressed at a local restaurant while I was doing my A Levels. I did a sandwich course at university so was fortunate to be able to undertake three paid work placements, two at local authorities and one at a Womens’ Centre and refuge.
If you could invite three people, living or dead, to a dinner party, who would they be and why?
Emma Thompson, Amol Rajan and David Olusoga. I’d want good conversation, a bit of politics, plenty of stories, and I’d definitely want to talk to David Olusoga about his book Black and British, which I loved.
Who is your hero or heroine?
I normally find this hard to answer, but my aunt died earlier this year at the age of 95. She left school at 15 and joined a typing pool. After marrying and having a family she went to work in the NHS and progressed from being a secretary to the most senior nonclinical person in the hospital; which meant she was basically in charge. She told amazing stories about being called out in the middle of the night to deal with problems and was a very formidable character all of her life. I am not sure she is my hero, but I really admire her achievements.
What is your personal motto?
I don’t think I have a motto but during the pandemic, my team and I were working on a lot of fronts, as St Mungo’s was central to the initiative to keep people sleeping rough safe. It was such an unusual and difficult time that we had a WhatsApp group called ‘the only way out is through’. I also have a keyring which says ‘What would Dolly do?’ which seems a good question.
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