A Day in the Life of Camberwell

From dawn to dusk – something’s going on in Burgess Park

t is 6am in Burgess Park. Golden Place Nursery at the Children’s cone flowers and purple salvia Centre pass joggers. Commuters cut Ishine in the dawn light as tennis across the park to catch a bus. champion Mukhtar, 13, starts his Park attendants open Chumleigh training regime. First a run to the end World Garden behind the Victorian of the park, jogging past Jim who alms houses in the centre of the park. arrived at 5am to claim a spot by the It was planted in Mediterranean, lake for the community barbecue. Oriental, African and English styles Then a jog back and forehand in 1995 to reflect the area’s diversity. practice on the tennis courts with Ally outside Giraffe House At 8.30 every Tuesday, a group of brother Jabril serving and mum Nordic walkers set off from here, Adimbola coaching from the Neve Dunn started the park’s swinging their sticks to climb the side-lines. At 6.30 Joe Ogunbiyi and under-18 rugby club, Southwark Burgess “mounds” – small hills his litter clearing team of 14 arrive, Tigers, he and his bag of balls shared planted with meadow flowers. picking their way between the the space where the playground now It is 9am: at Giraffe House off increasing numbers of dog walkers stands, with burnt-out motorbikes Albany Road, parents drop off and joggers. Their target is to clean and the occasional caravan. So what toddlers at Half Pints playgroup. the park by 10am. Nowadays, turns a failing space into a popular Lorraine Biddulph welcomes some Burgess Park’s 140 acres is busy – park? CQ spent a day in the Park to dozen children, as she has done for home to a dozen sports clubs, a find out. the past 20 years. A local mum, born theatre, farm, café, playgroup, youth It is 8am at the lake. A black in Carter Street off the Walworth and children’s centre, BMX track, cormorant hovers, a pair of swans Road and qualified in child care at playgrounds, art centre, fishing, pond glide by, and geese honk as Nick and Morley College, Lorraine started the dipping, Nordic walking and many John set up their tents and fishing group when her own children were other uses. According to park tackle. Nick has been fishing at this young. She has looked after manager Louise Wilcox, the space is spot for 20 years. Carp, tench, bream generations of children, mostly from used by 3,000 to 4,000 people on a and catfish are common (a 22lb carp the Aylesbury Estate. She is summer weekend and there is always caught in the Burgess Park lake made concerned about the future of the “end-to-end activity 24/7” the Anglers Mail). He comes for the estate’s residents when it is Yet when the park opened in peace and quiet. demolished. 1972, and even after renovations in A teacher from Coburg primary Meanwhile John Reid, who leads 1982, it was criticised for being flat, school stops for a few minutes to sit a team of six park wardens, arrives. short on relevant facilities and at by the lake and “just chill” before the Their job is to ensure that the park is times, dangerous. As recently as school day begins. Parents on their used responsibly. He works closely 2001, when local teacher Vernon way to drop off their children at First with police and social services. He

At 140 acres Burgess Park is one of the biggest parks The area suffered greatly from bomb damage in in London. It was slowly stitched together from open the two wars. In WW1, for example, two houses were spaces around the old Surrey Canal. According to bombed and 10 people killed. One of the babies who Susan Crisp and Jenny Morgan of the Friends of was pulled out of the wreckage attended a recent Burgess Park, it is in constant danger of encroachment. Friends’ event to mark the anniversary. The park was As the Friends’ Lottery-funded history of the park A named after Camberwell’s first female Mayor, Jesse Bridge to Nowhere explains, the area was, until 1800, Burgess, well known for her work in the Blitz. She market gardens for London. The Surrey Canal was championed the clearing of bomb-damaged areas to built in 1820. Industrialisation followed with the create a new park as part of the London County construction of the lime kiln and factories such as Council’s Abercrombie plan of 1943. R White’s ginger beer, Watkins Bible factory and The Friends of Burgess Park was formed 10 Newby’s ice store. And lots of pubs arose in the area – years ago when Southwark consulted on a new £8 five on Albany Road alone. A stretcher was stored million Masterplan. The park reoppened in 1912, with a permanently in Addington Square to carry drunks to lake double the size, a large 3.000m playground, a the police station. new sports pavilian, the BMXtrack upgraded to Na- The founder of the National Trust, Robert Hunter, tional Standard and a 5k running route. To increase was born at Number 13, Addington Square, but the safety, sightlines were improved and the high walls square is perhaps better known from the heyday of the and bushes removed. New toilets were built and Richardson gangsters who lived there in the 1960s. barbecues installed. Despite problems such as the Rapid population growth led to the building of a discovery of underground petrol storage tanks, wash-house, baths and library in Wells Way in 1903, biodiversity was improved through two rain gardens, partially funded by Victorian philanthropist John lake and wetland planting, woodland and six metre Passmore Edwards, to improve the health and quality of high mounds of soil – enough to fill the Turbine Hall). life of local working people. From 1820 their spiritual To find out about the Friends’ work go to needs were served by St George’s Church. friendsofburgesspark.org.uk .

8 A Day in the Life of Camberwell

Left: Shani with mum Mary, the club’s volunteer welfare officer Above: Tennis champion Muktar has the power to issue an impressive discussion, not accusation. Not “You 17. Some are very talented. Silas number of penalty notices, eg, cycling are stubborn”, but “If you are from the Peckham Academy was on a footpath, £50; dog fouling, stubborn you will get this reaction.” taken into the Harlequin’s National £100. The litter-clearing team tell Some come hungry. This affects their Academy and won a rugby John that they removed two tents and behaviour. Giraffe House provides scholarship to a private School in a table left by a couple sleeping on fruit and cereal bars. It is a member Guildford. He is currently studying top of a mound. Rather than of Fairshare which distributes for a degree in sports science at imposing a fixed penalty fine for supermarkets leftovers. Local chef Kingston and playing for London erecting an unauthorised structure, Francesco Amato runs sessions for Scottish. John liaises with social services and parents on cooking healthy food When more sports clubs opened St Mungo’s who encourage the cheaply. in Burgess Park, Vernon brought all couple, a man and woman in their Ally was introduced to Burgess 12 of them together in Burgess 40s, to return to Lambeth. Park by her husband Vernon, a local Sports. The Chairs of the clubs’ Back at Giraffe House the teacher. Injured in a car crash at 21, meetings are friendly if competitive. children are having milk and fruit. he had to stop playing professionally, Current issues include ensuring that Ally, the Burgess Sports Director, a but he saw that rugby’s values of the redevelopment of the park’s largely unpaid post, opens the summer respect for others and physical sports centre has facilities for all sports camp for some 100 children challenge would help local children. sports and raising money to replace aged five to 12. Fifteen-year old The Southwark Tiger’s Rugby Club two minibuses that were stolen. Kevin Jacob is now an assistant he founded now has some 100 There is a brisk trade in stolen coach. “I live nearby,” he says, “ and players, boys and girls aged four to minibuses for export. The I have been coming here since I was replacement cost is £35k per bus. eight for the chance to play tennis, Every Saturday at 9am some 300 hockey, tag rugby, boxing, football, runners line up by the Camberwell cricket, BMX. It is free and even the Road entrance for the 5k Park Run. warm-ups are fun. I volunteered here Chris, the organiser, explains that and was offered training and a job recruitment of runners and volunteer running sessions on Wednesday organisers is all by word of mouth. nights after school. Once you learn The run is free and by registering how to structure a good session and on-line each runner gets a code used get the kids to trust you, it is great to to time their run. Runners come by see them happy and engaged.” themselves or in groups, such as the Ally agrees. “It is rewarding to band of vegan runners. Volunteer Jo see the children slowly changing who is leading the warm-up says, behaviour, developing listening “It’s what I do on a Saturday. It gives skills, winning a medal, developing my week a structure and I have made friendships and children from so many friends.” Milo runs the different backgrounds mixing.” She Park Run volunteers put their Continued on next page deals with behaviour problems by contributions on the trestle table

9 A Day in the Life of Camberwell

From dawn to dusk Continued from previous page course in 28 minutes despite pushing come to collect their children from his 22-month-old daughter in her Half Pints. A good day for Lorraine is pushchair. “There are a fair few of us when adults recognises and praise pushchair dads,’ he says, “and we can what the little ones have learnt; a bad get quite competitive.” day, when they crumple and bin their At 11am John meets his boss children’s prized artwork before they Park Manager Louise Wilcox at leave. Chumleigh Gardens by the bust of At 3.45 an ice cream van plays community activist Kaim Tober. its tune by the old locomotive. A Schools break up for summer this group of 12-year-old boys swap week, so they decide to turn off water scooters and bikes, trying to impress facilities to avoid water fights. Since with wobbly wheelies. In the World groups of youths got into fights in the Garden a robin hops round the feet of park in 2016 park staff are especially two girls loudly dissecting the drama aware of safety. Other things matter of the school day. A man cycles past too: cleanliness, working toilets, in a blue polo shirt, an orange repairs, grass cutting, tree safety, Vernon with Kevin, the assisant speaker strapped on his back, lighting. Louise also supervises the coach at Burgess Park Sports club broadcasting Buena Vista Social newest changes to the west of the Club’s catchy Chan Chan. Dog park, a new play area, planting, Formerly a canal wharf, then a walkers stop and chat while their pathways, CCTV and a lit quiet way. wasteland, it has been transformed charges pull, sniff and scratch. At She says, “I’ve the office with the into a forest garden. It has three 4pm a family rushes into Park Life best view in the borough. People are ponds with frogs and goldfish, fruit Café for a last lolly before it closes. always stopping you, so you know trees, vegetables, and beehives, all At 4.30 John, the Park Warden, what is going on.” built on top of concrete through the walks into the sports centre, stopping At 12 noon the Burgess Park application of permaculture. An to speak to a gentleman who is Drawing Club for eight to example is the huge mounds, looking for the passport he lost the 16-year-olds meets outside the Art in 26-foot-high clumps of apricot trees, previous night in the park, “being the Park studio. This artist-run blackcurrant bushes and wildflowers, rather drunk at the time.” John gets charity provides classes in pottery, created through layers of logs and on his walkie-talkie to ask colleagues upcycling, drawing and wreath twigs which were covered with turf to keep their eyes open for it. They making. (see CQ Winter 2017) and soil and sown with wildflowers. broadcast back that a large heron has It is 1pm and in Glengall Wharf As the wood rots, it releases nutrients landed on top of the fountain and Garden’s open-air kitchen Sue Amos, and heat and promotes growth. After could trip the mechanism. After a gardener and horticultural therapist, lunch Jenny, one of the beekeepers, chat with Sam from the centre about is preparing lunch. The salad leaves heads off a possible swarm, carefully the Women’s Latino football matches and herbs are freshly picked from the smoking a hive of wild and bumble on Sunday, he spots the police and garden and seven volunteers put their bees. “Calm and purposeful” is very local volunteers arriving for the knife contributions on the trestle table – much the ethos of this remarkable sweep. He is teamed up with Julius, a apples, hummus, bread and cheeses. urban farm. special constable. Holding litter They come from a wide range of At 1.45pm a moped rider pickers, John and Julius beat through backgrounds – professionals, snatches two mobile phones. Park the reeds around the lake. Nick, still unemployed, retired, some with wardens and police give chase. John fishing, points out a man showing his mental health problems. Journalist stays to reassure an elderly couple young daughter how to fish with a Mary who lives around the corner from Cornwall who witnessed the handmade fishing rod – a small stick doesn’t have a garden (“only a crime. and line. As John approaches, the girl window box and an irate squirrel”); At 2pm Liz, reception teacher at tells him, “We haven’t caught she has been planting today, working Coburg Primary School on the edge anything. “ Fishing without a licence with Nicky, a corporate volunteer of the park brings her class for an (which is mandatory, as is a landing from Farrar’s. Nicky also brings her end-of-term play. “By this time of net and unhooking mat, as all fish toddler to Glengall Little Gardeners year, they are bored with all the need to be returned to the lake) is on Mondays, one of Glengall’s many equipment we have in the classroom, subject to a fine, but John lets the activities from campfire nights to so we brought them here – just for enthusiastic dad off with a warning. training gardeners. fun. The Park is great for the At 5.30 volunteer Scott The 2,600 metre square site was children’s physical and social Lockwood finishes his stint at the handed over by Southwark for a development. Today Sammy, who knife sweep and goes back to the community garden in response to had a fear of climbing, scrambled Sports Centre where children are local requests for spaces for wildlife right up the monkey bars!” arriving for football practice with and food crops, nut and fruit trees. By 3pm parents and carers have Walworth Wanderers Football Club.

10 A Day in the Life of Camberwell

A policeman carries out a weapons sweep BMX riders hone their skills on the track

Walworth born and bred, by day his sons Kye and Tre are now in the describes it. In the basement among Scott is a football coach for AFC UK team. Nigel is not the only delicately traced murals, Blackmann Wimbledon, but every Thursday dedicated parent. Mary, mother of explains that as well as performances, evening from 5.30 to 7pm he and six 12-year old Shani Harris, is the the company rents out affordable other volunteers coach teams from club’s volunteer welfare officer. rehearsal space and hosts 10 artist four to 14 and 15-plus. Shani has already competed in the residencies a year. The most recent At the other end of the park on world championships and is training artist transformed the basement into a the tennis court, Mukhtar is back for to win the UK girls title. representation of his gut, so visitors a lesson with head coach Umran Ali, About 40 other children are descended the stairs into his belly. working on that more aggressive taking to the track. According to “This park is buzzing and there is a forehand. Mum Adimbola, the Judy Chair, the DJ, CK Flash, who started huge sense of community,” says Murray of Camberwell, is there with the club in 2004, many of the Blackmann, who particularly enjoys brother Jabril. Mukhtar is on the Olympic BMX team are nurtured in the work with First Place Children’s National Player Development Peckham BMX. The secret of centre and local parents. The Scheme. He needs Adimbola’s success is to “give kids a goal so forthcoming winter season sees support for the two hours of training clear they can almost touch it. Teach Mandinga Arts return for a Day of he does every day, for travelling to them to turn up, because if you the Dead Burgess Park parade and regional, national and international choose to be there you will succeed. the People’s Company return with an championships (he recently Life is about choices and chances. If anti-panto about what is really competed in France and the Czech we make the wrong choice, we run happening inside the heads of panto Republic), for liaising with the Lawn out of chances.” characters. Tennis Association and for paying for At 6pm Lyn boxing club opens As the audience leaves at 10pm, extra coaching before its doors. Based in the washhouse the adult football clubs by the sports competitions. next to the Old Library, this is centre finish their practice. A solitary At 5.45pm on the BMX track England’s oldest amateur boxing man with a sleeping bag trudges up a another dedicated parent, Nigel club. It runs junior and senior mound. So why is Burgess now Whyte, is celebrating his son Kye’s sessions, five nights a week. successful? Of course good planning, victory, a silver medal in the At 7pm in the Old Library, careful management but most of all, European BMX Championships. A Theatre Deli hosts comedians Amir determined and dedicated volunteers, driver by day, Nigel has given most Shah and Matt Forde to try out their giving their time. of his free time to the club over the material for the Edinburgh Festival in Burgess Park Sports is recruiting past 15 years since his eldest son front of an appreciative audience 100 volunteers to help with Daniel showed an interest in the downing Bellinis and beer. Emma community sports, from coaching to sport. The whole family of seven Blackman, Theatre Deli’s producer, fundraising to events. Contact children followed, spending goes in for eclectic programming, a [email protected] weekends camping near competition “delicatessen of choice for people to grounds. Nigel became a coach and see and appreciate,” is how she Marie Staunton

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