Corbett's Residents Association ( CRA )/Archibald Corbett Society ( ACS )

Corbett's Residents Association ("CRA")/Archibald Corbett Society ("ACS")

Joint Annual General Meeting held on 28 June 2015

at The Healthy Lifestyle Centre, Abbotshall Road, Catford London SE6

Mekor Newman welcomed everyone and explained the reasons why both organisations decided to hold a joint meeting.

Peter Ranken gave a brief overview of the Healthy Lifestyle Centre i.e. Teachsport took over the playing fields 4 years ago on a 25 year lease basis and has raised sufficient funding for the new building and upgrading of the playing field and all its facilities. The centre has been operational for the last 2 weeks. Peter emphasized that it is not a sports centre but a healthy living centre and encouraged residents to pass on the word to neighbours/friends to visit the centre. The Centre is part of a scheme supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government to create a Healthy Living project in partnership with Lewisham Public Health, Community Teachsport and Delicious most Nutritious to promote Healthy Lifestyles that help prevent illness and disease among local residents.

Two different organisations. CRA sits on the ACS board which represents the whole area and incorporates all of the residents associations together.

Chairs report

Aims of the CRA: constituted group recognised by Lewisham Council. Over the years have designed and provided a calendar of events for the Corbett Estate, developing initiatives for the good of community and area representing/influencing decisions re things happening in the area, being neighbourly etc. as well as collaboration with other residents association.

Events/Groups: Big Lunch, Corbett festivals, fireworks, school Olympics, Easter Egg hunt, gardening club – involving attracting/coordinating lots of volunteers to bring the community garden to life, book club- may need an additional book club as very popular with residents and there is a Corbett young socialite book club.

Newsletters: the latest edition was a joint one with ACS. This publication also informs the community of schemes/initiatives undertaken such as the snow warden scheme – residents were trained by Lewisham officers and the Christmas market – collaborating with shop keepers to make this happen.

Campaigns: Cold calling zone for many of the roads – discussion to expand this; Save the Local Butcher – campaign for residents to spend £5 per week at the butchers and this has helped to save the business. Bag it and Bin it campaign. Free posters and doggie pooh bags are available. Waiting for Council to produce official signs. Reporting offenders is very effective as the Council will follow up on leads. Brownhill Road Crossing – petition of 1500 signatures in 3 weeks, given to Boris Johnson. TfL have agreed to revamp crossing to make it more visible with brighter lights and visible white lines. Also planned junction box at Torridon/Brownhill Road. There will also be a safety assessment of all of Brownhill Road and Catford Road especially near to the stations. Trees – 12 have been planted so far and we have received funding for another 6.

Sandhurst parade: CRA received an initial grant of £6,000 for improving the area. Still in consultation phase. Feedback has been given and an outcome should be known in October 2015.

1 Local Politics: good engagement with local MP and Councillor. Lewisham cuts: deputy mayor attended meeting to discuss what the community could do to mitigate the impact of the cuts. The CRA also attended a summit meeting to discuss the impact of the cuts and why they are necessary. The CRA are looking at ways to take this matter forward e.g. a parish Council concept is being researched.

Treasurers Report

Matthew Conroy went through the CRA accounts (attached).

In summary:

Last financial year

Unrestricted 2,219

Restricted Fund: £5,792

Total £8,011

Previous Year £8,535

It would be helpful if Facebook page members joined the CRA as they do benefit from all the social community events advertised on the Facebook page. The simplest way to join the CRA is by completing the standing order mandate form and sending it to your bank.

CRA/ACS are effectively working together – residents would benefit from being a member of both organisations.

Committee

Mekor Newman asked the meeting if anyone was interested in being on the CRA committee. CRA Elections will take place at the next meeting on 1 July.

ACS background

Peter Ranken gave a brief overview of the legacy of Archibald Corbett who built the Corbett estate. The ACS was set up in 2012 and the Mayor and MP Heidi Alexander have supported the cause. The launch of the ACS coincided with the Localism Act – shifting power away from government to local communities. Funding has been raised to set up a Neighbourhood Forum for the Estate which will be run by Barbara Gray (see below). The ACS linked with Teachsport and CRA volunteers to create the community garden. ACS raised £5,000 for this cause and this was match funded. The latest project with Teachsport is to create a cycling club.

The ACS accounts are attached but are yet to be independently verified. Once this has been done they will be posted on the website.

Election of ACS Officers

Project Coordinator – Natasha Clarkson

Executive members – reps from the 3 residents associations

2 Hither Green Community Association

Josie Foster of Hither Green Residents Association praised our surroundings. Hither Green is a changing place with new families moving to the area. The focus has been on the Hither Green Festival in May – a 9 day fair/event which included concerts, children's events, history project/talk by Godfrey Smith – and it was a great festival. Current project is the clearing of the embankment of Hither Green station of rubbish, tree lobbing etc. Christmas event planned for the first weekend of December to include a Quiz on the Friday night and a jazz band on the Saturday night.

Hither Green Portraits

Anne Marie circulated photographs taken in 1915 of Hither Green. The most popular photographs will be blown up and displayed at Hither Green station (the ramp walkway). The local schools are also engaged in the same process.

Lewisham Youth Theatre

Helen Stanley from Catford Tales spoke about Lewisham Youth Theatre's community history performance, which will showcase Catford's past, present and hopes for the future through local residents' memories and verbatim testimony. Pictures of old Catford will be displayed at the Theatre on 20 July and there is a 1 week event to celebrate Catford. Wednesday 22 July will be silent movie night - Blue Bottles from 1929 will be screened. Thursday 23 July free history talk of the theatre by the manager. Friday 24 and Saturday 25 July over 60 community performers of all ages will transform Catford Town Centre into a promenade theatrical event, interweaving verbatim testimony, historical events and modern voices.

Local Shops

Ben O'Toole gave a presentation of the recent shop survey. In summary the shops that residents would most like to see on the estate are a bakery, greengrocers, café, restaurants for socialising/cultural activities. We need to utilise vacant shops and find a use for them such as pop up shops, café, art studio, gallery classes/workshops. The challenges regarding empty shops are that landlords want to convert them to residential accommodation as the income is more lucrative and many of the shops are in a poor condition so shop fit outs would be quite expensive. Full details of the survey can be found at http://thecorbettsociety.org.uk/shop-local-shop-corbett-update.

Ben informed the meeting that Vicky Skingley is seeking crowdfunding for a delicatessen/grocery store see http://www.spacehive.com/goodfoodcatford for more details.

Neighbourhood Forum

Barbara Gray explained that the legal document for local area guidance framework for the Corbett Estate is now complete and has been approved by the Council. Now we have to develop a plan – policies behind all of the issues, provide evidence of demand, we can set out all of the legal terms, guidance, clear of constraints/expectations. It will take a year to develop the plan to include the shopping parade, self-sufficient shopping facilities etc.

Police: Andrew Reading and Francesca of Catford South

This is a low crime area. There has been a few reports of motor vehicle crimes – people trying car door handles, stealing of number plates for the purposes of petrol theft from local garages so be vigilant. Please secure all vehicles, mopeds, motor bikes etc.

3 Marking of houses with the use of symbols/stones. Advised to take photos and report it to the police.

Complaints of motorbikes racing up and down Hazelbank at 1.00 in the morning.

Playing Out

Several roads have held this event and it is a good way to bring the road/community together – Natalie Hickman has the pack.