March 2012 (#124)
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BROCKLEY SOCIETY Issue 124 March 2012 Delivered free to 4000 households in Brockley Conservation Area Charity No: 1004245 three times a year: March, June and November ‘Ice’ rink launches Brockley Design Festival FoBLC Guided walk of Ladywell and Brockley Cemeteries Sunday 15th April 2pm - 3.30pm Meet at the Ladywell Road gate Brockley Society Pub Quiz Tuesday 17 April, 8pm Wickham Arms, 69 Upper Brockley Road, cnr Ashby Road, SE4 1TF FREE! Instead of our usual serious meeting we are striking out with BrocSoc's first pub quiz! For novices and afficionados alike! Questions loosely based on Brockley, general knowledge and the arts. PRIZES! Breakspears Mews Open Day Saturday 24 March (see right) Architectural Treasure Hunt Sataurday 28 April (see p3) Big Lunch: Sunday 3 June. www.thebiglunch.com Hilly Fields Midsummer Fayre Saturday 23 June (see right) Picture: Hall Johnathan Brockley Barbecue Friday 6 July, 7.30pm, Stone Circle A tennis court on Hillly Fields was A theme of the event was imagination: transformed into a synthetic ice rink on 19 'Today it's a tennis court - tomorrow it can be Brockley Market and 20 November last year, to the enormous an ice rink. Today it's a scruffy toilet block Local farmers, producers & traders enjoyment of over 550 children. When we and changing rooms - tomorrow it can be a Every Saturday, 10am-2pm asked people at last year's Midsummer Fayre cafe.' The owners of the soon-to-be-ready Lewisham College Car Park, Lewisham Way, to imagine what Brockley could be like, cafe provided refreshments and displayed SE4. www.brockleymarket.com someone suggested an ice rink. With a bit of their plans. Farmers’ Markets on Hilly Fields research we found out how to do it. Other stalls provided activities and fudge Second Saturday of each month 10am-3pm Alongside the rink was a stall asking and some strolling musicians appeared by people for their views on Brockley, with chance. Copy deadlines for newsletter: pictures and maps. People drew their ideas ● Thanks to Ladywell Assembly for help in 1 February, 1 May, 1 October on very long banners that were hung on the funding the event. To contribute, please email tennis court fences. ● More on Brockley Design Festival: page 3 [email protected] Article length: 100-300 words. Pictures welcome Hilly Fields Midsummer Fayre, 23 June, 12noon -5pm BROCKLEY SOCIETY President: Gillian Heywood, MBE A brilliant day and the largest community events and performers, publicity, stall event in Brockley. It has happened every year bookings, and more. If you would like to www.brockleysociety.org.uk since Brockley Society started in 1974 and is help with a small task, please contact Clare, enjoyed by all ages from all around. [email protected]. Chair . .020 8692 3829 [email protected] Details for booking stalls will soon be on We also need helpers on the day. Look for the website, www.brockleysociety.org.uk. details in the June newsletter or on the Fayre . .www.brockleysociety.org.uk We need help with the advance organising: website. programme adverts, prizes, sponsorship, Newsletter . [email protected] Newsletter advertising . .020 8692 3829 [email protected] Breakspears Mews Local history . .07903 150 099 [email protected] Open Day Planning & conservation .07813 120 773 [email protected] Saturday 24 March, 12 – 3pm Trees . [email protected] Ashby Road entrance Mews . [email protected] A year ago we reported on our wish to To join an occasional email circulation about 'reclaim the mews' from fly-tippers and Brockley Society events and activities, email abandoned cars. Now we've nearly [email protected]. reached our dream - a Community Planners, architects and others with Garden at the derelict end of A snowy WASSAILING (wishing good health conservation knowledge or interest: Contact Breakspears Mews. Come and see how to) the orchard on Hilly Fields on 5 February Rob to join our planning and conservation with cider (for good root growth), toast (to group. See planning contact details above. near we are to transforming it. encourage the birds) and lots of noise (to ward Everyone living in the Brockley Conservation area Displays, refreshments. off evil spirits and wake the trees up from is automatically a member of the Brockley All welcome, including children. winter slumber)! Followed by warming spiced Society. The Brockley Society welcomes all. ale to complete the fun. New President Are our trees in crisis? A debate is raging among tree officers of the trees are removed illegally, retrospective We are very pleased Brockley Society as to whether the present applications are put in place with no to announce that predicament of the conservation area's tree- apparent enforcement action. Gillian Heywood stock is a crisis. But whether a ‘crisis’ or a In addition, honey fungus and other MBE was elected ‘chronic situation’, something urgently must diseases are taking a heavy toll (though the President of be done to safeguard an area feature true extent is unknown); and young trees are Brockley Society at arguably more important (certainly harder to being stolen or run over by vehicles. our AGM in replace) than our buildings. While lack of funding is an issue, this is a November. This is in So what's the problem? There's strong problem of 'spirit'. The Big Society should recognition of her evidence of bad planting, chronic neglect imply having a 'big spirit'. That is, all of us long service to and lack of long-term tree care, resulting in getting involved; volunteering to the BrocSoc Brockley Society an out-growing of the environment. There's as tree 'guardians' within each street; raising and to the an obvious lack of resources for money between local residents to plant trees Conservation Area as a whole. maintenance as well as replanting, causing a where there are gaps and for maintenance; Congratulations! constant depletion of tree numbers, where ensuring we know and keep to the law to Clare Cowen, Chair, Brockley Society current replanting is woefully inadequate. protect them, while ensuring others do too; Then there's still ignorance among many educating everyone to realise that trees residents about their obligations and even protect us from pollution and improve our Fancy being naughty about the function of trees in the environment in other ways. environment. Residents don't seem to be At risk here is the way of life we cherish. this summer? aware of the need for permission to remove Unless we act to love our trees, our or do major works on any tree. Nor what environment, and our neighbours alike, we Time was when bowls was considered so they're allowed to do to care for their own will suffocate in a wilderness. naughty that even Henry VIII, a very trees, yet alone the overgrown street trees the Anthony Russell is the Brockley Society's naughty king himself, banned the game for council says it has no time to manage. Little principle tree officer and author of the attracting drunks, low-lifes and ne’er-do- is policed properly. The council rarely turns book 'Evolving the Spirit - From Democracy wells. Getting interested? down tree related applications, and when to Peace.' Then pop into Francis Drake Bowls Club which opens on Saturday 14 April. During the season we offer coaching for beginners, club and county competitions, matches Merger proposals for Lewisham and Southwark Colleges against other clubs and lots of time for casual play. Our Sunday sessions for The proposed merger of Lewisham and to ensure that our offer makes a direct members and beginners start at 10.30am on Southwark college sets out an exciting and contribution to improving job prospects and Sunday 15 April. radical vision for a college of the future in increasing prosperity for the community. For more information, contact Mick and southeast London. We are determined that the new College Jeanette Singer: 020 8291 9243. Lewisham and Southwark Colleges believe inherit our passion and commitment to or visit www.francisdrake.org that by working together we will get more providing local provision for local people. local people into work and support the We will continue to operate in both businesses that are transforming our boroughs, and our proposals for governance communities. and management set out how we will build Lewisham is an outstanding college in on our existing community links and good financial health with a national strengthen our involvement at local level. reputation for quality and a track record of If you would like to read more about the meeting community and employer needs. proposals for the merged College and have Southwark College has faced a difficult time, your say, visit The Skills Funding and its achievements fall short of its Agencyhttp://skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk/ potential. It has, however, developed some providers/allthelatest/consultations/ excellent links with major employers in the Lewisham College has a range of meeting local area, and with the right resources this spaces that are available for hire. Full potential could be realised. details can be found on their website at We believe that by combining the resources www.lewisham.ac.uk. Alternatively you can and strengths of both colleges we can plan ring Jo Wise at the College on 020 8694 3629 for growth. To do this, we will work closely or email [email protected] Flyposting on trees with employers, local authorities and schools Brockley is increasingly being blighted by fly posting on trees. This is unsightly, anti- Transition Top Tips social, illegal and lots of drawing pins are harmful to the trees. I can tolerate notices for Transition Brockley have celebrated last ● When cleaning the house, try to use eco- lost pets but there are now too many scam year's activities, which included the orchard friendly products, or make them from flyers appearing.