Summer 2021 www.lewisham.gov.uk Shop local Help our high streets fight back after a tough year! Looking after our parks and green spaces Introducing your new Deputy Mayor Climate emergency: what have we done so far? Welcome Could you provide the love Message from the Mayor and stability a child needs? Over the last month or so, as COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, life has begun to feel a bit more normal. We’ve been able to see our loved ones, local businesses have Foster for Lewisham opened their doors and we’ve been able to step away from video calls and get back to doing some of things we enjoy. We are looking for people who have space in their However, we know that for some people the true impact home and the heart to foster a child or young person. of the pandemic is only just beginning to be felt. We will offer you a wide range of training and support. Locally, unemployment rates are up, with over 12,500 more residents now out of work. The pandemic laid bare the inequalities in health and wealth that still exist in our Visit www.lewisham.gov.uk/foster borough; our public services are under increasing demand as the Government Damien continues to under fund them and the survival of the small, independent businesses Egan, that play such a key role in our local economy, is on a knife edge. Contact us on freephone 0800 015 0129 Mayor of or [email protected] Lewisham As well as responding to the immediate challenges, it’s important that we seize this opportunity to do things differently and drive forward the changes we want to see in our borough – to shape Future Lewisham. We face huge challenges over the coming 12 months. We will need to continue to be flexible, determined and ambitious, and will need to make some difficult decisions. At the Council’s Annual General Meeting on 26 May, I outlined our ambitions for Future Lewisham and our priorities for the year ahead. Four core themes run through the heart of our plans for our borough’s recovery, and we will be focusing on creating: l A greener future l A healthy and well future l An economically sound future l A future we all have a part in For more information about how we plan to do this visit lewisham.gov.uk/ future-lewisham and search #futurelewisham on social media. As a Council we will do everything in our power to support those who need us most and build on the amazing community spirit and local activism that has made me so proud over the last year. As your Mayor, I will continue to make Lewisham’s voice heard nationally, I will make sure that we never lose focus on supporting those who need us most, and I will make sure that the values that make Lewisham such a special place are at the forefront of our recovery. Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham www.lewisham.gov.uk Lewisham Life summer 2021 3 Summer 2021 News In this issue 10 Contents In this issue of Lewisham 5 News Life, you can read about 10 COVID-19 Meet Lewisham’s new what you can discover on 12 Borough of Culture your local high street, learn 13 Cleaner Lewisham how our parks and green Deputy Mayor spaces have provided so 15 Shop safe, shop local much for us this last year, 24 Parks and green spaces Mayor of Lewisham Damien and find out more about our 26 Thank you to Egan has appointed leisure centres reopening. our schools Cllr Brenda Dacres as Lewisham’s new Deputy Mayor. We speak to our new 28 Leisure Deputy Mayor Dacres has Deputy Mayor and current 30 Climate emergency represented New Cross for seven years and is also the borough’s Cabinet Young Mayor, and update 32 Summer events you on our commitment Member for Safer Communities – a 35 Your council role she will continue alongside her to taking action against new responsibilities. climate change. Editor: Ruth Horsman Art Editor: Nancy Yuill Photography: Roswitha Chesher, “I am inspired by the vibrant You can also join us in Darnell Dacres, iStockphoto.com, Jeremy Johns, Jeff Teader Contributors: diversity of our borough, and I will Gill Amas, Phil Baker, Cairin Bohn, Selina Eldridge, Louis High, Rhoda Idoniboye, work hard to support the mayor to thanking our teachers, Amie Moss, Holly Mulhern, Sylvia Thugge. Editorial: 020 8314 7027. bring this passion into the heart of schools, nurseries and all Email: [email protected] Advertising: 020 3869 2343. Lewisham Council,” she says. “My staff for their hard work! Issue 133 summer 2021. Printed by Sterling Solutions. Lewisham Council priority is to make sure that people does not accept responsibility for goods or services offered by advertisers. feel empowered to play a role in their know how difficult life can be, and brilliant advocate for our residents. Please use your recycling bin when you dispose of this magazine. community, that we support those the challenges facing young people. I admire her passion and values who need us most and that residents I have raised and educated my child of fairness and equality, and I know about – and can access – the in our borough’s schools, and I want know she will bring so much to All information was correct at time of going to print. Please check gov.uk opportunities available to them. every child in Lewisham to grow up this role during what will be a very for the latest advice on staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. “My mum and dad came to in a fair, safe and more equal world.” challenging year ahead.” the UK from the Caribbean in the Mayor of Lewisham Damien Egan Cllr Dacres takes over the role early 1960s and I am very proud of said: “I’m delighted to have Brenda from Cllr Chris Best, who remains my heritage as a Black Caribbean as my Deputy Mayor. She’s deeply Cabinet Member for Health and lewisham.gov.uk Lewisham resident,” she says. “My rooted in the community and a Adult Social Care. dad was a taxi driver and my mum the home for all your local information was an NHS nurse. They taught me Cllr Kim Powell has been appointed Cabinet Member for Get information about your neighbourhood, what’s strong work ethics, the value of on and how to get involved community and how everyone just Jobs and Skills (job share). She takes over the post from Useful contacts: wants a fair chance to succeed” Cllr Joani Reid, who has stepped down from the Cabinet. Find activities for you and all the family “As a hardworking single mum I Live in a controlled parking zone? Lewisham Homes 0800 028 2028 Apply for your permit online lewishamhomes.org.uk Get local news and information direct to your inbox – Local health service subscribe at lewisham.gov.uk/signup Election results 2021 nhs.uk or NHS 111 On 6 May London went to the (Lab and Co-op) was re-elected to Rachel Onikosi (Lab and Co-op); Police (non-emergency) 101 polls to vote for the Mayor of represent Greenwich and Lewisham Catford South: James Royston (Lab If you cannot contact us online, Thames Water London and London Assembly. on the London Assembly. and Co-op); New Cross: Samantha you can call 020 8314 6000 0845 920 0800 (customer services) Sadiq Khan (Lab) was re-elected New councillors were elected Latouche (Lab); Sydenham: Jack 0800 714614 (24-hour leakline) as Mayor of London. Len Duvall in local by-elections: Bellingham: Lavery (Lab and Co-op). Gas emergencies 0800 111 999 4 Lewisham Life summer 2021 lewisham.gov.uk Lewisham Life summer 2021 5 News Pride month This year, because of COVID-19, the London Pride march will be taking place in September instead of June. Even Inspiring creativity during lockdown though we aren’t able to meet in person this June, we encourage you During lockdown, Deptford art, highlighting the importance history gallery, are being displayed to celebrate with our ‘Guide to Pride based group Redstart Arts of creativity during an isolating at the Horniman Museum this at home’. ran the ‘Doorstep Project’ in time. The Redstarts are a group of summer and will then go onto be This will include family friendly collaboration with the Horniman talented young adults with learning part of Deptford X Festival 2021. activities to do at home, interviews Museum. Art packs were delivered to disabilities. Find out more about the project with members of Lewisham’s LGBT+ doorsteps weekly, which helped the The final artworks, inspired by on the Redstart Arts website community, a special celebration Redstarts continue to make great animals in the museum’s natural redstartarts.com playlist and Pride inspired reading list recommendations. We’ll also be delving into the history of Pride. Read more about the ‘Guide to Trust Choir Pride at home’ celebrations and other events of LGBT+ interest at team up with lewisham.gov.uk/events-of-lgbt- interest Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and P!nk Sign up to the Get funding for Our very own Lewisham and Greenwich NHS choir have Lewisham Life been hitting the headlines again, this time singing live on the Brits your community enewsletter alongside Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. Community projects that are generated by new developments They performed their latest single designed to help Lewisham in the borough. They agreed this You can get up to date Anywhere Away From Here, which recover from the COVID-19 money should be made available for information on what’s also features the singer P!nk pandemic will be able to bid for community projects directed towards happening across the borough (who appeared at the Brits via community infrastructure levy (CIL) the recovery from COVID-19, by signing up to our weekly Learn a skill and video link-up).