Kennington Association

KA Newsletter - Summer 2008 - Part 2

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:14:42 GMT

Fabulous photos of the Fete by Andra Nelki

Forthcoming Events – dates for your diaries

Ethiopian Millennium Summer Festival in Kennington Park on Saturday 23rd August
Thanks to Awards for All funding of £8,085, ACE–UK (Arts and Culture of Ethiopia in the UK), in partnership with KA and the support of North Lambeth Town Centre Office and the Friends of Kennington Park, is proud to announce that the long-dreamt of cultural celebration will be held in Kennington Park on 23rd August to mark the Ethiopian (Coptic calendar) Millennium, with live music and dance, plus displays of cultural artefacts and modern and traditional art. We want this event to be very inclusive and accessible to everyone, so we are looking for ideas from all local groups or individuals. We’re also looking for stage, sound systems and marquees to hire at reasonable prices and we’d appreciate help to find them. For any ideas, support or to volunteer on 23rd August, please contact KA committee member Mike Gebre-Yohannes on tmikehg@yahoo.co.uk, 020 7582 8000 or 07951 488220.

Annual Autumn Art Auction at City & Guilds Art School - Thursday 18th September

Catey Hillier, KA Art Auction Co-ordinator, writes: Plans are already underway for our biggest ever Annual Autumn Art Auction to fund the Secret Santa scheme and support a student crisis fund for the Art School. The working group next meets at The Dog House PH on Monday, 14th July at 6.30pm. You don’t need to be an art expert! Just making a few phone calls would help to share the workload, so please comealong. All welcome!

Annual General Meeting at The Little Apple PH – Monday 27th October

Our AGM will be another great opportunity for a pre-Christmas get-together for KA members in The Little Apple PH on Monday, 27th October at 7pm, with refreshments from 6.30pm.

Bazaar in St Anselm’s Church Hall – Saturday, 1st November

Our winter bazaar in St Anselm’s church hall is on Saturday, 1st November, 11am until 1pm. Donations can be dropped off on Friday 5.30pm until 8pm or Saturday 9am to 10am.

KA Newsletter - Summer 2008 - Part 1

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:15:40 GMT

Kennington Association

Chairperson: Angus Aagaard C/- 235B Kennington Lane

Deputy Chairperson: Anna Tapsell London SE11 5QU

Secretary: Diane Kavanagh T: 020 7793 0268

Treasurer: Gareth Adamson E: KenningtonAssn@aol.com

Friday, 4th July 2008

Dear Neighbours,

What a lovely – and busy – community we have!

Our Chair puts pen to paper

Last week the Archbishop of Canterbury opened the new eco garden at Archbishop Sumner's School (Reedworth St/Kennington Rd); a few weeks earlier MP Kate Hoey opened our Kennington Village Fete; our local Ethiopian community opened an envelope to find a cheque awarded to them for their millennium summer festival in Kennington Park; and we opened our local newspapers to find Vauxhall St post office is to be kept open. This week some of us are opening our homes to play host to 22 teenagers visiting Kennington from Westray and Papa in the Orkney Islands. It will be their first visit to England and their parents are a little apprehensive about their travelling for a long weekend to Central London, to the Big Smoke! Well, I am sure they will find in this diverse and unique part of London a fascinating community where so many exciting things are happening. New residents to this area will soon be given a Welcome Pack from KA offering useful information to help them feel at home and giving an open invitation to join our community at its various events.

Lambeth Walk/Vauxhall Street post office saved from closure!

As reported in the South London Press (‘Winners and losers in the post office purge’ Friday 9th May), “One Lambeth post office threatened with closure has been spared” – ours!! Kate Hoey MP said, “This is wonderful news for the community and is down to the well-organised and thoughtful campaign by us all to tell the Post Office that our Post Office is greatly needed and valued by everyone. Thanks to the whole community -- just as we once saved Vauxhall Primary School from closure, we have now saved the Post Office".

Kennington Village Fete

Kennington Fete organiser, Margarita O’Malley writes: The third annual Kennington Village Fete was held in Cleaver Square on Sunday 1st June, 2008. It was the most successful yet with stallholders from various community groups and businesses putting on a marvellous display of food and items for sale. It is estimated that 2,000 people enjoyed the day, which consisted of music, demonstrations (such as Tai Chi), and kids’ activities including magic, The Pelican Nursery activities, and Punch & Judy. Food and refreshments were available from a variety of local traders including Kennington Tandoori, Franklins Deli, The Lobster Pot and Amici. And a Cleaver Square resident noted that within an hour of the end of the Fete, the Square was completely clean! Local businesses donated raffle prizes and the proceeds of their stalls and the whole event was made possible by the generous sponsorship of Winkworth who have always been great supporters of the community. The funds will go to such good causes as IntoUniversity, Orkney Isles school exchange, Kennington Welcome Pack and the KA. We are very grateful to everyone who worked so hard and particular thanks must go to the Rt Hon Kate Hoey MP who so generously supports all Kennington initiatives as well as opening the Fete on the day. We look forward to making this an annual event! The Fete made £9,000. From previous years’ Fete funds, £2,533.82 bought a PA system and trestle tables, which are available to all community groups to borrow free of charge.

KA Newsletter - Summer 2008 - Part 3

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:18:03 GMT

ongoing activities

Next Welcome Pack Working Group Meeting 7pm Tuesday 22nd July at The Dog House PH

Welcome Pack Coordinator, Angela Rayner, writes: I'd like to begin by noting the great work that Mary Van de Water has performed in her task of overseeing the Welcome Pack, as well as thank the many volunteers who have been gathering data over the weeks and months. Thanks also to The Dog House PH for hosting our many meetings. I have taken over where Mary has left off with the aim to publish the first edition later this year. In order to achieve this, we need to set the deadline for submissions of information for the end of July. So please do be sure to send yours in soon! And come to the next meeting as above.

Hade Lbi Eritrean Cultural Group in Kennington

KA committee member, Shoa Asfaha, writes: The Eritrean Cultural Group was formed three years ago by parents of children aged from 3 to 15, to help our children learn their language and culture, as well as to create a forum in which the children can socialise. This is also an opportunity for parents to meet and help each other, but more importantly develop their skills better to support their children in education. We meet every Sunday from 1.30pm – 4.30pm at the old Lilian Baylis School. A part of the time is spent on teaching the Eritrean language, Tigrinya, and the remaining on sports and cultural activities. We also organise visits to leisure parks, etc. Parents, who wish their children to learn Eritrean language and culture, including other nationalities, are all welcome. There are no fees to pay, as we have funding from Capital Community Foundation’s Lambeth First Community Chest. However, parents can make voluntary contributions for outings and activities if they can. For more information, please contact me on ShoaAsfaha@aol.com, 020 7582 4099 or 07972 261256 or Beyene Yeseab on 020 7735 2093 or 07915 611275.

Kennington Cross ArtsLav

KA committee member and Friends of Kennington Cross (FOKC) chair, Celia Stothard, writes: In 2005 Lambeth Council approved a project to restore and convert the Grade II listed Victorian gentlemen’s underground lavatories at Kennington Cross into a ‘Community Arts & Heritage Exhibition & Events Venue’. In the same year, local charity The Sheepdrove Trust generously provided the £25,000 conversion-costs guarantee required by Lambeth Council. The enterprise is now moving ahead with a new collaboration of KA, FOKC and the national charity Tomorrow’s People (TP), which has a 24-year record of success in helping troubled people into jobs and self-sufficiency. TP will manage the ArtsLav project and develop social enterprises at the site. The first of these is the Kennington Cross Flower Stall which TP's Jan Tomlinson is testing in front of St Anselm's Church on Fridays 3-8pm and Saturdays 10am-4pm. Sales have been steadily building, and there is a 10% discount for KA members so do continue your wonderful support. If success continues, TP will extend the hours and develop the ArtsLav project. Jan thanks Kenningtonians for their support so far and is keen to hear your views. What you would like to buy at the stall? Do you know local people who would like to be involved? Contact Jan on 07968 007613 or jtomlinson@tomorrows-people.co.uk.

Sports & Fitness ProjectS

Volleyball

The Ecuadorian volleyball games (i.e. three-a-side) continue their success! Six of the players travelled to Italy last month to compete with eight international teams and came third! Unfortunately, we have hit a bit of a snag in that Sports Action Zone is now charging £5 an hour for use of the courts, whether inside or out. The players have therefore stopped playing on Fridays; even so, the costs soon mount up. We need to find funding to cover them; however, we are determined that the games shall go on! All welcome; just turn up on Saturdays 3pm to 9pm and Sundays 4pm to 8pm at the old Lilian Baylis School, Lollard Street, SE11. For more info, contact KA committee member Galo Espin on 07985 603189.

KA Newsletter - Summer 2008 - Part 4

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:17:11 GMT

Tai Chi

Both Tai Chi classes continue to be well attended and attract a good mix of ages and abilities. All are welcome -- just turn up wearing loose-fitting clothes and sensible shoes. During the summer both classes take place in Kennington Park (near the Café) but move indoors in bad weather. (If in doubt, call the instructor, Michael, on 07956 913437.)

The free Thursday, 2pm Tai Chi class (funded by Capital Community Foundation’s Lambeth First Community Chest) moves to the Kennington Park Community Centre nearby if the weather’s bad. Please let Christine Eames-Jones, our Thursday Tai Chi Coordinator, have your contact details so you are up to date.

Thanks to George Foster, Corporate Responsibility & Fundraising Manager at Surrey County Cricket Club, the free Saturday 2.30pm combat-style community Tai Chi class continues into its second summer. In the event of bad weather, it will be held in the Lambeth Hall at Brit Oval (enter by the Alec Stewart Gate), so please let Kevin Rimmington, our Oval Tai Chi Coordinator, (07790 260802 or kevin@rimmingtonvian.co.uk) have your contact details so you are kept informed.

Some participants – who can afford it – may be joining Tai Chi UK on a 16-day cultural trip in the spring to China! Contact Sharon Archer, the Tai Chi UK secretary, if you’d like to find out more on sharon_archer@talk21.com, or info@taichiuk.co.uk, 020 7407 4775.

Reports on Progress

‘Tree of Hope’ Lights

KA committee member, Jeffe Jeffers, writes: The tree lights saga continues. Transport for London (TfL) has now given us the definitive hoops we have to jump through. And what a package they are! However, our light supplier seems to think we can meet most of the obstacles TfL are casting in our path; but, there remain some that are difficult to see round. However we are getting there!

Beaufoy Artisan School

KA committee member, Jeffe Jeffers of Lady Margaret Hall Settlement, writes: We have just been given an extension by the government to enable Lambeth education to support the submission to the ministry for funds. We now have to define the curriculum and develop the school’s ethos. The school will have 250/300 pupils and the necessary commercial sponsorship in place and the support of the Prince’s group of charities. We hope to be through the first scrutiny by October. We should also begin then a full length consultation with our community to ensure we are on the right road.

Ka and Local Planning Matters

Elizabeth Scott reports on behalf of the KA Planning Sub-Group:

Surrey County Cricket Club – Brit Oval

We were asked again for our comments on the planning application, which had been referred to the Secretary of State. We replied that we approve the proposed plan and re-iterated our comments given previously in our response dated 29th November 2007.

Montford Place

We stated our opposition to the planning application for a proposed car pound on this site. The application has been refused; but, a neighbour reports that there is still a threat.

Lambeth Local Development Framework (LDF)

We examined this second document, which laid out a preliminary set of planning policies to guide developments for the next 10-15 years. KA committee member, Jeffe Jeffers wrote a detailed response to the questions, which was sent to the Lambeth Planning Policy Team.

Fabulous photos of the Fete by Andra Nelki

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:52:35 GMT

North Lambeth Town Centre Manager

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:04:12 GMT

Subject:

RE: North Lambeth Town Centre Manager

Date:

05/06/2008 09:10:27 GMT Standard Time

From:

DAnderson@lambeth.gov.uk

Dear Angus Aagaard and Anna Tapsell

Thank you for your e-mail.

I don’tthink it would be appropriate to have a public conversation about the impact of the changes on a single member of staff. These personnel matters should properly and are being dealt with through our internal staff consultation processes. However may I thank you for your interest and concern.

The Council is nearing the conclusion of a reorganisation of the Regeneration and Enterprise Division (which includes the town centre teams) with proposals aimed at :

· Strengthening the Council’s engagement work with residents, businesses and third sector

· Developing commercial town centre management functions in Streatham and Brixton and providing support to businesses in other key areas across the borough (including Kennington, Vauxhall and Waterloo)

· Developing 3 area teams (north, central and south) who will drive the Council and partners work in improving service delivery at a neighbourhood level and ensure that local communities and organisations are fully involved in the wide range of regeneration initiatives in their area.

· Strengthening the Council and partners work around getting people into training, education and work.

A meeting was held on May 19 with all Chairs of the Town Centre Forums, as part of the consultation process, to discuss the proposals and to get their feedback. The key concern raised from those organisations was what kind of support they will receive from the Council in the future.

Specifically for Kennington these proposals will mean :

A new area “north” Communities and Neighbourhoods team comprising an Area Manager, 2 Neighbourhood Development Officers and an Area Information Officer. This represents an additional 2 Council officers to the current arrangements. These teams will be responsible for ensuring that local people and groups are fully involved in the regeneration initiatives in their area, e.g. Lilian Baylis, etc and drive the work on improving local neighbourhood services. This team will be located in a base in the area.
A new North Area Programme Manager will be appointed to drive the work on physical regeneration projects in the area.
A new Business Growth and Enterprise team will be created to support local businesses and assist in the marketing of commercial areas.
The new Employment, Learning and Skills team will drive the work in supporting local organisations delivering services to unemployed people and work with residents and tenants associations to raise the profile of training, learning and employment opportunities in the area.
A new programme manager will be appointed to lead the work on the roll out of the Ward Purse, a fund for local Councillors of £10-12k per annum per ward on improvements in their area.

In addition to the above services being delivered by the Regeneration and Enterprise Division, Adults and Community Services will be leading on the support for local organisations to act as lead bodies to engage local people in the work of the Council and partners. Between now and the end of July, officers will be working will local organisations to assess exactly what type of support they will need. Adults and Community Services have set aside a commissioning fund of £50k this year to support this work.

Officers would be happy to meet with your organisation to discuss these proposals in more detail if you would find that helpful.

Derrick Anderson

Chief Executive

Tel: 020 7926 2941

Fax: 020 7926 2843

website: www.lambeth.gov.uk

Lambeth – London's most improved council 2008

North Lambeth Town Centre Manager

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:50:07 GMT

Subject:

North Lambeth Town Centre Manager

Date:

03/06/2008 12:43:00 GMT Standard Time

From:

KenningtonAssn

Reply To:
To:	danderson@lambeth.gov.uk
CC:	sreed@lambeth.gov.uk, jmeldrum@lambeth.gov.uk, lpeck@lambeth.gov.uk, ptruesdale@lambeth.gov.uk, dbraithwaite@lambeth.gov.uk, gdodsworth@lambeth.gov.uk, asawdon@lambeth.gov.uk, rbanks@lambeth.gov.uk, fgray@lambeth.gov.uk, stownend@lambeth.gov.uk, lcampbell@lambeth.gov.uk, srmorgan@lambeth.gov.uk, valerie.shawcross@london.gov.uk, hoeyk@parliament.uk

Derrick Anderson CBE

Chief Executive Officer

Lambeth Council

cc: Cllr Steve Reed, Leader of the Council

Cllr Jackie Meldum, Deputy Leader of the Council

Cllr Lib Peck, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration

Dear Mr Anderson

We have learned that Frances Forrest, North Lambeth Town Centre Manager, might be removed from her position very soon. We at the Kennington Association are very concerned about this move. We rely on her expertise every time to help and support our community, where the council fails we the community pull together and find a way through, the role she fulfils here in North Lambeth is essential as it offers us an effective way of liaising with Lambeth Council, of sharing constructively our concerns locally. The town centre office, we have found to be approachable and helpful as it had built up a trusting relationship with local residents.

We hear so many different proposals as to what may replace the Town Centre that we are unclear as to the council's intentions and it is Frances with whom we have this long term relationship and who is the bridge within our local community, who gives us the answers we so desperately seek. She is well known, visible, approachable and trusted, by the Kennington Association and the wider community. To lose someone of her experience and deep knowledge of local history and concerns is to lose an entire memory base of the background of proposals, decisions, and accomplishments. To lose her will mean to lose the flexibility and the power to get things done quickly. It means the same old mistakes will be repeated over and over again. It means starting at square one every time there's a new initiative. But most damaging of all it will mean the loss of confidence in the council that as an improving borough you so desperately need. The latest audit report said you were an improving borough. Improving boroughs rely on people like Frances that will win through with the community. She faces the challenges with us and stands by us in times of need.

The first ever Lambeth expo was organised by her office as the new way of engaging with us the community, us the tax payers and us the voters. The expo was an excellent example of partnership working; all of us coming together under the umbrella of community cohesion and with Frances holding that umbrella.

We at the KA want you to keep Frances in a position where she can continue to do the work she has done so well in the past. We take strong objection to you doing anything to destroy one of the few links between the community and the Council that actually works.

Kennington Association has a massive following in North Lambeth and we have had requests to start a petition against the closure of North Lambeth Town Centre Office; we are reluctant to initiate this until first having heard from you regarding Lambeth's future plans for community consultation.

We look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Your sincerely

Angus Aagaard Anna Tapsell

Chairperson Deputy Chairperson

for and on behalf of the Kennington Association

Welcome Pack - Community groups

Sat, 31 May 2008 11:15:47 GMT

Dear Neighbours

The Welcome Pack Working Group has been holding regular meetings and the next is upstairs at The Dog House PH at 7pm on Tuesday 17th June. Data is now being gathered. See below for a list of headings.

There are some notable gaps but without someone to compile the data, we are not able to include them. If you can identify any gaps in the below list of topics to be covered and would be interested in volunteering to compile a given topic, just to pull together information in list form for our copy writer to use, do come along to find out more about what is involved – and meet fellow neighbours at the same time! All welcome!

Meanwhile, some more good news! Lady Margaret Hall Settlement has volunteered to compile a list of community groups for our Welcome Pack. If you are involved with a community group that would be of interest to newcomers moving into the area, please let LMHS have contact details and a line or two about what the group does in good time for inclusion in the pack by sending it to lmhs@lmhs.org.uk marked clearly 'Welcome Pack - Community groups' for the attention of Prem or Franca.

Very many thanks

Best wishes

Cathy Preece

Administrative Assistant

Welcome Pack

Sat, 31 May 2008 11:15:03 GMT

Kennington Welcome Pack

v Housing - refer to council sources for repairs etc....................................................

v Local representatives

Ø MPs, MEPs, GLA................... Priscilla Baines, Friends of the Durning Library

Ø Councilors (Bishops, Newington, Oval, Princes wards)....... Cllr Rob Banks

v Local history .......................................................... Jim Nicolson, Vauxhall Society

v Planning ................................................................. Jim Nicolson, Vauxhall Society

v Residents associations......................................... Jim Nicolson, Vauxhall Society

v Community groups.................................. Prem, Lady Margaret Hall Settlement

v Community centres.........................................................................................................

v LGBT community...............................................................................................................

v Health: ............................................ Betty Severn, Friends of the Durning Library

v Childcare ................................................................. Simon Arthur, Pelican Nursery

v Education..................... Ursula Ovenden, Archbishop Sumner Primary School

v Services for the elderly............................. Faith Abbey, Age Concern Lambeth

v Faith groups................. Ursula Ovenden, Archbishop Sumner Primary School

v Leisure

Ø Sports & Fitness ....................................... Somora Rattray, Sports Action Zone

Ø ADULTS:

§ Music

§ Walks....................................................................................... Diane Kavanagh

§ Clubs

§ Art Galleries.............................................................................. Jean Nicholson

§ Theatres................................................................................... Sylvia Goodman

§ Clubbing + pubbing.................................................................. Steve Watson

§ Gardening.............................. Jill Johnston, Kennington Garden Society

§ Eating out................................................................................ Ursula Ovenden

Ø CHILDREN:

§ Clubs..................................................... Shona Macpherson, Church.co.uk

§ Art clubs............................................... Shona Macpherson, Church.co.uk

§ Activities.............................................. Somora Rattray, Sports Action Zone

§ Holidays............................................... Shona Macpherson, Church.co.uk

§ Playgrounds/parks

v Businesses and Services (relevant to newcomers’ needs)....................................

v Food shopping............................................................. Johnny Male, Daniel Cobb

Van collections for Kennington Village Fete

Mon, 26 May 2008 09:28:01 GMT

Dear Neighbours

If you have bric-a-brac, books, and other items for the Fete, the van will collect donations between Noon and 4pm on Saturday 31st May. Please let us have your address details in good time.

Very many thanks

Best wishes

Cathy