New nursery at St Lukes Church

Alphabet Lanes Nursery & Preschool is a welcome addition to the West Norwood community -  and opened last autumn in St Luke’s Church Chambers  SE27 0HS on Norwood High street. Toni, the owner, says “We take children aged 2 -5 and  we are a friendly and fun loving nursery  open 7.30am to 6.30pm all year round. Come along and see us – or call for more info 020 8670 8833”

There is also a free Saturday group for families with young children living in the local area.

Winter Coat Scheme

LionHeart, a local charity , gave out over 70 coats to children and adults last winter. If you know of  anyone in need of a warm coat direct them to the Foodbank schemes so more coats are given out to those most in need. Norwood’s Foodbank is at St Luke’s church, Knights Hill SE27 0HS  on Tuesdays 10am to 1pm and Fridays 10am to 2pm

Sheniz Tan says   “ If anyone wishes to donate a coat please get in touch with LionHeart.”

http://www.litc.org

Calling all competitive gardeners .. and cooks and artists

Cllr Pickard at the Spring Flower Show in St Lukes

Saturday September 1^st is an opportunity to show gardeners can be just as competitive as athletes this London Olympic summer! The Lambeth Horticultural Society annual Summer Flower Show has nearly 100 classes of show flowers, fruit and vegetables. There are also competitions for best crafts,  floral art & photography  and cookery. The ODDEST VEGETABLE competition is judged by the public!

The Show is held in West Norwood at St Luke’s Church, Knights Hill SE27 0HS – open to the public from 2pm

All are welcome to enter the competitions – apply by Wednesday 29^th August. See the Lambeth Horticultural Society web site for details:

http://www.lambethhorticulturalsociety.org.uk/LHS%20schedule%20summer%202012%20for%20web.pdf

Screening the Olympics Opening Ceremony

This Friday, 27^th July, from 7pm watch the live screening (organised by West Norwood Feast) of the Olympics Opening Ceremony in front of St Luke’s Church SE27 0HS. With ten thousand volunteers and almost thirty thousand props and costumes Danny Boyle is sure to deliver a spectacular event to show the world!.

Bring a blanket, friends and family. Delicious street food traders  are gearing up for a fantastic evening – Wallaboks, Herman Ze German, Curry Cook House, Taste of Tawa, Giant Pan and Native. St Luke’s Church will be open for teas and coffees throughout the event.

And free activities for kids including Make Your Own Olympic Torch workshops. So there really is something for everyone.

BRING ON THE GAMES!

http://westnorwoodfeast.com/blog/west-norwood-feast-presents%E2%80%A6-olympic-ceremony-live

First Sunday each month is a Feast day – 10am to 4pm!

Party cakes stall at April’s Feast

The West Norwood Feast is a people-powered market celebrating the diversity, talent and entrepreneurial skills in our neighbourhood. There’s plenty to see and do including the Gardeners’ Corner by York Hill where you can pick up seeds, plants and tools, the Artisans’ Market on Chatsworth Way with locally-made arts and crafts, a Food Fair at St Luke’s with stalls serving freshly-cooked street food and even a Retro Village by Roseberys on Knights Hill with a market for reused, recycled and remade furniture and clothes. More details are on the Feast website and on www.facebook.com/wnfeast.

Lambeth council will have a staffed stall at the West Norwood Feast with an exhibition of plans for the Norwood Hall swimming pool, gym and health centre – an opportunity to find out more about the scheme.

West Norwood Weekend Festivities

The 31^st March and 1^st April weekend welcomes Spring to West Norwood.

Saturday is West Norwood’s first Slow Food Festival 10am to 6pm around  St Luke’s church SE27 0HS

Flour milling, apple pressing, urban foraging, pizza making,  cider drinking, jazz,  meet Mrs Beeton, catch Mr Freaky Peens, enjoy the Honey Theatre Live, check out Brixton City Farm, hear about  rare pig breeds,  watch Brindisa’s master jamon carver at work,  taste perfect pizza made in a  mobile wood fired oven, have a cup of Volcano coffee, treat yourself to a tongue sandwich, have  a Fortnum & Mason style tea, watch the magical Ms McK interview a surprise celebrity guest ,try authentic pierogi, listen to Levi Roots’ friend on the wonders of caribbean cuisine, bake a cake for the family bake off, make a dish for the slow food cook off , win dinner for two at Bubba’s .. …………. there’s something for everyone but you may need to book online for some events:

http://www.westnorwoodslowfoodfestival.co.uk

Saturday 2pm to 5pm is the Spring Flower Show in St Luke’s church hall. Flowers on display including tulips, daffodils, & polyanthus, photographs, floral art and a ginger biscuit competition. All welcome.

For details  see: http://lambethhorticulturalsociety.org.uk/shows.html

Sunday 1^st April is  first  Feast day of 2012 open 10am to 4pm. The West Norwood Feast is a people-powered market celebrating the diversity, talent and entrepreneurial skills in our neighbourhood. There’s plenty to see and do including the Gardeners’ Corner by York Hill where you can pick up seeds, plants and tools, the Artisans’ Market on Chatsworth Road with locally-made arts and crafts, a Food Fair at St Luke’s with stalls serving freshly-cooked street food and even a Retro Village by Roseberys on Knights Hill with a market for reused, recycled and remade furniture and clothes.   And there’s music, performance, a beer and cider tent, a community garden on Norwood Road by the Fire Station and  The Edible Bus Stop.

More details are on the Feast website http://westnorwoodfeast.com/blog and facebook page www.facebook.com/wnfeast.

Toddler groups

Fortunately for families in West Norwood there’s plenty of places to get out and about with babies and young children.

If it’s playgroups you’re after then St Luke’s Church on Knights Hill SE27 0HS offers Conker Club on Monday mornings from 10am during school term times –  a fantastic stay-and-play for babies and toddlers with a multitude of toys, books and puzzles, a dedicated ‘soft area’, activity tables and a rough-and-tumble area with gym mats for the more adventurous child.  Admission is a £1.50 donation and tea, coffee, squash and biscuits are provided.

The Cherry Tree Children’s Centre on Barston Road SE27 9HE (running between Chestnut Road and Idmiston Road) runs Baby Rhyme Time from 10am on Tuesdays, a drop-in group with singing and a story each week – being a Surestart centre, activities are free of charge.

The Salvation Army at 246 Norwood Road SE27 9AW (opposite Beamish & McGlue) runs a playgroup on Tuesdays at 10am – admission £2 donation.

Many of these play sessions are very popular so arrive early to avoid disappointment.  However, for a slightly more relaxed start time, Chatsworth Baptist Church in Chatsworth Way SE27 9AN runs a lovely stay-and-play on Fridays from 10am for children 12 months and under – a £3 contribution is welcome.

And don’t forget the One o’clock club at the top of Norwood Park SE19 1EA – free of charge and open 12.30pm to 3.30pm on Mondays , Tuesdays & Fridays.

Sharing the feast

Some of the items at St.Lukes Foodbank

Last September, St Luke’s church launched Norwood Foodbank, a project aimed at providing food for people in crisis within our community.

Whether the result of family breakdown, job or home loss, crime, or mental or physical impairment, many local people are currently forced to choose between eating and paying their bills.  Norwood Foodbank attempts to help alleviate this struggle by providing practical assistance in the form of food donations, as well as signposting people to further support where needed.

Having collected over 2 tonnes of food since the project began, church stocks are now down to just 500 kilograms, indicating both the success of the programme but also an ongoing demand for such support.  With the advent of Christmas and trying economic times being felt all round, such charity has never been more pertinent.

St Luke’s on Knights Hill SE27 0HS welcomes any food donations  on Tuesday to Friday between 9am and 3pm –  or at any Sunday church service 10.30am.

For more information and a list of suggested foods see http://norwood.foodbank.org.uk/

Lighting up West Norwood for Christmas

As Christmas draws closer, so too do the events and festivities leading up to it.  For shoppers  in West Norwood, the advent of the festive season is heralded by the arrival of the Christmas lights – just in time for the 3^rd /4^th December weekend of Feast markets.

Come along to the area around St Luke’s church and Portico on Saturday 5pm to 8pm  for  carol singing, the fabulous Carribe Steel Band, a light installation, children’s christmas decoration and activities, neon ball juggling and street entertainment, and last but not least delectable winter warming food, mulled wine, snacks and treats. On Sunday between 10am and 4pm the Feast will have its Artisans market at Chatsworth Way,  Garden Corner by York Hill,  Food Fair  at St Lukes church and Retro Village outside Rosebery’s the auctioneers on Knights Hill.

For more details  see http://westnorwood.spacemakers.org.uk/blog/very-festive-december-feast-weekend

The Christmas lights will extend from Tulse Hill Station to West Norwood station. The original lights were funded some years ago by Norwood Action Group,  local traders and the council. To  give West Norwood’s shopping street a boost this year there is new lighting in the street trees – courtesy of the Mayor’s Outer London  Fund – and a christmas tree outside St Lukes’s churchyard.

New Sunday markets in West Norwood

Norwood Feast on show at 5th March community event

Local residents have got together with Space Makers to regenerate West Norwood’s shopping streets with new monthly markets starting Sunday 3rd April 10am to 4pm

Four market areas are planned:  Artisans market at Chatsworth Way,  Garden Corner by York Hill,  Food Fair  at St Lukes church & Retro Village outside Rosebery’s the auctioneers on Knights Hill.

Come along and see West Norwood’s entrepreneurs in action! And street entertainers for all!

For more details see  http://westnorwood.spacemakers.org.uk/

Local residents have said they want a better shopping experience  in West Norwood and Lambeth council has commissioned Space Makers to get things moving.