The temporary prefab museum needs your help!

The Prefab Museum has won a reprieve from closure. The Prefab Museum, Britain’s only museum to document post-war prefabricated housing, is curated by Elisabeth Blanchet, a French photographer. However the museum is not funded and is under threat of temporary closure due to lack of money while the outcome of funding applications is awaited.

To support the museum, its work and volunteers, please donate via our Kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1413215915/the-prefab-museum

For more information, please see www.prefabmuseum.uk

The wonder of these ‘prefabs’ is that they were meant to last just 10 years to alleviate a post-war housing shortage but people really fell in love with them and have been fighting tooth and nail to make sure that they remain living in them. With the help of the Arts Council, Elisabeth has been photographing both residents and their homes and collecting their stories for more than a decade. 

The biggest remaining prefab estate is Excalibur in Catford, South London, where Elisabeth has been lent an empty prefab to create a Prefab Museum about the history of the estate and prefabricated living. The museum features her photography and documentary film, as well as the work of other artists who are interested in prefabs. 

The museum has attracted more than 2,000 visitors to the area so far – and much like the prefabs themselves, popular opinion has ensured that the museum, which started as a temporary initiative, has now been approved by Lewisham Council and will remain in place until at least 2017. 

The same cannot be said for the prefab homes on Excalibur. Of 186, more than 30 have already been knocked down to make space for redevelopment. Despite campaigns by their residents, the prefabs are slowly losing their battle for survival so Elisabeth is determined to record this part of our social and architectural history for posterity. 

The Prefab Museum is the focal point around which we organise historical tours around the estate and it is always staffed by knowledgable volunteers and residents who have popped in for a cup of tea and a chat. The Prefab Museum is a unique experience where visitors stay longer than they have planned to, share ideas and stories, come out inspired and often come back! 

The Prefab Museum is part of Open House weekend (20/21 September) and we anticipate an influx of visitors!

Some comments from visitors: 

‘Thank you for taking the time to put on this exhibition. It has been a very emotional experience and brings many happy memories.’

 ‘A real piece of British post-war history. We are privileged to see this remainder (and reminder!).’

The Prefab Museum is open every Saturday from 11am to 5pm. 

17 Meliot Road, Catford, SE6 1RY, London

Here are our Autumn events:

Opening Times:

Saturdays 11:00 -17:00 till 01/11/2014
Every other Saturday 11:00-16:00 from 01/11/2014 till 28/02/2015

Groups welcome by appointment

Autumn Events:

Open House Weekend 20/09 and 21/09 10:00-17:00 

Excalibur Estate Tour 18/10 from 14:30

Launch of Elisabeth Blanchet’s book Prefab Homes 25/10 from 14:30 

Mystery Tour 31/10 from 18:00
Excalibur Estate Tour 15/11 from 14:30
Knick-Knack Tea Party 29/11 from 13:00
Christmas Party 13/12 from 13:00

Events, activities and opportunities Summer 2014 - updated 8 July

Updates to this blog post

I will be updating this blog post to reflect new events in Whitefoot, Downham and the neighbourhood over the summer as I am notified of them. Please keep checking back! For general information on local groups and information, check out the Downham and Whitefoot Interagency website which hosts web pages on Whitefoot and Downham Community Food Plus Project, Downham Celebrates, local assemblies and the Prefab Museum as well as information about local facilities, events, services and news.

If you want to get the word out about your events and activities let me know - I update this blog on Friday mornings!
Like Downham and Whitefoot Interagency on Facebook
Follow @goldsmithshub on Twitter

Prefab Museum - opening hours to end September 2014

This unique and popular local museum, located in a prefab at 17 Meliot Road, SE6 1RY and celebrating prefab life has been granted a further extension until the end of summer 2014. From 7 June the museum will be open on Saturdays only from 11am - 5pm, at other times by appointment, and for London Open House on the weekend of 20-21 September.  We look forward to welcoming groups of local primary school children this summer. If you would like to book a group visit or a place on the next estate tour on 21 June, please email Elisabeth Blanchet. For up to date information on events throughout the summer, please visit Prefabs - Palaces for the People on Facebook or follow Prefab Photo Project on Twitter 

Update 7 July 2014 - demolition begins

Free workshops

Lewisham Training Kitchen is now open!

at The Green Man, 355 Bromley Road SE6 2RP

Come and cook nutritious and tasty new recipes  in this well-equipped new Lewisham Training kitchen. Join one of the free Taster cook and eat sessions at Lewisham Training Kitchen

14th July- Cooking with Brentknoll Primary School

15th July- Cooking with Watergate Primary School

17th July- Cooking for over 50 +

18th July- Food Bank Community Cooking

24th July- Disability group

To book  contact Cecilia

Email : cecilia.belier@compass-group.co.uk

Or call on  0791 7651 585
follow on Twitter @LTKlovesfood

Whitefoot and Downham Community Food+ Project

Whitefoot and Downham Community Food + Project is a voluntary community based project to support people or families who are experiencing hardship and issues relating to poverty. There is a growing need for the provision due to the welfare reform act, increase in food and fuel prices. The project is available to local residents and can provide a level of food provision, housing support, health advice, employment advice, debt advice, family support, early years support and access to a Local Councillor.


Donate or volunteer! More information on the Downham and Whitefoot Interagency web page.

  Volunteering

Advice and information

Downham Celebrates 2012!

Photos from Downham Celebrates 2012 on Saturday June 30th at Downham Health and Leisure Centre. Text to follow...

Surrey Docks Farm

Inspire Youth Theatre Company, performing in the Assembly Talent Tent

 

Polish children poetry recital

 

Poems are reproduced here with kind permission from Eliza Jedruszak. The poems we were performing are both by Jan Brzechwa- Polish author very well known for his poems for children (1900-1966). First one is called "Leń" (Lazy bones) and second "Ryby, Żaby i Raki" (Fish, Frogs and Crabs) 

LEŃ

Na tapczanie siedzi leń,
Nic nie robi cały dzień.
"O, wypraszam to sobie!
Jak to? Ja nic nie rozbię?
A kto siedzi na tapczanie?
A kto zjadł pierwsze śniadanie?
A kto dzisiaj pluł i łapał?
A kto się w głowę podrapał?
A kto dziś zgubił kalosze?
O - o! Proszę!" 

Na tapczanie siedzi leń,
Nic nie robi cały dzień.
"Przepraszam! A tranu nie piłem?
A uszu dzisiaj nie myłem?
A nie urwałem guzika?
A nie pokazałem języka?
A nie chodziłem się strzyc? 

To wszystko nazywa się nic?"
Na tapczanie siedzi leń,
Nic nie robi cały dzień.
Nie poszedł do szkoły, bo mu się nie chciało,
Nie odrobił lekcji, bo czasu miał za mało,
Nie zasznurował trzewików, bo nie miał ochoty,
Nie powiedział "dzień dobry", bo z tym za dużo roboty,
Nie napoił Azorka, bo za daleko jest woda,
Nie nakarmił kanarka, bo czasu mu było szkoda.
Miał zjeść kolację - tylko ustami mlasnął,
Miał położyć się - nie zdążył - zasnął.
Śniło mu się, że nad czymś ogromnie się trudził.
Tak zmęczył się tym snem, że się obudził.

Ryby, żaby i raki

Ryby, żaby i raki
Raz wpadły na pomysł taki,
Żeby opuścić staw, siąść pod drzewem
I zacząć zarabiać śpiewem.
No, ale cóż, kiedy ryby
Śpiewały tylko na niby,
Żaby
Na aby-aby,
A rak
Byle jak.

Karp wydął żałośnie skrzele:
"Słuchajcie mnie przyjaciele,
Mam sposób zupełnie prosty -
Zacznijmy budować mosty!"
No, ale cóż, kiedy ryby
Budowały tylko na niby,
Żaby
Na aby-aby,
A rak
Byle jak.
 

Rak tedy rzecze: "Rodacy,
Musimy się wziąć do pracy,
Mam pomysł zupełnie nowy -
Zacznijmy kuć podkowy!
No, ale cóż, kiedy ryby
Kuły tylko na niby,
Żaby
Na aby-aby,
A rak
Byle jak.

Odezwie się więc ropucha:
"Straszna u nas posucha,
Coś zróbmy, coś zaróbmy,
Trochę żywności kupmy!
Jest sposób, ja wam mówię,
Zacznijmy szyć obuwie!"
No, ale cóż, kiedy ryby
Szyły tylko na niby,
Żaby
Na aby-aby,
A rak
Byle jak.

Lin wreszcie tak powiada:
"Czeka nas tu zagłada,
Opuściliśmy staw przeciw prawu -
Musimy wrócić do stawu."
I poszły. Lecz na ich szkodę
Ludzie spuścili wodę.
Ryby w płacz, reszta też, lecz czy łzami
Zapełni się staw? Zważcie sami,
Zwłaszcza że przecież ryby
Płakały tylko na niby,
Żaby  Na aby-aby,
A rak
Byle jak.

Supa Sumo

The Reach Climbing Wall

 Downham Nutrition Partnership - Cook and Eat

 Danielle, Community Liaison Manager and Trevor from Phoenix!

Sage Educational Trust - MEND Programme

You give a little love and it all comes back to you

Come blow your horn, start celebrating; right this way, your table's waiting*

Please support this charity fundraiser by the Goldsmiths Dance Academy Junior Musical Theatre group on 14 & 15 July. Every year the Dance Academy puts on a production to raise funds for the big hall at the community centre, which is now 73 years young and in need of some tlc.

Their production this year is Bugsy Malone. The story is set in 1929 in New York City and gangsters rule the city, except the gangsters, flappers and bartenders are all played by children! They use 'splurge' guns to cover each other in custard. Bugsy Malone is a British musical made by Alan Parker in 1976 featuring a very young Jodie Foster, wonderful scenes and memorable songs by Paul Williams.

Bugsy Malone has been named as the film shown most often in the UK's secondary schools in 2011.

* From Cabaret, the 1972 film starring Liza Minnelli with songs by Kander and Ebb