Lloyds TSB volunteer day at Goldsmiths Community Centre 26 July 2013

For the second year running a team from Lloyds TSB volunteered at Goldsmiths Community Centre for the Our Day to Make a Difference programme. Arranged through Employee Volunteering, 35 volunteers from the Loan Credit Risk team were tasked with painting and decorating, weeding, digging and pruning! Many thanks to Kristen Keith, Project Manager at Employee Volunteering, for visiting the centre, communicating so clearly and sending us these photographs from the day, and to Jo Thomas the supervisor and all the volunteers for working so hard and cheerfully on the tasks. We hope they will come back next year - there is always plenty to do!

What did we ask them to help us with? 

Painting and decorating - before and after

One of the main tasks we asked the team to do was to redecorate the two corridors with magnolia paint. I think you'll agree it was very effective!

Remedial work in the corridors - painting over the eggy yellow!

Afterwards - what a difference

Light, bright and airy - and all the same colour

A splendid job, well done

The Gardens - before and after

At just under an acre, the community centre grounds need a lot of tender loving care to keep them looking nice. We have a static community payback team that comes every Sunday to help keep the grounds under control, but even in the space of a week the brambles and bindweed take hold again! We asked the team to dig out the brambles once and for all and prune the pyracantha behind the sports cage, a very prickly job. Some of the brambles have been there for 40 years, and their roots go deep.

Getting ready to tackle the brambles

A clear path created behind the sports cage

In the George Green Hall gardens, the team were asked to prune and weed, and sand and paint the benches. The gardens here are divided into separate plots; there is a Forest School, an allotment garden, and the main garden which is used for outdoor events such as the Goldsmiths Summer Festival,  outdoor play and private functions like weddings and parties.

Pruning and shaping the rose arch

Before and after photos of the allotment garden

Painting the outdoor benches, with a smile!

Roundtable discussion with team members

Four Lloyds TSB team members kindly agreed to join a roundtable discussion about the community centre. Like many voluntary organisations in the current economic climate, the Goldsmiths Community Association is struggling to meet rising costs and falling revenues for this venerable and very large (over 16000 sq ft) building. The utility bills for the centre alone can reach £20,000 per year, particularly in a cold and prolonged winter. It is harder to 'square the circle' as the Association aims to keep the cost of activities affordable so that local people are able to participate regardless of income.

The team were full of ideas for investment into the centre, marketing and activities that we hadn't thought to offer and gave us much food for thought. We had a very productive session, then let them get back to work! These ideas and plans will be shared with our new members, and the general public, at the Association's Annual General Meeting on Saturday 21 September.

Lloyds TSB, you are welcome at the centre any time and our grateful thanks go to you for all your hard work - it was indeed a day to make a difference.

Lloyds TSB volunteers in a roundtable discussion about the community centre

Summer fun in Downham, Bellingham, Whitefoot and Grove Park

Come rain or shine there is so much to do for children, families, young people and adults this summer! From cooking to composting, duckling adventures to diving, street dance to street chance cricket, arts and crafts, theatre, summer uni and trips to the cinema, seaside and skiing - to name but a few!

Let those fingers do the walking and get a fun packed summer organised! Many activities are low cost or free.  

LATEST: Sage Educational Trust are running a free bicycle project with Young Lewisham (Forest Hill) on Tuesday 24^th July 11am to 3pm for anyone ages 8-16. A bus will be picking up from New Cross Gate Sainsbury’s at 10:30am and from Bromley Road Retail Park at 10:30am to take children there should people require transport. Please contact Carly at cnewman19.209@lgflmail.org

 

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of Phoenix Community Housing, Limelight Family Learning Centre, Downderry Children's Centre, Downham Nutrition Partnership/Delicious Nutritious UK, Lewisham Green Scene, Downham Health and Leisure Centre, Sage Educational Trust, Whitefoot and Downham Assemblies and all participating venues and organisations.

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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

Downham Celebrates 2012!

Roll up, roll up! Come on down to the Downham Health and Leisure Centre [map] this Saturday 30 June for a free, fun packed day of activities for all the family as Downham Celebrates 2012.

Throughout the day, from 11 am - 4pm

Crafts in the library

The Downham Local Assembly Talent Tent

With DJ extraordinaire Steve Justin 

Inspire Youth Dance

Greenwich & Lewisham Young People's Theatre

 Knight's Academy Steel Pans

Downham Community Choir

Tamil Dance

 Spring Dance Company

Jubilee Jazzers

 

Visit the community farm, meet and learn about the animals 

Develop your climbing skills - have a go on the climbing wall!

Artwork on display for the Downham Celebrates logo – winner to be announced at 1:00pm

Visit the many different craft stalls, selling everything from cards to ornaments - by local residents.

Millwall Community Scheme

Take part in a football challenge to celebrate Euro 2012

 Come and have a go at Bouncy Sumo wrestling

 11.30 Explore Crime Thrillers in the Upstairs Library with authors Claire Seeber and Tom Wood

12.30    Zumba for adults

1.15       Zumba for children (Community Hall)

2 pm Scuba Diving (swimming pool)

Please note there is a charge of £5 for Scuba Diving. Bring your own swimming gear, including T Shirt. Contact Paul at BSAC on 07868 498509 for more details 

 

3 pm Film: Alpha and Omega (Upstairs Library)

 

We would like to thank Glendale for their support and for the work in tidying up the park for us all to enjoy.

Please show your respect by helping us to leave the site as we found it and throw away your litter. We shall be looking to close down around 4:00pm and would be pleased if people could help us tidy up.

We hope you have a wonderful day at Downham Celebrates