Buses - Have your say

The London Assembly has launched an in-depth investigation into bus services in London as passenger numbers rise and investment into bus services has flat-lined. Local London Assembly Member Len Duvall wants residents in Lewisham to share their experiences of bus travel in London to improve and strengthen the service offered by Transport for London.

Mr Duvall said “Residents can share their good and bad experiences by filling in a short survey on bus services in London and attending the public meeting on 6 June at 10am in City Hall. We need bus users help to ensure the London Assembly puts forward strong recommendations to the Mayor on how we can make bus services in London suit the needs of the people that use them.

“TfL’s business plan does not provide for expansion of the bus network, and unless plans are secured to deal with extra passengers, London buses run the risk of entering a period of decline.”

Festival In The Forest

The friends of Devonshire Road Nature Reserve have organised a music festival with the finest in music, food and refreshments.

On Sunday, 30 June, eleven acts including Hungry Grass, Siobhan Parr, Martin Brown, The Cavendish Set, Steve ‘Boltz’ Bolton, Alan King, Jonah's Raft, Felix Glenn, Isaac&McGoohan, Probably Not and Fox and a Feather will perform between 1pm and 10pm.
Festival in the Forest is a family friendly mix of music, food and drink with an eclectic blend of Folk, Country, Rock and Irish acts and space to dance or roam or picnic as the mood takes you. Seven acts will perform throughout the afternoon, followed by the four Headline acts after 5:30pm.
Food offered will include Slow Roasted Pulled Pork, BBQ and Vegetarian dishes and homemade cakes and pastries while the bar will be offering a range of beers including our sponsor's ‘Rolls’ Portuguese imported craft beer, wine, a range of soft drinks, tea and coffee.
Tickets are £6 for the whole set or £4 for just the main set from 5:30pm (£3 and £2 for under 18s) and can be purchased on the door, or in advance from WeGotTickets.com by clicking on the links above.
If you want to know more, you can preview the bands by following these links:

• Hungry Grass
• Siobhan Parr with Martin Brown
• The Cavendish Set
• Steve ‘Boltz’ Bolton
• Alan King
• Jonah's Raft
• Felix Glenn
• Isaac'McGoohan
• Probably Not and
• Fox and a Feather

Parking is free in nearby streets and the Nature Reserve is easily reached from either Honor Oak Park or Forest Hill Stations (approx 7 minutes' walk from either). The festival area is outdoors, with marquee cover in the event of rain and the visitor centre will be available for extra cover and toddlers, with full toilet and baby changing facilities. The festival is accessible for wheelchair users, although the paths are a little uneven. The main reserve is not suitable for wheelchairs. Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed.

An Evening of Gardening Fun

Thursday 6th June, 7.30pm
Upstairs at The Hob, opposite Forest Hill station.

Talk accompanied by video with musical comedy opener and closure.

Fiona Hull - local organic gardener and video editor promoting the benefits of growing organically and the medicinal and multiple other uses of plants.  

Also:  local musical comedy duo, Dan and Jo, with "Can you dig it?" - fresh from their appearance on Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time with their comedy songs about growing your own.

Free entry

"A chance to ask all the questions you've always wanted to ask but didn't know where to go"

Food Fair - Sunday 2nd June

The next food fair will be on Sunday, 2nd June 11am-3pm, at Forest Hill Station car park. A range of delicious foods and drinks to eat there or take home for cooking. Produced and supplied by local people.

Fed up with bikes in your hall?

Lewisham Council has teamed up with Forest Hill business Cyclehoop to adopt their bike locker scheme; a service providing secure residential bike parking for a small annual fee.

They are currently in the stage of selecting a couple of locations to trial the bike lockers. They want to place the lockers in the locations of the greatest demand so if you are interested in having a bike locker near your home, please complete the form or email Peter.Stunell@lewisham.gov.uk with your suggestion.

Please note that they are not looking to locate these near the stations. These are intended for current cyclists and people who would like to cycle, but do not because they have nowhere to store a bike. The lockers are made from galvanized steel with a lockable, gas sprung door and perforated side panels, offering residents safe and effective outside cycle storage to protect their bicycles from tough weather conditions and vandalism. Each hanger can store up to six bicycles and will take up half a parking space if located on the street.

Lewisham has not yet decided on a charging scheme, but other Boroughs charge £42 per year per bike with a refundable £25 key deposit. Local residents will be consulted before a final decision is taken on where to install the lockers.

Calling Educators, Creative Practitioners & Learning Providers

Forest Hill School will be hosting a family learning event on Saturday 26th October 2013 aimed at engaging with the parents/carers, children and young people (including extended family members) attending primary or secondary schools in west Lewisham or living in the Borough. The event will run from 10am to 4pm.

They would like to invite local groups (or individuals) to apply to take part in this event! For no charge, you can promote your services directly to a family audience by delivering a workshop of your choice. This is a valuable opportunity to show off the exciting opportunities that each organisation can offer, and hopefully build relationships that will lead to future work. The event's title and theme is ‘Connected’, referencing the connections between learning, achievement and well-being and families, generations and communities that the event aims to highlight and foster.

Forest Hill School aims to select a broad range of workshops covering both art and non-art subject areas, representing provision available across the formal and informal learning sectors. To register your interest, please email cpa@foresthillschool.co.uk by 5pm Friday 7th June 2013 to obtain an expressions of interest form.

Green Oak Carpentry

Just a reminder that the Green Oak Carpentry project is in full swing at Devonshire Road Nature Reserve and they're looking for people to get involved.

Great progress has been made over the last couple of Sundays, but this bank holiday weekend is the big push. They will be there from 10.30 to 4.30 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday so if you have a couple of hours to spare, or a whole day, pop along and get stuck in - learn how to cut and shape the essential joints in Green-Oak construction, all free. Tools and tuition are provided.

RHS “In Bloom – It’s Your Neighbourhood”

It’s summer time – yes, it really is summer time – so it’s time for Forest Hill’s gardeners to come to the aid of the town centre flower beds. It is your neighbourhood, so please get involved in making Forest Hill look summertime lovely by helping out on Sunday June 9th at 2.00pm. Just turn up at the station forecourt with a trowel, secateurs, gardening gloves, and a spare plastic carrier bag. Or if you have none of the above, and not even green fingers, come along anyway and you will be able to lend a helping hand.

Judgement Day is on Tuesday 9th July and this time, with the success of the Edible High Road, we want Forest Hill town centre to look really outstanding.

The Forest Hill Society gardening group has been working hard this year. We’ve created vibrant large new planters at the entrance to the station, replaced and replenished the central beds under the trees in the forecourt, extended our planting to the boxes in front of Dartmouth Road’s Job Centre and have had a deal of success in encouraging local businesses to “green up” their frontages. And climbing roses and honeysuckle are now draping gracefully over the railings above the upgraded underpass. But with more volunteers we can go that extra half mile and put on a really great sh

ow for this year’s RHS judges.

So....Forest Hillers, help to make your neighbourhood bloom by volunteering a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon, 9th June. After all, it is your neighbourhood.

If you are interested in helping out or would like to be kept in touch with other opportunities to help make Forest Hill bloom, email volunteers@foresthillsociety.com

Tewkesbury Lodge Open Gardens - 15th & 16th June

A group of four very different gardens in Forest Hill will be open to the public under the National Garden Scheme on 15th June (5-8pm) and 16th June (2-6pm). Situated just behind the Horniman Museum, the gardens are within a few minutes walk of each other on a hill with spectacular views over London and the North Downs. Proceeds to cancer, caring, and gardening charities.

27 Horniman Drive

28 Horniman Drive

53 Ringmore Rise

Coach House, 3 The Hermitage, Westwood Park.

You will find a small SE-facing garden with richly coloured borders within formal outlines to complement a modern extension, plus a mini-meadow and a tranquil vegetable area with seating; a hilltop country garden in two sections, evolving from the owner's love of growing vegetables, with raised beds, a fruit cage, greenhouse, chicken run, and working and wildlife areas; a front garden inspired by Beth Chatto's dry garden, with stunning borders in soft mauves, yellows and white, interspersed with drifts of red and purple poppies; and a sculptor’s creative courtyard ‘container’ garden crammed with unusual plants and the artist’s sculptures and ceramics (for sale).

Combined admission: £6 (payable at 27 Horniman Drive). No charge for accompanied children.

Homemade cakes and tea on Sunday. Plants for sale on both days.

NB. Sorry, wheelchair access not possible. Well-trained dogs on leads welcome.

Talking about Food

The Horniman Museum are hosting a series of talks and tastings about food and drink from across the globe. The setting will be in the beautiful new garden pavilion and the timings are after work on week days.

Up coming talks include:
Western Polynesian Food and Drink: Acts of Power by Dr Andy Mills, 21st May
Polish food: Memories in deportation and exile by Dr Monica Janoski, 11th June
Behind the Scenes: Pacific Northwest Coast Potlatch by Dr Robert Storrie, Keeper of Anthropology at the Horniman, 13th June
Hot Spice Gingerbread and Edible Symbols by Dr Kaori O'Connor, 25th June
Stories of cheese-making told by its tools by Professor Harry West, 23rd July


More details on these events from http://www.horniman.ac.uk/visit/events/type/19/date/2013-05-10/interval/74
Booking recommended