Free films on Fridays

I know it's been a while since I last posted. I've been focusing on other things over the last few months but I have still been taking advantage of having more time when I can and there was one event that I managed to take advantage of recently that made me realise I really should start blogging again.

The lovely people behind the Nunhead and Peckham Free Film Festival have organised Free Film Fridays during February. Basically, it does exactly what it says on the tin. There's a free film at 1.30pm every Friday this month at Buchan Road Tenants and Residents Hall, Buchan Road, SE15 (near Nunhead station). There's free tea and biscuits available too before and after each of the screenings for those who have time to arrive early or stick around afterwards for a chat.

I went along to the first showing the week before last. The film was Passport to Pimlico an Ealing Comedy made in 1949 and shot partly in Lambeth despite being set North of the river. The after effects of the war are very much in evidence in the film from the continued impact of rationing on daily life to the bombsites that still need to be cleared and made safe. It is whilst playing on one of these bombsites that a group of children accidently denonate an unexploded bomb. No-one is hurt but when the local grocer falls in the bomb crater he stumbles a treasure trove and a document that is to have a major impact on the residents of that part of Pimilico and test the British government's negotiating powers to the limit.

I don't want to say too much more about the plot than that as I really knew nothing of the story before I saw the film and enjoyed it all the more for that. It is very funny, particularly the various attempts by the public to outwit officaldom, and needless to say there is a happy, though typically British, ending!

Last Friday, they showed An American in Paris which I didn't see (it's a musical which isn't really my thing) and the film this Friday is 84 Charing Cross Road which I would like to see but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it. It's based on the book and play of the same name and tells the story of the lengthy correspondence between an American woman and the manager and staff of a bookshop at that address.

For the final one of the Free Film Fridays on 24th February they're showing a selection of rare archive film of old London (1941-1951) from the London Metropolitan Archive. I went to see one of their film screenings last summer which I really enjoyed so I'm hoping to get to that one if I can.

The main Nunhead and Peckham Free Film Festival takes place in September and the idea is spreading as there are now plans for one in New Cross too in late April/early May. If you'd like to help with the organising of the New Cross one, there's details on their website for their next planning meeting on 27th February.

Wildlfe and history in Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries

Brockley and Ladywell Cemetery

Like many other urban cemeteries, my local one - Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries - is a haven for wildlife. Whilst there are some lovely parks nearby, these are all far more intensively used and managed whereas much of the cemetery is effectively wilderness with large trees and long grass. From the middle of it, you can barely see the surrounding housing and it's easy to forget you're in the heart of a built-up area.

Cemeteries also provide a great way of learning more about local history and whilst it's fun to wander round and speculate about the stories behind the various people buried there it's even better to do that with someone who actually knows some of those stories. Last Sunday I did just that on a guided walk organised by the Friends of Brockley and Ladywell Cemeteries. For a couple of hours, our knowledgeable guides provided about a dozen of us with some fascinating insights into some of the famous and not-so-famous people associated with the cemeteries. We also learnt that the two cemeteries - then called Deptford and Lewisham - were originally opened as completely separate plots but were then combined and renamed under the management of Lewisham Council.

Sir John Gilbert's grave

Those buried there include Sir John Gilbert, who produced numerous illustrations for Punch and the Illustrated London News and Queen Victoria's physician, Sir Alexander Nisbet. There are also a number of poets including the war poet, David Jones, and the 19th century poet, Ernest Christopher Dowson, whose grave was restored and rededicated last year. Others who have left their mark locally include the Jerrard family who were the builders responsible for several streets of housing in the area and whose name lives on in Jerrard Street off Loampit Vale.

Memorial to Jane Clouson

What is perhaps most moving are the stories of ordinary people remembered in various ways in the cemeteries. There is a particularly striking memorial to 17-year-old Jane Maria Clouson - 'a poor motherless girl' who was murdered in April 1871. Despite strong circumstantial evidence against him, the alleged perpetrator (the son of her employer) was acquitted and the public was so incensed at this outcome that they raised a subscription to erect a memorial for Jane.




The area's maritime links are reflected in the number of memorials to those lost at sea and the impact that both world wars had on the area is evident in the memorials to those killed locally as well as shrapnel damage to some of the memorials. A further insight into lesser known parts of local history was provided by the memorial to someone killed whilst riding 'a spirited horse' in the Deptford Carnival in May 2nd 1900 - evidence of the lively May Day celebrations that used to take place at that time.

Memorial with shrapnel damage

One of the many memorials to those who drowned

and one for someone killed on 'a spirited horse'

 So there was lots of fascinating history and as befits somewhere rich in wildlife we even saw a sparrowhawk sitting high up in one of the trees and finished the afternoon by picking lots of delicious blackberries from the numerous brambles which run wild through much of the cemeteries.

As well as regular guided walks, the Friends group also run volunteer workdays, helping to maintain the site and keep it clear of invasive species. Details of forthcoming events are on their website which also includes some of the historical research they have undertaken in connection with people buried in the cemetery.

A ride along the river

Looking across the Thames to the City

On a sunny summer's evening in London, there is no better place to be than beside the river and one of the best ways to appreciate the river is with a cycle ride and a couple of drinks. So, last Friday evening, making the most of what might be one of the last sunny evenings this summer three of us cycled from Tower Bridge to Deptford along the Thames Path, stopping at a couple of interesting pubs along the way.


It really was a beautiful evening with fantastic views across the river to the buildings on the other side. To make it even more special, just as we reached the riverside we spotted a tall ship, ARC Gloria, just appearing from behind the cruise ships.

ARC Gloria appears

 I knew Gloria was due to be moored at Deptford but hadn't expected to see her sailing. Actually I shouldn't say sailing, as the sails were down and a motor was obviously being used but it was still a great spectacle with some members of the crew standing to attention in the rigging and others singing (unfortunately it sounded less impressive than it looked).




We watched for quite a while as she approached Tower Bridge and then passed through it. I hope all the people delayed by the opening of the bridge were able to appreciate the spectacle too!

The Angel pub, Rotherhithe

The rest of our cycle ride was less eventful but still just as enjoyable. We stopped to enjoy a drink in the last of the evening sunshine at The Angel in Rotherhithe. This is a great pub which doesn't get too busy despite its fantastic riverside location, probably because it's abit of a trek from public transport which also means it is best visited by bike.

Evening sun on Canary Wharf

Then onwards, with some great views of the setting sun reflecting off the towers of Canary Wharf before reaching our final destination for the evening - The Dog and Bell in Deptford. Not only does this pub have a good choice of real ales, an extensive range of Belgian beers and great value food on offer but the landlord is extremely welcoming to cyclists - even letting us bring our bikes through to the back of the pub so we could store them safely.  It's such a good place to finish a bike ride that I was too busy enjoying the food and drink to take any more photos!

Composting workshop

Compost bins at Devonshire Road Nature Reserve

According to this website, composting at home for just one year can save global warming gases equivalent to all the CO2 your kettle produces annually, or your washing machine produces in three months. However, it wasn't really the environmental reasons that persuaded me to start composting but the thought that if we produced our own compost for the garden it would save both the cost of buying it and the effort involved in lugging it home which can be abit of a pain when you don't have a car.

So a couple of months ago I took advantage of Lewisham Council's offer of a free compost bin but have never been 100% sure exactly what I should be composting and what I needed to do to it. That's why  I went along last week to one of the free composting workshops that the Council organises from time to time. I found it really useful even if the first thing I learnt was that I probably haven't put my compost bin in the best location. It is best to put it somewhere sunny as the heat speeds up the composting process but ours is tucked away in a fairly shady corner as we didn't want it anywhere too prominent in our small garden. I've decided not to go through the hassle of moving it though as our garden is something of a suntrap so it should hopefully get pretty hot anyway.

There was lots of discussion about what you should and shouldn't put in your compost. There's a useful summary of this information here. Whilst I knew most of this already, it did make me realise the need for a good mix of 'greens' (tea bags, vegetable peelings, old flowers etc) and 'browns' (cardboard, egg boxes, paper etc) to provide both nitrogen and carbon for the mix. We also learnt that urine is good for speeding up the composting process. If peeing in the compost bin doesn't appeal, nettle and dandelion leaves (but not the roots and stems) are another good accelerator or you could collect seaweed the next time you go to the beach (you need to wash the salt off first).

There are no dates advertised for further compost workshops in Lewisham but if you're interested it is worth contacting Kristina who ran the course to find out if more are planned. Kristina also runs Love Food Hate Waste workshops in the autumn which explain how to make the most of the food you buy and avoid throwing it away.

I'm not sure how many other boroughs organise similar workshops but they seem like a great idea at a time when landfill tax is increasing annually so anything that helps reduce the amount of waste going to landfill will ultimately save local authorities money.

Festival time

Just as the April showers finally seem to have arrived, the summer festival season is upon us and there are some great free festivals happening in London this summer.

In my local area, the annual Brockley Max festival kicked off last Friday with a lively afternoon and evening of music outside the Brockley Barge. I was there for a couple of hours in the evening and there was a fantastic atmosphere and a great mix of different types of music, ranging from a community choir to a ska band. The festival runs all this week and includes theatre, comedy, dance, workshops and children's events as well as lots of music.

Another of my favourite free festivals begins in a few week's time. The Greenwich and Docklands International Festival runs from 24 June to 2 July and if past events are anything to go by is likely to include some amazing spectacles. A year or two ago we watched a fire lit dance performance after dark in Greenwich Park. There doesn't seem to be anything quite the same this year but there are lots of other interesting free events on offer, including:

• A 21st century version of the Greenwich Fair which was the 'largest and most uproarious gathering of outdoor entertainment in Britain' until it started getting abit out of hand 150 years ago and was shut down.
• As the World Tipped , an aerial theatre performance about climate change in Mile End Park.
• An opportunity to view dance from an unusual angle at Canary Wharf with La Mirada Transparente's transparent stage. The audience sit on reclining seats underneath the stage.
• Les Girafes, the festival's finale in Woolwich town centre which includes life-sized giraffes, confetti explosions and evocative music.

Also, just about to start is the More London Free Festival at The Scoop. It starts with theatre performances from tomorrow but over the coming months there will also be music and film at this outdoor venue next to City Hall.

These are only a few of the many free festivals in London this summer ranging from one day local events to summer long celebrations at central locations. Let me know if you have any particular favourites.

The perfect time for a walk in the park

 London has some great parks and open spaces and they usually look their best at this time of year. The grass is still green and lush and the trees are in full leaf as you can see from this picture of Hilly Fields in Lewisham which is my local park.




I've always enjoyed having this a few minutes walk from where I live but now that I have more time I have really started to appreciate it. I love seeing all the different things that people get up to in Hilly Fields - blowing giant bubbles, practicing their slackrope walking (like a tightrope only it's not tight!), playing the guitar, doing exercise classes or just sitting enjoying the scenery - and all this activity is part of what makes city parks so special. However, there are times when it is good to be able to appreciate the space with fewer people around and I like being able to go there now at times when it is quieter.

Over the last few weeks I've discovered that a good time to go for a walk in the park is between 9 and 10am. Earlier than that and you'll be sharing it with the early morning dog walkers and runners and people walking or cycling through on their way to school or work and from mid-morning onwards there tend to be quite a few other people around. When I walked through Hilly Fields the other morning just after 9am, there were very few other people around - just a few mothers out jogging with their babies in pushchairs and a couple of people playing tennis.

As you might guess from the name, the park is on a hill and there are great views of the surrounding area. In one direction you can see to the Isle of Dogs and the Dome and in the other direction you can see to Crystal Palace and beyond.

 A short walk down Vicars Hill from Hilly Fields brings you to another park, Ladywell Fields, which has had alot of money spent on it over the last few years to open up the river that runs through it. It's a really attractive open space and I usually continue on there after walking across Hilly Fields.


From there you can also walk or cycle along the Waterlink Way to Catford and then on through various riverside parks for another couple of miles. It's a good place for some off-road cycling or walking.

A massage for a tenner

This may sound like one of those special offers that is too good to be true but I really did have a full body massage for £10 this morning at the beauty academy, T'ien, at Lewisham College (from whose website this image is taken). The reason for the low price is that the treatments are carried out by students and I certainly wasn't expecting the towelling robes and scented candles that you would get at somewhere more luxurious and expensive. However, I was a little taken aback initially at the extent to which I was foregoing privacy, especially as their website refers to a 'tranquil and stylish environment'. All the treatments take place in one large room and although there were curtains drawn round the massage couch, these could not prevent the noise of surrounding conversations filtering through.

I quickly overcame my initial shock at the slightly hospital ward ambience and was able to tune out most of the background chatter. This was helped by the fact that the trainee providing my treatment was polite and friendly and having asked what I preferred at the start, proceeded to give me the firm massage I had requested, starting with my scalp and finishing with my back and covering face, arms, legs and feet in-between. The massage was good but not quite as effective as the last one I had  a couple of months ago at the Apsara Thai Spa in Deptford where it was accompanied by delicious ginger tea, a chance to use the sauna and the smiliest welcome imaginable but that did cost nearly four times as much.

My massage today lasted about an hour and 15 minutes so really was very good value-for-money compared to standard beauty salon prices as long as you can cope with effectively being semi-naked in a room full of people! The salon also offers a wide range of other treatments at reasonable prices (e.g. a facial for £8) so I might well go back to sample something else.

The salon is only open on weekdays during term-time and in the past I found it impossible to get an appointment outside working hours but if you can be flexible about when you go and are looking for low-cost beauty treatments then I would definitely recommend giving T’ien a try. I imagine that other colleges with beauty courses offer something similar so it would be worth checking the website for your local college, if you like this idea but don't live in or near Lewisham.

The College also has a training restaurant which has an interesting menu at very reasonable prices but again the opening hours are limited. Now that I have more time I hope to be able to give it a try too as I've heard good things about it.

Free Cycle Training

I first enquired about the free cycle training that Lewisham offers some time ago but it is only since I've had more time available that I actually got round to booking a lesson. Any one who lives, works or studies in the borough is eligible for a free 2 hour lesson and you can choose when and where in the borough to have it.

Before we started the lesson, the instructor gave my bicycle a quick inspection to make sure it was roadworthy and told me what I needed to check on a regular basis. My bicycle passed the test but I learnt that I probably need a new back tyre and that I ought to be doing slightly more than a quick pinch of the tyres each time I get my bike out. We also had a short chat about my cycling experience and what I wanted to get out of the lesson to make sure it could be tailored to my needs.

Then we were off.  The first part of the lesson was on quiet residential roads. The instructor rode behind me and directed me through various left and right turns so she could check how I positioned myself on the road (too close to parked cars), whether I signalled clearly (usually) and how often I checked behind me (not quite often enough).

After a quick discussion about what I needed to do differently in terms of my road positioning, we focused on the types of situation I'd identified concerns about. I particularly wanted to gain greater confidence in turning right at large multi-lane roundabouts and we spent most of the second part of the lesson practicing this.

I'm a relatively experienced cyclist and you would probably get the most out of a lesson like this if you were new to cycling in London or hadn't cycled much recently and wanted something to give you more confidence. However, I still felt I learnt some useful tips, particularly about positioning myself more centrally in the lane when waiting to turn at junctions and about keeping a good distance away from parked cars.

Most other boroughs offer something similar. Details of some of them are here or look on the cycling or road safety sections of your borough's website.