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Londonart pops up in Dulwich Village
Just in time for Christmas, online gallery Londonart has taken on physical form by occupying a pop-up site in Dulwich Village.
• Huge range of quality art works for sale
• Site kindly provided by Gail’s Artisan Bakery
• Gallery quickly installed by Londonart and JP Art onsultancy
From now until Monday 24 December, Londonart is showcasing a selection of its most talented artists in charming Dulwich Village. Reflecting the online gallery’s vast choice, the 200 works on display include sculpture, painting and photography with all manner of subject matter represented, from intriguing abstract art through to exquisite still lives and glorious landscapes to intimate portraits.
Londonart Pop-Up is a collaboration between the online gallery owner Paul Wynter and art consultant Joanne Parker, former owner of Hoxton’s Jak Gallery who now runs JP Art Consultancy. Through the site’s owners, Dulwich Estate, the pair found that 91 Dulwich Village, a former branch of Oddbins that been unoccupied for two years, had been taken on by Gail’s Artisan Bakery for its 13th outlet (lucky for us, eh?) that opens next March. Gails has let out the premises to Londonart for the next two months at a generous rate.
Having picked up the keys on Thursday 1 November, Paul and Joanne quickly hired an electrician to wire in and install lighting while they selected art works that they began hanging over the weekend. Even while they were setting up the gallery, excited locals perused the exhibition and even bought a few pieces before work was finished on the Sunday.
Paul has been encouraged by such a promising start and hopes the gallery’s collaboration with Gails bodes well for the future of the high street. “Times have been hard, but we have already shown there are still opportunities for businesses trying new things. The art world and the food sector show what can be achieved.”
Londonart Pop-Up is especially pleased to be able to show works by artists with South London connections, including the vibrant Kate Kessling, a former Goldsmiths graduate who is aptly showing among other prints her witty and colourful Village People. There is more formal work on show from Gerry Hunt, who taught at Camberwell School of Art for many years.
Monday to Friday: 11am-6pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am-6pm
91 Dulwich Village, SE21 7BJ
Or by appointment: contact Paul 07711 952808 or Joanne 07929 632277
www.londonart.co.uk
Local Charity’s Enterprising Approach
ALD Life was set-up in September 2004 by local mother, Sara Hunt, after finding out that her son, Alex, had a rare condition called Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).
Adrenoleukodystrophy is caused by a faulty gene in the X-chromosome, and as such affects mainly young boys. The condition which leads to a progressive damage of the brain can render patients with memory loss, blindness, deafness, difficulty speaking and understanding verbal communication, problems swallowing, coordination problems, paralysis of the limbs and seizures.
Sara said “It hit us like a ton of bricks. We knew something was wrong because he started walking into walls and his eyesight was going, but we never thought it was going to be that bad.
For the first week, we went into shock and just shut ourselves away with the phone off because we couldn’t talk to anyone.”
The condition is best portrayed in the film, ‘Lorenzo’s Oil’ featuring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. Unlike the film, there currently is no cure for the disorder, and death can usually occur with one to ten years for a child.
ALD had rendered Alex fully dependent within months, and Sara was unable to find practical support and advice to care for her son, so she decided to form a charity to help support other patients and families going through the same situation.
Sara’s main aim was to provide practical information and advice about the condition, and make it more readily available to the public, and also to support patients and families in the UK affected by this terrible condition.
As the charity had difficulty acquiring appropriate levels of funding, Sara decided it was best to open up a charity shop to help bring in a self sustaining source of funding for the charity. In 2011, Sara opened up her third charity shop in Forest Hill, after successive shops in Penge and Sydenham gained a huge level of support and backing in the community.
She said “It’s incredibly heart-warming that hardly a person goes by without popping into the shop to say hello. The local community have really come out to support us, especially in these harsh times.”
The charity shops collect a wide range of goods of any quality from the public including furniture, clothes and books, and it is mainly the income the charity shops bring, that allows the charity to be self-sustaining.
During this recession, and with cuts to government spending, the charity has decided to implement a recycling craft project. The project aims to make full use of items that are unsalable in their charity shops by recycling them into craft goods, which will help the charity to develop another funding stream. This will help ALD Life not only to raise another vital source of income, but also allow them to become greener.
She said “The aim of the weekly event is to develop a new range of goods that we can sell in the charity shops by recycling items that are unsalable in our shops. As funding has been very difficult to come by in these harsh economic times, it is important, especially for small charities such ALD Life to create their own stream of funding.”
The project is designed to get the community to come along to a recycling craft event to build or make full use of their art & craft skills while recycling unsalable items into craft goods. It is also designed to encourage the community to work together, while being creative in a communal, friendly and open environment.
For more information, please visit http://www.aldlife.org.
This year, make your Christmas tree count more than usual: help The Christmas Forest plant its 100,000th tree in Africa through Tree Aid
If you are searching for an ethical Christmas tree this year why not try The Christmas Forest? Supporting Tree Aid since 2006 with the sale of their sustainably sourced trees, for every one sold they donate to plant a tree in Africa. So far over £75,000 has been raised and 86,000 trees have been planted in Ethiopia, Mali and Burkina Faso, changing lives for thousands of families who rely on these trees for their livelihoods. With seven sites in London, The Christmas Forest also has an online shop so you can either enjoy walking through their festive urban forests and pick out your perfect tree or – if you live within the M25 – log on to have a beautiful tree delivered right to your door this Christmas, with another planted in Africa’s drylands.
Five varieties of trees including the popular non-drop firs, the traditional Spruce, re-plantable living trees and added this year the rare Blue Spruce. Beautiful hand-picked trees at affordable prices that last all season. A huge range of sizes. We are confident our prices are the best in London for prime quality trees. christmasforest.co.uk or call 01865 427067.
Christmas Forest Dulwich is open from 28th November. 8am-10pm. Streatham and Marlborough Cricket Club, (opposite the Harvester) on South Circular A205 at Cox’s Walk and Dulwich Common, SE21 7EX.
Who says girls don’t do physics?
Sydenham High School takes part in the world’s biggest multi-venue science lesson
Astrophysicist, forensic scientist, pharmacist and orthodontist; along with doctor and vet, these were just some of the scientific careers that the 68 girls of Year 8 at Sydenham High School said they aspired to pursue as they attempted to enter the world record books recently. They are amongst some 2,400 girls at 26 schools across the country measuring gravity in a bid to set the record for the world’s biggest practical science lesson in multiple venues.
Two specific experiments1 recorded the value of acceleration due to gravity. One measured the time taken for an object to drop a set distance, and the other timed a swinging pendulum.
Pupils who took part were all aged between 12 and 13. “I love physics and I’m really excited about me and my year being part of making science history,” said Betty Townley aged 12.
All the participating students are pupils of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), the leading group of independent girls’ schools in the UK, as part of this year’s 140th anniversary celebrations. “This exciting record attempt will also be part of our own 125th anniversary celebration,” said Sydenham High’s Headteacher, Kathryn Pullen. “It’s crucial to nurture more women scientists so it’s disturbing to think that nearly half of all co-ed maintained schools in England do not send even one girl on to do physics at A-level2.
“In the girls-only environment, all science subjects are hugely popular and successful. At Sydenham High, around a quarter of our girls study physics in the Sixth Form and do very well. The enthusiasm from our Year 8 girls for participating in this experiment indicates that we’ll continue to buck some of the less encouraging educational trends.”
About the Girls’ Day School Trust
The Girls’ Day School Trust is the leading group of independent girls’ schools in the UK, educating 20,000 pupils. In this year’s A-level results, nearly 60% of GDST pupils’ exam grades were A* or A, and nearly 85% were A*, A or B.
In 2012, 37% of GDST girls took A-level maths, 35% took biology and 30% took chemistry. Around 12% took A-level physics, and virtually half of them (49.4%) achieved an A* or A.
1. The two experiments being conducted during the record-breaking attempt are as follows:-
Dropping experiment
Beanbags are to be dropped a set number of times from a set height (d), and the time (t) of each drop is to be recorded. The average value of (2 x d) / t2 will then be calculated and submitted.
Pendulum experiment
A pendulum of a measured length (L) will be swung over a fixed point on the floor. Timing will begin when the suspended object first passes over the fixed point, and will stop after it has swung ten times over that same point from the same direction. The average time for one swing (T) will then be calculated. From the results of the experiment, gravity will be calculated using the formula (4 x π2 x L) / T2, and the average value will be submitted.
The record attempt is being made in accordance with guidelines set by Guinness World Records (GWR). To achieve it, a minimum of 1,000 pupils is needed across at least ten schools, with at least 25 participants at each school. The lesson has to consist of at least two hands-on experiments on a specific area of science, and participating teams have to submit written reports of their results.
Also in accordance with GWR guidelines, the GDST world record attempt is being overseen at each school by two independent witnesses and an independent steward. Each lesson will be timed and video-recorded, and photos will be taken.
2. Institute of Physics Report It’s Different For Girls, October 2012.
Little Genius Crafts Opens
Inside each kit you’ll find all sorts of bright and colourful shapes already cut out and waiting to be easily peeled off to put on the collage. To add a little genius twist, inside you’ll also find a bag of fun facts about the theme.
Six Dinners Later – a new face-to-face social network
Six Dinners Later website offers a unique way to meet new people with old fashioned values in a modern world
London-based company Six Dinners Later Ltd has launched a brand new concept that sets a new scene for social networking. The company has developed a unique social infrastructure that can drive people offline into dinner parties either at home or another venue of their choosing. It results in someone meeting 25 new people during a round of six dinner parties, as well as being given the chance to meet those all too often unknown friends of friends. What differentiates the Six Dinners Later concept from other dining and supper club business models on the market today is that it offers a platform for people to create whatever setting they wish, whether it be making new friends, dating or business networking. www.sixdinnerslater.com uses the dinner party model as a way of getting people together face-to-face so the focus is not just on the food but on the gathering and making of new friends.
As Janey de Nordwall, founder of Six Dinners Later, explains, “The rationale behind Six Dinners Later is that it entices people offline to give them the chance to enjoy greater social engagement and friendship on all levels. In this wonderful world of technology, friendship is dying. Conversation is dying. We no longer read body language as there are often no bodies to read.” So whether someone is looking to increase their social circle of friends, meet a significant other or simply to change the social dynamic of their life, Six Dinners Later can, quite literally, be right up their street. The beauty of the model is you don’t have to be a foodie or need to cook. One of our founder members hosted his dinner in an Eritrean restaurant, another bought in a fish and chip supper and another host cooked a three course meal – all worked brilliantly.
The website is now fully operational, the first round of dinners have begun and the guest list of founder members is already starting to grow. Remi, Janey’s business partner and director of marketing and communications says, “We are absolutely thrilled with the calibre of individuals who are supporting the concept and joining the site and I’d most certainly go to dinner with all of them! What’s becoming clearer to us is that even though the guest list don’t know each before dinner, the drive to create quality friendships, break bread together and use online to get offline, seems to be rousing a deep response and uniting our followers, which is really wonderful to see.” The initial focus is in London but obviously Six Dinners wants to attract members from throughout the UK.
The target market for Six Dinners Later is 30 – 65+, single or couples, straight, gay or lesbian. To encourage the ‘friend of a friend’ network, you can be recommended to join the guest list and receive a 20% discount off your subscription.
‘Jim’ joins the Six Dinners Later guest list for free. He creates a short profile, uploads a photo and then sits back and waits for his first invitation to dinner. When he chooses to accept his first invitation he pays a subscription of £75 to join the dining network and attends his first dinner. It is then Jim’s turn to host a dinner inviting his previous host plus four guests from the guest list. Each of Jim’s guests will then invite him to a dinner with four new guests off the guest list so, six dinners later, Jim will have met 25 new friends.
Check out the two minute animation “Jim’s story” http://bit.ly/VJz7B8
Launch Period Promotion
During this time the first 100 diners pay no subscription.
Social Responsibility
Their longer term aim is to support social issues by committing a proportion of their profits to fund social issue short films and charitable projects that foster inclusion.
The first ‘London Apple’ to be grown in local school garden
Goose Green Primary School, East Dulwich has been picked as one of the first school gardens to grow a brand new variety of ‘London’ apple along with 11 other varieties of apple & plum trees in the school’s new orchard. The Dulwich Community Council/Southwark Council awarded the school a £5,000 grant through the Greener, Cleaner, Safer Fund making this fantastic new project possible.
The children, teachers, parents and carers of Goose Green Primary School gathered on November 9th to plant the new trees with a short celebration ceremony at 2:45pm with local councillor Rosie Shimell and Cllr. Barrie Hargrove (.Cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling) Goose Green Primary School had already established a wildlife garden in a previously unloved strip of land along the playground fence and a vegetable garden in raised beds in the nursery. The children (with support from the school gardener Natasha Soares & staff from the London Orchard Project) planted the trees large planters in the school playground making this a unique and accessible orchard that will allow children at Goose Green to be the first to taste the new London variety.
The new London specific variety of apple has been nurtured from a single seed and developed over a period of ten years. It is the first of its kind and a part of the original batch of 100 developed. Now fully established the trees are to be planted across London and will eventually produce fruit that will be available to all local surrounding communities. The new variety has been developed by the charity, The London Orchard Project and the nursery, ‘Trees for Life’. The variety has been bred to possess a hardy nature and be adaptable to changeable conditions – much like the true Londoner.
Beth Follini, parent and governor at Goose Green School explains, “We are all delighted that Goose Green Primary School has been chosen as one of the first school gardens to grow the new London apple. The children love having the opportunity to get involved in gardening and growing their own fruit and vegetables. As a school, we have a strong commitment to environmental education and this project enables us to further this commitment in a unique, fun and healthy way.’
Now the variety is fully developed and being planted across London, The London Orchard Project is offering a member of the public the opportunity to go down in history, by naming the new 2012 London variety. The lucky winner will also receive one of the first trees of the original batch of 100 that have been developed.
If you can think of a name for the new London variety, Tweet your suggestions to @LondonOrchard then follow the charity on Twitter, for the announcement of the winning title. Or email suggestions to orchard@thelondonorchardproject.org – and make your mark on Britain’s apple history!
November Magazines are Out Now!
The November magazines for SE21, SE22 and SE23 are out today. If you don’t receive a copy through your door, pop in to one of the many local businesses where they are stocked. Or you can read the flipzines on this site.
Remember that the events section on this website has all the up to date events.
Local Author Launches Book at Dulwich Books
Local author Donald Greig will be launching his debut novel Time Will Tell at Dulwich Books on Thursday 20th September at 7.30pm.
Time Will Tell deftly blends farce with acute knowledge of life as a musical performer as it follows Andrew Eiger, an ambitious American musicologist. Eiger is stuck in a small college in the Midwest when fate delivers him an original fifteenth-century manuscript. It’s his calling card to the finest academic institutions, but first he has to crack the notational code.
Time Will Tell has already been received to great acclaim from the likes of Terry Jones and Sarah Dunant.
‘A fascinating double glimpse into the world of modern singers and medieval music.’ Terry Jones, Monty Python
‘A delightful romp through the passions and pretensions of the early-music world.’ Sarah Dunant, Author
‘Funny, sharp and oddly compassionate.’ Charles Saumarez Smith, Secretary and Chief Executive, Royal Academy of Arts
Donald Greig is a singer, writer and lecturer in Film Studies and Musicology. He has made appearances at Harvard and Notre Dame. A performer of early music, he is particularly associated with The Tallis Scholars and The Orlando Consort, of which he is a founding member.
Dulwich Books located at 6 Croxted Road, West Dulwich has been serving the community for the past 29 years and were recently awarded the title of ‘London’s Independent Bookseller of Year 2012’ by The Bookseller magazine
This is a free event open to everybody.
Dulwich Books, 6 Croxted Road, West Dulwich, London, SE21 8SW 020 8670 1920 www.dulwichbooks.co.uk dulwichbooks@yahoo.co.uk
Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival 13-23 September
Fancy watching a film in a cemetery? How about in a pie and mash shop, or a wildlife garden?
The full schedule of the 2012 Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival (13-23 September) is announced today, with more than 20 free film screenings and events taking place in inspiring and pertinent locations across Peckham and Nunhead.
The Centre for Wildlife Gardening will host East German children’s classic The Singing Ringing Tree as well as Laurel and Hardy shorts accompanied by a live piano soundrack.
Ken Ashton’s 1972 documentary We Was All One, about the old Elephant & Castle community and decline of cockney culture, will be shown at Manze’s pie and mash shop, while Nunhead delicatessen Bambuni will be screening Jeunet and Caro’s darkly comic Delicatessen.
The grittier side of 1960s London can be seen in vintage documentary The London Nobody Knows, screened at bijou bookshop Rye Books, while ever-popular festival venue Nunhead Cemetery is likely to be packed out again this year for Kind Hearts and Coronets.
This year the festival has spawned its own mini festival, Welcome to Busseywood – a 16 hour film marathon held in Peckham’s Bussey Building (a former cricket bat factory, and recently home to the Royal Court’s Theatre Local programme).
Spread across four screens over three floors, Welcome to Busseywood mixes themed shorts with work from new filmmakers, documentaries, classic music videos from 1987-2012, and nine hours of film and music celebrating 50 years of Jamaican independence. The day finishes with a free club night through till 4am.
In addition, the PeckhamPlex cinema will be opening its doors for free on Sunday 23 September.
About Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival
The festival, now in its third year, is organised entirely by volunteers. It aims to provide a wide range of films to attract as broad an audience as possible. Last year, more than 3,000 people attended the events – including a capacity crowd at Nunhead Cemetery – and we expect this year’s festival to be even bigger.
Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival is entirely not-for-profit and events are funded through partnerships with community organisations and other supporters. It was awarded a ‘distinction’ for innovation at the 2011 Film Society of the Year Awards.
Co-Founder Howard Francis said: “This is our third year and we’re really excited to be working with new venues this year. We want to show films in interesting local venues and give local communities a chance to meet and share their enjoyment of some truly classic films in stunning locations.”
Programme highlights
The full programme with further details of the films is at www.freefilmfestivals.org
Thursday 13 September: SE15 Young Filmmakers Day
New short films by young people, made around London SE15. South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH, 4pm-10pm
Thursday 13 September: 343 Perspectives
Film installation featuring passengers on the 343 bus route through Peckham.Peckham Space, Peckham Square, SE15 4RS, Tue – Fri 11am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-4pm
Friday 14 September: Kind Hearts and Coronets (U)
Outdoor screening. Classic Ealing comedy screened in the splendour of a Victorian cemetery. Subtitled screening. Nunhead Cemetery, Linden Grove, SE15 3LW, 8.30pm
Saturday 15 September: Sword in the Stone (U)
Saturday morning cinema. Disney classic for ages 3-11.Buchan Road Community Centre, Buchan Road, Nunhead, SE15 3HQ, 11am
Saturday 15 September: Monster Film Day
Free monster animation workshop (2-5pm) and screenings of Monsters Vs Aliens (5.30pm, PG) and Attack the Block (7.30pm, cert 15). Friary and Unwin Tenants and Residents Hall, 33 Frensham Street, off Peckham Park Road, London SE15 6TH, 8pm.
Sunday 16 September: We Was All One
Documentary by Ken Ashton (1972) about changes to the Elephant & Castle and Old Kent Road area, and the decline of the cockney culture, seen through the eyes of local people. Manze’s Pie and Mash Shop, 105 Peckham High Street, SE15 5RS, 1pm and 2.30pm.
Sunday 16 September: Singing Ringing Tree (U)
Rare screening of the 1957 East German children’s classic that ‘traumatised’ a generation. Centre for Wildlife Gardening, 28 Marsden Road, Peckham, SE15 4EE, 3pm
Sunday 16 September: Laurel and Hardy silent shorts
Outdoor screening. Silent comic masterpieces (Big Business, Liberty, You’re Darn Tootin’) with live music soundtrack from Radio 4’s composer/pianist Neil Brand (and audience sound effects!) Centre for Wildlife Gardening, 28 Marsden Road, Peckham, SE15 4EE, 8.30pm.
Monday 17 September: Under the Arches
Outdoor screening. Bike-powered short films under Nunhead railway arches. Railway arches, Bidwell Street, Nunhead SE15 (just off Lugard Road), 8.30pm
Tuesday 18 September: Cinema memories
Archive film of London from days gone by. Plus, share your memories of South London cinema-going. Lime Tree Court sheltered housing scheme, 2 Dundas Road, Nunhead SE15 2DL, 2pm.
Tuesday 18 September: Outdoor screening Unnatural History of London
Warm-hearted documentary about the world’s greenest city and the Londoners who love its secret wildlife. Free food courtesy of Ganapati. Centre for Wildlife Gardening, 28 Marsden Road, Peckham SE15 4EE, 8.30pm
Tuesday 18 September: Delicatessen
Surrealist black comedy about the landlord of an apartment building who occasionally prepares a delicacy for his odd tenants. Bambuni Delicatessen, 143 Evelina Road, Nunhead SE15 3HB, 8.30pm.
Wednesday 19 September: Reel Women
Illustrated talk and discussion on women and film. Nunhead Library, Gordon Road, SE15 3RW, 8pm
Thursday 20 September: The London Nobody Knows (U)
The darker side of 1967 London revealed in this classic documentary, with James Mason. Plus Les Bicyclettes de Belsize. Rye Books, 45 Upland Road, SE22 9EF, 7.30pm
Friday 21 September: Outdoor screening Toy Story 3
Outdoor screening in North Peckham. Calypso Gardens, Peckham SE15 6FP, 8pm
Saturday 22 September: Welcome to Busseywood
Film and music all-dayer at the iconic Bussey Building, a former cricket bat factory, in Peckham. CLF Cafe, Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, Peckham SE15 4ST, 12pm-4am. Screenings include:
Rockers (15) 8-10pm
1978 Jamaican film whose soundtrack is a reggae classic.
Fire in Babylon (12A) 6-8pm
Documentary about the revival of the West Indies cricket team in the 1970s.
Peckham Film Open (12noon-10pm)
Open submission event featuring new short films from around the world
Drying for Freedom, 4pm
How the dryer replaced the clothesline.
London Nightlife, 8-10pm
Classic music videos from 1987-2012 celebrating the capital’s club scene
Free dance/club night, 10pm-4am
With name DJs and more film screenings
Full Busseywood programme at www.freefilmfestivals.org
Sunday 23 September: PeckhamPlex for free
Free family film (see www.peckhamplex.com for film details). Plus awards ceremony for SE15 Young Filmmakers Competition 2012. PeckhamPlex, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST, 4pm
Sunday 23 September: Favela Rising (12A)
A man emerges from the slums of Rio to lead the nonviolent cultural movement known as Afro-reggae. Upstairs at The Gowlett, Amott Road, Peckham SE15 4HY, 8pm
Twitter: @freefilmfest
Facebook: www.facebook.com/peckhamfreefilmfestival
We thank the following funding partners for their support of the 2012 Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival:
- Nunhead and Peckham Community Council
- Camberwell Community Council
- Cafe on the Rye
- Southwark Council/GLA
Other partners, who provide help with organisation, equipment, catering, venues, volunteers (and lots of their time!), include:
- British Film Institute (BFI)
- Cafe on the Rye
- Centre for Wildlife Gardening
- Dulwich Paradiso Community Cinema
- Electric Pedals
- Four Corners
- Future Projections
- Ganapati Restaurant
- Friends of Nunhead Cemetery
- Helen Jermyn Photography
- Nunhead Arts Week
- Studio Canal
- Peckhamplex Cinema
- Southwark Council
- Southwark Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)
- 2Inspire filmmaking project