This year we are holding two sleepovers in the park. If you missed the event in June, you can still apply for 25/26th August, see here. These events are organised in partnership with the London Regiment, London Irish Cadets and various local community groups.
We want to give people the opportunity to experience camping in the great outdoors (particularly people who haven't camped before), to gain some new skills and to enjoy some outdoor entertainment. It is funded by Lambeth Community Fund.
The first sleepover this year took place on the weekend 23/24 June.
After setting up the camp which was done largely with the help of young cadets, everyone enjoyed the evening programme of workshops, African drumming and story telling. The night was peaceful accompanied by the rhytmic sound of rain falling on our tents. A consolation for everyone was cooked breakfast provided for free to everyone in the camp field.
Our own Food Heroes Programme sponsored by Big Lottery's Local Food scheme was promoted by an experienced Food Hero, Anzela who made salads and strawberry juice with children. Participants picked fresh produce from the greenhouse behind the depot. We heard Anzela's recipes made some children like fruit and vegetables they wouldn't have otherwise touched, so well done!
James from Streetscape, a social enterprise based in the park, who provide apprenticeships in landscape gardening, prepared raised beds with some cadets. We hope next year the salad ingredients will come from those beds! Father Nature who runs another gardening project in our neighbourhood ferried children around in his converted milk float.
Finally, some serious community action was steered by Cynthia from Building Communities in Coldharbour, who explained to those, who have ideas how to address local issues, where to start and how to access pots of money.
Thank you to all who delivered workshops, the wonderful cadets who made everyone's lives easy by putting up tents, sergeants who patrolled the park the whole rainy night and all those who participated in the event in spite of bad weather.
A big thank you also to Camping Gear Hire , a family-run company from which we hire our equipment. They are lovely and caring people!
Pictures from the earlier sleepover are shown below....
We want to give people the opportunity to experience camping in the great outdoors (particularly people who haven't camped before), to gain some new skills and to enjoy some outdoor entertainment. It is funded by Lambeth Community Fund.
The first sleepover this year took place on the weekend 23/24 June.
After setting up the camp which was done largely with the help of young cadets, everyone enjoyed the evening programme of workshops, African drumming and story telling. The night was peaceful accompanied by the rhytmic sound of rain falling on our tents. A consolation for everyone was cooked breakfast provided for free to everyone in the camp field.
Our own Food Heroes Programme sponsored by Big Lottery's Local Food scheme was promoted by an experienced Food Hero, Anzela who made salads and strawberry juice with children. Participants picked fresh produce from the greenhouse behind the depot. We heard Anzela's recipes made some children like fruit and vegetables they wouldn't have otherwise touched, so well done!
James from Streetscape, a social enterprise based in the park, who provide apprenticeships in landscape gardening, prepared raised beds with some cadets. We hope next year the salad ingredients will come from those beds! Father Nature who runs another gardening project in our neighbourhood ferried children around in his converted milk float.
Finally, some serious community action was steered by Cynthia from Building Communities in Coldharbour, who explained to those, who have ideas how to address local issues, where to start and how to access pots of money.
Thank you to all who delivered workshops, the wonderful cadets who made everyone's lives easy by putting up tents, sergeants who patrolled the park the whole rainy night and all those who participated in the event in spite of bad weather.
A big thank you also to Camping Gear Hire , a family-run company from which we hire our equipment. They are lovely and caring people!
Pictures from the earlier sleepover are shown below....