Since October 2016, NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Southwark Council have been working with NHS organisations, the voluntary and community sector, users of services, carers, and local residents to develop Southwark’s mental health and wellbeing strategy.

The CCG and Council have been talking about what is important, what services need to be in place, whether there are any gaps, and what works well and what needs improving.

They want to improve mental health and wellbeing by getting the most from every pound spent on health and care in Southwark. The strategy is the start of a process to consider how best to spend the available money in this area.

The CCG and Council are keen to learn what you think about the steps that are being proposed to improve mental health care in Southwark.

In summary the vision is to:

/ Support everyone in Southwark to live healthy, happy and longer lives;
/ Stop people from becoming unwell where possible;
/ Support more people in the community and at home;
/ Work together to share the money that is available across health and care in Southwark; and
/ Give people the skills they need to stay well and support one another.

In order to achieve this, the CCG and Council think that the focus should be on:

01 Prevention of poor health and promotion of wellbeing
02 Community based care and activating communities
03 Improving clinical and care services
04 Improving recovery
05 Improving quality and outcomes
Clink here to access the full consultation and the summary of the draft strategy and to give your views through the online survey. The consultation closes on 10 September 2017.

Information available HERE.

Overview
TFL have been working in partnership with Southwark Council to deliver safety improvements at the Camberwell Green junction because its recent collision history ranks it as a priority for improvement.

Their plans aim to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the short-term as we continue to work with Southwark Council and the local community to develop more transformative proposals. Their designs are coordinated with Southwark Council’s other plans for the area, including ‘pocket places’ on side streets.

For more information and to submit your questions and comments, please follow this link:

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/camberwell-green/consult_view/

Question and comments deadline is 3rd September, 2017.

London College of Communication (LCC) is offering free website design and build to 15 charities in Southwark.

Does your charity tackle disadvantage and make a positive difference to the lives of people living and working in Southwark? Will a new website help you increase your impact?

If so LCC will match you with a trained student designer. The designer will work with you to design and build a simple modern new website. We can replace your existing website or create something brand new.

LCC will pay the students for their work so the web design will be free for participating charities. You will need to set aside time during September and October to work with your designer.

How to apply for this?
Apply by completing the online form here. The deadline for applications is 09:00 Tuesday 29 August 2017.

LCC will shortlist applications by 4 September 2017. They will speak to shortlisted charities about your requirements before offering a place. 

Any queries?
If you have any questions please contact Matt Guy, Partnerships Manager at London College of Communication on matt.guy@lcc.arts.ac.uk.

People volunteer for many different reasons – to make new friends, to learn new skills, to feel connected in their community or to gain work experience to name just a few. Southwark is home to over 1500 registered charities and over 2000 Community Groups, many of whom are looking for volunteer support to enhance and continue their services.

One of Community Southwark’s many roles is to match local people to find local volunteering opportunities through our Volunteering Advice Service.

Here, during 30 minute appointments, people can receive advice and suggestions on what type of volunteering role might be right for them, in terms of their interests and availability.

We are looking for volunteers to help us grow this service and help more local people find pathways into volunteering. If you are interested in giving information and advice and enjoy working 1-2-1 with different people, then read this role description and get in touch.

How to apply?
To apply, please email: volunteering@communitysouthwark.org for an application form.

Camberwell Station – The sweetest new railway station in South London? Today a cake, tomorrow a reality. Join campaigners decorating a huge cake with the Camberwell Station logo. Facebook or tweet your photo – we’ll be sending a slice of the action to TfL and Sadiq Khan – and also sharing with at least a trainload of local supporters on the day.
Sign the petition, find out more and get involved at: www.OpenOurStation.uk

Saturday 5th August
1pm – 4pm
Brunswick Park, SE5 Camberwell

We are looking for residents who would like to feature in a waste and recycling photography shoot on Tuesday 1 August. The photographs will be used for future campaigns and leaflets that may be distributed throughout the borough.

All participants will receive a £30 multi-store gift voucher that can be used in over 130 high street stores such as John Lewis, B&Q, Argos, Topshop and Mothercare. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by adult and will receive a £10 voucher.

Above is an example of a previous campaign which featured Southwark residents.

To take part you must be available on Tuesday 1 August 2017 between the hours of 9am and 5pm. The shoot will take place in and around the Denmark Hill area.

To help us ensure that the campaign is representative of the Southwark community please could you respond with your:

– age
– gender
– ethnicity
– occupation
– email address
– telephone number

Places are limited so please respond by email to suzan.charlton@veolia.com by 5pm on Tuesday 25 July 2017.

Former HSBC Bank, 23 Denmark Hill, SE5 8RP on the 20th July, from 3-7pm

Spot Property Company Limited is proposing to submit a planning application to the London Borough of Southwark for a temporary pop up complex built from 14 refitted shipping containers surrounding a main communal area. Similar to the successful concepts already established at Shoreditch and Croydon, the proposal for Camberwell will provide opportunities for independent businesses to provide food and drink and local enterprise/commercial facilities to the local area. One container will be dedicated entirely to local community use.

The proposal will provide:

– Four containers dedicated to food and beverages
– One container dedicated to local community use
– Eight containers dedicated to local businesses
– One container for on-site amenity facilities (WCs)
– A central communal area for flexible use such as a pop up cinema.

Share your initial thoughts on the proposal and express your opinions at a public consultation at the Former HSBC Bank, 23 Denmark Hill, SE5 8RP on the 20th July, from 3-7pm. Representatives will be on hand to answer any queries you may have. We will also provide a summary of all questions asked and our responses after the 20th July 2017.

If you have any queries in the meantime or are unable to attend, please call Grace Liu at Rolfe Judd Planning on 0207 556 1617 or email consultation@rolfe-judd.co.uk

Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell, was amongst just five new theatre organisations in London to be added to Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations on June 27th.

Blue Elephant Theatre is a small fringe theatre located on the Wyndham and Comber Estate in Camberwell, South London. It seeks to offer creative opportunities to those who may not otherwise to be able to access them, through both its Artistic and Participation Departments. Its Artistic Department works with emerging artists, programming new work across art forms but with a particular focus on theatre and dance. Its Participation Department has developed free high-quality creative, learning and community provision over many years to tackle issues locally which prevent people, especially disadvantaged young people, achieving their potential. The Blue Elephant’s equal emphasis on professional and participation work is very unusual in London fringe theatre.

Blue Elephant Theatre has been supported by Southwark Council since it opened in 1999 and by many other funders over the years, including Children in Need which has supported its Young People’s Theatre for a decade. In 2014, members of Young People’s Theatre joined Gareth Malone and a number of celebrity singers to record the year’s official BBC Children in Need single which went to number one in the charts. Recently, as Southwark Council’s Arts & Events’ budgets have been drastically cut, the future of the Blue Elephant has been uncertain at best but the prospect of being a National Portfolio Organisation from 2018-2022 provides much-needed stability for the organisation.

Co-Artistic Directors, Niamh de Valera and Jo Sadler-Lovett, are delighted by the news as are all Blue Elephant’s Board of Trustees, staff and volunteers. Niamh says, “We’re absolutely blown away by this news and by the number of people who have come forward to congratulate us this week. The Blue Elephant has touched a lot of people’s lives for the better and we are so relieved and excited that its future is now more secure than ever”.

ENDS

Notes for the Editor:

1.     The Blue Elephant was founded in 1999 by Antonio Ribeiro who ran it until 2006 when its then administrator Jasmine Cullingford took over its management. Jasmine won Fringe Report’s Best Venue Manager Award in 2009 for “evolving the Blue Elephant into a prime and welcoming destination of imaginative theatre and performance.”

2.     Niamh de Valera and Jo Sadler-Lovett are the only two full-time members of staff and have been running the theatre jointly since 2014.

3.     The theatre has nurtured such artists and companies as Theatre Ad Infinitum, Theatre Témoin and On the Run.

4.     Blue Elephant Theatre is likely to receive £72,500 for each year of its funding agreement with Arts Council England, roughly 25-30% of its total necessary income. It will continue to need to fundraise in order to ensure its programme of activities can go ahead, including through its recently launched Friends’ Scheme, Mad About the Elephant.

5.     Blue Elephant Theatre has three patrons: Joanna Lumley, Radzi Chinyanganya and Maggie Alphonsi.

For press enquiries, please contact Niamh de Valera:

niamh@blueelephanttheatre.co.uk or 0207701010