ISSUE 5 / JUNE 2019
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Are you enjoying The Earwig? We need new members....
EARWIG was a community pamphlet for Thamesmead 3 - The Moorings. It was produced by residents, for residents, between 1975 - 1977. THE EARWIG PRESS has been set up by artist Verity-Jane Keefe, as a way to celebrate the local place, share information & provide space for comments & thoughts on this area: looking at the past, present and future. A publication, a group and an outpost for residents’ voice. Founded in April 2018. We are a small group and need new members in order to grow, continue and futureproof THE EARWIG. We meet monthly and discuss content, tone and the local area.We’re at an important moment, working out what THE EARWIG PRESS looks like and how it works moving forward. More members would mean more presence: at the moment it’s distributed to every letterbox across Stage 3, we’d like to have more online presence for example, but this takes people power. As The Moorings and Thamesmead continues to change, THE EARWIG is needed now more than ever, to communicate those changes to you, the residents. Our next meeting is 1st July - 7 - 8.30pm Get in touch if you’d like to join the EARWIG. All that’s required is enthusiasm, as well as either living or working within the Moorings area. Text or call Verity on 07817 302637 Email theearwigpress@gmail.com THE EARWIG is shaped, made & managed by residents, for residents
THAMESMEAD 3 THE MOORINGS AREA
An updated map following conversations with residents....
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What’s On Submit your Moorings - related activities, groups and events, so that we can share these amongst residents. For example: Coffee Mornings, Youth Clubs, Dance groups, Walks - you name it, we want to list it! From regular meeting groups, to one-off events. Email listings to theearwigpress@gmail.com with event/group name, when (times), where (address), what it is, if it’s for a particular age group, and whether it is free or charged and we’ll do the rest..
Regular groups Pop in Parlour / Over 60’s group Wednesdays & Fridays, 11am-1pm Lakeview Court, Central Way, Thamesmead, SE28 8GL Group for the over 60’s offering quizzes, bingo & coach trips away. Enjoy freshly cooked meals & a cup of tea/coffee amongst a group of friendly faces. Contact Daniel Browne / 0203 828 3888 Moorings Resident’s Community Group / Tea & Coffee Morning Every Monday (term time only) 9.30 - 11am Hawksmoor Youth Hub, Bentham Road, SE28 8AS Coffee Mornings for parents and other residents. An opportunity to socialise and find out what is happening in the area. Refreshments are provided & children are welcome. Contact / Penny 07861 510 661 - Lisa 07930 338 571 or Hawksmoor Youth Club - 020 8310 9754 The Good Life Garden / Drop in gardening group Every Thursday 10am - 4pm (Unless it’s raining) Birchmere Community Hub, off Disraeli Close Learn about growing food, plants and wildlife - right on your doorstep in this hidden oasis. Contact Bryan, through the green gates at the garden. Safety Net / Community Café Every Thursday 11am - 2pm, rain or shine Birchmere Community Hub, off Disraeli Close & Byron Road A place to relax, with games, conversation or a cup of tea. A Community Café run by and for people affected by mental ill health. All welcome.
Seniors in Touch / Exercise and Lunch Club for the over 50’s Every Tuesday 11.30am - 2.30pm Lakeview Court, Central Way, SE28 8RE Our aim is to reduce loneliness, social isolation and promote healthy living for the over 50’s. Fun exercise to music, making friends, games, health talks and more. Entry (includes lunch): £4.00. Enjoy the exercise free of charge without lunch. Contact Lara Alabi / Seniorsintouch@yahoo.com - 07957 727955 Titmuss Avenue Garden Association (TAGA) Titmuss Avenue Come and join us. Grow your own vegetables and flowers. For more information please visit us in the garden (between 12 noon and 1:00pm most days). The Community Growing Together. Contact Ron Russell / 07975 946 439.
Events Your Moorings / Tump 53, Water Lily Walk (off Claridge Way), SE28 8AS Contact hello@verityjanekeefe.co.uk or 07817 302637 Monthly Drop-in session / 15th June, 13th July, 10th Aug 11 - 3pm Come to a monthly drop-in session to see progress on the former Moorings Social Club and Byron Close landscape scheme. Free and open to all residents, old and new, just drop in. Arnott Close Toy Giveaway / 3rd July 2.30 - 5pm We will be distributing used toys and books for free from the former Trust Thamesmead Nursery, outside at Arnott Close. Design Development Workshop / 21st August 6 - 8.30pm A structured workshop to help shape parts of the landscape design, how the spaces will work including what they might be used for. Free, open to all but spaces are limited so please RSVP. Arnott Close Takeover Day / 14th August, 2 - 7pm A social club outside, come and have a tea talk about what you’d like to happen inside, read the paper, play a game. Landscape Takeover Day / 24th August, 12 - 5pm A picnic with activities for young and old on Byron Close. Free.
Tump 53 Fun Day / Drop-in fun day Saturday 22nd June, 10am - 3pm Tump 53, Water Lily Walk (off Claridge Way), SE28 8AS Explore the wilds of our Tump 53 Nature Reserve and take part in free outdoor activities. Everyone welcome, friends, family, or come and meet people. Bring a picnic. Contact Jack Gower / jack.gower@peabody.org.uk CAN YOU FEEL IT? / Art exhibition Until 23rd June, Friday - Sunday, 12 - 6pm TACO! 30 Poplar Place, Thamesmead, SE28 8BA An exhibition of British artist Joe Cheetham drawn heavily on a range of influences from rave flyers, club culture, cartoons, graffiti, pop, and art history. SCRATCH / A group show 19th July - 30th August, Friday - Sunday, 12 - 6pm An exhibition that takes a look at the British 80’s DIY video art phenomena of Scratch Video. Thamesmead Arts and Culture Office (TACO!) is an artist-led space for research, production, and exchange located in Thamesmead. Contact / info@taco.org.uk LES VOYAGES - COMPAGNIE XY / Circus performance Part of Thamesmead Festival 30th June, 2pm start (Performance lasts approx. 1 hour ) Hawksmoor Youth Club, SE28 8AS (Route will be signposted) These skilled acrobats will pop up in surprising places around the Moorings. Based on listening to and sharing local stories, a unique performance responding to the Moorings. Free. UK premiere. Contact / thamesmeadnow@peabody.org.uk Thamesmead Festival at Home / Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance. Part of Thamesmead Festival 2nd July, 2 - 4pm, Music & Crafts w/ Natasha Lohan & Zoe Gilmour 4th July, 2 - 4pm, Showtune Singalong with Aga Serugo-Lugo 9th July, 2 - 3:30pm, Live at Lakeview with Trinity Laban Students Lakeview Court, Central Way, SE28 8GL. Join residents, as inspirational leaders and students perform live music and Showtune Singalong. No experience required, come along and give it a go or sit and enjoy the music. Contact to book a place / 020 8305 4454
Thamesmead World Music Festival / Produced by Global Fusion Music & Arts. Part of Thamesmead Festival. 3rd August 2pm - 7pm, Birchmere Park Music from around the world will fill your senses next to beautiful, Birchmere Lake. Loads of local and London talent on your doorstep! A great free day out for all the family and friends – stalls, great local food, fun fair, dog show, and free children’s workshops. Thamesmead Business Forum / Thamesmead Information Hub, Yarnton Way, DA18 4DR 1st July & 5th August, 5 - 7pm, Find out how your business can access the potential growth opportunities in Thamesmead. Open to all individuals, start-ups, or established businesses looking to start, develop or grow. Free. Contact / madeinthamesmead@peabody.org.uk Moorings Neighbourhood Forum / The MNF is a group of Moorings residents, businesses, services and community groups, who have come together hoping to benefit the Moorings and its community now and in the future. Contact / mooringsnf@gmail.com - 07710 381436
News from the Tump... At the beginning of March we installed a new bird box to the wall outside Tump 53. It is a special box with an infra-red camera inside that we can attach to a TV screen- this allows us to see inside the nest without disturbing the wildlife in any way. After a few weeks a blue tit found the box and quickly begun building a nest. We’re really pleased to say that the blue tit has stuck around and now begun laying eggs. There are 7 at the moment being closely watched by visiting schools and groups. We’re hoping to follow the birds all the way to their fledgling flight! You can see pictures & videos on Twitter & Instagram (@ThamesmeadLDN).
From the archives... Photograph showing Arnott Close, The Moorings Social Club & Harold Wilson House,1974. Share your photographs with us to feature in future issues of EARWIG....
What’s in a name... Having lived in the Moorings for over three decades, I have often wondered who the streets are named after. Here’s more research into possible persons streets were named after in the Moorings... Applegarth Road / Robert Applegarth (1834 - 1924) was a British trade unionist and proponent of working-class causes. He was also a war correspondent in France - Prussian war, political radical. Arnott Close / Neil Arnott (1814 - 1898) was a physician and pioneer and influential campaigner of public health reform. He was one of the founders of the University of London, as well as being physician-extraordinary to Queen Victoria. Carlyle Road / Thomas Carlyle (1795 - 1881) was a Scottish philosopher, writer, historian, mathematician & teacher. An important social commentators of his time. Owen Close / Robert Owen: (1771 - 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropic social reformer, and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. Owen is best known for his efforts to improve the working conditions of his factory workers and the promotion of experimental socialistic communities.
Readers letters & comments Please send us your thoughts and comments on THE EARWIG, and anything Thamesmead Moorings related for inclusion in future issues. All submissions welcomed unless they are deemed offensive by the group. Email theearwigpress@gmail.com
The Moorings Residency.... Verity-Jane Keefe is a visual artist and is artist in residence for The Moorings, commissioned by Peabody in 2017. Alongside THE EARWIG PRESS, Verity is making a new filmwork about the Moorings and has set up The Moorings Archive - an online collection of historic material, ephemera, found objects, local folklore and legend celebrating everything that makes The Moorings, what it is, everyday brilliance and more. As wider Thamesmead undergoes large scale regeneration, including demolition and construction, Thamesmead Stage 3, built a little later than Stages 1 and 2, stands strongly, surrounded by waterways with a well used shopping centre in Arnott Close. It is not perfect, but where is? Verity’s residency formally finishes mid-2019, but she is leading on the co-design and engagement strands of the Good Growth Fund projetc, Your Moorings, so will be working on Stage 3 through to opening in November 2020 and beyond. www.themooringsarchive.co.uk
EARWIG Stockists... If anyone you know wants to get a copy of the Earwig, and doesn’t receive it through their letterbox, you can pick up copies from: Birchmere Community Hub - Taco! - Hawksmoor Youth Club - The Jubille Centre - St Paul’s Church - Gogi’s - The Link The Earwig Press Trolley @ Tump 53. If you would like to stock the earwig, get in touch and we’ll get a bundle to you. New issues will be published every two months over 2019.
THE EARWIG PRESS We are THE EARWIG PRESS: a group of residents, working with Verity on establishing the publication and leading it into the future. We will have a digital presence, with issues being available at www.themooringsarchive.co.uk for now, and we will be on social media. Watch this space. We are Bridget, Chris, David, Diana, Rosa, Tricia and Verity.