Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender - July 15th 2026

Free support boosts community organisations across Royal Greenwich through Match My Project

Community organisations across Royal Greenwich are benefiting from funding, donated materials and professional expertise through the council’s Match My Project platform.

Since launching in February 2025, the initiative has connected 111 businesses with 80 voluntary sector organisations, delivering everything from a new kitchen for a Woolwich community centre and laptops for volunteers to funding for local events and community garden improvements.

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, said: “Every one of these projects tells a story about people working together to achieve real results. Our communities are better off when businesses put social value at the forefront, providing small but essential services for organisations that wouldn’t be able to get there without a little support.”

Projects that have received support already:

• Rival Colour provided printing materials to support GCDA’s Made in Greenwich initiative.

• Amber Construction funded and delivered a kitchen refurbishment for the Somali Community Centre in Woolwich.

• Amber Construction and Mulalley donated construction materials to support Eltham Sheds.

• Wates provided portable toilets for community events organised by Good Neighbours, with support from Greenwich Giving.

• Rival Colour donated the printing of 100 tote bags to help raise awareness of domestic abuse support services.

• Fire Systems donated 12 chairs to support a local Parkinson’s exercise group.

• Bay Media and Mulalley donated funding to Sparkle in the Park.

• Mulalley donated fire extinguishers to support the work of the Mama2Mama Café.

• Wates donated Easter eggs to Good Neighbours to give to families.

• Fire Systems donated funding for 60 stackable chairs for users of Middle Park Community Centre.

• Keegans donated funding to ABC Book Club, helping provide books for local primary school children.

• Long Lane JFC provided a venue to host a special fostering football match during Foster Care Fortnight.

• Council staff volunteered at the Kidbrooke Community Christmas Market.

• Fire Systems donated funding for mirrors to support the Kidbrooke Community Dance Project.

• Fire Systems provided professional expertise and services to support the installation of a new fire alarm system at Middle Park Community Centre.

• Rethink Partners donated funding for two laptops to support the volunteer directors of Kidbrooke Games Club.

• Fire Systems donated 100 chocolate Easter eggs to Woolwich Common Community Centre.

• Equans UK and Ireland donated material to help create raised planting beds at Buds of Barnfield Community Garden.

• Fire Systems donated funding for food vouchers to support guests attending the Greenwich Homeless Project Day Centre.

Cllr Taggart-Ryan opened our first Pitch and Match event at the Woolwich Centre on Thursday 2 July, where community organisations were able to pitch directly to businesses who could help them achieve their goals.

TheGreenwich & Lewisham Weekender is an independent weekly newspaper, covering the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.

We publish every Wednesday, covering every postcode sector of the borough, and boasting, by far, the highest weekly circulation in Greenwich. Each week, we deliver our paper to every Greenwich neighbourhood, with further copies stocked at convenient public stands. We are also the highest distribution newspaper in Lewisham.

You can also view each edition online, as well as daily news and events, on our website: www.weekender.co.uk

The Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender covers all aspects of life in the boroughs, including music, theatre, comedy, film, events, and food and drink, as well as all your community events and campaigns.

Weekender

The Greenwich and Lewisham Weekender is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry).

We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact 020 7231 5258. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

Weekender Editor: Kevin Quinn

Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips

Advertising team: Clarry Frewin, Mandy Stong

Advertising support: Katie Boyd

Editorial: Michael Holland; Evie Flynn

Design Manager: Dan Martin

Design team: Ann Gravesen

Finance: Em Zeki - Tel: 0779 883 3758

Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany

Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn

Published weekly on a Wednesday at: Community Matters Media Ltd

1 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN. Printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge Ltd –www.iliffeprint.co.uk

News: 020 7231 5258 / hello@cm-media.co.uk

Ads: 020 7232 1639 / hello@cm-media.co.uk

Finance: 0779 883 3758 / em@cm-media.co.uk

www.weekender.co.uk

@insouthlndn Issue: GLW472

Pick of the Week

by Evie Flynn

CARIBBEAN TAKEOVER AT THE NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM

Join the Caribbean Social Forum as they take over the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House with a free, family-friendly celebration. The vibrant celebration of Caribbean culture will feature music, games, talks, Caribbean food, history, workshops and dancing. This is the fifth year of the Caribbean takeover at the Royal Museum Greenwich and this year the museums will also also be honouring the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival, recognising its enduring legacy and cultural impact.

Date: Saturday 25 July

Time: 10am – 5pm

Location: National Maritime Museum | Queen’s House, Romney Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF

Tickets: Free, no ticket required

A FREE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE IS HEADING TO ALL LEWISHAM LIBRARIES

Children can get excited about reading with the launch of a new summer challenge at libraries across Lewisham. Read to the Beat is the theme of this years challenge, which continues all summer long. The launch day on Saturday 25 July includes an author event, creative workshops and fun activities inspired by this year’s musical theme. Children can explore new ways to enjoy stories with audiobook listening stations, screen-free audio demonstrations, comics and dyslexia-friendly books available to

NIGHT OF NORTHERN SOUL IN LEWISHAM

Experience the timeless sound of Northern Soul with The Signatures 10-piece live band at the Fox and Firkin on Friday 24 July.The gig ticket also includes entry to a vinyl-only afterparty from the team behind Heart of Soul Lewisham, running late into the night.

The Signatures are the official backing band for many original Northern Soul artists, and featured as the house band for the Northern Soul Special on The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show. Having worked with more original

Northern Soul artists than any other UK band, they recreate the magic of the genre while adding their own distinctive style.

Date: Friday 24 July

Time: 8pm – 11pm

Location: 316 Lewisham High St, London SE13 6JZ

Tickets: £15, book here: https:// foxfirkin.com/event/northern-soullive-the-signatures-24th-july-2026/

borrow. Every young reader will leave with their Summer Reading Challenge booklet and a special edition of Storytime magazine, ready to start collecting prizes throughout the summer. Activities and opening times vary between libraries, so check your local branch for details.

Date: Launch Saturday 25 July 2026, 10am–4pm

Location: Libraries across Lewisham

Tickets: Free, no ticket required

A NEW IMMERSIVE TREASURE HUNT HAS COME TO GREENWICH

Turn Greenwich into a real-life escape room with Panda Treasure Quest, an immersive outdoor adventure through the historic streets. Starting near the Cutty Sark, teams can explore Greenwich through an interactive WhatsApp adventure, with no maps, just a phone. Captain Tick-Tock Morgan has stolen the Master Chronometer and hidden its pieces across Greenwich. The challenge is to follow the trail, solve puzzles, discover hidden symbols and restore the timeline before time runs out. The mission is perfect for date days, family adventures, group outings and team challenges. Play at your own pace or race for the leaderboard. It is suitable for 2 – 6 players and lasts approximately 90 – 120 minutes.

Price: £10.99 per adult

Book here: www.pandatreasurequest.com

Shortlist for 2026 Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Royal Observatory will be showcasing breath taking images of the cosmos captured by photographers from around the world, writes Michael Holland...

The Royal Observatory Greenwich has revealed the shortlist for the 2026 ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, showcasing breath taking images of the cosmos captured by photographers from around the world.

Now in its 18th year, the internationally renowned competition received almost 4,000 entries from amateur and professional astrophotographers across 66 countries.

The shortlisted images feature dramatic nebulae, dazzling views of the Milky Way, meteor showers, aurorae and striking lunar and solar events.

One of 2025’s astronomical highlights was the partial solar eclipse on 29 March seen from the UK, Europe and parts of the USA and Canada.

British photographer James McBeath’s moody partial solar eclipse photograph captures the sun through fast-moving clouds to create an eerie representation of the event.

Other shortlisted images include the first full moon of 2026 over the Paris skyline, an eagle-shaped aurora and ethereal cherry blossom trees at the Funakawa river in Japan.

The competition is split into eight categories: skyscapes, aurorae,

people and space, our sun, our moon, planets, comets and asteroids, stars and nebulae, and galaxies.

There will also be an overall winner of the year chosen, and a young astronomy photographer of the year given to a budding photographer under the age of 16.

The winners of the competition’s categories, two special prizes and the overall title will be announced on Thursday, 17 September. The overall winner will receive a £10,000 prize, with category winners each awarded £1,500.

The winning photographs, alongside a selection of shortlisted entries, will go on display in a major exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich from Friday, 18 September.

Sam Wen, founder and CEO of competition sponsor ZWO, said the company was honoured to support the Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, which is “a celebration of those who turn their eyes to the night sky and share its beauty with the world.”

ZWO is a global leader in astrophotography, recognised for advancing CMOS camera technology and smart telescope systems. The company develops reliable, purpose-built tools used by

observatories, research institutions and astrophotographers worldwide.

Wen continued that a goal of ZWO is to lower the barrier to entry and enable more people the joy of exploring the universe. “We believe astrophotography is not only a means of recording the cosmos, but also a way to inspire curiosity, nurture learning and bring people together through a shared sense of wonder [...] We hope to help

more individuals discover the quiet beauty of looking up and finding their place beneath the stars.”

The competition is organised by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, part of Royal Museums Greenwich, in association with BBC Sky at Night Magazine.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich, home of Greenwich Mean Time

and the Prime Meridian, has hosted the competition since its launch and remains one of the world’s leading centres for astronomy and science education.

National Maritime Museum, Romney Rd, London SE10 9NF Open from September 18, 2026, with the winners announced on September 17. rmg.co.uk/shortlist

Summer holiday workshops led by professional artists

Gerald Moore Gallery at Eltham College is running a series of educational art workshops for children aged 7 – 11 and 10 – 15 from 22 July, writes Evie Flynn...

Workshops will be small class sizes (6 –12 participants), led by experienced artists and suitable for all abilities.

Single workshops cost £44 each for ages 7 – 11 or you can purchase a set of three workshops running in a week for £108. For ages 10 – 15 they cost £30 a session.

Workshop programme:

AGES 7 – 11:

• Sculpting clay animals: Wednesday 22 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Weaving and sewing crafts: Thursday 23 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Making outdoor games: Friday 24 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Fashion designer for a day: Wednesday 29 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Create your own boardgame: Thursday 30 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Be a miniature theatre designer for a day: Friday 31 July, 10am – 2:30pm

• Be an engineer for a day: Wednesday 5 August, 10am – 2:30pm

• Paint Party: Thursday 6 August 2026, 10am – 2:30pm

• Jungle explorer for a day: Friday 7 August 2026, 10am – 2:30pm

AGES 10 - 15:

• Painting still life using acrylic: Friday 24 July, 10am – 12:30pm

• Dry-point etching: Wednesday 29 July, 10am – 12:30pm

• Large scale charcoal drawing: Thursday 6 August, 10am – 12:30pm

The Revel Puck Circus returns to Beckenham Place Park for their first summer season! With brand new big top show AGlimmerDazeGambit

Dive into a high octane, story led, contemporary big top experience with world class acrobatic performances, an international cast centred around Hope and Community

The Revel Puck Circus, East London’s homegrown circus company known for bold, theatrical, non traditional work, returns to their favourite South London stomping ground in Beckenham Place Park for their first summer residency with its joyful new production A Glimmer Daze Gambit.

Running from Thursday 16 July to Sunday 2 August 2026, this threeweek run marks Revel Puck’s firstever summer season at Beckenham Place Park, after three sell out winter seasons in the Park! It brings their Big Top back to the park for a proper school-holidays-ready run, after previous visits as part of the winter festival period. Presented at Beckenham Place Park, by kind permission of Lewisham Council.

A Glimmer Daze Gambit is a show about hope, arrival and community. Follow Stella and Kit as they finally reach their dream home, a Circus. Desperate to join the troupe, and having never seen a circus before, they have packed everything they think they might need. What follows is a joyous, mischievous ride where mistakes become magic, and belonging is built together.

This high-spectacle family show brings together a collective of grassroots London-based and international circus artists from Argentina, the USA, Ethiopia, and Canada. Expect teeterboard, aerial cradle, straps, bounce juggling, cloud swing, group acrobatics, and so much more. This includes the Rola Globe, a world first and a Revel Puck original. It is a giant globe topped with a square platform, where nine performers balance together in a breath-holding feat of teamwork, timing and nerve.

With playful fourth wall moments and light audience participation, the show invites everyone to feel part of the troupe. The show is largely non-verbal and conveyed through mime, clowning, and acrobatics, making it a brilliant gateway cultural experience for audiences of all ages and particularly welcoming for families with special educational needs and disabilities. SEND.

15% code (SUMMER15) off ALL tickets for the entire run

Landing in South East

for the height of summer, the

run offers a brilliant day out in the park for London families, and a chance for local audiences across Beckenham, Lewisham and beyond to step into the world of

Tickets and information: https://www.tixr.com/groups/revelpuckcircus

Ticket offers: 15 per cent off when you book 4 or more tickets with code FAMILYPUCK All tickets £10, all zones, for these performances: Thursday 16 July at 4:30pm and 7pm, and Thursday 23 July at 4:30pm and 7pm

Blackheath’s Uptown Festival organises family day of fun

Last-minute tickets are available for the family festival Neighbourhood On Blackheath on Sunday 26 July, writes Evie Flynn...

The community event on Blackheath Common is organised by Uptown Festival and offers £10 tickets, with the ticket price returned as credit to spend at the festival once inside.

Uptown Festival takes place every year, but organisers said they wanted to do something different this time.

They said: “This year, we’re changing things up a bit. We know our community is struggling more than usual, and we want to give you an incredible day packed with fun for everyone, while still being accessible to all.”

Get ready to dance and sing along to the lineup and relive the music of past decades with tribute acts to ABBA, George Michael, Bob Marley, Sabrina Carpenter and K-Pop Demon Hunters.

In the Big Top Arena, Massaoke will host a karaoke sing-along featuring some of the “greatest anthems of all time”, while Club De Fromage will bring a pop and fancy-dress party experience.

Visitors can also win a range of free prizes at the Bingo Arena.

There will be plenty of family entertainment throughout the day,

including crazy golf, a rodeo bull, a bouncy castle, basketball and air hockey.

Roaming children’s entertainers will also be on site, with Disney princess characters, superheroes, Stitch and Paw Patrol characters making an appearance.

If you get peckish, Neighbourhood On Blackheath will offer a selection of fully stocked bars and delicious gourmet street food.

Street food options include Funky Elephant serving Caribbean fusion dishes, Tony’s Pizza, Burgerlicious, Greek Street, Burrito, Pastafest, Chicken Shack, Diamond Dogs, Philly Grill House and more.

For a more luxurious experience, guests can enjoy an exclusive VIP area with premium amenities and bars. VIP tickets cost £20 for adults and £12 for children.

Date: Sunday 26th July

Time: 14:00 - 20:30

Location: Blackheath Common, Dartmouth Field, Goffers Road, Blackheath, London, SE3 0UA

Tickets: £10 per ticket which will be given back in credit at the event (£3.75 booking fee is added at checkout)

It is £10 per ticket which will be given back in credit at the event

New weekly night market will be coming to Sydenham for summer

Sydenham Night Market will run every Friday from 17 July to 18 September from 5pm to 10pm

A brand new weekly night market is coming to Sydenham this month, with local street food and great outdoor summer vibes promised, writes Gabriel Stewart...

Lewisham Council has announced that Sydenham Night Market will run every Friday from 17 July to 18 September from 5pm to 10pm at Sydenham Station Approach.

The market is free to attend and is part of the Mayor of London’s ambition to see the biggest ever summer for al fresco dining in the capital’s history.

Lewisham is one of 13 boroughs to secure funding from the Mayor’s £500,000 fund and the market is part of the Greater London Authority’s Summer Streets Programme to encourage outdoor dining and events.

Cllr Shireen Asaw, Lewisham Council Cabinet Member for Business, Workers and Skills said: “Lewisham is known for our incredible food and drink scene, and this brand new night market is a great way to showcase local businesses and traders, attract visitors to the area and create an evening destination for the warmer months.

“We are committed to helping our high streets thrive and strengthening the local economy, and this project is part of our work to encourage more people to discover everything the south of the borough has to offer.”

The Sydenham Night Market will be operated by the Food Market Company, organisers of markets in Catford, Lewisham and Beckenham Place Park.

To enable the market to take place safely, Sydenham Station Approach will be closed to traffic between 3pm and 11pm every Friday from 17 July to 18 September.

Anyone with specific access requirements can contact business@lewisham.gov.uk.

Rice, Guehi, Eze and Chalobah: The England players from South London at WORLD CUP

While Kane and Bellingham make the headlines, England’s South London contingent should not be underestimated, writes Alex Orr...

England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the early hours of Tuesday 6 July was made south of the river, with Kingston local Declan Rice and Lewisham boy Marc Guehi leading the national team to an historic victory.

When they face Norway in the World Cup quarter-final match on Saturday 11 July, the likes of Rice and Guehi, as well as Greenwich native Eberechi Eze and Gipsy Hill local Trevoh Chalobah, will have to play pivotal roles again if England are to win.

With the Norway match just days away, read on for the South London boys representing England at this year’s World Cup.

Marc Guehi - Grove Park

Manchester City centre-back Marc Guehi was born in the Ivory Coast but moved with his family to Grove Park, Lewisham when he was one year old.

He attended Marvels Lane Primary School and Nursery on Riddons Road and joined the youth team at Cray Wanderers, a semi-professional football team based in Chislehurst, Bromley.

Speaking about his upbringing in 2023, Guehi said: “Grove Park might not be considered the nicest neighbourhood but it helped me grow up a lot quicker and it helped me be a lot more aware of my surroundings which was good for me.

“There were loads of cars going around so we would play football anywhere we could really, against the wall, in the street or in the park.”

Guehi started playing for Cray Wanderers aged five and moved to Chelsea under-8s three years later.

After spells at Chelsea and Swansea, he returned to South London in 2021 and spent five years with Crystal Palace, where he became club captain and won the FA Cup in 2025, the team’s first ever major trophy.

The England defender, who now plays for Manchester City, credited his father, who is a church minister at a local church in Lewisham, with much of his early career success.

He added he still returns to South London to play the drums in the his father’s church and visit Cray Wanderers, who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division, the 7th tier of English football.

Guehi has started four of England’s five games so far at the 2026 World Cup, keeping two clean sheets against Ghana and Panama.

He played the full 90 minutes in the Round of 16 game against Mexico in the early hours of Monday 6 July and is likely to start in the quarter-final against Norway.

Eberechi Eze - Greenwich

Arsenal winger Eberechi Eze grew up on a council estate in Greenwich, near the old Greenwich District Hospital in Maze Hill.

Aged seven, Eze started playing football at ProStars Football School, located next to Shortlands railway station in Bromley, and moved to Bruin JFC in Shooter’s Hill shortly after.

Speaking about his upbringing in a column earlier this year, Eze said: “A lot of those places where we used to play football have changed or are no longer there - even some of the cages aren’t there anymore - which is sad because they have sentimental value to you but the love I have for that area is still there.”

He signed for Arsenal at the age of nine but was released four years later, eventually joining Millwall after spells at Fulham and Reading.

After leaving Millwall for Queen’s Park Rangers in 2016, Eze returned to South London for five years with Crystal Palace from 2020-25.

Like Guehi, Eze was pivotal in Palace’s first FA Cup win, scoring the only goal in the final against Manchester City.

Now playing for Arsenal, Eze had his first taste of Premier League glory this year, beating fellow South Londoner Guehi and his Manchester City team to the league title.

He has been a bit-part player for England thus far in the World Cup, making three appearances as a substitute and playing a total of 55 minutes for the Three Lions.

Declan Rice - Kingston Upon Thames

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was born in Kingston Upon Thames and began playing football at Dickerage Lane Adventure Playground, near Norbiton railway station.

Rice has called the playground, and its adjoining youth centre, a “second home”.

In an interview in 2019, he said: “It means everything. Growing up as a Kingston boy, being born in Kingston, my whole family being from Kingston, I’m grateful that I can come back to places like this now as a superstar and give back to the kids that want to be where I am.”

Rice joined the Chelsea academy aged seven, later moving to West Ham United after being released by the West London club.

As captain, he won the Europa Conference League in his final game for West Ham, lifting the team’s first major European trophy since 1965.

Since joining Arsenal in 2023, Rice has won the Premier League alongside Eberechi Eze and made it to the Champions League final.

He has been central to England’s World Cup campaign thus far, starting four of five games and registering an assist for Harry Kane in the opening game against Croatia.

Trevoh Chalobah - Gipsy Hill

Born in Sierra Leone, Chelsea defender Chalobah moved to Gipsy Hill, near Crystal Palace park, aged two.

Speaking about his local area in 2022, Chalobah said: “Football was very big. There was a cage where we would go; my older brother and the older boys would set up the match and play a big tournament.

“No matter what age, the whole community would come together.”

Chalobah joined Chelsea at the age of eight, signing his first professional contract for the team 11 years later in 2018.

Still contracted to Chelsea, the defender has had a number of loan spells at different clubs, finally returning to South London with Crystal Palace for a year in 2024.

Initially not included in the England squad, Chalobah was called up by manager Thomas Tuchel to replace the injured Tino Livramento just one day before the first game.

He is yet to make an appearance.

South London station renamed ‘Jude Bellingham’ to keep new name for longer period

Thameslink have extended the move after the star midfielder’s man-of-the-match performance

A station in Catford temporarily renamed ‘Jude Bellingham’ will keep its new name for longer, after England’s win against Mexico, writes Alex Orr...

Signage at Bellingham railway station, which is located in the borough of Lewisham and served by the Thameslink, was changed on 5th July in a show of support for England’s star midfielder before the World Cup Round of 16 match against Mexico.

Thameslink called the move “a salute from South London to one of England’s stars”, and it was originally intended as

a temporary measure for one day only.

But a spokesperson for Thameslink said today: “Given yesterday’s result and Jude’s star performance, we are now looking to extend the duration that the signs stay up for.”

They said approval had been granted for the signs to stay in place until Sunday, meaning they will be on display during England’s quarter-final match against Norway on Saturday 11 July at 10pm.

News of the extension will delight users on X, who asked for the signage to be kept in place after Bellingham’s key role in this morning’s match, scoring twice and leading England to a dramatic 3-2 win.

Although Jude Bellingham himself is not from South London, a number of current national team players grew up in the area, including Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze, Trevoh Chalobah and Declan Rice.

Lewisham has highest number of e-scooter and e-bike fires within the home

Lewisham had the highest number of e-scooter and e-bike battery fires within residential properties in the capital in 2025, a London Fire Brigade (LFB) Station Commander has revealed, writes Ruby Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter...

St Cdr Mike Watts, who is based at Forest Hill Fire Station, said 20 incidents were “positively identified” as e-scooter and e-bike fires starting in homes in Lewisham last year.

He told Lewisham Council’s Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee on Thursday, July 2: “Since late 2024, there have been at least five high-profile incidents with multiple serious injuries, and unfortunately including a fatality of

a 12-year-old boy within the borough.

“We are looking to raise awareness within the borough around the safe charging, safe storage, and safe use of e-scooter and e-bikes.”

It’s understood the incident Stn Cdr Watts was referring to is Fabian Henry, 12, who died after a fire broke out at his home in Orchard Gardens in Lewisham shortly before midnight on July 8, 2025.

St Cdr Watts suggested challenges around the cost-of-living may be why people in high-rise properties were choosing to charge their e-bikes and e-scooters in communal areas rather than in their own homes.

But the Brigade warns that charging in communal areas comes at a risk because it could impede people’s escape route in the event of a fire. Adapted vehicles and the use of the wrong chargers have led to fires, with hot jets of flames shooting of out scooters and bikes in some cases.

St Cdr Watts said LFB will launch a two-month campaign which is being supported by the council and will begin on July 20, which aims to raise awareness over e-scooter and

e-bike fires and reduce deaths and serious injuries within the borough.

The campaign will pop up in educational settings, across social media and the council’s website as well as events which will be held at Lewisham, Deptford and Catford markets.

LFB is also looking at hosting informative ‘drop-in days’ for residents at fire stations across Lewisham and within the council’s Town Hall.

Later on in the meeting, Cllr Kim Powell asked whether the LFB had identified any hotspots in the borough for the fires.

St Cdr Watts said fires involving e-scooters and e-bikes were spread out across the borough in 2025, but he did say data shows incidents occurring more in high-rise residential premises and social housing.

Towards the end of the discussion, St Cdr Watts issued some safety and storage advice for owners of e-scooters and e-bikes.

He said: “Only buy and use e-bikes and

e-scooters from recognised sellers, make sure they’re e-marked [and they have] appropriate chargers for the batteries on the bike or the scooter that you’re using.

“Don’t charge these in your hallways, always make sure there is one door separation between where you are and your escape route should there be a fire.

“Make sure you’ve got heat alarms rather than just smoke alarms in the room where the bikes are being charged and don’t charge them overnight when you’re asleep or when you’re not in the property.”

•

•

Light Gun Shops and autofrettage

I have reached what should be the last couple of episodes of John Day’s memoirs which I’ve been following on and off for the past year. John Day was a premium apprentice in The Royal Arsenal in the 1930s. A premium apprentice was a school academic highflyer recruited to the Arsenal to be trained for a future in top management of some sort or another. I’ve been using extracts from autobiographical material which he gave to Greenwich Industrial History Society Newsletter in the early 2000s. In them he describes how he was continually moved from department to department with perhaps a few months at each place at one time. His job was to learn how things were done and how the place functioned.

The first place he mentions in the chunk of his text I’ve taken out this week to use is the ‘Light Gun Shop’. I have been unable to discover exactly where this was on the Arsenal site, or indeed to find out very much about what it did at all. I appreciate that ‘light guns’ must have been made in vast numbers which implies it might have been a big building - but I can’t see it on the plan or find out anything about it. Or, more likely, I can’t see it on the plan for looking.

In connection with this Department, John commented that ‘Guns, particularly in the breech, use a lot of odd, large size countersunk screws’. These were not popular with the regular workers ‘as they did not rate well in the piecework stakes’ and were left for the apprentices to deal with. However, John says, ‘but the saving grace was that an apprentice had the right to refuse to make more than twenty three of any one thing’ and concludes ‘It was realised that they were there to learn and not to take part in production’.

One problem with some bits of John’s memoirs is that he talks about various machine tools apparently thinking that we all know what he is talking about.

Most men these days work in other fields – whereas in the 1930s most boys would go into productive industry - and so now have no idea what he means. So, he describes work in the ‘Light Gun Shop’ using with a ‘number of Morse taper sleeves of the larger sizes’ - can someone explain what this is or was ?

It cannot be something he has learnt to make himself on site since ’Morse’ is a trade name. He says it meant ‘that the internal taper hole was longer than the travel of the lathe top slide... apprentice’s lathes did not have the luxury of taper turning attachments.’ So apprentices in the Arsenal only got to use old and outdated equipment, then?

John says he complained to the foreman about this and “he knocked me out of the way, did one, and then said you will do the ****** rest ..... another lesson”.

Next, John spent six months in the Mechanical Engineering Department’s drawing office. He then went out ‘on my own’ doing drawings of machine tools and details of their installation.

One such was a large vertical slotting machine to be installed in the Light Gun shop - there were already three such machines in place there. A vertical slotting machine (also called a ‘vertical shaper’ or ‘slotter’) is used for cutting internal features like keyways, spines, grooves, and complex metal profiles. Unlike a horizontal shaper, its single-point cutting tool moves vertically up and down to shave material away incrementally from the piece being worked on.

It seemed to John that it would be a good idea if the new machine should be installed in line with the existing three - so he did the drawing accordingly.

Several weeks later he saw the new slotter in place but ’it was two or three feet in-front of the older ones - not

where I had wanted it put’. Then ’the ganger’ explained that when they put it where John had suggested ‘the counterweight at the back had fouled a piece of shafting’ so they had moved it forward. ‘He said that he had seen my name on the drawing and, as my father was the manager of the department and the gang had had double time for moving it, it seemed silly to mention it’.

Another ‘interesting bit of plant layout that came my way was the installation of an autofrettage plant’. He explained that ‘this is a process which increases the strength of a gun barrel by subjecting it, internally, to a hydraulic pressure which exceeds the elastic limit of the metal’. It consisted of two bed plates, one with the pressure generator while the other was just a support and a stopper for the other end.

Another description of an autofrettage plant is ‘an industrial facility or specialised testing rig used to prestress thick-walled cylinders. By

applying extreme internal hydraulic pressure (sometimes up to 15,000 bar), it forces the inner metal to yield. When pressure is released, the outer elastic metal compresses the inner wall, creating residual compressive stress that drastically increases the component’s fatigue life‘.

As the new machine had two lengths of barrel to be processed, John did a drawing showing two sets of studs cemented into the floor – done so that the other bed plate could be picked up by the crane and set down over the appropriate studs. The chief draughtsman looked at his drawing and said “fine, sooner or later somebody will trip over the spare studs, put in a suggestion, get £5 and they will be sawn off”.

John next describes a session in the North Mill un-mothballing the gun lathes. He says it was a ‘mucky job since they were coated in a thick oily varnish that had to scraped off’and

autofrettage

had been untouched twenty years and had had time to harden out. He commented ‘at least we were beginning to get ready for World War II in 1938!’

Next he was at ‘The Tinman’s Shop’ – another department near the Plumstead Gate. He said ‘it made a change. One job there was setting presses for stamping out ammunition containers. He explained: ‘The top and bottom tools had to be very accurately set, both for position and material thickness, because when the presses ran there was quite a large force involved.‘

MY BOOKS – CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

By Dr Mary Mills

The presses worked with a single revolution clutch which had a latch coupling the big flywheel to the crankshaft - and it was controlled with a pedal. When this was depressed the clutch engaged but releasing the pedal, even momentarily, meant that the flywheel did at least two revolutions for one of the crank Unfortunately some of the operatives working this machine thought they were fast feeders – but if they were actually slow it resulted in a jam-up because the second piece of metal arrived before the first piece had cleared. John was given the job of sorting this out. He

n THE EARLY EAST LONDON GAS INDUSTRY: HOW IT BEGAN AND HOW IT HELPED LONDON INDUSTRIES TO GROW. The gas industry in early 19th century London - all the incompetence and all the scandals. Also explores how gas industry waste products were taken up and used by other industries. £15

n GEORGE LIVESEY - A BIOGRAPHY. The life of South London’s maverick 19th century gas works manager, who forced the privately owned industry to work in partnership with the public and with its workforce. There is nothing in the industry he didn’t change. This is about a man who wanted to change society – but in 1889 got it very wrong. £10. Illustrated. £15

n SHIPBUILDING IN GREENWICH – A shortish run through those who built ships in our borough and what they built on. It covers two Royal Dockyards, to those who built single sailing barges, and those who built into the 1990s. £10

n THE GREENWICH RIVERSIDE – UPPER WATERGATE TO ANGERSTEIN. A siteby-site description of the Greenwich Riverside between Deptford to Charlton. This is not yet another description of Royal Greenwich but looks at riverside communities, industries and river workers – as well less known site histories. £15

n THE INDUSTRIES OF DEPTFORD CREEK. A siteby-site description of this amazingly busy Creekside between its mouth with the Thames and the Lewisham border. It includes industries of national importance, from the medieval to electronics pioneers - and the downright quirky. £15

n GREENWICH PENINSULA - GREENWICH MARSH. A HISTORY OF AN INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND. This is a rewrite of my all-time bestseller Greenwich Marsh, to include the Dome. It describes the history of the Marsh and the industries which grew up there in the 19th century, including Enderby Wharf and the telecommunications revolution, as well as the amazing gas works and much else. £10

Available via Amazon Contact marymillsmmmmm@gmail.com for further information on sales

says ‘there was a way to rectify the tools by gently peening (hammering) the edges and then using an oil stone to restore the proper clearance.’

Throughout this narrative John’s involvement in various workplaces is mainly with a relatively small number of skilled staff - of which of he would have been counted as one. The vast numbers who worked in the Arseal presumably, as part of their daily lives, also only relate to those immediately around them. We should look at a plan with all the various workshops and factory areas labelled - and there is such map on the Royal

Arsenal History web site. It will show just how many such workplaces there were and how close together they all were to each other - hundreds of different buildings and facilities are shown. On site there were a number of facilities available to all workers - however badly managed they may been. John talks about the campaign facilities and also the rather primitive medical services available. John said that as far as he could remember there were four canteens for the use of the workforce on the Arsenal site. They all reeked of a strange mixture of boiling fat, cabbage and cheap soapand he kept out of them - but they were

well supported during the day for tea as well as during the official lunch hour.

The surgery was presided over by “Septic Sam”. As now, all injuries had to be reported and sent to the surgery but such was the treatment meted out that small injuries were kept quiet. John went once and had a memory of a mid - Victorian standard of equipment and hygiene. The surgery backed onto the boundary wall and a couple of hundred yards from the main gate nearby was the apprentices club. It’s main attribute was a table tennis table which was heavily used lunch times and evenings.

ROYAL BOROUGH OF GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1)

IGNATIUS SANCHO ROAD (AMENDED LAYOUT) – WAITING AND LOADING RESTRICTIONS AND DISABLED BAYS (TEMPORARY MEASURES) [TT6(26)]

1. The Council of the Royal Borough of Greenwich hereby gives notice that on 15th July 2026 it made an Order, to enable access for emergency vehicles and Council vehicles, to carry out key services to protect the health and safety of the residents and avoid the likelihood of danger, and to ensure amenities for blue badge holders, the effect of which will be to provide disabled badge holders only parking places and waiting and loading restrictions in Ignatius Sancho Road.

2. The effect of the Order in Ignatius Sancho Road will be to: (moving in a clockwise direction from its junction with Kidbrooke Park Road)

a) provide 2 numbers (nos.) of inset disabled badge holders only parking places: (south-east side)

i. immediately southwest of the eastern northwest to southeast arm (perpendicular bays), each measuring 3.6 metres (m) in width;

ii. from a point 8.55m southwest of the bays set out in paragraph 2.a).i., for 12.55m;

iii. from a point 5.45m southwest of the southwestern kerb line of the access way to the properties situated parallel to Kidbrooke Park Road, for 12.40m; and

iv. from a point 13.6m southwest of the western northwest to southeast arm, for 13.15m; (north-west side)

v. from a point 11.95m southwest of the southwestern kerb line of the access way to the properties situated parallel to Kidbrooke Park Road, for 12.55m;

vi. from a point 22.2m southwest of the bays set out in paragraph 2.a).v., for 12.65m;

vii. from a point 3.65m northeast of the southwestern wall of the property situated at the southern end of the west side of the development, for 12.55m; and viii. from a point 21.45m northeast of the bays set out in paragraph 2.a).vii., for 12.55m;

b) (south-east side) provide a disabled badge holders only parking place immediately southwest of the western northwest to southeast arm, for 5.95m;

c) (south-west side of the western northwest to southeast arm) provide 3 nos. of disabled badge holders only parking places, measuring 19.15m in length in total;

d) (north-west side) provide a ‘Loading Only’ bay with a maximum stay of 30 mins and no return within 1 hour:

i. approximately opposite the disabled bays set out in paragraph 2.a).i., for 7m;

ii. from a point 7.5m northeast of the southernmost southwestern kerb line, for 6m northeastwardly; and iii. opposite the disabled bays set out in paragraph 2.a).iv., for 10m;

e) (north-east side of southern northwest to southeast arm) adjacent to the southwestern wall of each property provide a 14m Loading Only place (x2 bays) with a maximum stay of 1 hour and no return within 2 hours;

f) introduce no waiting and loading ‘at any time’ restrictions in the remainder of the carriageway.

Note: the disabled badge holders only parking places referred to in this notice would operate ‘at all times’.

3. The Order will come into force on 15th July 2026 for a maximum period of 18 months, and shall supersede the Order made on 11th June 2026, thereby revoking the provisions made as part of that Order.

4. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency vehicles or service vehicles.

5. Further information may be obtained by writing to traffic-orders@royalgreenwich.gov.uk quoting reference TT6(26) - Ignatius Sancho Road (amended layout).

Director of Communities, Environment and Central The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ

Dated 15th July 2026

Royal Borough of Greenwich Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (AS AMENDED) Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015

Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (AS AMENDED) Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (AS AMENDED)

Notice is hereby given that application(s) have been made to The Royal Borough of Greenwich in respect of the under mentioned premises/sites. You can see the submissions and any plans at http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/planning.

If development proposals affect Conservation Areas and/or Statutorily Listed Buildings under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Area) Act 1990 (As Amended) this will be shown within the item below.

Anyone who wishes to comment on these applications should be made in writing to Development Planning within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Please quote the appropriate reference number.

Date: 15/07/2026

Gilian MacInnes

Interim Assistant Director- Planning and Building Control

List of Press Advertisements - 15/07/2026

Publicity for Planning Applications

Applicant: Yau 26/0655/F

Site Address: 2 GILBERT CLOSE, WOOLWICH, LONDON, SE18 4PT

Development: Replacement of existing windows with white casement windows and all other associated alterations.

Conservation Area: WOOLWICH COMMON

Applicant: PlaceUK 26/1492/MA

Site Address: PLAYING FIELDS AT 177 FOOTSCRAY ROAD, LONDON, up SE9 2SZ

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) BEXLEY ROAD PLANNED CYCLE LANE CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by T Loughman & Co Ltd who need to provide a new supply for the Greenwich New Build.

2. The Order will come into operation on 20th July 2026 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to be completed within 7 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit cyclists from entering, proceeding, or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading), in the cycle lane on Bexley Road outside to opposite Lemmonwell Drive.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will not need to be diverted. Cyclists will be required to dismount, as indicated by the placement of appropriate signage. All prohibitions shall remain in force; Pedestrians shall not be affected, and vehicular access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich Directorate of Communities and Environment and Central via email to street.works@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Ryan Nibbs Assistant Director, Transport. The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

INTERNAL REF - EM/ LA505176 FN11 /LIC No 76917 / 02/07/2026 12:00 ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) GRANBY ROAD PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER)

1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to make this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by Thames Water who need to carryout service pipe relay.

2. The Order will come into operation on 27th July 2026 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However, the works are expected to take 5 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading in Granby Road outside 77.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via the placing of the appropriate signage. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich Directorate of Communities and Environment and Central via email to street.works@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Assistant Director, Strategic Transportation

The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18

Applicant: Mr Rose 26/1857/HD

Site Address: 26 FULTHORP ROAD, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 0SG

Development: Demolition of existing conservatory and construction of single storey rear extension and associated works.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH

Applicant: Renuka Gupta 26/1862/HD

Site Address: 183 PLUM LANE, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 3HQ

Development: An application submitted under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for a minor material amendment in connection with planning permission 25/0134/F (dated 04/12/2025) for 'Provision of new community sporting facilities, consisting of 2x floodlit 3g pitches, 5x grass football pitches, clubhouse/pavilion including changing and football academy facilities, padel tennis courts, play zone, car parking and associated landscaping, boundary treatment and access at the former Co-op sports ground, Foots Cray Road, Eltham" to allow; Variation of Condition 35 (Lighting Condition) to allow for extended Floodlight Operation beyond that originally approved Variation of Condition 36 (Padel Court Hours) to allow for extended Padel Court Hours beyond that originally approved IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Applicant: Mrs Swaroop 26/1499/HD

Site Address: 141 CASTERBRIDGE ROAD, LONDON, SE3 9AD

Development: Erection of a front porch and associated works.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Applicant: Mr Euan Johnston 26/1681/F

Site Address: 63A GRANBY ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 1EH

Development: Loft conversion, replacement of roof tiles, installation of rooflights and associated roof works.

Conservation Area: PROGRESS ESTATE

Applicant: Sanctuary Housing Association 26/1846/F

Site Address: SOUTHEND HOUSE, 141 FOOTSCRAY ROAD, ELTHAM

Development: Proposed external works to flat nos. 11, 17 and 34, incorporating the removal of existing UPVC cladding system and rendering and associated works, providing new render. (affects a Grade 2 listed building).

AFFECTS A GRADE 2 LISTED BUILDING

Applicant: Mr and Mrs Kwaku and Lucy Osafo 26/1851/HD

Site Address: 5 MANOR WAY, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 9EF

Development: Construction of a first floor rear extension and single-storey front infill extension incorporating installation of rooflights and solar panels. Replacement of windows, doors and front gate, and installation of an air source heat pump and paving in the front garden with associated works.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Development: Garage conversion into a habitable space, incorporating the replacement of the existing asbestos garage roof with a non-asbestos fibre cement roof. Construction of a single-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension, incorporating installation of rooflights, replacement of windows and doors and all associated works.

Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE

Applicant: Mr & Mrs D Ainsworth 26/1933/HD

Site Address: 68 BROOKLANDS PARK, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 9AJ

Development: Demolition of the conservatory, removal of the north-side window, and construction of a single storey and part two-storey rear exten-sion, incorporating the installation of rooflights, two rear dormers, replacement of the front dormers, and associated external works.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Applicant: Mr Siddarth Agrawal 26/1941/HD

Site Address: 62 CORNER GREEN, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, SE3 9JJ

Development: Alterations to the driveway including paving, installation of gates and fencing to the front, bin stores and entrance canopy with balustrade, soft landscaping and associated works.

Conservation Area: BLACKHEATH PARK

Applicant: Mr Adolfs Kristapsons 26/1944/HD

Site Address: 44 BUSHMOOR CRESCENT, PLUMSTEAD, LONDON, SE18 3EF

Development: Retrospective planning application for the installation of a single VELUX Heritage Conservation Roof Window to the rear roof slope.

Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE

Publicity for Listed Building Consent.

Applicant: Sanctuary Housing Association 26/1847/L

Site Address: SOUTHEND HOUSE, 141 FOOTSCRAY ROAD, ELTHAM Development: Proposed external works to flat nos. 11, 17 and 34, incorporating the removal of existing UPVC cladding system and rendering and associated works, providing new render. (affects a Grade 2 listed building).

Listed Building: GRADE 2

EVERY SATURDAY · LEWISHAM

African & Caribbean · Black-owned

WAKUDA MARKET

11AM – 6PM · Free Entry

Lewisham Shopping Centre

SCAN ME

Unlock your discount and stay updated

House Exchange platform closing soon

After running the service on behalf of the sector for over 20 years, Clarion Housing Group has decided to close the House Exchange matching platform to focus resources on improving and maintaining its homes and delivering for its residents.

If you use House Exchange to search for homes, please be aware that it will close on Friday 31 July. After this date you will no longer be able to use the platform or have access to your account.

If you have already submitted an application to House Exchange that has been approved before the closure date, this will continue to be processed as normal.

From Saturday 1 August, please use homeswapper.co.uk to search for homes.

School Streets proposals move to statutory consultation

Our plans to make school journeys safer and easier by expanding our School Streets programme across Royal Greenwich have now moved to statutory consultation.

School Streets close roads to motor vehicles, in part or entirely, at drop-off and pick-up times between Monday and Friday, with 11 currently in the borough and around 500 across London.

We hope that our proposals will:

• safeguard children, their families, the school staff who support them every day and local people from dangerous driving

• create calmer, more welcoming environments around the borough’s schools

• make it easier and safer to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to and from school

• improve air quality around schools.

The statutory consultation is open until Wednesday 19 August. To find out more visit royalgreenwich.gov.uk/school-streets-2026