Yesterday, our young Parklife researchers at Deptford Green school met with Sarah Lang, who works for Lewisham Council in partnership with The Waldron, and Joyce Jacca who work as Community Link workers in the Waldron Community Hub right by New Cross Station.
Sarah and Joyce attended the Advocacy Session for the Parklife Project back in June 2022, which you can read about here. Since then, they have been using the Pledge Card made by our young researchers together with the wonderful youth advocate Laila Sumpton and our Goldsmiths postgraduate and undergraduate students. This is the pledge card:
The young Parklife researchers really helped Sarah and Joyce fire up various organisations, groups and people to get a new community garden set up in Fordham Park, which the Deptford Green pupils and other pupils (from local primary schools) could run and maintain.
Sarah Lang explains in this video how this came to be and how it will work:
Our young Parklife researchers discussed how this Community Garden might work with Sarah and Joyce, and also learnt about Sarah and Joyce’s innovative work with Lewisham; they are working tirelessly to bring a joined up approach to health and wellbeing in the borough. They travel to schools, colleges, community groups and work to do things like encourage people to use:
Social supermarkets in the area; these are supermarkets for people who are struggling with money issues, providing great food and other goods (such as school uniforms) at very low costs. More details here:
Evelyn Community Store and Feed the Hill: Community stores – Lewisham Homes and Feed The Hill – Lewisham Local
Also here is the link to Lewisham’s information on other support available: Lewisham Council – Cost of living crisis
Mobile health clinics which travel to schools and community centres, shops etc.
Our lead teacher on the project, Alice Player, who has been indefatigable in supporting the Parklife project, said that the school would follow up on their suggestions; Deptford Green may soon see some visits from Sarah and Joyce, who may offer health, wellbeing and financial wellbeing clinics in the school. She commented: ‘The Parklife students at Deptford Green are making a real difference in our local community. They have a vision of the future that they are working hard to put into practice. They want safe spaces to relax in and green areas that are eco-friendly and sustainable. Working with staff and students from Goldsmiths University has given them the confidence to speak out about the things that they are passionate about and to challenge the adults who have the power to make change happen.’
Our Parklife researchers also made some important notes about what might be good to do in the future with regards to the Community Garden:
In other Parklife news, the parks’ management company, Glendale, have put in a water fountain in the park, and are helping us with improving the litter situation. More on this in future posts!
We have also received funding from the British Academy to make a Parklife Toolkit; a snappy, engaging leaflet and guide which will help other schools and colleges run the Parklife project themselves. Laila Sumpton, our great advocacy champion, who we have missed sorely this term, will receive some funding to spearhead this Toolkit initiative. Again more on this to come in future posts!
Sarah Lang and her colleagues will be holding a Deptford Assembly Cost of Living/Well-being event for residents and on Saturday 10th December 2.00-5.00pm at the Mulberry Centre, 15 Amersham Vale. They will have children’s crafts and a winter warming soup.
If you wish to learn more about the Parklife project, do email me, the Principal Investigator on it, Dr Francis Gilbert, f.gilbert@gold.ac.uk