Dig this nursery/puzzle organico - organic food shop in New Cross

Not quite in Deptford I know, but a great addition to local food shopping. I've often bemoaned the absence of any kind of health-food shop in Deptford, and the need to go to Greenwich for specific items you can't buy locally. 

Dig this nursery used to be based down the side of the former Hobgoblin pub in New Cross, which was recently done up into a gastropub and renamed the Rose. The eviction of the nursery was part of the refurb.

Happily they have taken a shop unit on Clifton Rise, just between the Venue and Fordham Park, and guessing by the sign, have teamed up with Puzzle Organico which is based in Peckham to supply groceries and other organic food.

So now you can buy plants, flowers, organic food and even second-hand records in this little shop just a short walk from Deptford. They also have a good selection of greetings cards and stock what seems to be a full range of Pukka teas. I would buy the latter just for the packaging but it turns out they are also very tasty and much better than the insipid fruit teas that are often the only herbal drinks on offer.   Quite a few of the things I usually buy in Greenwich are cheaper here, so worth the pleasant walk through the parks.

Smashfest UK kicks off in Deptford

The Albany, the Deptford Lounge and the Stephen Lawrence Centre are venues for a whole host of events for young people taking place during the half term break. Zombies and asteroids feature heavily in the story, which creates a narrative around all the different events.

These events, which start this Saturday, are part of Smashfest UK, a brand new science and arts festival for young people, which is being piloted in Deptford from 14 - 22 February.

The press release says: 'Part sci­fi, part horror and part post-apocalyptic-nightmare, the festival is themed around a gripping story in which an asteroid is on a collision course with Planet Earth and a zombie invasion ensues.

You can follow the story online here. Join in by sending us your own Asteroid Survival Kit list, or sending photos with the #smashfestuk hashtag to @SMASHfestUK on Twitter or Instagram.

Real life visitors will have the chance to plan for Armageddon, whether it’s preparing to go underground at our Survival Supermarket Sweep, singing for your lives at Armageddon Open Mic, simply enjoying your last night on Earth with the End of the World Cabaret, creating a #FRIDGIE for our time capsule; The Peoples’ Ark or taking a trip to the Intergalactic Travel Bureau.'

The Intergalactic Travel Bureau

For details of all these events, and lots more, click here.

SmashfestUK is the first event of its kind, intended to widen participation and build diversity in science, technology, engineering and maths by engaging young people and hard to reach audiences. It is the creation of science TV production company The Refinery, and is partnered by the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, the Wellcome Trust, Middlesex University, and the Royal Observatory Greenwich.