Keep the Waiting Room in Deptford!

My favourite (and one of the original) of Deptford's coffee shops has launched a Kickstarter campaign to support a move to new premises.

The small-but-perfectly-formed Waiting Room is being forced to relocate as the landlord of the property wants to redevelop it and no doubt take advantage of rising rents. 

The good news is that they have a new premises lined up - one with more space and a garden, and they plan to open in the evenings as well. 

The bad news is that they've not had time to save up enough money to pay for the work that needs doing, new equipment and so on.

That's where us lot come in.

Show your love for Alec and Kev by pledging whatever you can to help them stay in Deptford High Street. Let's face it, it won't be the same without them.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/573162804/keep-the-waiting-room-in-deptford

(and even if you can't afford to give, it's worth a read just to learn the story of how the Waiting Room came to be....)

New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival 2018

Woo!

Very excited that one of my favourite local events is nearly here - the annual New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival.

Totally free, all run and organised by volunteers, and in some great venues across Deptford & New Cross - a fabulous example of our vibrant, enthusiastic, imaginative and fun SE community spirit.

Once again this year there will be a whole host of different films in venues ranging from the traditional to downright wacky, encouraging people to visit new parts of the borough and seek out the green spaces, churches and bars they aren't familiar with, in the pursuit of free entertainment.

Launch night kicks off at the Brick Brewery in Blackhorse Road with a showing of Get Out - Jordan Peele’s chilling satire on liberal racism in America. The bar will be open and food will be on sale, with a DJ and party after the film.

The full programme has 33 film events at 23 different venues - from documentaries about the housing crisis to Hollywood classics to a swashbuckling film of maritime adventure with a historical link to Deptford's royal dockyard. 

Watch in comfort at the Brookmill pub; put your energy into pedalling at the bike-powered park showings or watch a film somewhere you don't normally get to visit, such as Sanford Housing Coop or the Stephen Lawrence Centre.

Something local: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/lewisham-at-home/

http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/the-battle-of-lewisham-we-are-the-lambeth-boys/

Something funny: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/in-bruges/

Something topical: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/election/

Something thought-provoking: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/dispossession-the-great-social-housing-swindle/

Something challenging: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/the-work/

Something corny: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/nacho-libre-bike-powered-screening-with-electric-pedals/

Something for the kids: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/sing-outdoor-bike-powered-with-electric-pedals/

http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/paddington-2-2/

Something maritime: http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/the-lenox-project-presents-admiral-command-conquer/

http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/event/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/

On Facebook and on the web - and usually printed programmes to pick up a week or two before the festival from local libraries and cafes.

http://www.freefilmfestivals.org/filmfestival/new-cross-deptford/

Twinkle Park to get its pond back

Twinkle Park at the bottom of Watergate St is one of the hidden secrets of Deptford - it used to be one of my favourite haunts in happier days when its pond was a beautiful centrepiece.

Sadly and somewhat mysteriously in October 2013 it sprang a leak and all the water drained out overnight.

Since that time the pond has remained empty, and has turned into a kind of grassy crater in the middle of the park. Not really what was intended.

So I was delighted to discover that the Twinkle Park Trust, which manages the park and neighbouring Charlotte Turner Gardens, has finally raised funds to pay for the pond to be relined and renovated.

Work on the pond is due to start tomorrow (Monday 9th April) and is expected to take about a month. Twinkle Park Trust is hoping to celebrate the reinstatement of the pond at its summer festival this year.