Category Archives: parks

Roots and Shoots Goes Wild

Leave a reply

As our local climate slowly gravitates in the direction of semi normality after the drought, we could all use a little green patch in our lives. And what better than local institution Roots and Shoots and their annual open day called ‘Roots and Shoots Goes Wild!’. 

For those not in the know, Roots and Shoots is a registered charity and vocational hub dedicated to educating disaffected young people aged 16 -25 in Lambeth and Southwark and preparing them for the world of work through one year internships in areas such as horticulture and retail.  It’s also a green space for urban biodiversity and is frequently visited by school groups eager to learn more about plants and how much of our food is grown. In addition to all of this good work, it’s open to all for a wonder around its verdant and leafy half acre.

The Open Day is on Sunday, 9 October from 11-4. It features a display of Birds of Prey (don’t worry, they won’t prey on you), children’s storytelling, face painting, children’s art, and workshops. Also featured are beekeeping and floristry demonstrations which we saw several years ago and are very interesting indeed. There will also be food stalls and baked goods. We’re particularly interested in their promised ‘mechanical dragon’. This could refer simply to small dragonfly to enchant the kids, but we’re secretly hoping for a Komodo that pops out from behind an Oak, resulting in general chaos and people running out of the gates. 

We attended the Roots AGM a few years ago and they always have interesting things afoot. But, and we say this because we care, we hope that ‘going wild’ refers to plants and not the staff as this might result in more than a few broken hips. But, broken hips are not, these great volunteers will be on hand to answer all of your questions and ensure it’s a great day. 

Bee Urban

Leave a reply

If you’ve ever seen people at the back of Kennington Park who appear to be cleaning up following a small nuclear accident, they are in fact beekeepers tending to their buzzy brood at social enterprise Bee Urban, and we’re here to tell you about them. 

Bee Urban is a secret garden and bee sanctuary located behind the pavilion in Kennington Park. We recently totted over to have a conversation with manager Barnaby to find out more about their good deeds. Bee Urban has at its core a goal of promoting positive, ecologically sound gardening and greening with a focus on farming and the preservation of our buzzy friends. They are particularly skilled in offering courses and training for vulnerable people and kids, but also for the larger community (on our visit they were having a honey beer tasting). 

Bee Urban is not only a free lovely refuge from our urban lives but also a place to stroll, contemplate, and to purchase honey and other accessories associated with bees. It’s also a place to get stung by a bee but we’re sure you can avoid that. There are also many ways to get involved on their website. And if you don’t like dirty hands, you can get involved by making (and buying) honey or courses dedicated community gardening and biodiversity.  On our visit we saw on sale honey candles, soaps, moisturisers and honey comb. And in a few days it will be high season to buy Kennington branded honey (yes, it’s a thing). The best way to find out about these is via their Insta or Facebook feeds

Apologies for the slight delay in posting but we recently had our annual team building long weekend at Glastonbury. It went off without a hitch other than Phil from accounts who, after grabbing ciders during Diana Ross, claims to have been lost for five hours. We also flew this flag our our MD’s head but we don’t think he was buying it. 

Bearpit Karaoke

Leave a reply

It seems like such a distant memory now…The Queen having tea with Paddington Bear, Prince Louis clasping his ears in agonising pain, and performances from faded pop stars who now look rather like those statues on Easter Island. But fear not Greater Kenningtonians, as there is always fun around the corner.

No, it isn’t Catherine Tate

Last summer when we took our roller suitcase over to Majestic in Vauxhall to stock up for our next Runoff ‘business meeting’, we noticed something curious in the Pleasure Gardens- there was a large audience and people were having a great time with an MC and a karaoke machine. As it turns out it was ‘Bear Pit Karaoke’ and it’s coming back this weekend. The press release states ‘Come and strut your stuff at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens with karaoke anthems, lots of energy and even more singing (some of it in tune!) – this is not to be missed. Bring mates, stay for the atmosphere and the odd car crash’. The bit we saw looked like great, if sometimes cringeworthy, fun and a laugh for people of all ages. 

Bear Pit Karaoke takes place this Saturday (11th) from 3 to 7 and then on 16 July, 13 August, and 10 September. It’s located at that sketchy bit at the end of the Pleasure Gardens where you indeed might be accustomed to seeing people singing, but for once it won’t be men on their own bursting into song while gripping a bottle of ‘White Lightning’. 

This is sponsored by Vauxhall One and is totally free, just turn up. 

Bonnington Square Platinum Party – Friday

Leave a reply

This just popped up in one of our feeds. This is open to all (and how we do love free stuff) and is set in the lush and rather beautiful Vauxhall oasis that is Bonnington Square. There should be signs into this garden.

We notice with intrigue and scintillation that this is being sponsored by notorious nightclub ‘Fire’. While it would be fascinating to have lasers, smoke machines and scantily clad podium dancers in the Square, it sounds like what you’ll be getting is some very fine music and poetry. And open to everyone!

Lambeth Palace Library

Leave a reply

Located at the very pinnacle of the Runoff catchment area, you might not know about Lambeth Palace Library. You’re probably thinking ‘say WHAT, there’s a nine storey library in Greater Kennington’ and you can be forgiven for the oversight. The massive structure has been carved out of just 3% of the archbishop’s garden and lies next to Archbishop’s Park, although it’s easy to miss. The structure is a victory of understatement with ponds and tweedy looking brick crosses. This belies the gravity of a building created as a protector of manuscripts and designed as a fortress against the pesky factors that threaten them such as light, water, and Greater Kennoingtonians. However, it is also a museum with rotating exhibits and the current offering is the fascinating and free ‘From Popish Plot to Civil Rights: Themes in Religious Archives’.

The current pop up exhibition highlights a range of subjects covered by the Library’s diverse collections of religious archives. To mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee, items on display relate to her coronation in 1953. Other material relates to the Church and other denominations and faiths, with exhibits illustrating relations with Roman Catholicism, such as the anti-Catholic agitator Titus Oates. Items on Jewish history include Hebrew manuscripts. A further theme covers the Church and race, including material relating to the civil rights movement, and to the first British Black Bishop, Wilfred Wood.

The areas open to the public are very small, and in fact the current exhibit only extends to four glass cases on the first floor. But fear not, as there are fun interactive boards on the ground floor. Also,  with a bit of planning you can nab tickets on a free tour. Failing that, the reading room is available if you obtain a free pass in advance. And failing that, the Lambeth Palace website is a handy and interesting resource. We were particularly interested in learning more about the ‘London Apocalypse’ but saddened to learn that it does not, in fact, relate to Vauxhall at 6am of a Sunday when the nightclubs have just closed. 

Cleaver Sq Carols for Charity

Leave a reply

As the spectre of further restrictions swirl around us, some folk in Greater Kennington aren’t feeling very festive right now. If this includes you, we have a suggestion that is safe and raises money for charity. 

The annual Cleaver Square ‘Carols in the Square’ takes place this evening (Monday) from 7:45 and the best part is that you don’t even have to live in Cleaver Square to take part. Or even look like you live in Cleaver Square (god knows we don’t). It is open to all and in 2020 raised over £2700 for local charities. We attended last year and it was very well spaced out and well organised. 

2020 and well spaced out

Leading the carols will be the lovely sounding but unfortunately named ‘Fever Pitch’ choir. There is a suggested donation of £2-£5 and people are asked to give whatever they can. Festive hats are apparently now a tradition, and mince pies will be in abundance. Regarding the mulled wine, there will be no cash bar this year but people are encouraged to bring their own beverages. To drive the point home we have made arrows below and even CIRCLED THE WORDS! 

We will of course be there so please come over and say hello if you can figure out who we are…..Good luck with that….

Lambeth Palace Library

Leave a reply

Located at the very pinnacle of the Runoff catchment area, today finally witnessed the opening of  Lambeth Palace Library. Now you might be thinking ‘say WHAT, a nine storey library has just opened in Greater Kennington’ and you can be forgiven for the oversight. The massive structure has been carved out of just 3% of the archbishop’s garden and lies next to Archbishop’s Park, although it’s easy to miss. The structure is a victory of understatement with ponds and tweedy looking brick crosses. This belies the gravity of a building created as a protector of manuscripts and designed as a fortress against the pesky factors that threaten them such as light, water, and humans. However, it is also a museum so today we checked it out for you. As The Guardian did nearing completion last year.

Treasures of the Library 1 is a petite, pop up exhibition in vitrines on the first floor and includes an early Gutenberg bible, brilliantly illuminated manuscripts, a letter about the madness of King George, a bible used at the Queen’s coronation, and something called the ‘Lambeth Apocalypse’. Which, as it turns out, does not refer to Sunday mornings outside of nightclubs in Vauxhall.  The interactive displays on the ground floor are very fun and give you a chance to explore the archive in more detail, as does their website. 

This is a small exhibit but one that will expand in the new year. The variety of displays is endless, so something for that pocket diary that we’re always nagging you about. It is open rather inconveniently Monday to Friday 9 to 5. But it’s free, so there you go. The reading room is also available if you have a pass and require more research. Or if you are even more nosey than we are. 

Open House London 2021

Leave a reply

If, like us, you can think of nothing more enjoyable than sticking your nose in other people’s business, then you’re in luck! It’s our favourite time of year again (we know we’ve said this five times in 2021) and it is Open House London. After taking a hiatus in 2020, Open House is back but as an understandably more circumscribed affair. There are a number of venues open to the public and others available online for viewing. As per usual, most of the buildings are staffed by friendly people who can tell you all you need to know about the place and what goes on or went on there. 

St. John’s Newington

For those of you not in the know, Open House London is an event which promotes the appreciation of architecture by flinging open the doors of otherwise closed spaces to the public, and is totally free. It is happening this weekend (4-5 September) and next weekend (11-12 September). What we have included below are local Open House venues where you do not need to book, but look carefully as not all venues are open both weekends. And if you possess the audacious gall to travel outside Greater Kennington you’ll find below other nearby bountiful buildings.

Greater Kennington 

Ken Art Space 

The Camera Club

Elephant Park

Amelia Street 

St. Paul’s, Newington 

Nearby

Lambeth Town Hall

Reliance Arcade, Brixton

Waterloo City Farm

Kaymet Tray and Biscuit Factory, Old Kent Road

Kirkaldy Testing Works, Borough

Lowline Walking Tour, Blackfriars

Jadon Sancho, From Kennington with Love

Leave a reply

We have to admit that the Runoff does not possess a great deal of knowledge about sport, as it usually begins and ends with ‘what’s all that shouting from over Oval way….has there been some kind of accident’? However, we’re aware that there is a specific buzz in the Greater Kennington air at the moment and our crack team of investigators have established a link between the England team and our hallowed pocket, and his name is Jadon Sancho. 

England midfielder Sancho was born in Camberwell but spent his early and formative years in Kennington, stating ‘growing up in Kennington has made me the man I am today’. His pitch was what he refers to as the ‘Blue Park’ which we’ve deduced is Kennington Park Extension, where he played with older boys and his talent was discovered and nurtured. Follow the links to discover much more about young Jadon. 

In addition to being an excellent footballer and an all around well grounded and seemingly nice young man, we at the Runoff were inordinately excited to discover that Jadon has HIS VERY OWN LINE OF SE11 KENNINGTON THEMED FOOTWEAR! And not only that, he even has his own line of Kennington inspired clothing! Most of the staff here aren’t not exactly the ranges’ ‘target demographic’, but if you see someone strutting their stuff around Kennington Cross in Jadon’s clobber over the next few weeks it could just be one of us. Or somebody else as you don’t know what we look like. 

Best of luck to Jadon Sancho and all the other players on Sunday evening! Pass the Sancho sauce! 

An Elephant Springs Up

Leave a reply

Say what you will about the labyrinthine development at Elephant Park, but one thing that has emerged from site is a delightful little park that has all the relevant and cool people (and us) talking. It’s called ‘Elephant Springs’.

The Springs sprang to life a few weeks ago and is an unusual green and comfy space in an area in need of more greenery and fewer buildings. Perhaps picking up on themes of Africa and elephants, the park has sand, hammocks, lush greenery, cascading waterfalls, secluded spaces, and nooks for bats and birds. The main feature is the large, bubbling water park with water jets and slides. On the days we’ve been there this area has been overtaken with gangs of happy kiddos (at bottom), with  the greener areas populated by groups of people chatting or reading. We like to think the park is some small recognition of the diverse people of African origin who live nearby.

As our KR brains are almost constantly geared to eating, we have our eyes on south London micro chain ‘Four Hundred Rabbits’ which overlooks Elephant Springs. We haven’t been there yet, but our sources tell us that the sourdough pizzas, gelato, and craft beers are perfect on a summer’s day. As for the park, if you dare to question our objectivity, it is listed in hipster bible and ‘thank god I found it on the tube or else I’d have nothing to read’ magazine ‘Stylist’ as one of the best green spaces in London along with Hyde and Richmond Parks.

https://www.stylist.co.uk/travel/city-breaks/londons-best-free-parks/530399