The Era of the Adventure Playgrounds

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Kennington Runoff

If you’ve ever had a mosey around the Ethelred Estate and the former Lillian Baylis school site (now luxury flats but don’t get us started) you’ve probably noticed a rather fanciful and fenced off adventure playground. It’s a smaller, updated version of what was a much more sizeable playground on the site, and we’re here as always to tell you of its fascinating history.

Junk playgrounds took off after WW2 and our offering was located on the site of a bombed school building. Forward thinking folks thought it would be clever to use these fallow sites as areas for kids, and also wisely substituted ‘junk’ with ‘adventure’ With a little help from the LCC, a determined coterie of Greater Kennington volunteers and children developed the large site mostly by using discarded detritus from the war. The concept was, instead of covering the site in concrete, to create a system of walkways, tunnels, ropes, enormous slides, and old tyres to play in. Included in the new Lollard Adventure Playground were handmade huts for children to undertake crafts when the weather wasn’t so great. The kids even grew vegetables there.

Now, to our 2023 eyes unsupervised nine year olds playing with giant bonfires and pushing around rusting cars might not be our precise definition of ‘safety’, but it must have been great fun for the kids. The concept at the time was to encourage children to learn by expressing themselves while also learning to avoid risks. This, so the thinking went, would foster confidence and independence. Our adventure playground occupied more or less the entirety of the school site and entertained thousands of local children until, sadly, Lambeth wanted the plot back for a school in the 1960’s. At least it wasn’t for luxury flats.

Due to a lack of funding from Lambeth, the playground was mostly closed in 2013 and since has served as a haunting and eerie relic of its former self, now rather resembling a sad and deserted amusement park from a Scooby Doo* episode. The playground is now run by a noble but underfunded charity and is only open on very specific days for free access play. The mission remains to provide a unique space in which children can enjoy varied and creative play in a homemade space. If you want to learn more they would love to hear from you.

*If you are too young to know who Scooby Doo is then please ask an elder.

Gardening Fun in Walworth

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

We were overcome with giddy thrill when we saw a range of free gardening related courses had just been announced over at Walworth Garden. We weren’t so thrilled to discover that they’re only free to our lucky readers in Southwark. But you can still attend if you have a spare £85 or so kicking around. And if you do then, well, congratulations. And even if you don’t book a course, the Garden is a fine place to visit.

These courses are aimed for people who have gardens and also those who garden from a window. There are courses on composting, herbal medicines, soap making, houseplants, terrariums, how to lay out a garden, and many more. Imagine all the pleasure you can give your loved ones at Christmas by saying ‘look aunty Claire, I made you a bar of soap with some thyme stuck in it’! Or by taking the moral high road with your flat mates when they complain that your bedroom smells like a decomposing rat, by saying ‘excuse me, but I’m HOME COMPOSTING’!

For those of you not aware of Walworth Garden, it is a small, green, urban oasis our not so green patch of land. Their motto is ‘if it isn’t in the ground then its for sale’. So you can buy plants (including loads of cacti), soil, herbs, and even a few pots. It is also a very relaxing place to just wander and sit on the many benches. The Garden also has an apiary, which got us very excited at first as we thought it had something to do with actual apes. It is in fact a place where bees are kept and they even offer a course on bee keeping.

So, you lucky folks in Walworth, Elephant, or wealthy people in Lambeth, click here to book those courses!

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Roots and Shoots Goes Wild

Posted on September 28, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

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

Posted on June 28, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

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

Posted on June 6, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

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.

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 (11^th) 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

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

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

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Kennington Runoff

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

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Kennington Runoff

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.

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

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Kennington Runoff

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

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Kennington Runoff

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.

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

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