Passmore Edwards’
bicentenary celebration

More information about the Passmore Edwards Bicentenary events on Sunday 26 March 2023 1–5.30pm – exhibition, architectural cycle trail, commemorative tree planting

Burgess Park Woodlands

Join us on the following dates:
Saturdays – Jan 28th / 11 Feb / 28th Feb and 11 March 2023 11-2pm
All welcome, dress for the weather and woodland work. Book here Burgess Park Woodland Maintenance | Eventbrite  Booking fee reimbursed on attendance.

We are focusing these sessions on the copses along St Georges Road. Planted in the 1990s by Groundwork London, they had little maintenance and haven’t flourished as well as they could, lacking diversity, a shrub layer and ground cover. Over the sessions we will be removing black weed fabric, piling wood, making dead hedges, stag beetle loggeries and coppicing. Southwark Council have supplied whips (tiny trees!) to plant.

Gloves and tools will be supplied and we’ll activate the storm kettle for a cuppa, but bring snacks and drink if needed.

This is part of a wider programme of activity focused on woodlands following our campaign about the impact of development on the Southampton Way woodlands. Woodlands | Friends of Burgess Park 

Burgess Park Bat Walk  

Tuesday 27 September 6.30-7.30pm 
As the nights begin drawing-in dusk is the time to see bats flying around Burgess Park lake. The bats come out just as dusk descends. 
Jon Best, Southwark Council Ecology Officer, will lead the walk and explain the importance of the trees, woodlands and lake as bat habitats. Booking essential

Woodland Plants, their Folklore and Uses 

Sunday 11 September 5-6pm
Take a slow walk through Burgess Park woodland copses with botanist Roy Vickery to find out more about woodlands folklore. Roy’s walk will use the tree species in the copses as the starting point for folklore, uses of trees and plants. Booking essential

Woodland Walks 2022- informal woodland walks to explore Burgess Park.

Tuesday 31 May 7pm – meet Albany Road/ path to the lake /Opp Portland St – Walk through Albany Road woodlands, Neate St and St Georges Way.

Tuesday 21 June 7pm – meet Cobourg Rd nature area entrance – Walk through nature area, Glengall Rd and Surrey Canal Walk.

Tuesday 12 July 7pm – meet Wells Way opp St George’s Church – Walk through Southampton Way woodlands to Rust Sq.

Weekly litterpic Every Monday morning 8-9am.

Meet Chumleigh Gardens, by picnic benches. Litterpics, gloves and bags provided.

Big Garden Birdwatch at Burgess Park Join a Bird Walk or help with a Bird Count

GUIDED BIRD WALK IN BURGESS PARK, SOUTHWARK

Saturday 29 January 2022 9am to 11am

Burgess Park in Southwark is an excellent example of what can be done to make a municipal park in inner London a home for a variety of birds and other wildlife. The park has quite a large lake that attracts substantial numbers of wildfowl and gulls, particularly in the winter months. We should see: Canada, Egyptian and Greylag goose; Mallards, Tufted ducks and Shovelers; Cormorants; and up to 5 species of gulls. Other possibilities on the lake include Great-crested grebe, Little grebe, Grey heron and Goldeneye. (A Goldeneye was present on the last weekend of January in both 2021 and 2020.)

Away from the lake we’ll be looking out for winter thrushes – Fieldfares and Redwings – which often show up at this time of the year. And there are also the resident birds, of course – tits, finches, robins, starlings etc.

The walk will be led by Czech Conroy and Dave Clark. It will start at 9am and is likely to last 1½ – 2 hours. We’ll finish at the café so that we can get a nice hot drink to warm us up!

If you would like to come on this free walk you must book a place on it via Eventbrite . You will then be given further details, including the meeting point.

Read more about Birds of Burgess 2021 Review

Wildlife volunteering

Wildlife habitat maintenance 
Friday 26 November 10-3 drop-in 
Friday 10 December 10-3 drop-in

Working with HandsOn London,

All tools will be provided, please just bring gloves if your own and also refillable water bottles!

Please sign-up on this link. Drop-in session come along when you can.

Wednesday 20 October 10am to 3pm. HandsOn London volunteer event, all tools and gloves provided, all welcome.

Wildlife habitat maintenance 
The brambles, self-seeded trees and grass are taking over the dry grasslands (Bridge to Nowhere to Trafalgar Ave) over the next month this will be cut back to enable new growth.  The mix of new and older growth is a source of nectar, fruits, seeds, shelter, breeding and roosting sites with varied plant species, age and structure supports a great variety of species.

FOBP Annual General Meeting

Tuesday 2 November 7pm online – Meeting link

Cycling in and around Burgess Park – How can bike routes be improved?

Ideas include:
an orbital route around the park as a safe lit cycle route around the park;
making the Wells Way the route for the Southwark Spine (rather than across the park);
cycle routes linking up around the park
other suggestions?
AGM review of last year, suggestions for the next year’s priorities.

 

How to respond to a planning application

Planning Aid London Training Tuesday 22 June 2021, 6.30-8.00pm

To help focus the webinar we want to know what are your top three concerns with respect to the developments planned around Parkhouse Street and Southampton Way.
Please complete questionnaire and webinar details at the end.

Woodlands Spring Clean Blitz May 2021

• Starting Friday 30 April and every Friday in May.
• 10am to 11am.
• Litterpics, sacks, gloves provided.
• Meet Chumleigh Gardens picnic benches.
• Take a walk through the woodlands and help clear up rubbish.
• Improve the environment for people and wildlife.

 

Tree and Hedge Planting March 2021

All welcome, no experience needed. Gloves and tools provided, bring a mask.  Booking

Over 2000 saplings will be planted on the site alongside Neate St with hazel, birch and mixed native species.  The second planting project is a hedge along St George’s Way and Albany Road with a mixture of hedgerow plants, native species all supporting wildlife.

This is one of the first new woodland and hedge planting projects as part of Southwark Councils commitment to planting more trees.  Further after care with watering and mulching planned to help the saplings thrive.

Monday morning litter pic extended to the end of October 

Meet at Chumleigh Gardens by the picnic benches. Litter picks, bags and gloves provided or bring your own.

Litter-free Monday and Thursday July – September 2020

Southwark Nature Action training events

Bird song in Burgess online talk Saturday 25 April and 2 May (2 parts) 10.30-11.30am.

A beginners course to birdsong and bird counting with Dave Clarke, ornithologist with extensive experience of bird life around Southwark. Attend either or both sessions, but learning bird song is hierarchical so if people miss one better the second rather than the first. Dave Clark’s talk 1 and talk 2. 

Butterfly Conservation online training Saturday 4 April 10.30 – 12.00am.
Find out about the butterflies in Burgess Park and learn how to monitor. Led by Simon Saville, Butterfly Conservation.  SNAV Butterfly Training Apr2020

Launch of Southwark Nature Action conservation volunteers – March 2020

Help with species habitats and nature conservation in Burgess Park and other parks. Launch event includes talks from Simon Saville, Butterfly Conservation and Jon Best, Southwark Ecology Officer.  Launch event and presentations. 

One threatened species is the White-Letter Hairstreak Butterfly (picture) spotted in Burgess Park and reliant on Elm trees.

Volunteer for planting event

Saturday 30 November 2019 10.30 to 12.30.

Planting native hedge plants at three locations between Glengall Wharf Garden and the first bridge – Willowbrook.

Tools, gloves and refreshments provided. No experience necessary.

We are planting 200 small whips from the Mayor of London, TCV free trees programme. These plants are great for wildlife; insects, birds, butterflies, moths. Our hedge plants are:
Hawthorn
Blackthorn
Common dogwood
Dog rose
Hazel

Friends of Burgess Park AGM

Tuesday 12 November 2019 7 pm
at Theatre Deli, Old Library, Wells Way, SE5 0PX

All welcome to hear about Burgess Park Past, Present and Future

Speakers, Q&A:
Diana Cochrane, Burgess Park and Beyond heritage
Jason Leech, Camberwell plan
Guy Robinson, Camberwell Fields Residents’ Association, Metropolitan Open Land
Plus: Elect new committee, approve accounts, review constitution, priorities 2020.

October monthly meeting changed

The next FOBP meeting 1^st October is being transferred to the council planning committee so that we can comment on and object to the sports centre application. The planning meeting is open to the public Tues 1 October from 6.30pm, 160 Tooley St. SE1 2QX. Planning committee agenda and report.

FOBP objections:
1. Loss of Metropolitan Open Land
2. Impact of the new pitches and spectator mounds on the surrounding park.
3. The design of the new sports centre does not fit with the character of the park or the Cobourg conservation area, or achieve environmental standards.

July 2019

Rain or Shine Sat 27 and Sun 28 July FREE book tickets theatredeli.co.uk/rainorshine

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream 19/20 July with People’s Company.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s best loved and most famous comedies, Our contemporary version of the play has been set in the Aylesbury Estate in the swinging 1960s! It is a psychedelic romp of physical theatre, music and fun.

Bring a picnic or have a drink from our on-site bar, and sit back and enjoy Shakespeare in the beautiful setting of Chumleigh Gardens.

Tickets: £10 and £8 unwaged (plus booking fee)
Book tickets for Friday 19 July

June 2019

Surfers Against Plastic Clean-up Saturday 29 June, meet Chumleigh Gardens 12.00.

Burgess Park West celebration Saturday 22 June 2019 

12.30pm Moth release and butterfly walk
Join Butterfly Conservation to find out more about moths and butterflies in Burgess Park and launch the Big City Butterfly project with FOBP. This is part of the Burgess Park West celebration, event poster below.

From Africa to the Old Kent Road: bird species in Burgess Park 
Wednesday 19 June 2019, 9am – 10.30am
meet at Chumleigh Gardens

Led walk by Dave Clark, Ornithologist.
The circular walk will take about 1.30 hours
We will finish the walk at Chumleigh Gardens café for further informal discussion.
FREE – Donations to FOBP welcome.

Read Dave Clark’s blog about Burgess birds.

Lake water planting Thursday 6 June 2019, 3.30 after school by the lake with pond-dipping.

Christmas events December 2018

Half term events in Burgess Park October 2018

Plus half term BMX coaching.

New art installation opening events
“Silent Raid” by Sally Hogarth

Wednesday 17 October  2018 from 5.30-7pm

Sally Hogarth will unveil her new artwork memorial ‘Silent Raid’.  The installation was commissioned by Southwark Council and has been a year in the making. The art work commemorates the Zeppelin raid on Calmington Road (now part of Burgess Park) in 1917 with ten replica houses representing each of the people killed in the attack.

Meet at Theatre Delicatessen, in the Old Library on Wells Way, for a walk around the locations for the memorial, with speeches, refreshments, a poem by Koko and more. To book tickets for the launch event, please see the Eventbrite page.

The launch will be exactly 101 years after the attack and is part of the Zeppelin 1917 programme of events in Burgess Park about the First World War.

Saturday 20 October, 2-5:30pm

An afternoon of FREE events at Theatre Delicatessen, the Old Library, Wells Way. 

The small houses’ locations are between Chumleigh Gardens and the lake.

Supported by Southwark Council, the Friends of Burgess Park and Theatre Deli.

Saturday 23 September 12-4pm Glengall Wharf Garden openday

First World War Victoria Cross commemorative stone unveiling

Monday 3 September 2018, 11am, Old Kent Road entrance, Burgess Park

In September 1918 local hero Jack Harvey was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery.  One hundred years on a commemorative paving stone will be unveiled with a civic service led by the Mayor, Councillor Catherine Rose, with the Army in attendance. All welcome.

Since 2014, Southwark has installed four VC commemorative paving stones to mark the centenary of the act of valour of service men born within what is now Southwark.  The last one will be for Jack Harvey, who was born at 2 Canal Grove (just off Old Kent Road) in the old borough of Camberwell. This is why the site chosen for the commemorative paving will be the Old Kent Road main entrance to Burgess Park.

The Victoria Cross commemorative paving stones programme is a national scheme that will see all 627 VC recipient of the First World War commemorated with a paving stone.

As You Like It

As you Like It – Shakespeare – Chumleigh Gardens – Saturday 21 July.

We’re supporting this production by John Whelan and People’s Co. John led and developed the animated walk for Zeppelin 1917.

Tickets on Eventbrite:  £7/£5 plus booking fee.

2018 Wildlife Events

 

Unleash your wild side

Find out more about the wildlife in Burgess Park over the next few months.

Saturday 28 April – 9.30 to 11am Find us by the lake bridge and find out more about the water birds with an ID session. This is part of the international City Nature Count. Read about the wild birds we saw and counted.

All through June we doing #30DaysWild #wildaboutburgess part of the London Wildlife campaign. The perfect excuse to share your favourite photos @BurgessPk.

Saturday 21 July – 4.30 to 6pm Pond-dipping by the lake. Part of London’s National Park City Week.

New sports centre and pitches consultation

Thursday 11 January 2018, 4 -7pm
at Burgess Park Community Sports Centre, Cobourg Road, SE5 0JD

Southwark Council with match funding from Parklife Funding Partners (The FA, the Premier League and Sport England) are presenting draft design proposals for developing the community sports hub . Who will run the new facility? Will there be more fencing of sports’ fields? Will Cobourg Road and Neate Street be closed? What will the provision be for access to Cobourg School? Will there be through routes for pedestrians and cyclists? What about parking? Will  trees be cut down? Please come along and say what you think about the new plans.  Download a pdf of the latest plans. Email your comments to Southwark by 19 January 2018.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

Saturday 27 January, 2.00 – 3.00pm
Glengall Wharf Garden, SE15 6NF

Help with the FOBP bird count
FREE bird ID sheets, bird books, binoculars, hot drinks and quiz sheets. We’ll be outside, under the shelter, so wrap up warm.

Art in the Park Open Studios

Chumleigh Gardens
2–3 December, 12–4pm
Free

Zeppelin 1917 

Almost one hundred years ago, on October 19 1917, a Zeppelin bomb landed in Calmington Road, Southwark killing 10 people, injuring 24 and demolished a fish and chip shop, doctor’s surgery and houses. The Friends of Burgess Park project “Zeppelin 1917” will uncover the stories of local heroes and piece together the dramatic raid right over what is now Burgess Park.

Discover the fascinating story of World War One’s final London Zeppelin raid right over the streets that became Burgess Park. Be part of the October season of events — walks, talks and shows remembering the catastrophic raid of 100 years ago.

Opening by Cllr Situ on Saturday 7th October.

Exhibition – each Sat in Oct, 1–5:30pm, and Thurs 26, Fri 27 Oct, 1-5:30pm; at Theatre Delicatessen, Old Library, Wells Way; no booking required.
Fun Palaces – Sat 7 October, 1–3pm.  Eventbrite booking.
Talk by Zeppelin expert Ian Castle,  Sat 7 Oct,  4pm.  Eventbrite.
Talk by author Stephen Bourne Sat 14 Oct, 2pm. Eventbrite.
1917 Knees Up! Pub quiz from Mike Raffone and singalong Mister Meredith Sat 14 Oct at 7.30pm. Eventbrite.
Animated Walk of the Zeppelin Raid Sat 21 Oct 2-4pm. Eventbrite.
Scratch Night of Hidden Heroes from the home front, presented by Theatre Delicatessen. Sat 21 Oct, 7.30pm.  Eventbrite.
Family events – Thurs 26 Oct at Theatre Delicatessen, Old Library, Wells Way: 2–3pm stories and songs for children 7 and under with Vanessa Woolf, 3–5pm workshop with Art in the Park – just drop in..
Fri 27 Oct at First Place Nursery, Chumleigh Gardens: 11am – 12 noon stories and songs for children 7 and under with Vanessa Woolf.
Fri 27 Oct at Theatre Delicatessen 2:30–4pm object handling with Cuming Museum – just drop in.
Sculpture by Keith Roberts – installed 19 Sep, Chumleigh Gardens.
New memorial – Meet the artist Sally Hogarth Sat 21 Oct, 4.30 – 5.30pm; details in the exhibition.
Poetry, letters, short stories – 12–24 years, Sat 28 Oct, 1 – 3 pm at Theatre Delicatessen
Full details on the Zeppelin 1917 events listing page.

Southwark News reported on the FOBP Zeppelin 1917 project.

Find out more about what is being planned for Zeppelin 1917.

Fun Palaces family event – Saturday 7 October 1–3pm

Flying Designing – The Fun Palace workshops with everyday materials that show some scientific principles. Three FREE drop-in family workshops – take part in one or have a go at all three. Children must be accompanied by parent/carer at all times. Something for all ages. A Fun Palaces event – everyone an artist everyone a scientist.

Talk by Zeppelin expert – Saturday 7th October, 4pm
At Theatre Delicatessen, Old Library, Wells Way, SE5 0PX. Please book on Eventbrite. 

The Silent Raid – Zeppelin expert Ian Castle is a specialist on Germany’s Zeppelin raids on Britain and a published author on the subject. This talk for FOBP’s ‘Zeppelin 1917’ project will explore in detail the raid of 19th October 1917, the last great Zeppelin raid of the war, and will highlight its significance to South London where a single bomb on Camberwell had a devastating impact on the local community.

Talk by the author of Black Poppies – Saturday 14th October, 2pm
At Theatre Delicatessen, Old Library, Wells Way, SE5 0PX. Please book for this on Eventbrite.

A talk by Stephen Bourne, author of Black Poppies, on the black community and the Great War. Part of Black History Month.

A 1917 Knees Up! Saturday 14th October, at 7.30pm
At Theatre Delicatessen, Old Library, Wells Way, SE5 0PX. Please book on Eventbrite. 

Learn all about life in 1917 with a pub quiz from quizmaster extraordinaire Mike Raffone and a proper singalong from Mister Meredith.

Find out more about events 7-28 October. 

Volunteering roles: Pdf  Doc

 

Into the Night

The darkness of night is essential for our wildlife and equally important for people.

Through “Into the Night” Friends of Burgess Park are exploring the night time. We are holding events about bats, talks about the stars and films about space. In London we have a lot of electric light all the time which means we never really experience real darkness. “Into the Night” will invite people to come into Burgess Park and find out more about the park at night time.

Thurs 28 September Learn more about the night sky above Burgess Park.

The evening will begin with a short talk inside Chumleigh Gardens, followed by practical observations and stargazing. This is a beginner’s guide to the night sky.

On the 28 September, with a clear night sky, we should be able to see Saturn and the Summer Triangle. Please bring binoculars if you have them. We will climb the slope in Burgess Park (behind children’s playground) for the stargazing, please wear suitable shoes.

The event is organised by FOBP and we have invited Dr Martin Heath to lead the event.

Dr Heath and his co-worker Dr Laurance Doyle of the SETI Institute collaborate through the Ecospheres Project to investigate what combinations of stars and planets are most friendly for complex life. https://ecospheresproject.org/

Wall E  free open air film

Friday 8 September  

Children’s workshop 6.45pm and film 7.30pm, Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival

Despite heavy rain earlier about 100 people came.

Bring your own chair or rug along with a picnic and enjoy this family film.
The film will be screened on the grass slope facing the lake in Burgess Park.

WALL-E, short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, is the last robot left on Earth. He spends his days tidying up the planet, one piece of garbage at a time. But during 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he’s more than a little lonely.  94 minutes suitable for children – U rating .

Forty people came to the Bat Walk on Saturday 19 August.  Huma Pearce, Ecologist, Mostly Bats, led the bat walk giving a vivid insight into the different types of bats and helping to identify them with bat detectors. Huma also set up bat traps and we were able to see a tiny Pipistrelle. Huma is also undertaking a bat survey of Burgess Park, part of a bigger survey across London.

Tuesday 4 July, 7-9 pm
Summer BBQ at Glengall Wharf Garden
SE15 6NF. Entrance off Surrey Canal Walk 

You’re invited to the FOBP summer BBQ 
Enjoy a summer’s evening at the beautiful Glengall Wharf Garden.

• Try some tasty salad from Glengall Wharf Garden with
• Vegetarian and non-veggie BBQ
• Summer drinks with herbs from the garden
• Informal conversations about local community activity

People’s Company from Scratch

Sunday, 28 May, 7-9 pm
at the Old Library, Wells Way, Burgess Park

Join People’s Company – a local Southwark-based experimental theatre group – in an improvised journey through language, words and their meanings, real or not real. Hosted by Theatre Delicatessen.

Find out more and buy tickets

Growfest

Saturday, 6 May, 11 am – 4 pm

Glengall Wharf Garden (Burgess Park Food Project)
64 Glengall Rd SE15 6NF, are holding Growfest, a celebration of growing, gardening and the green community in Southwark to bring people together to generate interest in permaculture, wildlife gardening, beekeeping, composting, food growing and more … Gardeners’ Question Time, workshops, talks, seed giveaway, raffle, fun,  food, activities for all ages.

Wild By Nature – spring events

Fox Fun Breakfast

Saturday 13 May 5.30am to 8.00am – £5 refundable.
Adults and 12+

 

Early morning fox watching will take place at Glengall Wharf Garden with a talk on foxes by Sylvia Myles, London Wildlife Trust. Followed by continental breakfast.

Foxes are most active at night, by 6.30am they will be making their way back home. By mid-May the cubs will be old enough to come out and meet their parents, so with luck and patience we may see them playing together. Glengall Road entrance will be open from 5.30am. Please enter quietly. The gate will be shut at 6.10am to avoid latecomers disturbing the foxes.

Booking essential £5  refundable 

Book Fun Fox Breakfast here  £5 refundable; 90p booking fee non-refundable.

Previous Events 

Lake Life: discover the amazing wildlife that lives in Burgess Park Lake

Saturday, 8 April 2017, 11:00am – 12:30pm

London Wildlife Trust and the Friends of Burgess Park drop-in family friendly event.

We found amazing creatures above and below the water in Burgess Park Lake. We used nets and trays  to sample the water and examined insect life through magnifyers. We found damselflies and dragonfly nymphs living in the water which will turn onto the adults during the summer.  These are one of the six indicator species of Burgess Park.

Earth Hour at 8:30 pm on Saturday March 25.

View the night sky with Valentine Seymour and Alice Sheppard from University College London. Celebrate “Earth Hour” and measure light pollution. Take part in Citizen Science recording the night sky.

Burgess Park Earth Hour leaflet 

Earth Hour
Around the globe, millions of people, businesses, and landmarks set aside an hour to host events, switch off their lights, and make noise for climate change action.

Find out more about Earth Hour.