FUSS stands for Friends and Users of Staplehurst Shops, a local group of like-minded people who get together every FUSS stands for Friends and Users of Staplehurst Shops, a local group of like-minded people who get together every month to discuss topics effecting Hither Green. FUSS main objective is to look after the well-being off Staplehurst Road and help build a community within it. They organise clean-up days, enter the annual London in Bloom competition, plant bulbs and shrubs and organise the annual Christmas Fair hosted by local businesses and local people selling homemade produce and gifts, a Christmas tree and lights, carol singers, brass band music, raffle prizes, mulled wine & mince pies, and Father Christmas.

CONTACT PAT COYNE

QWAG was formed in 1990 to promote the restoration of the Quaggy for the benefit of people and wildlife. They concern themselves with any issue that protects, promotes, or revitalises the river Quaggy and its tributaries, for the public benefit.

QWAG Revitalise by proposing and participating in river restoration schemes; Promote through newsletters, exhibitions, events, talks, website, and our riverside interpretation signs; Protect by monitoring the river, organising clean-ups, scrutinising, and commenting on riverside planning applications and fundraise to finance their projects.

CONTACT PAUL

Lee Fair Share encourages local information exchange and the borrowing of items such as sewing machines and car battery chargers ‘don’t buy it, borrow it’. There are regular group events, an allotment group, a sewing club, a drawing group, a cookery club, a book group, a lunch group, and one-off events. This helps members get to know one another and thereby generate swaps. They are based at Lee Green Community Centre, Leegate Shopping Centre, SE12 8 and cover the Hither Green and Lee Green area of Southeast London.

CONTACT LORRAINE

Their purpose is to promote and improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the neighbourhood. They are a community interest company made up entirely of local volunteers who work with the Their purpose is to promote and improve the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the neighbourhood. They are a community interest company made up entirely of local volunteers who work with the local community, local councils, and other local and national groups. LGF produce the neighbourhood plan, support, and protect local traders, community facilities, groups and heritage and improve local issues such as derelict and empty buildings, fly-tipping, and transport problems. Membership is free to all who live, work, or have an interest in the area. LGF is always looking for new committee members so please get in touch if you are interested.

CONTACT SARAH MCMICHAEL

Their ‘Mission Statement’ was drawn up by users, volunteers, workers, and trustees to put into words the values they all feel the Community Centre should be about. Their vision is for a safer, stronger, and more cohesive community with opportunities for self-development and growth accessible to all.

The Mission is to offer opportunities, advice, and support for local people to work, play, think and learn together, and to address economic and social disadvantage for mutual benefit, health, and well-being. The Goals are to provide activities for the benefit of local people, especially the elderly, young people and people experiencing social or economic disadvantage with a focus on wellbeing, health, mental health, learning and opportunities to socialise.

CONTACT SHIRLEY KIRKLAND

The Good Shepherd and St. Peter’s are a growing Anglican church in Lee, Southeast London. They consist of two churches in the parish, the Good Shepherd on Handen Road, and St. Peter’s on Eltham Road. Both are thriving churches at the heart of the local community and inclusive church network. All are welcome, and all have the opportunity to grow in faith. The Good Shepherd is the centre for worship, and St. Peter’s is a centre for community work. The church holds baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Sunday services. It also has a refugee foodbank, activities for children and young people and it is possible to listen to recent sermons online. All are welcome to meet at the Good Shepherd each Sunday sand you can also take part in their services from home, via Zoom. The church also hires its halls.

Lee Green Women’s Institute is a friendly group of local women who get together to create, chat, draw, drink, listen, protest, get inspired, read, learn, and laugh. Join them to learn new skills, to get involved with your neighbourhood and have a laugh. They meet on the third Thursday of every month at Trinity school in Taunton Road. Meetings start at 7.30 and all local women are welcome to come along.

CONTACT CAROLYN BOSWORTH-DAVIES

Lee Green Open Studios is an annual event, which takes place in November around the SE12 postcode. Local artists, artisans and craftspeople open their homes and studios so that the public can view their work. In recent years non-residential spaces have become available for larger exhibitions. Local residents and visitors to the area have free access to a broad range of arts, most of which are available to purchase or commission.

CONTACT ALEX SMITH

Climate Action Lewisham is a local residents’ action group working to support and generate initiatives in Lewisham that reduce our collective carbon footprint, cut down on waste that is blighting the natural environment, help tackle the climate emergency and promote healthy and thriving neighbourhoods in the face of our climate and ecological crisis.

We need to reduce our unsustainable consumption and re-use items. When that is not possible, we need to recycle as effectively as possible. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Sign up now to receive news by email about what we’re up to and other local initiatives.

The Lee Manor Society was established to stimulate interest in the Lee Manor Conservation Area in the London Borough of Lewisham. The society covers the area of the Manor House and Library and the historic Ice House, Manor House Gardens, the River Quaggy, two local Primary Schools, a Church, Railway Station, Pub, Lochaber Halls, and several parades of shops. The Society participates in the local planning process, suggesting or opposing amendments to planning applications to maintain or enhance the character of the area. The Society fundraises including the recent Plant Mart which includes seasonal plants, stalls for cakes and refreshments and bric-à-brac and books and have established a Street Tree Fund to collect funds for planting new trees. The Society needs volunteers and encourages all residents to get involved to help improve the local built and natural environment, there is no formal membership or subscription. It meets every month usually at a member’s home see their website for details.

Description goes hereThe Lewisham Donation Hub is an ambitious voluntary project, which collects and organises donations of all kinds, to be shared with those facing hardship. They process a wide array of donation types all redistributed without judgement and at no cost by their team of volunteers from across the world. The Hub provides a wide range of support which includes supplies of quality clothing and footwear for all ages, homeware items (kitchenware, bedding, essential electricals) and equipment for the homeless and support for mothers and babies. The Hub also matches larger items such as electrical goods and furniture to those needing them the most and helps with emergency provisions and connecting those in need with the many established food projects in the local area. The Lewisham Donation Hub has a dedicated donation window every Sunday from 1-4pm at Place Ladywell.

The school community is a family, working together to ensure the pupils live life to the full. As a through-school they educate over 1000 pupils from across Lewisham and Greenwich from the age of 4 to 16. Trinity is a faith school, which welcomes families from all faiths and none.

Pupils and staff are respected and listened to, and their unique talents are recognised, every pupil matters, every lesson counts, and every teacher is committed. Trinity takes pride in the schools’ achievements and, together, the entire school works to help realise the dreams and ambitions of the children and their families. They look forward to welcoming you to Trinity.

The Community Flower Garden is planted and tended by a Friends group with a passion for creating a wildlife-friendly flowerbed project in Manor House Gardens, Lee. The old flower garden was originally a dusty, forgotten plot of land at the Manor Lane entrance to the park before being ‘liberated’ in 2014 and planted it up with perennials donated from local gardens (for sustainability). Over the years, the group has ebbed and flowed as new people arrive in the area and children grow up and move away. Local people have busy lives, but meeting up with whoever happens to be around once a month for an hour or so weeding in the open air is a joy. This is no ‘tonsured show garden’ but a democratic space where the volunteers learn from each other, enjoying the toads, bees, butterflies and even a newt that make their homes in the garden. Nowadays there is a battery pump, to pump water from the river (instead of hauling it up from the bridge in sandcastle buckets) and compost bins, which every year send the bed’s green waste back as healthy compost, improving the soil and the next year’s blooms. Welcome to the MHG community flowerbed.

Lochaber Halls are set on the borders of Lee and Hither Green in Lewisham. The Halls were built in 1910 and were given listed status in 1973. The halls are managed by committee of trustees under the auspices of The Lochaber Hall Community Association, a registered charity, Chaired by Jonathan White and administered by Simon Higgs of Tiltyard London Limited and Andrei the caretaker. In 2018 a new floor was laid in the main hall, and the original ceiling restored and returned to former glory. Both toilets at the halls have since undergone a major make-over and soundproofing has been put in the help keep the two halls separate from each other.

From Monday to Friday, and on Saturday mornings, the halls are used by various groups hiring the space to provide a variety of activities from pre-schoolers to senior citizens, with classes for English and Maths for school children, refugee support groups, ballroom dancing, Karate, art classes and yoga classes as well as Manor House Day in the small hall.

Lochaber Hall is available to hire for parties on Saturdays between 1pm & 6pm.

CONTACT THE SECRETARY

Is organised by Lewisham Council, and is open to anyone who lives, works or studies in the Lee Green ward. Items covered in meetings include the future of Manor House Library, Lee Green’s Local Plan, a newly formed consortium of local and voluntary groups, reports on recycling, a proposal to build social housing on Burnt Ash Hill, and the local police’s regular Safer Neighbourhood update.

A representative from Lee Forum will report on our progress towards developing a Neighbourhood Plan for the area. Set up to help local people influence the area’s development and character, we are currently gathering information to feed into the plan, which will then be consulted on with everyone. A key part of our information gathering has been a series of local walks, currently still taking place.

Please come to the Assembly to hear about local issues and activities, including Lee Forum’s ongoing work. Refreshments are available throughout the meeting.

You can help decide how to improve your local area at a local assembly open meeting. Find out about Lee Green Assembly meetings and more.

Join Lee Green residents, Councillors and local organisations to review the projects.

CONTACT JOSEPH ADEYINKA