Mayor of Lambeth

New blog for Mayor of Lambeth

Christopher Wellbelove — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:59:25 +0000

For the latest from the Mayor of Lambeth please visit my new blog at

http://www.wellbelove.com/index.php/category/mayor-of-lambeth/

Tagged: Mayor of Lambeth

2009 Dean Lecture with Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP

Christopher Wellbelove — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:10:11 +0000

This years Dean Lecture at Goldsmiths College was delivered by Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics, Cabinet Office, and Minister for London… among several of her responsibilities.

Mayor of Lambeth with the Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP

Tessa spoke about the future of London: the city that will emerge from the economic downturn and the role of London 2012 in fuelling the economic recovery, bringing communities closer together and driving positive social change.

Mayor of Lambeth at Goldsmiths following the lecture by Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP

Tessa is a past student of Goldsmiths and has long term connections with the area. She was asked a some tough questions by the audience; something I guess you should expect from a lecture at Goldsmiths.

Tagged: cabinet office, dean lecture, goldsmiths college, london 2012, minister for london, minister of olympics, tessa jowell mp

Lambeth Pensioners Action Group 30th Anniversary

Christopher Wellbelove — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:30:09 +0000

Lambeth Pensioners Action Group has a rich and long history of campaigning for issue that effect pensioners over the last 30 years. The event was supported by Lambeth council who provided the Assembly Hall and a large buffet for all who attended.

Mayor of Lambeth at LAMPAG's 30th Anniversary

Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall; Steve Reedd, leader of the council; Cllr Daphne Marchant, president of the LAMPAG and Cllr Lorna Campbell, Cabinet member for care and health all came to meet and chat with members and friends of LAMPAG,.

Tagged: lambeth pensioners action group, lampag

London Mayors Association Annual Civic Service

Christopher Wellbelove — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:15:11 +0000

This service is incorporated in the regular Abbey service of Evensong, which follows the custom of churches with a great choral tradition, where much of the service is sung by the choir alonge. In those parts where the congregation is invited to make its offering of praise this is done by responding to the beauty of the choir’s music.

Mayors and former Mayors following the civic service

The service includes a procession of the Mayors of the London Boroughs entering the Collegiate Church and the moving to the Quire. The Lord Mayor of Westminster in Civic State was then received and is conducted to his stall in the Quire.

Mayor of Lambeth with friends who attended the service

This is one of a few events in the year where a majority of Mayors from across London come together and it is most definately a sight to be seen of over 30 men and women in red robes and chains walking into Westminster Abbey.

Tagged: civic service, london boroughs, london mayors association, lord mayor of westminster, westminster abbey

Mayor of Bromley’s Charity Appeal

Christopher Wellbelove — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:33:53 +0000

The Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Douglas Auld, was holding a speacial event to support his charity this year, the Kent Association For the Blind.

Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Douglass Auld

The evening took the form of a fun and informal wine appreciation evening with Quiz and tasting.

Mayor of Lambeth with the Mayor and Mayoress of Bromley

It was really interesting to hear and learn about different wines and whilst the Mayor of Bromley’s team, which I was on, didn’t win we all had a brilliant time.

Mayors from several London Boroughs came to support the Mayor of Bromley including the Mayor and Mayoress of Greenwich; which was the second time I had seen the Mayor of Greenwich that day following his earlier visit to Lambeth for the Wellness Games.

Tagged: charity appeal, kent association for the blind, mayor of bromley, mayor of greewich

Clapham Pottery’s New site

Christopher Wellbelove — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:18:13 +0000

Clapham Pottery is a very succesful community organisation which ahead of it’s redevelopment has moved from Clapham Leisure Centre to this lovely site in the Old Chapel at 4a Rectory Grove.

Mayor of Lambeth with some of the work of Clapham Potters

Clapham Pottery is a busy self-funding and not-for-profit community pottery, offering pottery classes for all ages and all abilities. Pottery classes are held during the daytime and evenings for adults and kids, over a 10 week term, with a half term break. Weekend courses for adults are available on a monthly basis.

Mayor of Lambeth cutting the ribbon to officially open Clapham Pottery

Clapham Pottery classes are taught by professional, working potters from The North Street Potters, which was established in Clapham in 1978.

Mayor of Lambeth with Naine Woodrow for Clapham Potters

I was pleased to have the opportunity to personally thank Naine Woodrow, a long term member of the North Street Potters and a key driver behind this project and Clapham Potters. The whole team provide an invaluable service to the local community and beyond and it was wonderful to see their longer team future at the heart of Clapham.

Tagged: clapham, clapham leisure centre, clapham pottery, naine woodrow, north street potters, old chapel, rectory grove

Aardvark Recycling

Christopher Wellbelove — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:06:39 +0000

Aardvark recycling is a not-for-profit social enterprise specialising in food waste collection and processing services to residents and businesses.

Mayor of Lambeth with the Aardvark team

Their profits are ploughed back into local environmental improvement projects, including healthy eating initiatives and a real nappy scheme for south London.

Mayor of Lambeth with Natasha Harris from Aardvark Recycling

The food waste is broken down into high quality compost which they offer to local community groups and individuals. Last year Aardvark Recyling diverted 50 tonnes of residential food waste from landfill. They turned that waste into high quality compost that local community groups and individuals could use to fertilise gardens, allotments, parks, window boxes and pot plants.

Processed food waste breaks down into compost

It was great to tour the site and gain, once I got used to the smell, a better understanding of how the system works – and see the rich healthy compost that they produce.

Tagged: aardvark recycling, community groups, environmentally friendly, food waste, landfill, Mayor of Lambeth, real nappy scheme, social enterprise

Wellness Games – Brixton Recreation Centre

Christopher Wellbelove — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:59:17 +0000

The Wellness Games are an annual London Wide sporting event for the over 55′s. Teams are entered on a borough basis and this is the first time that the event has been held in Lambeth with a Lambeth team taking part.

Mayor of Lambeth visiting the Wellness Games at Brixton Recreation Centre

Along with visiting the games, chatting to team members from Lambeth and other boroughs it was a great opportunity to visit the leisure centre that I used to use regularly when I lived in Brixton but had not seen since its refurbishment.

Mayor of Lambeth with the Mayor of Greenwich who was also visiting the games

Everyone was having a great time and it was clear that the games were hugely popular.

Mayor of Lambeth with one of the entrants to the Wellness Games

Tagged: brixton recreation centre, gll, greenwich leisure, Mayor of Lambeth, wellness games

CHASE – Christopher’s Hospice

Christopher Wellbelove — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:21:17 +0000

CHASE hospice care for children gives help and support to families with children and young people who are not expected to reach adulthood.

Mayor of Lambeth with Anna Roche from CHASE

The CHASE community care team work out on the road throughout the year supporting families in their homes and in the community, whilst the Hospice is in Guildford they do the work across South West London, Surrey and West Sussex.

Anna Roche, Community fundraising manager, showed me around the Hospice and took the time to tell me about their work and some of the amazing facilities they have available. It is quite clear that every need of the children, their families including their siblings has been thought through.

I was particularly moved by the rooms they put by for children who have passed away. These rooms are especially cooled to enable the families to visit the child and say goodbye at their own pace prior to the funeral in a setting like the child’s bedroom and if they wish items special to the child can be placed around them. I could see how helpful this could be for the families who had lost a child and even for the staff who must be so affected after working with the children and families for many years.

The work being done by the CHASE team is amazing, and it was clear that everyone there was extremely passionate and committed.

CHASE is not funded by the government and is reliant on donations to keep their valuable work going. In the current climate funding for smaller organisations is extremely tough and donations from the public are more important than ever.

Tagged: chase, christophers hospice

Streatham Darby & Joan Club – Black History Month

Christopher Wellbelove — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:50:23 +0000

The Darby & Joan Club in Streatham was a hotbed of activity today, as their members came together for their annual event as part of Black History Month.

Mayor of Lambeth at Streatham Darby and Joan Club

Unlike some groups which are very targeted to a specific group within the borough, the Darby & Joan Club is extremely diverse and a great example of how people from very different backgrounds can a do come together, support one another and provide a valuable source of friendship to people who otherwise could become extremely isolated.

I was treated to some delicious food, which I needed in the middle of an extremely busy, and was great to see everyone coming together for the meal.

I heard about how the work on Phase II of the development of the Streatham Communities Hub had started with commencement of the building works on the coach house which will incorporate the Older Persons Resource Centre and Lambeth Carers Hub.

There is some great work going on at the Darby & Joan Club and Gloria Baileys ‘Make a difference Black-Afro Caribbean Group’ did a great job putting on this event which had a big party atmosphere – just a shame I had to go back to work as I would have loved to stay on and partied all afternoon.

Tagged: Black History month, gloria bailey, lamber carers hub, make a difference, older pearsons resource centre, streatham communities hub, streatham darby and joan