Charlton Events

Check out some of Charlton’s finest gardens and help Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice

Darryl Chamberlain
Leo Salvia and Jack Lineham's garden
Leo Salvia and Jack Lineham’s garden is one of those taking part in the festival

Ever fancied a nose around some of the area’s best gardens? You’ll get your chance this month with the Open Gardens Festival, held to support Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice.

Nine SE7 gardens are taking part – mostly around Heathwood Gardens and Kinveachy Gardens – but others include Leo Salvia and Jack Lineham’s oasis of wildflowers, ornamental planting and vegetable beds in what was once a neglected plot of brambles.

You’ll also be able to take a look at a host of other gardens in Greenwich and Blackheath, and further afield in Lee and Eltham – see more details in the leaflet. Some are down private lanes you may never have visited before – others are in unassuming neighbourhood streets.

The event takes place on 10-11 and 24-25 June – tickets are £20 for both weekends, £14 for one weekend and £5 to look around a single garden. To book, visit the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice website.

Take part in next month’s Art, Crafts and Jumble Trail around the streets of Charlton

The Charlton Champion

Arts and Crafts Trail stall

The Charlton Central Residents’ Association is holding its third Art, Crafts & Jumble Trail on Saturday 1st July from 2-5pm. You don’t have to be a member to take party. SARAH HORNSEY explains more…

Sell your handiwork, clear out your cupboards, pick up a bargain and meet friends and neighbours!

The Art, Crafts and Jumble Trail is a fun event that brings the community together, showcases the creative talent we have in our area and helps support recycling by selling unwanted items. You can also run a stall for your favourite charity by doing a cake bake or offering refreshments, for example.

All households on the trail are invited to join in and set up a stall. These roads include Calydon Road, Delafield Road, Elliscombe Road, Fossdene Road, Frank Burton Close, Gollogly Terrace, Inverine Road, Nadine Street, Priolo Road, Sundorne Road, Swallowfield Road, Wellington Gardens and Wellesley Close.

If you live outside this area, we have limited availability for stalls at St Richard’s Hall. Stalls will be allocated on a first come, first served basis for £8 – just fill out this form.

If you require any further information, contact Jacqui Mitchell via jumbletrail[at]charltonresidents.net.

Music for a Summer’s Evening returns this month at Charlton House to help Greenwich Foodbank

The Charlton Champion

music for a summer's evening poster

Now the warmer weather has finally arrived, it should be safe for the return of the Music on the Summer’s Evening concert – this time taking place at the Old Library in Charlton House – on Sunday June 25.

GWEN ZAMMIT, who directs the St Luke’s Players, has been pitting on the concerts since 1972 to give professionals and amateurs and opportunity to perform locally and raise money for charity. She says…

All types of music are featured in the programme giving something to suit all tastes, as well as lots of fun!

Performers include our local professionals, musical director Dominic Barlow, tenor Jim Kinsella, pianist Fiona Sinfield as well as the St Luke’s Players.

That is not all there are other performers, including the duo Richard O’Shea and Garry Keir, who will surprise you on the night… you need some surprises don’t you?

This year, the concert is in aid of Greenwich Foodbank. Tickets cost £15, including a glass of wine/beer or a soft drink. Call 07738 561544 or 020 8856 7373 to book.

Find out about the Green Chain Walk and visit a plant sale at Charlton House this weekend

Darryl Chamberlain

Charlton House in the evening

The Charlton Society‘s monthly talk this Saturday will focus on one of SE London’s gems – the Green Chain Walk. They say…

Jane Lawson’s working life was spent teaching and lecturing in Pakistan, Uganda and London. Jane was also a Presiding Justice on the Westminster and Family Bench. Since retirement Jane has been able to pursue her passions for walking the footpaths of London, exploring the built and natural environment of London and of the Royal Borough of Greenwich in particular, and identify and study the wild flowers to be found along the footpaths.

This talk will be about all three – The Green Chain Walk – its buildings and its botany. It’s a treasure trove of often unexpected joys and delights.

Admission will be £3 (£2 for Charlton Society members) and the meeting is this Saturday, May 20, at 2.30 pm.

Then on Sunday, the Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society will be having its plant sale. CABAHS’s KATHY AITKEN says…

With loads of community groups joining in, it promises to be a great day out. Browse the plant stalls and find out what local groups have been doing and what opportunities there are to join in.

There will be lots for children to do, with a “Bugs in the Beds” trail around the Old Pond Garden, face painting at the Producers Market and Charlton Toy Library crafts. The WI will be there with their scrumptious cake stall and the Charlton House beekeepers plan to sell their honey.

St Luke’s Church will be open for Tower tours (panoramic views from the top!) and Millennium tapestry talks.

The plant sale will take place on Sunday, May 21, from 11am to 3pm.

Norman Jay to headline Together 23 festival in Charlton Park next month

Darryl Chamberlain
Tyber and Pete from the Dualers at Together 22 in Charlton Park
Last year’s event drew 18,000 people to Charlton Park

Legendary rare groove DJ Norman Jay will headline the Together 23 festival next month, which is expected to bring thousands of people to Charlton Park.

The Kiss FM co-founder will follow performances from Parklife, a Britpop tribute band, and the southeast London party collective Groove 101 at the festival, which will take place from noon to 6pm on Saturday June 10.

Last year’s festival, which coincided with Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, was headlined by Tyber and Pete from the Dualers and brought 18,000 people to the park.

The family festival, which is being put on by Greenwich Council, will also feature arts, crafts and drumming workshops for children as well as stalls and a chance to meet councillors and community groups.

Adel Khaireh, the cabinet member for equality, culture and communities, said: “Every year, our family festival unites our communities for a free day of fun and I’m thrilled to be bringing the celebrations back to Charlton Park for a third time.

“We’ve got a fantastic line-up this year. From DJ Norman Jay and Parklife, to arts, crafts and Boppin’ Bunnies, there’s something for everyone. Get to know your local community groups and as always, our market village will be filled with local traders to try out.”

The event means that Charlton parkrun will not take place that day – giving runners and walkers a chance to visit the new Thames Path parkrun in Woolwich, which opened last weekend.

More details of Together 23 can be found on the council website.

This website is closing this month – we thank readers for their support of neighbourhood news for Charlton over the years.

It’s Good to Grow again at Maryon Park Community Garden this Saturday

The Charlton Champion
Maryon Park Community Garden
It’s your chance to see the Maryon Park Community Garden this Saturday

Maryon Park Community Garden has consistently supported this website over the years by letting us know about their events. We’re delighted to hear that this Saturday they are having their first open day since the coronavirus lockdowns.

It’s well worth a visit to take a look at one of Charlton’s best-kept secrets. It’s been a long time, but they’re back…

Good to Grow Day is a national event for edible gardens to mark the new growing season by opening their doors to the local community encouraging people to visit their local Community Garden.

Maryon Park Community Garden is taking part in Good to Grow and have a ‘Drop-in Open Day’ on Saturday 22nd April from 10am to 4pm.

The Community Garden provides organic growing plots for local people, a Forest School for primary schools and volunteer opportunities for individuals and corporate groups.

On Saturday visitors can learn more about the Community Garden, enjoy tours and talks about the plots, orchard, wildflower bank, Forest School and the historic Maryon Park, location of the Sixties film Blow-Up.

There will be refreshments, children’s activities, and plant and craft stalls. Visitors can see the community garden and forest school or join the waiting list for a plot.

There will be a free ‘family forest school’ event from noon to 1pm, led by qualified Forest School Leader Chevonne Campbell.

Maryon Park Community Garden is on the south side of Maryon Park, near the main gates in Maryon Road. Look out for the bunting.

Find out about the Eastcombe Estate (aka Charlton Slopes) with the Charlton Society this weekend

Darryl Chamberlain
SE7 display in Bramshot Avenue
The Eastcombe Estate covers what estate agents call the “Charlton Slopes”

If you live in an area roughly bounded by Eastcombe Avenue, Wyndcliff Road and Charlton Road, then there’s a chance to find out about the history of your patch with the Charlton Society tomorrow (Saturday).

If you’ve ever dealt with certain estate agents, you may know this area as the Charlton Slopes… The talk is from local historian Barbara Holland.

Eastcombe Estate map

Barbara Holland began her local history research when she retired after 30 years working for Greenwich Council. She has given talks to local groups on a variety of subjects including Charlton builder ‘Mad Jack’ Ellis, Charles Heisch and Charlton Gardens and Gardening. She is chair of the Friends of Greenwich Park History Research Group which explores some of the lesser-known facets of the park’s past.

Barbara has lived locally for more than 40 years and has a particular interest in telling the hidden stories of people and places in Charlton. In her illustrated talk about the Eastcombe Estate, she will look at its early history and ownership and how the estate was developed at the start of the 20th century.

She will highlight aspects such as the layout and housing design, the early occupants, and how the area has changed over the years.

Admission is £3 (£2 for members) and the talk at 2.30pm on Saturday at St Luke’s Church in Charlton Village.