Made in Chelsea star visits Big Red Bus Club for BBC’s Children in Need

Binky Felstead joined in storytelling activities

Made in Chelsea star Binky Felstead has visited The Big Red Bus Club in Charlton Park to launch a campaign ahead of the BBC’s annual Children In Need appeal.

Children In Need funds the club’s Play Plus project, which allows parents and children under five with special educational needs to take part in music and art activities.

Felstead joined in with storytelling and sensory play to launch the Power of Play campaign, which aims to help children in every community in the UK have somewhere safe to play so they can develop their skills.

She said: “I had such a fantastic time at the project. It was brilliant to meet with the project workers, the parents and their children and to see how much they enjoyed the play activities was incredibly special.”

The Power of Play campaign is being held with Asda, where customers will be able to pick up free “play passes” which children will be able to ‘’trade in” with an adult for 30 minutes of play. Each of the play passes offers a different play activity, and will help children to learn a variety of life skills, such as teamwork, patience and resilience, that will aid their development.

Steph Brett-Lee, Asda’s senior director of community and corporate affairs, said: “At Asda we are so pleased that our Power of Play campaign with BBC Children in Need will help to provide even more play opportunities, just like this one, across the UK.

“It’s fantastic to see how the money raised helps support groups like the Big Red Bus Club to fund their Play Plus project which gives children a place where they can enjoy inclusive play activities and make new friends. It’s clear to see how much that this is valued and enjoyed by the children and their parents.”

This year’s Children In Need appeal is on Friday 15 November; shoppers can find out more about Power of Play at asda.com/children-in-need.


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Herringham Quarter: Plans for 1,300 Charlton Riverside homes go to council

Is this the future of the Charlton Riverside?

Hyde housing association has formally submitted its plans to build nearly 1,300 new homes on the Charlton riverside, making it the third major scheme to enter the planning process.

It has put in a detailed planning application to Greenwich Council to build 762 homes on two plots either side of Herringham Road, close to the Thames Barrier, with blocks of up to 10 storeys. It is calling the site Herringham Quarter.

One set of blocks would replace Maybank Wharf, the current Westminster Waste recycling yard. Of the 524 flats planned for the riverside site, 21.5% would be for shared ownership, 21% would be for London Affordable Rent, a form of social rent.

Phase 1 is where 762 homes are planned. Phases 2 and 3 are not expected until after 2024

The other set of blocks, to the south, would offer 238 flats, all for London Affordable Rent. It says it plans to take vacant possession of both sites in March. Retail and workshops are also in the plans along with open spaces and a new flood defence wall.

Hyde also plans to build 530 homes on two adjoining sites closer to the Thames Barrier. However, it has only asked for outline permission for these sites; it does not expect to take possession of the land until 2024. One set of blocks would be of 203 flats for private sale, the other would be of 285 flats with 9% London Affordable Rent and 48% shared ownership.

Don’t ask why some people are dressed for summer and others winter…

Access to the new homes, however, could be a challenge for the first residents – with the sole route in and out of the site being via the industrial yards of Eastmoor Street. Hyde says it has agreed with Transport for London for a bus route to serve the site – but oddly, it would be an extension of the 301 route to Woolwich, rather than a route to North Greenwich or Charlton station. While this would be cheap to provide, it would be lumbering residents with the cost of commuting from zone 4 even though they would be living in zone 3.

The riverside development will also have to contend with Riverside Wharf – the Tarmac yard – as a neighbour. As at Greenwich Millennium Village, one block will be built to shield the development from the industrial use.

Much of what is in the planned development has already been trailed at public exhibitions. But the application submitted to Greenwich Council does provide some very useful context as to the wider Charlton Riverside project and its neighbour at Greenwich Peninsula.

Who owns what and what’s planned on the riverside – note the amount of land owned by Greenwich Council

The other four schemes, from west to east, are:

Want to see what the riverside could look like in a decade?

Hyde’s map of future riverside developments (click to expand)

You can find the full planning documents – and send your thoughts to the council – on its planning website (reference 19/3456/F). If you read nothing else, have a look at the first volume of its transport and access statement, which is where we’ve lifted the images from.


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Become a Friend of St Luke’s and help protect Charlton’s historic church

St Luke with Holy Trinity church needs help with restoration

St Luke’s Church in Charlton a much-loved local landmark – but it needs funds to help restore it, and volunteers who can help keep it open so more people can discover what’s inside. Church warden RICK NEWMAN invites you to become a Friend of St Luke’s…

Largely unchanged for almost four hundred years after being rebuilt in 1630, what was once a village church in Kent, St Luke with Holy Trinity is the church in The Village in Charlton. Not only the final resting place of Spencer Perceval, the answer to that well worn pub quiz question “name the only British prime minister to date to have been assassinated,” St Luke’s is a Grade 2* building of “exceptional historical importance”. There are frequent enquiries about St Luke’s from near and far, with many keen to visit and to know more about its history.

There also those with memories to share, recalling the place where they grew up or where their parents and grandparents were baptised or married. While the days of up to four weddings on any given Saturday might be a distant but happy memory, St Luke’s remains a thriving and active Anglican parish church at the heart of Charlton.

Inevitably, the upkeep and maintenance of the building remains a challenge. In response to these needs, the Friends of St Luke’s is being launched to increase awareness of this remarkable building in our local community and far beyond. The aim is to raise funds towards restoration, repair and development to make the building a community hub and fit for mission in the 21st century.

It is also an opportunity to develop a group of volunteers who can ensure the building is open more often as part of our mission for even more engagement with visitors and locals alike. The church is always open on Sunday and Wednesday mornings for Holy Communion / Parish Eucharist, as well as open for Morning Prayer at 8.30am from Monday through to Thursday. Whenever the door is open at other times there are always visitors, whether by arrangement with local schools or walking tours, or simply those who were “just passing”.

We would love to be able to be open more often and to do so we need to develop a group of volunteers.

Annual membership for The Friends of Luke’s is £15 for individuals, £20 for a couple. Life membership is £50 for individuals and £90 for a couple. Further information about the Friends of St Luke’s and how to become one is set out in a leaflet available in St Luke’s or on the church website.

To coincide with the launch of the Friends of St Luke’s, a beautifully illustrated 36-page guide and history has been produced for sale at £7.00; couples or individuals signing up for life membership will receive a complementary copy.

St Luke’s welcomes people into a place where prayer has been offered for 1000 years; with care and support it will stand for many centuries to come.

You can find more details and sign up at www.charlton.church.


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Complain about the council and get a free swim: Better Together at Charlton House

Charlton House and Gateway Arch
You can meet local councillors at Charlton House on Monday

A bit short notice, this, but Greenwich Council’s programme of public meetings, Better Together, comes to Charlton House on Monday evening from 7pm.

Hello residents of Charlton, Kidbrooke and Woolwich!

This coming Monday 21 October, it’s the Better Together resident event! This is your chance to talk about what really matters to you in your area and to get your voice heard.

We want to hear your views, ideas and issues about where you live, to help us improve our services. There’ll be a Q&A with your local councillors, plus there’ll be a range of stalls where you can find out more about our services and other organisations.

There’s also a free offer! Anyone attending will get a Free Swim at the The Greenwich Centre from 21 – 28 October!

Better Together events have come in for a bit of stick from residents’ groups – they don’t have any power and they cover large areas, unlike in neighbouring Lewisham where ward assemblies can choose where to spend money in small areas. They’re also rather patchily promoted – we didn’t get a press release about this one; we only found out because someone kindly emailed us. Otherwise, we’d have told you earlier.

But the council uses them as a way of gauging opinion on issues and priorities, so if you’ve got a question or a gripe, head to Charlton House on Monday – and there’s a free swim in it, too.


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Whatever happened to Charlton station’s water fountain? We’ve found out

A couple of months ago, we got excited because we saw Charlton station had gained a new water fountain. It was all part of a London-wide plan to provide more drinking water taps, and reduce the need for people to buy plastic bottles of water. There was a heatwave on, it sounded fantastic.

Then a few weeks after it opened, it was covered up again. And moved. It’s still covered up today. Our refillable bottles have remained unfilled.

We asked Thames Water what was going on. A spokesperson got back to us very quickly and told us: “At the moment the water coming from the fountain isn’t of the standard we’d expect so we can’t let anyone use it until it passes all the right tests.”

Thames Water emphasises there is no issue with water in the wider area – it’s just an issue that affects the fountain.

Hopefully the fountain will be back in service soon.


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Hill-climbing kids complete 100km cycling challenge for Big Red Bus Club

Daisy and Anatoliy
Would you cycle up Frances Street after riding through Kent and Essex? Daisy and Anatoliy did

Two local 12-year-olds cycled 100 kilometres through London, Kent and Essex at the weekend to raise money for The Big Red Bus Club, the family wellbeing charity based in Charlton Park.

Daisy and Anatoliy, who met as three-year olds at one of the club’s free family stay and play sessions, cycled solidly for almost eight hours – and were inspired to take on the challenge after supporting adult cyclists who have completed the same charity ride in previous years.

They cycled for eight hours on Saturday, beginning and ending at the Big Red Bus Club, including the hills and crossing the river at the Woolwich and Tilbury ferries. Daisy and Anatoliy are trying to raise £1,750 for the charity.

Daisy and Anatoliy both almost a decade ago and were inspired to take on the mammoth cycle challenge after supporting the adult cyclists who have completed this charity ride in previous years.

Daisy and Anatoliy on the ferry

Daisy said: “The best moment was the feeling of getting up Frances Street, the very last hill, and knowing at the top I was going onto the home stretch and I was going to do it. The worst moments were going up hills when I got a feeling in my legs that I couldn’t keep going, but I am so happy that I kept on and competed the whole ride.

“The Big Red Bus Club has been a part of my life since I was so little, I love walking past and seeing the new little children playing.”

Anatoliy said: “The best bit of the day was at 20 miles sitting down and having a hot chocolate on the Tilbury ferry. I can’t wait for next year.”

The Big Red Bus Club is open weekday afternoons for free stay-and-play for under-fives, run by volunteers.

To donate to Daisy and Anatoliy’s appeal, visit localgiving.org/fundraising/anatoliy-daisy-charity-bike-ride/.


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Charlton station gets a Black History Month crossing

The crossing is one of a number in Greenwich borough

The pedestrian crossing at Charlton station has been given a new, colourful look to mark Black History Month. The crossing is one of four in Greenwich borough to have been painted in the pan-African colours of red, gold, green and black for October, and follows crossings in Greenwich, Woolwich and Plumstead being given a rainbow hue to mark Pride in London month during the summer.

Sponsors have covered the cost of the work – they include the developer U+I, which is redeveloping the former Siemens factory site by the Thames; and the housing association Peabody, which owns Charlton Triangle Housing. The other backers are Berkeley Homes, the Old Royal Naval College and Greenwich Hospital, the charity which owns Greenwich market.

A series of events are taking place across Greenwich borough to mark Black History Month, including a screening of Malcolm X at Charlton House on Friday 11 October and children’s workshops, also at Charlton House, on Saturday 26 October.


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