News

SE London NHS changes – public meeting at The Valley tonight

Darryl Chamberlain

Lewisham Council adYou’ve probably heard by now of the dramatic changes planned to local NHS services following the financial failure of the South London NHS Trust, which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Woolwich Common.

The plans include the closure of Lewisham Hospital’s A&E unit and replacing it with a 24-hour urgent care centre, as well as the possible shutdown of its maternity unit. Whether QEH will be able to cope with the influx is a question which hasn’t yet been answered…

There’s a public meeting about the plans tonight at The Valley – trust special administrator Matthew Kershaw, who drew up the plans, is expected to be there. It runs from 7pm-9pm – past meetings have been heated affairs and packed out, so try to get along early.

For more on the consultation, which ends on 13 December, see the TSA website. For more on the campaign to protect Lewisham’s hospital services, see Save Lewisham Hospital. There’s also coverage on this site’s opinionated sister, 853, as well as at Brockley Central.)

Charlton Rail Users’ Group meets this Thursday

Darryl Chamberlain2 Comments

charlton_station_bookshelfIt’s been a busy year and one of improvements at Charlton station, but there’s still plenty to be done.

The security and information facilities at the station have improved, while it also saw service as a Olympic and Paralympic interchange for the North Greenwich/ O2 Arena during the summer. There’s been a clean-up, while the flag poles have now been decorated for the first time in a decade.

There’s also been one new innovation – the bookcase, where commuters can pick up and leave books if they fancy something a bit more rewarding than reading Facebook or the Metro in the morning.

The improved facilities show what happen when local people can get together and put some pressure on station operators.

There’s still a long way to go, and the service still leaves a lot to be desired – see this open letter that’s been doing the rounds. And six car trains still stop at the far end of the platform.

On Thursday at 7pm at Charlton Liberal Club, you can put your questions to Southeastern’s Mike Gibson, as well as representatives from TfL and Greenwich Council. The CRUG meets twice a year, so please pop in if you can.

Charlton Community Gardens latest

Darryl Chamberlain1 Comment

Claire Williams has the latest on the Charlton Community Gardens scheme…

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Congratulations to Bill Dolan and Gordon Parrish, joint winners in the over 16s category of Charlton Community Gardens Edible Window Box Competition. Their winning entries used a range of decorative and edible plants, and scored points too for the recycled birdbath used as the container.

Neighbours agree with our judges, Jillian Smith from Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society and Barbara Holland of the Charlton Community Gardens group: “What Gordon and Bill create in their gardens each year gives so much enjoyment.”

The joint first winners shared prizes donated by shopkeepers from The Standard, a voucher from Sparkes the Butcher and a pair of secateurs from Marnells. The winners said “These great prizes will go towards our Christmas”.

The prize in the children’s section went to Theo Saldin and the over 16 runner-up was Maria Bloor. Their prizes came from Ottie and the Bea and from Well Bean Health Food store.

Charlton Community Gardens group is not yet a year old. It was set up to promote
cooperation and support for everyone interested in sustainable and organic growing
and wildlife diversity in Charlton. The group is working on leasing local land for
shared growing and learning together.

Alongside running the Edible Window Box competition, the group raised plants for
sale at The Hornfair and at local school fairs. “We are keen that schoolchildren get
the habit of “grow to eat” and window boxes will flourish on balconies and ledges in
any sunny spot,” say members of the Steering Group.

If you’d like more information about how to get involved in the Charlton Community
Gardens group, send an email to charltoncommunitygardens@gmail.com. The
group’s website is under development.

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Thorntree School Christmas Craft Market

Darryl Chamberlain


Sarah’s been in touch to say you should come to the Thorntree School Christmas Craft Market, which is this Thursday evening.

“Once again we will be showcasing local craftspeople such as Emi & Ben Natural Skincare, Sweet William Ceramics and Jentus Bags.

“It takes place this Thursday from 7-9.30pm; entry is £1 for adults and includes a raffle ticket. We’ll be selling refreshments too.”

There’s also a Facebook page for the Friends of Thorntree Association.

It’s the Charlton Society’s annual meeting this Saturday

Darryl Chamberlain14 Comments

Here’s Charlton Society chairman David Gardner…

All Charlton residents and friends are warmly welcome to the Annual Meeting of The Charlton Society on Saturday 20 October in Charlton House at 2.30pm. You do not need to be a member, though be great if you could join.

We are very pleased to welcome our MP Nick Raynsford and the Deputy Mayor of Royal Greenwich, Cllr. Angela Cornforth and many local councillors.

But we can also celebrate a good year for Charlton, not just the football club being promoted, but the adoption of the Charlton Riverside Masterplan, a commitment to downgrade Woolwich Road, the 200th anniversary of PM Spencer Perceval’s assassination, the reopening of a heated Charlton Lido, the new Maryon Wilson Animal Centre Trust and the Charlton Village Conservation Area review and Charlton House Trust on the near horizon.

Altogether, there is so much happening in Charlton and so much potential. And some great coming together across Charlton whether for our parks and green spaces, heritage buildings, places of worship, the station and for particular roads and neighbourhoods.

Be great to see you on 20th and so stop for refreshments afterwards.

Can you help make Woolwich Road safer?

Darryl Chamberlain17 Comments

Greenwich Council is currently consulting on plans to make some changes to part of the Charlton stretch of Woolwich Road – between Felltram Way and Charlton Church Lane – following a number of accidents over the years.

They also take into account changes that’ll need to be made for the proposed new Sainsbury’s/M&S store is built on the corner of Gallions Road.

Well, I say it’s consulting, but there’s nothing on its website and there’s no mention of this in Greenwich Time. Indeed, only a handful of households, either on or immediately adjacent to Woolwich Road, have been invited to take part.

However, the Charlton Champion has been passed the documents, so you too can see what’s planned and respond. See if you can spot the glaring error in one of them.

Woolwich Road Consultation Document (PDF)
Woolwich Road Consultation Questionnaire (PDF)

The council’s desire to involve as few people as possible in its decisions aside, what’s planned includes:

– A central refuge on the Victoria Way zebra crossing
– Installing a pedestrian refuge near to Ramac Way
– Widening the markings in the middle of the road to separate traffic flows
– Renewing anti-skid surfaces
– Moving the zebra crossing and bus stop at Victoria Way (part of the Sainsbury’s scheme)

Of course, the biggest thing that could be done on that stretch of road would be to reduce the amount of traffic, particularly HGVs, on the Woolwich Road. This would require Woolwich-bound traffic at the Blackwall Tunnel to be funnelled towards Bugsby’s Way, rather than the A206 as now. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in that document proposing this quick win, neither is there a proposal to deal with the “dance of death” at the foot of Charlton Church Lane.

But there’s nothing stopping you suggesting those, or anything else. As ever with these consultations, there isn’t long to respond, and it’s by post only, to get to the council by 5 October – that’s a week on Friday. Tell ’em we sent you.

Charlton Lido reopens at 9.30am today

Darryl Chamberlain33 Comments


The lights were burning into the night yesterday as Charlton Lido prepared for its reopening. After two years of closure, the lido will be back open for business at 9.30am today for the summer, ahead of further work on refurbishing the pool which will begin in the autumn.

Two gripes – inconveniently, GLL has made it cheaper to buy tickets in advance online rather than just turning up with cash, a slightly strange way of operating a community facility surrounded by thousands of potential visitors in walking distance.

The opening hours seem a little restrictive, too – no chance of a pre-work dip, as the pool will open at 9.30am on weekdays and 8.30am at weekends. If GLL wants to establish Charlton Lido alongside the likes of the pool at Brockwell Park, it’s going to have to open earlier than that.

But at least the pool is back. If you get a chance to visit, please let us know how the water was for you.