Cycling into the future: Where to ride with Charlton’s new cycleway coming?

Faraday Works
Faraday Works – the long-closed Siemens factory – is on the Thames cycle route

The pandemic has pushed many people to get back on their bikes or try cycling for the first time. CLAIRE SELBY is one of them. With Charlton’s new cycleway under construction, she’s been brushing up on her cycle skills on the Thames Path…

Prompted by a couple of my dearest female friends who bought cycles in the first lockdown, I finally bit the bullet a few days before Christmas and got myself a city bike. I used Cycles UK in Deptford and found them ridiculously helpful for a complete novice. Panniers, rack, mudguards, a helmet and a lock later I wheeled my way out of the shop. I knew I could cycle most of the way back to Charlton along the river on the Thames Path but I hadn’t actually done it.

Context here: I haven’t cycled since I was about 14 years old, which is a long time ago and not in London. I didn’t like the idea of trying Boris bikes, and there are unbelievably no hubs yet near Charlton or Greenwich. But sometimes you just have to go for it, and go for it I did.

During the first lockdown I had three local walks I did very often: Charlton via Westcombe Park to Greenwich via the park, walk up and across to Blackheath Village and then Charlton round the O2 via the Thames Path. I got reacquainted with my local area again quietly as I had done through mudlarking over the past couple of years on the foreshore outside the Anchor and Hope. Traversing the area by cycle is quite different, but much more fun. You realise just how long a bus can take. Cycling along the Thames Path will never get old or dull for me. The absolute exhilaration of being near the river, on a designated and pretty decently maintained surface is quite the rush.

From my house off Woolwich Road I can easily cut down the usually quiet Horn Lane, use the Bugsby’s Way crossing and go down Peartree Way right up to the yacht club and then have a glorious cycle right around the O2. Soon I’ll be able to come out of my road and go immediately onto the new cycle track either all the way to Greenwich or Woolwich.

Thames Path bridge
The metallic bridge on the Thames cycle path

My favourite part of cycling in Charlton is the Thames Barrier. If you cycle from Woolwich and follow the Thames Path, you cycle alongside the river on your right, across the white metallic bridge by the marvellous Thames-Side Studios and slide right down the slope onto Warspite Road. Hook a right, sneak through the gate and cycle alongside the beautiful old warehouse buildings. How long until Faraday Works opens? I can’t wait! You come to a small restriction barrier, onto tarmac humps and there you are – the Barrier! It feels so un-London I love it. Did you know it has its own Twitter account? The glistening peaks of the Barrier hit with sunlight never fail to delight me.

I recently learnt of a proposal to build a bridge alongside the Barrier, why ever not? Recently I arranged to meet a friend there: as I got there I realised he was on the other side of the river.

My next goal is to use the Woolwich Ferry to go north, which should be an adventure. Sadly due to the redevelopment west of the ferry means you can no longer cycle right beside the river, you have to take an awkward ride or walk alongside the road and then rejoin a diversion through one of the new developments. But oh, it is surely worth it because as soon as you pop out, you are right alongside the almost mythical Woolwich Dockyard fishing lakes. Apparently there is still a 40lb carp in there somewhere according to one of the lads fishing there.

South London Aquatic Centre
The old South East London Aquatic Centre in Woolwich, which has been earmarked for development for many years

On cycling trips around the Peninsula, I have played with cycling back on part of the new cycle lane westbound from Greenwich towards Charlton. As long time residents and avid readers of The Charlton Champion will know, one of the main reasons for this cycle track being developed was the number of fatalities on the Angerstein Roundabout. Even as a pedestrian it is always quite hairy crossing the A102 – the car is king. As a cyclist now, you can’t take an unbroken route to cross it but they have made it a little easier by widening lanes and utilising the pedestrian lights to enable you to cross while still mounted. You still need to press three crossing buttons to do it though so it’s not entirely seamless.

Cycleway 4
Work is continuing on the new cycleway along Woolwich Road

The traffic on Woolwich Road and around the Blackwall Tunnel has always been terrible ever since I moved south of the river about 24 years ago. Lockdown is the only thing that has made it less congested, and the new cycle lane makes things more accessible.

If you are also starting out or getting reacquainted with a bike there is an excellent company called Cycle Confident, which offers free cycle lessons for adults. I had one lesson in that weird limbo between Christmas and New Year amongst children with fancier bikes than mine, scooters, roller skates and everything in between. I highly recommend them and have booked a second now Covid restrictions allow.

I found this which is great: cyclingfallacies.com

Claire is on Twitter at @sitdowncomedian and blogs at Medium.

Do you have any hints and tips for local cycling? Please share them in the comments below.

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Charlton Lido reopening confirmed for 29 March

Darryl Chamberlain
Charlton Lido July 2020
Not long to go…

Swimmers have just two weeks to wait until they can take their first dip at Charlton Lido after coronavirus restrictions are eased.

Better, which runs the pool and gym, will reopen the lido and outdoor fitness classes on Monday 29 March, along with other outdoor facilities in Greenwich borough.

The lido has seen a surge in custom during the pandemic, but was forced to close on 5 January when the national lockdown was introduced.

Swimmers will need to download the Better app to book sessions and are being asked to arrive ‘beach ready’ with their costume on under their clothes. Fitness class customers are encouraged to shower and change at home.

Outdoor adventure playgrounds are also reopening, as are outdoor athletics and fitness classes at Sutcliffe Park Sports Centre. Further afield, outdoor facilities at Thamesmere Leisure Centre and outdoor football at Coldharbour Leisure Centre will also resume. There is also a Better at Home digital membership with online exercise classes, which are free to Greenwich residents.

Richard Gallagher, Better’s partnership manager in Greenwich said: “We can’t wait to welcome customers back to our outdoor facilities again. With swimming, fitness classes, football, athletics and adventure play all available at various locations across the borough, there will be plenty of options available for residents to begin getting active again after lockdown.”

Adel Khaireh, Greenwich Council’s cabinet member for culture, communities and equalities, said: “Our leisure centres are valuable community assets and play a central role in supporting the wellbeing of our residents, and they’re more important than ever after a prolonged period at home.”

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Kevin Nolan’s Valley View: Charlton Athletic 1-1 Shrewsbury Town

kevinnolan

Kevin Nolan's Valley View

Dark clouds gathered over The Valley once again yesterday – delivering hailstones and a disappointing draw. KEVIN NOLAN returned to the press box for The Charlton Champion.

A dreadful game that frankly set teeth on edge ended in a draw which kept Charlton at least technically in the hunt for promotion. The point was probably of more use to Shrewsbury in their fight to avoid relegation. They were entitled to feel pleased with themselves.

Not so Charlton, who continue to squander the chances offered them by the indifferent form of their rivals. The race for the last two playoff positions is currently as riveting as an evening spent with Michael McIntyre: well-intended but best given a miss by people in need of a laugh.

Still hovering in seventh position, the Addicks show no sign of mounting a serious bid to break into the play-off places. Two gilt-edged chances to redeem a performance of depressing drabness were spurned, the second of them a dog’s dinner by Chuks Aneke which seemed easier to convert than miss.

From almost under the crossbar, he contrived to blast Conor Washington’s crisp low cross against the woodwork. There are misses and even worse misses. This one belonged in a category of its own. You have to be there to miss ’em, though, it’s only fair to say.

Mention of Washington presents an opportunity to recognise the Northern Ireland international’s wholehearted contribution which stood out like a hitchhiker’s thumb in the dross surrounding it. Frequently overlooked are his insatiable work rate and willingness to carry out the unglamorous tasks beneath the dignity of others.

Refusing to be discouraged by Aneke’s miss, he produced a pearl of an equaliser from unlikely circumstances. Cutting in from left to right, he burrowed into the visitors’ penalty area, where tackles necessarily become more circumspect. On the turn, he finished firmly past Harry Burgoyne into the bottom left corner to save Charlton a point which might yet affect their season.

Washington was undoubtedly one of the “positives” referenced by Lee Bowyer in his post-match summation. He should start each and every game until this disappointing season disappears in the rear view mirror.

So should Andrew Shinnie, who replaced an anonymous Liam Millar, his early promise in Charlton’s colours an already-fading memory. Shinnie brings with him quality and bite; his 63rd-minute introduction changed the momentum of a game which was drifting out of the Addicks’ reach. The skilful Scot is wasted on the bench. He’s more than good enough for a place in this team.

Enlivening a gusty, hailstones-battered first half were the occasional forays made along the left flank of Ian Maatsen. Sometimes erratic but admirably persistent, the Chelsea loanee laid on two marvellous chances, the second and better of them cut back from the byline for Jayden Stockley. Falling backwards as he shot, the big striker should still have managed better than the meek effort he directed straight at a relieved Burgoyne. A similar opening was made for Albie Morgan, who forced a more awkward parry from Burgoyne.

Though far from outplayed, the visitors failed to trouble Ben Amos until the second half was under way. Growing in confidence as their hosts began to run out of steam (“we were sluggish, run off our feet” concluded Bowyer), Town ‘s 56th minute counterpunch knocked the stuffing out of the Addicks. Right back Matthew Pennington joined in a rare raid and delivered a precise cross which Sean Goss dived to head beyond Amos.

Delighted to score a rare away goal, the Shropshire boys’ next task was to protect their lead, something they found impossible as Charlton threw off their torpor and at last came after them. But they proved far from finished themselves as they proved by recovering from Washington’s equaliser and twice threatening to restore their advantage.

Bowyer​’s “fatigued” troops offered only token opposition as substitute Daniel Odoh soloed through them from the halfway line, pursued resolutely by Jason Pearce. As Odoh prepared to finish at close range, he was caught and channelled out of harm’s way by Charlton’s no-nonsense captain. It was defending of the highest quality and was duly singled out by Bowyer in a surprisingly sunny-natured reaction to a disheartening result.

His mood might have altered had Dave Edwards made the most of the last gasp chance laid on for him by fellow substitute David Davis, who pounced on Akin Famewo’s vaguely directed backpass and set him up to finish into a gaping net from 20 yards. Least said (about Edwards’ hopelessly spooned effort) soonest mended might be the wisest advice to follow for Shrews’ deputy boss Aaron Wilbraham, standing in for Covid-stricken Steve Cotterill.

If Bowyer could maintain his poise after the mess his side served up for him, Wilbraham no doubt found words of solace and forgiveness for the hapless Edwards. A newly-upbeat Bowyer would have found the right words of consolation. To be honest, his recently acquired bonhomie is more than a little disconcerting.

Charlton: Amos, Gunter, Famewo, Pearce, Maatsen, Pratley (Smith 63), Morgan (Jaiyesimi 78), Watson, Millar (Shinnie 63), Stockley (Aneke 63), Washington. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Oshilaja, Schwartz. Booked: Pratley, Maatsen.

Shrewsbury: Burgoyne, Williams, Goss (Davis 78), Vela, Ogbeta, Walker (Whalley 90), Main (Odoh 78), Daniels, Ebanks-Landell, Pennington, Chapman (Edwards 70). Not used: Sarkic, Pyke, Sears. Booked: Williams, Walker.

Referee: Declan Bourne.

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Charlton station garden gets boost from fund set up after Thameslink failures

Darryl Chamberlain
Charlton station
Charlton station will have £30,000 spent on it

Charlton station’s community garden will benefit from money from a fund set up after Thameslink made a poor start to its rail services through the new London Bridge station three years ago.

The messed-up introduction of new cross-London trains saw services cancelled and Charlton left with a less frequent service for months after Thameslink began using the line.

Thameslink took over what used to be the Charing Cross to Gillingham service in May 2018, converting it to a Luton to Rainham service.

In 2019 the company was told to set up a £15 million Passenger Benefit Fund to improve stations and facilities Initially, Charlton and other Greenwich line stations were left out of the fund, but were included after lobbying from local MP Matt Pennycook. Even then, the fund’s existence was poorly publicised and had to be reopened after a government minister stepped in.

Yesterday, it emerged that the £30,000 allocated to Charlton will be spent on the community garden, a new waiting shelter on platform 2 and waiting shelter improvements on platform 1. Work should be completed by September.

The news was broken on social media by Pennycook, who said: “I’m pleased we’ve secured £220k for a range of improvements across six stations.” Other work to be carried out locally includes landscaping at Westcombe Park and passenger information systems at Maze Hill. Woolwich Dockyard is not served by Thameslink trains so is not included in the fund.

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Kevin Nolan’s Locked-Down Valley View: Charlton Athletic 2-1 Northampton Town

kevinnolan

Kevin Nolan's Valley View

Stop the presses, tell your friends – Charlton won a match at The Valley. The Charlton Champion‘s KEVIN NOLAN watched a morale-boosting victory.

Midway through the second half of this monotonous game, Charlton were showing little evidence that they had either the wit or the guile to break through the spoiling tactics being shrewdly employed by relegation-haunted Northampton Town. The visitors were, in fact, comfortably making their way to the goalless draw which was clearly the extent of their ambition.

Then the defensive discipline which was standing the visitors in good stead deserted them. One momentary lapse by Jack Sowerby conceded a completely avoidable penalty and all their good work was undone. Sowerby, who conceded an own goal during Charlton’s 2-0 victory at Sixfields back in October, recklessly barrelled into Jake Forster-Caskey as they came together under a high-headed clearance inside Town’s penalty area.

It was hardly the most obvious foul you’re likely to see but referee Paul Howard was in doubt that Sowerby was its perpetrator and Forster-Caskey his victim. For the second consecutive game, the Addicks were handed a gift voucher to be redeemed from the penalty spot. Fortunately on this occasion, regular taker Conor Washington was available to efficiently drill the spotkick into the bottom right corner.

The relief inside The Valley was no doubt mirrored in more than one living room around southeast London and northwest Kent. Until Sowerby suffered his rush of blood, Charlton were struggling to find an answer to the Cobblers’ time-absorbent tactics.

There was nothing illegal in their bid to reduce a 90-minute game to one of little over an hour and in their present plight they could hardly be blamed for being in no hurry to get on with things. After Washington put them in arrears, they received a diluted dose of their own medicine as the home side subtly slowed the game down and began to coast.

With six minutes left, Lee Bowyer’s newly relaxed men stepped on the gas again and found the second goal they needed to seal the deal. A sharp exchange of passes between substitutes Andrew Shinnie and Chuks Aneke cut through the visitors’ wilting rearguard, with the latter reaching the left byline where he found himself hemmed in by a phalanx of defenders. Keeping his composure, the big striker picked out an onrushing Shinnie, whose first-time shot was parried out to Washington. From seven yards, the Northern Irishman rifled the rebound through the legs of both Fraser Horsfall and goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell. His seventh and eighth goals of the season were ideally timed to end his scoring drought.

Their significance doubled when Town, with nothing to lose, halved Charlton’s lead with officially their solitary effort on target. Former Addick Mark Marshall hustled across to take a right-wing corner, which he swung outwards on to substitute Alex Jones’ head. Ben Amos lost his third consecutive clean sheet as Jones, making his Northampton debut, looped the ball neatly over a crowded goal area and into the far top corner.

Too late to make a difference to the outcome, Jones’ consolation goal in the third of four added minutes was a reminder of what might have been had the visitors adopted a more positive approach to their task. Their hopes of avoiding the dreaded drop had received a massive boost 72 hours previously with their impressive 4-1 demolition of play-off contenders Portsmouth, but they clearly lacked the confidence to use its momentum on Tuesday evening.

Their only offensive threat, apart from Jones’ late contribution, was a fierce drive which right back Peter Kioso whistled narrowly wide in the first half. The Addicks were far from lethal themselves, with Forster-Caskey’s narrowly wide free kick and Aneke’s header nimbly tipped over the bar by Mitchell, rare threats. But Washington came through for them and their pursuit of a coveted play-off spot is back on again.

“I’m so pleased for Conor,” Bowyer practically purred in his post-match summation. “He does a lot of unselfish work and got his reward tonight. Conor does a lot of the dirty work for Jayden and Chuks. It’s disappointing we didn’t have the clean sheet but the back four looked solid. Darren Pratley stepped up [in Akin Famewo’s absence] and did well.”

The second in Charlton’s critical three-game home stand sees Shrewsbury Town, on the back of an excellent 2-0 victory at Rochdale, visit The Valley on Saturday. They are followed next Tuesday by Bristol Rovers, under the cerebral leadership of new boss Joey Barton. The Gas demolished promotion outsiders Accrington Stanley 4-1 last night and Barton will arrive looking for revenge over Charlton – and Bowyer – after presiding over Fleetwood Town’s narrow 3-2 defeat in early November. You just know Joey’s the type to hold a grudge.

Charlton: Amos, Gunter, Pearce, Pratley, Maatsen, Watson, Forster-Caskey (Shinnie 76), Morgan (Smith 82), Stockley (Aneke 70), Washington (Schwartz 87), Millar. Not used: Harness, Oshilaja, Jaiyesimi. Booked: Morgan, Watson, Aneke.

Northampton: Mitchell, Kioso, Lloyd Jones, Horsfall, Harriman, McWilliams (Rose 73), Sowerby, Watson, Miller, Hoskins (Marshall 73), Edmondson (Alex Jones 88). Not used: Arnold, Korboa, Morris, Bolger. Booked: Kioso, Edmondson, Horsfall.

Referee: Paul Howard.

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From Charlton to the world: How Global Fusion Music and Arts keeps providing a lifeline

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The Yoruba Soul Jazz at the Thamesmead Festival – a show put on by GMFA

You might have seen its posters up in and around Charlton, but the pandemic has seen Global Fusion Music and Arts reach far beyond southeast London, as NIKKI SPENCER found out.

Putting on events via Zoom isn’t how Global Fusion Music and Arts was expecting to be marking its 20th birthday this month.

“We were planning to celebrate with live music and fireworks, and we had a whole year of theatre productions and festivals organised,” explains its co-founder and project manager, Louisa Le Marchand. “But we’re still here and that’s the main thing – both the charity and ourselves.”

GFMA began when Louisa and her partner, Gill Swan, and fellow musicians Sukh Saini and Kaz Kasozi, were in a band called The Fusion Factory. They started organising regular world music nights at the Wine Cellar in Woolwich. This then led to them running workshops in schools, and at the Natural History Museum and the Horniman Museum, as well as developing a whole range of projects from film-making for young people on the former Ferrier Estate in Kidbrooke to helping students record their own music.

In 2013 GFMA became a charity, and four years ago, after getting support from Charlton Triangle Homes, it moved into Valiant House, next to The Valley, where it has an office and runs workshops.

“We originally set up GFMA to educate people about the wonder of world music, but we use all sorts of different creative activities to help build confidence. Over the years thousands of people have come through our doors and have benefited from what we do in all sorts of ways,” says Louisa.

When Covid-19 hit, GFMA’s events were cancelled overnight and Louisa was worried the charity might go under. “We looked at our finances and it was scary, but we put an appeal for donations and we raised over £1,000 which was amazing. I have lived in Charlton for over 25 years and the local community has always been so supportive of what we do, and this sustained us to then start applying for grants.”

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Back at the beginning: Louisa (second left) with Kaz Kasozi, Gill Swan and Kaz Kasozi in The Fusion Factory

In May last year Charlton Triangle Homes started funding some online community workshops and the following month, GFMA received a lottery community grant which enabled it to take its regular events online and add a few more too.

“2020 was a difficult year but we have just adapted,”, says Louisa who worked as TV producer before she retired. “I am very techy, and good at getting to grips with new skills, which has come in useful.”

GMFA’s spring programme, which is running until the end of this month, includes monthly poetry, spoken word and music nights, a quiz and a writers’ group as well as weekly sessions ranging from storytelling to singing.

“People tell us what a lifeline our events are for them, especially if they are shielding and living on their own and it is wonderful that we can make a difference,” says Louisa.

As well as its regular online activities, GFMA has run one-off events including a virtual Burns Night, Chinese New Year, Fairtrade Fortnight and International Women’s Day (tonight from 8pm).

For its birthday, on March 15, there’ll be celebration on Zoom and Facebook and Louisa hopes to have an outdoor celebration in the summer if restrictions allow.

For many years GFMA has also been helping musicians record their work, and in January it launched ‘Mater’ of Life, a single by a local reggae artist, Setondji Spirit.

Louisa says GMFA has one person – Edna Patterson, who received a Volunteer of the Year award from Greenwich Council in 2019 – to thank for its new global reach.

“She does all our digital marketing and has worked really hard to get the message out.”

What is great about online is you can join in from anywhere. I often ask people where they are in the chat function and I know we have people from the Czech Republic, Sweden and France in our dance fit sessions and someone from the Isle of Arran in our writers’ group.”

When the coronavirus restrictions eased last summer, GFMA was able to put on two live performances at Shrewsbury House in Shooters Hill for Black History Month with the actor Paterson Joseph, which were also streamed on Zoom and Facebook.

“Because the room was quite small and people had to socially distance, we could only have about 20 people for each, but we had over 2,500 watch on Facebook,” says Louisa.

“Thanks to Zoom we have a much bigger audience now and we will be thinking about how to keep them involved once we do go back to live events.”

GFMA in Eltham
GMFA has brought tai chi into the community, such as here in Eltham – now it has gone online

During the pandemic Louisa and her fellow trustees have been running GFMA from their homes and she is the first to admit that it has been a challenge.

“When we worked in the office it was easier as you left for the day but now I don’t seem to stop. I am working six days a week and most evenings. Last night we didn’t have anything in the programme, but I was writing a letter to a funder until 10pm.”

And they are all doing it on a voluntary basis.

“I’m passionate about GFMA and do it for love, but I am 70 now and I am not getting any younger. Our plan for the future is to try and get core funding to get someone to do my job, and ideally employ two others.”

In the meantime, GFMA is always looking for new volunteers.

“We have an amazing group of trustees who have been working really hard to keep everything going but we are always keen to hear from anyone who has skills to offer”, says Louisa.

GMFA is also looking to raise more money so they can carry on their workshops beyond March.

“We launched a new appeal in December and we have raised another £1,425 so far, but we do need more to be able to carry on doing what we are doing. I am such a strong believer in community and bringing people together and now we need this more than ever.”

Tonight’s International Women’s Day show will be shown on Zoom and Facebook. To keep up with the latest Global Fusion Music and Arts events, follow the group on Facebook and Twitter.

NIKKI SPENCER is a freelance journalist who has also written for The Guardian, The Independent, Lewisham Ledger and Peckham Peculiar.

This is one of a series of stories published here and on our sister site 853 about how SE London’s communities have reacted to the coronavirus pandemic. See all the stories published so far.

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Get green-fingered at Charlton House’s Old Pond Garden from Tuesday

Darryl Chamberlain
Old Pond Garden
Old Pond Garden at Charlton House

At Christmas, we featured the volunteer scheme to restore the Old Pond Garden at Charlton House. With lockdown easing, the Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society is ready to restart work. Here’s the latest update….

The Old Pond Garden volunteer scheme will re-open from Tuesday March 9th, all gardening levels are welcome. Sessions will be Tuesdays 1.30-3.30 and Thursdays 10-12, as before lockdown. We are lobbying hard for a Sunday session in the near future.

The garden is looking good, please come along to see progress and pull a weed (or three), and check out the latest planting plans.

We also hope to start dealing with the Long Borders, so we need all the help we can get!

We can always do with donations of primroses (native, yellow) and any snowdrops in the green.

More details and photos are available at cabahs.com/old-pond-garden-project

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