The Charlton Champion

How would you spend £30,000 on improving Charlton station? Tell Thameslink quickly

July 29, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain1 Comment

Thameslink class 700 trains — Thameslink is spending money to help passengers at local stations

£30,000 is on offer to help passengers at Charlton station – but you’ll need to tell Thameslink by Wednesday how you’d like it spent.

As part of its apology for the botched introduction of May 2018’s timetable – which saw a chunk of Charlton’s services transferred to Thameslink, and then regularly cancelled, Thameslink has been told to set up a Passenger Benefit Fund worth £15 million to create improvements at stations where its services call.

As Charlton lost a chunk of its weekend services for a year, and even many of its weekday services for some months, the station has been allocated £30,000 from this fund. (Stations along the line are getting a share of the money, with Westcombe Park and Maze Hill getting £50,000 – see here for a list of who gets what.)

However, it’s been rather shy on telling SE Londoners about this – so you’ve only got until Wednesday to submit your suggestions. With no active group representing Charlton station users at present, you’ve got a free hit here – so send in your ideas!

Perhaps you think there should be more for Charlton Community Gardens to build upon their station garden on the north side of the station – some planters on the platforms? Maybe there could be something to improve safety and security at the rather grim southern entrance to the station. A new map of the area around the station that doesn’t show the area around Westcombe Park instead? History boards like the ones at Hither Green? Maybe Lionel Stanhope, the man behind the station murals at Hither Green, Lee and Catford, can be commissioned to work his magic on the bridge at Charlton Church Lane?

That’s a wrap. Crofton Park x 2. Swapped the colours over for second side. Thank you to @JaneCanDoSE4 @love_se4 and @CroftonParkLife for support over the week. pic.twitter.com/j0Tr5Ic3vA

— Lionel Stanhope (@lionel_stanhope) June 1, 2019

Or maybe just a water fountain on the platforms, to match the one bus passengers are getting on their side of the station.

Whatever you think – find out more about the fund, and tell Thameslink your ideas by Wednesday. Hurry!

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Charlton House’s summer house hit by lead thieves again

July 29, 2019June 19, 2023Lara Ruffle Coles

The summer house before the theft (Photo: Neil Clasper)

Charlton House’s summer house has had lead stolen from its roof for the second year running, almost to the same day and time.

Staff at Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust, which runs the house, believe the theft occurred on Monday evening as team members noticed the lead was missing on Tuesday. Ladders are believed to have been used as marks were found on the ground beside the summer house.

The Grade I-listed summer house, which is believed to have been designed by Inigo Jones, has been undergoing restoration since 2017, and the theft combined with last week’s wet weather puts the ongoing work at risk.

The trust’s Helen Moon told The Charlton Champion: “We are currently seeking advice from Historic England in regards to the best way forward, as well as working with the roof specialist Peter Clover and the architectural firm Research Design.”

The theft has been reported to the police, but if you have any information, the trust has asked to be contacted at info[at]rght.org.uk.

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Greenwich Foodbank faces a tough summer – can you help?

July 28, 2019July 30, 2019Tom Bull, Local Democracy Reporter

It may be summer, but Greenwich Foodbank is in increasing need of help as the rollout of Universal Credit causes a huge jump in demand for its services. Local Democracy Reporter TOM BULL visited its Eltham base to talk to its volunteers.

If Greenwich Foodbank could close tomorrow, it would. But as demand grows, there’s little chance of that.

Despite the generosity of the public, workers are quietly concerned that resources are wearing thin.

Following the rollout of Universal Credit, paired with London’s housing problems, volunteers in Greenwich say they are set to serve more than 9,000 residents in need this year – a 20 per cent increase on last year.

Along with his wife Esme, volunteer Alan Robinson, 70, has been involved with the food bank since 2012.

He said: “If the rate people are coming in continues this year it will be the biggest increase since 2015. This is the quietest time of year for food coming in. It’s a worrying time at the moment.

“We have never run out of food since we’ve been running, this is probably the closest we’ve got to that. It’s worrying. The last thing we want is for us not to be able to help.”

The impact of Universal Credit has been widely attributed to a surge in the use of foodbanks. In Greenwich, the repercussions were delayed as the borough was towards the end of the roll-out.

Universal Credit was designed to make the system simpler by combining several benefits into one, but has been criticised for causing a five-week delay in payments.

That, along with a lack in social housing, has been blamed for the continued use of Greenwich Foodbank.

During the morning only a few people turn up to use the service. It’s quiet, but volunteers say there’s never any guessing how busy they can be.

One mum does come in. She has her son with her, who has just turned one. It was her first time using a food bank.

The mother-of-three’s freezer had been left open, and she was left in a position where she didn’t know where to go.

She said: “Hopefully I won’t have to use it again. But if I do then I know it’s here. It’s amazing what these people do. I don’t know where I would have been without it. I couldn’t tell you – I’d be doomed.”

More than 100 people give up their time to keep the food bank running, including a team of drivers and warehouse workers.

Despite mountains of pasta taking up near enough an entire room, Greenwich Foodbank is in desperate need of “staples” like tinned meat and veg.

Sat in the Eltham facility, Robinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the use of the charity has become “institutionalised”.

He said: “We certainly see people who are in work and on low pay. It is quite clear. It’s a worrying number of people we see. It opened my eyes to how many people in that position.

“Our ambition is to close. We don’t want to be here but we are slowly becoming institutionalised. We are part of the support service. Society is becoming dependent on us.”

Danny Thorpe, the leader of Greenwich Council, said the government must take “immediate action” on poverty.

He said: “These figures are incredibly disappointing and it is shocking that Greenwich residents are not only dependent on emergency food aid but that the number of those in need is increasing.

“As part of Greenwich’s drive to ensure school-aged children receive regular meals, a programme was launched last year to tackle hunger during school holidays and we are pleased to have been able to fund and provide nutritious meals to over 8,000 children so far at drop-in centres across the borough.

“Our borough is one of the most deprived local authorities in the country and we’re doing what we can, but central government austerity measures and increasing costs have left us with a £125million shortfall since 2010, which is having a disastrous impact.

“Central government must take immediate action before our borough slips further into poverty.”

To donate items to Greenwich Foodbank, drop them off at one of its collection points, which include Charlton House and the large Asda and Sainsbury’s stores in Charlton.

Greenwich Council’s Summer Feast programme runs until the new school term starts in September, at locations including the Clockhouse Community Centre on the Woolwich Dockyard Estate, Woolwich Common Youth Club and Meridian Adventure Playground in west Greenwich.

LDRS logo Tom Bull is the Local Democracy Reporter for Greenwich. The Local Democracy Reporter Service is a BBC-funded initiative to ensure councils are covered properly in local media.
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Team100 Charlton needs you: Get active and help your neighbours

July 24, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

Team100 volunteers in the Cherry Orchard Estate

Want to get out and about and volunteer in your local community? Team100 Charlton helps local people in SE7 take part in healthy activities to benefit their neighbours. JAKE TULLETT explains more…

Team100 Charlton is a community-led volunteering based in Charlton, Greenwich and is designed to get more residents volunteering in community sport and physical activity. The project is working with several local partners to create new, accessible and flexible opportunities to encourage a new group of residents to make a difference in and around Charlton.

Charlton is home to an amazingly diverse offer of cycling, walking and sporting opportunities for young people that all need volunteer backing.

Greenwich BMX, based in Hornfair Park, need local people to support with coaching, equipment maintenance, marketing, admin and events.

Women on Wheels, also based in Hornfair Park, is a group of like-minded women who want to build up their cycling skills. Support needed to market the session and generally assist. Why not volunteer whilst you ride?

Travel Buddies – Working in partnership with Greenwich Parent Voice, we are looking for residents to become Travel Buddies and support young disabled people walk or cycle to school. Travel Buddies will be paired with a young person based on location, making it as easy as possible to have a massive impact on a young person’s life, on the way to work! All required training funded by Team100 Charlton.

Healthy Walks – Get local people active by joining Charlton Athletic Community Trust‘s healthy walks scheme, becoming a walk leader. You will meet lots of new people and even get active yourself! Based at Charlton House.

Team100 Charlton volunteers help out at the Hornfair Park BMX track

#ActiveCharlton – Once a year, we work with Charlton Manor, Cherry Orchard, Windrush Charlton and Charlton Triangle Homes to put on a week-long calendar of activity for children. In 2019, we held walking buses, fun-runs, closed roads outside of school, did yoga and held our very own Bike Bus! All the activities were supported by our amazing Team100 Charlton volunteers.

Team100 Charlton volunteers receive a personal training journey, where we support you to gain qualifications, take part in workshops and all vetting is also funded.

If you are interested in joining Team100 Charlton, please email team100[at]accesssport.co.uk or check us out on Facebook at Team100 Charlton.

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Late swimming at Charlton Lido for the heatwave

July 23, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

You may have noticed that it’s a little bit warm outside. Today, tomorrow and Thursday, Charlton Lido will be open until 9pm each evening to allow swimmers to cool off for longer during the hot spell. Or you could beat the crowds and go for an early-doors dip at 6.30am.

Whichever you prefer, you can book your swimming time on the GLL website.

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Parksfest 2019 at Mycenae House this Sunday

July 21, 2019June 19, 2023Lara Ruffle Coles

Following on from June’s Charlton Park Parksfest, Mycenae House & Gardens hosts a Summer Sunday Extravaganza on the 28th of July, from 12pm to 5.30pm.

It’s the sixth time Friends of Mycenae Gardens has hosted a summer garden party and they promise a family friendly day with dance, theatre, arts & crafts, and a packed programme of workshops and activities.

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Organisations participating in the day include Emergency Exit Arts, JK Performing Arts, diddi dance, Theatretrain Greenwich, Tiptoes & Tappers, BoPeeps Preschool, Follies Face & Body Painting, Baby Sensory Greenwich, Toddler Sense Greenwich and Kerry on Dancing.

You can also hear live music from The Kimberleys, Roslyn Lloyd, Mary and The Lost, and Blackheath Centre for Singing, plus Morris dancing from Greenwich Morris Men.

See below for a video of last year’s event, and as with all Parksfest events, entry is free.

Fancy a drink? Charlton station is getting a water fountain

July 14, 2019June 19, 2023Darryl Chamberlain

The water fountain comes from a City Hall scheme

Commuters waiting for a bus outside Charlton station will soon be able to fill up from a water fountain.

The fountain, currently under wraps, is one of five in Greenwich borough funded through a scheme run by City Hall and Thames Water, aimed at people who carry their own bottles to cut plastic waste.

A total of 100 fountains will eventually be installed across London.