Ye who have a spark in your veins of cockney spirit, smile or mourn acccording as you take things well or ill;— Bold Britons, we are now on Shooter's Hill!
The accomplished professional singers of Woolwich Opera Works will be performing for us again on Sunday at All Saints Church on Herbert Road, starting at 4.00pm in a concert entitled WOW – It’s Christmas.
WOW – It’s Christmas! Join Jeremy Silver, Alison Dunne, Maciek O’Shea, Dominic J. Walsh, Samuel Stopford & Angela Yang in a celebration of operatic winter and Christmassy cheer! Hear music by Puccini, Verdi, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Schubert and more in a concert for everyone, especially people who are new to classical singing! Christmas jumpers are welcome but not a pre-requisite, and this concert will also include a Kid’s Corner with activities for the little cherubs. Looking forward to seeing you all there! We will also be announcing our 2020 Season so you won’t want to miss that!
As usual the concert is free but there will be a collection at the end. Refreshments are available in the interval.
Wonderful singing in a lovely setting. Unmissable!
Tanya Hurst performing at Woolwich Opera Works’ Songs of September at All Saints Shooters Hill
Maciek O’Shea performing at Woolwich Opera Works’ Songs of September at All Saints Shooters Hill
Angela Yang performing at Woolwich Opera Works’ Songs of September at All Saints Shooters Hill
Dominic J. Walsh performing at Woolwich Opera Works’ Songs of September at All Saints Shooters Hill
Sat 30th November, is the Woodland Trust Tree Charter Day, and the Friends of Oxleas Woodlands will have a stall near the Oxleas Wood Café, between 10.30 – 2pm (approx.) where we will be offering some guided walks (as well as self-guided walks), talking to people about the Woodland Charter and Oxleas Woodlands, and organising some family activities like Bark and Leaf Rubbing, woody identification, colouring in activities, and also encouraging youngsters to plant an acorn in a pot and take it home to grow – with a view to bringing it back and planting it in the woods next year.
Tree Charter day is celebrated on the last Saturday of November each year. The Woodland Trust describes it as: “a day for the whole of UK society to unite in celebrating the value and importance of trees and woods to people. “
While the Parks team has secured resources they don’t have the all important waders!
Look out for a new date in January.
The Friends of Eaglesfield Park will be clearing the park lily pond and the garden around it tomorrow, 24th November, between 9.00am and 2.00pm, and would welcome volunteers to help. They wrote:
Can you spare any time between 9am to 2pm this Sunday 24 November to take part in the ‘Autumn Pond Clearing’ and help keep Eaglesfield pond a haven for wildlife and a place we can all enjoy? Residents and park users will be joining forces with Greenwich Council Parks Department staff to help clear the overgrowth of plants in and around the pond so that it can continue to thrive when spring comes. Giving even an hour of your time would be so helpful. Just turn up on the day or for more information please call: 07734 810402 and see the attached PDF. Please bring gardening gloves, garden rakes and forks if you have them. Thank you and please share this message with friends, family and neighbours!
Do pop along and help the Friends get the pond ready for winter.
Local volunteers working on the pond in March 2012
The grand opening of Eaglesfield Park Lilly Pond on 15th June 2012
Woodlands Farm will be holding their annual Christmas Fair on Sunday, 1st December, from 11am to 3pm, and will host an event for children, Stick Man at Christmas, on Saturday 7th December.
Maureen sent details of the Christmas Fair:
All are welcome at the Woodlands Farm Trust Christmas Fair. Come and meet Father Christmas, sip mulled wine whilst browsing stalls of local produce and crafts for early Christmas present ideas, or relax in our café while the kids enjoy crafts and games. A great festive day out for all the family. Entry is £1 per Adult and 50p per Child.
. Meet Father Christmas and his elves in the magical grotto . Local produce and craft stalls . Children’s festive activities . Rock Choir 1pm & 2pm . Mulled wine & cider . BBQ & The Pretty Little Tea Company
No parking, please use public transport Buses 89 & 486 stop outside
Should be a good day out as usual.
Father Christmas arrives at Woodlands Farm, drawn by Bob the pony
Hannah sent details of the Stick Man event:
Stick Man at Christmas Saturday 7th December 10am, 11am and 1pm Come along to our Stick Man Christmas event. Watch the Stick Man film before heading off round the farm on The Stick Man Activity Trail. Find everything on the trail before heading off to Santa’s grotto to be given your special certificate and a present from Father Christmas himself. £8 per child (+ booking fee). Sessions start at 10am, 11am and 1pm. Booking is essential. Please arrive 15 minutes before the time of your booking as the film will be starting on the hour. To book go to our website www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org For more information, see our website or contact Georgiana Irimia on education@thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org
The Friends of Shrewsbury Park AGM on 14th November will consider the topic of biodiversity and what it means for the park. The Friends have also arranged a quiz night and a bulb planting session in November.
Annual General Meeting Thursday 14 November 7-8.30 pm Shrewsbury House (bar open next door) We hope you can come to our AGM? In addition to the business meeting and election of management committee members there will be time to raise your park ideas and issues. ‘Why should I care about biodiversity’ kicks off a discussion specific to Shrewsbury Park’s natural habitats and what part we humans play. There will be input from a panel of guest speakers: Claire Lambert and Jack Partridge (trees) from RBG Parks and Open Spaces along with members Les Clark (a bat and hedgehog enthusiast) and John Denton (butterflies and hedgerows). Then it is time for everyone to add to and evaluate actions we can put forward. 2020 calendars will be on sale (£5) and new park greetings cards (£2) See you there! FSP Committee
101 Sun Salutations for Greenpeace at Shrewsbury Park
Our statistics demonstrate that the abundance and distribution of the UK’s species has, on average, declined since 1970 and many metrics suggest this decline has continued in the most recent decade. There has been no let-up in the net loss of nature in the UK.
They report that 13% of species in England are threatened with extinction from Great Britain, and that 36 plant species have become extinct.
Shrewsbury Park is listed in the Royal Borough of Greenwich Core Strategy (pdf) as a “Site of Importance for Nature Conservation – Site of Borough Importance, Grade I”, with the contiguous areas of Shooters Hill Golf Club and Woodlands Farm. Together they form “An extensive mosaic of habitats, ranging from ancient woodland, secondary woodland through scrub to rough grassland and wetland.” The area is home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife including at least two animals mentioned in the Greenwich Biodiversity Action Plan (pdf) as priority species: bats and hedgehogs. The Mammal Society assess the Hedgehog as Vulnerable, and estimate that populations have declined by as much as 73% since their 1995 review to just 522,000. Some estimates put their decline at 97% since the 1950s. The are often seen on bat walks in the area: what can we do to help them? This will be one of the items discussed at the meeting.
Ringlet butterfly in Shrewsbury Park
The Quiz Night will be on Friday 22nd November:
Here are the details of our latest quiz – these are always great fun, and a fantastic way to enjoy a Friday night! Do join us! Friday 22 November 6.45pm for 7.30pm start Tables of 6 – £5.50 per person Shrewsbury House, SE18 3EG Tickets can be purchased using the link above or here Bar is open from 6.30pm Fantastic raffle prizes! Our thanks to our amazing quiz masters, Dee and Geoff.
Tree in Shrewsbury Park
Then on Sunday 17th November the Friends will be planting spring bulbs and bramble bashing:
Come and join us planting our Spring bulbs! Sunday 17 November – 1.30pm Bulb planting/Bramble bashing event! Sunday 17 November at 1.30 (an hour or two). Meet at the crossroads in the Park, bring a trowel, strong gloves and secateurs if possible. Kids especially welcome! You will get dirty.
Perhaps we’ll be able to clear some of the footpaths through the old allotment site on Dot Hill.
