Lambeth Riverside Festival 2006

Lambeth Riverside Festival 2006

Co-ordinated by RCDT

INTRODUCTION

Up to 3,000, mainly local residents, attended or took part in the wide range of events and activities put on during this year’s Lambeth Riverside Festival from Saturday 8 to Saturday 22 July 2006.

·                     Festival and fun days in Bonnington Square, at Vauxhall Primary School and on the Ethelred and Kennington Park Estates

·                     Organisations open days, including Alford House and Roots & Shoots, Harleyford Community Gardens

·                     Art exhibitions at the Aristao, Cleaver St, Corvi-Mora, Danielle Arnaud, Kennington Park Café galleries and at St Anslem’s Church and the Museum of Garden History

·                     History walks and talks, and  the ‘Valuing Our Past’  Local History Fair

·                     A symposium debate ‘Push the Envelope’ on the challenges and opportunities  facing the arts communities in the area, organised by Beaconsfield gallery

·                     Two performances of a play ‘Consequences’

·                     Two different performances of the ‘Sax, Lies & Audiotape’ jazz, classical and other music forms fusion

·                     Community action clean-up, gardening and painting days

·                     ‘Long Short Story’: an oral reminiscence project with residents of sheltered housing

·                     Events organised by Sure Start for families with children under 5

·                     Sports activities at the former Lilian Baylis school

·                     Fitness and health activities

·                     Textiles skills and history event

 

These events were put on by local organisations and residents, and showcased local talents and skills.

 

FESTIVAL AIMS

·                     To showcase and celebrate the skills and talents of residents and workers

·                     To show the activities of local community and voluntary organisations

·                     To promote the rich cultural diversity of the area by encouraging different sections of the community to know more about each other’s cultures

·                     To promote ways in which local community and voluntary groups can work together

·                     To provide opportunities for local businesses to support community activity and benefit from increased trade

 

ORGANISATION

The Festival was co-ordinated by Riverside Community Development Trust. Overall planning meetings convened by the Trust were held. Organisations and individuals wanting to run activities were not all expected to attend the overall planning meetings. There were two specialist forums: Health & Fitness Network and Local History/Heritage Forum which discussed the details of the activities they wanted to organise. The detailed co-ordination was undertaken by Sean Creighton, RCDT’s Development & Management Worker as part of his job responsibilities.  Special thanks are due to:

 

·                     Jed Perez (a secondary school pupil on work placement) during the week preceding and the first week of the Festival

·                     Philip Manning (Goldsmiths Community & Youth Work student who had been on placement at RCDT between November 2005 and March 2006)

·                     Savitri Thomas, a local resident volunteer

·                     Nick Heaf, RCDT’s webmaster for keeping the website up to date with Festival information

·                     Dan Styles/Stilwell for the many contributions he made to the Festival (health & fitness and the play)

·                     Tricia Anderson of Oval Partnership who worked very hard on being the catalyst for events in the Oval part of the Festival area, especially the support and involvement of Hyde South Bank Housing Association, the local artists exhibition at Aristao Gallery and the Lady Green Fingers project

·                     Danielle Arnaud, as convenor of the Festival planning group, and organiser of events at her own gallery and at the Museum of Garden History on the Tradescants

 

There were various forms of publicity:

 

·                     c.10,000 house to house distribution of Festival brochure by local volunteers and a delivery company

·                     posters on local notice boards

·                     email communication via an almost daily Festival Enews compiled by RCDT

·                     targeted leafleting

·                     coverage in the newsletters of Ethelred TMO, Hyde South Bank Homes and Lambeth Council’s Local Life newspaper

·                     RCDT’s website

 

FUNDING

Fund raising proved difficult. £3,000 was given by Lambeth Endowed Charities, including, £1,000 for the Long Story Short writing project with residents of sheltered housing, £300 from the Covent Garden Market Authority, and £1,240 from Lambeth Council for printing the Festival brochure. RCDT set aside £4,000 to help fund the Festival. Most expenditure on events and activities was absorbed by organisations through their budgets or self-financed by the individual organisers. Hyde South Bank also paid for Long Story Short work to be done with some of their sheltered home residents. Dan Styles/Stilwell, was able to obtain some sponsorship for the Consequences play from Tesco and from Alpro and Southbank Club for fitness activtities. An Arts Council/Big Lottery grant was obtained for the ‘Push the Envelope’ event on regeneration and the local artistic communities. Roots & Shoots, and St Peter’s and St Anslem’s Churches donated their venues free for Festival events organised by others.

 

LOCAL HISTORY EVENTS

Black History Walk

Steve Martin led 12 people in the sweltering heat of Wednesday 12 July on a walk around Kennington Oval and Vauxhall looking at the black heritage of the area, including looking at the homes of Duse Ali Mohamed (see below) and Claudia Jones, the black performers at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, including the innovative black American dancer Juba, and William Cuffay, the organiser of the Kennington Common Chartist demonstration of 1848.

 

“That region of brutality and bestiality across the water: popular theatre in Lambeth in the 19th century”

 

Organised on Monday 17 July by the Friends of Durning Library this is their report: Jon Newman, archive manager for Lambeth Archives, gave us a fascinating illustrated rundown of Lambeth’s theatres in the 19th century.  In the 16th and 17th centuries the marshy area south of Westminster was out of reach of the City of London aldermen, so Lambeth riverside became home to pleasure gardens, pubs and all sorts of often dubious “entertainment”.  With the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1751, access on foot became possible (although perhaps even more dangerous) and various theatres were built.  Until 1843 only 3 theatres in central London had royal assent to perform “straight theatre”, so the new venues put on circuses and other spectacles, including many with performing animals.  Military spectacles were also very popular, and news of a victory in some far-off place, such as Magdala, was very rapidly transformed into a new production. The new theatres included Astley’s Amphitheatre beside Westminster Bridge, the Royal Circus in Blackfriars Road (later to become the Surrey Theatre), the Royal Coburg (nowadays known as the Old Vic) and many more. By the 1870s there were about 450 musical variety theatres in London, but by the turn of the century they started following the middle classes further out of London, away from the pollution and crime.  In 1929 Paul Robeson played Othello at Streatham Hill, whereas Lambeth had come to equal the no-go areas of the east End.  Emma Cons acquired the Victoria in the 1870s and turned it into a temperance coffee house, which then saw the beginnings of Morley College for Working Men.  Her niece, Lilian Baylis, turned it back into a theatre and re-opened it as the Old Vic in 1916 to produce “improving productions of Shakespeare to educate Londoners”.

 

The talk was attended by about 40 people.  The Friends report that it met their aims - to provide a stimulating talk on local history and/or by a local person - and cost the Friends nothing. The audience was mainly middle aged white.  The ongoing benefits are support for the Library, (thus preventing, or at least hindering, its closure, interest in local history leading to more support for local events.

 

Kennington Park History Walk

A dozen people enjoyed Stefan Szczelkun’s walk on the history of the Park held on Sunday. He explained about the role of Kennington Common as a place for popular social activities and cricket, for preaching, as a political speakers’ corner, and for public executions. He paid particular attention to the Chartist demonstration in 1848 highlighting the role of William Cuffay, a Black Briton in organising it and being transported to Tasmania.  He explained about the turning of the Common into the Park, and the way the Parks use was tightly controlled. He pointed out the importance of the former Horns public house and entertainment centre which stood on the corner of Kennington Park and Kennington Roads, and the role of the Price of Wales Theatre where the block of flats north of the Park now is. Stefan also explained about the tensions in the way the Council controlled use of the Park over the years, having opened it up in the 1980s to much more community and event activities, and in recent years begin to tighten control again. The walk ended at the War Memorial with an explanation of the importance of such memorials and Stefan saying that there is to be a memorial to the 50 plus people killed in the bombing on the Park’s air raid shelter during the Second Word War. People on the walk found it fascinating and several signed up to be on RCDT’s enews listing to be kept informed of future events in the area.

North Lambeth & Charlie Chaplin Walk

Tony Merrick led over 20 people in the sweltering heat of the early evening on Wednesday 19 July on a historic walk of North Lambeth with an emphasis on Charlie Chaplin.

 

Repatriating the Ark (the John Tradescants).

Throughout the Festival Paraobla Trust put on a daily exhibition about the Tradescants at the Museum of Garden History. 10 artists paid homage to 350th anniversary of the publication of Museum Tradescantianum, a catalogue listing all the rarities collected by the John Tradescants and displayed in their home in South Lambeth Road, known as the Ark. On Tuesday 18 July Jon Newman (Lambeth Archives) led a walk ‘John Tradescant’s Rest’ from  South Lambeth Library in South Lambeth Rd to the Museum of Garden History) at Lambeth Bridge. , It retraced the journey of John Tradescant the Elder's funeral cortege in 1638 from the site of his South Lambeth house to his tomb in St Mary Lambeth Churchyard. RCDT contributed to the cost of printing a walk guide published by Parabola during the Festival.

 

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens Talk

On Tuesday 18 July Professor Penelope Corfield (Royal Holloway) spoke on ‘Community and Conflict. Tension in the history of Vauxhall  Pleasure Gardens’. She had given a more general talk on the history in the 2005 Festival.

 

Valuing Our Past - Local History Fair

The Local History Fair ‘Valuing Our Past’ on Saturday 22 July was a collaborative effort organised through the Kennington, Oval & Vauxhall Local History/Heritage Forum. Despite many people being put off from coming because of the rain in the early afternoon, a varied programme was on offer for those who did come. A packed meeting in the late morning heard about the history and successes of the Community Care Centre in a celebration of its 21st Anniversary. Films and videos were on show about aspects of the history of the area. There were displays about the history of arts and crafts education and industry, Lambeth and music, the histories of Morley College and Alford House, and the locally developed Corelli apple. There was also a display of the Long Story Short project. There were bookstalls run by RCDT and Community Support. The Friends of Durning Library sold their publication by Ken Severn’s on the history of Lambeth’s Libraries, especially the Durning.  Refreshments at the fair included Indian vegetarian food like samosas. Sarah Woodfine ran a children’s art workshop. Talks were given by:

·                     Sean Creighton on Radical North Lambeth

·                     Steve Martin: ‘Casting Light on UK Moslem Organisation 1911-1921: Duse Mohamed Ali’ – Black Moslem Activist who lived in Vauxhall

·                     Mark Windich on the history of Morley College

·                     Max Boucher: ‘William Bligh: The True Story of the Bounty Voyage’– to obtain bread fruit plants to take to the West Indies as part of providing a staple food for the slaves.

 

Duse Mohamed Ali (1866–1945)

 

Here are some key aspects of his life: Son of an Egyptian army officer and his Sudanese wife. Settled in London about 1898.  Worked as an actor and a freelance journalist. 1911 published articles and a book against imperialist aggression against African and Asian people. 1912-14, 1917 and 1920 ran the monthly anti-imperialist African Times and Orient Review. Banned by colonial governments in India and Africa. Leading member of the London Islamic Society. 1915 founded the Indian Soldiers’ Widows and Orphans War Fund, linked to the All-India Muslim League. 1918 one of founding members of the UK African Progress Union. After World War I he promoted  business opportunities to link India, African-Americans and West Africa. 1921 went to USA where he lived for the next ten years and was an active in building Moslem organisations. He then went to Nigeria for the rest of his life working on the pro-freedom newspaper The Comet.

 

HEALTH , FITNESS & SPORTS ACTIVIITES

A number of opportunities were provided for people to take part in health and fitness activities including:

 

·                     blood pressure and fitness testing at Lambeth Walk Group Practice run by Dr Raj Mitra and Dan Styles (Freestyle Fitness)

·                     two  free circuit training sessions at Archbishop Sumner School organised by Freestyle Fitness

·                     Carpet bowls at Vauxhall Gdns Community Centre and Lambeth Mission – unfortunately these did not attract many people

·                     All Nations Centre organised informal team sports – see below

·                     A tea dance for older people at Lambeth Mission

·                     A competition to win 4 free physical training sessions organised by Freestyle Fitness

 

Freestyle Fitness was sponsored by Alpro, which provided soya drinks and yoghurts for the Festival and Southbank which provided prizes for the competition.

Although not organised as part of the Festival, promotion was given to the sports organised for young people at Lilian Baylis by Sports Action Zone. Linford Christie came to give his support, including running against a little girl, who won!

HARLEYFORD RD COMMUNITY GDNS OPEN DAY AND BONNINGTON FESTIVAL

These two neighbouring events benefited by being next to each other with a walkway from the Garden into the Square. The range of music including performances by local young people who go to Pimlico School  including a 13-year old girl who beautifully sang 60s folk songs accompanying herself on the guitar. The Square was closed to traffic and a stage put up for live music. The Bonnington Café was open for food. An empty shop was opened up as an impromptu local artists gallery. There were stalls and refreshments and a range of other activities. A very diverse mix of families, children, young people and adults enjoyed themselves.

CELEBRATING TEXTILES SKILLS AND HISTORY

Between 80 and 100 people came to this event on Friday 14 July at St Anselm’s Church Hall and Lady Margaret Hall Settlement which contained the following activities.

 

Talks and Demonstrations by Leon Conrad

Leon Conrad, a local resident who is an internationally-renowned specialist in historic needlework techniques, demonstrated the art of blackwork embroidery, and gave two fascinating talks:

·                     17th Century Embroidery Techniques: ‘What Didn’t They Get Up To?’: 17thC English Embroidery Techniques - the History, Techniques and Background to One of the Greatest Ages of English Embroidery.

·                     Black Work Embroidery: Magic, Mystery, Symbolism.

 

All Sewn Up Project

The All Sewn Up project led  by Lady Margaret Hall Settlement put on a display of work by students on its soft furnishing courses. There was a presentation of City & Guilds Certificates by the designer Neisha Crossland in the presence of Kate Hoey, MP, advice and guidance about courses was available, as well as refreshments being provided and a raffle. The local women involved on the courses are a broad cross section of the diversity of the ethnicity of the area. Local resident Betty Severn commented: ‘I was most impressed with the exhibition of work by students of the curtain and soft furnishing classes at the Lady Margaret Hall Settlement.  Beautifully made curtains and cushions well displayed were a tribute to this enterprise for creating local skills.’

 

Ghanaian Kente Textiles

Quophie Ababio (Methodist Minister at Vauxhall Mission) gave a talk on the history and development of Ghanaian Kente textile work, and his wish to foster teaching it in Britain. Quophie had studied the history and development of Kente in Ghana.

CITY FARM, ST PETER’S CHURCH AND HERITAGE CENTRE OPEN DAYS

A steady stream of between 200 and 250 people, including families with young children, older children and adults came to the linked open days at Vauxhall City Farm and St Peter’s Church & Vauxhall Heritage Centre. Particularly popular at the Farm were the maggot races and ‘the make your own mosaics’. Several local people signed up for horse riding lessons, and the Farm gained six more local young volunteers. There were also demonstrations by the Dyeworks spinners and weavers group.

The displays at the Church and Heritage Centre covered the history of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the local arts schools and Doultons, the Church, the Second World War. The Church vestments were also on show. There was also a display of the ideas for the improvement of Spring Gardens, and the proposed City & Guilds London School of Art stone carving project for the Gardens. Church and Centre volunteers provided free teas, coffees, fruit juice and biscuits. There was also a display of the London Story Short project (see below). Music associated with Lambeth was played in the background and at 4pm there was a short song recital by Sarah Dacey (soprano) accompanied by Belinda Jones (pianist).

The Genesis Housing Association displayed their proposed new housing block to replace offices at Glyn St. Local residents and Friends of Spring Gardens were particularly concerned about the scale of the building and its impact on the park.

‘Singing brilliant’ said one person who heard the performance by Sarah Dacey of ‘Sweeter than Roses’ by  Purcell, songs by Schoenberg, John Cage and Manuel de Falla and Scottish minstrelsy songs. Sarah graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and was working as a freelance soloist and ensemble singer in London. She had worked with the BBC Singers, Exaudi, London Voices and sang in the Juice Vocal Trio (www.juicevocalensemble.net). Belinda Jones, the piano accompanist, had recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music where she won the Michael Head prize and was continuing her studies. She has performed with both instrumentals and singers.

PUSH THE ENVELOPE.

SUSTAINING ARTS COMMUNITIES ON THE LEFTBANK

Regeneration is happening in Vauxhall - the last bastion of non-gentrified society in a central London riverside location. Damien Hirst has planning permission to open a complex of galleries in Newport Street whilst further down the road, Vauxarts, a local studio provider, loses its space to developers. Upriver, Tate Modern has provided a new profile for visual art in London. The impact of the international tourist attraction on its neighbouring galleries and public facilities for art has been significant and difficult to measure. Push the Envelope was a one day symposium focussing on the geopolitics of the left-bank - the Cinderella of London South Central. Kennington, Vauxhall and Oval area is home to a large number of artists and has spawned notable artist-led initiatives over the years  including City Racing, Beaconsfield and Gasworks. The area has also attracted commercial galleries such as Danielle Arnaud, Corvi Mora and Greengrassi. The artists agency, Space, maintain a studio complex at Oval and City and Guilds London School of Art has been in the area since 1879.

 

The Push the Envelope debate addressed a range of issues including: the impact economic ‘regeneration’ is likely to have on existing art communities in North Lambeth and the lessons to be learned from arts-led regeneration in other areas, such as London’s East End; the project to reconnect craft skills with art practice in a hostile climate and the pros and cons of running small-scale operations in the shadow of Tate. Those taking part in the debate were:

 

*           Sheila Wagstaff (Chief Curator Tate Modern)

*           Anna Harding (Chief Executive, SPACE studios)

*           Tony Carter (Artist and Principal of City and Guilds of London Art School)

*           Richard Grayson (Artist and Independent Curator)

*           Peter St John (Director, Caruso St John, Architects)

*           Jeffe Jeffers (Director, Lady Margaret Hall Settlement)

 

There was also original art work.

 

The Leftbank Artists Network was launched at the end of the event. This Network was being put together by RCDT as a Festival planning initiative with the help of local galleries. The event was organised by Beaconsfield Gallery in consultation with RCDT, and funded by Arts Council England and Big Lottery. A transcript of the debate is being produced.

 

LADY GREEN FINGERS

Lady Green Fingers was developed by Oval Partnership as a result of discussions in the Festival planning process for the Festival by Oval Partnership. It was supported by Lambeth NHS Primary Care Trust as well Lambeth Recycling, and Hyde Southbank Homes. It started being made using recycled materials during an art and well being event organised by Lambeth First.  

 

Lady Green Fingers depicts a woman with a brush in her right hand, and nature or wellbeing by holding a spade in her left hand.  The sculpture is also an example of drawing people together while providing a sense of ‘well being’ in the process of being created.  Since being made, people sometimes stop, look and then sit on the bench beside the sculpture to have their picture taken – an example of art continuing!

 

All the work in putting the sculpture together was done by local people working together with the help of artist Susan Swartzberg.  Old and young, people from the estate, people passing and seeing the work happening, a man in a suit, local women, a retired gentleman, an actor, school children......

 

Lady Green Fingers was made of old bicycle tyres (hair and skirt); beer bottle tops from the local pubs and London Marathon; plastic bags collected from local people and knitted by local people (bodice of dress); a broken bench and a spade from Lambeth Parks.

 

The sculpture was planned to be ready for Lambeth Riverside Festival and was on view on the grass area in front of a block of flats in Kennington Park Estate, directly opposite the Oval Tube Station, and for some time afterwards. This project was made possible by the hard work of Tricia Anderson of Oval Partnership.

LONG STORY SHORT DISPLAY

This project was commissioned for the Festival after discussion between RCDT and Spread the Word. Brixton based Library of the Unwritten Word worked with sheltered housing residents in Lambeth Walk and in Oval to turn their reminiscences into little story books, to create a display and provide a series of postcards from the photographs people had. A big thanks to Caroline and Sam Brown of Unwritten Word. After the St Peter’s display Caroline and Sam put the poster part of display up in the window at Spread the Word. ‘We met one of the participants on Lambeth Walk just after we had installed. She was absolutely thrilled with it and very excited about coming to the local history event.’ The display remained in the window at Spread the Word at 77 Lambeth Walk. The display generated a lot of interest from passers-by. The full display was also at the Local History Fair on Saturday 22 July at Roots & Shoots (see above). Those taking part in the project who live on Lambeth Walk thoroughly enjoyed the project and were delighted with the result. The project was funded by Lambeth Endowed Charities and Hyde Softbank Homes.

CONSEQUENCES A PLAY

Consequences is a play about a trio of close friends as they begin to realise their relationships are far from perfect. With shifting emotions and loyalties, each of them is forced to rethink their whole life plan and to determine the fine line between friends and lovers; especially when the consequences of their decisions may lose them everything. It was written by local resident, Dan Stilwell and produced and performed by him and friends. It had been included in the 2005 Festival programme as a play reading. Phil Shaw, a casting director commented: “An excellent play - holds together very well as a dramatic piece of writing, and the ensemble is good. There was nice work from all actors and the direction was well paced. For a first night this was a commendable performance.”

 

ALL NATIONS’ CENTRE COMMUNITY EVENTS

All Nations’ Centre (ANC) ran three environmental and community awareness events during the festival period. a Community Service Project, a Sport Tournaments and a Summer Party. ANC explains these activities and the benefits involved in running these during the Festival.

‘Our aim was to add value to people’s lives by making a difference in the community and showing that we care and are interested in what happens to the people living in Lambeth.  People living in this area have commented about the lack of community facilities and even the ones that do exist are so badly maintained. We wanted to address some of these needs. It’s a known fact that people’s environment do matter to them.

The Community Service Projects (CSP) attracted about eighty five church members who cleaned graffiti, painted and decorated damaged access points, cut grass and uncluttered play areas in the Lilian Baylis School and at Lollard Street Adventure Playground. For the second CSP, another thirty-eight church members collected recycling items from residents living on the Vauxhall Gardens Estate, in support of Lambeth Council‘s Community recycling programme.

We also wanted to rekindle a community spirit where people shared things in common. The sports tournaments were held in Lilian Baylis School and were well attended and enjoyed by members of the community. We ran three tournaments Five-a-side football, Table Tennis and Lawn Tennis. The five-a-side football proved extremely popular with men and boys of all ages. It was so successful that individual members of the community and community groups have asked us to run these tournaments on a regular basis.

The Summer Party was planned in partnership with Vauxhall Primary School and was held in their playground. This event was also well attended by those living within the community. There was something for everyone: young children had their faces painted, played on a bouncy castle and watched a puppet show. Women were given massages, makeovers and pampering sessions all free of charge. Older children took part in the Festival concert, which included drama, music, dance and a children’s award ceremony. We also invited members of the community to take part in our jumble sale, we were inundated with offers. These stall holders sold an array of items, such as clothes, cakes, balloons, hand made soaps, cards, books and toys. We provided a barbecue as well, water and cold drinks all free of charge. This event brought people together it was truly a successful community event.

In conclusion, everyone in the community benefited from our events. The services we offered were to a cross section of the community such as parents, children, young people, older people, men, and women. This also included middle class, working class, students and the unemployed. People attending our events also came from various ethnic, social and religious groups including Rastafarians, Muslims, and Hindus etc.

One of the benefits of ANC taking part in the Festival was to show through practical acts that we are aware; we care and are concerned about the needs within the community. Before the Festival many people had preconceived ideas about the role ANC played in the community. But that has changed due in part to our involvement in the Festival. On Sunday 16 July ANC held a Community Sunday Service and many people in the community attended. We have seen a marked interest in individuals and groups wanting to use our services.’

 

SOME OTHER EVENTS

·                     150 parents, children and carers went to see the Sure Start exhibition at Roots & Shoots of toddlers’ views on living in Lambeth.

·                     Local resident Veronica Ledwith, who went to the first  ‘Sax, Lies & Audiotape’ music fusion evening commented:  ‘Soaring up to fill the great Gothic space of St Peter’s, the sweet sounds of alto and soprano sax interact with the electronic pieces and samples of classical, dance and street sounds.‘

·              300 parents and children attended the Sure Start Family Party on Wednesday 12 July.

·              Over 80 young people enjoyed activities such as hockey, football, inflatables, bingo, and the Bar-B-Q at Alford House’s one day

·                     Several people came to the experimental Local Designers Show and Sale on Tuesday 20 July at RCDT’s Community Resource Centre at 20 Newburn St, featuring the handmade goods of Monica Daley, Mary Van de Water, and friends.

 

Assessment

Inevitably not all the events that were originally conceived came to fruition:

 

·                     a large scale recycling proposal to collect unwanted goods from people especially on their local social housing estates did not happen. All Nations’ smaller scale activity showed the potential

·                      the original idea of a large launch event on Spring Gardens was abandoned after  grant application to the national Park It scheme was unsuccessful, and the idea of a smaller event was abandoned because of the cost and other implications of the Council’s health and safety requirements

·                     the proposed sculpture demonstration by students of the City & Guilds School of Art led by the leading sculpture Henry Horsley, who teaches at the School and lives in the area is on hold because it was not possible to raise the money needed in time for the Festival

·                     he RCDT and Handmade Opera’s ‘Night at the Opera’ event had to be cancelled due to lack of support

·                     an Enterprise event drafted by RCDT and Frances Forrest, the Manager of Lambeth Council’s Town Centre Manager,  was conceived too late to include in the programme

·                     the piano recital organised by Lady Margaret Hall Settlement to promote the Recycle project which collects of ships unwanted bicycles to Africa for use by education and health workers had to be re-organised to the week after the Festival

Despite these difficulties, the Festival has shown once again what can be done with very few central resources when local people and organisations are committed to putting on events for local people.

A number of project ideas emerged during Festival planning and activities and are in the RCDT’s Development Plan for 2007-8.

 

Riverside Community Development Trust

March 2007

 

RCDTS's Vision for the 2006 Festival

With the success of the 2005 Festival the Board decided to co-ordinate the July 2006 Festival between 9 and 22 July. A wide range of events and activities were again provided, with an emphasis on engagement on local social housing estates. It promoted both Festivals at the annual North Lambeth Parish Fete in June.

Financial support for the 2005 Festival was provided by St George’s plc, Cross River Partnership and the brochure was printed by the Council. Funds were received for the 2006 Festival from Lambeth Endowed Charities, Covent Garden Market Authority, Lambeth Council for brochure printing, the Arts Council. South Pacific Bar donated back the £300 it had been given towards costs incurred in its 2005 Festival event.

The day before the opening launch of the 2005 Festival had seen the outrage of the London bombings. A large number of parents kept their children away from school, and those who let their children go to school would not them stay behind. This drastically effected the numbers of children and parents attending the afternoon launch activities at Archbishop Sumner School and the attendance at the evening activities. Attendances throughout the Festival were adversely affected by a fear among many people about being outside their homes. The intense heat during the 2006 Festival also had an adverse effect on attendances, as did the rain downpour on the last Saturday. However the Trust estimates that 3,000 mainly local people took part in the various events in 2006.