Cody Dock, 11C South Crescent, Cody Road, Canning Town, London E16 4TL
NEWSLETTER Issue 3 March 2017
GASWORKS DOCK PARTNERSHIP GDP is proud to be a Leaway strategic delivery partner Cody Dock, 11c South Crescent, Canning Town London E16 4TL Office: 020 74 73 04 29 Charity Registration No. 1141523 Company Registration No. 7135282 www.gasworksdock.org.uk _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________
Board of Trustees Marcus McKenzie – Chair David Asuni – Treasurer Suzanne Rankin – Trustee, Arts Lead Bianca Mawani – Trustee, HR Lead Pat Fitzsimons – Trustee Martin Torres – Trustee Committees & Specialist Advisors Celia Cummings – Communications Tom Randel-Page – Architect and Planning Committee Sandra Fryer – Planning Consultant PUP Architects – Planning Consultant Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design – Planning Consultant
Acknowledgments Simon Stone – Trustee, Company Secretary, Legal and Property Lead 2009-2015 Steve Rattray – Trustee, Treasurer 2009-2014 Clive Dutton – Trustee, Regeneration and Planning Lead 2011-2015 Chris Westwood – Vice Chair 2009-2016 Peter Ellis – Chair 2009-2016 Julia Briscoe – Trustee, Engagement Lead 2009-2016 Simon Myers – Founder, former Trustee 2008–2015 and current CEO Contact us info@gasworksdock.org.uk Volunteer Programs and Corporate Engagement engagement@gasworksdock.org.uk
WELCOME TO CODY DOCK Pat Fitzsimons, GDP Trustee Director at Thames Estuary Partnership
I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois, but have lived in the East End for most of my 38 years in Britain. My background is in business, economics, community development and regeneration. I always have my eye on the bottom line and I thrive on developing new partnerships, projects and ideas. I’m a Freeman of the City of London and Watermen and Lightermen, and am soon to become a Water Conservator. My goal at TEP is to form partnerships with businesses, voluntary and community sector organisations and local residents to make lasting improvements to the Thames.
TEP is a membership organisation and we seek to communicate, connect and catalyse action for the benefit of the Thames. We do this by publishing magazines and e-newsletters, holding events, conferences and workshops, convening theme-based multi-agency action groups and initiating innovative projects. Cody Dock fits perfectly into the aims of TEP. Sitting on a tributary of the Thames, Cody Dock’s community engagement and activities ensure that the local population learn about and respect the water. By doing so, we hope the community will preserve the water and understand their impact on it. I welcome joining the Cody Dock board at this exciting time. By improving access to the water and using the dock for what it was built for, the local community will gain a very wide understanding of the uses of and beauty of their river Lea.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LEA Simon Myers, CEO Gasworks Dock Partnership Over the past 5 years we have been joined by thousands of people who have all come together to share in our dream of transforming Cody Dock from its former derelict state and reactivating the Lower Lea River, creating a place that its communities can say they helped to build. With the clean-up phase nearly complete and the Leaway footpaths now on the map and already being used by thousands of people every month, we felt it was time to celebrate all that is Lea. Throughout this year we will be hosting a body of works and activities under the umbrella title of ‘All about the Lea’, with the broad aim of increasing the Lower Lea’s profile through a celebration of its heritage, ecology, people and its often hidden gems. Our Spring Launch Event on the 25th of March 2017 will celebrate the opening of the new LEAWAY Twelvetrees Ramp and the connection it now provides Cody Dock and Cody Wilds to the wider Lee Valley. This event will host the launch of a month-long retrospective of photo journalist Peter Marshall’s work, spanning four decades and his visual diary of the Lower Lea’s recent and unsung history.
River Princess in Royal Victoria Dock, 2012
The exhibition focuses on the tidal Lower Lea, charting its transition from a bustling industrial zone into decline and a forgotten backwater through to the present day and the rapid shoots of regeneration with the likes of Island Garden City, Hackney Wick, the new Olympic Park and Lea Tunnel all poised to transform the area’s prospects. In addition to new exciting collaborations with existing partners, we will throughout the year be providing a platform for emerging artists who are using the Lea as inspiration for their work. Look out for Daniel Dressel’s first public showing of Polygon, a gritty and thought provoking multimedia installation inspired by the docks, boxing and the financial capital; showing from the 26th May till the 4th June. We have also launched a new annual photographic calendar competition called ‘Your Lea River’. This is dedicated to all things Lea and focuses on any aspect of the Lea River’s rich tapestry, providing an annual archive that captures its history during this current period of rapid change. Winning entries will be reproduced in our Cody Dock Calendar, receive a small cash prize and will feature in our Autumn exhibition. Launch date is 25th March and deadline for submissions is 30th June.
Our Cody Wilds project received a fantastic boost at the beginning of this year with over 120 people attending our RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch event where we were able to add another three new species of bird to the existing total of 36 species already spotted at Cody Dock. In this issue of our newsletter, resident writer Paul Ferris will be delving into what makes Cody Wilds and this little of stretch of the Leaway so special. With the increase in footfall and surrounding area’s redevelopment we will be continuing to work closely with our project partners at Kew Gardens and the Grow Wild team, Thames21, Newham Council and Thames Water to help ensure the Leaway’s green assets not only survive but also flourish during our area’s exciting transition. Other highlights for the coming quarter will include a public viewing of our charity’s master plan on the 8th and 9th April, before we submit our major planning application for the redevelopment phase of Cody Dock. So whether you are interested in boats, bridges, industrial and social heritage, arts space, waterways and our environmental programs, community spaces or simply a big fan of the Lea, this is your chance to contribute to our exciting future!
River Princess in Royal Victoria Dock, 2012
THE HISTORY OF CODY DOCK Paul Ferris
Chapter 3 The wildlife of Cody Dock On what began as a fine, bright late January day, with the sun shining happily on Cody Dock and glistening on to the high-tide Lea, Cody Dock took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch event. During the morning, mostly, the area was visited by 120 people, many of whom made notes of the bird species that they saw in and around the dock. We were by assisted by two members of the team that help out at RSPB’s Rainham Marsh Reserve, who set up an information table and provided telescopes and binoculars on our observation platform which gave a view not only across the premises but also onto and across the river. “During the morning, mostly,” was quite apt, as by the time the afternoon had happened, clouds were rolling in as the tide was rolling out, a breeze which had not been too noticeable in the sunshine became chilly without it, visitors became less as the rain started pattering down, and eventually the observations closed down as the telescopes were packed away. The Big Garden Birdwatch takes place each year, and has, since its inception, morphed slightly to encompass parks and other spaces as well as gardens. Although the advice is to spend just one hour logging the birds seen from your observation point, so as to make the event more publicly friendly, we logged for as long as there were people passing through and willing to take part. Events such as this are helping us to build up a picture of what lives in and around Cody Dock, and what visits during the year. For most people, it is perhaps birds that first begin to arouse their interest in wildlife. Many people also have an interest in their gardens, or their allotments, and so plants and flowers – wild or cultivated – may be their main interest. Hence the profusion of books on “British Birds” or “Wild Flowers of Britain” that are so readily available these days. During the “quiet” days of that part of summer when the birds are less noticeable – out of the way raising young or out of sight amongst the leaves of trees – many birders (a technical term!) have taken to watching the aerial antics of other fliers, such as the dragonflies and damselflies.
Kingfisher
Then their interest might extend to bees, wasps and beetles, then maybe spiders, then – well, almost anything that grabs someone's attention. Those whose main interest may have been wild flowers, that is to say plants with flowers on, begin to realise there are a whole host of other growing organisms: mosses and liverworts maybe, and some that aren’t even really plants at all – fungi, for example. So, what of Cody Dock? What lives here, what visits, what do we know? The Garden Birdwatch provided us with a few “new” bird species – that is to say species which we had not noted before, or at least hadn’t got written down. One of these, surprisingly, was Dunnock – otherwise known as the Hedge Sparrow, but more strictly a Hedge Accentor. A strange new one, this, because each time I’d visited Cody Dock I’d been aware of this pleasant little bird, easily mistaken by the casual observer for a House Sparrow, which is probably the reason for it being a “new one”. In all, 36 species of bird were recorded, plus another couple which we shall look at later!
Mallards Early in the creation of the Cody Dock Project, the extensive bed of reeds nearby on the banks of the River Lea held a Bittern. Though this hasn’t been seen (or heard!) subsequently, the fact that it regarded the reed bed as at least a temporary habitat is encouraging, and proves the value of such an environment. During the summer, these reeds – which are the Common Reed Phragmites Australis (as used for thatching) hold numbers of Reed Warblers. These are summer visitors, and their loud and chattering call is a distinctive feature which can be heard even from the riverside path immediately adjacent to Cody Dock itself. There is more reed even in the actual dock, and it is intended that this be enhanced – although will need to be controlled as well. Birds making actual use of the river include a variety of duck species, typically Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall and the small Teal. It was nice to see small flocks of Teal fly into the dock as the tide went out on the Birdwatch afternoon. However, many more had taken to lining up and resting along the boards that bolster the river walls on the Poplar bank. I counted about 30, although there were doubtless more that I was unable to see from my vantage point. From the small Teal duck to the considerably larger sheldduck, seven of which were counted during the day, and also the resident Egyptian Geese, of which a few are usually present somewhere between Bow Locks and Cody Dock. These Egyptian Geese are in fact actually classified as a duck, and probably most closely related to the sheldduck.
Originally – as the name implies – they were a species native to Africa south of the Sahara, but breeding flocks were introduced into places such as Holkham Hall in Norfolk in the 19th C., and – unpinioned – some escaped. It is now a common and widespread breeding bird particularly in the east of England, including the London area. The common true goose to be frequently seen in the Cody Dock area is the Canada Goose, another introduction which has proved all-too successful in Britain. As yet we have not had a record of the native Greylag goose, although this may change in the not-too distant future as numbers are certainly building up on Wanstead Flats – not too far distant as the goose flies. Mute Swans are also present on the Lea hereabouts, looking – as they do – somewhat resplendently stately in what – after all – is a somewhat industrial landscape. Other water-side birds to be seen frequently are Cormorants – which make good use of the multitude of fishes in the Lea – as do Great Crested Grebes. No reports of Little Grebes yet, but distinctly possible, and they could even make use of the dock. There are wading birds, too, and the two most common are the Redshank and the Common Sandpiper, both of which make use of the mudbanks when the tide is low. As well as the common Heron, a more recent visitor is the brilliant white Little Egret, a relatively recent colonist to Britain originating more typically from Mediterranean regions. Swan
I mentioned in the bird count 36 species, plus another two, and one of those I shall introduce now. Amongst the Mallard that can be seen feeding on the Lea, and in the dock, are a number of dark-looking ducks which have been put down on the list as “Cody Wild Ducks”. These are in fact Mallard, although some are very distinctly coloured. The Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is often known as the common duck, as it is widespread through the Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and as an introduction to many other parts of the world. It has formed the basis of numbers of domesticated varieties – some for food, some for ornament – and even other closely-related species of duck other than Anas platyrhynchos will interbreed.
Wildfowl These dark Cody Wild Ducks are probably the result of some back-crossing between a domesticated variety and the local wild mallards, although there is an American Black Duck which has been said to have been introduced and may be its provenance. It isn’t unusual to find any numbers of ducks raging in colour from pure white to black, and including some rather strange physical forms as well. These Cody Wild ducks look like they may be on their way to developing a strain of their own – but they’ll doubtless not be too particular about mixing with the wild ones!
And of course, commonly around the river are a variety of gull species. Though once commonly referred to as “seagulls”, they really can’t be designated as belonging to the sea any more, as some species – particularly Black-headed and Common gulls – are just as happy inland. But here at Cody Dock the influence of the sea is strong anyway; the history of Poplar and Canning Town is closely associated with a strong maritime history. Cody Dock itself is evidence of this. So gulls would for long have used the River Lea to forage, as they do in profusion nowadays, but even on the rooftops of the neighbouring business park, hundreds of gulls will readily be seen and heard. Apart from the widespread Black-headed and Common Gulls, Lesser Black-backs and Herring Gulls use the riverside and feed hungrily on the Flounders that find their way up the Lea from the Thames. A couple of other bird species associated with water may be expected to be observed around Cody Dock. One of these is the brightly yellow-coloured Grey Wagtail (they are actually yellow and grey, but the yellow is outstanding and the name serves to distinguish from the all-yellow Yellow Wagtail, which we haven’t seen here). The other wagtail which is common here is the Pied Wagtail, not necessarily seen by water but often associated with it. And – everybody’s favourite – and often seen as a flash of blue flying into the dock or along the river, the Kingfisher. This has been seen frequently enough to suggest that it might be breeding locally, maybe even in the Cody Reed Bed.
Herring gull
There are a number of bird-feeders put up in the public part of Cody Dock, and these attract a range of common garden bird-species: Chaffinch, Greenfinch, a number of Tit species, Wren, Robin, Blackbird and – as mentioned – Dunnock, amongst others. There are pigeons, of course – Wood Pigeons do occur and certainly the town or Feral Pigeon. These latter, it may not be realised, originated from the domestication through the ages of wild Rock Doves – natural denizens of wild rocky cliffs. Escapes from domesticated stock for centuries, and the birds finding that town buildings happily reproduced their natural habitats, the profusion, habits and size of these birds have given opportunity to one of our most dramatic birds to feast. This is the Peregrine Falcon, and this bird has been seen locally, and not infrequently, seeming to favour the gas-holder structures on the Poplar bank. Two others to mention: a Pheasant was seen walking through the area, and the second of those additional birds that I mentioned earlier – what about the domestic chickens that are kept at the dock?!
Robin Enough of birds; what of other creatures? The most obvious, although not necessarily frequently seen by the casual visitor, would be mammals. These include Foxes, Squirrels, Rats, and bats. The latter may be seen flying over the dock, but species are not easy to determine by sight alone. However, use of bat-detecting equipment by a bat-group determined that four species were present: Pipistrelle, Long-eared, Daubenton’s and Noctule. It may be that there are at least five, as the actual species of Pipistrelle noted here hasn’t – to my knowledge – been determined. There are actually three similar species of pipistrelle, at least two of which may well be present. Harbour Seal (also known as the Common Seal) and Harbour Porpoise have been observed in the Lea nearby, and with the Thames increasingly favoured by these animals and the Lea becoming increasingly clean, the numbers of these large mammals seen around Cody Dock may well increase.
A survey of the invertebrates has taken place in the nearby reed-bed, so a start has been made on finding out something about other life-forms, such as insects. Some of these will prove to be quite evident – the butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies which frequent the area, for example, and the possibility of putting out a moth trap to get an idea – without harming the creatures – of moth species that occur. There is so much that needs to be observed.
Great tit The area that it is hoped will be looked at to ascertain its wildlife population is the dock area itself, the approach roads from Star Lane Station – which require a lot of care and attention - and the Leaway from Bow Lock. At present this is over-manicured, with a variety of what could be valuable habitat planted shrubs being cut back severely, and grass verges being mowed inappropriately. This is the stretch which has been optimistically renamed “Cody Wilds” through a collaborative project with Cody Dock’s own charity GDP, Kew Garden’s Grow Wild project and the river clean-up charity Thames21. The RSPB have also lent their weight to a call for a relaxed maintenance program that would support the diversity of the habitat and enable the existing wildlife to flourish. The long-term aspiration is for this stretch of path to become a community managed linear park connecting the existing Bow ecology Park to the south and Three Mills to the North. Up near to Twelvetrees Crescent bridge is some quite thick woodland in the memorial park there, and the area surrounding the gas holders may prove a valuable habitat as it has been relatively undisturbed for so long.
We have so much here: tidal river and canal, mud flats and reed beds – as well as the industrial landscape itself. Apart from mention of the reeds, we haven’t even touched on the plants in this article. We have hedgerows planted with native species, we have urban wilderness, woodland, ornamental gardens and lawn. We have a lot to discover.
MASTER PLAN PUP Architects About PUP PUP is a London-based design and architecture studio specialised in socially and environmentally conscious architectural projects. PUP is led by architects; Theo Molloy, ChloĂŤ Leen and Steve Wilkinson. Formed in 2014, PUP has quickly earned a reputation for having a positive design ethos which is critically engaged with the discipline and the world around it. Prior to founding PUP Theo, Chloe and Steve worked for leading architecture and design companies in Switzerland, Spain and the UK including on projects such as Award winning Gantenbein winery in Switzerland, refurbishment of No.1 Court at Wimbledon Tennis Club in London and the Mailings housing development in Newcastle, Supreme Winner of the Housing Design Awards. We have a wide range of project experience from the design of houses to public buildings, exhibitions and interiors, to physically building one-off structures. We use this expertise to our advantage in order to foster a diversity of projects within our own studio. Our practice has gained recognition over the last 5 years through a series of competition wins, commissions and experimental projects where our ideas have been tested and developed. We are now taking on larger architectural commissions but the innovative approach to materials developed in our early projects still drives our decision making. At the centre of our work is the belief that architecture has a unique ability to bring people together. We aim to make projects that have a positive impact in the world putting the individuals and quality of life at the centre of sustainable and ethical buildings.
PUP projects have been published widely online and in print. We were recently profiled in the Architects Journal as part of their New Practice series. In 2016 we were selected by a jury of critics to be included in the Architecture Foundation hardback, New Architects 3. The publication was billed as ' the definitive survey of the best British architects to have set up practice in the last ten years'.
In August 2016 we were appointed by Gasworks Dock Partnership (GDP) to draw up a 10 year master plan for the development of Cody Dock. Our appointment came off the back of PUP leading the replanning and development of the river side site of Surrey Docks Farm in Rotherhithe where we designed the extension and rebuilding of a cluster of buildings to secure the future development of the farm site. We are now working closely with GDP and Tibbalds planning consultants to deliver Cody Dock master plan.
We are honoured to be working on the Cody Dock master plan and over the last 8 months have thoroughly enjoyed meeting volunteers, staff and stakeholders involved in this great project. We very much look forward to working together with the Cody Dock community and seeing the project develop and flourish in the coming years.
Cody Dock Master Plan Cody Dock is a 2.5 acre Victorian dock in the heart of the industrial Lea valley in Newham. The dock was built in the 1870's while the area was still grassy marsh lands and helped support the growth of the area for 100 years. It is now one of the last undeveloped industrial sites in East London. Since 2009 the dock has seen a grass roots regeneration into an arts and small industries community asset. The master plan compliments the vision for the site developed by GDP's team setting out the development of the dock to ensure the range of activities that currently take place can continue to flourish and support the community of residents and businesses in Newham for the future. The exciting 10 year plan includes the re-opening the dock with moorings, a dry dock for repair and maintenance of barges, 1,800m2 of workshop, studio and project spaces, community gardens, a cafe and co-working space, a heritage pavilion exploring the unique history of the site, volunteer and educational spaces and leisure facilities to open up access to the beautiful natural habitats of the River Lea.
Far from starting anew, the master plan is about consolidating the great things that already happen and setting out how this can develop in the future in the best possible way. Over the past 8 months we have met with staff, visitors, volunteers and local residents learning about the huge range of activities taking place and the teams vision. We have also assembled a master plan document organised in three chapters: the background and wider context of the project, the vision for the site including what already happens there, and finally the plan for the future.
We are pleased to say that the project has been accepted as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2017 and in June this year we would like to welcome visitors to the site for the opening of a new exhibition showcasing the plans. The exhibition will explore what community and creative space looks like in the context of a rapidly transforming economic and cultural landscape of East London. Alongside the exhibition, visitors will be able to tour the site including the community gardens, the dock itself and a full size prototype of a container co-working space to be rolled out as part of the developments. A private view of the exhibition with introductory talks from the Gasworks Dock Partnership and master plan architects, PUP architects among others will take place on the opening night. More information about the architects and the planning team can be found on their websites. www.PUParchitects.com www.tibbalds.co.uk
MEET THE DOCKERS APES
As readers of this newsletter know, Cody Dock is a powerful example of grass-roots-led regeneration: a fertile social space carved from the rubbish of post-industrialisation. This environment has proved a perfect fit for Adventure Playground Engineers (APES), one of the UK’s premier adventure playground builders. Since April 2015, APES has worked from the Cody Dock site and contributed to its prime aim: building a creative quarter with new workspaces and public facilities, creating new jobs in an area of intense deprivation, while fostering a stronger sense of place and civic pride for a highly transient population. “Cody Dock has been the ideal environment for APES,” says John O’Driscoll, director of the award-winning company. “Our ethos and Cody Dock’s mesh perfectly; we have been energised by the site’s can-do attitude; and it gives us the space to build large-scale structures and treat the natural materials at the heart of our work. “We also give back to Cody Dock by using our construction skills to contribute to its upkeep: it’s been a positive relationship from the start.”
Hackney-based APES has 17 years’ experience of developing adventure playgrounds, while also designing and building play structures in public parks, schools, urban environments, community gardens and tourist spots. In recent years, it has branched out into events and PR. The firm’s user-led work includes showpiece structures at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Tumbling Bay Playground; a variety of school and children’s centre projects, such as the Lloyd Park Centre’s Grow Wild space; PR events, such as the Planet of the Apes project for Fox; and APGs including Apple and Pears in Hackney and the complete redesign and build of an inclusive playground at Lollard Street, Stockwell.
“We create play spaces that enhance their settings – natural structures where disabled and non-disabled children of all ages can play together (a commitment to inclusion that is central to our work),” says O’Driscoll. “The environmentally sustainable structures we construct are loved by the communities we serve: that is what we are always striving for.” Taking its lead from its director, APES is both environmentally conscious and socially committed. Most of the firm’s work targets low-income areas, offering play opportunities to increasingly sedentary children (a particular problem for overcrowded neighbourhoods lacking green spaces); and it uses reclaimed wood to craft creative responses to participants’ needs.
This social impulse – another example of how APES and Cody Dock mesh – informs the creation of the firm’s charity arm, Build Up. Established in 2014 (and formerly known as Risk Agency), Build Up runs practical construction projects for 6-20-year-olds, giving them the opportunity to run and manage sites, make decisions and see for themselves the difference they can make to their communities. “In the course of our work, it became increasingly apparent that many young people using our structures wanted to get involved with the building side, but lacked the necessary skills and experience,” says O’Driscoll. “Build Up offers them the opportunity to gain this knowledge – boosting their self-esteem while making them fit for the world of work.” Of course, a playground provider’s primary aim is to facilitate children’s play – so vital in a world where such opportunities are beset by the corrosive forces of austerity, the siren song of screen time and the primacy of the car. In this aim, APES comes up trumps and the firm’s relationship with Cody Dock is making it happen.
APES provides free consultation and first-stage designs, so please call or email us to book an appointment. See apesatplay.com for more information, or check out our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds.
SHARING THE VISION Vicky Maddox, Community Gardener When asked to look to the future, experiencing the fullness of the present, can be difficult until you share the vision of what will become a better now. The visionaries at Cody Dock have already laid fertile ground for the seeds of change and newness, providing not just the wildlife with a sanctuary but the odd human here and there also. Permaculture and its societal principles are embodied here and like a stone tossed into the water, its ripples are being sent out further afield. The vision is to engage the local businesses into a cultural change of caring for the local environments and sharing them respectfully with the natural world. The dreary walk from Star Lane station to South Crescent is where we will direct our focus at first, adding native wild flowers to wooded areas and engaging local groups in the clearing away of rubbish.
Dreams of flower adorned hanging baskets and planters along Cody Road are only an inspiration away, with the Ambulance station taking a good lead. The attractive qualities that natures beauty brings enhances every beings experience, including those employees and customers in the industrial quarter we are situated in. It is no wonder that many of them lunch at Cody Dock, enjoying the river and friendly, relaxed ambience. Spring is a busy time for gardeners and I am getting increasingly excited about it as the days get longer and the promise of warmth and sunshine are well within reach—the fuel needed for action and motivation as we inspire a whole range of people into the hopes and aspirations of a better home grown world. Should you wish to participate and bring the dream into reality either by donation, a pledge of support or taking physical action please contact enagagment@gasworksdock.org.uk
EVENTS ROUND-UP Julia Briscoe Frost Fair Winter saw the first of Cody Dock’s Big Lottery funded ‘Celebrate’ events. Our Frost Fair was the first of a set of four events to celebrate each season. Cody Dock’s take on the traditional Frost Fair welcomed live music by Stacey Cohen and The King Driscolls and Star Primary School’s very own Glee Choir. Entertainment included traditional fairground games, Christmas decoration and wreath making workshops, a German delicatessen and festive stalls. We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who contributed so much and all those who attended and made it such a lovely, family event. Our next ‘Celebrate the Seasons’ event is our Spring launch which takes place on 25th March 2017, followed by our Celebrate Summer and Big Lunch event on 18th June 2017.
Burns Night Cody Dock brought in the New Year with its first ever Burns Night celebration, complete with haggis and hot smoked salmon shipped in from Scotland and further nourishment provided in the form of venison stew thanks to Nadia’s CafÊ and Duncan. The East London-based ceilidh band, Cut a Shine led the dancing with a heady mix of traditional Scottish ceilidh and hoedown music. With hot cider and mulled wine on tap, the Gallery was jam packed with people dancing the night away. Thanks to Duncan for the poetry recital and DJ Scrumpy for an eclectic mix of music. This was the perfect recipe for warming up the winter blues and definitely the first of many!
NADIA’S CAFÉ
Nadia’s Cody Dock Café is open 7 days a week serving fresh coffee, as well as healthy and delicious food, bustling with flavour. The Café is also open for extended hours at all of Cody Dock’s events and can cater for walking groups and local businesses on request. Please contact codydockcafe@mail.com ALL YEAR-ROUND EVENTS
Cody Dock Art School
Sculpture and Drawing Classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For bookings and enquiries, please contact Tim Beswick at timthesculptor@gmail.com or see our website for term dates.
Elder Flowers
A Saturday volunteering opportunity for mature people to come and help with gardening. For more info, please contact engagement@gasworksdock.uk.
Renovate the River Princess
If you’re interested in volunteering to help us restore and renovate the River Princess Community Boat, please contact us at engagement@gasworksdock.uk.
Healthy Sundays
Every Sunday. For more info on times and dates, please contact us or see our website. Yoga Kundalini classes to help you be more of who you are followed by fun children's sessions to introduce them to the benefits of yoga. 10-11am Adult session 11-12 am Child session
Reconnect Gentle physical exercises, mindful practices and creative activities for becoming more relaxed, present and connected with yourself. 10-12am All ages
NEWS UPCOMING EVENTS
Cody Dock Spring Launch, 25 March, 12pm-6pm
Join us celebrating the Leaway and the opening of the new Twelvetrees Ramp. There's a photo exhibition, live music, homegrown gardening activities, food stalls & bar, outdoor games, Leaway tours and river walks.
All About the Lea: photo exhibition, 25 March-23 April
A retrospective of photo journalist Peter Marshall’s work spanning four decades and his visual diary of the lower Lea’s recent and hidden history. Cody Dock Gallery. Fri, Sat, and Mon, 10am-5pm | Sun, 2pm-5pm
Parent and Child Natural Crafts Forest School, 8 April, 13 May, 10 June
Natural Crafts is a group of parents based in Newham who like to create more opportunities for children to learn outdoors. For information on times and workshops, visit www.naturalcrafts.org
Micro Masterplan Exhibit, 8-9 April
An opportunity to view and contribute to our plans for future development. Cody Dock Gallery, 10am-5pm
VJ University London, 13-14 May
Advanced Fulldome VJ Masterclass by United VJs. For further information and bookings go to www.vjuniversity.com.br/events/event/vj-university-london-2017 Cody Dock Gallery and Gaiaspace Dome, 10am-4pm
Polygon: installation exhibition, 26 May-4 June
Based on the structure of a Boxing Ring, Polygon sets out to explore the complex relationships between class, community, finance and capital in the context of London’s former docklands. Cody Dock Gallery and Gaiaspace Dome Weekdays: 10am-5pm. Weekends: 11am-5pm
Architecture Festival, 10-17 June
Cody Dock Master Plan exhibition, talks, film screenings and open studios. Co-produced by PUP Architects, see our website for more details. Big Lunch – Summer Event, 18 June Featuring live music, food and games. Don’t forget to bring a dish to share!
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