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dachs the spirit!

Hundreds of sausage dogs are coming to Bermondsey in November. A pop-up dog café that attracts thousands of dachshunds a year is coming to Bermondsey for a one-off Christmas-themed event.

Pup Up Café, founded by Marcus Ackford, based in Exeter, travels the UK bringing breed specific dog communities together. Their latest tour - the ‘Dashing Dachshund Christmas Tour 2022’- is coming to Bermondsey on 19th November – and tickets are nearly sold out!

Marcus decided to start the dog café events back in 2019 because there was nothing of its kind. “I saw a need for these events because there wasn’t anything in between the high-end shows like Crufts, and just a walk in the park,” he said.

“In 2019 we did our first event in Exeter, and about 200 dachshunds turned up! So we knew we did something right.

“We do other events for other breeds – but this Christmas tour is just for dachshunds!”

The last Christmas tour attracted more than 2000 dachshunds in total - and they expect around 300 to come to Bermondsey in November.

Pups will get a christmas-themed present on entry, as well as unlimited treats and puppiccinos [whipped cream with a treat on top which “they love!”] all day.

There will also be local dog businesses in attendance, with all their goods specifically catered to the breed.

There’s a best-dressed competition, where the prizes include dog wine and dog beer – Marcus assured us: “no alcohol, just a fun dog-themed drink that’s totally safe for them!”

In terms of activities for the dogs, there will be tunnels, ball pits and lots more for them to get stuck into.

“For the owners, they will have the bar to hand whilst enjoying the dogs roaming free.” Marcus said that the area will all be safe and secure – “we haven’t lost a dog the whole time we’ve been doing this.

And if you fancy seeing some dachshunds but are “sausage-less”, he said you can still attend.

You can grab your tickets online at www.fatsoma.com/ pup-up-cafe Isabel Ramirez

sausaGe doGs descend on Bermondsey

It’s taking place at Fourpure Brewing Co. 25, Bermondsey Trading Estate on Rotherhithe New Rd, SE16 3LL, November 19, 10am-1:30pm.

Protect your child from polio

The NHS is offering all 1-9 year olds in London a polio booster vaccination. For some children, this may be an extra dose of polio vaccine on top of their routine vaccinations. In other children, it will bring them up to date with their polio vaccination. Boosting immunity in children should help protect them and reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

This booster vaccination is being offered following the detection of polio virus in sewage samples taken from north and east London.

Polio is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. It can cause permanent paralysis of muscles. You can read more about polio at https://bit.ly/polio-leaflets-for-parents

Dr Nancy Küchemann, GP and Co-Chair

Partnership Southwark, urges all parents and carers to boost their child’s protection against polio.

Dr Küchemann said: “The polio vaccine is safe and effective and is the best way to prevent polio. All parents and carers will be contacted by the NHS to make an appointment and I would urge them to take up the offer as soon as possible.

Dr Küchemann added: “Please

can I also encourage those who don’t have a GP to register at a local surgery.

GPs treat all common medical conditions and provide immunisations to adults and children”.

Where do I get my child’s vaccine?

If your child is registered with a GP, you would have already been contacted by the NHS to book an appointment locally, usually at your GP surgery or at one of Southwark’s Extended Primary Care Service (EPCS) that provide Southwark patients with additional GP and nurse appointments. More information is available at

https://bit.ly/SEL-polio-vaccination-sites

What polio vaccinations does my child need?

The polio vaccine is free and given as part of combined jabs to babies, toddlers and teenagers as part of the NHS routine childhood vaccination schedule.

It is given when a child is:

• 8, 12 and 16 weeks old as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) • 3 years and 4 months old as part of the 4-in-1 (DTaP/IPV) pre-school booster • 14 years old as part of the 3-in-1 (Td/IPV) teenage booster

Your child needs to have all these vaccinations to be fully vaccinated against polio. You can check your child’s red book, the NHS App (https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/) or contact your GP surgery if you are unsure if your child has been vaccinated. Sangeeta Leahy, Director of Public Health, Southwark said: “There are signs the polio

virus may be spreading in London and the number of children vaccinated is lower than it should be. Boosting your child’s immunity should help protect them and reduce the risk of the virus continuing to spread. It is essential your child has all their childhood immunisations to give them the very best protection”.

Protect your child from polio. Take up your child’s offer of a polio vaccination to further strengthen their protection. https://bit.ly/SEL-polio-vaccination-sites

ABermondsey garage that has hosted gigs for major stars in the music industry will now open its doors to local kids, with a free after-school club, where they will be treated to top quality cuisine by a chef to the stars.

ForeverGood started in 2021 as an agency for musicians and events and rapidly made a name for themselves as a creative brand. Based in a garage at the heart of Druid Street, it has hosted gigs for major names including R&B superstar Chris Brown and Jamaican rapper Sean Paul.

Up until now 54 Druid Street has mostly been for creatives and artists, but with the cost of living soaring and times getting tougher, ForeverGood founder and CEO Sebastian Downing decided to swap the decks for dishes and give back to the community.

He said “We’re launching an after-school free meal club on Tuesdays, where Bermondsey kids can play, create and eat food cooked by a chef to the stars, Savannah John.

“With parents all across the country struggling to put food on the table, something like this is needed now more than ever. We’re in a position to be able to do it and what better way to start with people right here on our doorstep.”

Savannah John runs a catering business and has cooked for stars including actor Idris Elba and music sensation Ne-Yo. She also recently catered for British rapper duo, Krept and Konan. “Sav was looking to start her own restaurant, so we’re giving her this space for free,” Sebastian said.

“She does soul food and she’ll be the one cooking and providing the free meals for kids at the afterschool club.

“From Monday to Wednesday this space is not in use – so we want to use it for doing good for locals.”

Miles Anthony, head of production at ForeverGood, said: “Although we have always been open to anyone, because of the artists and brands we’ve worked with, ForeverGood might have been seen as exclusive up until now. But we want people to know that we are expanding and our doors are open.”

Sebastian added that this is just the start and now that the doors are open, they’re not going to close anytime soon. “This is not a one-off moment,” he said. “It’s also an invitation for people to come to us with ideas if they want to do stuff for the local community. We’ve got the space and the resources: we want to use our contacts to provide workshops for local young people.

“We’ve had kids in here before for workshops, but it was never community-led and I want to change that.

“We have a great relationship with the whole street - so we really want to give back to them.”

Downside Youth Club, that caters for 9-21 year olds, is just across the road from ForeverGood. “They’re the obvious first port of call for the afterschool club,” Sebastian said.

Alfie Millward, youth worker at Downside Youth Club, was delighted with the offer: “We all think it’s a great idea,” he said. “In this area something like this is definitely needed. Local kids will definitely be into it.”

The after-school club will open on Tuesday 8th November at 4pm, so Bermondsey young people are invited to come along. Anyone who wants to attend can fill in a form on their website - forevergood.co.uk They’re launching the soul food restaurant the week before, on the 29th.

To check out Sav’s instagram: @savjojntz

free afterschool cluB for Bermondsey kids catered By chef to the stars

Isabel Ramirez