In Memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Clinton MCKEnZiE on
oF BoXinG AnD
We’ve been based in the old Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey since 1994.
We are proud to be a London Living Wage employer.
Our flagship publication, the Southwark news launched in 1987 and is now London’s only independent, paid for newspaper.
We also publish the Greenwich and lewisham Weekender every week.
We created the Bermondsey Biscuit and Rotherhithe Docker in 2018 with support from sponsors including Sellar, Grosvenor, British Land, and many more local businesses.
We use 100% recovered paper from the Ortviken papermill in Sweden, a green energy provider who use biofuel instead of oil and provide heat for 10,000 single family homes.
Editor Laura Burgoine
Deputy Editor Holly O'Mahony
Design Lizzy Tweedale, Dan Martin, Hakob Muradyan, Ann Gravesen
Marketing Tammy Jukes, Clarry Frewin, Sophie Ali, Katie Boyd
Media Partnerships Anthony Phillips
Finance Emrah Zeki
Managing Directors Chris Mullany and Kevin Quinn
Rapunzel’s south London rebrand, Bavarian bevvies for Oktoberfest, Kino cinema’s new season & more
Theatre Peckham’s annual festival supporting and celebrating the work of young, black artists returns for the fourth year running this autumn
Dulwich Picture Gallery mounts major retrospective of Lithuania’s greatest artist
Peckham DJ Mickey Smith creates a concert with a virtual twist, featuring international artists from Black Lives Matter music collaboration
The olde world wine makers and their new Old Kent Road stomping ground
Have yourself a very local Christmas: make a date with South London’s festive markets
Little Nature Champions at the Horniman, annual festival of modern and contemporary dance calls in at Brixton House, Halloween at the Old Royal Naval College & more
All the latest bitesize news on restaurants, cafés and bars in your ‘hood & a review of Peckham’s Levan
Words of wisdom from the Forest Hill love doctor & in the ring with British champion Clinton McKenzie
Crystal Palace’s Lottie Bradley talks launching the nation’s first Charity Shop Gift Card
Let down your hair with Sydenham’s latest all-singing, all-dancing version of the classic fairytale Rapunzel. Adapted by Jonathon Kaufman and emerging Kenyan playwright Anita Ojukwu, the retelling whisks audiences to present day south London, where heroine Rapunzel finds herself working for a wicked witch in a hair salon by day, and locked in a tower block at night…Can a passing African prince rescue her from her predicament and show her the world that has always been kept from her?
By Laura BurgoineUpstairs at the Sydenham Centre, 44a Sydenham Road, SE26 5QX from September 17-October 16 at 3pm and 4:30pm. Tickets: £10 adults, £5 children, free for under 3s but must sit on laps.
Following a tough couple of years with the pandemic and extensive post-Grenfell building works around the Square, Kino Bermondsey Square has relaunched with new outdoor seating and plants, continuing to screen a carefully curated selection of films, which now include National Theatre lives. Check out the cinema, bar and outdoor terrace for a Pornstar martini and a movie or just a post-work bevvy. It’s also available for private hire for corporate functions, birthday parties, film festivals and premieres.
Visit Kino Bermondsey at 10 Bermondsey Square, SE1 3UN. Phone: 020 7357 6845.
www.kinodigital.co.uk/bermondsey
London Bridge Experience is bringing a taste of Munich to SE1 with Oktoberfest celebrations at the Bermondsey Bierkeller. Expect authentic live Oompah bands, thirst quenching Paulaner beer (by the stein) and a whole smorgasbord of traditional German-inspired street food. Keep the Bavarian party going with live DJs, the venue’s very own Bierkeller Boys, shuffle board, interactive darts, pool, foosball, ping pong and more!
Packages available from £15-£45. Oktoberfest is at Bermondsey Bierkeller, 2-4 Tooley Street, SE1 2SY. Phone: 020 7403 6333.
www.bermondseybierkeller.co.uk
Having just celebrated its 135th year anniversary, Rotherhithe institution Time and Talents is now calling for volunteers to help them continue to help members of the local community. There’s several groups for young and primary school aged children, elderly people, respite for carers of patients with dementia, art groups, gardening clubs, repair shops (based on the Australian Men’s Shed Association) and more. Time and Talents has its own mini-bus so they can drive elderly members to and from sessions as well as several rickshaws for taking housebound elderly residents of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe out for fresh air excursions.
Visit Time and Talents at the Old Mortuary, Saint Marychurch Street, SE16 4JE. Phone: 020 7231 7845. www.timeandtalents.org.uk
From humble Herne Hill origins, an eco-friendly subscription coffee box is creating a stir across the city. Born out of lockdown and following a successful kickstarter campaign, RiSe has been voted Number 1 In Good Housekeeping, The Independent, Elle, & GQ The small business delivers coffee from a range of roasters and regions directly to customer’s homes. Herne Hill couple and founders Ben Charalambous and Alice Wainwright blind taste and handpick the best premium coffees from around the UK. From the smallest roasters nestled in the countryside to London’s largest and most popular cafes, the duo share their passion for discovery and the stories behind the beans in every box. Every month, customers can discover two different coffee varieties and learn all about their morning coffee's journey from bean to bag.
www.risecoffeebox.co.uk
This just in: the team behind Peckham Cellars are launching a new wine bar and dedicated wine shop in Camberwell in spring 2023.
Little Cellars is due to open on 73-75 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 early next year.
https://littlecellars.co.uk
DInE AnD sTEIn FOr OkTOBErFEsT
www.forbesandlomax.com
Do you have good ideas for projects that will build strong communities and bring lasting benefit to your local area? The Neighbourhoods Fund may be able to help.
There will be £630,000 to spend on a wide range of projects that support:
n Local action by communities
n Bringing different people together
n Making neighbourhoods come to life
For more information and to apply online go to:
www.southwark.gov.uk/neighbourhoodsfund
Or email: wingyan.ngan@southwark.gov.uk
Please note the fund will close at 12 noon Monday 24 October 2022, and applications received after this time will not be considered.
By Holly O’Mahony
Theatre Peckham’s annual festival supporting and celebrating the work of young, black artists returns for the fourth year running this autumn. Founded by the theatre’s artistic director and CEO Suzann McLean in 2019, the festival’s name is a homage to Nina Simone’s 1969 Civil Rights Movement anthem, ‘To Be Young, Gifted and Black’. The 2022 season is spread across five weeks, with nine artists staging 10 productions over that time, each running for three performances, and spanning theatre, dance, spoken word, comedy and music.
“Championing and supporting underrepresented artists has been our mission,” says Associate Director of Theatre Peckham and curator of the season, Phillippe Cato. Formerly the New Work Associate for revered arts organisation Paines Plough, Phillippe joined the Theatre Peckham team in December 2021 and also curated its larger Peckham Fringe festival in May.
“[Young, Gifted & Black] is much smaller and more focused. I wanted to give these artists more support and more direct contact with the Theatre Peckham team,” he says. The artists in question are young professionals, aged under 30, who “might not have had the same opportunities as their peers”.
The theatre has worked with these artists, offering them mentoring in areas including writing, directing and production. (It’s also been supporting them financially using a grant received by Southwark Council for Black History Month.) Phillippe believes “for artists, often the most useful thing is having an opportunity to put on your work in front of other people”, so providing a platform for the artists to stage their work has been the priority.
All 10 events are taking place in the main auditorium at Theatre Peckham, which seats over 180 visitors. It’s a flexible space that can be reconfigured into various formats, allowing the artists freedom in how they stage their work. Plenty are being presented in the standard end-on format, but one show, Edi De Melo’s Mulatto Boy, is being staged in-the-round, with
audiences encircling the performer.
“There’s no expectation for the shows to be super polished or the final product,” Phillippe stresses. At the same time, the shows are ready to meet their audience, with themes of identity, friendship, loss, self-discovery and black womanhood explored across the versatile programme.
Building on existing relationships was important to Phillippe’s curation of the programme – and he’s pleased to welcome back Peckham Fringe favourites No ID by Tatenda Shamiso and Innocent Means Not Guilty by India Wilson. India is also presenting a new show, One Way Out, as part of the season.
Tickets for each show are priced at £15 (with concessions available), and profits will be split between the box office and artists, as is typical practice in the theatre sphere.
Also important to Phillippe is providing his audience a space to process and discuss the work.
“We realised how important it is for people who visit cultural institutions to talk about what they saw after, rather than seeing and leaving,” he says. Conversation stations, run by members of the Theatre Peckham team and the artists involved, will be opened after each performance.
For the artists involved, Phillippe hopes “the season provides a great opportunity for them to expand upon their existing work, and grow and develop as artists… that they are able to shape and develop their work further, and then to be able to share that with more and more people.”
As for the punters, “I really want audiences to come and see diversity and black artists on stage … I hope the stories resonate with the local community and that there is a celebration of black artistry as a whole.
“We do a lot to champion underrepresented voices, and I'd love for the wider theatre industry to invest in black artists in a way that doesn’t feel tokenistic or performative.”
www.theatrepeckham.co.uk
Curator Phillippe Cato
OnE WAy OuT
Written by Montel Douglas
October 28 & 29, 7pm / October 30, 4pm
When Devonte faces a life-changing event that spirals across time, it exposes the cultural differences between his close-knit friendship group, placing under threat the adult life they’d previously imagined for themselves.
―
Written and performed by Tatenda Shamiso
October 3 - 5, 7:30pm
Returning after a sold-out run at Peckham Fringe, NO ID explores what it takes to validate black and queer identities in the eyes of the British legal system through the story of a transgender migrant.
DArk MATTEr
Written and performed by Tatenda Naomi Matsvai
October 7 - 9, 7:30pm
Spoken word poetry, quantum physics and Zimbabwean cultural cosmology collide in Tatenda Naomi Matsvai’s autobiographical tale of grieving her Zimbabwean grandmother all the way from south London.
Written by Tambo Silavwe
October 10 - 12, 7:30pm
A brave, one-woman show exploring the joys and lows of maternity, and the sensitive subject of stillbirths and child loss.
Written by India Wilson
October 14 - 16, 7:30pm
Another Peckham Fringe favourite, this comedy drama tells the stories of four black women in their final year at a leading British law school, exploring the higher education system, sexuality, family and black love along the way.
Written by Edi De Melo
October 17 - 19, 7:30pm
Edi De Meli fuses West African theatre practices with Angolan musical traditions to explore the link between black mixed-race identity and British national identity.
Written by Tatenda Shamiso
October 21 - 23, 7:30pm
In this experimental piece, five performers embody one character, Anashe, who reflects on what it means to live somewhere but come from somewhere else.
unDErGrOunD BArz
prEsEnTs Our LOvE. Our LIFE. Our FAMILy October 24 - 26, 7:30pm
Underground BarZ, a space for emerging creatives to showcase their spoken word poetry and songs, presents a special event in honour of black history, featuring performances around life, love and family.
Curated by Adeolu Banjo
October 27, 7pm
Culture Drip, a platform nurturing Gen Z creatives, presents a one-night-only programme of performances from the talent of tomorrow.
In THE kEy OF LOvE
Performed by Kaia November 1 & 2, 7:30pm
Kaia Laurielle is a visual performance artist dedicated to pushing the boundaries of storytelling through music. Come along to hear her blend of R&B and soul, inspired by artists including Nina Simone, D’angelo and Lauryn Hill.
The Young, Gifted & Black season is running at Theatre Peckham, 221 Havil Street, London SE5 7SB.
October 3 - November 2, with most events starting at 7:30pm.
Admission: £15/£6-£12 concessions available. www.theatrepeckham.co.uk/
It’s approaching that time of year again, Christmas! But this time you can be ready for it! With the help of LighterLife you will be able to wear that outfit that you wanted to wear. As well as looking great! You'LL be feeling great too. Plus think about it, what a way to start off the New Year with a slimmer and healthier you!
The reason that so many ‘ordinary’ diets fail is because they don’t tackle the reasons behind why people overeat in the first place. They suggest the answers are in the food and focus on calories and complex food-plans.
LighterLife offers a weight management plan to suit your weight loss needs that doesn’t just include meal replacement products but access to our unique behaviour change programme.
With LighterLife you can lose a stone a month, every month, so if you start your LighterLife adventure today you could lose a stone by Bonfire Night and 2 stone by the Christmas Holiday Season.
LighterLife combines a choice of plans for fast weight loss and groups to help you understand far more about your relationship with both you – and the food. We’ve a range of plans depending on how quickly you want to lose weight, all leading to personalised Management plans which will help you achieve a healthy and balanced way of eating for life with healthy recipes and ongoing group support.
Get yourself into gear for the Christmas and New year season and a new, lighter you by contacting Samantha King, your local LighterLife Slimming Club Mentor.
Email: samantha.king@lighterlifementor.com or Call 07419 283 698 for further details
Shop: https://www.lighterlife.com/ shop/?coupon-code=KINS01 and add my Mentor Code KINS01
The UK’s first major retrospective of Lithuanian artist and composer M.K. Čiurlionis (1875-1911) has opened at Dulwich Picture Gallery. M.K. Čiurlionis: Between Worlds brings together over 100 works of the artist, who died aged just 35 in 1911, and who continues to be remembered as Lithuania’s greatest artist.
Back in Lithuania, Čiurlionis’s work continues to influence modern culture. His paintings are frequently reproduced and referenced, while his music is regularly performed. However this exhibition at Dulwich Picture Gallery marks the first time many of his works have gone on show to the public in the UK.
Spanning his short but prolific career, the paintings appear to straddle mythology and reality, with humanity’s place within the universe another focus. The relationship between Čiurlionis’s art and European symbolism, Art Nouveau and Abstraction are also explored. Visitors have the chance to gaze upon his most widely acclaimed masterpieces, including: ‘Creation of the World’ (1905/1906), ‘The Zodiac’ (1906/1907) and ‘Rex’ (1909).
The artist famously believed he was a synesthete, in his case perceiving colours and music simultaneously. Not only are many of his paintings named after musical pieces – from sinatas to preludes – but in his short life, he also built a reputation as a composer. Four hundred of his compositions have survived until this day, most of which are written for piano, but he penned a number of opuses for symphony orchestras too, including his symphonic poems In the Forest and The Sea. He wrote for string quarters, choirs and organ, too. Sadly, it’s believed a substantial number of his musical works were lost in a fire.
Čiurlionis was a musical prodigy, able to play the piano by ear at age three and sight-read confidently by the age of seven. As anyone who has struggled through the grades on an instrument (or put cotton wool in their ears while their child has struggled through theirs) will know, that’s no small feat. He attended a prestigious music school, where he learned to play several other instruments, including the flute.
Visual art was always a rival passion for Čiurlionis, who studied drawing at the Warsaw School of Fine Arts in the early 1900s, befriending the Polish composer and painter Eugeniusz MorawskiDąbrowa.
While impressive and influential, Čiurlionis’s professional life was short-lived. In 1910, he fell into a serious depression and was hospitalised in a psychiatric ward. It was there he would die the following year, after contracting pneumonia.
Some will know the ins and outs of Čiurlionis’s life from Robert Mullan’s 2012 film Letters to Sofiga (the name a nod to Čiurlionis’s wife, the art critic Sofija Kymantaitė), but the exhibition marks the first chance many British residents will have had to engage with his work.
Opened to the public in 1817, Dulwich Picture Gallery carries the title of the oldest public art gallery in England. The Čiurlionis exhibition builds on its ongoing ambition to introduce UK audiences to lesser-known artists.
M.K. Čiurlionis: Between Worlds is showing at Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD. September 21 - March 23, Wednesday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm. Admission: £15/£8 concessions. www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/
2021 Elections to the Council of GovernorsKing’s College Hospital
At King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, our Council of Governors play a vital role in giving a voice to our patients, members of the public, staff and partner organisations, so that they may help shape the services we deliver and ensure that those services meet the needs of the communities we serve.
Nominations are now open for our 2021 governor elections in the following constituencies:
• Public (Lambeth) 3 vacancies
• Public (Southwark) 3 vacancies
• Patient 4 vacancies
• Staff (Nursing & Midwifery) 1 vacancy
If you are passionate about your local health services, are a Lambeth or Southwark resident, have been a patient of King’s, or are a carer for a King’s patient or are a member of staff in one of the above groups and would like to be the voice of your local community, please consider standing as a governor.
Nomination forms can be downloaded, completed and submitted on our dedicated election portal: www.cesvotes.com/Kings2021. Alternatively, please request a hard copy from our Returning Officer, Ciara Norris, on 020 8889 9203 or email Ciara.Hutchinson@cesvotes. com. The deadline for nominations is 5pm on Monday 8th March, 2021.
You can visit our website for more information: https://www.kch.nhs.uk/about/organisation/ council-of-governors/election You may also give us a call on 020 3299 4004 or email kch-tr.FTO@nhsnet.
To be eligible, you must be 16 or over and a member of King’s living in a constituency in which an election is being held. If you are not yet a member of King’s, you can join free by emailing kch-tr.members@nhs.net. To be nominated and to vote in this round of elections you need to be a registered member by 5pm on Monday 8th March, 2021.
PLEASE NOTE: You are not eligible for nomination if you are currently a Governor at another NHS Foundation Trust.
Can you make Southwark
We are inviting people who live or work in Southwark to propose ideas to make their local area a safer, healthier place to live.
The Cleaner Greener Safer and Devolved Highways programmes fund improvements across Southwark, e.g. new playgrounds, food growing planters, lighting, cycle parking, and zebra crossings.
How do I apply? Visit www.southwark.gov.uk/ cleanergreenersafer for more information and to submit an online application. If you are unable to apply online, call 020 7525 4077.
The application period for the 2023/24 round is open from 1 September to 2 October 2022 (midnight).
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By Laura BurgoinePeckham local Mickey Smith is known around town as the man behind the beloved Bussey Building, which he put on the map with his South London Soul Train club nights, attracting hordes of both local and international followers. He founded and runs the 21st century creative arts company Chronic Love Foundation, the CLF Art Café, record store Rye Wax, and the CLF Art Lounge. He also works as a DJ, music and theatre promoter, designer and writer; if New York is the city that never sleeps, Mickey Smith is the Yorkshire man who never stops.
For his next creative venture, Mickey is hosting a concert-meets-club-night at the freshly refurbished Clapham Grand. With his DJ Jazzheadchronic headphones on, he’ll be playing live sets alongside DJs Perry Louis and Aitch B. But first there’s a live concert headlined by 13 of the artists from the new album Black Lives from Generation to Generation with support from Manchester Jazz Hop artists The 3rd Estate, South London violinist Beca Reid and the Tapp Collective.
The Black Lives from Generation to Generation album features 25 musicians from the US, Caribbean and Africa, who each composed a song to fight against
systemic racism. Aged between 20 and 80 years old, the composers are known for their work as leaders but also their collaborations with world famous artists from the ‘60s until today with songs drawing on a number of influences, including African music, hip-hop, jazz, funk, rock, fusion, rap, jungle, nu-jazz, soul, blues, Caribbean jazz, opera, classical music and poetry. The album is designed with a revenue stream structure that generates money for every artist involved to help them further their careers.
Mickey says he was honoured to be approached by Executive Producer Stefany Calembert for the UK part of the project. “It’s a beautiful project with people coming together to confront the black experience of racism,” Mickey says. “Bringing together the world’s great artists in jazz and soul to create a commentary through music is really important. Music is one of the ways we all come together that knows no boundaries.”
“Peckham’s great and London’s great but I’ve always felt we’re a global family that needs to find its way back home,” Mickey continues. “We all come from the same place and music is one of the rare things that transcends all barriers.”
“This is going to be a really special event and if you only want to come for the live concert you can be done by 11pm but then the club night kicks on until 3am for those who want to stay up all night!” Mickey says.
This live concert will also launch Mickey’s newest venture, Chronic Musiquarium, a streaming platform, which goes live in spring 2023. “We’re going to film, record and broadcast music and micro-charge viewers so people can pay £1.50 to watch a 90-minute live concert that we stage. We hope it’ll be a way for people to embrace live music without it costing them the earth,” Mickey says.
“We’ve got numerous countries involved to bring the best music from around the world,” he continues. “I’ve been working on this for a decade. We want to showcase music from more countries and more venues and let music evolve without the pressure of finance.”
South London Soul Train Live Special with Black Lives from Generation to Generation is at Clapham Grand, 21-25 St Johns Hill, SW11 1TT, on Saturday 19 November from 6:30pm-3am. Tickets: £6-£11. https://ra.co/events/1569851
DJ Mickey Smith is creating a concert with a virtual twist, featuring international artists from Black Lives Matter music collaboration
Work with us, creating the UK's first LGBT+ affirming retirement community in Vauxhall and advocating for the needs of older LGBT+ people.
Tonic is hiring for:
of Operations with
experience Head of Communications with press and media experience &
find out more and to apply, visit: tonichousing.org.uk/vacancies
By Holly O'Mahony
“A natural wine shop on the Old Kent Road? Now I’ve seen everything,” laughed a colleague, when this feature was first pitched. But as Vangeli Moschopoulos, one half of the duo behind Leisure Wine, explains, “Old Kent Road has been a hub of manufacturing for a very long time. Although we’re producing something very different, we’re still making something with our hands and feet.”
Vangeli and his business partner Sam Garbutt set up Leisure Wine in 2020. They really do run their business in back-to-basics fashion. Pictures on the website show the friends rinsing grapes by hand and crushing them by foot – as was the norm until a couple of hundred years ago. Only the friends’ Adidas clothing and fashionably overexposed photos are a reminder this is in fact a hip, 21st-century operation.
The olde worlde nature of the business is not just for show, though. Vangeli and Sam knew they wanted to produce wine in keeping with the seasonal, farmto-table movement they admired within the restaurant scene. To produce an equivalent wine, there must be as little intervention as possible. “This translates as producing without adding any external yeast, sulphur or nutrients,” Vangeli explains. The grapes have to come from farms that are using organic practices, with no chemicals sprayed on their crops.
“There’s an enormous physical element that comes with it,” he laughs, noting that the grape treading is typically a five hour process, after which the produce is crushed again in an old-fashioned basket press. Producing low-intervention wine means taking a gamble too, as to what sort of wine you’ll end up with flavour and strength wise, but you may produce a more interesting variety as a result.
Vangeli, who also works five-days a week in advertising, and Sam, who is a whisky specialist for East London Liquor Company, met several years ago while working in a bar. Vangeli was studying for an MA at the time and Sam was in a band.
“We knew we wanted to [start a business] together,” Vangeli recalls. With a shared passion for natural wine and grape varieties, “we realised it would make no sense for it not to be in wine”. But despite their experience in the alcohol industry and having an understanding of the brewing and fermentation process, “we didn’t actually know where to start!,” he laughs.
They realised they needed a wine production space, for starters. “We knew it was going to be a year before Continues on page 26
Terrence Higgins Trust for Terrence Higgins Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales (reg. no. 288527) and in Scotland (SC039986). Company reg.no. 1778149.
Photography by THOMAS KNIGHTS.
Produced by
we had anything to sell. Paying for a unit in London with nothing to do but sit and watch the grapes felt like too much commitment.”
A friend with a farm up in Edinburgh had space in a barn, so the pair spent the first year of business making regular trips to Scotland and producing their first batch of wines up there. They sold 550 bottles that first year and made enough to get a production space on Old Kent Road, where they’re now based.
Unlike many natural wine producers, Vangeli and Sam do not (yet) have a vineyard and don’t currently grow their own grapes. Instead, they’re reliant on spare bunches from organic farmers. The local supplier they worked with last year let them down at the last minute, so the Nero Di Troia grapes used to make their ‘& Walked Abroad In Lychee Showers’ bottle – still on sale on the Leisure Wine website – came from a vineyard in Puglia, Italy.
This year, they’re hopeful all their grapes will be English. They’re currently working with a vineyard in Herefordshire that’s happy to hand over some grapes, but not its name, to low intervention wine makers like Leisure Wine. There’s still some snobbery about natural wine, it seems, among those producing wine on a commercial scale.
After the summer we’ve had, with temperatures more akin to those found in southern Europe than the UK,
they’re hopeful for a good harvest. Still, too much rainfall up to the end of September could still ruin it.
The playful names of bottles, like 2020’s ‘I Saw Custard Creams Fall Like Lightning REMIX’ are a big part of the brand’s identity. “When we had our cocktail pop-up, we used to name everything after a sensory experience, using a short description as a name, and that felt like a nice thing to play with with the wine,” says Vangeli. But with 2022’s grapes not yet off the vines, let alone fermented, it’ll be months yet before this year’s bottles get sampled and named.
It’s the third year of business for Leisure Wine, but Vangeli and Sam remain a busy two-man team. “We do everything ourselves, from the production to the Instagram account to going out and finding people to sell it to.” Running the business exclusively online, “ it doesn’t get a huge amount of traction because not many people know who we are,” admits Vangeli.
Still, production and sales nearly tripled between
2020 and 2021, and there have been some major breakthroughs along the way, including getting their wines stocked at prestigious Edinburgh restaurant Borough and London biodynamic wine specialists Highbury Library.
With £25 the typical price tag for a bottle, Vangeli doesn’t deny the fact Leisure Wine is part of the wave of gentrification spilling over from the likes of Brixton and Peckham. “It’s quite a prohibitive offering because anything we make in the volumes we make it in is going to be expensive, partly because the raw materials are expensive, partly because we had to put a lot of time in to get anything out,” he reasons.
At the same time, there’s clearly a market for natural wine in SE1. Natural wine bar and shop Diogenes the Dog has been enjoying a decent trade there since 2018.
For Vangeli and Sam, the hope is to eventually have their own vineyard and become full-time wine makers, but that won’t be for some time yet. Over the next couple of years, their focus is on increasing production and cementing relationships with vineyards.
In the immediate future, there’s talk of a Leisure Wine pop-up event in October, the details of which are being announced on Instagram.
Leisure Wine, 52 Ossory Road, SE1 5AN. To shop for bottles or for announcements about pop-up events, visit: www.leisurewine.com/#
“There’s an enormous physical element that comes with it,” he laughs, noting that the grape treading is typically a five hour process
~ William Morris
We’ll help you tackle the jobs you’ve been hiding from; whether it’s organising one cupboard, one room or the entire house.
We’ll create systems and processes that work for you and your family. We’ll optimise your space by devising space-saving storage products or display solutions.
We’ll encourage you to focus mindfully on redesigning your environment, allowing you to gain more clarity on what’s important in your life and what you can let go of.
in touch today:
and the team to help you to consciously create a calm, welcoming and organised space to live or work in 3 key steps
nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.
‘An article about Christmas shopping in September? You’ve got to be kidding,’ you *might* be thinking. Hear us out, though, because south London’s blink-and-you’llmiss-them craft markets are treasure troves for sustainable gifting – so put these dates in your diary now.
With locations in Elephant and Castle and King’s Cross, Crafty Fox Market has been steadily growing a reputation for the last 10 years. Its monthly makers’ market in SE1, at epic Italian and street food market Mercato Metropolitano, is a chance to shop for independent goods including clothes, toys, homeware and accessories. The sprawling market is never more charming than in the run-up to Christmas, when a spot of shopping can be accompanied by some festive food and seasonal drinks.
WHEN: October 1, November 5 & 6, December 3 & 4
WHERE: Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR VISIT: www.craftyfoxmarket.co.uk/markets
Now here’s a market doing some good for the community: the Black Culture Market runs with the purpose of supporting emerging entrepreneurs and businesses owned by those of African and Caribbean descent. It provides these traders with a platform to sell their products face-to-face, where they can also forge connections within the community. The initiative runs all over London (and beyond), but its next event is down in Brixton, where you can shop for an array of gifts, cards, prints, skin care products, clothing, jewellery and more. Head downstairs at the Department Store to support local black businesses.
WHEN: October 1 & 2, 11am - 5pm
WHERE: Downstairs at the Department Store, 248 Ferndale Road, London SW9 8FR
VISIT: www.blackculturemarket.co.uk/
Behold: a new makers’ market in Wandsworth Town. It’s being run by Design Led, an events platform with several other markets across the city, and it’s throwing open its doors on October 1 – with several more dates between then and Christmas. Head on down to plump up your stockings with sustainable brands, homeware, fashion, artisan condiments and more.
WHEN: October 1, November 5 & 26, December 3 & 17, 11am - 4:30pm
WHERE: Ram Quarter, Wandsworth Town, SW18 VISIT: www.instagram.com/designledofficial/
Run by the people behind bargain-savvy Peckham Carboot, The Bottle Factory Flea is a monthly vintage market specialising in clothing, furniture and period ornaments. One for romantics in love with a bygone era as well as those doing up a home, The Bottle Factory Flea promises 40 traders at its October event – and keep your eyes peeled for announcements of a Christmas market soon. You’ll find it just off the Old Kent Road. Admission costs £2pp.
WHEN: 2 October, 10am - 4pm; Christmas market date tbc
WHERE: 12 Ossory Road, London SE1 5AN VISIT: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-bottlefactory-flea-tickets-407916949577
BLACk CuLTurE MArkETSt Dunstan’s College, Catford, south London, was delighted to be named Independent Senior School of the Year in June at the Tes Awards 2022 at Grosvenor House Hotel.
The awards, known as the Oscars of Education, celebrate the work of teachers and schools across the United Kingdom. The event was held in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic, and for the first time in Tes’s history the awards brought together both state and independent schools for the ceremony.
Speaking about the award, St Dunstan’s Head, Mr Nick Hewlett said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to have been recognised in this way. It is testament to the extraordinary drive and ambition of so many that we have been able to create the unique school culture we enjoy today.
‘To transform a school so that it challenges and trailblazes in the sector takes a colossal community effort. My gratitude goes to everyone who has contributed to our incredible journey as a school.’
Winners were chosen by a panel of experts – including school leaders, inspectors, and education researchers.
Judge David James has worked in independent schools for over 20 years and is an experienced inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. He said: ‘There’s a very clear and coherent vision of what they want to do, both with the curriculum and the local community.
‘The head is asking interesting questions of the sector, including areas like privilege and responsibility, which go beyond the usual platitudes. It’s a really interesting school in a tough market, trying to not just survive but actually make something different for the children and families they’re working with.’
The award comes at an exciting time for St Dunstan’s. Last year, the College’s new £25million Junior School, STEM and Sixth Form buildings officially opened, which were the most significant developments since the school opened in 1888. The College’s forwardthinking approach is now matched by modern, bright, and inspirational facilities. St Dunstan’s has also been shortlisted for eight awards at the upcoming Independent Schools of the Year Awards in October.
Find out more about life at St Dunstan’s College at www.stdunstans.org.uk
A giant Peckham warehouse with a maze of 100 stalls awaits visitors to Pexmas (PEckham at ChristMAS, get it?). An annual affair and the biggest Christmas market in SE15, Pexmas is a chance to shop for hip, design-led goods – from ceramics to wall hangings - as well as artisan food produce. If you can’t make the two-day market, then head online, where Stall to Store, the market’s online alterego, runs as a lifestyle and gift store all year round.
WHEN: December 3 & 4, 11am - 6pm
WHERE: Copeland Park and Bussey Building, 133 Copeland Road, Peckham, London SE15 3SN
VISIT: www.pexmas.com/
While not exclusively a Christmas market, Venn Street Saturday market in Clapham is especially lovely to browse during the festive season. A community food market that platforms farmers and independent producers, Venn Street has your gourmet Christmas spread covered, with choice cuts of meats, quality cheeses, farm-to-fork veg, freshly baked goods, plus some jarred stocking fillers and decorations. Better still, you can enjoy a hearty pastry, a steaming cup of mulled wine or some tropical street food while you shop.
WHEN: Saturdays, 10am - 4pm
WHERE: Venn Street, Clapham, SW4 0AT
VISIT: www.vennstreetmarket.co.uk/
Standing bold as brass in quaint Dulwich Village is St. Barnabas Parish Hall, where SoLo Craft Fair is hosting its Christmas Market this November – a chance to make a relatively early start on your present buying. Fifty independent businesses and local makers are running stalls inside the church, which is a chance to shop for everything from art to homeware, clothing and jewellery. Four-legged friends are welcome too, so you can tie your visit in with a walk around peaceful Dulwich Park.
WHEN: November 26, 11am - 4pm
WHERE: St. Barnabas Parish Hall, 21 Dulwich Village, London SE21 7BT
VISIT: www.solocraftfair.com/upcomingevents-1/2022/4/30/dulwich-spring-market-7bw6a
We’ve woken up to the environmental dangers posed by fast-fashion, the production of which generates more CO2 than aviation and shipping combined. But there’s nothing wrong with a spot of retail therapy if you’re buying second hand. Here to put the fun into sustainable shopping is the Brixton Vintage Kilo Sale, where you can update your own wardrobe, and those of your kiddos, with vintage and pre-loved goods. Everything costs £15 per kilo.
Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, London SW9 8PQ. October 2, 11am - 5pm.
Admission: FREE. www.popbrixton.org/event/ vintage-clothing-kilo-sale
A new education centre, Brockwell Barn, has opened at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses, offering little ones (and their grown ups!) a place to learn, play and turn their fingers green. The centre is looking for volunteer teachers too – can you lend a hand?
Brockwell Hall, Brockwell Park, BPCG, London SE24 9BJ. Thursday - Sunday, 10:15am - 4:45pm. Admission: FREE.
www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk/
Dance Umbrella, the annual festival of modern and contemporary dance, is calling in at new arts venue Brixton House with a triple bill of radical solo works: Luiz de Abreu and Calixto Neto’s ‘O Samba do Crioulo Doido’, Joy Alpuerto Ritter’s ‘BABAE’, and Linda Hayford’s ‘Shapeshifting’. This is dance with purpose: not only will the dancers impress audiences of all ages with their agile feats in movement, their performance pieces explore themes of transformation, transmission and representation.
Brixton House, 385 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8GL. October 12 & 13, 7:30pm.
Admission: £17/£12 concessions.
www.brixtonhouse.co.uk/shows/change-tempo-osamba-do-crioulo-doido-babae-shapeshifting/
On Mondays in September and October, the Horniman Museum is encouraging tots aged 2 - 5 to develop a love for the great outdoors – come rain or shine. Led by helpers who have received Forest School training, the Little Nature Champions sessions are a chance for young families to get hands-on in the museum’s gardens. Expect craft activities, games and a chance to learn about the local wildlife. Young adventurers will be rewarded with a biscuit and a cup of squash for their efforts. Each week there’s a new seasonal theme related to autumn, from sensory play to harvest time.
Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, London SE23 3PQ. September 12 - October 17, 11:30am - 12:30pm. Admission: £7.50 kids/ adults FREE.
www.horniman.ac.uk/event/little-nature-champions/
Music collective Mambo Jambo are regular entertainers at Greenwich’s Old Royal Naval College, and this autumn, they’re calling all 3 - 7 year-olds to come and play some creepy Halloween music. Bring your best singing voice, while a range of shakers and claves (musical wooden sticks) will be provided. Learn Mambo Jambo’s Halloween Carnival tune, and join in with dances fit for pumpkins, skeletons and wicked witches. Disguises and costumes are welcome at this ghoulish gala. Old Royal Naval College, King William Walk, London SE10 9NN. October 26, 50-minute sessions at 11am, 1:30pm & 3pm; October 27, sessions at 11am & 1:30pm. Admission: £2.
www.ornc.org/whats-on/mambo-jambosspooktacular-halloween-session/
DAnCE uMBrELLA COMEs TO BrIxTOn HOusE
It’s cracking news for sandwich lovers who live or work in the London Bridge vicinity: bastions of the sarnie craft Sons + Daughters are opening a second site on Stoney Street. The concept comes from the duo behind east London restaurant Pidgin, James Ramsden and Sam Herlihy, who opened the original Sons + Daughters sandwich bar in King’s Cross in 2019. For those unfamiliar, the short, scrummy menu consists of epically-proportioned, generously stuffed sandwiches, filled and in some cases grilled before your eyes. The roasted Swaledale chicken is a classic, while the egg salad is a sly winner. At the time of writing, the exact opening date is yet to be confirmed, but by the time you’re reading this, who knows! According to Instagram, the decorators are in…
Sons + Daughters, 2-3 Stoney Street, Borough Market, London SE1 9AA. Monday - Sunday, 10am - 6pm. www.sonsanddaughterslondon.com/
Brixton’s strong contender for the best chicken burger in London, Other Side Fried, has thrown open the coop doors to a second branch in Battersea. Now those in SW9 can tuck into the brand’s chunky brioche burgers filled with golden crusted chicken and an array of all-American sauces.
Other Side Fried, 3 Atlantic Road, London SW9 8HX. Sunday - Thursday, 10am - 11pm; Friday & Saturday, 10am - 11:55pm. www.othersidefried.com/
The Market Place brand is part of a growing movement to rebrand the food court experience into vibrant, independent, destination dining –while remaining pocket friendly. With thriving branches in Peckham and Hounslow, its third ‘market place’ is set to open imminently, right by Vauxhall station. Twelve traders – spanning pasta to Mexican – line the walls, with enough seating for 270 visitors. There’s a bar too and the promise of live music and DJ sets, for those looking to make a night of it.
Market Place Vauxhall, 7-11 S Lambeth Place, London SW8 1SP. Monday - Saturday, 9am - 8pm; Sunday 10am - 7pm. www.marketplacelondon.co.uk/
This summer saw JKS restaurant group (the umbrella brand behind many of the city’s best-loved restaurants including Bao and Hoppers) take over Tottenham Court Road’s grand, indoor street food market Arcade Food Hall (formerly Arcade Food Theatre), relaunching it with a collection of their own traders. Now, it’s been announced that a second Arcade Food Hall will open at Battersea Power Station, bringing the same winning formula to SW9 in early 2023. Traders and finer details are yet to be announced, so as they say, watch this space…
Arcade Food Hall is set to open at Battersea Power Station in 2023…
Opening soon in Elephant and Castle, The Rosie Hue is the latest arrival from south London pub group Livelihood. Like all good contemporary pubs, it promises to be a place to dine, dwell and get merry on a menu that stretches from bottomless brunches to beers and burgers, and of course, a Sunday roast. Screens show major sports games, there’s live music on Thursdays and a Sunday quiz to tease your brain. If The Rosie Hue becomes your new local, why not book it for your Christmas party?
The Rosy Hue Pub, 6 Ash Avenue, Elephant and Castle, London SE17 1GQ. Monday - Friday, 12pm - 10pm; Saturday 10am - 10pm; Sunday 11am9:30pm. www.therosyhue.co.uk/book-now/
It seems our appetite for Alice in Wonderland-themed experiences is insatiable. Les Enfants Terribles’ hit immersive show Alice’s Adventures Underground returns to Waterloo this autumn, and with it, comes a new themed restaurant and bar. Opening first is the restaurant, The Rosarium, which launches this September and looks set to be a relatively fancy affair, promises to offer ‘a twist on the quintessential English garden’. The menu comes from executive chef Harvey Ayliffe, whose CV boasts stints at grand institutions including Bentley's in Piccadilly and The Ivy West End.
The Rosarium, Waterloo Station, London SE1 8SW. Monday - Friday, 11:30am - midnight; Saturday 11am - midnight; Sunday 11am - 11pm. www.thisislabyrinth.com/rosarium/
MArkET pLACE vAuxHALL THE rOsy HuE puB
Tonic@Bankhouse, located in the heart of Vauxhall.
We’re holding Sales Open Days to give people over 55, who are interested in living with us, the chance to visit Tonic@Bankhouse and see all we have to offer.
You will have the opportunity to have a look at our five different styles of apartments that are available for Shared Ownership sale as well as our community spaces and gardens. All fully accessible and with optional care and support.
By Holly O'Mahony
‘Dill!’ I found my notes enthusing after taking one for the team and sampling the latest set menu at Levan in Peckham. The dill in question swam in a punchy, citrus vinaigrette that flowed around buoys of pickling tiger tomatoes and suhyo cucumber. It was one of seven plates brought to the table over the course of the meal, each a mini masterpiece, so different from the last.
This freshy and zesty salad was the third plate of the night, and only then did a plate of bread with freshly churned butter arrive. Fine dining or not, bread normally arrives first, of course, and with the rise in popularity of the gourmet loaf, the bread basket is increasingly a litmus test for the standard of the meal to come. But the team at Levan – comprising chef Nicholas Balfe, and restaurateurs Mark Gurney and Matt Bushnell – aren’t ones to play by the books. More importantly, when they did arrive, the still-warm wedges of brown sourdough passed the test with flying colours.
What came first to our table was the only dish never to leave the rotating menu at the four-year-old restaurant: its Instagram-friendly stack of comté fries with saffron aioli. Whatever else you try, these you must order. Crisped up and cheese-dusted, a speckling of fried shallots breaking through the dairy, they’re edible comfort. If these ever leave the menu, I’ll protest.
Levan is neither the first nor latest venture for the trio. They had a similar offering in Brixton Market Row, Salon, but while loved by locals (including myself) it struggled to find its feet again following the pandemic. In pre-Covid 2020, they took over the site right next door to Levan and launched Larry’s, a more casual but no less buzzy affair, popular with the less plump-pocketed crowd. Then in late 2021, they set their sights on Somerset, launching Holm, a farm-to-fork restaurant that grows some of its ingredients on site, and to which they hope to add rooms for overnight stays in the future.
Levan even looks a little bit like its Brixton predecessor, with deep blue walls and high shelves harbouring interesting wine bottles.
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Low lighting makes it an inviting space, while the lack of empty seats (if you visit towards the end of the week, at least) at its scattering of unfussy tables speaks volumes for the restaurant’s popularity.
Back to the fodder, and while we were eating the set menu priced at £55pp – expensive for Peckham, but reasonable for the level of culinary complexity on offer here – there’s also an à la carte version, where you can take your pick of dishes from the set menu and more.
An amuse-bouche of Lincolnshire poacher and pickled walnut followed the comté fries, tasting in the best possible way like a posh cheese doughnut oozing with thickened worcestershire sauce.
We veered momentarily into the realms of fresh pasta with a plate of salmon cappelletti: four delicate parcels stuffed with gooey flecks of the pink fish that sat like lilies on a pond of dulse (edible alga), sea purslane and fine slivers of fennel. It was an inspired take on seafood pasta, playful and thoroughly moreish.
Last of the mains saw a pork chop (with mercifully far more meat than fat) upstaged by a square of dissolve-in-your-mouth black pudding. Between bites, I told the waitress it was by far the best take on the Irish classic I’ve ever tried – let that go on record here too.
As much innovation went into the sweets. A main dessert of Williams pear, hazelnut and frozen yoghurt was greater than the sum of its deconstructed parts, with a hardened vanilla custard sweetening the sour yoghurt and an overall praline finish offsetting the poached fruit.
Do leave that final corner of your stomach open to the petit fours, which on our visit were coconut dusted parcels of fridge-cold dark chocolate housing bursts of palate cleansing passion fruit.
My fellow diner had the vegetarian set menu, which is not advertised but readily available to those who ask. In fact, as our waitress proudly told us, most dietary requirements can be catered for. The menu was largely veggie anyway, with only the pasta and pork chop swapped for a potato filling and hunk of scorched hispi cabbage respectively.
Visit soon if any of those dishes take your fancy, because there’s nothing staid about Levan; you won’t have the same dining experience here twice. But while the menu is subject to change on a regular basis, the restaurant’s welcoming atmosphere, attentive service and commitment to creating complex dishes at a relatively reasonable price are thankfully firm fixtures.
“There's nothing staid about Levan; you won't have the same dining experience here twice.
Part of King’s College London, Science Gallery London is a petri dish of art, health and science.
After a bumpy couple of years during the pandemic, the SE1 venue is back open with a new exhibition Testing Ground. Team member Stella Norris gives the South Londoner the low down.
Tell us about Science Gallery London. What was the inspiration behind it?
Science Gallery London is a place to grow new ideas across art, science and health. It is part of King’s College London and it brings together academics, researchers, students and local communities. We present exhibitions, events, performances, live experiments, open discussions and festivals.
You’re re-opening again after Covid. How did the pandemic affect things at the museum?
Following a temporary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our doors are now open and once again you can explore our exhibitions and events for free.
What do you have in store for people for the autumn and winter seasons at Science Gallery?
This September the gallery has fully reopened and you can explore our free-to-enter galleries and café. There's no need to book.
During your visit, you’ll encounter immersive installations, film, photography, audio, zines, sculpture and more:
• Testing Ground is an exhibition of five new collaborations between King’s College London researchers and their creative partners. Installed throughout our galleries, these projects reveal how conversations between artists, researchers, and wider communities can change the ways we think about and engage with the world around us.
•
Created by local young people in Southwark and Lambeth, the Utopia Now! display explores ideas of utopia and dystopia that emerged during the pandemic.
• The Embodied Lines display investigates different forms of violence at the level of the city, the state, and in personal relationships.
Throughout September to November alongside Testing Ground, there are events, tours, and workshops that you can take part in.
Keep an eye on our website and follow us on social media for further announcements about our upcoming programme.
https://london.sciencegallery.com
What’s your personal favourite piece or feature of the museum? What are you excited about moving forward?
We’re so pleased to reopen this year. We’re a place to grow new ideas across art, science and health. The gallery is part of King’s College London, and it brings together academics, researchers, students, and local communities. There’s exhibitions, events, performances, live experiments, open discussions, and festivals. There’s so many wonderful things for people to see and be part of, and it’s free!
Visit the Science Gallery London at King’s College London Guy’s Campus, Great Maze Pond, SE1 9GU. Phone: 020 7848 6000. https://london.sciencegallery.
Laura Burgoine Science Gallery London’s current show Testing Ground by Matt Jolly. This piece is called: Particle Shrine by Teppei Katori from the Department of Physics at King’s College London with musician and composer Christo Squier and creative technologist Chris Ball.Clinton “Champ” McKenzie’s earliest roots may be in Jamaica, where he was born the eldest of seven children, but his story really takes off in south London. After his parents emigrated to England on the Windrush and settled the family in South Norwood, Clinton began boxing as a tenyear-old at a youth club in Croydon. From here the light welterweight went on to become a British and European boxing champion, winner of two prestigious Lonsdale belts, and Olympic finalist fighting against Sugar Ray Leonard at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Now aged 67, the Champ has been boxing for over 50 years, teaching for over 30 and still never misses a day in the gym.
“I practically live here! It’s what I do. I love my gym,” Clinton tells the South Londoner. “I’ve had the club since I retired [in 1979]. Actually I opened it in 1982 because I had a bad year after I retired. I was so lost. It’s the most lonely place in the world. I was devastated. The end of my career was coming but I didn’t see it coming,” he reflects. “Boxing was my life and when my professional career ended it was the biggest shock in my life. Everything was gone. But time caught up with me. I couldn’t see those punches coming anymore, I was getting hurt. I was only 32 but in boxing your body reaches a point where it can’t take the training anymore.”
Clinton grew up in a family of athletes; four of the six brothers boxed, including former three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie, and former amateur boxer and politician Winston McKenzie.
“We all love boxing, we’re all competitive; it runs in the family,” Clinton says. “My dad loved Muhammad Ali. He used to get up at 3am to watch his fights in the States. I remember watching Henry Cooper at Wembley and I was amazed at this man’s skill. It made me want to become a boxer. My whole life was dedicated to boxing.”
Although Clinton’s father never boxed, he was his main role model. “Dad had to work so he didn’t box. He was a great man. He worked every day as a builder
A South Norwood boy, a British champion, an Olympian who went head to head with Sugar Ray Leonard, and the coach who trains BBC newsreader Huw Edwards
so he was fit. He could run miles if he wanted to; he would run with us on weekends. He was a strong, determined man and I admire him. He was strict but with love. He set a strong example for all of us kids.”
Clinton’s parents both grew up in Jamaica and moved to England as adults on the Windrush. “They left me and Winston in Jamaica and came here to get settled, bought a house, had four more kids, and then we came over when I was nine,” Clinton says. “Our home was in south Norwood and we stayed there all our lives, until our parents split up when I was 16, which was sad.”
The brothers learned to box at the Sir Philip Game Centre in Croydon, where they trained three times a week. “Our dad got us into that club to keep us out of trouble and teach us discipline. It’s a great shame there aren’t as many youth clubs these days because they give so much to the community,” Clinton says.
The regime of a young boxer isn’t far off Rocky Balboa’s, Clinton says with a laugh. “I’d have Sundays off but every other day I’d get up at 5am or 6am, go for a 5-mile run, be home by about 7:30am, have breakfast - lots of eggs, sometimes beans. In my day you didn’t have all the tech you have now for nutrition so we would eat what we thought was good: porridge, cabbage, green bananas. We were like gladiators! We just ate natural. No takeaways. We lived on whole, traditional food. I think fighters in those days were so disciplined. Then I’d go for a walk for about an hour, reflect, have a bit of a chat with myself, go back and get an hour of sleep and be in the gym at 2pm for an hour or an hour and a half doing everything.”
In 1976, Clinton’s dream came true when he got
to represent his country at the Olympics in Montreal. He won his first two fights before losing the gold medal to Sugar Ray Leonard.
“The Olympics was the highlight of my youth. It was absolutely amazing,” Clinton says. “I’ve always dreamt of going to the Olympics and my dream came true. I wanted it so badly and I got it.”
Getting into the ring with his hero was an unforgettable experience for the fighter. “Sugar Ray Leonard won but I achieved what I set out to do,” Clinton says. “Sugar Ray Leonard was the greatest fighter that ever lived. That was amazing fighting him. I lost a bit of self belief in that fight but I lost to a great man. I was so competitive I was up for the challenge. I was nervous, of course, but you’ve got no choice when you get in the ring.”
The Champ’s professional career took off after that and he travelled all over the world competing in a whirlwind of excitement and fun that passed in the blink of an eye.
“I think about all the glamour and it was a whole other world,” Clinton says. “But now when I’m at my gym I feel like I’m in my own little world and so boxing has never left me.”
On the other side of his career, Clinton enjoys coaching. “I’ve got a lot of wisdom and I enjoy that side of it now. For me, teaching people is great. Boxing is a love affair that could never die,” he says, citing his most high profile client as BBC News at Ten newsreader Huw Edwards. “He loves it. He trains three times a week and has been coming to me for about five years.”
Boxing has a myriad of health benefits but, perhaps most surprisingly, Clinton says the sport is all about self discovery. “Most people come for state of mind, for peace, to help themselves be able to sustain a certain amount of pressure and feel better about themselves,” he says.
“My club is a community. You don’t have to get hurt. For fitness, boxing is amazing. I’m not saying this just because I’m a boxer myself but it’s the best training because it covers everything. It helps you in life, it sorts your mental health right out. I’m 67 and I still do workouts; I love it. I’m on zoom teaching classes three times a week!
“Boxing is all about challenging yourself, seeing how far you can go, pushing yourself a bit further. When you fall down, you have to get up. It teaches the discipline of life, how to carry on, how to achieve. That’s the beautiful thing about it. I think boxing is all about finding the space to survive and carry on because no matter how much it might feel the odds are against you, there’s always another window.”
Clinton McKenzie’s Boxing Club has a variety of offerings with memberships ranging from £60-£125 per month or pay-as-you-go classes and Amateur Boxing.
Champion Hill Stadium, Denmark Hill, SE22 8BD. Phone: 020 7738 5109.
www.clintonmckenzie.com
With the colder months looming we tend to eat a little more food for our comfort but we also need to take in comforting thoughts to soothe us in the winter.
This is the time of year when I am starting up my workshops again. Having worked as a Psychotherapist for over 10 years I am all too aware that winter is a cold and lonely time for many. One where the monotony and routine of life seems that little bit more apparent and a time where one’s single status seems to be felt that much more deeply.
My workshops for single women are very popular. I think the reason is that, for some reason, we humans love to talk about our misfortune. I think sharing disappointments is healthy. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved.
To live with hope and vitality, one must be focused on a positive future. The ability to grieve our losses healthily depends on our capacity to metabolise our losses, disappointments and failures, lest they get stuck in the throat of our hearts, rendering us unable to sing our song the way only we can.
In romantic relationships, when we contemplate what we perceive as having gone wrong, perhaps the ways we may have abandoned ourselves or ignored our inner knowing, it is easy to get lost in
who hurt us and how hard it was. I like to begin with the future: a positive place to start from. That’s the context of these conversations. We can instead benefit greatly from spending more of our energy focusing forward, to a place where we have evolved beyond the unhealthy patterns or attachment styles we may have had in the past. A true testament of one’s character is how well we can learn from our mistakes (although, I personally do no believe we make mistakes, but I’ll go along with it!)
But for us to truly learn from our mistakes, it will require some self-development and a bit of education about what a future where you have evolved beyond any painful relational patterns future will look like for you. So I want you to close your eyes and begin to envisage what is possible for you in love. Use your imagination. Move into a place of deep listening and receptivity. Become aware of the feelings and sensations in your body, notice where you might be holding any tension and just let it go as you exhale. Do this 3 times.
Just move into surrender - recognising we are not trying to fix anything about you; we are just trying to move into a future that looks very different from a place in the past.
Imagine that relationships in your life are a source of wellbeing, safety and support, where you
have a natural knowledge of your value; you know you are truly loved and valued by those around you. That you’re free to be yourself.
Walking on eggshells is just a memory. Nobody is trying to control you. The people in your life are very, very interested in what you need and how you feel. And you also make it safe for others to be safe. It’s ok for you to need the attention of others and the love of those around you. We all need healthy dependencies in our life. We are a tribal race. When you think about conflict, you might not like it but you feel safe and understand that conflict is an opportunity to DEEPEN the connection between you.
Imagine yourself free to tell the truth and hear the truth. Imagine yourself feeling free to say no and knowing that you are loved despite that. Imagine trust between you because that’s there for a good reason because your intentions are transparent.
Now take a nice deep breath. Soften the muscles in your scalp and face. Relax. Say YES to this possible future and YES to being that person who is well enough to create a healthy relationship, firstly with herself and then with others. Yes to being that woman with a fundamental foundation where you feel like you’re protected and people are looking out for you and watching your back. You have a
solid sense that you can depend on people. Your relationships are safe. Say yes to this possible future and yes to becoming this version of yourself who is healthy enough to create this with the people in your life.
This is possible beyond insecurity, codependency, avoidance or self abandoning, loving too much or giving too much or any other unhealthy patterns that start showing up for you when you fall in love.
I want to encourage you to set an intention. Just write it down. My intention is to create…happy healthy relationships. You fill in the blanks. This intention will pull you towards this person you intend to be.
As the colder months approach, I wish you warmth but most of all I wish that you will continue to be there for you. To take care of you and keep on evolving beyond any thought patterns that stand in the way of all the things you want to achieve in work and love.
Love and work…
Work and love, that’s all there is
-Sigmund Freud
For more information about working with me or attending my workshops contact me at; Thelondonmatchmaker.co.uk
We are thrilled to celebrate the successes and achievements of our GCSE students, building upon the accomplishments of our existing and impressive legacy. Despite a difficult two years for students, they have taken each step with confidence and commitment. The results achieved are the truly deserved rewards of their hard work, a testament to their resilience and the dedication and support of staff.
We are thrilled to celebrate the successes and achievements of our GCSE students, building upon the accomplishments of our existing and impressive legacy. Despite a difficult two years for students, they have taken each step with confidence and commitment. The results achieved are the truly deserved rewards of their hard work, a testament to their resilience and the dedication and support of staff.
following categories: Head of Year Award, Community Award, Merit Award and Best Academic Progress. Congratulations to all recipients! We would also like to take this opportunity to recognise all students hard work, dedication and exemplary efforts over the last year.
following categories: Head of Year Award, Community Award, Merit Award and Best Academic Progress. Congratulations to all recipients! We would also like to take this opportunity to recognise all students hard work, dedication and exemplary efforts over the last year.
Students have excelled across a number of subjects and the percentage of students achieving top grades remains impressive, alongside many individual stories of dedication and achievement.
Students have excelled across a number of subjects and the percentage of students achieving top grades remains impressive, alongside many individual stories of dedication and achievement.
At the end of every academic year, our annual Awards Ceremony recognises the achievements and efforts of students across the school.
At the end of every academic year, our annual Awards Ceremony recognises the achievements and efforts of students across the school.
This year, students were celebrated in the
This year, students were celebrated in the
200 pupils at Dulwich have free or subsidised places. Find out more and how to apply by scanning the QR Code below.
Bursaries of up to 100% of fees
We’ve all been there..... it’s evening time and you find that your child is resisting doing their homework. So now, in addition to being a parent, provider, chef, taxi driver, etc, you get to be the homework enforcer. (P.S. it’s a thankless job) David Carnochan Centre Manager of Mathnasium in Dulwich, who specialise in teaching mathematics, speaks with parents regularly and they tell him what works. Here are his top 5 tips.
1/ Environment
Create a homework friendly area with keys materials like pencils, paper, textbooks etc at hand. Try to ensure this is well lit and away from distractions like TV & Video games
2/ Establish a schedule
Get them into a good habit. Form a routine and agree guidelines such as assignments must be completed before play time or TV.
While its important children take ownership of their homework it really helps to show interest. Ask about assignments and quizzes. Get them to show you their work and solicit feedback. Help them make a plan if they have a lot of work.
4/ Praise their work
Acknowledge their efforts, recognise improvements in concentration, handwriting or recent marks. Maybe agree a treat if work is completed on time.
5/ Don’t be scared to ask for help.
Many schools have a homework portal on their website. Ask about availability of extra study sessions / clubs. If regular challenges persist talk with your child’s teacher.
David explains that Mathnasium, (The Maths Learning Centre) help students catch up and get ahead in maths by making it fun. Their highly trained tutors also set aside time at the conclusion of lessons to provide support with school homework, so the student feels better prepared, transforming homework frustration into a welcome challenge.
dulwich@mathnasium.co.uk
www.mathnasium.co.uk/dulwich
0208 299 1171
and looking to start college?
Amelia,
Matteo
Take advantage of the chance to visit Kingsdale Foundation School and see for yourself how we bring the best out of our students. A tour of Kingsdale Foundation School enables you to realise why we receive such glowing reports. In the Autumn term 2022 you will have just that opportunity as we will be holding Sixth Form Open Days for entry in September 2023. Scholarships in Mathematics and the Creative & Expressive Arts are on offer for gifted and talented candidates who meet our entry requirements. Scholars receive free individual or small group tuition provided by expert professionals to the value of £1,000 per annum.
Prospective students are invited to come along to our Open Days or join our virtual tours to explore the fantastic opportunities and inspiring state-of-the-art facilities in our dedicated Sixth Form Centre. As Ofsted noted: ‘The range of subjects taught is imaginative, well constructed and contributes well to students’ achievement and their outstanding spiritual, cultural and moral development.’
Wednesday 19th October 1.30pm - 6.30pm
Wednesday 9th November 1.30pm - 6.30pm
Wednesday 30th November 1.30pm - 6.30pm
Visits
call 020 8655 9723
a Prospectus Alleyn Park, Dulwich, London SE2 l 8SQ
‘This popular school is a harmonious environment where pupils learn how to be successful in modern Britain’ OFSTED 2017
Applications for Sixth Form courses are now being accepted
Lottie Bradley talks launching the nation’s first Charity Shop
Gift Card
It’s no overstatement to say that Lottie Bradley is changing the face of second-hand gifting. The Crystal Palace resident, whose day job is as Retail Design Manager for the charity Save the Children, has launched the first gift card that can be used in multiple different charity shops nationwide. The card, which was launched in autumn 2021, is available to pick up from mainstream stores including Sainsbury's and WHSmith, as well as in the charity shops accepting it – an estimated 2,000 by the end of 2022.
The South Londoner speaks to Lottie Bradley, founder of the Charity Shop Gift Card, to find out more…
Holly O’Mahony: What inspired the Charity Shop Gift Card? What gap in the market were you hoping to fill?
Lottie Bradley: I saw a gap in the market for an ecofriendly gifting solution that could unite charity shops on the high street and champion circular fashion. I love how charity shops reflect their communities and I'm fascinated by the stories behind second-hand items. Plus, the thrifty northerner in me loves a bargain!
HOM: Practically speaking, how does it work?
LB: It’s the only gift card that can be spent in multiple charity shops nationwide. Councils and support agencies can also purchase the gift cards as part of their welfare assistance offering, to help financially vulnerable individuals and families. As a social enterprise, a minimum of 65% of profits go towards funding charity gift cards for good causes to donate to the communities they are supporting.
HOM: So where can the Charity Shop Gift Card be used?
LB: We’ve struck up relationships with charity shops all around London and beyond, that are now using the gift card. South London shops include Traid, Crisis and we’re in the process of adding Shelter to the list. From national charity shops to local hospices, the number of participating charity shops is growing all the time. We’re working with the Charity Retail Association to sign up as many members as we can.
HOM: What has uptake for the card been like among customers?
LB: We’re happy with how it’s been received so far. I think the rise of secondhand fashion has helped give it a boost. It’s still a new product and we’re very much in the early days of building awareness and getting the word out there. We’ve also appreciated the support of thrifting influencers such as south London thrifter Kirsty (@girlswithbellsandwhistles).
HOM: The card itself can be picked up from mainstream chains like Sainsbury's and WHSmith. How easy was it to get the card onto those shelves?
LB: The supermarkets have been really supportive. It was definitely time to offer customers an alternative gift card that celebrates pre-loved fashion! The gift cards are also available to buy from the participating charities and as an e voucher from our website.
HOM: Looking at the next five years, what are your
hopes for the Charity Shop Gift Card?
LB: The ultimate dream is to have all charity shops across the uk selling and accepting the gift card, supporting individual causes whilst also promoting circular economy. By the end of the year, over 2,000 shops are expected to be on board – so we're getting there!
HOM: Lastly, as a fellow south Londoner, what are some of your favourite local businesses our readers should know about?
LB: I love following @shopse19 for the lowdown on what's happening in the area. As a new mum, I’m spending far too much time in cafés at the moment, and can personally recommend Kamari on Westow Street for coffee, St Germain on Crystal Palace Parade for a cheeky breakfast crêpe and La Bruschetta for the best pastel de nata!
For more information about the Charity Shop Gift Card, including a list of stores accepting it, visit: www.thecharityshopgiftcard.co.uk/stores/
