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August 2021.

millwall Exclusive

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Issue 1542

Established: 1987

Man jailed after horrifying armed attack Page 14

Exclusive

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2021 2022

southwarknews.co.uk

Coops reserves judgement

season preview See on pages 32 and 33

campaigner shocked by arrest for ‘hacking’ Infilling activist quizzed then

told he has ‘no case to answer’

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Contents NEWS Pages 2-15 OPINION Pages 16-17 Arts Page 18 History Page 19 food & drink Page 20 classified Page 21 property Page 22 Public notices Pages 23-25 SPORT Pages 26-36 During the crisis, contact us if you have a story on 07973175511 or email

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

camberwell fights for survival

Nearly 800 sign petition against the Boundary Commission’s plan

Grove; Grove Lane; Camberwell New Road; Denmark Hill Station and Burgess Park in with Peckham. They believe the area would benefit from having a sole MP, and are worried that investment for jobs, transport and other community benefits could end up diverted to bigger centres including Vauxhall, Brixton and Peckham.

"The SE5 Forum has worked hard to establish a sense of cohesion and identity for Camberwell", says Sophy Tayler, its chair.

"Much of that could be lost if a large part of the area is split into two constituencies.

We must all resist these proposals. This breakup of the Camberwell community is unacceptable,” said Kelly Blaney, who chairs the Camberwell Identity Group.

“The 40,000 people who call Camberwell home need a sense of place, as individuals, and as a member of a community.

“The more our local bureaucracy is eroded, the less likely we will be seen as a single entity”.

A public consultation closed on Monday, August 2. As we reported in June, The Boundary Commission for England says its proposed changes will make for a fairer parliament, as each MP would have roughly the same number of voters.

The changes are not only in Camberwell.

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Nearly eight hundred people have signed a petition objecting to the Boundary Commission’s plan to change the parliamentary constituencies in Camberwell.

Set up by the SE5 Forum, The Camberwell Society, Camberwell Arts and the Camberwell Identity Group, the campaign is against the proposals that would see around a third of Camberwell joining Vauxhall to become the new Vauxhall and Camberwell constituency, with the remainder absorbed into Peckham, and some streets becoming part of Brixton and Clapham.

The groups behind the petition say ‘breaking up’ the area is ‘unacceptable’ and the proposal lumps key landmarks and streets including Camberwell School of Arts; King’s College Hospital; Camberwell

MP Neil Coyle said his constituency currently had one of the largest number of voters in the UK The proposed new Bermondsey and Borough constituency would be a slightly smaller version of Bermondsey and Old Southwark minus the Newington and Old Kent Road wards.

MP Neil Coyle said his constituency currently had one of the largest numbers of voters anywhere in the UK but that despite the changes he hoped Walworth would not be split up. He has also advocated including Rotherhithe in any new name for his current Bermondsey and Old Southwark seat.

Old Kent Road would join the new Peckham constituency, currently part of Harriet Harman’s ‘Peckham and Camberwell’, along with parts of SE5.

Meanwhile Dulwich and West Norwood would become Dulwich and Sydenham.

The new borough would lose the area around Loughborough Junction to a Clapham and Brixton constituency, Thurlow Park ward covering parts of Dulwich and Herne Hill would join a newly configured Streatham constituency and Knight’s Hill and Gipsy Hill would join a new ‘Norwood’ constituency, the rest of which is in the London Borough of Croydon.

The New Dulwich and Sydenham seat would gain the areas around Forest Hill and Sydenham from the current Lewisham and Penge constituency.

Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes described the changes as ‘terrible for our area’.

A decision on the finalised proposals is expected in 2023.

Southwark Council joins the call for better rights for single parents

By Katherine Johnston

single parents in the UK at any given time.

In Southwark, more than 40 per cent of households are believed to be headed by single parents. Although seventy per cent of single mothers are in work, almost two-thirds of children raised in working, single-parent homes are living in poverty.

Ruth Talbot set up the campaigning group Single Parents Rights after becoming particularly frustrated with the lack of consideration and support shown for singleparent families during the pandemic.

Examples of unfair treatment highlighted include the fact that the 30 hours of government funded childcare is not available to single parent registered carers who are not working, but is available for those who have a partner in work. Single parents can also lose out in child benefit calculations, and often have to pay higher entry fees to attractions.

“Single parents have faced stigma and discrimination for decades,” said Ms Talbot.

“In the first national lockdown single parents

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Southwark councillors have unanimously backed a campaign to outlaw discrimination against single parents.

The motion, which called for single parents to receive extra protection from the UK Equality Act, was passed at July’s council assembly meeting.

It was put forward by Southwark councillor and cabinet member Stephanie Cryan; a single parent herself.

All councillors voted in support of the motion, which advocates that single parents deserve the same as other ‘protected characteristics’ under the act, which currently include age; disability; marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity.

Around a third of all parents experience single parenting at some point while raising children, with a quarter of all parents being

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Editor: Kevin Quinn Deputy Editor: Katherine Johnston Reporter: Kit Heren Sports Editor: John Kelly Arts Correspondent: Michael Holland Weekender Series Editor: Laura Burgoine Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Sales Manager: Tammy Jukes Advertising: Clarry Frewin, Lorraine Wood, Design: Dan Martin, Aurelio Medina Finance: Em Zeki - Tel: 0779 883 3758 Subscriptions/Announcements: Katie Boyd Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn Published weekly on a Thursday at: Unit A202, The Biscuit Factory, Drummond Road, Bermondsey, London SE16 4DG. News and Sport: 020 7231 5258 Advertising: 0792 203 4598 News: news@southwarknews.co.uk Advertising: ads@southwarknews.co.uk Finance: em@southwarknews.co.uk Printed by Iliffe Print. Tel: 01223 656500 www.iliffeprint.co.uk

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OUTRAGE AS SOUTHWARK VOWS TO CARRY ON WITH CONTROVERSIAL INFILLING ON COUNCIL ESTATES

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Extraordinary history retold: Rotherhithe teacher shoots himself and ‘love rival’ Pages 24-25

were left to struggle alone without any consideration.

“This was not new though, single parents are often forgotten and discriminated against.

“We are overcharged for days out, pushed out of work by unsupportive employees, and prevented from renting homes for our families.

“Yet despite this, we aren’t protected in UK law. We are thrilled that Southwark Council has passed this motion to support us in calling on the UK government to add single parents as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act and we look forward to supporting them to end discrimination towards single parents in Southwark.”

Cllr Cryan added: “Southwark Council is adding its voice to the growing campaign to improve the rights of single parents and the movement to end the discrimination that we face.

“All we ask is that we are treated with dignity, respect and equality; single parents and our children deserve better.”

Cllr Stephanie Cryan

The Southwark News is proud to be the only independent, paid for newspaper in London Southwark News started life as the Bermondsey News in 1987, as an A-4 photocopied sheet of paper and rapidly grew to cover the entire borough and the surrounding area. As the borough grew, so did the newspaper.

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Captain Bligh’s home for sale

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

By Kit Heren kit@southwarknews.co.uk The chance to seize the living quarters of Britain’s most famous mutiny survivor could be yours - if you have £2.25m to spare.

The house of Captain William Bligh, cast adrift by a mutinous crew in the Pacific in 1789 along with several loyal followers, has recently come on the market.

Captain Bligh and his family lived in the fivebedroom property on Lambeth Street near the Imperial War Museum after he found his way back to London following the mutiny. The house has blue plaques commemorating the time he lived there unusually, both inside and out.

The property listing says: “A superb blue plaque Georgian home where Captain William Bligh once lived, this is one of London's most historic houses, boasting five floors of uniquely decorated living space, five self-contained bedrooms and three receptions."

Captain Bligh joined the Navy at the age of just seven before gaining a commission and rising through the ranks. He served with Captain James Cook and took part in his last voyage in 1776. He later joined the merchant service, before taking charge of the Bounty in 1787.

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His mission was to collect breadfruit trees from Tahiti, a Pacific Island, and take them to British colonies in the Caribbean. After leaving Tahiti, a group of crew members led by Fletcher Christian mutinied and took Captain Bligh hostage. They set him adrift on a small boat with eighteen loyal crew members, little navigation equipment and only enough food for about a week.

Miraculously Captain Bligh was able to navigate the boat about 4,000 miles to present-day Indonesia, then a Dutch colony, with only one crew member dying during the voyage. Several others, weakened by the arduous months-long trip, died when they reached Jakarta.

Several of the mutineers stayed in the Pacific and died there, including their leader Fletcher Christian.

Others eventually returned to England and three were hanged.

Captain Bligh continued to serve in the Navy, finally reaching the position of vice-admiral. He was sent to Australia to clean up the rum trade, which the British government considered to be corrupt. His actions resulted in another rebellion, in which he was deposed from his position as governor of New South Wales. Captain Bligh died in 1817 aged 63, and was buried in St Mary-at-Lambeth - now the Garden Museum.

Who will be in the stocks in Rotherhithe this weekend?

By Kit Heren kit@southwarknews.co.uk The Rotherhithe Festival is going ahead this Saturday, August 7, with live bands, children’s rides and stalls.

The festival is taking place on King George’s Field off Lower Road, with the entrance on Moodkee Street.

The event will run from 11.30am-8pm on Saturday, with Southwark Mayor Cllr Barrie Hargrove opening the festival. Musical acts include Paul Cox, Errol Linton

and Alan Glen and the Incredible Blues Puppies.

Organisers will also be bringing back the stocks this year to give festival-goers a chance to inflict medieval punishment on others, in return for a donation to charity.

The organisers of the event have dedicated the Rotherhithe Festival to NHS staff and others who have worked “tirelessly” during the Covid-19 lockdown. They have asked everyone who comes to the event to wear blue in celebration of healthcare workers.

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Anti-infiller accused of hacking ‘told he had no case to answer’

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By Kit Heren kit@southwarknews.co.uk A prominent campaigner against estate infill projects in Southwark was arrested earlier this summer on suspicion of hacking into the website of the housing association whose plans he opposes - before being told he had no case to answer.

Robert Hutchinson, who runs the @ BallCourtGarden Twitter account that vocally opposes plans to build more social housing on the Elim Estate in Bermondsey, was taken into custody on the morning of June 10 this year.

Four officers, who came to his Weston Street address at 8.20am, told Mr Hutchinson he was under arrest on suspicion of breaking the Computer Misuse Act 1990, seized his laptop and phone and took him to Walworth Police Station, where he was kept for several hours.

It came after Mr Hutchinson tweeted

the minutes of a board meeting of Leathermarket Community Benefit Society (CBS), the local housing association whose plans to build 32 homes on a play area on the Elim Estate he is fighting, along with many other local residents. Leathermarket has said that the new homes would mean they could rehouse families currently living in accommodation that is too small for them - a huge problem in Southwark, with thousands on waiting lists or in unsuitable housing.

Reached this week, a spokesperson for Leathermarket maintained that the plans were in a password protected area of the website, which was why staff reported the potential data breach to police. Mr Hutchinson denied the hack and said every document he accessed was in the public domain. Officers were also unable to find any evidence to charge him with.

Mr Hutchinson was told within hours that he had no case to answer and was let go. But he said the reputational damage was considerable - and that the arrest had strengthened his resolve to fight the plans.

“Honestly, being arrested was horrific,” he told the News. “I was just shocked and surprised, there had been a burglary in the flats next door so when the police first came, I thought they were coming to ask about that. Suddenly they started getting aggressive. It was just horrendous.

Having an arrest on your record - it’s not something I want to have as a professional.

There’s an element of embarrassment to it.”

In a statement shared separately by email, Mr Hutchinson added: “In the process of researching Leathermarket CBS we found dozens of documents including board meeting minutes, updates and reports freely available via Google searches. None of the documents was marked private, confidential or restricted in any way. Instead of engaging in open dialogue with our community as we have asked for all along, Leathermarket Community Benefit Society made an allegation which led to my arrest.”

The Met Police said in a statement: “At 08:20hrs on Thursday, 10 June, police arrested a 53-year-old man at a residential address in Bermondsey on suspicion of securing unauthorised access of computer material, contrary to s.1 Computer Misuse Act 1990. It was alleged that the man had accessed the secure area of a website linked to a housing association between the 17th and 24th February 2021 and had published documents from the website on social media. He was taken into custody and later released under investigation.

Following a review of all available evidence, it was determined no offences had been committed and no further action was taken.”

Leathermarket said in a statement: “The

documents accessed are confidential and were stored on a password protected page on the CBS website for Directors.

“When it came to the CBS’s attention that confidential information had been accessed and subsequently shared via Twitter, the CBS made a general report of the data breach to the police - who requested a full log of visitor access to the website before deciding whether or not to progress. The police carried out their own independent investigation into who accessed the documents and how, and have now concluded their investigation.”

The housing association’s plans were originally set to go in front of Southwark Council’s planning committee on June 15, but this has been pushed back.

Leathermarket said when we first reported the delay that it “remains committed to delivering new and muchneeded Council homes for local residents in housing need, and to meeting the needs of existing estate residents through new and improved community facilities and landscaping.”

Residents have since been offered the chance to vote for a new plan that would still see 32 new homes built, but that would also keep the outdoor play area.

This latest twist in the Elim Estate dispute is just one part of a borough-wide wrangle over where to build many of the 11,000 new council homes promised by Southwark before 2043. Residents on existing estates have frequently opposed infill plans to build on areas including car parks or green spaces near their homes, citing loss of light, mental health concerns and inconvenience. Twenty-eight estates in total are earmarked for infill homes.

Campaigners slammed the infill

programme at a recent full assembly meeting, calling on councillors to halt plans.

Amanda, a representative of Bells Gardens in Peckham, told councillors: “We as a community understand the need for new council homes and support the development for 44 new homes across the road. But we also understand the need to maintain a certain level of access to communal green spaces for the health and wellbeing of existing residents.

“Bells Garden not only offers a substantial green space the size of Brunswick Park in Camberwell, but a multi-use games area and a large play space for toddlers and young children.

“It is a community park in all but name.

The council needs to recognise that while regeneration can improve the local area, residents in our community are most likely to be excluded from what’s on offer.”

She continued: “The council needs to stop using the demands for council housing as a reason to justify the development.”

Cabinet minister for social housing and homelessness Cllr Stephanie Cryan said at the meeting: “We do have 15,000 on our waiting list and 32 on Bells Gardens are desperately waiting for a home,” highlighting that there would be a new park, play space and community centre and an increase in green space after the redevelopment. We have to balance both needs up,” she said, referring to housing shortages and greenery. I think Bells sort of strikes that balance but we will see if we can tweak it anyway. My commitment to you is that we will do that additional consultation, take the learnings from that, and see if we can change the proposals based on that.”

In a statement, she explained: “I understand the concerns of the campaigners, but there is a difference between large-scale estate regeneration projects where existing social rented homes are demolished and replaced with large numbers of new homes, and our smaller new homes projects.

“The Greater London Authority’s (GLA) criteria for holding ballots on estate regeneration projects applies to any scheme seeking GLA funding that involves the demolition of social rented homes and the construction of 150 or more new homes.

“It is always a difficult decision where to build new council housing, but as a council

we have a duty to act in the interests of all residents in Southwark, thousands of whom are living in unsuitable or overcrowded accommodation, many with young children.

“We are in the midst of a national housing crisis, and with more than 15,000 households on our waiting lists, half of these including children, it is absolutely vital we build more council homes.

“With limited space in the borough we are having to be inventive and innovative in where and how we build these essential new homes.

“We work closely with our residents to shape the way we deliver all our new council homes, from site identification through to consultation, design, planning, and delivery.

“Where we are looking at building on existing play areas or open spaces these are being replaced – and often improved – as part of the proposals and residents are given the opportunity to take an active part in shaping the look and feel of new homes and amenities that help make their communities stronger, safer, and more rewarding places to live.”

Hundreds gather in Peckham to save park from ‘infill’ by council

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk More than 200 people staged a protest on Peckham Green last Saturday to oppose plans to turn the beloved park into a new housing development.

Last week we detailed how Southwark Council had purchased the formerly privately owned land, once earmarked for a later-shelved tram link, in the 1990s and had long held aspirations to use it for new housing. In the intervening years the commercial space was given a temporary designation as a park, and has been used by residents as a park ever since. There are now only days to save the patch of green space nestled near Sumner Road, with hoarding expected to go up in under a week’s time.

In recent weeks the campaign had gathered in momentum, fuelled in part by the growing opposition to ‘infill’ homes within existing estates.

A spokesperson for the Save Peckham Green campaign told the News the event went ‘incredibly well’.

“Just two months ago few people in the borough - let alone the immediate community - knew about this horrendous plan to destroy our public park.

“Now they know. And now we are letting Southwark Council know that we know.

We are planning more demonstrations.

We are asking residents to communicate to their councillors, MPs, and the local media to demand that Southwark Council

stop the planned building on the Green.

We do not support direct action in violation of the law.

“We want Southwark to announce that they will not be building on the park, that they will ‘designate’ it a park to protect it forever, and begin to work with the community to make it more available.

“Our community supports public housing but not at the cost of parks. The fight to save Peckham Green has broad support across party lines.

“Greens, LibDems, and even the vast majority of Labour voters are against building on green spaces and specifically against building on Peckham Green.

“The only people who support it seem to

be the Southwark Labour councillors and they have circled the wagons.”

Southwark Liberal Democrats have come out against infill developments and last week the local Green Party has said it only supported sensitive developments on brownfield sites; highlighting the environmental imperative for protecting green space and mature trees.

A number of trees are due to be felled as part of the Peckham Green developed, including the ‘twisted tree’, pictured.

Last week we asked Southwark Council’s new council housing boss Stephanie Cryan why estates were being given the right to a ballot on regeneration projects but not infill homes.

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NORTH CIRCULAR ROAD

Vehicles are not charged for driving on the North Circular Road (A406)

ENFIELD

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BARNET

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RICHMOND UPON THAMES

CITY OF LONDON

NEWHAM TOWER HAMLETS

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ON GT A IN SE NS EL ITH KE & CH SM ER AM MM LH HA & FU

EALING

LONDON UL EZ AL

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BRENT

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From 25th October it’s expanding from central London up to, but not including, the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205), to help clean up London’s air. The North and South Circular Roads themselves are not in the zone.

If you drive within the zone with an older polluting vehicle that’s petrol or diesel and doesn’t meet the standards, you may be affected. Are you ready?

This is part of the commitment by the Mayor of London and TfL to help Londoners breathe cleaner air.

Search ULEZ Expansion, and check your postcode.

8 NEWS

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

Two more charged after drug raids

By Kit Heren

kit@southwarknews.co.uk Two more men have been charged with drug offences after another series of coordinated raids in Southwark last week.

© Richard Blaxall / Photerior 2021

Jamari Richardson, 23, of St Bartholomews Close in Sydenham, was charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs between January and March this year, as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Bernard Aryee, 52, of Blackfriars Road on Bankside, was also charged with supplying Class A drugs over the same period, and possession of Class A drugs. The men were arrested after police raids last Thursday, July 29.

Both men have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ court. No court date has been set yet.

It comes after eight other men were charged with drug offences following a series of dawn raids across Southwark the previous week.

The News was at the scene of the drugs warrants early in the morning of Wednesday, July 21, the culmination of an eight-month long investigation.

Ismael Abourahman, 39 from Avondale Rise, SE15 was charged with supplying and offering to supply crack cocaine and possessing and supplying cannabis. He has pleaded not guilty to all offences except the cannabis possession.

Twenty-five-year-old Rushard Brown, from Peckham’s Hastings Close, faces crack cocaine, cannabis and criminal property charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all offences except the charge of cannabis possession.

Akeem Thomas, aged 25 and from Elmington Estate’s Brisbane Street was charged with supplying crack

cocaine and faces a criminal property charge.

Also charged with crack cocaine charges is fifty-five-year-old Birol Salih from King Arthur Close in Peckham.

All will next appear at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, August 19.

Three other adult men were charged on Thursday,Jul 22y and appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court the same day. They are also due to appear at Inner London Crown Court, on Thursday, 19 August.

Forty-four-year-old Berris Manning from Peckham Park Road faces heroin and crack cocaine charges, as does Dwight Merrick, aged 41, from Walworth’s Hopwood Road.

Osahon Okunbowa, aged 29, from Pelier Estate’s Olney Road, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin and crack cocaine. He will be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court at a later date.

Two teenagers who cannot be named for legal reasons were also arrested.

A sixteen-year-old boy was charged with supplying crack cocaine and possession with intent to supply cannabis. He pleaded not guilty and has now been bailed to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 31 August.

Another sixteen-year-old was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and has since been released under investigation.

Two adult men have also been released under investigation: two 21-year-olds arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug.

A 52-year-old man arrested on suspicion of supplying crack cocaine will face no further action and neither will a 29-year-old man arrested on suspicion of supplying Class A and being in possession of Class B drugs.

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

‘drug den in our cupboard’

By Kit Heren kit@southwarknews.co.uk Police have raided a ‘drug den’ in Rotherhithe after several complaints from local residents.

Officers and Southwark Council staff cleared the address on St Helena Road, part of the Silverlock Estate, last week - after drug users allegedly took it over, and commandeered a large electrical cupboard.

Rotherhithe dedicated ward officer Paul Green, part of the local safer neighbourhood team, said in a post on the Nextdoor app: “We have now cleared the area and renewed the locks.

I hope that there will be no more issues regarding users at this location.”

International footballer ‘left with just £96 a week’ after being diagnosed with cancer Exclusive

By Kit Heren kit@southwarknews.co.uk A former international footballer is raising money to support himself after a cancer diagnosis left him unable to work for six months.

Jose ‘Pepe’ Oleas represented the Ecuador national team and played for a series of clubs in his home country, including in the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League.

After hanging up his boots at the age of 31, he moved to Spain for work, before coming to London about seven years ago. He settled in Stockwell and found work as a cleaner at London South Bank University.

Jose was recently diagnosed with throat cancer and has had to take time off work for chemotherapy. His friend Lenin Escudero, with whom he played in Ecuador and who also now works as a cleaner in London, said Jose’s outsourced employer Churchill Services only gives him statutory sick pay, which is about £96 per week..

Lenin, who works for the School of

Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), set up a fundraising campaign to help support Jose during his illness, and has raised £1,700 so far. The target is £3,000.

Lenin said: “I’ve known him since I was sixteen, we were teammates in Ecuador.

When I got to the team we were playing for, I didn’t have anywhere to stay, anything to eat. He got me to stay with him, he looked after me. He made me ready to be a professional player.

In contrast with the high wages of footballers in the Premier League today, neither player earned enough not to have

By Kit Heren

kit@southwarknews.co.uk A new football league that aims to help overweight men slim down is opening in Bermondsey later this month.

Bermondsey’s Man v Fat

Man v Fat, a nationwide weight loss organisation, is launching its latest football competition alongside Millwall Community Trust on August 26.

Matches will take place every week for fourteen weeks, with the aim of helping the people that take part shed pounds, as well as improving their mental health and general wellbeing.

You have to have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27.5 to take part. Anyone with a BMI above 25 is technically overweight, according to the NHS. Dan Church, Man V Fat’s regional manager for the south-east, said he had had “his own journey with weight loss”.

“I lost over ten stone in sixteen months through the programme,” he said. “Being part of a team and having that camaraderie really helped.”

Taking part in the tournament costs £27.50 per month, as well as a £1 discounted sign-up fee if you use the code southeast. That’s more than

to work after they retired from the game.

“It wasn’t like at the moment where footballers have a very good salary, we didn’t earn much back then.”

Jose’s cancer was caught at an early stage, Lenin said. “There is a strong possibility with treatment that he will recover fine. He’s on chemotherapy doctors say he’s coping very well with the treatment.”

Churchill did not respond to a request for comment.

To donate visit: https://gofund.me/ e9aa8c72 many gyms, and considerably more expensive than going for a run. But Mr Church said the social aspect of Man V Fat and the support participants get from their teammates means signing up for the tournament is worthwhile.

“There’s a social aspect, there will be people who want to lose weight but also want to get a good social circle going,” he said.

“As well as 90 per cent of guys who take part losing weight, 93 per cent report other health improvements.”

There is no equivalent league for women at the minute, but that “could be something that comes in the pipeline”, Mr Church added.

“The main reason we looked at men was the market is predominantly focused on women with products like Weight Watchers - we wanted to get guys to feel comfortable while losing weight.”

The Bermondsey tournament is still taking new applications. When you sign up, a computer assigns you to a team based on their BMI. Some 40 people have signed up so far.

Depending on how many people apply, the league will have between four or six teams.

Sign up here: Manvfatfootball.org/ Millwall.

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10 NEWS

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Photo by Rachel Oates and The Kennel Club

‘jaw dropping’ figures in rise of dog thefts in London

The Kennel Club

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk London is one of the UK’s ‘dog theft hotspots’, but fewer than one in ten cases led to criminal charges last year, shocking new figures show.

Fourteen per cent of all dog thefts in

Police watchdog clears officers of racial profiling

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk

The police watchdog has found that four officers accused of racially profiling a driver during a Walworth Road stop and search have ‘no case to answer’.

Three of the officers had been served with gross misconduct notices and one was served with a misconduct notice after the incident, on May 5, 2020, was referred for investigation.

However, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now found that there is ‘no evidence’ the officers racially profiled the complainant, and judged that they had ‘reasonable grounds’ to lawfully stop and search him; a decision based on ‘local intelligence including knowledge of drug dealing and gang activity at the location’.

During the incident the car was parked in a quiet street and drove off ‘at speed’ when approached. Body worn video footage also showed the officers had no prior knowledge of the car’s occupant beforehand as it had tinted windows.

However, investigators did find that the officers had made ‘disrespectful comments’ about the complainant 'while not in his presence' and had failed to challenge similar comments made by other colleagues. The IOPC also noted they had failed to follow body-worn video guidance and PPE guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result it recommends they are subject to ‘reflective practice’ and attend a community stop and search event to further their understanding of how the tactic impacts on those subject to it and the wider community.

The Met says a senior officer from the Central South Basic Command Unit, which covers Southwark and Lambeth, has since met with the car’s driver and also led a stop and search workshop with new recruits.

the UK in 2020 happened in the capital.

Charges were brought in under ten per cent of those cases, and in around half of them a suspect has never been identified.

Nationally, dog snatching has risen by seven per cent since 2019, attributed to high demand for ‘pandemic puppies’ during lockdown.

There are now around 196 cases of dog theft every single month across the country and more than 500 stolen since a new government taskforce was set up to tackle the issue in May. Across the country, convictions are only secured in around two per cent of cases.

A new analysis of data secured through Freedom of Information Requests, by the Kennel Club, found that in London there were 318 dog thefts in 2020, the second highest in the UK after the North West, and just 29 criminal charges.

No suspect was identified in almost half (46 per cent) of these reported dog theft cases in the capital, and in seventeen per cent a suspect was identified but no action was taken, due to ‘evidential difficulties’.

“Dog theft has devastating consequences for both the owners and the animals involved and it is quite frankly jaw dropping that 98 per cent of cases never result in a criminal charge and in more than half, no suspect is ever identified,” said Bill Lambert, health, welfare and breeder services executive at The Kennel Club.

“Not only that but when a sentence is handed out it is often treated no more

seriously than a petty crime, despite the fact that there is nothing ‘petty’ about pet theft.

“The low charge rates and the paltry sentences are an almost open invitation to criminals looking to target innocent dog owners.

“Whilst most people will never be unfortunate enough to fall victim to this crime, those that do are left totally bereft but without a clear route to justice.

“We welcome the government taking this issue seriously and hope that the taskforce can deliver meaningful change that will give greater transparency in how we report and record this crime, and deliver more proportionate sentences that treat dog theft with the seriousness it deserves.”

Amongst the actions being called for as part of The Kennel Club’s ‘Paw and Order: Dog Theft Reform’ campaign is for more resources to be allocated to investigating these crimes, and for more transparent, centralised collection of data about pet theft, including the number of crimes, arrests and convictions.

Currently, there is no central record in order to help decision makers

understand the scale of the problem or the circumstances around it – for example, whether a theft was driven by opportunism or organised crime.

The Kennel Club is also calling for a reclassification of how dog theft is treated in the law, as currently sentencing is based on the monetary value of the pet rather than giving sufficient weight to the emotional impact of the crime. In court, dog theft is often treated in a similar way to the theft of a laptop or mobile phone.

If changed to a ‘category one offence’ offenders could be jailed for up to seven years.

Bill advised owners to be vigilant: “There are steps that people can take to help protect their dogs. A dog should never be left unsupervised, whether out and about or at home in the garden and it should have a reliable recall, so that you can always see its whereabouts,” he added.

“It is important that all dogs are microchipped, and that their details are kept up to date with their microchip database, and that information about your dog, such as its price or address, isn’t shared with strangers.”

Lambeth Council's head office in Brixton

many of the children in their care also experiencing horrific racism from abusive staff.

Between 1965 and 2000, around 15,000 children were placed in Lambeth Council’s care, with more than 9,000 of those placed in its children’s homes. Between 1965 and 1994 it ran 33 children’s homes. Just a fraction of them are analysed in the report.

It found that sexual and physical abuse in its homes was able to thrive in part due to the chaotic nature of the local authority during the 1980s in particular.

It criticises the then Labour-run council for focusing its attention on taking on Thatcher’s government and being mired within ‘corruption and financial mismanagement which permeated much of the council’s operations’.

Upon the report’s publication, Lambeth Council’s leader Claire Holland said: “On behalf of all elected Members and staff, Lambeth Council wishes to restate our sincere and heartfelt apology to all victims and survivors of abuse and neglect while in Lambeth’s care.

“The council was responsible for their care and protection but failed, with profound consequences. The council is deeply sorry for their experiences.

“As the report sets out, the council of the past failed to protect many of its most vulnerable children. A disproportionate number of those children were from black, Asian and multi-ethnic backgrounds.

“The extent and scale of the horrendous abuse, which took place over many decades, remains deeply shocking.

“The council failed to acknowledge concerns when they arose, often failed to believe children when they disclosed abuse and then failed to take effective action. That so many children and adults were not believed compounded their experiences and caused further pain and distress with lifelong impacts.

“The council takes responsibility for contributing to conditions in which adults were able to abuse with apparent impunity.

The council has cooperated fully and transparently with IICSA, in order to understand what happened to the children in our care and examine the institutional failings; and to reflect and learn from the findings to ensure such events never happen again.”

Comment - page 17

Care home child abuse report highlights ‘toxic power game’

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk The scale of historic sexual abuse suffered by children in Lambeth Council’s care is ‘hard to comprehend’, according to a new report that says hundreds were victims of a ‘toxic power game’ between the local authority and central government.

Published on July 27, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s (IICSA) report found a staggering level of unchecked abuse over at least four decades.

One of the largest homes, Shirley Oaks, had been the subject of allegations against 177 members of staff or individuals connected with the home, with at least 529 former residents saying they had been victims. The home closed in 1983.

By June 2020, 705 people who had lived in just three of Lambeth’s largest care homes said they had suffered sexual abuse. Yet in over 40 years only one senior employee had been disciplined. Even now,

only six people have ever been convicted for sexual abuse.

It was not only in homes where children were being abused; with the report detailing how, over many years, foster carers were not subject to routine checks or adequate vetting. When a review of all placements was eventually carried out, half of all foster carers on the council’s books were removed - and this only happened in 2000.

The report’s authors are also calling for a criminal investigation to be considered in the case of a child who was found dead in a bathroom at Shirley Oaks in 1977.

Lambeth Council had not informed the Coroner at the time that the victim had alleged his ‘house father’ had sexually abused him.

Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the inquiry, said: “Over several decades children in residential and foster care suffered levels of cruelty and sexual abuse that are hard to comprehend.

“These children became pawns in a toxic power game within Lambeth Council

and between the council and central government.

“For many years bullying, intimidation, racism, nepotism and sexism thrived within the council, and all against a backdrop of corruption and financial mismanagement.

“There was a vicious and regressive culture, for which a succession of leading elected members were mainly responsible, aided and abetted in some instances by self-serving senior officials.

“This all contributed to allowing children in their care to suffer the most horrendous sexual abuse, with just one senior council employee disciplined for their part in it.

“We hope this report and our recommendations will ensure abuse on this scale never happens again.”

Abuse is also alleged to have taken place in homes for children with disabilities and complex needs, such as at Ivy House, Monkton Street and Chestnut Road.

It highlights that the true number of victims may never be known but is likely far higher than officially recorded; with

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12 NEWS

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021 ADVERTORIAL

Important information about COVID Vaccinations in Southwark Getting your first vaccine

If you are due your second dose

If you are eligible for your vaccine and have not had it yet, please book an appointment as soon as you can to help protect you, your loved ones and community. As well as being able to book an appointment at selected pharmacies or vaccination centres across London through the national booking system, (www.nhs.uk or call 119) there are appointments available at Southwark GP vaccination sites. Please check which site covers your GP practice and contact the site to book. Details are below.

The nationally agreed gap between the first and second dose of the vaccine for COVID-19 is between 11 to 12 weeks. Your second dose will be the same vaccine as your first one. Everyone who has had their first vaccine has a second vaccine reserved for them. Appointments for second dose vaccines are being offered to everyone who is due to have one. Please wait to be contacted with your appointment. If it is 11 weeks since your first dose but you have not yet been contacted to book your second appointment, please call the site where you had your first dose. Details are below.

Additional walk-in vaccination slots and ‘pop-up’ clinics are being added regularly. No appointment is needed at these clinics. Please check www.selondonccg.nhs.uk for updates.

If you had your first dose at a hospital please contact them directly about your second dose.

Guy’s and St Thomas’: CovidVaccineBookings@gstt.nhs.uk and King’s: kch-tr.covidvaccine@nhs.net or call 020 3299 6586

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14 NEWS

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

southwark angels Helping in crisis

the New nursing associates who bridge the gap in healthcare

Newly qualified nursing associates are celebrating completing their training at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Nursing associates help care for and support patients, while bridging the gap between healthcare support staff and nurses.

They also help free up nurses’ time so they can focus on patients who need more complex care.

Qualifying involves a two-year associate apprenticeship course, delivered with both London South Bank University and Coventry University.

Apprentices complete academic work but also have placements in a range of settings that see them care for children, adults, people with learning disabilities or mental health issues and through care in the community.

Forty nursing associates have completed the course with Guy’s and St Thomas’ so far, and 90 apprentice nursing associates are currently working on placements at the trust.

Qualified nursing associates can be

the tube challenge for our ruby

identified by their distinctive aqua uniform.

Sharon Gordon, from Dulwich, has recently qualified as a nursing associate with the neighbourhood nursing team. She previously worked at the trust as a health visiting assistant.

“I wanted to get more involved in the clinical side of caring for patients and this was a good stepping stone without the big university fees,” she said.

“I have learnt so much, from birth to end of life care. Now I’m qualified, I feel more responsible and have my own list of patients, providing a whole range of care including wound care, palliative support and helping patients to manage their diabetes in the community.”

Yinka Adetogun, from Southwark, previously worked at Guy’s and St Thomas’ as a reablement support worker before qualifying as a nursing associate in the adult community services team.

She said: “I signed up for the course because I wanted to climb up the career ladder and gain more useful

Ruby, weeks before she passed away The bereaved mother and sister of an eighteen-year-old from Herne Hill who died from leukaemia are taking on fundraising ‘tube challenge’ in her memory.

Charter School North Dulwich head girl Ruby Fuller passed away in May 2020 after battling T-cell lymphoblastic nonHodgkin lymphoma since July 2019, which developed into incurable leukaemia.

Her parents Emma and Dylan set up a fund - Ruby’s Live Kindly Live Loudly fund - to raise much-needed money for research into the disease through the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group.

Next month Emma and Ruby’s younger sister Tabitha are taking on a fundraising ‘tube challenge’ - travelling through all 270 London Underground stations in one day.

“You have to stop at all the stations, you can’t be on an express train that whizzes through them without stopping, but you don’t have to get off,” Emma said.

“The current world record is just under

sixteen hours – but just to be clear, we’re not attempting to beat the world record, we just want to get through all the stations in a day.”

Ruby was an environmental campaigner, passionate about public transport and had been considering applying for an apprenticeship scheme at Transport for London while at school.

“Ruby was a born and bred Londoner and she always loved trains, ever since her passion for Thomas the Tank Engine as a toddler,” Emma remembers.

“She loved working out the quickest route across the Underground network and would argue fiercely with you about the best route - and she was always right.

“She was doing really well at school, and her teachers had suggested she apply to study geography at Oxbridge, and she was torn between doing that and applying to join the apprenticeship scheme at Transport for London.

“But she died just before her A-levels so

skills. I love to help people and I’m really enjoying my new role.”

Olabimpe Abolarin, from Southwark, joined the trust in 2017 as a support worker in the community at home team.

She completed the course and is now a nursing associate with the district nursing team.

Olabimpe said: “I really enjoyed

Yinka Adetogun

we’ll never know which she would have chosen.

“As a huge environmentalist, Ruby was also passionate about cutting carbon emissions, and liked that public transport offers a much more environmentallyfriendly way to travel than by car.

“She loved London and exploring it and that the Underground can take you anywhere you want to go across the capital.

“She really liked the design of the Underground, too - the station signs, the tube seat upholstery - and more than anything she loved the London Underground map, which is a design classic.

“She’d be so jealous of the challenge – I know she’d have loved to do something like this.

“We’ll be taking a photo of her with us, and I’ll be wearing one of her hats to keep her spirit close to us throughout the challenge.”

Completing the challenge, which will mean running around 10 miles between stations, will be no mean feat and will require meticulous planning beforehand as well as support along the way.

Emma said: “We’ve got our route planned and a hotel booked for the night before.

“One of the previous record holders published their route a few years ago.

Most people are very secretive about their routes, so we’re roughly following that one.

“The other research I need to do is to work out where there are public toilets along the route!

“We’ve got various friends who live in different areas of London lined up to bring us a coffee or a sandwich along the way.

being able to work and learn at the same time.

“I got to meet and shadow lots of different people across the trust so I could understand the system of each department and ward.

"I eventually want to become a nurse so this is a good stepping stone without a big student loan.”

Sue Cox, deputy director of nursing

Olabimpe Abolarin

“There won’t be time to stop for meals, so we’ll be eating as we travel.

“We’re starting at the top of the Metropolitan Line at Amersham, catching the first train out at about 5.30am and, with any luck, we’ll end up at Heathrow Terminal 5 around midnight.

“We’ve chosen to do it in the middle of August, which may sound a bit bonkers as it could be really hot.

“But we needed it to be a weekday as the weekends involve more engineering works and it needed to be in the school holidays for Tabitha to be able to do it and we didn’t want to wait any longer!

“I think the toughest thing is going to be dealing with any unforeseen things on the day, like a broken-down train, or a line being closed temporarily because of staff shortages.

“If that happens, we’ll have to adjust our route and think on our feet about the best way to get through all the stations.

“The other big challenge is Kensington Olympia, which, according to online

for workforce and education at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “I am so proud of everyone who has qualified during such a challenging year. “ The nursing associate role is opening up opportunities for people to work in the NHS, and provides another route for those who want to eventually become a registered nurse.”

Sharon Gordan

forums, has been the downfall of many a world record attempt because it’s a branch line with infrequent trains.”

Ruby’s fund has raised nearly £100,000 in the last twelve months. In March, friends and family raised more than £10,000 through a cook-a-long with the help of Wagamama’s head chef.

“The NHS spent somewhere in the region of £500k on Ruby’s treatment, and they spend a similar amount on each of the 150 or so children or young people who die of blood cancer every year,” Emma added.

“But there’s so little funding available for researching cancer in children and young people.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing if, eventually, we could match the amount that taxpayers spent on trying to save Ruby?”

To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/TubeChallengeForRuby Find out more about Ruby’s Live Kindly Live Loudly Fund at: https:// specialnamedfunds.cclg.org.uk/rubys-livekindly-live-loudly-fund

Ruby, left, with her sister Tabitha and parents Emma and Dylan

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

www.southwarknews.co.uk/news

NEWS 15

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16 NEWS

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

ARMED THUG POSed AS DELIVERY DRIVER to carry out attack

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk A man who posed as a delivery driver before threatening his East Dulwich victim with a loaded shotgun has been jailed for six years and nine months.

Thirty-two-year-old Vicente Forde, from Greenwich, pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence at Croydon Crown Court on Monday, June 7.

Last Thursday (July 29) he was sentenced for the terrifying attack, which was caught on camera. Further counts of attempted murder and possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life were left to lie on file.

On the morning of Monday, July 13 in 2020, at around 9.30am, Forde arrived at a home in Crystal Palace Road wearing a high-vis jacket and carrying an empty Amazon box and knocked on the door.

A father who was at home with his seven-year-old daughter and was on the phone to a friend at the time opened his front door and was confronted with Forde

brandishing a shotgun he had hidden inside his jacket.

The quick-thinking man grabbed the gun and a struggle followed, until he managed to disarm his attacker and throw the gun beneath a parked car in the street, all while Forde kicked and punched him - and made threats to stab him.

Passersby rushed to the scene, including builders who had been on a site nearby, and helped restrain Forde until police arrived. The firearm was later found to be functioning, and loaded with two live cartridges.

The victim was treated in hospital for bruising and a broken nose, while Forde was arrested and taken into custody before being charged and remanded.

Police say the circumstances around the incident continue to be investigated.

Detective Constable Imran Hansraj, of the Specialist Crime Command, said: "Vicente Forde's sentencing has removed him from the streets for a substantial amount of time, and I've no doubt that London will be all the safer for it.

"The victim had no idea what was about to unfold when he saw what he thought was a delivery man bringing a parcel to

More than half of 18 to 29-year-olds in Southwark have received first jab

By Katherine Johnston

katherine@southwarknews.co.uk The proportion of young people to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is still only around fifty per cent.

Although more than half of all eighteen to 29-year-olds in Southwark have now received their first jab, that means a very significant minority have yet to take up the offer despite becoming eligible back in June. In the weeks since then there has been a concerted effort to encourage as many eligible people to come forward, and to ensure those who can move their second jabs forward from twelve to eight weeks do so.

Across the country there has been mounting concern that a significant proportion of young people have been rejecting the vaccine.

Data published this month showed under 60 per cent of people aged 18 to 25 had received a first dose in England.

An NHS spokesperson said: “There has been lots of enthusiasm for the vaccine from young people with over 50 per cent of those aged 1829 in Southwark having already had their first dose just a few weeks after becoming eligible, and thousands more continuing to come forward to get vaccinated at successful events in convenient places like the Den, home of Millwall FC, and the Tate Modern. If you haven’t already got your vaccine, there has never been a more important time to come forward – it is quick, effective and lifesaving.”

The proportion of under 40s to receive first jabs is also just over 50 per cent. Despite the low take-up,

there are no more mass vaccination events planned for the borough, but the walk-in and pop-up events taking place across south-east London, including in community pharmacies, will continue. Their opening hours are also being extended to make taking up appointments easier.

There is also a new drive to encourage pregnant women to get vaccinated, after new data showed how the Delta variant of the virus in particular poses significant risks, especially in the later stages of pregnancy.

In the last three months alone, one in three pregnant women in hospital with COVID-19 in England required additional respiratory support (33 per cent), with more than a third developing pneumonia (37 per cent), and around one in seven needing intensive care (15 per cent).

The data also shows that one in five women admitted to hospital with serious COVID symptoms went on to give birth prematurely, and the likelihood of delivery by caesarean section doubled. One in five babies born to mothers with COVID symptoms were also admitted to neonatal units.

The overwhelming majority of pregnant women hospitalised with the virus have not had a jab - 98 per cent. So far, no pregnant women with both doses of the vaccine have been admitted to hospital. Many women have been worried about side effects or, due to their age, simply ineligible until recent weeks to take up the ‘evergreen’ vaccination offer. Until now there have been no targeted government communications tailored to pregnant women.

Watch the video

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Vicente Forde his address.

“He had been home with his young daughter and was going about his business as usual when he was thrust into an incredibly frightening ordeal in which he fought for his life.

"His life was turned upside down in a split second by Forde's actions, which were wicked and cowardly in the extreme.

“He was disguised and armed with a lethal weapon but the victim displayed incredible bravery to disarm him.

“He was lucky that a number of members of the public took heed of his cries for help and came to his aid. They too

Image caught on CCTV camera of Forde masquerading as a delivery driver and the struggle that ensued after he attacked his victim deserve enormous recognition."

Andrew Caird, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a completely unprovoked attack on an innocent householder. The victim simply opened his front door to retrieve what he thought was a delivery before he was aggressively set upon by a stranger.

“The prosecution case included strong witness testimony and video footage from

a doorbell camera which showed much of the incident and left Forde with little choice but to admit his violent actions.

“Given that the shotgun had been loaded, it is incredibly lucky that nobody was fatally injured.

“Firearms are dangerous and the CPS will work with the police to catch and prosecute those who commit firearm offences.”

Government scraps EWS1 forms for buildings under 18 metres

By Katherine Johnston katherine@southwarknews.co.uk Cladding campaigners have cautiously welcomed the government’s surprise announcement that blocks under eighteen metres have no ‘systemic fire risk’ and therefore will not require difficult and costly EWS1 forms to prove they are safe.

EWS1 forms can only be provided by qualified surveyors who confirm all remedial fire safety work needed has been completed.

After years of confusion and changing regulations after the Grenfell tower tragedy, delays in cladding removal, and a shortage of specialists to clear the backlog, a huge number of properties - including entire tower blocks in Southwark - have been left essentially unsellable and therefore worthless without these forms.

As we have reported in previous editions, many leaseholders and shared owners living in blocks under the eighteen metre threshold have been concerned the cladding scandal could spread further and leave them in a similar limbo.

On July 21 housing secretary Robert Jenrick announced, in a ‘major intervention’ that expert advice had informed the government’s new position that blocks under 18m with cladding did not face the same risks, paving the way for these properties to be sold without lengthy delays.

New guidance states that the ‘overwhelming majority’ of these properties do not need remediation and that risks can be managed with alarms and sprinkler systems, instead - potentially saving leaseholders huge costs. The National Fire Chiefs Council has supported the move.

Jenrick described the announcement as a ‘significant step forward’ for anyone in lower-rise homes anxious about

The presumption should be that these homes can be bought and sold as normal potential future work or struggling to sell.

“While we are strengthening the overall regulatory system, leaseholders cannot remain stuck in homes they cannot sell because of excessive industry caution, nor should they feel that they are living in homes that are unsafe, when the evidence demonstrates otherwise.

“That’s why I commissioned an expert group to further examine the issue, and have already agreed with many major lenders that lower-rise buildings will no longer need an EWS1 form, and the presumption should be that these homes can be bought and sold as normal.

“We hope that this intervention will help restore balance to the market and provide reassurance for existing and aspiring homeowners alike.

“The government has made its position very clear and I urge the rest of the market to show leadership and endorse this proportionate, evidence based, safety approach,” he said.

A spokesperson from the End our Cladding Scandal campaign said the ‘shock announcement’ was ‘cautiously welcomed’ and an example of ‘much needed common sense’ but said there remained concerns that lenders would fail to act without being pushed.

“In November, the ministry for housing, communities and local government triumphantly announced that blocks with ‘no cladding’ would not require EWS1 certification.

Robert Jenrick, housing secretary “It took just hours for the news to be shot down by UK Finance, which represents mortgage lenders, and the Building Societies Association, both of which said they had not given their signoff. Some 450,000 leaseholders – despite the headline-grabbing press release – weren’t freed in the end.”

It is believed as many as three million leaseholders now live in unsaleable and unmortgageable flats, with just one in ten buildings thought to pass EWS1 checks.

In February this year we reported that 30,000 people in Southwark and Lambeth were still living in homes with dangerous cladding. At that time, at least 209 buildings had not had remediation works completed.

Southwark MPs Neil Coyle and Helen Hayes have both been actively lobbying for the government to intervene in the cladding scandal and protect leaseholders from skyrocketing remediation costs.

Coyle told the News: “Four years after Grenfell and still the government is not providing sufficient action to tackle problems it has created. Mortgage providers and insurers need greater guarantees and leaseholders need much more support from ministers who promised to protect them but have left tens of thousands facing astronomical charges, bills and legal fees instead.”

Helen Hayes echoed his concerns, arguing: “‘The government is once again offering too little, too late. “

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18 OPINION

www.southwarknews.co.uk/letters

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Comment Footballers are as entitled to have political views as anyone else

P

eople across Southwark have had particular reason to be caught up in two massive sporting events this summer.

Last month, the nation was gripped watching the Euros and we all felt such pride as England’s young side fought their way to the final. Our team didn’t win, but showed great promise for the future and conducted themselves in a way that set an outstanding example to young people.

The players braved controversy when they 'took the knee' before matches to protest racial inequality.

They were doing it as a team. Both those black players who had been subjected to racial abuse on and off the pitch and their white team mates who - though not having been subjected to it themselves deplored racism directed at any of the players and wanted to show solidarity with those who had. It was deplorable that some of the England fans booed their team’s taking the knee and I, along with many other politicians, loudly denounced the booing. Some people took to social media to condemn the taking of the knee, complaining it was 'political'.

Footballers are no less entitled than anyone else to have political views and to express their opinions in whatever way they want. This is a democracy and people have freedom of speech and thought. Democratic politics is how this country is run and should be celebrated not swept under the carpet.

But it was particularly objectionable that some people chose to complain that footballers were protesting about racism. This country is still

READERS’ VIEWS Southwark Council leader’s column - our roadmap to a greener, fairer and carbon neutral borough

from

Westminster

harriet harman

MP for Camberwell & Peckham not equal. Black people are still subjected to discrimination and it is right to protest about this. It completely proved the England team’s point when some people took to social media to pour vile racist abuse on the young black England players. The racist social media posts proved the point that the protests were, sadly, very much necessary.

There was an outpouring of support for the young black England footballers and I was delighted that Southwark Council decided to celebrate and support Jadon Sancho, who was born in Camberwell and played for Southwark at youth level, awarding him the highest municipal honour of Freedom of the London Borough of Southwark.

The spotlight fell again on Southwark’s sporting talent with the stunning performance of Kye Whyte from Peckham in the Men’s BMX racing event winning a Silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

This is a relatively new sport for the Olympics and it has rightly

astonished people. You have to see the videos of Kye Whyte racing to appreciate the incredible strength, courage and skill that it involves.

His medal is a testament to his years of dedication to training and of the unstinting support for him by his parents. Kye is still only 21-yearsold but he’s shown professionalism and persistence that mean that he’s assured of success for the future not only in his sport but in whatever path he chooses. He was fortunate to have exceptional parents prepared to sacrifice whatever it took to support his training and competing.

Kye’s triumph is not only a cause for celebration but also puts the spotlight on how much more the government should do to ensure that local youngsters can enjoy and excel in sports without the family having to sacrifice. Too many youngsters don’t get the chance to participate and compete. Kye’s medal is a strong reminder that sports opportunities should be there in every locality for talented young people.

Tree planting whips is good, but they need to save more mature trees.

Gary Kandinsky, via Facebook

The most controversial aspect of Southwark patting themselves on the back in Southwark for not directly investing in fossil fuels is they HAD been directly investing in breach of their own investment strategy, fiduciary duties and divestment commitment until March 2021!

Fossil Free Southwark, via Twitter

New trees dying, mega buildings for luxury homes planned, trialling reduced mowing, building on existing green space. One step forward two steps backwards.

Mossspace, via Twitter

I am concerned about water run-off as small parks and gardens are lost, and the increasing pressure on the sewer systems from massive vertical buildings along the Old Kent Rd. But Southwark will have factored all that in, surely?

Nettle Jelly, via Twitter

Environmental campaigners tear into Southwark Council’s long awaited climate strategy Seems like every day there is new confirmation of the total lack of political will in central and local government to address the climate emergency at anything more than the most superficial and gestural level.

Simon Hinde, via Twitter

The administration has been far too slow to put in place a strategy and action plan around the climate emergency that we declared in 2019.

Liberal Democrat councillor David Noakes, via Twitter

Infill homes: Three hundred sign petition against Elmington Estate development If the council had not knocked down and sold off land in the first place this would not be happening.

Michelle Baharier, via Facebook

Please can there be a borough wide consultation on green space infill and a new vision for building where there are many derelict sites to tackle first: Manor Place!

Suzy Gillett, via Twitter

Editors’ View: The real cost of building 11,000 new homes Yes, instead of planning all the infilling projects across the borough, you should be seeing how many empty flats there are and get them occupied and speed up the redevelopment of Maydew House in SE16. Got to be about 100+ flats in that - how many more like that?

Shiv McKenna, via Twitter

Consultation launched into next stage of Aylesbury Estate regeneration Density limits have been increased so we can deliver on the promise of no net loss in social homes, but how and where these will be distributed is to be decided in consultation.

Faraday ward councillor Jack Buck, via Twitter.

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

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More to do to redress horrifying abuse in homes

T

he Children in the care of Lambeth Council report, published last week, is the most detailed and significant investigation to date into the scale of abuse in Lambeth’s children’s services from the 1960s to 1990s, and how such horrific, widespread abuse could have continued unchecked for so long, with so few convictions secured even after multiple police investigations.

The report is scathing of the council’s administration, particularly during the 1980s in its most turbulent political period as key Labour figures embarked on a ‘toxic power struggle’ with Thatcher’s government. The report says predators were able to exploit a climate of corruption, nepotism, bullying, and incompetence and act with impunity.

Lambeth Council fully cooperated with the inquiry and, in 2018, opened its redress scheme to survivors who lived in or visited its children’s homes.

So far, £71 million has been paid out.

But as the report - and survivors have highlighted - many victims are still excluded from this financial support. This includes some who were abused in foster care and had not been placed in a children’s home.

One survivor, who had experienced horrific abuse in Shirley Oaks, said she had used payments from Lambeth Council’s redress scheme to help other people.

“Every smile Lambeth took from me, I have made sure I have given a smile to someone else,” she told the report’s authors in her testimony.

While in care from under the age of six she had been sworn at and told by her ‘house mother’ that she was ‘nothing’, was hospitalised after being thrown into a table by her ‘house father’ and was locked in a cupboard.

She was sexually abused at night time by a man who visited the home. She had no idea what was happening to her at the time as she was so young. She described how these experiences left her feeling like her body did not feel it was her own for years to come, and how abuse continued after she had left Shirley Oaks.

In a report that is over 200 pages long there could never be the words to describe the remarkable bravery and dignity shown by the hundreds, if not thousands, of survivors like her, who have continued to fight for truth and justice.

The closing date for the redress scheme is January 1, 2023, but as the report makes clear, the true number of victims could be vastly underestimated.

The Shirley Oaks Survivors Association says only around 1,877 applications have been processed, with around 75 per cent successful so far.

Every victim - regardless of where they were placed as children - should be able to apply.

And, if there is any chance more people will come forward in the coming year, the council must extend its deadline or scrap it altogether.

It took decades for the council to apologise for its own failings - it should be willing to give survivors all the time they need.

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CRYPTIC PUZZLE Clues Across

1 Liver concoction for the head (4) 3 Unusual price ring by America is very valuable (8) 9 What the Pied Piper’s music proved to be? (3-4) 10 Observed to have been scored? (5) 11 Bill follows delightful flower (5-7) 13 They are held up for brides! (6) 15 One who is after a different search (6) 17 Clearly a job for men of craft (12) 20 The vice of a number in tents (5) 21 Fifty in the street, maybe, giving support for the board (7) 22 Remove from a lofty perch from the other end (8) 23 Love personified in the rose-garden (4)

Clues Down

1 A priest is disturbed about a hanger-on (8) 2 In the manuscript it left a name (5) 4 Make better repertory atmosphere (6) 5 This contains a wicked light! (6-6) 6 Not within the regulations for criminals (7) 7 It is often required to weaken the spirit (4) 8 Stationery for what journalists are doing (7-5) 12 In newspapers half the rogues make some advance (8) 14 Transversely what has changed painting (7) 16 Endless fruit for the ruler (6) 18 Kind of section to put underground (5) 19 Put on sweet paste as a piece of nice decoration (4)

QUICK PUZZLE Clues Across

Clues Down

1. Diversify (4) 3. Muster (8) 9. Generous (7) 10. Lock (5) 11. Break up (12) 13. Pang (6) 15. Strip (6) 17. Temporariness (12) 20. Tapestry (5) 21. Object (7) 22. Mirth (8) 23. Narrate (4)

1. Ratify (8) 2. Gowns (5) 4. Vendor (6) 5. Exorbitant (12) 6. Respire (7) 7. Simple (4) 8. Sinner (12) 12. Airy (8) 14. Depraved (7) 16. Collision (6) 18. Recess (5) 19. Scourge (4)

OPINION 19

20 ARTS

www.southwarknews.co.uk/arts

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Photo by Marc Brenner

what’s on

in Southwark

Changing Destiny Without Risk

As the British summer shows its true colours I have the joy of getting out of the rain to see Ben Okri’s Changing Destiny, writes Christopher Peacock...

Joan Iyiola & in Changing Destiny

It was all systems go now that HMS Belfast is again open for visitors to explore its nine decks of history and valour under gunfire while bolstered by grog, writes Michael Holland...

Not long after she was launched we were at war with Germany, and only two months into the conflict the Belfast struck a mine and was in danger of being scrapped. Extensive repairs, however, saw her return to action while escorting convoys in the north Atlantic, when party to the sinking of the Scharnhorst, playing a big role in the Normandy landings and, if one war wasn’t enough, the Belfast saw more action in Korea.

All these battles can be relived as you journey through the ship. You can look up the barrel of the big guns, see the cramped conditions the seamen lived in, and imagine yourself in the midst of battle as war raged all around.

Alas, all the honours and awards the Belfast accumulated for her valiant endeavours were almost not enough to save her from the scrapheap in the 1960s. That was until a joint effort by the Imperial War Museum, the Ministry of Defence and the National Maritime Museum rescued her from such an undignified ending. Which is why she now floats majestically on the Bermondsey riverside as one of the country’s top visitor attractions.

The Belfast also holds special events and on the day I visited it was a talk about Rum and the Royal Navy with the ship’s Curator, Rob Rumble, explaining

the history of the rum ration and talking us through the many battles the Belfast was in the thick of; and Oliver Chilton, the Head Blender of Elixir Distillers where he focuses on creating Black Tot rums.

The evening was to commemorate 31st July 1970 – 51 years since the British Royal Navy gave out the last rum rations to sailors. Ever since it has been known as Black Tot Day. There was a good mix of men and women, rum enthusiasts, sailors and marines all listening intently to the guest speakers, while knocking back the six different Black Tot rums we were invited to taste. The former servicemen and women had a chance to give their versions of how important the rum ration was to navy life, which gave us landlubbers the opportunity to hear another side to the official line.

Who knew that rum would be used as currency between the crew, and the nickname Grog came from a type of cloth?

The Head Blender educated us on the differences between rums from Guyana, Barbados and Jamaica, and how he blends them together to make a multilayered concoction. He then supervised the mixing of the Black and Stormy cocktails in the wardroom where a very happy ‘crew’, now warmed with rum, discussed the joys of the evening.

Check out the rums: www.blacktot.com Check the website for details of future on board events: www.iwm.org.uk Times: Daily: 10am - 6pm. Admission: Adults: £25; Child: £12.50

stage, create enough visual and aural stimulus to bulk out a show that is essentially stripped back storytelling.

Kicking off their comeback season with a new play that in style and content looks back at the earliest theatrical traditions is a bold move and it is great to be back watching new diverse theatre that the Young Vic’s program prides itself on.

As Ben Okri states in the programme: “There seems to have been concerted attempts to separate ancient Egypt from Africa”.

I believe plays like Changing Destiny will certainly help to educate and redress the balance. The Young Vic’s decisions to introduce digital programmes and continue mask wearing are welcome to help us on the road back to profitable theatre, allowing us to have a full experience whilst mitigating risk.

Young Vic, The Cut, SE1 8LZ until 21st August. Times: Mon - Sat: 7.30pm; Wed & Sat matinees: 2.30pm. Admission: £10 - £43. Box Office: www.youngvic.org Photos by M. Holland

Action Stations and rum rations aboard the HMS Belfast

Some covid protocols have remained since my last trip to a theatre, but the buzz is back, and much of my good cheer is down to the fact that theatres are allowed to be back at full capacity (although there will continue to be socially distanced performances throughout August with with only 33% capacity).

Changing Destiny has its roots in a 4,000 year old Egyptian poem called Sinuhe. Sinuhe is an Egyptian soldier who splits from his own spirit and exiles himself from Egypt.

Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah this two-hander starts each performance with a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who will play Sinuhe and who will play the spirit of Sinuhe and the many other characters he meets along the way. The story begins at a pace as Sinuhe flees Egypt to Libya

only to be captured and taken to Syria.

No time is taken in giving depth to the character of Sinuhe as we watch this man’s journey and struggle.

Issues around migration are glanced at but not given time to develop within the play's 60 minutes. What we are presented with, though, is a tale of a man's internal struggle full of undeserved guilt and his crisis of identity. These concepts echo through the theatrical canon from Oedipus Rex to Hamlet and even in the work of Franz Kafka. It is enlightening to see that these can draw their cultural lineage back thousands of years and across continents.

Sir David Adjaye’s stage design makes great use of the Young Vic’s in-theround staging. The stage is dominated by a pyramid with another inverted pyramid above, like an hourglass with no curves. Images are projected onto the top pyramid and the bottom one opens up into the performance space.

The projections along with XANA’s soundscape, created both off and on

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

www.southwarknews.co.uk/history

HISTORY 21

History

out of the ashes came the Festival of BritaiN

The festival ran from May to September, 1951, as a national exhibition and fair promoting British design, science, technology, architecture, industry and the arts.

Eight million people visited London during those months, as the country embraced new, modern art and architecture.

The festival was intended to help give the struggling country an economic boost after the devastation of the Second World War, and provide some much-needed optimism for the future.

Events were held on the South Bank, in the newly completed Royal Festival Hall, and at more than 2,000 locations across the country.

One such display was the South Bank’s ‘Dome of Discovery’, which housed displays focusing on Britain’s pre-eminence in exploration, scientific discovery, weather forecasting, biological research, astronomy and outer space.

To mark the anniversary, two of the festival’s sites have been upgraded from Grade II to Grade II* by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Other protected sites have had their listings upgraded to reflect their role in the festival - such as London’s Royal

Barbara Hepworth, working on Contrapuntal Forms Festival Hall and Barbara Hepworth’s Contrapuntal Forms sculpture, now in Harlow, Essex.

Royal Festival Hall was designed by the London County Council Architects’ Department as part of their contribution to the Festival of Britain.

Completed on May 3, 1951, it was ready just in time for the opening, with further additions made during the 1960s. In 1987 it became the first post-war building to become listed at Grade I. Its ‘egg in a box’ plan was considered a novel and remarkable idea at the time as the multiple foyers not only provided space for audiences to gather, but also helped to shield the concert hall from outside noise.

The interior has hardly been changed since 1951 and the original panelling, stone finishes, internal

fittings and fabrics, such as the wooden and bronze handrails in the main foyer and cantilevered red boxes along the auditorium walls, have survived remarkably well, as well as some hangings and sculptures preserved from the festival itself.

Barbara Hepworth's Contrapuntal Forms sculpture was commissioned by the Arts Council for the Festival of Britain. It was designed to symbolise ‘the spirit of discovery’ and stood outside the Dome of Discovery on the South Bank during the festival, before being presented to the new town of Harlow, Essex in 1953. The semi-abstract figures, made from Irish blue limestone, were listed at Grade II in 1998.

Another key location was The Church of St John, just off Waterloo roundabout in London. Originally built in 1822 it had been struck by a bomb during the war and remained damaged until 1950 when Thomas Ford was contracted to remodel the interior in a neo-Georgian style for the Festival of Britain. The design features brick with sandstone dressings, a Portland stone spire and columns and a double decker pulpit.

It hosted concerts and choirs from across the country during the festival and was Grade II* listed in 1951.

Elain Harwood, senior architectural investigator at Historic England said: “The Festival of Britain was the first time most Britons experienced a whole townscape of modern buildings, whether on the South Bank, at the Battersea Pleasure Gardens or at Lansbury – the first bit of London’s

Photo by Morley Von Sternberg

Photo by Historic England

This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, the post-war event that helped revitalise the country and put the South Bank on the map as one of our leading arts and cultural hubs, writes Katherine Johnston...

Royal Festival Hall today, viewed from across the river East End to be rebuilt after the war.

“The attention to detail in the architecture, planning and landscape was exceptional. The festival was the last great national event before the advent of mass television, so people had to go and see it for themselves, and it is still fondly remembered.”

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England said: “The Festival of Britain was such an important event in our national calendar, welcoming over eight million people to London during the summer of 1951.

“It raised the spirits of the British people following the austerity of World War II and show-cased Britain’s innovation to the rest of the world.

“The festival had a major influence on design and architecture and its legacy can still be seen today in our buildings and public artworks.

“We are delighted to be able to

celebrate the Festival as it reaches its 70th anniversary and we hope that people will continue to appreciate its legacy for years to come.”

Clare Wood, an archivist at the Southbank Centre, said: “The Royal Festival Hall is a living monument to Southbank Centre’s Festival of Britain heritage.

“The post-war cultural moment provided a 'tonic for the nation' for millions of people who attended events at the main Festival site on London's South Bank, and the events held across the UK. “Our archive preserves thousands of stories from people who have connected with our buildings and artistic programme over the past 70 years and our unique architecture continues to inspire a spirit of creativity, innovation and hope for the future.”

22 FOOD & DRINK

www.southwarknews.co.uk/history

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Food & drink

Tower Tandoori Prepares For The Next Forty Years Over four decades of experience has got to mean something in the restaurant trade and in Tower Tandoori the forty three years since it opened shines through in every little detail, from the cooking and presentation of the food to the superb service by gentleman waiters, writes Michael Holland...

From 1978 to the present day, the same family has served the local community and beyond in this Indian restaurant. Long-term customers will remember Mr Ali, a young entrepreneur who came to Bermondsey to start this business, while others may recall Burhan and Shab, the sons that took over. These days it is the third generation of grandsons who continue the values and ethos set at the outset.

And it was a smiling Suhel who greeted myself and Fiona, and instantly began telling us of the changes in decor and the fruition of a five-year plan that involves new flooring, new toilets, and a new bar area that will create a modern feel without losing the little touches that add intimacy and keep customers in touch with the restaurant’s roots. “I have an antique door coming from the Punjab,” he says excitedly.

I sipped on a cold Cobra as Suhel explained the problems of this

government’s constant opening and closing of restaurants, leading to a lot of wasted food and drink and now a reduced menu, which I thought would be easier to choose from. In fact, I did not have to choose as Suhel asked what I liked and, switching from the Bermondsey accent that he was born and bred with to a language from the sub-continent, instructed the waiter. That meant I was going to be surprised. Nice, I like surprises. He

then did the same with Fiona. We did, though, choose our own starters.

Popadoms, pickles and chutneys were set before us just as Suhel began showing us images of the designer’s plans, but while we looked at them our first course arrived! So now we had a small table crammed with delicious appetisers and didn’t know where to start.

We got over that minor problem and enjoyed Tandoori King Prawns

and Onion Bhajis, along with the popadoms, but as soon as our cutlery was put down Suhel was back to reminisce and show photos of his grandfather and his children and generally be the perfect host.

However, before long the servers were hovering, not wanting to interrupt the Boss when he was in full flow but with dinners to serve. Suhel took the hint and left us to savour our surprise delights.

Fiona was presented with a Vegetable Tikka Mussala, which was not on the menu but a bespoke dish, while I was extremely pleased to discover a Mughlai Lamb Shank heading my way.

I had told Suhel that I like tender lamb and this lamb, ‘cultured overnight in spices’, could have been eaten with a spoon. With just the thought of it again I’m swooning as I write.

When Saag Aloo, Pilau Rice, two types of Nan arrived, plus an Argentinean Malbec for me, the table was once again filled and our main course was there before us in all its glory. And what a sight it was.

Everything had its own distinct flavour created from a multitude of spices blended together in different ways, and although my lamb dish was absolutely delicious, I found the sauce in Fiona’s vegetable dish rather exquisite. There was an underlying

sweetness that lifted it up into the realms of total bliss.

We both agreed that it was a fantastic meal - with the added bonus of Suhel’s brilliant company - and we left knowing that Tower Tandoori is ready to serve Bermondsey for another forty years.

When I got home I could still taste the creamy, dreamy sauces, and that is the sign of a good Indian feast.

Tower Tandoori, 74-76 Tower Bridge Rd, London SE1 4TP Sun - Thurs: 12 - 11.30pm; Fri - Sat: 12 - 12am 0207 237 2247 www.towertandoori.co.uk

Popadom . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.95 Tandoori King Prawns . . 7.50 Onion Bhaji . . . . . . . . . . 4.95 Cobra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.95 Still Water . . . . . . . . . . . 3.95 Vegetable Tikka Mussala 9.95 Mughlai Lamb Shank . . 18.95 Saag Aloo . . . . . . . . . . . 4.95 Pilau Rice . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00 Nan x 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.45 Malbec . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.50 TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . £79.10

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

www.southwarknews.co.uk

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PUBLIC NOTICES 25

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (CARLTON GROVE)

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1) (SEDGMOOR PLACE,SOUTHWARK BRIDGE ROAD)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC)

(TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC AND CYCLE LANE CLOSURE)

1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable works to be carried out by, Conway, it, made an order the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload in Carlton Grove between, Meeting House Lane and No’s 61

3.

The alternative route for affected traffic (2a) Queens Road, Montpelier Road, Meeting House Lane.

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

6.

The works will be in operation for (2a) 23rd August – 25th September.

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk

Dated this 5th August 2021 Ian Law Traffic Manager London Borough of Southwark Network Management Traded Services Environment and Leisure 160 Tooley Street PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 5774/32190701 LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK NORTH PECKHAM ESTATE PARKING ZONE The London Borough of Southwark (Housing estate roads and car parks) (No. *) Order 202* 1. Southwark Council hereby GIVES NOTICE that it proposes to make the above order under the powers of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

2. The effect of the order will be:NORTH PECKHAM ESTATE, to introduce the permit parking zone 'E-NP' into the estate roads and car parks fronting or adjacent to properties in Amstel Court, Blackthorne Court, Blossom Court, Danube Court, Indus Court, Leyland Court, Oak Court, Palm Court, Pear Court, Rowan Court, Shannon Court, Thames Court, Nos. 1-126 Cronin Street, Nos. 1-8 Dorton Close, Nos. 18-68 East Surrey Grove, Nos. 1-60 Garnies Close, Nos. 1-67 Pentridge Street, No. 100 Pentridge Street, Nos. 1-8 Potter Close, and Nos. 1-12 Samuel Street.

All existing uncontrolled parking places in the estate roads and car parks of North Peckham Estate will be designated as permit holders' parking for use of the residents; business; visitors; or carers’ permit holders of designated zone ‘E-NP’ only. Any existing disabled persons’ parking places will continue to operate as before, and any area not designated as parking, will be subject to 'no waiting at any time' controls).

NOTE: this Notice is being re-advertised to correct the omission of ‘Potter Close’ from item 2 as published in the London Gazette and Southwark News on 29 July 2021.

3. For more information contact Clarence Parkes of the council's Parking team by e-mail Parking@southwark.gov.uk .

4. Copies of this notice, the proposed order, a statement of the council's reasons for making the order, and a plan of the proposals may be found online at www.southwark.gov.uk/trafficorders. Paper copies may be obtained from or viewed at Highways, 3rd floor hub 2, 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH by appointment only. Contact traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk or 020 7525 3497 for booking details.

5. Anyone wishing to object to or make any other representations regarding the proposal, may use the form labelled 'Parking - Road traffic and highway schemes - responding to statutory consultation notices' at www.southwark.gov.uk/statutoryconsultationnotices or send a statement in writing to: the Traffic Orders Officer, Highways, Southwark Council, Environment, P.O. Box 64529, London SE1P 5LX or by e-mail to traffic.orders@southwark.gov.uk quoting reference ‘TMO2122-010 N Peckham Estate’ by 26 August 2021. Please note that if you wish to object to this proposal you must state the grounds on which your objection is made.

6. Under requirements of current access to information legislation, any letter or e-mail sent to the Council in response to this Notice may be subject to publication or disclosure, or both, including communication to other persons affected.

Dated 5 August 2021 Dale Foden Head of Service - Highways, Environment and Leisure

Goods Vehicle Operator’s Licence Bobby Cooper, LRC Logistics (UK) Ltd, 122 Feering Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO5 9PY is applying for a licence to use LRC Logistics (UK) Ltd, Unit A, 14-16 Verney Road, Bermondsey, London, SE16 3DZ as an operating centre for 5 goods vehicles.

Owners or occupiers of land (including buildings) near the operating centre who believe that their use or enjoyment of that land would be affected, should make written representations to the Traffic Commissioner at Hillcrest House, 386 Harehills Lane, Leeds, LS9 6NF stating their reasons, within 21 days of this notice. Representors must at the same time send a copy of their representations to the applicant at the address given at the top of this notice. A Guide to Making Representations is available from the Traffic Commissioner’s Office

To place a notice, please email em@southwarknews.co.uk or call 07798 833758.

Deadline is 12 noon on Tuesdays

1.

The Council of the London Borough of Southwark hereby gives notice that to enable works to be carried out by, Neilcott Construction and Ardmore Construction, it intends, to make an order, the effect of which will be to prohibit vehicular traffic from entering part of the above named roads.

2.

Whilst the works are in progress, or whilst the authorised traffic signs are displayed, no person shall cause any vehicle to enter, proceed, stop, wait, load or unload in: (a) Sedgmoor Place, between Southampton Way and Melbury Drive (b) Southwark Bridge Road, cycle lane on the north bound side, located between No’s 94 to the junction of Great Guildford Street (c) Southwark Bridge Road, cycle lane on the south bound side, located opposite No’s 90 for 67m in a southerly direction.

3.

The alternative route for affected traffic (2a) Southampton Way, Havil Street, Dalwood Street.

(2b) & (2c) not applicable.

4.

Exemptions will be provided in the Order to permit reasonable access to premises, so far as it is practical without interference with the execution of the said works.

5.

The restrictions will not apply to any vehicle being used in connection with the said works, or for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes or anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform.

6.

The works will be in operation for (2a) 23rd – 28th August. (2b) & (2c) 20th August – 25th September.

7.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Road Network Management at ttmo@southwark.gov.uk Dated this 5th August 2021

Ian Law Traffic Manager London Borough of Southwark Network Management Traded Services Environment and Leisure 160 Tooley Street PO Box 64529 London SE1 5LX Ref: (2a) 5680/LBSCR11969 (2b) 5810/77000778

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26 PUBLIC NOTICES

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990 (AS AMENDED) PLANNING (LISTED BUILDING AND CONSERVATION AREAS) ACT 1990 The planning applications listed below can be viewed on the planning register at https://planning.southwark.gov.uk/online-applications/ You can use facilities at your local library or 'My Southwark Service Points' to access the website.

How to comment on this application: You should submit your comments via the above link. Comments received will be made available for public viewing on the website. All personal information will be removed except your postal address. Online comments submitted without an email address will not be acknowledged and those marked 'confidential' will not be considered. Written comments can be submitted to; Southwark Council, Chief executive's department, Planning division, Development Management, PO Box 64529, London SE1 5LX. Reason for publicity. The applications are advertised for the reasons identified by the following codes: AFFECT - development affecting character or appearance of a nearby conservation area; OR development affecting setting of a nearby listed building(s); DEP - departure from the development plan; EIA - environmental impact assessment (these applications are accompanied by an environmental statement a copy of which may be obtained from the Council - there will be a charge for the copy); MAJ - major planning application; STDCA - development within a conservation area; STDLB - works to or within the site of a listed building; MCDONALDS RESTAURANT 72-74 RYE LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 5DQ (Ref: 21/AP/2434) Refurbishment of shopfront to include additional doors and associated works. (Within: Rye Lane Peckham CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Nicolette Harriot 0739 524 9540) 20 MERRICK SQUARE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 4JB (Ref: 21/AP/2495) Listed Building Consent : Internal repair and refurbishment including replacement of plaster to walls and ceilings, new overlaid floor finishes, rewiring and new fittings to kitchen and bathroom. (Within: Trinity Church Square CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Tracy Chapman 020 7525 1948) FLAT A B 68 WANSEY STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 1JP (Ref: 21/AP/2523) Replacement of windows to 2 No. flats with double glazed brown coloured powder coated aluminium of same styles and sizes as existing.

(Within: Larcom Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Danielle Campbell 020 7525 2427) 80 HALF MOON LANE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE24 9JE (Ref: 21/AP/2608) Minor material amendment to planning permission 20/AP/1316 (Construction of a three bedroom house on the land adjacent to 80 Half Moon Lane and minor works to the existing house to remove side facing first floor windows.) to include the installation of an air source heat pump (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam ) 55 GREAT SUFFOLK STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 0BB (Ref: 21/AP/2632) Listed building consent for permanent and temporary works including: - Repair and replacement of internal timber work (joist and roof structure); - Lifting of granite setts (temporary); - Essential repair to slate roofs; and - Reinstatement of chimney ties. Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Tracy Chapman 020 7525 1948) CARDAMOM BUILDING 31 SHAD THAMES LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2YR (Ref: 21/AP/2641) Listed building consent for Installation of new signage comprising of 2 externally illuminated projection signs to replace existing 1 non illuminated awning to replace existing (Within:

Tower Bridge CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Richard Craig 020 7525 0436) 30 SNOWSFIELDS LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 3SU (Ref: 21/AP/2631) Strip off the existing asbestos cement sheeting to the main double pitched studio roof and replace with a new insulated roof with a natural slate finish (Within: Bermondsey Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Rose Sharkey ) 31 SHAD THAMES LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2YR (Ref: 21/AP/2633) Display of 2 x externally illuminated projection signs to replace existing (31 Shad Thames) (Within: Tower Bridge CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Rose Sharkey ) GROUND FLOOR FLAT 38 CHARLESTON STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 1NF (Ref: 21/AP/2661) Construction of a single storey ground floor side/rear extension with new rooflights (Within: Larcom Street CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Athena Hylton-Thompson 020 7525 2161) 23 SUTHERLAND SQUARE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 3EQ (Ref: 21/AP/2573) Construction of a single storey rear infill extension and alterations to existing property.

(Within: Sutherland Square CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Catherine Jeater 020 7525 5375) FLAT 2 1 SUDREY STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 1PF (Ref: 21/AP/2403) Use of part of existing flat roof as roof terrace, and erect boundary screening. (Within: Liberty of the Mint CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Rose Sharkey ) 110 SCYLLA ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 3RZ (Ref: 21/AP/2206) Construction of a loft conversion, addition of skylights to the front elevation and extending the existing terrace to the rear. (Within: Nunhead Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Anthony Roberts 020 7525 5458) 4 SWIFT COURT ALMA GROVE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 5ER (Ref: 21/AP/2663) Remove all of existing windows and replace with a new fit-for-purpose double glazed timber sash window set. Will maintain the front elevations

appearance and will revert the rear windows closer to their original form. (Within: Thorburn Square CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Danielle Campbell 020 7525 2427) RAILWAY ARCHES 224 TO 227 & 225 TO 228 FIELDING STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE17 3HD (Ref: 21/AP/2626) Installation of chiller unit and acoustic screen (Within: Sutherland Square CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ewan Lawless 020 7525 1264) 27 DULWICH VILLAGE LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 7BN (Ref: 21/AP/2676) Installation of 1no. external condenser within an enclosed rear courtyard (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Louise Dinsdale ) 7 FORESTER ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 3PU (Ref: 21/AP/2690) Construction of a ground floor rear and side infill extensions, garden landscaping design, floor plan redesign. (Within: Nunhead Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Agneta Kabele ) 2 CAMBERWELL CHURCH STREET LONDON SOUTHWARK SE5 8QU (Ref: 21/AP/2492) LISTED BUILDING CONSENT: Internal alterations to the basement, ground and first floor of the building including removal of partition walls, drop ceilings and bannister and restoration of existing building including provision of replacement flooring and external signage. (Within: Camberwell Green CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDLB (Contact: Catherine Jeater 020 7525 5375)

timber sash windows. (Within: Caroline Gardens CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Anthony Roberts 020 7525 5458) 121 ALLEYN PARK LONDON SOUTHWARK SE21 8AA (Ref: 21/AP/2708) Construction of ground floor L shape rear extension. (Within: Dulwich Village CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Agneta Kabele ) 200 TOWER BRIDGE ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE1 2UN (Ref: 21/AP/2718) Construction of a single storey extension to two existing rooms (Within: Tower Bridge CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Ibrahim Azam ) 13 CHADWICK ROAD LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 4RA (Ref: 21/AP/1236) Construction of front entrance Portico. (Within: Holly Grove CA) Reason(s) for publicity: STDCA (Contact: Anthony Roberts 020 7525 5458) Dated: 03 Aug 2021 - comments to be received within 21 days of this date.

STEPHEN PLATTS Director of Planning and Growth

304 COMMERCIAL WAY LONDON SOUTHWARK SE15 1QN (Ref: 21/AP/2520) Demolition of two/one storey rear extension and replacement with two/one story extension with flat roof to existing eaves level. Replacement of 2no. existing single glazed timber sash windows at lower ground floor with glazed timber sash windows with fenestration to match existing glazed panels. Replacement of 1no. existing timber entrance door and top light with painted timber external door and glazed fixed light.

Replacement of existing stucco render with smooth render and dragged coursing detail to match original detailing at 302 Commercial Way. Replacement of 2no. existing uPVC double glazed windows with double glazed painted

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

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5.

THE TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (SURREY QUAYS STATION UPGRADE) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2020

The modifications are that the Authority may not exercise the right of entry referred to in paragraph 2 in respect of land subject to a tenancy described in paragraph 4 unless they first serve notice to treat in respect of the tenancy and then serve every occupier of the land with a notice of their intention to enter and take possession after the period (not less than three months from the service of the notice) specified in the notice. The right of entry will be exercisable at the end of that period. The vesting of the land will be subject to the tenancy until the end of that period or until the tenancy comes to an end, whichever happens first.

Greater London Authority Act 1999 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 1.

The order as confirmed provides for the compulsorily purchase for the purpose of discharging Transport for London's functions, namely the upgrading of Surrey Quays Station, of the land and the new rights described in the Schedule hereto.

3

A copy of the order as confirmed by the Secretary of State for Transport and of the map referred to therein are available for inspection on the Acquiring Authority's website at: tfl.gov.uk/surrey-quays-upgrade and hard copies can be obtained by contacting Vicky Fowler, Gowling WLG, 4 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2AU, telephone 0370 903 1000 or e-mail vicky.fowler@gowlingwlg.com.

4

The order as confirmed becomes operative on the date on which this notice is first published. A person aggrieved by the order may, by application to the High Court within 6 weeks from that date, challenge its validity under section 23 of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. The grounds for challenge can be that the authorisation granted by the order is not empowered to be granted or that there has been a failure to comply with any relevant statutory requirement relating to the order.

5

6

SCHEDULE 3 FORM FOR GIVING INFORMATION

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State for Transport, in exercise of his powers under the above Acts, on 14 July 2021 confirmed with modifications The Transport for London (Surrey Quays Station Upgrade) Compulsory Purchase Order 2020 submitted by Transport for London.

2

Once the order has become operative, Transport for London may acquire any of the land described in Schedule 1 below by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981. A statement on the effect of Parts 2 and 3 of that Act is set out in Schedule 2 below.

Every person who, if a general vesting declaration were executed under section 4 of that Act in respect of the land comprised in the order (other than land in respect of which notice to treat has been given), would be entitled to claim compensation in respect of any such land, is invited to give information to Transport for London via Sandra Davis, Operational Property, Transport for London, 197 Blackfriars Road, London, SE1 8NJ or by e-mail SandraDavis@tfl.gov.uk about the person's name, address and interest in land, using a prescribed form. The relevant prescribed form is set out in Schedule 3 below.

SCHEDULE 1 LAND COMPRISED IN THE ORDER AS CONFIRMED

The land being a section of hard standing and shrubs situated on the northern side of Lower Road, Rotherhithe, London adjacent to 181 Lower Road and flanked to the rear by the East London Line Railway open land excluding the roof overhang of 181 Lower Road: Dated: 5th August 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES 27

THE TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (SURREY QUAYS STATION UPGRADE) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2020 To:

Sandra Davis, Operational Property, Transport for London, 5 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN or by e-mail SandraDavis@tfl.gov.uk

[I] [We] being [a person] [persons] who, if a general vesting declaration were executed under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 in respect of all the land comprised in the compulsory purchase order cited above in respect of which notice to treat has not been given, would be entitled to claim compensation in respect of [all] [part of] that land, give you the following information, pursuant to the provisions of section 15 of, or paragraph 6 of Schedule 1, to the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.

1

Name and address of informant(s) (i)

_____________________________________________________________________________ 2

Land in which an interest is held by informant(s) (ii)

_____________________________________________________________________________ 3

Nature of interest (iii)

_____________________________________________________________________________ Signed

_____________________________

[on behalf of]

_____________________________

Date

_____________________________

(i) (ii) (iii)

In the case of a joint interest insert the names and addresses of all the informants.

The land should be described concisely.

If the interest is leasehold, the date of commencement and length of term should be given.

If the land is subject to a mortgage or other incumbrance, details should be given, e.g. name of building society and roll number.

Signed:

S Wilkinson

READ IT HERE FIRST

Steven Wilkinson BSc (Hons) MRICS Head of Operational Property Transport for London SCHEDULE 2 FORM OF STATEMENT OF EFFECT OF PARTS II AND III OF THE COMPULSORY PURCHASE (VESTING DECLARATIONS) ACT 1981 Power to execute a general vesting declaration 1

Once The Transport for London (Surrey Quays Station Upgrade) Compulsory Purchase Order 2020 has become operative, Transport for London (the "Authority") may acquire any of the land described in Schedule 1 above by executing a general vesting declaration under section 4 of the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 ("the Act"). This has the effect, subject to paragraphs 3 and 5 below, of vesting the land in Transport for London at the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 below.

Notices concerning general vesting declaration 2

As soon as may be after the Authority execute a general vesting declaration, they must serve notice of it on every occupier of any of the land specified in the declaration (except land where there is one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) and on every person who gives them information relating to the land in pursuance of the invitation contained in the confirmation notice of the order. When the service of notices of the general vesting declaration is completed, a period specified in the declaration, of not less than three months, will begin to run. On the first day after the end of this period, the land described in the declaration will, subject to what is said in paragraphs 3 and 5, vest in the Authority together with the right to enter on the land and take possession of it. Every person on whom the Authority could have served a notice to treat in respect of his interest in the land (other than a tenant under one of the tenancies described in paragraph 4) will be entitled to claim compensation for the acquisition of his interest in the land, with interest on the compensation from the vesting date.

3

The "vesting date" for any land specified in a declaration will be the first day after the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 2 above, unless a counter-notice is served under Schedule A1 to the Act within that period, In such circumstances the vesting date for the land which is the subject of the counter-notice will be determined in accordance with Schedule A1.

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Modifications with respect to certain tenancies 4

In the case of certain tenancies, the position stated above is subject to modifications. The modifications apply where the tenancy is either a “minor tenancy”, i.e. a tenancy for a year or a yearly tenancy or a lesser interest, or “a long tenancy which is about to expire”. The latter expression means a tenancy granted for an interest greater than a minor tenancy but having on the vesting date a period still to run which is not more than the period specified in the declaration for this purpose (which must be more than a year). In calculating how long a tenancy has still to run, where any option to renew or to terminate it is available to either party, it shall be assumed that the landlord will take every opportunity open to him to terminate the tenancy while the tenant will use every opportunity to retain or renew his interest.

Continued...

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28 SPORT

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Surrey suffer first defeat as Glam rock

By Alex Bywater sport@southwarknews.co.uk SURRY WERE beaten by five wickets as Glamorgan made it three wins from five Royal London Cup matches to stay in the hunt for qualification for the knock-out stages.

Surrey made just 132 from 44.1 overs with only Rikki Clarke (35) standing firm.

It was a total Glamorgan reached with ease thanks to an innings of 58 from 52 balls from Hamish Rutherford.

This was Surrey’s first defeat of the competition as they had a day to forget.

Surrey won the toss and chose to bat on a glorious Cardiff morning, but Mark Stoneman nicked Michael Hogan’s first ball of the day to Nick Selman who took a neat catch at second slip.

It set the tone for a rare Surrey shocker.

Glamorgan captain Kiran Carlson nearly claimed a stunning catch at mid-on to dismiss Hashim Amla off the bowling of Lukas Carey, but he unfortunately spilled the ball.

Carey nonetheless dismissed Ryan Patel, again caught smartly by Selman at slip, and then Amla went too – this time caught behind by Tom Cullen for just four.

Jamie Smith was the next to go, caught by Cullen from Joe Cooke’s bowling, leaving Surrey all at sea at 35 for four.

Such a position called for responsible batting, not something Nico Reifer delivered when he smacked Andrew Salter up in the air to be caught by Rutherford.

Tim David also fell to Salter – Selman again the catcher – as Surrey slipped to 63 for six.

Salter finished with career best List A figures of three for 37 and when Clarke was finally dismissed by Andy Gorvin, Surrey had inched their way to a below par total.

Veteran Clarke – who will retire at the end of the season after a fine career – was Gorvin’s first Glamorgan wicket.

Carey finished with two for 28 and the outstanding Hogan one for just 18 runs from his 10 overs.

Rutherford struck two superb

boundaries through cover in the same Matt Dunn over at the start of Glamorgan’s reply, but the Surrey quick did bowl Selman for six.

Rutherford’s calm batting – it was particularly pleasant to watch his offside strokes – took Glamorgan to 52 for one after 10 overs.

New Zealand’s Rutherford reached his own 50 off just 45 balls with 10 fours as he and Steven Reingold (40) put Glamorgan in complete control.

Rutherford slog swept Dan Moriarty for six into the Sophia Gardens stands to bring up the 100 and although he was caught next ball, he had already done the hard work.

Billy Root (18) was dismissed with Glamorgan within one run of victory, but Cullen finished the job with 23.1 overs still to be bowled of the home side’s second innings.

Glamorgan off spinner Andrew Salter, who took career best List A figures of three for 37, said: “It was one of those days where Michael Hogan and Lukas Carey set the tone.

“They bowled great up top and that gave me the foundation to come on and put on some pressure.

“Credit to Kiran Carlson for the way he captained. He kept the field up.

We’ve played enough cricket on this ground to know what we want to do and it’s pretty simple cricket.

“The wicket played a little bit slow, but we were ticking over at five runs an over at times. It’s always tough to miss out and watch from the sidelines.

“I’ve been itching to get on and make a contribution so I’m happy to do that.

“As a group we are enjoying our cricket and fingers crossed we can keep the momentum going. We play every game to win and hopefully we can continue to do that.”

Richard Johnson, Surrey head coach for the Royal London Cup, said: “I think you could say it was a bad day at the office. We won the toss, batted, and thought it was a good decision but to be fair they bowled very, very well up front.

“They squeezed us, put us under immense pressure, and we never quite recovered from there. We couldn’t break the shackles and they kept picking up wickets.

“From there it was always going to be really tough to defend that total.”

Hashim Amla

Peckham’s Whyte returns after Olympics heroics

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk PECKHAM’S OLYMPIC historymaker Kye Whyte arrived back in London on Sunday following his silver medal in Tokyo last week.

Whyte, 21, claimed Great Britain’s firstever BMX medal in the final early on Friday morning UK time.

Whyte was 0.114 seconds behind Dutch rider Niek Kimmann.

Shortly after the men’s race, Bethany Shriever got the nation’s first gold medal in the women’s event and was hoisted into the air by Whyte.

"The medal means everything to

me," the ‘Prince of Peckham’ said. “He [Kimmann] was the better man on the day. I had a flying start but I over-jumped the second jump. I would have gone to war with him if we'd both landed smooth but it wasn't to be.

"It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

It is hard to get to the Olympics in the first place. To do well and get a medal, it is special.”

Whyte was ranked twelfth in the world heading to Tokyo. He finished fifth at the 2019 World Championships before suffering a serious injury.

He added just after the final: “I know my little nephew is watching at the Peckham BMX club house, and I can’t imagine how

tired they all are watching at home. But I’ve got family I haven’t seen for ages and I can’t wait to see everyone.

"I reckon [his brother, former World Championship bronze medallist] Tre might cry. My dad definitely did cry and my mum cried too. When I get back it will be crazy.

Shriever, from Leytonstone, said: "I was watching [Whyte] as I was going up. I was almost crying because he got a silver.

I had to keep my cool and reset and just dig in. I gave it everything," said Shriver, who won all three of her semi-final races.

"I had nothing left, the lactic acid was crazy. I gave it absolutely everything I had."

Kye Whyte on his early path to stardom – with silver at the 2018 European Championships

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

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MILLWALL 29

Sweet Port double for Ben Benik Afobe celebrates his first goal

match report ipswiCh TOWN - 0 MILLWALL - 3 Afobe 39’ 50’, J Wallace 54’

Date: Saturday 31 August, 2021 Man of the match: Benik Afobe Referee: Andy Woolmer Ipswich: 4-4-2: Hladky; Vincent-Young, Nsiala, Woolfenden, Penney; Burns, Harper, Evans, Dobra; Pigott, Bonne.

Millwall: 5-3-2: Bialkowski; McNamara (Romeo, 61), Ballard (Leonard, 61), Hutchinson (M Wallace, 61), Cooper (Pearce, 76), Malone; Kieftenbeld (Mitchell, 61), Evans (Thompson, 76), Saville (Mahoney, 61); J Wallace (Bennett, 61; Bradshaw, 81), Afobe (Smith, 61).

By Alex Grace at Portman Road sport@southwarknews.co.uk THIS CERTAINLY had the feel of an opening-day dress rehearsal for Millwall. A clinical and welldrilled performance against one of the favourites for the League One title, it would have whetted the appetites of the 900 or so travelling fans ahead of Saturday’s big kick off at Queens Park Rangers.

Ipswich rarely threatened the Millwall goal at Portman Road as the Lions, with their big hitters back on show, looked a lot more comfortable and composed than they were at Gillingham last Tuesday evening.

In Kent, the Lions seemed a little shocked and unprepared for what their opponents threw at them but those faults were ironed out in a polished

performance against Paul Cook’s newlook side who are aiming to get out of League One at the third attempt.

The returns of Jed Wallace, George Saville and Shaun Hutchinson made a big difference. The Lions’ defence was more organised, it looked settled and comfortable – just what you need heading into a new season. Wallace, who missed the Gills game with a muscle injury, was sharp and active, his relationship with Danny McNamara getting stronger.

Saville looks every bit as good as he was before his departure to Middlesbrough in 2018. Gary Rowett has challenged his side to up the goals tally from all over the pitch and the former Wolves midfielder has shown he can be a consistent source. He scored in ten goals in 2017-18 and with the way the Lions play – the two midfielders either side of the holding player making incisions into enemy territory – you wouldn't bet against him making a similar contribution this season.

On two occasions at Portman Road he could have and with one perhaps should have opened his new SE16 account.

Both chances came from late runs into the eighteen-yard box. The first chance was from George Evans’ cross but Saville was unable to make contact.

Then Town stopper Vaclav Hladky made a stunning stop to prevent Saville finding the net. It was another welltimed run into the box, that this time did result in a shot, but the heroics of

Striker off the mark as Lions complete prep

Hladky prevented any goal celebration in front of fans for the Northern Ireland international.

The side that started at Ipswich appears to be the strongest starting XI that Rowett has available to him. But Mason Bennett could miss out at QPR as he picked up an ankle injury late on.

Crucial to any Lions success will again be their defence. Daniel Ballard looks nailed-on to be the third centre-back alongside Hutchinson and Jake Cooper.

The on-loan 21-year-old has settled well into the side and has also built an understanding with McNamara.

But what Millwall really need to bridge that gap to the top six is a striker who can guarantee fifteen goals. And Benik Afobe picked an ideal time to get off the mark.

The former Wolves man showed his quality in Suffolk. First, he kept the ball in play following Saville’s clever pass down the left channel. Then after Hladky had failed to hold Jed Wallace’s shot Afobe showed a striker’s instinct to follow up and sweep home.

Moments like that will be vital for the Lions in the Championship season, players taking those gambles. Afobe

Jed Wallace got the third goal added a second after a brilliant team move, applying a clinical finish to fire home with his left foot from Cooper’s cut-back. Afobe should now take confidence into the QPR game.

A big focus in pre-season has been on attacking patterns of play. Rowett’s current preferred system is 3-5-2, a slight tweak from the 5-2-3 that he started last season with. Getting players ahead of the strikers is key. At Portman Road, they did that really well.

McNamara, who looks to have the edge on Mahlon Romeo for a starting spot this weekend, and the other wing back Scott Malone provided threats with their runs to join the forward line. Malone got six goals last season and McNamara will hope to break his duck this season. He should be a goal threat.

Wallace has been Millwall’s go-to man for goals in the last two seasons, reaching double-figures in both and in 2019-20 also getting into double-figures for assists. He still remains Millwall’s biggest attacking threat and the most likely source to provide something out of nothing. He got his goal at Ipswich, taking advantage as the home side switched off, to gain possession from Malone’s short corner before firing a low show inside the near post with his left foot.

It has been a disrupted pre-season with Wallace picking up that injury and others having to self-isolate through being ‘pinged’ or testing positive for Covid.

However, all in all, it’s been a positive summer and optimism is high ahead of Saturday’s start.

30 MILLWALL

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Dan not counting chickens Defender is favourite to start – but has challenge from 200-plus appearance rival EXCLUSIVE

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk DANNY MCNAMARA is favourite to start his first senior season at Millwall as the first-choice wingback – but the boyhood Lion is taking nothing for granted ahead of the new Championship campaign.

A little over a year ago, McNamara, 22, had never played higher than League Two level. But since August 1, 2020, he has made 37 league starts in the Scottish Premiership and the Championship, fifteen in the latter after his return from his loan spell at St Johnstone las January.

But that’s only a small fraction of the appearances Romeo, 25, has racked up since his Millwall debut in February 2016.

Romeo has made 201 starts in all competitions for the Lions, playing 218 times since he joined from Gillingham in 2015.

It’s a fierce battle between two players who fit the modern-day ideal of the wing-back: strong in defence and with the energy and speed to get up and down the pitch.

It’s put to McNamara that he just has the edge to start at QPR this weekend.

“I wouldn’t say I’m favourite to start on Saturday,” McNamara replied. “We don’t know what the team is going to be.

“Me and Mahlon have a healthy competition and that’s good for both of us. We’re both going to be pushing and whoever starts on Saturday will give it

their all trying to get the three points.

“I didn’t think [his chance in Millwall’s first team] would come around so soon.

My plan was to go out on loan to then push for a start and be in and around the first team with Mahlon.

“I came back and have been in and around it, so it’s gone well so far.

“We’re ready, we’ve had a good preseason. The gaffer’s worked us hard.

We’ve had a lot of friendlies which has been good, we’ve been getting a lot of match time.

“We’ve been going through what the gaffer wants us to do, the style of play for the season. We can’t wait to get going.

“Every pre-season game we’ve been given stuff to work on. Ipswich was the furthest we travelled. We did an overnighter to just prepare for away games.

“I played the last 25, 30 minutes of the Arsenal game. It was a really good test, everyone was excited about playing against a top Premier League side.

We gave them a good game, first half especially we had a few chances.

“It was good to come up against top quality opposition and compare yourself, how far away [from that level] you are.

“I didn’t realise I’d come so far from the start of last season. Once the season ended it was nice to get a bit of recovery in and go on holiday to refresh and then get going again.

“You want to feel as fresh as you can before the new season, you don’t want to blow up early doors.”

One thing missing from McNamara’s

Mahlon Romeo stats columns last season was a goal.

The left wing-back, Scott Malone, got six, and McNamara is putting pressure on himself to be a goal threat.

“That’s one of my objectives, I want to get goals this season,” he said. “You can’t just put all the pressure on the strikers, we have to contribute as well.

“It’s definitely something I want to add to my game.

“The right wing-back’s got to do both jobs going forward and then defensively as well.

“I prefer the right wing-back position [over right-back]. I love attacking but I love the other side of the game as well, one-v-one defending and putting my body on the line. It gives me the opportunity to do both roles.”

McNamara is fortunate as he came into a side with experienced defenders.

With the likes of Shaun Hutchinson, Jake

Cooper and skipper Alex Pearce, there is no shortage of advice for him and Daniel Ballard, who will likely start behind McNamara in defence at QPR. “Alex Pearce is a role model, I’ve learned a lot from him,” McNamara said. “The way he talks, the way he plays. He gives me a lot of information, what I’m doing right, what I’m doing wrong.

“I get on really well with Pearcey.

Everyone respects him, he’s a top guy and it’s good to have him around the training ground.

“Dan’s a class player, I’ve played with him a few times now and we’ve got a little bit of a relationship on the pitch.

“He’s settled in really well but I think anyone that comes in to Millwall settles, really, because we’ve got such a good bunch.

“We’ve got a very solid squad, we’ve

got competition in every position and we want to give it our all this season.”

Millwall have sold out their away allocation of just over two-and-a-half thousand at the weekend. It will be the first time McNamara has played a competitive senior game for Millwall in front of supporters.

“Being a fan, I know how much excitement it brings to them watching their team. I just can’t wait to get out there,” McNamara said.

“In a couple of pre-season friendlies we got a little taste of having them in the ground. There’s nothing better and the lads have been talking about it.

“There were quite a few at Gillingham and they were as loud as ever. QPR on Saturday could be sold-out so it’s going to be a good experience for everyone.

“I sort my close family out with tickets. A couple of my family members have got a box at The Den. They just can’t wait.

“We know it’s been a while since we beat QPR at their place but we don’t look into that too much. We’ll just try to play our game and we’re going to be going for three points on Saturday.

“Millwall fans are going to get behind us, I’m sure they’ll be loud. They’ll give us that extra 20, 30 per cent and we want to get the win for them.

“We want to finish as high as we can. We’ve done well over the last couple of seasons but were probably disappointed with how we finished.

“We’re looking higher and higher.

We’re ambitious and we’re going to give it our all.”

32 MILLWALL

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

Coops reserves judgement EXCLUSIVE

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk JAKE COOPER is reserving his judgement whether this is the best Millwall squad he has been involved with.

“Ask me at the end of the season,” he says.

Cooper, 25, is heading into his fifth full campaign with the Lions after three top-half finishes in the previous four seasons.

Boss Gary Rowett appears to have added astutely to his squad, bringing back George Saville from Middlesbrough and recruiting the talented defender Daniel Ballard on loan from Arsenal.

Shaun Hutchinson, Cooper’s defensive partner from his first season as a permanent Lions player, will once again be a pillar of the defence.

Bart Bialkowski has arguably been the best goalkeeper over the last two seasons in the Championship and if Jed Wallace stays then Millwall have one of the best players in the league.

Put together, and with fans back, there is much promise. But is it the strongest group in Cooper’s time at The Den? “Am...strongest?” Cooper mulls it over. “It’s difficult. We haven’t proven anything, yet. To put that label on it is difficult at this point in time.

“Players have got to prove themselves, again. We’ve got to achieve.

“The club have done their work.

They’ve brought in players that are top quality and now we’ve got to give it back to them and the fans that believe in us.

“It’s a tricky league. It’s so tough. If you look at the league, in my opinion, it looks tougher than last season.

“The fans are going to be back, it’s going to be a crazy start to the season.

I feel it will be frantic.

“And it’s down to us to prove that we’re a good team.

“Hopefully you’ll be able to ask me that question at the end of the season and I’ll be able to tell you that it’s the best Millwall team that I’ve ever been involved in.”

As well as Saville and Ballard, and the arrivals of George Long to put pressure on Bialkowski and Benik Afobe up front, two crucial pieces of business were completed early in the summer when Millwall agreed new deals with club skipper Alex Pearce and striker Matt Smith.

The Lions released Shaun Williams and Shane Ferguson after last season, but Rowett did not want to lose such experience at either end of the pitch as well as off it in Pearce and Smith.

“It was sad to see Willo and Fergie leave, they’d been here since I joined the club four-and-a-half years ago,” Cooper said.

“They’ve moved on to new challenges and it’s good to see them both at big clubs in League One. “Smudge and Pearcey staying is massive. You’ve seen the impact Smudge has had in pre-season already, how important he is to us.

“He doesn’t get the respect sometimes that he deserves but he’s so, so important. He’s a big character

Jake Cooper in action against Arsenal in pre-season friendly

Defender: ‘We need to prove ourselves – again’ Daniel Ballard and George Saville joined this summer

in the dressing room and behind the scenes, the way he is and the way he applies himself is phenomenal.

“Pearcey is the same, they’re both similar in that respect. Pearcey is very much a go-to character where the lads

can lean on him.

“If either of them had been taken out of the dressing room it would have left a big hole that would have needed filling. So the club made a great decision on them.”

Cooper also backed the return of Saville, after a move materialised in a matter of days in late June.

“I was surprised,” Cooper admitted.

“I’d heard about it and literally the next day he was in the door. That did surprise me but it was a great surprise.

“If we could have picked a midfielder to have back at the football club he would have been number one choice.

“He just fits in. You wouldn’t have known that he was gone, it feels like he’s been here since he left.

“He’s a top, top lad and a top player.

He’s really going to help us in those

midfield battles and controlling the middle of the park this season.

“I’m sure, well I know, he’s going to make us a better team so it’s a great decision by the club and we were all really excited to see him back.”

Rowett wants Saville to be an attacking threat from midfield and add the goals that have been lacking over the last two seasons.

Another area where Rowett demanded improvement was set-pieces. Cooper’s goal against Gillingham last Tuesday week was Millwall’s fifth in pre-season from set routines.

Cooper scored just one goal last season compared to seven the season before that.

He wants to get back to that latter rate, and cryptically hinted that the

Lions have some secret plans up their sleeves for set-plays this season.

“We’ve been a threat from set-pieces which is nice to see,” Cooper said. “I hit the post against Arsenal so it was nice for one to drop in. It was a nice simple one where Smudge did all the hard work and I was in the right place at the right time.

“Yeah...I don’t want to talk too much about it. We’re certainly doing things differently, that’s all I want to say about it right now.

“I’d like to think I’m capable of [scoring five or six goals a season].

My goal is just to improve on the last couple of seasons and get back to the figures I know I’m capable of and have that contribution to the team.

“There’s no set number, I’m just striving to get as many as I can.”

34 MILLWALL

www.newsatden.co.uk

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

2 0 2 1 -2 2 IT’S NOT a cliché to say the Championship is one of the most unpredictable leagues in the world.

Who would have thought Barnsley would finish fifth last season? Or that Sheffield Wednesday would finish bottom of the pile (albeit with a six-point deduction) and Derby County would only survive on the final day?

Okay, it was little surprise that Norwich went AFC BOURNEMOUTH

Promotion: 10/3 Relegation: 18/1 Last season: 6th Manager: Scott Parker Key signing: Emiliano Marcondes - experienced Championship player who could add creativity to an already strong attacking unit.

Key departure: Asmir Begovic - vastly experienced goalkeeper who was one of the best in the division last season.

Verdict: Scott Parker will have a tough job on his hands after Bournemouth failed in their attempt to bounce straight back to the top flight, but his passing philosophy will likely suit the players and could see them do well, with more additions.

Prediction: 1st

BARNSLEY

Promotion: 6/1 Relegation: 9/1 Last season: 5th Manager: Markus Schopp Key signing: Devante Cole - has big boots to fill in attack after Daryl Dike’s loan spell ended.

Key departure: Alex Mowatt - the central midfielder has been crucial for Barnsley in recent seasons and will leave a big void as captain.

Verdict: Barnsley have lost their manager, captain and some key players over the summer and a repeat of last season’s heroics seems highly unlikely. It could be a season of struggle for the Tykes with so much change.

Prediction: 14th

BIRMINGHAM

Promotion: 12/1 Relegation: 9/2 Last season: 18th Manager: Lee Bowyer Key signing: Chuks Aneke - the striker was impressive for Charlton last season and will have a point to prove as he looks to establish himself in the second tier.

Key departure: Mikel San Jose – experienced Spaniard didn’t enjoy a great 2020-21 at Birmingham but his leadership may well be missed with a number of young players having signed.

Verdict: Lee Bowyer has done some impressive business this summer and will be looking to move Birmingham up the table after a strong end to the season. A mid-table finish looks likely.

Prediction: 12th

BLACKBURN

Promotion: 15/2 Relegation: 15/2 Last season: 15th Manager: Tony Mowbray Key signing: None Key departure: Harvey Elliott - youngster back at Liverpool after an impressive loan spell and his departure significantly lessens Blackburn’s creativity.

Verdict: Things started to go stale under Tony Mowbray last season and may well do again without signings before the start of the season. Rovers have too much quality to go down but it will be tough without changes.

Prediction: 16th

BLACKPOOL

Promotion: 18/1 Relegation: 3/1 Last season: 3rd in League One (promoted via play-offs)

se a son pre vie w up as champions followed by Watford and then Brentford through the play-offs.

Fulham, West Brom and Bournemouth will probably be the leading contenders for automatic promotion but outside of that it’s like throwing a bucket of dice in the air and trying to predict which way they will land.

Here, we take a look at the 24 teams and assess their chances this season.

Manager: Neil Critchley Key signing: Richard Keogh - former Derby captain adds Championship experience to a young side.

Key departure: Dan Ballard - Millwall pipped Critchley’s side to the signing of Arsenal youngster Ballard who was a key part of their promotion-winning side.

Verdict: Staying in the division will be a success for Blackpool this season as they compete in the second tier for the first time since 2014-15. The Tangerines have made some good additions so far this summer but a lot of them are unproven at this level.

Prediction: 21st

BRISTOL CITY

Promotion: 16/1 Relegation: 7/2 Last season: 19th Manager: Nigel Pearson Key signing: Andy King - experienced midfielder adds quality to a below-par side.

Key departure: Famara Diedhiou - joint-top goal-scorer in all competitions from last season departed on a free transfer to Alanyaspor.

Verdict: The Robins look set for another season of struggle after a big turnover this summer without adding huge amounts of quality. Nigel Pearson’s last few jobs have not been big success stories and his methods are perhaps a little outof-date. A lot will be required from key man Nakhi Wells.

Prediction: 15th

CARDIFF CITY

Promotion: 5/1 Relegation: 11/1 Last season: 8th Manager: Mick McCarthy Key signing: James Collins - a shrewd signing from Championship rivals Luton Town. Collins has reached double figures in both the Hatters’ previous two seasons in the second tier.

Key departure: Sol Bamba - an emotional departure for the Bluebirds captain after five years at the club. Was part of the promotion-winning side of 2017-18.

Verdict: The Bluebirds made a charge for the top six when Mick McCarthy replaced former Lions boss Neil Harris in January and came close to it, just missing out, finishing in eighth place. The addition of James Collins up front in partnership with Kieffer Moore gives Cardiff the firepower to go for the top six.

Prediction: 5th

COVENTRY CITY

Promotion: 14/1 Relegation: 7/2 Last season: 16th Manager: Mark Robins Key signing: Martyn Waghorn - proven track record at Championship level and could provide the goals needed to keep the Sky Blues away from a relegation battle.

Key departure: Marko Marosi - the keeper leaves after spending two years at the club and playing a crucial role in Coventry’s promotion to the second tier.

Verdict: Mark Robins has been smart with the players he has brought in.

Adding goals to the side was a must after Matty Godden’s absence. If Waghorn and Godden can get their tallies up and running early then the Sky Blues could continue their positive progress.

Prediction: 19th

DERBY COUNTY

Promotion: 16/1 Relegation: 5/6 Last season: 21st Manager: Wayne Rooney

Benik Afobe joined on loan from Stoke

Key signing: None Key departure: Martyn Waghorn – a striker who scores goals is always a blow to lose, but to lose one to a relegation rival could be a disaster for the Rams.

Verdict: It’s been a dreadful summer for Wayne Rooney and Derby. They currently have just nineteen players to pick from following EFL charges that mean they are under a transfer embargo. Without additions, it’s very hard to see how Rooney’s side avoid the drop.

Prediction: 23rd

FULHAM

Promotion: 15/8 Relegation: 33/1 Last season: 18th in Premier League (relegated) Manager: Marco Silva Key signing: Harry Wilson – a very good signing who can excel at this level having worked with both Derby and Cardiff in recent seasons. Can add a lot of quality to a side already full of creative talent.

Key departure: Marcus Bettinelli - keeper brings an end to an era at Fulham having been part of two promotion-winning sides from the Championship via the play-offs.

Verdict: Fulham’s main problem in the top flight last season was their inability to score goals. But Aleksandar Mitrovic is lethal at Championship level and he has inspired the Cottagers to two promotions to the Premier League. Add to that the likes of Tom Cairney and Wilson and Fulham look strong contenders for yet another promotion.

Prediction: 4th

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Promotion: 16/1 Relegation: 10/3 Last season: 20th Manager: Carlos Corberán Key signing: Jordan Rhodes - back to the place where he broke record after record. Huddersfield lacked goals last season, but someone of his calibre and track record could keep the Terriers away from a trapdoor battle.

Key departure: Christopher Schindler - the captain leaves the club after five years and with him goes a lot of experience that will be missed with a young side.

Verdict: Huddersfield are difficult to predict. They were twelfth midway through last season but were then dragged into the relegation battle. They have done decent transfer business but no more than that. Hard to see them being anywhere near the top six.

Prediction: 20th

HULL CITY

Promotion: 11/1 Relegation: 4/1 Last season: 1st (League One champions) Manager: Grant McCann Key signing: Andy Cannon – a hard-working midfielder who did well at Portsmouth and previously Rochdale.

Key departure: Reece Burke – the former West Ham centre-back departs the club after three seasons after his contract ended, and he will be difficult to replace.

Verdict: Recruitment in the final few weeks of this window will be key for Hull, who don’t look to have hugely strengthened their side. They were relegated with a whimper the last time they were in the Championship but bounced back at the first time of asking.

However, the Championship is even more competitive and ruthless than it was two seasons ago and without players coming through the door it could be another long and hard campaign for the Tigers.

Prediction: 22nd

Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

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Daniel Ballard is a highly-rated defender on loan from Arsenal

LUTON TOWN

Promotion: 14/1 Relegation: 7/2 Last season: 12th Manager: Nathan Jones Key signing: Fred Onyedinma – former Lion adds unpredictability to the attack.

Key departure: James Collins – forward joined Cardiff after 68 league goals in 174 appearances.

Verdict: Luton have been ambitious in the transfer market, adding Fred Onyedinma – though as Lions fans will know he can be hit-and-miss – as well as a former Millwall target, promising midfielder Allan Campbell from Motherwell. Nathan Jones guided them to an impressive twelfth place last season. Anything similar again would be a success.

Prediction: 13th

MIDDLESBROUGH

Promotion: 5/1 Relegation: 11/1 Last season: 10th Manager: Neil Warnock Key signing: Uche Ikpeazu – Boro will be hoping for double-figures from the big striker signed from Wycombe.

Key departure: Ashley Fletcher – a really effective centre-forward on his day – as Millwall have seen more than once – but wasn’t consistent enough.

Verdict: Boro were really disappointing last season, but Neil Warnock’s record of eight promotions to the Premier League probably saved him from the sack. They have been underwhelming in the transfer window so far and could again be off the pace for the top six.

Prediction: 8th

MILLWALL

Promotion: 20/1 Relegation: 3/1 Last season: 11th Manager: Gary Rowett Key signing: George Saville – could provide the goals Millwall need from midfield.

Key departure: Shaun Williams – hugely influential midfielder whose experience will be missed.

Verdict: Boss Gary Rowett called for the club to be “ambitious” and they have shown that in the transfer market, the signing of George Saville illustrating it. Daniel Ballard is one to watch, while Rowett will hope Saville and Benik Afobe can supply the goals his side have lacked in the last two seasons.

Prediction: 6th

NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Promotion: 5/1 Relegation: 11/1 Last season: 17th Manager: Chris Hughton Key signing: Ethan Horvath – United States international goalkeeper is their only first-team signing to date.

Key departure: Sammy Ameobi – a really experienced attacker at this level who has joined Middlesbrough.

Verdict: It’s difficult to see how Nottingham Forest’s transfer business so far can lift them into the mix for the play-offs. But Chris Hughton has proven himself to be a good manager who can often get more than the sum of the parts from his teams. He will need to call on all that experience and nous.

Prediction: 11th

PETERBOROUGH UNITED

Promotion: 18/1 Relegation: 3/1 Last season: 2nd (League One) Manager: Darren Ferguson Key signing: Jack Marriott – talented forward who scored twice at Elland Road to send Derby into the 2019 play-off final.

Key departure: Flynn Clarke – really promising 18-year-old attacking midfielder who made his debut last season but was snapped up by Norwich this summer.

Verdict: We’ve seen how teams who have come up from League One have struggled in the Championship, with Rotherham and Wycombe going straight back down last season. Darren Ferguson has plenty of experience but mainly in League One and if he keeps the Posh up it will be one of the highlights of his managerial career.

Prediction: 22nd

PRESTON NORTH END

Promotion: 12/1 Relegation: 9/2 Last season: 13th Manager: Frankie McAvoy Key signing: Izzy Brown – an attacking midfielder or forward who a lot will be expected of.

Key departure: Jayden Stockley – the centre-forward dipped in the last campaign after being an important player the previous season.

Verdict: After showing signs they could reach the top six under Alex Neil, they struggled last season and Neil was sacked. There was some surprise that he was replaced with Frankie McAvoy, a 53-year-old in his first job in charge of a senior team. He won five of eight games but doesn’t really have the profile or experience for a club that should be looking to a play-off challenge.

Prediction: 18th

QPR

Promotion: 7/1 Relegation: 8/1 Last season: 9th Manager: Mark Warburton Key signing: Charlie Austin - scored eight goals last season after re-signing for the Hoops in January and will be key to any play-off push.

Key departure: Geoff Cameron - experienced captain was an influential figure with the west Londoners and may prove hard to replace.

Verdict: QPR have strengthened well over the summer turning a number of loan signings into permanent deals. With a wide-open league, a play-off push could be on the cards but they will need to tighten up defensively.

Prediction: 9th

MILLWALL 35

West Brom are back in the second tier

SHEFFIELD UNITED

Promotion: 9/4 Relegation: 28/1 Last season: 20th in Premier League (relegated) Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic Key signing: None Key departure: John Lundstram - midfielder has the quality to influence games at Championship level but has moved to Rangers.

Verdict: Slavisa Jokanovic has a big job on his hands to repeat the success of Chris Wilder at Brammall Lane but his track record in this division is good. A tactical reset may take time given Wilder’s unique system, but there is reason to be optimistic with United retaining most of their starters from last season.

Prediction: 2nd

STOKE CITY

Promotion: 15/2 Relegation: 7/1 Last season: 14th Manager: Michael O’Neill Key signing: Mario Vrancic - will be hoping to rediscover the form of his first promotion season with Norwich when he netted 10 goals.

Key departure: Nathan Collins - impressive centre-back has left Stoke for Burnley for a fee of more than £10 million.

Verdict: Still short of challenging for promotion despite more of the dead wood having been moved on. O’Neill’s style can be dull at times and fans will expect more in their fourth season at this level. Need more attacking reinforcements.

Prediction: 7th

SWANSEA CITY

Promotion: 5/1 Relegation: 11/1 Last season: 4th Manager: Russell Martin Key signing: Liam Walsh - midfielder possesses real quality and could succeed in a passing-based setup.

Key departure: Andre Ayew - Swansea’s top scorer last season leaves a goal gap to be filled.

Verdict: Swansea only appointed Russell Martin on August 1 after the departure of Steve Cooper late in pre-season. Martin, 35, is highly rated – only Manchester City and Barcelona in Europe had more possession than his MK Dons side last season. But this is a big step-up and Martin will do well to match Cooper’s achievements of consecutive top-six finishes.

Prediction: 10th

WEST BROMWICH ALBION

Promotion: 6/1 Relegation: 9/1 Last season: 7th Manager: Veljko Paunovic Key signing: None Key departure: Michael Olise - young midfielder has a big future and would have been crucial for Reading this season.

Verdict: Last season turned stale under Veljko Paunovic as the Royals missed out on a top-six spot. This season will prove much harder with a transfer embargo, the loss of Olise and Yakou Meite’s long-term injury.

Without a refresh, things may turn sour for the manager.

Promotion: 2/1 Relegation: 28/1 Last season: 19th in Premier League (relegated) Manager: Valerien Ismael Key signing: Alex Mowatt - midfielder has been one of the best in the division in recent campaigns and will add quality. Thrived under Valerien Ismael with Barnsley.

Key departure: Okay Yokuslu - an impressive loanee in the Premier League, his quality as a holding player may be missed.

Verdict: Ismael was brilliant for Barnsley but now has the weight of expectation on his shoulders, taking over at the promotion favourites. The Baggies should have more than enough quality to finish in the top six at the very least.

Prediction: 17th

Prediction: 3rd

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Southwark News, Thursday August 5 2021

www.newsatden.co.uk

MILLWALL 37

History weighs on Lions

Championship preview

QPR

VS

Millwall

Loftus Road, Saturday August 7 Kick-off: 3pm

By John Kelly

johnk@southwarknews.co.uk

IT WOULDN’T be what you’d expect to hear – but Jake Cooper reckons that the performance in a 4-1 defeat by Arsenal shows Millwall are in a good place going into the 2021-22 season.

That scoreline didn’t reflect how the game went against a side that have topfour Premier League ambitions.

The Lions were only 1-0 down in the second half against a Gunners team boasting £72million Nicolas Pepe, £60million Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and £45million Thomas Partey, to pick out just three of a host of multimillion pound signings the north London club have made in recent seasons.

Millwall have had to be adaptable in pre-season as they have had to shelve plans for friendlies with the ‘pingdemic’ and positive Covid tests causing havoc for most clubs.

Gary Rowett is always keen not to overstate the importance of pre-season friendly results as he uses those games mainly for players to work on their fitness and for tactical tuning.

And Cooper was pleased to get the chance to test himself against two of the best strikers in the top flight in recent seasons, Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

“We literally found out two days before the game,” Cooper explained.

“We ended up playing them which was brilliant, we couldn’t have asked for a better game in pre-season, playing against opponents like what they had on show.

“You could see the difference. They have world-class players and it was good to measure ourselves against them.

“I think we did really well, we applied ourselves really well. The scoreline didn’t show that but it was later on in the game when they scored a few goals after our team had changed around.

“The first half was a really positive performance. It was good to measure ourselves against that kind of quality and know we’re in a good place going into the season.”

Former Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer joined the Hoops this summer

Mason Bennett scores at Loftus Road last season but the visitors let a two-goal lead slip

Millwall have to break 32-year duck to get winning start Cooper and his team-mates have been making the most of a first proper pre-season since 2019. The defender dislocated his shoulder twice last season but avoided surgery and he is back to full strength.

Cooper is 6ft6ins so like any big player theoretically is more susceptible

to putting on weight over the summer.

But he makes sure he is always returning to pre-season training in the best possible shape.

“I never really let it drop off,” Cooper replied when asked if it’s more difficult for him than smaller players returning after the break. “If I did that then maybe. But I’ve never really struggled with that kind of thing. I don’t know if it’s a natural fitness thing or my endeavour to stay fit. I’m always raring to go.

“Maybe I’m lucky or maybe it’s my hard work that puts me in that position.”

Meanwhile, QPR have been ambitious in the transfer market as they aim to

challenge for the play-offs.

Boss Mark Warburton has brought in players with Premier League experience, with Jimmy Dunne joining from Burnley and Charlie Austin and Stefan Johansen’s loan moves from West Brom and Fulham made permanent. There could be one familiar face on the opposition bench in former Lions stopper Jordan Archer.

QPR have looked impressive in pre-season and last week defeated a Manchester United side including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jesse Lingard and Mason Greenwood 4-2.

History is against Millwall, whose last win at Loftus Road was in November 1989, eleven games ago.

matCh details Possible Millwall starting XI:

5-3-2: Bialkowski; McNamara, Ballard, Hutchinson, Cooper, Malone; Leonard, Evans, Saville; Smith, J Wallace.

Match odds:

QPR 6/5 Draw 12/5 Millwall 8/5

Last meeting:

Championship (March 17, 2021): QPR 3-2 Millwall (Austin 51, Johansen 67, de Wijs 86; J Wallace 6, Bennett 39).

Striker: We’re one of the fittest in the league

By John Kelly

johnk@southwarknews.co.uk BENIK AFOBE says Millwall are ready to mix it up this season – and are certainly no one-trick Championship pony.

Afobe rounded off a brilliant team move for his second goal at Ipswich last Saturday.

The Lions started the play in the right-back position with Danny McNamara’s throw-in to Afobe.

Fourteen passes later, Jake Cooper crossed from the left and Afobe struck a left-footed shot into the top corner to go with his earlier finish after Jed Wallace’s shot had been saved.

Millwall have spent a lot of time on attacking patterns of play in preseason, and Afobe believes they are a side capable of playing in different ways.

“Over the last few years, everyone just thinks of Millwall being an aggressive, hard-working team,” Afobe said. “But what some people might not realise is that we actually can play.

“This season is about sometimes counter-attacking, sometimes we’re going to sit back and try to break but then we’ve also got the quality to keep the ball for 20, 30 passes and then get on the end of it and score.

“It was great play. Me and Jed

[Wallace] stayed away from it, the boys were playing, not rushing things.

It was great play from Sav [George Saville], Coops, Scottie [Malone] on the left. When Coops has gone down the line he’s picked me out and I’ve swung at it. It’s gone into the top corner, so I was happy about that.”

Afobe, 28, joined on a season-long loan from Stoke after more than fifteen moves in his career so far, the previous one a loan spell with Trabzonspor in Turkey last season.

He had a loan at Millwall from Arsenal in 2013 and has settled well at the club this summer.

He said: "I've played for a fair amount of teams and this is right

up there. They’re great lads. I could honestly go for dinner with any of them. I know the gaffer and the staff from before.

“It's been really enjoyable. I came here to enjoy my football again, but also to have a go and bring my experience of this level.

"I’m enjoying it and I think they're also enjoying me being here. So hopefully long may that continue and hopefully we'll have a good season.

"I feel fresh, I feel good. This team is one of the fittest in the league and we’ve had a good pre-season, we haven't had many injuries, so we're all ready.

“We’re going to give it another push this week and then hopefully we’ll be ready to go against QPR away next Saturday.”

Millwall have been allocated over 2,500 tickets for that game.

“You can’t beat it,” Afobe said. “It’s been tough. I was away in Turkey last season so I didn’t play in the Championship, but I know it was tough with no fans.

Especially with our fans as well, I know from my time here before and even watching Millwall, our fans are our twelfth men and women.

“It’s going to be great having them for QPR away and Blackburn at home.

“I can’t wait for it.”

inside

Sport Southwark

‘Prince of Peckham’ makes history

Page 26

Jed Wallace scored at Ipswich last Saturday

Mason Bennett

Blow as forward faces six weeks out

No prob with ‘exemplary’ Jed

EXCLUSIVE

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk GARY ROWETT has no worries about Jed Wallace being distracted by speculation over his future going into this season – saying the attacker has been “exemplary in how he conducts himself”.

Wallace, 27, has a new contract offer on the table but has yet to sign it.

The former Portsmouth and Wolves man has just one year left on his current deal and after ten goals in each of the last two seasons will attract transfer interest.

This transfer window closes at 11pm on August 31.

Wallace has featured regularly in pre-season and scored the third goal in

Attacker has contract offer but has yet to sign

the 3-0 friendly win against Ipswich at Portman Road last Saturday.

Wallace is a down-to-earth and extremely diligent character, and Rowett will be counting on him this month and hopefully beyond it.

“I’ve said it before, Jed’s a really important member of the squad,” Rowett said. “He has a real responsibility in there as one of the senior voices.

“He works hard every day in training and he shows it on the pitch. He’s been fantastic for us over a two-year period and I don’t expect that to be any different.

“He’s a top player and a top lad and, really, all the rest of it will get dealt with one way or another.

“For me, it’s about what he does on the pitch and how he conducts himself. And he’s been exemplary so far.”

Millwall have sold out their allocation of 2,504 tickets for their league opener against QPR this Saturday.

Excitement is building this week as supporters prepare for their first away trip for a competitive game since March 6, 2020, at Nottingham Forest.

But Rowett and his players are

Visit www.newsatden.co.uk for all the latest Millwall news online

remaining focused as they aim for a first win at Loftus Road since 1989.

“We’re looking forward to the season starting, having fans back which is quite well-documented how exciting that is for everybody in football,” Rowett said.

“Having that atmosphere back at games is an incredible prospect.

“But we’ve been excited since we came back the first week because the work we’re trying to do is quite consistent work. How we work in week three or four of pre-season is not that much different to how we work in week one of the season.

“Obviously there are three points on the line and the importance of the game goes up.

“I think everyone’s ready for it and we’re in a relatively good position, but we’ll see what happens.”

By John Kelly johnk@southwarknews.co.uk MASON BENNETT could be out for six weeks with the ankle injury he suffered at Ipswich last Saturday.

Bennett, 25, might not feature until after the first international break of the season in mid-October.

The former Derby County attacker picked up the injury when he was tackled as he attempted a shot on goal at Portman Road.

Lions boss Gary Rowett said after the game it should have been a penalty.

It’s a big blow for Millwall and Bennett, who enjoyed an excellent second half of the season in 202021 when he scored five of his six goals in the campaign from February.

“Mason looks like he’s going to be out for a little period,” Rowett said. “There’s some damage to the ligaments.

“I would imagine that at the moment he will be out until the first international break, which is a bit of a blow.

“We think probably around six weeks. It’s not good news, we spoke about it after the [Ipswich] game, it was the one piece of bad news to come out of what was a positive afternoon.

“I’m disappointed for Mason because he’s looked bright preseason but we’ll get behind him and be supportive of him, and he’ll work hard to get back as quickly as he can.”

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