Going over old ground...

Rupert from the Brockley Cross Action Group has been in touch to tell us of a planned spring clean-up event down at Brockley Station. He writes:

Spring is getting closer and the worst of winter is behind us. That can only mean one thing: time for our first community gardening event down at Brockley Common!


We need to give all of our community planting beds a thorough clean out, to remove rubbish, cut back & remove last year's dead growth, a bit of weeding and mulching. We also need to do our once a year foray into the wildife area to remove the rubbish and do some pruning, before the birds start nesting.

If we get enough people we might also send a gang across the road to Mantle Road to clean up our other 2 beds over there.

So please put the following date in your diary: SUNDAY 6th MARCH, 1.00 - 5.00pm. Meet outside the Broca Cafe. As ever BXAG will provide all tools and gloves etc (but feel free to bring your own) so just bring warm clothing and stout footwear. BXAG will provide refreshments for all at the Broca at 4.00.

I hope you can make it! Lets kickstart spring and get everything ready for summer!

During the day we will also tell you about the exciting plans that BXAG and Transition Town Brockley have for the north end of the site. We submitted a successful joint bid for funding from the Lewisham Localities Fund so very soon we will start planning some more improvements on the Common!

See you in 2 weeks time! Posters will be going up around the site. Please tell your friends - there's a lot to do!

Free Transition Training

Our good friends from New Cross recently informed us that they are holding a transition training event soon. Details below:

Free Transition Training on outreach and engaging people.

When: Sunday 6th March 2011

Where: Greenshoots Community Garden, Besson Street, SE14 5AS

Time: 12 – 5pm

Bring lunch to share. The workshop will be based on the national Transition Training that Transition Town New Cross member, Adrian went on earlier this year and includes lots of fun excercises and a minimum of him talking. It will be lively, engaging and above all, of immediate practical use to you.

The training is primarily for Transition New Cross but is also open to people from other Transition initiatives.

Booking essential. To book, email TT New Cross 

Wæs hal! An old tradition returns to Brockley

A mild Thursday evening saw the return of an ancient tradition to the green hills of Brockley with a wassail at the new orchard in Hilly Fields park. Around 10-15 members of the community joined in the fun with the singing of songs, blowing of whistles, shaking of tamborines and much cider and toasting of the new trees. Could this be the start of an annual event at Hilly Fields?

More photos of the evening can be found on our Flickr site.

After the wassailing Transition Brockley held their first meeting of the year at Mr Lawrence's in Crofton Park. Lots of new ideas were discussed for the forthcoming year including the continuation of the Brockley Community Garden at the station, possible involvement with the River of Flowers project and setting up an energy group to inform and help people in their homes.

Hilly Fields Wassail and meeting reminder

Just to remind everyone that tomorrow night sees us celebrate and give blessing to the new orchard on Hilly Fields. Wrap up warm, bring a drink (cider or apple juice would be appropriate), maybe a torch and join in the fun. Most of us are pretty new to all this however there should be at least one person who knows what they're doing! Meet at the orchard next to the stone circle at 7pm.

If we haven't all frozen and got a bit giddy from drinking cider* and singing to trees then we will be heading off to Mr Lawrence  around 7:45pm for our first general transition meeting of the year to discuss activities planned/unplanned for the forthcoming year.

Hope to see as many of you there as possible!

*I should stress that this won't bear any resemblance to any visions you may have of drunken Brockleyites in a park, quite the opposite I should imagine!