September 2023
The footpath that runs from opposite Sainsbury’s to opposite Valley Road is being resurfaced because it was in a very poor state in some places.
Author: pnewmark
Streatham Common’s woodland to receive funding
Streatham Common is to benefit from a new Heritage Lottery funded project run by the London Wildlife Trust.
The Great North Wood project, which is to receive £699,000 over the next four years, aims to revive and reimagine a wood that once covered a large swathe of land lying south-west of London, of which only fragments remain. Both educational activities and woodland management will be carried out. Precisely what will be funded in Streatham Common’s woodlands has yet to be established.
The full article can be found here: Bringing an ancient landscape back to life
Bird Boxes Surveyed
This year’s survey proved that 14 of the 35 bird boxes around the Common were occupied, which is one of the best year’s yet. Of these, 13 were occupied by blue tits and one by great tits.
New on the Common
Good to see two new benches replacing a missing and damaged pair, new tarmac on a footpath and in the car park, and new manhole covers to replace broken ones. All paid for by income from events on the Common last year.
George Tuson
In memory of George Tuson by Barbara Wright
George Tuson, who some of you may have know, sadly passed away in December 2016.
As many people know, Streatham Common had considerable protectionist intervention over the years, however by the 1990’s the Streatham Common area was a little ‘tired’ and under resourced. It is against this background that the citizen involvement such as provided by George, on such groups as the Neighbourhood Watch, the Police Consultative Committee and the Streatham Common Management Advisory Committee was so crucial.
The Streatham Common Management Advisory Committee first met on 17th April 1996 and at this meeting George represented Fontaine Road Neighbourhood Watch. He eventually became Chair of the Streatham Common Management Advisory Committee. At about this time the Friends of Streatham Common (FOSC) was set up, primarily to run events on the Common.
Living close to the Common George become involved in numerous meetings to do with local affairs and generously hosting them at his house.
It was during George’s chairmanship of the Management Advisory Committee that I and others on the Committee worked from 2004 with FOSC to produce a ‘Vision’ for Streatham Common, in 2007, bringing to fruition a long outstanding desire of people locally to have written down for posterity all the history, facts and figures about the Common and the Rookery as well as making explicit our vision for the future .Eventually, George joined the Executive of the FOSC in 2010, and the Management Advisory committee ceased to exist in 2011.
George took an active part in many campaigns, events and forums such as:
– To stop a temporary ice rink being built on the Common
– Attending the borough wide Lambeth Parks and Green spaces forum on behalf of local residents,
– The Rookery centenary preparations and celebrations
– The conversion of the derelict kitchen garden into a community garden,
– The Wandle Valley conference in 2010, with regard to the views from the Common
– Regularly volunteering at events on the Common
George will be remembered for his good nature, his campaigns and his absolute commitment over the years to keeping Streatham Common as a Common, as a wild place so precious in a city.
I attended his funeral, on 29th December 2016 representing Friends of Streatham Common, along with Andrew Simpson of the Streatham Common Community Garden.
Thanks to Joyce Bellamy of FOSC formerly of Metropolitan Public Gardens Association (MPGA) for some of the background information on George.
Tavellers’ Return
Ten days after a small group of travellers parked their vehicles on the Common but were persuaded to leave on the same day, another small group has arrived. The police were in attendance within an hour. later the council removed three caravans but they were moved back by the travellers in the evening. Next morning, however, the travellers departed.
Rookery’s new information boards
Four new boards containing historical and botanical information are in place in the Rookery. The content for the boards was developed by the Rookery Design Group as part of the Centenary Project (funded by Heritage Lottery Fund). The design was created by south London designer Michiko Nitta – www.michikonitta.co.uk.
New Floral Bed
The raised floral bed in the Rookery was replanted yesterday, based on Sunnyhill Primary School Eco-warriors’ winning entry in the Rookery Centenary Flowerbed Design.
Orchid found
A surprise discovery on the Nature Trail Walk on Tuesday the 8th was a flowering orchid, the first that anyone can recall on Streatham Common. It was identified as a Broad-leaved Helleborine.
Sundial returns
A brand new sundial is in place in the Rookery Gardens, although you won’t be able to examine it up close until the Heritage Lottery funded work on relaying the surrounding crazy paving has been completed. The new sundial is 100% brass. This makes it much less liable to suffer from vandalism than the previous slate sundial but much more likely to be stolen, which was the fate of the previous brass sundial! Next time steel, perhaps?