Three Peaks Challenge this Saturday - can you hack it?

A new circular walking route is being launched in Lewisham, with a special event in aid of two charities supporting young people.

The Lewisham Three Peaks Challenge is a sponsored walk taking place on 16 July 2016, starting at 11.00am in Hilly Fields, SE4.  It will follow the route of the new Three Peaks Green Route, which links up the hilly parks of Hilly Fields. One Tree Hill and Blythe Hill with the shops and cafes of Crofton Park, Honor Oak and Ladywell.

A group of local residents has produced an illustrated map and guide to the walk with funding from Ladywell Assembly.  The 5-mile circular route passes through parks and historic cemeteries, as well visiting some popular shopping streets, with plenty of pubs and cafes for refreshment stops.  The guide includes interesting historical information and suggests what to look out for along the way. For people coming from outside the area – or who want a short cut - there are plenty of transport links to join the route.

To launch the new walk, residents have teamed up with the Stephen Lawrence Trust and For Jimmy.

A sponsored walk on Saturday 16 July will ‘christen’ the circular route and raise money for the charities. Money is also being raised from the donations received for the maps and from sales of a special limited edition ‘Lewisham 3 Peaks Challenge’ t-shirt. This has been designed by Guardian cartoonist and local resident, Martin Rowson.

Further information available on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Lewisham-3-Peaks-Challenge-1034541099971217/) or Twitter (@Brockley3Peaks).

You can also sign up to raise money for the charities at bit.ly/1OBS7rN

Ladywell 'Pre-loved' Sale this Weekend 3-4 October

There will be another of these previously successful co-ordinated front-garden sales this Saturday and Sunday between 11.00am and 4.00pm.

If you'd like to participate you will find fuller information at https://www.facebook.com/MyLadywell, and if you send an email to myladywell@gmail.com then MyLadywell will be able to add your address to the publicity material so that footfall past your house is maximised!

Robert Sheppard

What future for the Ladywell Baths (aka 'The Playtower')?

All of us are keen to see this semi-derelict local landmark brought back into use.

It remains in Council ownership but since the dissolution of the Trust, established about 5 years back (by the local voluntary sector and a church), and £500k+ works by the Council to weatherproof the building, little clear progress has been made towards finding a viable plan, not least because works costing upwards of £3m will be required before the building can be used.

The Council continues to look at options for raising funds to bring the building back into productive use, but there are significant challenges to overcome.  There have been ongoing discussions with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) about schemes, which could help overcome the investment hurdle (Heritage Enterprise and Heritage Grants being the two obvious funding streams).  The Council is also in contact with a ‘heritage consultant’ who has previously developed a number of successful HLF proposals.

The Council has indicated only this week that it is open to viable community proposals for the building’s future but, inevitably, everything will hang on securing the significant investment required.

The last full assessment of refurbishment cost was undertaken over 7yrs ago.  Then the estimated cost of restoring the building to basic productive use as offices was £2.3m, but since then costs will have risen significantly, and there is asbestos to remove which will make refurbishment even more complicated.

The Council could yet decide to dispose of the site, though the building’s condition and Grade II listed status, plus the site constraints, may make it unattractive to developers.  The only area where new build would be possible is a rectangular area at the rear of the site, adjacent to St.Mary's Churchyard. 

Anyone interested in joining potential discussions, later in the Summer, on developing viable community proposals for the site - which will need to include significant public and/or private investment and some sort of income generation plan plan - should contact ladywell.info@gmail.co.uk

Robert Sheppard