Agenda item

2. Sydenham Assembly Fund 2015-16

2.1    Cllr Curran said that Assembly Fund for 2015-16 is £12,500 and that organisations who had been shortlisted would be giving a short presentation describing their projects. After each presentation they Assembly would have the opportunity for to ask any questions.

2.2    Sarah Lang briefly outlined the selection process against the ward priorities and explained that the projects were not competing against each other as the total of the fund available was greater than the total of the value of the projects.

2.3    A summary booklet of the projects is attached to these minutes.

2.4    Music and rhyme for under fives ~ Friends of Sydenham Library

Ilsa Towler introduced the project which is a weekly music session for under 5’s and their parents. The current service attracts a group of father who have found it useful for supporting each other. There are also a number of speaker of other languages who bring their children to improve vocabulary for both parent and child. The sessions also improve confidence and develop social skills.

Q.     Cllr Onikosi asked how the sessions were advertised.

A.     Poster in the library and shops in the High Street, social media and word of mouth.

2.4    Film Club at TNG ~ Community Connections & TNG Centre

Denis Amoah said that the bid was a partnership between TNG and Community Connections. Although the TNG is a youth centre, they want to do something for the more mature members of the community so started a weekly film afternoon on a Friday. This started with 5-6 people and has now grown to 12-15 per week and provides the opportunity for  social contact too. The funding would support further growth as well intergenerational events during the school holidays.

Q.     How do you advertise?

A.     On our website, twitter, but mainly word of mouth.

Q.     How are the films chosen?

A.     The group select the films.

2.5    Sydenham events and entertainment ~ SEE3

Cllr Best explained that this bid is for events and entertainment for Sydenham High Street. The Easter event is growing and the Halloween Trail which involved about 40 traders attracted around 700 people this year together with the High Street Happenings at the monthly markets. The Halloween event is also running now in Forest Hill and Penge.

The Christmas event next Saturday 12^th December will be and Old Time Music Hall in the Sydenham Centre followed by the lighting up of the Christmas tree.

2.6    Sydenham becomes a Poetry Town ~ Sydenham Arts

         Helen Goward told the Assembly that the idea for this bid came from consultation for The Word on the Street event. It is a partnership with Kirkdale bookshop extending their poem of the week across the ward and introducing a children’s poem of the week. There are also plans for the celebration of the 500^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. Helen invited ideas for event and projects from attendees.

2.7    Sydenham Hearing Aid Support Service ~ Action on Hearing Loss

Beverley Leach explained that she was a Community Support Officer and part of her role is to develop volunteers who can support the delivery of the service in the community. The service includes advice, practical support and maintenance for hearing aids. There are currently two session per month at Sydenham Library but demand is growing. The bid would help them to increase the number of sessions and increase work in  the community by providing training and tool kits for volunteers.

2.8    Sydenham Library’s Community Crafts ~ Sydenham Library

         Ilsa said consultation carried out by Community Connections showed that there was need for craft session for their client group. Also the staff at Sydenham Gardens are seeking a range of activities in the community to refer their clients to build confidence. This bid is to run weekly craft sessions covering a wide range of crafts such as felting, jewellery making, and teddy bear making. The group will feed into planning for sessions. There will be 30 session in a year.

2.9    Develop the library café ~ Friends of Sydenham Library

         Annabel McLaren told the Assembly that the addition of the cafe to Sydenham Library has proved to be well received but the current facilities limit the range of food on offer. This bid is to improve this through the addition of a second sink and adding a dishwasher, updating plumbing and electrics. 

2.10A Greener Homecroft ~ The Greener Homecroft Project

Jenny, Rachel & Fidel introduced their project on behalf of all residents of Homecroft Road. They want to improve their environment by adding planters with shrubs to the street and holding a community planting day for everyone in the street. They have previously looked at planting trees, however the utilities under the pavements make it unsuitable. Fidel added that they want to plant flowers to make everyone happier.

2.11Having heard all the project details the Assembly was then asked to cast their votes for each project on the slip and these were collected for counting.

Booklet below.