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Nice write up of a trip to Severndroog Castle in Shooters Hill. It might seem unlikely, but this little known gem of south east London is within walking distance of Catford, if you like walking as much as we do.

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Looking for something to do today? Pop over to Chinbrook Meadows for the Family Fun Day and dog show. Lots going on including a bike jumble and Dr Bike repairs with Lewisham Cyclists.

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Sunday 21 August is Lewisham Fire Station Open Day, when you can pretend to be a firefighter (and who doesn't want to do that?). Wonderful volunteers from London Air Ambulance will be on hand to answer questions too. Pop by from 11 till 4.

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Archibalds are opening a sister branch to their popular cafe in Lee on Sangley Rd in Catford, in the unit which is currently Zenith Chicken, and they're looking for a cook. Details above!

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Tom from Lambeth Defend the Ten talking at the Save Lewisham Libraries demo earlier today

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Our friends in Hither Green are looking for volunteers to help run Hither Green Cinema - pop along to their meeting on Monday to find out more.

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March to save Catford libraries this Saturday

Library campaigners plan to gather this Saturday (20th August) to protest the £1m cuts to Lewisham Council’s library budget, which will see staff removed from four libraries across the borough.

Under current plans, Forest Hill, Catford, Torridon Rd and Manor House libraries will lose staff as the council is looking to hand over responsibility for the libraries to community organisations.

The council says it has to make budget cuts of £45m over the next two years and closing the libraries and cutting staff would save around £1m. However, the Save Lewisham Libraries campaign group believes that the cuts could be easily reversed by using a small percentage of the council’s reserves.

Campaigners also fear that if the council cannot find any community groups to run the libraries, agency staff will be brought in at a greater cost to the council than the experienced staff who are losing their jobs or that staff from other libraries will be asked to step in, leading to “substantially reduced opening hours.

Lucy Mangan at Torridon Rd Library. Photo: the Guardian

The march, organised by Save Lewisham Libraries, will see protestors call on the council to reverse its decision and reinstate staff at the four libraries currently under threat.

Library user and march organiser Ian Crosson said: “Despite overwhelming local opposition, the council is pressing ahead with its plans to remove staff from libraries in Hither Green, Forest Hill and Catford. They want volunteers to run the libraries, but we’ve seen borrowing rates plummet where this has happened elsewhere in the borough. These plans will bring our libraries dangerously close to being shut down altogether. Volunteer delivered library services simply can’t offer the skilled support, range of materials and safe public space that properly staffed and resourced library branches provide.“

Crosson added: “Growing numbers of libraries across London and the UK are being handed over to volunteer groups, and many are in danger of closing their doors for good as a result. In Lewisham we’re sending a clear message that this is not what residents want. Mayor Sir Steve Bullock must now choose whether or not he’ll listen and reverse this damaging cut. We hope he’ll take this opportunity to restore the lifeblood of Lewisham’s communities.”

Demonstrators will meet at 12pm and march from Catford Town Hall to Lewisham Library to protest the cut. The march on Saturday follows a demonstration in May, which saw hundreds of people march to support the campaign to save Lewisham’s libraries.

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Othello is coming to Catford Broadway theatre on 14th and 15th March as part of the Catford upon Avon festival and they’re offering a discount to the good people of Catford: quote BARD12 when ringing the box office on 0208 690 0002 and the ticket price will be reduced to £12 (instead of £14). Hurrah!

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Catford Film are a community group screening monthly events locally, and have ambitions to expand their events calendar with Catford's first free film festival. They've secured some funding & are hoping to raise additional funds to run an event that will last for several days, with an opening and closing gala screening, and several locally hosted screenings at open spaces, bars etc. Plus, they have an excellent logo. They've got our backing.

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1st March - the official opening date of Good Food Catford - is almost here! Though locals have been getting stuck in early. These photos were taken on the first day of the doors being open to the public so some bits of the shop were still being put together, but we like what we’ve seen (and eaten) so far. 

The bread (delivered by bike from Cooper’s Bakehouse) is a particularly welcome addition as while we have some great shops in the local area - including the much loved Torridon Stores on Torridon Rd and the family-run butchers David Oakman and Son - none of them pride themselves on fancy bread. Those of us with a penchant for pricey sourdough can consider our prayers answered - I’ve managed to get through three loaves already. The coffee’s great too, and we’ve heard rave reviews of the brownies.

All the best to owner Vicky with the official launch - we look forward to becoming regulars.

Good Food Catford is at 7 Sandhurst Market, SE6 1DL.

Website: http://goodfood.org.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodFoodCatford/

Opening hours: to be confirmed, but indications suggest it’ll be 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday - closed Sundays.

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Progress at the site of new shop Good Food Catford, hopefully opening on Sandhurst Parade later this month. Watch this space for updates.

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Sadly not in Catford, though within walking distance if you're determined: the Fat Walrus has opened on Lewisham Way in New Cross. Formerly the rather forlorn and usually mostly empty Old Habadashers, it was just the right amount of busy when we popped by on Sunday afternoon with families, students and (for some reason) dog owners enjoying the beer and burgers. The website's under development, so check out their Twitter feed for the menu, offers and news about their opening party on 3rd Feb. https://twitter.com/fatwalruspub

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play area, lewisham, london. 1972 brian yale

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I’m here for about 14 hours a day. It’s a long day.

To have something that the public really like and appreciate gives me great satisfaction. That’s why I’m doing it, that’s why I’m out here. Financially it’s not worth it for the hours that I put in to it in this particular set up – in a shop yes. I know people do like my food so I can make a living but I’m not making a huge profit.

Giving my customers something they really enjoy and knowing I produced everything from scratch, gives me great satisfaction and pleasure.

#HumansOfLewisham #Lewisham #Catford

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In more Broadway Theatre related news, this’ll be of interest to local Shakespeare fans. If you’re on Twitter give @AvonCatford a follow. 

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Not for the first time the Evening Standard’s Homes and Property magazine features Catford as an ideal location for those priced out of Brixton and Dulwich. Oi, whose estates are you calling ugly?