Fundraising for Lee Green Lives has been ongoing and we have fortunately gained some small pots of funding from several trusts, including the Foyle Foundation, the Cooperative Community Trust, Awards for All, The Small and Faith Fund and the borough’s Neighbourhood Community Development Partnership (NCDP) which has enabled us continue to support and develop our program. The essential work covered has been the Advocacy Support Service, the Benefits Advice session and towards the payment of some of the sessional teachers. 

Last year we lost our Knitting teacher Julia Gemie after eight years of voluntary teaching (now replaced by Amanda Allen) and our Sewing teacher Clemencia Pacquette, who has been unwell (replaced by Karen Huggins) plus we’ve a new literacy teacher Alex Peach. All the classes are thriving with good attendance especially the seniors’ seated exercise which has doubled numbers, with the extra session being supported by the borough’s Neighbourhood Community Development Project grant.

Amanda has been responsible for developing a mural project with the Knitting class which will be decorating the windows of the project at the beginning of the autumn term. We were able to display the ‘results so far’ at both Manor House Gardens Festival and Lewisham People’s Day.

Helen Nicholas