Transforming lives through Kindness, Belief and Hope
Welcome to our October Newsletter
Welcome to all our lovely readers, we hope as it turns to Autumn you are enjoying the crisp mornings, crunchy, colourful leaves, and getting cosy in jumpers! This time of year can be full of joy and we hope Pecan will bring even more with our packed schedule of events for Black History Month, as well as even more going on in our Together Space.
As the days get shorter and Christmas is ever nearer, this can also be a really tough time for many. Pecan has a lot happening to support you through this time; from a warm, welcoming café serving up free soup and warm drinks, to Creative Writing classes and Oyster Days Out, and advice and support. You can find out more about what we have coming up by reading on.
Finally, with Christmas just around the corner, we are getting our Christmas campaign off the ground – Give a Gift of Hope aims to raise £45,000 for Pecans programmes, ensuring a little extra joy without the financial worry this Christmas and another year of providing quality services. We are asking anyone who can afford to do so, to give a little. Whether in cash, by dropping off some lovely stocking filler treats and/or donating (new) children’s books to go to the families we work with, to brighten up Christmas and the Festive period for everyone.
Fundraising Update
The Big Give
Women and Girls Match Fund: Between the 11 and 18th October 2023, if you donate to the Women’s Service via the Big Give website your donation will be doubled! So, if you donate £5, we receive £10! We are aiming to raise a total of £10,000. Donations will only count if through the Big Give website during this time, so please help us spread the word, ready to donate from 11 October.
Give a Gift of Hope 2023
‘… we are aiming to raise at least £45,000 this year to give a gift of hope this Christmas.’
Our Christmas Campaign will launch officially on 01 November – we are aiming to raise at least £45,000 this year to give a gift of hope this Christmas and to support our services well into 2024. Before then we are asking for donations of stocking filler treats, (new) children’s books and Christmas Foods for Foodbank. In addition to our usual services, we want to ensure that everyone can enjoy some festive cheer and will be providing goodie bags filled with books and Christmas treats through our Together community programme and Southwark Foodbank.
Pecan Day | 5 December 2023
Join us on Tuesday 5 December for #PecanDay2023. A day to support the people who access our services by hosting or joining a fundraising event on behalf of Pecan. Help transform people’s lives through Kindness, Belief and Hope (and maybe some silly outfits, baking cakes, collecting food!). All funds raised will be added to our Christmas Campaign Grand Total. Find out more here: Pecan Day 2023
London Bridge Collection
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers from Area who helped us collect £1,685.15 in September. The Banana costume proved to be a big hit!
The next collection is on 18 October by JP Morgan.
Warehouse Work
Four volunteers from JP Morgan will be giving the Warehouse a hand on 11 October.
Ride London 2024
We are very excited that the Holy Rollers will be taking to their bikes for us once again 26 May 2024. Please show your support for them and look out for donation links in 2024.
London Marathon 2024
‘I’m thrilled to be running on behalf of Pecan in my first ever London Marathon in 2024.’ Find out what inspired Ben to run his first marathon for Pecan.
Support Ben Nice here!
Main Feature | The Pecan Community
Black History Month
Black History Month UK promotes knowledge, understanding and recognition of Black history and achievements. It aims to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions made by Black people to the cultural and economic development of the UK.
'... the month is celebrated with over 6,000 events across the country...’
The UK version of Black History Month was founded in 1987 by Ghanaian-born Akyaaba Addai Sebo, a special projects officer at the Greater London Council (CLG) after visiting America, where it has been celebrated every February since 1970.
Akyaaba chose October in the UK for two reasons:
- Traditionally, October is when African chiefs and leaders gather to settle their differences, so Akyaaba chose this month to reconnect with African roots.
- Additionally, many thought that since it was the beginning of the new academic year, October would give Black children a sense of pride and identity.
Today, the month is celebrated with over 6,000 events across the country. There is plenty of debate around Black History Month, but in the main it is considered to be of huge value in shining a light on people of African or Caribbean backgrounds and their part within British History. It highlights the many achievements and contributions black figures, past and present, have made to society, which has often been overlooked, ignored, or distorted.
This year’s theme is Black Joy and Pecan has a programme of events planned – some for our members and others open to all within the community: Full details here: Black History and Community Events at Pecan
Food Services
Southwark Foodbank
We have new members in our Foodbank Team!
'They've brought with them experience of local and corporate business and they have lots of ideas to support and enhance the operations of both Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry.’
Over the last month, we’ve welcomed three new members of the Southwark Foodbank team. Shahid Mughal joined as Interim Head of Food Programmes overseeing the work of Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry. James Mowbray joined as Operations Manager managing the warehouse and food supply for both Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry. And Daniel Douglas joined as Foodbank Administrator supporting the daily running of foodbank Introduce new team members.
They’ve brought with them experience of local and corporate business and they have lots of ideas to support and enhance the operations of both Southwark Foodbank and Peckham Pantry. In addition to these new starters, we’re also excited to welcome Natasha a Citizens Advice support worker who will be working with the foodbank clients to maximise their income. We expect this additional support to be a tremendous help for clients.
Please note Re: Donations: We cannot take alcohol or medicine, and any baby items, please donate to Babybank: https://littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks/
Guarantee our Essentials campaign
Pecan and Southwark Foodbank are supporting the Guarantee our Essentials campaign calling for the UK government to reform Universal Credit to ensure that everyone can afford the essentials we all need to get by. Last month, we held a stall outside Peckham Rye Station, inviting everyone from the local community to come and show support for the campaign and our work. Thank you to all those who stopped to sign the petition and talk about the campaign. Join us in calling for an Essentials Guarantee and sign the petition here.
If you would like to find out more about why we support the Guarantee Our Essentials campaign, and about our local campaigning group Voices for Southwark, please contact us via email.
Peckham Pantry
Come and join our coffee morning at Peckham Pantry at St Luke’s Church (Chandler Way, SE15 6DT) on Wednesday 18 October from 10-11am. Everyone is welcome, we’re looking forward to seeing you there!
For further information or any questions, please contact:
Flora on 07929 999 006.
Women's Service
This Black History Month, Women’s Service will be having a Black History Month themed activity at every Tuesday drop-in, and a bonus activity on Thursday 27 October before the Hub Lunch (catered for by the lovely Guncha). The drop-ins are Tuesday and Thursday, from 10.30am-12.30pm at the Peckham Hub. They are as follows
- 3 October: Batik design or fabric designs with Naomi
- 10 October: Drum making workshop.
- 17 October: Maggie’s creative writing class.
- 25 October: Doreen’s activity and sit-down history talk, and gender alliance visitor coming in.
- 27 October: Hub lunch and open mic to read the creative writing.
We also have our workshops on:
- Tuesdays: Movement with Lisa: 12noon-1pm at Peckham Hub, Black Women’s Mental Health Group 2.30-4pm at the Peckham Hub.
- Wednesdays: Wellbeing with Alex on Zoom 2-2.45pm.
- Thursdays: (starting 12 October): Clean Break Poetry Workshop: 12noon-1pm at Peckham hub, Beginner’s Spanish with Alyssa, 2.30-3.30pm also at the Peckham Hub.
Recurring events
Kathleen’s Mental Health Drop In: All welcome: 2-3pm last Tuesday of every month at the Peckham Hub.
Employment
As a Southwark Works partner, we provide a range of 1-2-1 support and workshops to parents and carers looking to get back into work. We provide:
- Every Wednesday: Weekly outreach at Southwark Works, 376 Walworth Road, SE17 2NG
- Every Thursday: Weekly outreach at Job Centre Plus (JCP), 24-26Peckham High St, London SE15 5DS
- Monthly Coffee Mornings: A chance to discuss the support available as well as current information relating to Universal Credit and childcare support.
Pecan started to deliver the Families and Unpaid Carers programme in July 2023, so far, we have registered 92 local people who are receiving support to secure sustainable employment. To date, 3 people have been successful in gaining work with a further 6 awaiting the completion of background checks and DBS certificates. We have also successfully trained 22 of our clients at accredited Level 2 in Safeguarding Children and Young People, and Pediatric First Aid. If you would like to find out how to register for employment support, please contact employment.support@pecan.org.uk
Pop in to book an appointment with one of our advisors or email employmentsupport@pecan.org.uk
Together
Together is Pecan’s Community and Life-skills programme.
At Together we are offering a range of activities aimed at providing a social space for the community, a chance to learn new skills, get support with a range of life-skills (setting up a phone, filling out forms online, budgeting etc). As well as opportunities to volunteer and/or to lead your own sessions and try out ideas in our space.
Please get in touch to let us know what you want to see happening in your community: together@pecan.org.uk
Engagement
We have been at several engagement events recently including Films for Food at The Green, Nunhead; Peckham Festival; and Southwark’s Ageing Well Celebration & Information Event, which took place on Saturday 30 September at Mountview Academy.
Events
Financial Health Advice Day: Thursday 19 October, 10am – 3pm. For London Challenge Poverty Week, Pecan will be joined by a host of fabulous Financial Health and Debt Advice providers at our Pantry and Together Space. This is an opportunity to meet some of the providers who can offer support and advice, find out more about what’s on offer, start filling in forms to access support and understand what you are eligible for. You can shop at the Pantry, have a cup of tea in our Together Space and the first 100 visitors will receive a goodie bag!
Advice providers include: E.ON, Pecan with Citizen’s Advice and ThamesReach, Felix Project, HACT, Elifinity and Southwark Council.
Where: Peckham Pantry, 49-53 Peckham Park Road, SE15 6TU and Together at Pecan, 121a Peckham High Street, SE15 5SE.
Creative Writing: Creative writing is back for a new term, this time delivered by Wordsmith. Our Creative Writing for Wellbeing Taster Session takes place on Monday 16 October 11am-12.30pm. This will be followed by a 6-week course (dated tbc) and a final celebration and sharing event.
Together Café: Our FREE café takes place ever Monday and Tuesday 1-3pm. Join us for a soup and a roll, a warm drink, and snacks as well as good company. There are board games and books available on site.
Bread and Salt: A welcoming drop in café for Arabic speakers (all welcome to join). Fridays from 10am-12noon.
Volunteering Opportunities
Community events and useful links
- Black History Month at Pecan | Venue: Together
- Film Screening of Not Our Problem (1984) Southwark Archive Library, Tuesday 17 October, 12-2pm with Light Refreshments afterwards.
- Craft in Together: every Tuesday in October, 10.30am -12.30pm, our café will host a range of craft sessions inspired by Black artists, heritage, and culture. Join us to get crafty, relax and experience the benefits of creative activity.
- Book Club: The Book Club will meet on Thursday 9 November, 1-3pm to discuss our BHM pick ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernadine Evaristo. We will be giving away 10 copies of this book to the first 10 people who sign up to attend the Bookclub. Further copies can be found in Peckham Library or purchased widely. If you are interested, please contact together@pecan.org.uk
- Exhibition ‘Street Portraits’ by Kitty throughout October in our Together space.
- Women’s photography workshop with Myah Jeffers and Usemi project will be starting during the month with a full exhibition of the works planned for early in 2024.
- Recipe cards will be available from Together and at the Pantry with easy, affordable, healthy recipes that celebrate Black Joy: many of the ingredients can be found in our Pantry.
- Social Media: Keep an eye on our social media for our top picks of books, poems, songs, recipes and more celebrating Black Joy, black history, and achievements.
Black History Events | Southwark Council
- Belham Primary School Outdoor Screenings | 7 & 8 October | Hidden Figures and Cool Runnings | LINK
- London International Pan-African Film Festival (London PAFF) | Pan-African cinema and screens films produced in Africa and its diaspora from all over the world | 03 to 08 October 2023 | West Norwood Picture House, London SE27 9JU | LINK
Community Events
Appau-Jnr Boakye Yiadom: Reading Group | FREE | Wednesday 25 October | 6.30-7.30pm | South London Gallery | LINK
The Repair Cafe, Nunhead | Saturday 28 October | 1-4pm | LINK
- Running Club ‘Runhead’ | Meeting point: The Old Nun’s Head (15 Nunhead Grn, London SE15 3QQ) | every Tuesday at 7.25pm, to run at 7.30pm | LINK
Migrant Makers Market Exhibition | Migration Museum, Lewisham Shopping Centre | LINK
- Black Cultural Archives | Workshops and Events | LINK
