Transforming lives through Kindness, Belief and Hope
Please note all Pecan services are closed on:
Monday 18 September for All Staff Training. We will be open as normal on Tuesday 19 September.
Welcome to our September Newsletter
Lovely readers, welcome back! We hope you have enjoyed the summer months, regardless of the unseasonably Autumnal weather. We have been keeping ourselves very busy: all our services have been open as usual, you can catch up with them all further on in the newsletter.
We have welcomed our new Together Coordinator, Vashti Henry, a fabulous addition to our team who will be working hard to bring you a full programme of events in our together space. Vashti comes to us from Southwark Wellbeing Hub and has lots of ideas for Together, so please join us in welcoming her to Pecan and Peckham.
Christmas 2023
We are also working on some extremely exciting projects: our Christmas Campaign (I know, sorry!) will be launched in November, so there is lots to do to get it ready.
We will be asking for donations of Christmas treats (stocking fillers like chocolate, sweets etc.) and new children’s books (0-15yrs) to give out to families we work with. So, if you can give anything, please do drop it off at Pecan.
Business Plan
We are also working on our latest Business Plan – looking at what we can do better, where there are gaps, and what our community actually wants and needs from us: we would love to hear from YOU. If you have any thoughts on what you think Pecan should be doing that would support the community and help tackle poverty in all its forms, then please email together@pecan.org.uk or pop in to leave your suggestion in our suggestion box.
Finally, if you use any of our services, please do think about joining us as a member: a short form will ensure we have the correct details on our database and you will enjoy receiving our newsletters and information about what is going on as well as being the first to know about upcoming trips, activities and fun.
Fundraising Update | A BIG Thank you to ...
Our 2023 Big Hike runners Dan, Ryan and Euan
The Big Half
The London Big Half took place on Sunday 3 September. Our fabulous runners: Dan, Ryan and Euan were amazing, and they are aiming to raise at least £1,500 (£500 per runner). Help us reach our target by donating here until 3 October 2023 : pecan.enthuse.com/cf/the-big-half-for-pecan
London Bridge Bucket Collections
August Bucket Collection: Corporate volunteers Chloe, Joseph, Duncan, Danielle and Charlotte
We raised a total of £3,041.03 over the two collections.
London Bridge Collections – July and August 2023
Thank you so much to our wonderful corporate volunteers who helped with our July and August collections: Ofcom, Four Front and Ardonagh. We raised a total of £3,041.03 over the two collections.
Upcoming Fundraising Events and Challenging
The Big Give: Women & Girls Match Fund: We are taking part in The Big Give Women & Girls Match Fund campaign taking place 11-18 October. During this week any donations given via the Big Give platform, up to £5,000, will be match funded by The Big Give, giving us a possible total of £10,000! towards our Women’s Service. More details coming soon…
Ride London 2024:
We have 6 riders (The Holy Rollers) who will be riding for Pecan Sunday 26 May.
Bucket Collections and Information Stalls
We will have bucket collections and stalls at the following events:
- Govia Thameslink Engagement Day, 10am – 2pm, Friday 8 September | Outside Peckham Rye Station.
- Peckham Festival | Copeland Park, Saturday 16 September
- London Bridge Station | Wednesday 27 September, 7 – 10am (upstairs by Platforms 1-5)
- International Older People’s Day | Saturday 30 September
Main Feature | The Pecan Community
Creative Pecan
This month our main feature is by Pecan’s Marketing Manager Tracey, and she shares the creativity behind the blue door at 121a Peckham High Street.
Pecan has lots of creative people who access our services, volunteer and work with us. September is a busy month in Peckham with art, design, theatre and film festivals, so we’re highlighting our creative skills and activities.
'... we were part of the community sessions at Peckham Levels and Lucie from Drawing People Together ran a collaborative creative session exploring ‘what Pecan means to me.’
Peckham Festival 2023
Creative Pecan | Friday 15 September,
Together Space from 12-2pm
This year we’re holding a small Peckham Festival event at our Together space to focus on the creativity of our Women’s Service, Together and Food Services.
At our Creative Pecan event, Ernette who is a ceramicist will lead a dry clay session which is a perfect wellbeing exercise. We’ll have a writer from our Creatives Sessions who will read extracts from their latest work and our engagement group will reveal their new logo. To come along, email Tracey.
At last year’s festival we were part of the community sessions at Peckham Levels and Lucie from Drawing People Together ran a collaborative creative session exploring ‘what Pecan means to me.’ There was also an exhibition at Pecan featuring work from users of our service, local artists, volunteers, and staff, exhibiting as part of London Design Week.
Local photographers from London Design Week 2022, Joan Byrne and John Iona
Photography
Local photographer Julia Hawkins has been kindly coming to Pecan and taking photographs to help us build up a library of images to celebrate the work we do. Julia doesn’t just come along and snap away, she has conversations with everyone and creates a relaxed atmosphere, so everyone becomes comfortable and feels part of the process.
Myah Jeffers [photographer] is working on a long-term project with Usemi, a Black women’s mental health drop-in based at our Women’s Service. The women who access the service will be involved and work with Myah to curate the project and the final pieces of work.
Myah Jeffers [photographer] is working on a long-term project with Usemi, a Black women’s mental health drop-in based at our Women’s Service
Poetry and Prose
Confidence as writers and a writing community to share it with was the outcome of our six-week Creative Workshops, and a selection of work by locals who joined is displayed on the walls at Pecan. Attendees felt it improved their speaking and writing skills which gave them confidence to write their own story. We’re looking forward to hearing a reading at our Together space.
Voices for Southwark
Voices for Southwark colouring poster and the team creating a logo with Lucie from Drawing People Together
Our Food Services Community Organising Group “Voices for Southwark” (who meet-up monthly to discuss and plan campaigns to make life fairer in our borough) had a creative session with Lucie from Drawing People Together. They worked collaboratively in the workshop to creatively express their work, vision and campaigns. As part of Pecan’s holistic approach to support people to make the changes they want, whether through starting a campaign or leading a workshop, we are here to offer a community through kindness, belief and hope. Read more about Voices for Southwark in our last Pecan newsletter.
The SE5 Community
Draw and Drink Camberwell Jack, is behind this fabulous drawing project that fundraises for Southwark Foodbank. Every third Wednesday at the Grove Tavern in Camberwell you can meet up to doodle, join in drawing games and fundraise.
Next event: Monday 18 September at 7pm, The Grove Tavern, Camberwell
Films for Food
Over the last few years during the Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival there has been a Films for Food Screening. This year we have a screening of ‘Dance Craze’ on 7 September, 8pm at The Green Nunhead, and a donation of an urgently required food would be welcomed at this free screening.
Drink and Draw and Films for Food Screening Dance Craze
All our projects and collaborators are on Instagram – so follow, like and share the work they do: @Drawing.People.Together @JuliaHawkins @Myahismyname @drink_draw_camberwell @_pnfff @nunheadcommunitycinema @thegreennunhead @Southwark.design @womensservicepecan
Food Services
Southwark Foodbank
During the summer it has been great to have additional support available in sessions for clients.
A support worker from Thames Reach has been in sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays and a Citizens Advice caseworker has been in sessions on Thursdays. This is in addition to Peter, Southwark Foodbank’s Client Support Lead being available at most sessions supporting clients with applications for local welfare grants and ensuring clients are aware of any additional support they are eligible for. Plus, we are already seeing the impact offering the additional support has on our clients.
Changes at Southwark Foodbank
As we move into autumn and the weather starts to change, it’s the season for change at Southwark Foodbank.
We say farewell to Sharon, Head of Community Food Projects who is leaving Pecan for pastures new. We wish her all the very best with her future endeavours.
We also say farewell to Nick our Warehouse Coordinator who is also leaving Pecan. We’re grateful that he will kindly pop in to volunteer from time to time. We wish him all the best for the future.
And finally, Emily, who previously worked as Foodbank Administrator has moved into a new role in Food Services. We wish her well in her new role. Next month, we will introduce you to two new team members of the foodbank team and share more about the exciting work Emily will be doing.
Later this month and in October, we’ll be visiting different schools in the borough doing assemblies for Harvest. Thanks in advance to the schools who have already planned collections and visits.
Please note Re: Donations: We cannot take medicine and any baby items, please donate to Babybank: https://littlevillagehq.org/uk-baby-banks/
Engagement & Campaigns
Pecan and Southwark Foodbank are supporting the The Trussell Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s campaign to Guarantee our Essentials. The campaign calls on the UK government for an ‘Essentials Guarantee’ to make sure that the basic rate of Universal Credit is at least enough to afford the essentials we all need, such as food, household bills and travel costs.
We will be outside Peckham Rye station on Friday 8 September from 10am-2pm to talk about this national campaign, as well as our local campaigning activities and other work at Pecan. Come by to support the campaign and have a chat!
Peckham Pantry
The team at Peckham Pantry would like to say ‘A Big Thank You to all who supported us during August. We gave a call out for support, and we were very moved by the kindness, belief and hope from our community. ‘
Thank you to our summer helpers!
Women's Service
The Big Give: Women & Girls Match Fund: We are delighted to announce that we will be part of the Big Give Women & Girls Match Fund campaign taking place 11-18 October. During this week any donations given via the Big Give platform – up to £5,000 – will be match funded by The Big Give, allowing us a possible total of £10,000 towards our Women’s Service. You can only give during the campaign week, so we will be sharing information and inspiration leading up to it, and during that week.
Coffee Morning Drop Ins: Every Tuesday and Thursday from 10.30am-12.30pm at the Peckham Hub (All Saints Church Hall, Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QS). Tea, coffee, pastries, arts and crafts!
Coffee Morning Drop Ins
Every Tuesday and Thursday from 10.30am-12.30pm at the Peckham Hub (All Saints Church Hall, Blenheim Grove, SE15 4QS). Tea, coffee, pastries, arts and crafts!
Workshops
Tuesday: 2.30-4pm Black Women’s Mental Health Group at the Peckham Hub
Wednesdays: 2pm-2:45pm Wellbeing with Alex on zoom! (Email us for link)
Thursday: Starting from 7 September – Beginner’s Spanish with Alyssa, 2.30-3.30pm at the Peckham Hub.
More autumn workshops TBC!
Recurring events
Hub Lunch: 12.30-2pm on the last Thursday of every month at the Peckham Hub
Kathleen’s Mental Health Drop In: 2-3pm on the last Tuesday of every month at the Peckham Hub
Focus Group: Last Thursday of every month 11.30-12.30pm at the Peckham Hub, run by Sophie.
International Women’s Day 2024
We have something very exciting and top secret planned for International Women’s Day (8 March 2024), we are looking for sponsorship to help us cover the costs and for a hair stylist: if you would like to be find out more about our big plans and donate towards it, please contact us on womansservices@pecan.org.uk
Employment
Southwark Works: Pecan is now a part of Southwark Works: southwarkworks.com which offers free employment support service for anyone living in the London borough of Southwark.
Pecan provides ongoing, personalised employment support to parents with a child or children under 16yrs, and to unpaid carers looking to get back into employment (full-time or part-time).
We offer confidential one-to-one appointments to discuss your barriers to work and we will support you to achieve your goals. We have new accredited training on offer for all our clients and it is free.
Pop in to book an appointment with one of our advisors or email employmentsupport@pecan.org.uk
- Our next drop-in coffee morning are on Thursday 7 and 28 September.
- We are hosting a CV clinic on Friday 22 September. Please contact us to book your session.
School Uniform Vouchers
As part of our cash first approach, we aim to ensure everyone can choose what they buy and when. We have therefore piloted a voucher scheme aimed at supporting families to buy school essentials. Twenty two £50 vouchers have been given out to support parents in buying school uniforms ready for the new school year (although they are not restricted and so can be used wherever they are needed most, school supplies, uniforms, or food). We hope to be able to continue this scheme with even more vouchers next year.
Together
I am delighted to have joined the team here at Pecan as the newly appointed Together Coordinator.
I am a Southwark native born and raised with a background in community engagement I love living and working in a multicultural borough, engaging, and supporting people from all backgrounds.
I am excited to be a part of Pecan’s new Together Hub project which exists in connecting communities together in overcoming social isolation by providing support and activities to equip the community with their mental and physical wellbeing.
Pecan currently has a twice-weekly Community Café, a welcoming space where you can have a warm soup, tea, coffee, and refreshments. Visitors can sit quietly, have a chat, or join in discussions and activities. We will also be delivering workshops with the opportunity to explore your needs and meet others who share similar experiences.
We accept self-referrals, so do pop by, and say hello if you are in the area.
If you are interested in joining our activities, volunteering your time, or contributing as a facilitator or partnership, then please do get in touch for further information.
Email. together@pecan.org.uk | Tel. 0207 732 0007
A new programme of activities and events will be available soon but for now we have plenty going on, so please do come by and say hello.
Oyster Day: Our next Oyster Day out will be to Style and Society: Dressing the Georgians at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 12 September. We will meet at the Together space before heading out together to the exhibition.
If you are interested in attending, please contact us together@pecan.org.uk or call us on 020 7732 0007
Volunteering Opportunities
Community events and useful links
- Dance Craze ‘Films for Films for Food’ Screening | Thursday 7 September | 8pm (doors 7.30pm) | Food donations welcomed at this Films for Food screening. Southwark Foodbank September Shopping List | The Green Nunhead , 5 Nunhead Green SE15 3QQ
- Drink and Draw | Monday 18 September | Community fundraising event for Southwark Foodbank | Grove House Tavern, 26 Camberwell Grove, London SE5 8RE
- Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival | 1-10 September | Free films throughout SE15. freefilmfestivals.org/filmfestival/peckham-nunhead
- Peckham Festival | 15 –17 September | www.peckhamfestival.org
- Windrush 75 – Let’s Make Music & Dance | 16 September, 1-6pm
www.southwark.gov.uk/events-culture-and-heritage Boy.Brother.Friend Event | Saturday 16 September 2023, 1-9 pm | South London Gallery | 65–67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH
- Dementia Friendly Conversations | Dulwich Gallery | 11am-12noon
www.southwark.gov.uk/events-culture-and-heritage - Trampoline CIC Open Day at Peckham Levels | Thursday 21 September | 10am-2pm | trampolinecic.org
