Despite setbacks and uncertainties, we have come out stronger and much more positive about the future of the hub. Thanks for your support – over 450 people signed our petition to save the hub, and many more came in to offer encouragement and appreciation. We couldn’t have asked for more and hope you will be reaping the benefits in 2025 when we can expand our offer to the local community.
As the year draws to a close, we can look back with real pride at the range of activities, regular classes and community events that we have hosted. We have been able to offer free workshops and talks, drama and comedy, a full kids programme, as well as a diverse range of fitness and wellbeing workshops, classes and retreats.
The Carnegie Community Lounge has been well used for community events throughout the year. We hosted two Death cafe’s. These successful evenings offer a chance to talk openly about all aspects of death; from end-of-life planning to grief and support. Local charity Loughborough Junction Action Group held their staff away day for over 40 people involved in grass roots local projects. And we opened up our Space for Spring Festivals at the hub when we screened Herne Hill Free film festival’s award-winning film, The Holdovers, as well as offering free space to 5 local artists wanting to show their work as part of the Dulwich Festival Open House.
We were glad to have the Road to Freedom exhibition: Ending Slavery in Britain up on the walls, and to facilitate the running of free poetry writing workshops inspired by the exhibits. Another exhibition shown at the hub this year was the Creative Voices Collective’s Exhibition showcasing work made in a variety of workshops and exploring how the creative arts can support mental health and wellbeing,
The beautiful large rooms are perfect for drama and performance. ran free drama workshops. We trialled being an umbrella host organisation for the group Theatre group Balancing Act to run a programme of free drama workshops. This worked really well and we hope to continue to develop and nurture partnerships. The lively group at Totally Unscripted held a fun and successful series of Totally unscripted comedy workshops at the Hub, and we welcomed South London Youth Theatre to the hub for their weekly rehearsals.
Kids drama classes at Perform continued weekly and they held holiday camps that put on Rapunzel at Easter, Super Hero Summer Camp and Aladdin. There have been coding clubs, dance and Karate classes as well as numerous kids parties throughout the year.
Regular fitness and wellbeing classes have been at the heart of our mission to support physical, emotional and mental health. Each week starts with free Monday evening Meditation sessions, we host regular Yoga classes and workshops that appeal to all ages and abilities as well as seasonal Yoga retreats (winter, spring, summer and autumn) and the popular monthly Gong baths are back again.
We are pleased to support local charities and grassroots groups and were happy to welcome Champions 4 Change – Boxing Fitness Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes offering free boxing for adults on Saturday mornings. We hosted monthly – National Autistic Society Coffee Mornings at the Hub, and have continued to hold the regular Herne Hill ward councillors surgeries every month.
Autumn was busy with Project Smith, working with NHS and Lambeth, running free Community Connector Training out of the Hub. Local entrepreneur and businesswoman, Elle Moss brought different sections of the community tougher with the Launch of New Born or Made in Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction. This new networking is going from strength to strength with regular meetings and talks from inspiring guest speakers.
We have held talks and consultations and recently we’ve been excited to support local resident, Dr Francisco Diego who is an astronomer and academic at UCL in his work nurturing interest in astronomy. Great to see such a full and varied group of curious minds at his lecture on Aliens Exploring the Possibility of alien intelligence in the universe! And his questioning behind the story of the Star of Bethlehem is a wonderful way into the Christmas season.
And finally, there has been so much music and singing at the hub this year! From the earliest years – welcome to French music class Les Petit Tigres , and to Singing Mamas, song sharing group for mothers, bumps, babies and toddlers! Meanwhile our community choir in residence, Raise the Roof Choir, are here every Thursday evening and have offered fun Saturday singing sessions, concerts and ceilidhs celebrating the seasons as they change.
Enjoy the festive season – Cheers! 🎄