Herbal remedies from Sue Godfrey Nature Park at Deptford Lounge

The Bureau of Urban Wilds is an art project by Rebecca Beinart that was launched by Up Projects in July as part of their Secret Garden Project.

Rebecca held workshops that included making herbal remedies from the wild plants and flowers growing in the Sue Godfrey Nature Park right next to Crossfields Estate. Although we unfortunately missed the workshops, we caught up with her over the weekend in the Nature Park, and her "bureau" is now on show in the Deptford Lounge till the end of this week (Sunday).

The bureau is the culmination of the work she did in the park and at Creekside Centre, and you can find pots of remedies made in the workshops, along with a map of a walk she led around Deptford's green spaces, and other informative bits and pieces. Rebecca will be producing a recipe book of remedies gathered from Deptford residents and is inviting people to contribute via the bureau. If you have some favourite recipes (perhaps passed down through your family) why not pass them on?

When we found her in the park on Sunday, we learned how to make a remedy from the Hawthorn berry (good for regulating the heart) and Rosehips (a great source of Vitamin C), both of which are growing in abundance in the park right now. We tasted a lovely relish made of hawthorn berries, a gorgeous tasting Rosehip syrup, and had a tot of elderberry vodka (good for warding off colds) from elderberries harvested in the park over summer.

All you need is a little knowledge on how to recognise the edible (and free) seasonal ingredients that can be found in the nature park (it's berry time), plus some recipes and some patience, a mesh strainer, and honey, vinegar, water or alcohol to make either teas or delicious syrups and foodstuffs. Perfect for these austere times – and all on your doorstep.

Deptford X has started...on your doorstep

This "Flash Mob" event yesterday marked the beginning of Deptford X Visual Arts Festival, now in its 15th year. You may have got a sense that something was up since artists have been scurrying around for the past couple of days getting ready for this festival.

Deptford X 2013 opened on Friday and is open today, and next week from Thur 3rd-Sunday 6th October. Go to www.deptfordx.org to see what's going on – but there's so much to see, it might be best to just go out and look for people who seem to know where they're going! Here's some stuff we managed to see yesterday. Deptford High Street blog also has a round up of the goings on.

Noemi Lakmaier The Observer Effect at Gallop, 198 Deptford High Street

 The Bent Tin Shop (aka Robert Walker) gets a make-over from Artmongers. It's now called "el cheap 'ou"

Hollie Paxton Deptford Tin Street at El Cheapo (see above)
Hollie also has some
Deptford inspired jewellery in the window of Abermarle & Bond.

Harry Pye and friends Tintin in Deptford at Norfolk House, Brookmill Road

Spotted in gallery at Enclave on Resolution Way...

Deptford Is Forever have put printed bags with a message (Give Us Back Our Bloomin' Anchor) in lots of shops and market stalls for traders to put their customers' purchases in.

Odd little plaques by Debbie Sharp on benches around Deptford.

Lead artist Bob & Roberta Smith in front of his painting Art Makes People Powerful (which is the theme of this year's Deptford X) at Norfolk House on Brookmill Road.

Rebecca Beinart was in Sue Godfrey Nature Park showing the herbal remedies she has made from the plants growing in the park.

The history and botany of Sue Godfrey Nature Park

Krom... and SLAM Last Fridays

Krom Balgesky is a Bulgarian artist working in Deptford. His striking outdoor drawings are popping up all over the place (here in the Sue Godfrey Nature Park, for instance). On Friday 26th July he'll be showing his work indoors at the Arthub Gallery (5-9 Creekside). Open from 6pm, with a 'performance' at 7pm.

More on Krom 

Friday is also South London Art Map's late opening night, with galleries in Deptford, Bankside and Peckham open 6-8pm. At Occupy My Time gallery in Resolution Way, artist Andy Wicks will be focusing on the history of the Thames and its relationship to Deptford. More info at South London Art Map.

Sue Godfrey Nature Park Fun Day this Saturday

Saturday 24 September 2pm-5pm
Come and search for all manner of wildlife by pooting, sweeping and beating, or join one of the wildflower rambles through OUR VERY OWN fantastic brownfield site.
Meet at Sue Godfrey Nature Park (entrance on Bronze Street)


A FREE event organised by the Rivers & People Project
www.natureconservationlewisham.co.uk

Creekside Discovery Evening - Saturday 20 August

This Saturday the Creekside Discovery Centre is opening its gates from 6pm to 10pm to welcome all 'urban explorers' who fancy spending the evening pond dipping, hunting bugs and identifying wild flowers. Nature lovers can drop in when they like and from 7pm the barbeque will be fired up, so bring your own grub to put on the grill.

The Creekside Discovery Evening is part of a series of FREE events in August and September programmed by Lewisham's Rivers and People Project that includes walks along the Waterlink Way, bat hunting in Beckenham Place Park and drop-ins at Ladywell Fields and Cornmill Gardens.

Other events at Creekside Discovery Centre are:

Sunday 4 September 2-5pm: Wild trees
Wednesday 7 September 7pm-10pm: Creekside Moth Night
Saturday 10 September 2pm-5pm: Migrating Birds
Saturday 15 September 10am-1pm: Low Tide Walk in Deptford Creek

And on Saturday 24 September from 2pm-5pm there's a Family Fun Day in Sue Godfrey Nature Park.

Lots more info at www.natureconservationlewisham.co.uk