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Tag Archives: Windmill Gardens

Wake up to Tai Chi at Windmill Gardens

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To celebrate the Mayor of London’s London National Park City Festival taking place on 20-28 July, Friends of Windmill Gardens are offering four free “Wake up to tai chi” workshops. Each lasting 1.5 hours, they will start at 11am on the following dates:

  • Saturday 20 July
  • Tuesday 23 July
  • Saturday 27 July
  • Sunday 28 July

No previous experience required. Please wear loose clothing suitable for gentle exercise and the weather conditions on the day and soft shoes suitable for exercising on grass. Bring drinking water if the weather is hot.

Their regular tai chi sessions also continue every Saturday, starting at 11am. They ask for a small donation to pay the tutors. For more details, email info@brixtonwindmill.org.uk.

Construction to start on Brixton Windmill Education Centre

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windmill sketch

Architect’s sketch of new education centre in Windmill Gardens

The long awaited building of the new education centre for Brixton Windmill will start later this month. The new centre will be used to run workshops for schools and other groups as well as supporting the regular programme of Windmill open days and other events, and is being paid for by Lambeth Council with a crowdfunder campaign by the Friends of Windmill Gardens raising the funds to fit out the centre.

The building contractors are writing to local residents to introduce themselves and provide information about the construction process, which will involve some disruption. The project will commence with the site being set-up on Monday 19th November 2018, followed by the ground-works for the building, with the new timber frame and walling then to be completed.

The works themselves will be carried out Monday to Friday from 8am-5pm for a minimum 20 week period, subject to extension due to constraints posed by weather conditions, and with weekend working throughout the project as necessary. Deliveries will generally be scheduled to site after 9am and before 3pm.

Logan Construction have provided contact details for their site managers in case of issues arising:

  • Bill Gleed – Logan Construction Site Manager 07710 307568
  • Neil Ochiltree – Logan Construction Contracts Manager 07393 461095

Wanted: Project Administrator for Friends of Windmill Gardens

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hlf logoThe Friends of Windmill Gardens are looking for a part time Project Administrator to support them through the step changes required to prepare for and open the new education building at Brixton Windmill. This 15-month post is funded by a grant from the HLF Resilient Fund.

This preparedness includes the establishment of the Friends as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with a new Board of Trustees; reviewing and introducing new systems to ensure sustainable growth in volunteering, membership, trading and finance.

Reporting: The post reports to the Chair of the Friends of Windmill Gardens.

Days/hours: To work flexibly 2.5 days (17.5 hours) per week which will involve occasional evening or weekend commitments at the standard pay rate. Initially the post will be based at the Blenheim Gardens Resident Management Organisation office. Once the new Windmill Education Centre opens in January it will be based there. Additional hours may be worked by agreement if the service demands this.

Closing date for applications: 5pm on 28 May 2018.

For a full job description and application form, please see the Friends’ website.

Head to the Brixton Windmill Beer & Bread Festival on Bank Holiday Monday

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Bank Holiday Monday on 7 May sees the annual Beer & Bread Festival at Windmill Gardens. As well as a chance to buy flour milled at the windmill, there will be music, beer from local breweries including Brixton Brewery, and goodies from the Old Post Office Bakery. Brixton Hill’s very own F Mondays will be providing coffee and pastries.

Head down to Windmill Gardens from 1pm to join the fun.

Child cycle training and Toddler Bike Market coming to Brixton Hill on 19th August

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As part of a series of free, learn-to-ride sessions this summer holidays organised by Lambeth Council, there will be an event on Saturday 19th August in Windmill Gardens.

The idea of the session is to help parents and guardians teach their children to cycle. Experts from Peddle My Wheels will show you the easiest and most effective way of getting kids cycling. As they describe the training, ‘hopefully some of them will be riding on their own by the end of the session but if not you’ll know how to finish the task off and in no time they will be able to ride around the park on their own…and there will not be a stabiliser in sight!’

If they need a bike there will be a selection of affordable second-hand bikes for sale averaging £15, with some new children’s helmets available also for £15.

All ages are welcome, no booking just turn up from 10am to 3pm. Bring your child with their bike and helmet. The session is aimed at children 6 and under but older kids are welcome.

Tickets for 2017 guided tours of Brixton Windmill now available

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Brixton Windmill is open to the public for guided tours from March to October and tickets are now available for the first open weekend of the year 25/26 March.  Tickets for the open days can be booked on the website of the Friends of Windmill Gardens. Tickets will be released one month prior to each Open Day weekend.

Because of the limited space inside the windmill, the number of people that can go on a full tour is limited to three adults or two adults and two children. This means that tours can be booked up very quickly. If there are cancellations, the Friends advertise these on Twitter at @brixtonwindmill. Short tours to the first floor are also available on the open days.

New education centre for Windmill given planning go-ahead

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windmill sketch

Architect’s sketch of new education centre in Windmill Gardens

Lambeth’s Planning Department has approved plans for a new education centre at Windmill Gardens. The building will be used to run workshops for schools and other groups as well as supporting the regular programme of Windmill open days and other events.

Having a dedicated building will also allow the Friends of Windmill Gardens to expand their milling activities and develop a social enterprise selling flour to local bakeries, restaurants and retailers, as well as running baking workshops, to fund the education programme. The Friends will also be able to sell and store merchandise, which helps to raise much needed funds for the windmill. When it is not being used for Friends’ activities, the building will be available to hire, at affordable rates, by community groups and others.

Lambeth Council has provided £360,000 to fund the construction of the building and further fundraising is planned by the Friends to fund activities.

Celebrating Brixton Windmill

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Friends of Windmill Gardens

Lambeth Council staff will be fundraising for Brixton Windmill next week with a Halloween-village fete-Diwali-Bonfire Night mash-up at Olive Morris House. Staff will be making and selling food, with an emphasis on cake, to raise funds as well as organising village fete type games and collecting donations. The lunchtime event will be on Thursday 5 November.

The following week, the Friends of Windmill Gardens are holding their autumn General Meeting on 11 November 2015 at Market House, 443 Coldharbour Lane. They will be reviewing all that has been achieved over the past five years and outlining plans to celebrate Brixton Windmill’s 200th anniversary in 2016 and go forward to the next five years.

The meeting will be followed by a thank-you party for everyone who has helped with this fantastic project, including all the guides, stewards, tour organisers, bakers, millers, gardeners, events organisers, communications team and fundraisers and everyone who has worked so hard to make the windmill and the education project such a great success. The party is invite-only – please email info@brixtonwindmill.org.uk for more details.

Donations to the Friends can also be made via PayPal at www.brixtonwindmill.org/friends-support-us

Want to see a Brixton City Farm by the Windmill?

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4618884393_513x513Community campaigners who have years of experience growing food and raising animals in their gardens are now exploring the possibility of setting up a City Farm in Windmill Gardens by Brixton Windmill.

The residents suggest that Windmill Gardens could become a space to farm livestock for eggs, milk, meat, honey and wool; grow all kinds of vegetables, fruit, herbs and salads; come together to learn about local history; spend time outside leaning skills to lead healthier happier lives; and improve Brixton’s environment and explore sustainability.

The campaigners have set up a survey and are asking for comments by 22 March. Fill in your comments here.

Help secure the future of Brixton Windmill

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Friends of Windmill Gardens
The Friends of Windmill Gardens write as follows:

In 2016 Brixton Windmill celebrates its bicentenary. This is just one year after the current Heritage Lottery funding for the windmill and the highly successful schools programme comes to an end. Before that, the Friends of Windmill Gardens need to develop a robust sustainability plan to ensure the future of Brixton Windmill.

We are looking for Friends, volunteers and new supporters of Brixton Windmill to join a group to develop a clear plan for the future. The Friends have some ideas already, but we welcome more. We particularly need help from anyone with creative ideas and with expertise in the area of fundraising and budget planning.

The first meeting of the Windmill Sustainability Group will be held on Thursday 11 September at 6.30pm, before the bat walk (see above). If you would like to help, please email info@brixtonwindmill.org.uk and put “Sustainability” in the subject line.