Our Mission
SE5 Forum works to improve Camberwell for the benefit of all members of our diverse community. We are a voluntary group of board members working closely with our supporters and the community. SE5 Forum was set up to be the eyes, ears and voice of the community, to see and understand what is happening within the area, to listen to concerns and raise them with the relevant organisations. Please contact us at: admin@se5forum.org.uk
Partnership
SE5 Forum works with a number of partners in the local community to gather views and deliver improvements and for our free community events. Find out more about our partners.
Below: The SE5 Forum community stall at the Saturday Camberwell Green market
We always welcome new board members to SE5 Forum, as well as regular or occasional volunteers. If you’d like to get involved in making Camberwell a better place to live, work and visit, please get in touch with us at: admin@se5forum.org.uk .
Vision & Strategy for Camberwell
The SE5 Forum consulted the views of Camberwell people to find out what people like about Camberwell and what they want to change. We worked on a new Vision for Camberwell to capture and share those views. The Vision set out the areas that people wanted to focus on for the next 3 years.
This Vision fed into our Strategy & Action Plan 2018-21 focusing on Business, Transport and Identity. Since 2021, we have been focusing on supporting local businesses and the high street, identity projects , trees & green spaces, free health & wellbeing community events, and transport. SE5 Forum is part of the Camberwell Identity Group, a partnership of Camberwell Arts, Camberwell Society and SE5 Forum.
Below: Our free Feel Good Festival 2023
Our Story in Years
After consulting Camberwell people we set up SE5 Forum and hosted the Camberwell ‘Jigsaw’ Event to gather information about “What’s Good, Bad, Missing in Camberwell”.
Set up the Camberwell Leisure Centre Working Party which led to the refurbishment of the Leisure Centre.
Held Beijing Olympics Handover Event on Camberwell Green which attracted 2000 visitors.
In response to concerns expressed by consultants at King’s College Hospital A&E we hosted a Knife Crime Symposium.
Joined Lambeth Forum Network which provides much needed core funding.
Led the campaign to save the South London Line.
Launched Camberwell Artists Network with an event showcasing local creative industries.
Launched Camberwell Business Network (CBN).
Vision for Camberwell published.
Supported the creation of Camberwell Green Farmers Market.
Creation of Camberwell Community Choir.
One year to Go Olympic Event on Camberwell Green.
Launched Friends of Camberwell Green.
Secured Cleaner, Greener Safer Funding for Lomond Grove Green Link from Camberwell Green to Burgess park.
Following the 2011 riots CBN was awarded £50K from Community Restoration Fund for work with businesses and the community.
Supported Early Years Groups in celebrating the Olympic Torch visit to Camberwell.
First Camberwell Palace of Variety.
Free Film Festival.
Camberwell Food and Drink Festival.
Scare Concert.
“Meet the Candidates” Event – Camberwell people met local election councillor hopefuls.
Successful submission to the High Street Challenge for Camberwell Business Improvement District (BID) feasibility study.
We concentrated on forwarding the Camberwell Business Improvement District.
Building links between Southwark and Lambeth friends of libraries and green spaces group.
Successful Bid to register the Nag’s Head PH as an Asset of Community Value.
We concentrated on forwarding the Camberwell Business Improvement District.
After public consultations, we drew up an ambitious Vision for Camberwell, concentrating on what people wanted to see over the next three years.
Further moves are made towards setting up a Camberwell business network.
Nominated Community Group of the Year in the Southwark Stars Awards by Community Southwark.
The transport group raised its campaign to support the re-opening of Camberwell train station.
SE5 Forum draws up a Strategy & Action Plan after consultation with the public focusing on Business, Transport and Identity.
The Transport Group continues its popular campaign to support re-opening Camberwell train station and reduce air pollution
Our Camberwell Identity Group successfully crowdfunds for Camberwell Banners and launched the Camberwell brand designs at the AGM in October.
The business group holds a range of successful business networking events.
Camberwell Banners went up, 2 Camberwell murals were unveiled and the Identity Group continues work on Camberwell’s new brand designs.
SE5 Forum supports the local community during the Covid crisis by sharing vital information and resources on website, newsletters and social media.
The Business and Identity groups with Camberwell Society and Camberwell Arts work on supporting local businesses during Covid and develop Love Local Campaign, new website Camberwell.life & Travel Guide to Camberwell.
The Transport Group holds a stakeholder event with Network Rail on the re-opening of Camberwell train station.
More Camberwell Banners went up, a Camberwell map and Travel Guide to Camberwell produced, plus new merchandise for business.
We hold a successful public meeting on Zoom on How to Create a Better Camberwell with 49 attendees.
We run a social media campaign around the problems of bus idling and clean air on the green.
The Camberwell identity branding is used in the new Denmark Hill second entrance.
Organised free feel good health & wellbeing festivals in partnership with the community.
The Camberwell Identity created a Wyndham Road mural designed by school students and Anish Kapoor studios
Hosted an Election Hustings for Lambeth & Southwark councillor candidates in SE5
With a High Street Recovery Fund grant, supported local businesses with their marketing with our Love Local and Camberwell Champions campaign
Ran popular guided tree walks in Ruskin Park with film screening
Lobbied Southwark Council on clearing street clutter, cleaning the town centre and graffiti.
Organised free feel good health & wellbeing festivals in partnership with the community.
The Camberwell Identity created a Wyndham Road mural designed by school students and Anish Kapoor studios
Hosted an Election Hustings for Lambeth & Southwark councillor candidates in SE5
With a High Street Recovery Fund grant, supported local businesses with their marketing with our Love Local and Camberwell Champions campaign
Ran popular guided tree walks in Ruskin Park with film screening
Lobbied Southwark Council on clearing street clutter, cleaning the town centre and graffiti.
Sophy Tayler
Chair
Sophy has lived and raised a family in Camberwell. Most recently her work in SE5 Forum has balanced longer, more strategic aims on transport (like re-opening the railway station) with more immediate activities like working with parks groups on litter picking and green issues. She is looking forward to more partnership working to increase the positive impact that SE5 Forum can achieve on behalf of the membership.
Marie Staunton
Secretary
Marie is Secretary of SE5 Forum and also leads on Camberwell identity and business. She is a key member of the Camberwell Identity Group, which is made up of SE5 Forum, Camberwell Arts and Camberwell Society. Marie is also managing projects to promote the high street and local businesses. Marie has extensive CEO, board and chairing skills in the voluntary and non-profit sector.
Barbara Pattinson
Board Member & co-founder
Barbara co-founded SE5 Forum with Mark J Dodds in 2006 and was formerly Chair of SE5 Forum until February 2021. Recognitions include a Southwark Civic Award, 2010 Volunteer Centre Southwark Active Citizen and Keib Thomas Community Activist of the Year. She is patron of Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers and a King’s College Hospital Foundation Trust Governor.
Gill Henderson
Board Member
Gill has lived in Camberwell since 1984 and has been a trustee/board member for several charities and organisations, including Camberwell Arts. She was Cultural and Communities Partnership Manager at London College of Communication from 2015 to 2022 and is an experienced project manager and director of film and arts organisations with fundraising and development skills.
Andy Murray
Treasurer
Andy is an accountant and brings his considerable financial skills to the SE5 Forum board as treasurer. He also helps out managing the SE5 Forum stall and getting involved in our free community events and Camberwell Talks. He has lived in Camberwell for 40 years and is interested in running, walking, cycling, parks, and public transport.
Petra Handoca
Board Member
Petra has been living in Camberwell for three years and loves the area. The rich cultural heritage, art connections and nature. Petra joined in 2024 to work together with like-minded people for the improvement of the area, bringing her background and experiences as a volunteer school governor, helping take care of the communal gardens on her estate and working on complex software integrations at work.
Berni Powley Baker
Board Member
Berni has lived in Camberwell for many years, and achieved pedestrianisation on Datchelor Place, now full of trees and planters. aBerni enjoys our local beautiful parks with his dog, and wants to make Camberwell clean, accessible and welcoming. With a background in law, he has linked with likeminded people and is now a dedicated user of Fix My Street to report local unsightliness like flytipping, graffiti, etc.
Oliver Birrell
Board Member
Olly moved to Camberwell five years ago to a new development and set up the resident’s association which he Chairs. He is regularly trying to get the RA to do more with the community. He has past experience as secretary on sports clubs, and securing grants from Southwark Council to do work in the local area and works in a local council. He has a keen interest in previous transport work e.g. extending the hire bikes, campaign for the train station and more transport links. He would also like to see more murals.
Daniel Aarons
Board Member
Danieltravelled the world working in branding agencies for 20 years. He recently launched www.conveenie.com, a community space sharing platform. He has lived in Camberwell for 15 years and has a strong attachment to this thriving area. He’s a devoted uncle and spends other free time acting & singing locally (where the original idea for Conveenie came from), keeping fit, travelling and paragliding.
Karen Robertson
Board Member
Karen joined in 2024 to lto get involved in the local community and have an impact in helping to improve Camberwell for the people who live and work here. Being part of the board, she would like to extend her network as I have recently moved to Camberwell.
Marika Thorogood
Admin/Comms
Marika works for SE5 Forum as a self-employed co-ordinator and communications professional. She joined in 2018 and oversees SE5’s admin and communications, including website, enewsletter, social media and is also involved in a wide range of other activities, from fundraising to event management.