We have been informed that the Mayor will perform a formal opening of the recently refurbished playground at the Shirley Rec on
Friday 28 March between 1pm and 2pm
Why not take the opportunity to pop along and see this new resource for our youngsters?
Members may be aware that our former Vice Chairman Andrew Black died recently. We have been given – at very short notice – details of his funeral arrangements as below.
These details were supplied by his sons …
Andy’s funeral is going to be 12.30 pm on Friday 14th March at Lambeth Crematorium, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0DH. The family will be following the hearse, walking down Blackshaw Road from Poppy’s office (about 100 yards up the road at the cemetery) at 12.15. If you would like to join us in this send off, you are more than welcome.
There is a car park at the crematorium.
We will be celebrating dad’s life at the Selkirk pub, 60 Selkirk Road, London SW17 0ES from 1.15 pm.
Everybody is welcome, if you would like to come, please let us know so we can order the food.
For those of you who are unable to attend in person, the funeral will be streamed, and we will be sending out a link.
Dad fought his prostate cancer for a very long time. In lieu of flowers, if you would like, please donate to Prostate Cancer UK.
Thank you.
Robert & Alex Black
For those who wish to watch the treamed service, please see below
Streaming details for the service of Andrew Black at 12:30 (GMT) on Friday 14th March, at Lambeth – Chapel, run by Poppy’s Funerals are as below.
Website https://watch2.obitus.com/login/4xm6f5
Username; buyu4086
Password; 427095
Recent news that Heathfield House has been put up for sale have emerged on social media. We are happy to give the official version, as social media often give an inaccurate view.
Savills Estate Agents carried a listing for it which has been withdrawn at the Council’s request as it gave incorrect information and did not present the seller’s intentions correctly.
We have been in touch with the Council and have received an immediate update from Cllr Cummings. Here is the true state of play:
The Council is “looking to lease the property to an organisation that will use it for a purpose that has some benefit to residents. This might be on a long lease (such as the 125 years suggestion) or could be a shorter 25-year type lease. This would depend on the business modelling and usage type. We won’t sell the freehold as we would lose control of what can happen onsite.’
‘Examples we would consider are things like: Children’s SEND provision, a weddings venue, boutique hotel. The key here is that people either feel good about what is being done there or they can be part of using it themselves (e.g. the wedding suggestion).’
We are NOT suggesting it could become a private residence. In any scenario access to the public must be maintained.”
The sale applies to Heathfield House and immediate surrounding garden only and the remainder of the Heathfield site including the Ecology Centre would be free for public access.
For the avoidance of confusion, the House and Grounds were purchased by the Council not ‘gifted’ by the Riesco family (the gifting applied only to the Riesco china collection).
Though fewer than previous years, there are some important matters in Shirley South worthy of update.
If you wish to discuss any planning issues with our planning team, please can you submit your question using the email address spra.comms@hotmail.com This will allow the planning group to give an informed answer as to any issues raised.
Geoff Flook, SPRA Chairman, reports …
Continued use of the library building
On 4 Feb 2025 SPRA President Trevor Ashby and I were invited to attend a consultation meeting with Council officials (with three Shirley Councillors in attendance), together with a number of members of the Friends of Shirley Library, aimed at establishing the future use of the Library building for community use.
A meeting of some 20-30 people, was addressed by Simon Bashford Community and Voluntary Sector Manager and Cllr Andy Stranack. There were a significant number of expressions of interest from organisations wishing to lease the building. These had been examined and carefully assessed. Play Place and Asian Resource Centre of Croydon were the two which had scored the highest and these were the Council’s preferred bids. The summary of these bids- which were presented to the meeting- can be found at the end of this statement.
Participants at the meeting were able to give their feedback on the proposals and asked a number of questions.
A panel of Council officials hope to make a final decision about the ‘winning bid’ by the end of February. The meeting stressed the importance of the Council having further contact with local community representatives for their input before that point.
Play Place : A Community Library and Learning Centre which will be a modern hub for learning, connection and empowerment. They will blend traditional library services (books, study spaces, access to digital materials etc) with innovative programmes to broaden the library’s appeal and foster a sense of community ownership. Possible uses envisaged include a creche/baby care space for parents with young children, a small refreshment area or café, bingo, bridge, crochet clubs, after-school clubs and accommodating the groups that used the building previously should they wish to return (which would involve small rent towards running costs).
Asian Resource Centre of Croydon : A community-led/volunteer supported hub open 7 days a week with core services to include education and learning, community outreach, cultural events and celebrations, creative activities, health and wellbeing and library outreach (maintaining some book collections, reading programmes, work with Council’s Outreach Librarian etc). Asian Resource Centre of Croydon wishes to retain 30% of the building for its own offices. The remainder will provide spaces for local businesses, start-ups and non-profits, rentable rooms for workshops, events and co-working opportunities, technology access and training to bridge the digital divide.
Bus shelter replacements imminent.
Here some good news at last from the Council about the replacements for the bus shelters removed a couple of years ago. Mayor Perry’s bulletin of 24 January provides details of the 99 shelters to be reinstated, with a link to a listing showing locations. All the Spring Park locations where shelters were removed seem to be on the list.
Transport for London will own and manage the shelters. The installation programme will run until the end of March. Click on the link below for the full list.
tfl-bus-shelters-list-v2-24-01-25.pdf<https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/tfl-bus-shelters-list-v2-24-01-25.pdf>
The AGM has been fixed for Wednesday 28 May at 7.30. The venue will be West Wickham & Shirley Baptist Church (corner of Wickham Road and Monks Orchard Road).
Agenda and other details will follow
Croydon Council has asked us to promulgate the following update …
The library service is changing to a model with fewer library buildings which will be open full time, and provision of activities and books in other local venues.
Residents in Shirley can use library services at any other Croydon Library and a free shuttle bus is available to Ashburton Library every Thursday at 10:30am. The bus departs from Wickham Road/Hartland Way, outside the library building and the return journey departs from Ashburton Library at 12pm.
The library service is also partnering with West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church to host library groups and activities. A collection of books will be available in a designated area at the site in the new year for residents to borrow.
All residents are invited to join a drop in event hosted by the library service and West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church on December 11th from 2:00-4:30pm.
Activities will include demonstrations of the library digital offer and crafts for adults and children alongside free refreshments. Residents can also join the library, return loaned items and reserve books for collection at a library.
Residents who aren’t able to visit a library can also use the Home Library Service which arranges home delivery of books. To find out more residents can contact homelibraryservice@croydon.gov.uk.
Residents with access to a digital device can also access the library online offer which includes e-books, e-audio books, magazines and newspapers and online learning. This is free with a library card.
Information on all library services can be found on the Council’s webpages here: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-culture/libraries
The library service can be contacted directly on libraries@croydon.gov.uk
Library staff are now preparing the Shirley Library building to become a community base, continuing to provide a local service. Community organisations or groups interested in delivering services from the library building are invited to apply to communityrelations@croydon.gov.uk.
Applications close on 13th December. Council staff will then review all of the submissions and work with successful bidders to bring the library building back into use for the community. More information can be found on the Council’s webpages here: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/community-and-safety/advice-and-funding-community-groups/are-you-interested-running-community-base-heart-our-local-communities-croydon
