Southwark Mayor came to root for us... And the tulips & daffodils!

6 Goodgymers helped their local community in Southwark
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Southwark

Sunday 1st November 2020

Report written by Sam Lefevre (he/him)

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Six GoodGym Runners braved the ghouls and ghosts of last night as well as the uncertain Autumn weather this morning to help out Greener Bermondsey! We met at Wickfield House (opposite Bermondsey tube station), where Ilse and Susanne were prepping for the morning's activity. There were plenty of gardening tools, but there were even more bulbs. To be exact there were 400 Tulip bulbs (100 per tree) and 25 kilograms of daffodils, which was to be spread around the front lawn of Wickfield House. We were here to help out to plant bulbs because Southwark Council are celebrating the life of former mayor Ada Salter by planting 10,000 tulips in the borough of Southwark. In Spring 2021, the local community and commuters will see these bright flowers in bloom!

We started off with planting the Tulip bulbs around the four trees in an arch / semi-circle formation. Other volunteers and Lauren planted Tulips around one tree, the two Emmas and Fiona took another tree whilst Sam and John took on the third tree. Sam and John had different tactics in planting the bulbs. John dug a hole, planted the bulb and filled it up... Whilst Sam dug a trench, placed the various bulbs in place and filled the trench. John's and frankly, everyone else's tactic was faster.

Once all the Tulip bulbs were planted; everyone pitched in with digging and planting the vast amount of daffodil bulbs we had to plant. During this time, the mayor of Southwark made an appearance to celebrate this occasion. He even planted a couple of daffodils and took a photo op with the GoodGym runners!

So, if you are ever passing by Bermondsey Station next Spring, please look out for these beautiful flowers and know we planted them 😊🌹


Session Leader
This task supported
Greener Bermondsey
Making Bermondsey Greener

Greener Bermondsey are a new group of volunteers, which was formed after Covid prompted a local Mutual Aid group which connected local people in an unprecedented way. A grassroots place for all residents and businesses in Bermondsey to help give us the lowest carbon footprint, to do our bit towards beating the Climate and Nature Emergency.

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Attendees
Emma
Sam Lefevre
John Shirley
Emma
Fiona Harper
Lauren Kent
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Discuss this report
John Shirley

Sun 1st Nov 2020 at 8:59pm

Salter Road is named after Ada Salter

John Shirley

Sun 1st Nov 2020 at 9:04pm

By 1920 Ada Salter had become a Bermondsey councillor, and set about making ambitious changes. Together with her doctor husband, Alfred, they started improving housing, health and the environment. Ada set up a ‘Beautification Committee’ with the ambitious task of turning Bermondsey into a garden suburb. By 1930, 7,000 trees had been planted on the new estates and the streets of the borough.

Sam Lefevre
Sam Lefevre (he/him)

Mon 2nd Nov 2020 at 8:45am

Thanks John for the extra information about Ada Salter! :)