Bradley Cummings Your Skills/Experience: I grew up in the local area as a young child and spent most of my evenings and weekends attending the adventure playground. I initially became involved with Somerville again in my adult life as a volunteer almost 14 years ago as I wanted to give something back to my local […]
On Sy Yuen Your Skills/Experience: Certificates in City and Guilds 383 level 1 National Diploma in Dental Technology Assistant manager and secretary of a local community football team that were champions in their league 2002-2008 Southwark school boys runner-up in table tennis. Why I like to work for SYPP: I like to support positive change […]
Name: Tony Knight Your Skills/Experience: I have been at The Somerville for fifteen years. I am very motivated and bring energy to the playground. I am a positive person and always have a smile and a big “hello” for the families that visit us. I use my initiative and will turn my hand to all […]
“It is a very child friendly play environment. My 7 year old daughter absolutely loves coming here. She has gained lots of confidence as she is able to take risks in a safe environment. She has made lots of new friends and enjoys interacting with the staff. ”
It all started with the adventure playground at Somerville. This is a unique resource in inner London – the only one of its kind. The playground is open all year round with a wide range of activities for children and young people. The emphasis is on children and young people being given the opportunity to […]
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The Somerville is at the heart of the community in Lewisham and Southwark, providing a safe space for play, learning, socialising and developing new skills. From young children to our senior residents – there is something for everyone to get involved in.
The Somerville was founded by local community worker Ron Martin in 1971. He believed that adventure playgrounds were a much-needed resource for children growing up in inner cities and worked tirelessly throughout his life to make the site accessible to kids. Ron was a volunteer at a play scheme run from St Catherine’s Church on […]
The Somerville was first opened in 1971. Our commitment to providing a happy, safe and stimulating environment for all members of the Lewisham and Southwark community hasn’t changed since then. Find out about our history and read our mission statement. Our youth and play provision covers our unique adventure playground plus a programme of educational […]
One way we raise funds is through Hall Hire. Our spaces are available for education, meetings, parties, exercise and more. Visit our Space for Hire page for more information. We welcome any ideas for fundraising events. You could join the cycle club and go on a sponsored ride. Use the training equipment and set sponsored […]
Individuals Become a friend of the Somerville centre! The Somerville is a registered charity and from the end of 2018 will not receive any council or government funding. Become a friend of the Somerville by donating just £3 a month to directly benefit the community members who use the centre. All contributions will be gratefully […]
The Somerville’s services for children and young people are fast developing and very busy, supporting more than 1,800 families across Lewisham and Southwark. The Somerville relies on volunteers to give up their time and energy to support staff in manning the adventure playground and putting on fun, engaging activities – from cooking to bike maintenance, […]