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 […]
News
Who We Are
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 […]
Community and Families
The Somerville is a space for the whole community. As well as activities for children and young people, the centre offers activities for families and older residents to encourage socialising and learning new skills. Use the links here to discover more about our community services. PROJECTS
Group Visits
We welcome groups visiting the Somerville. A standard visit will involve free play activities which vary on a day-to-day basis. Please enquire as costs may vary. Please send an email to bookings@sypp.org.uk for any enquiry.
ABOUT FUNDRAISING
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 […]
Donations
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 […]
OPENING TIMES
Welcome to Somerville. Our general office opening hours are 11:30 am – 5:30 pm Mon – Fri. Here are our opening times for Somerville, Term time. ADVENTURE PLAY 8 – 11 yrs TERM TIME YOUTH CLUB 11 – 15 yrs TERM TIME
Volunteering
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, […]
Activity timetables
All timetables are subject to change Term Time We run timetabled activities that are ongoing during the Term Time. Such as the sports, fitness sessions and girls groups. Alongside this we have open sessions running with pool, table tennis, board games and lots more!The team also respond to the Young People they work with. Often short workshops […]
Community Events
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About the Bicycle Project
Helping local families get on their bikes! The project encourages young people and their families to cycle as a regular mode of transport and for leisure. To help them do this skills, facilities and resources are provided including: • Cycling safety theory classes: Participants learn road safety rules; includes hazard perception exercises. • Maintenance theory […]
Play Worker
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 […]