Sophy Tayler, of Camberwell Trees & Green Spaces, outlines the summer programme
Thanks to a generous donation from the Camberwell Society, this year’s Trees and Green Spaces summer programme is completely free for everyone to enjoy. From tree heritage to butterflies and bats, the season is packed with ways to explore nature, meet neighbours, and discover the green heart of SE5. Where bookings are needed, we use the SE5 Forum for Camberwell page on Eventbrite.
June – Mulberry Concert & Picnic, Burgess Park London Climate Action Week returns to Camberwell on Saturday 20 June with a mulberry-themed concert and picnic on the lawns of Chumleigh Gardens. With Southwark Council’s newly planted avenue of 21 mulberry trees and a veteran tree nearby, it’s a perfect for celebrating Camberwell’s growing mulberry heritage. We are planning live jazz in partnership with JazzLive at the Crypt. No need to book, just bring your own picnic and settle in for a joyful afternoon.
July – Camberwell Butterfly Safari On Thursday 4 July, 10.30–12.00, join the Big Butterfly Count, starting at St Giles Church and ending at the SE5 Forum market stall. We’ll visit three local green spaces, spending 15 minutes counting butterflies in each one. A free butterfly cupcake awaits our participants at the finish.
September – Pipistrelle Bat Walk We close the season on 3 September, 7.45pm, with a twilight bat walk led by ever popular Dr Iain Boulton from Lambeth Council. Using bat detectors, participants will hear the “hidden chatter” of pipistrelles as they swoop through Greendale and Dog Kennel Hill woods. Free but limited to 35 places, so remember to book promptly. We are planning to give away some bat boxes to participants to encourage bats in other locations.
Get Involved If you’d like to volunteer—whether for stewarding, baking, photography, or helping plan future events—the Trees and Green Spaces Group would love to hear from you at: greenspaces@camberwellsociety.org.uk
FROM THE CAMBERWELL QUARTERLY
