The Friends of Clapham Common, a group you may not have heard of, is an invaluable asset to Clapham. They are a group of volunteers who, in the background, protect Clapham Common for the greater good of our community. Let me start this by repeating they are an asset and without them Clapham Common would have gone to the dogs, and not the kind you see being walked every day. For instance, there was a proposal for Clapham Common to be used as a camp site during the Olympics – can you imagine! They stopped it.

However in recent months we’ve been hearing some worrying things about this group. First, refusing various events on the common and restricting the number of festivals that would appeal to the vast number of young people living in and around Clapham that bring in a lot of business to the area. On the one hand this is good, we don’t want too many events, on the other hand, there have been noticeably fewer this year with negative consequences on the local business economy, not to mention bolstering the vibrant hub of youth Clapham has become.

Paula Radcliffe and Carl Lewis supporting the Nike fuel station

Today we learnt that this group had been instrumental in refusing the extension of a hugely popular temporary building funded by Nike (it would never have happened without this funding) that was encouraging sports and fitness activities. Yes there was a commercial aspect but its positives far outweighed this necessity. The Nike building was a cool, convenient temporary ‘event’ on the common that really created a buzz among a wide number of people. It couldn’t stay there forever but was there really harm in extending its stay?

Finally, we’ve also learnt today that the domes erected on Clapham Common recently by Sky for the auditions for Got To Dance are next in the firing line. As the most popular site about Clapham we can assure you that there has been huge excitement from thousands of local residents about being chosen as the location for this popular programme and cultural event. Being selected for this show should be celebrated as a highlight in the history of the common.

You can read recent updates from the group on their website.

Other concerns we’ve had about Clapham Common over the years include: the multimillion pound refurbishment of the bandstand – it needed a tidy up but could this money have been better spent? What plans are there to improve facilities across the common for all groups? And something The Friends of Clapham Common are getting involved in: what’s happening to Clapham Old Town? These concerns are obviously aimed at the council as much as anyone else involved in the common.

Clapham is a lively, multicultural, diverse area. It’s important to respect and represent all views and people when making decisions about the use of our public space.

It’s obviously a fine balance and you can’t please everyone but we have to pose the questions: have Friends of Clapham Common gone too far? Are they truly representing the wider views of the local area? Have you ever been asked your opinion on these important decisions? Have you ever tried to join their committee? How would you improve Clapham Common?

Hey Clappers! Long time no blog, eh? To help you make the most of living in the area and those last few drips of summer sun, we’ve launched our new Clapham Chat area. For long-terms Clappers, you’ll see that it’s much simpler to use. You can even login with Facebook or Twitter so you never need to remember a bloomin password again. Please don’t hate us because it’s blue… it will become pink soon.

If you were passing by Clapham Common yesterday, you may have noticed Katy Perry and Rihanna enjoying a rather civilized British picnic together! However… on slightly closer inspection, it appears that the two girls were infact lookalikes posing for the Breast Cancer Care’s summer campaign – Strawberry Tea.  Photographs of the pair soaking up the sunshine, catching the tube and hitching a ride in a black cab were all snapped by celebrity lookalike photographer Alison Jackson, who’s famous for her spoof images of people such as Wayne Rooney, Borris Johnson and The Royal Family. Pictures will be used to promote the Breast Cancer Care’s Strawberry Tea campaign, running from June 1 to August 31.

The sun is blazing and we all know where we’re heading this weekend – THE COMMON!! However there are some rather unwelcomed visitors who have made parks and commons in South London their home. The Forestry Commission last week warned people not to touch caterpillars emerging from Oak trees that have formed their homes across Lambeth, Wandsworth, Southwark and other surrounding areas. These caterpillars are a new arrival in the UK from the continent and are considered a health hazard, due to their tiny toxic hairs that can cause skin irritation, rashes and in some cases trigger asthma attacks. Alison Field of the Forestry Commission said “The public should not try to remove the caterpillars or nests themselves. This task is best done by specifically trained and equipped operators.” So whilst you’re soaking up the rays this weekend and admiring Clapham at its best, steer clear of these little terrors and make sure children and pets are kept well away too. The Forestry Commission are keen to hear from anyone who comes across any caterpillar nests and are contactable via this link.

On receiving an email invitation for a session with The Running School in Battersea, I was intrigued at the concept, so accepted and booked myself in for a Saturday afternoon slot. I must admit I was slightly sceptical, wondering what I could be taught about a skill most of us acquire from a very young age. My session trainer Amy has an impressive CV, having qualified in Physiotherapy she’s worked within the NHS, Ministry of Defence and with the GB Paralympic Cycling Team – so I was definitely in safe and experienced hands! After a chat about my overall health, physical activity and running experience, I was straight on the treadmill. Amy filmed me running at a steady pace from behind and from the side (this is the point where I decided choosing to wear lycra was a bad idea!). Then it got technical – time for my Biomechanical Movement Assessment  during which we watched the video 2 clips of me running and I was assessed looking at everything, from posture, to leg circling, gait and technique. It’s definitely an eye opener and oddities in my running style were highlighted which I wasn’t aware of at all. Amy gave me some tips there and then and suggested that to improve speed and running style I take a further few sessions. The Running School welcomes all levels of runners from either end of the ability and experience scale. So if you’re a beginner or a marathon runner and you want to improve you’re running I would recommend dropping them a line.

Amazingly ‘Jubilee Day’ is only just over six weeks away and whilst many of you are already well on the way to planning your street parties, some of you maybe at a slight loose end over the bank holiday weekend. LoveClapham was perusing the web in search exciting ideas to make our own party go off with a bang, when we came across The Big Lunch – so thought we’d share. It’s a very simple idea generated from the Eden Project, encouraging as many people as possible across the UK to have lunch, ‘fun and games’ with their neighbours. This can be anything from a small BBQ and a few quiet drinks in the garden to a full blown street party extravaganza! With support from TV and radio celebrities, people all over the country have really taken to the idea planning all sorts of exciting events, taking inspiration from previous Big Lunches. Over 10 MILLION people came out to celebrate the Silver Jubilee in 1977 so The Big Lunch are encouraging people to get in the patriotic spirit and get as many people out again this summer. Clappers – we know you love a good street party so why not have a think about requesting their free guide! Happy luncheon-ing!