tooting

Meeting Mirza from Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) illustrates the welcoming culture of the Tooting community for refugees and asylum seekers, providing support to empower and engage young people, assisting them to feel at home in South West London.

Please do check out their website to find out more https://caras.org.uk/

An insightful converation with Mick, project manager of the Furzedown Project. We discussed how being a member of the Furzedown Project, a community for the over 55s, combats the loneliness and social isoloation sometimes present in this demographic. A cornerstone of the Tooting community, there are many opportunities to help support this not-for-profit organisation engaging with older people in the area. 

To find out more Mick encourages you to give them a call on 020 8677 4283 after looking at what they do on on the website http://www.furzedownproject.org/

Sitting down with Lynn one of the founders of Sprout Arts, a community arts venue on Moyser Road. I reflected on how art positively impacts the health and wellbeing of a neighbourhood. 

In a delightful conversation, the benefits of Sprout Arts to the community became clear and I quickly completed their membership form to become a member which I urge you to do. With new exhibitions hosted fortnightly and a chance to meet the artists and see them create in the venue is a unique opportunity not afforded by the larger galleries and it is this intimacy that makes Sprout Arts so special.

Please do check them out at https://www.sproutarts.com/ and follow them on instagram, twitter and Facebook.

I had a wonderful conversation with the inspirational Sahar Beg, learning how the Tooting Community Kitchen, supports local people. Providing hot meals to over 300 people weekly, the Tooting Community Kitchen also has a foodbank and provides groups with clothing and toiletries.

To help support this wonderful initiative please check out their website /www.tootingcommunitykitchen.co.uk and follow them on social media @TootComKitchen 

Meeting Dawn, chair of the Furzedown Community Network (FCN), it was impossible not to get swept up in her passion and energy for supporting her local community. Being responsive to local needs the FCN supports the best way they can, be it time, financial support, or expertise.

Although membership to the FCN is restricted to Furzedown locals, the events they host are open to everyone as is their ever popular chat forum to discuss local matters. To subscribe go to https://groups.io/g/furzedown/join

More information can be found on their website  https://furzedown.net/ and on social media @furzedown_net

On this weeks episode I met Hilary Jennings a founding member of Transition Town Tooting a part of the global Transition Network that focuses on supporting sustainable living locally.

I came away from this conversation feeling more positive. The local initiatives lead the way in supporting a cleaner, greener environment for the place we call home.

For more information please check out their website transitiontooting.org and find them on;

Twitter and Instagram: @tttooting

Facebook: Transition Town Tooting

P.S Apologies for the background noise, Tooting is a busy neighbourhood, I hope it doesn’t impact your enjoyment of an insightful conversation.

On this episode we turn the tables with me being interviewed by my good friend and fellow Tooting resident Katie. Our conversation uncovers the origin of the podcast, the journey so far and my hopes for the future. 

Please contact me with any feedback on this series to IloveTootingpodcast@gmail.com and I hope you enjoy the ‘true’ episodes, released every Monday.