Category: News

Mayor to attend SPRA AGM

We are pleased to inform you all that Mayor Perry will attend our AGM on 28 May at West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church.
If, as a member of SPRA, you wish to submit a question for the Mayor, or for any of our guests, could you please submit it, with your name and address to Trevor Ashby (19 The Grange) or email to:spra.comms@hotmail.com by 14 May.

Please keep your question brief (75 words max) and note that questions may be edited or combined where necessary.

Police seek witnesses

SPRA has been been contacted, via a neighbouring RA , by Sergeant Zoe Rowbotham from Croydon Police about an incident at the Trinity roundabout on Friday 18 April around 21:45. 

Sgt Rowbotham is trying to contact anyone that might know anything about the incident and the people that the police were pursuing.

If anyone that you know, or become aware of, has any information, please ask them to contact Sgt Rowbotham on 077 6944 0034.. Thank you.

Sale of “Heathfield” – the facts

Recent news that Heathfield House has been put up for sale have emerged on social media. We are happy to give the official version, as social media often give an inaccurate view.

Savills Estate Agents carried a listing for it which has been withdrawn at the Council’s request as it gave incorrect information and did not present the seller’s intentions correctly.

We have been in touch with the Council and have received an immediate update from Cllr Cummings.  Here is the true state of play:

The Council is “looking to lease the property to an organisation that will use it for a purpose that has some benefit to residents. This might be on a long lease (such as the 125 years suggestion) or could be a shorter 25-year type lease. This would depend on the business modelling and usage type. We won’t sell the freehold as we would lose control of what can happen onsite.’

‘Examples we would consider are things like: Children’s SEND provision, a weddings venue, boutique hotel. The key here is that people either feel good about what is being done there or they can be part of using it themselves (e.g. the wedding suggestion).’

We are NOT suggesting it could become a private residence. In any scenario access to the public must be maintained.”

The sale applies to Heathfield House and immediate surrounding garden only and the remainder of the Heathfield site including the Ecology Centre would be free for public access.

For the avoidance of confusion, the House and Grounds were purchased by the Council not ‘gifted’ by the Riesco family (the gifting applied only to the Riesco china collection).

Library Service update

Croydon Council has asked us to promulgate the following update …

The library service is changing to a model with fewer library buildings which will be open full time, and provision of activities and books in other local venues.

Residents in Shirley can use library services at any other Croydon Library and a free shuttle bus is available to Ashburton Library every Thursday at 10:30am. The bus departs from Wickham Road/Hartland Way, outside the library building and the return journey departs from Ashburton Library at 12pm.

The library service is also partnering with West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church to host library groups and activities. A collection of books will be available in a designated area at the site in the new year for residents to borrow.

All residents are invited to join a drop in event hosted by the library service and West Wickham and Shirley Baptist Church on December 11th from 2:00-4:30pm.

Activities will include demonstrations of the library digital offer and crafts for adults and children alongside free refreshments. Residents can also join the library, return loaned items and reserve books for collection at a library.

Residents who aren’t able to visit a library can also use the Home Library Service which arranges home delivery of books. To find out more residents can contact homelibraryservice@croydon.gov.uk.

Residents with access to a digital device can also access the library online offer which includes e-books, e-audio books, magazines and newspapers and online learning. This is free with a library card.

Information on all library services can be found on the Council’s webpages here: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-culture/libraries

The library service can be contacted directly on libraries@croydon.gov.uk

Library staff are now preparing the Shirley Library building to become a community base, continuing to provide a local service. Community organisations or groups interested in delivering services from the library building are invited to apply to communityrelations@croydon.gov.uk.

Applications close on 13th December.  Council staff will then review all of the submissions and work with successful bidders to bring the library building back into use for the community.  More information can be found on the Council’s webpages here: https://www.croydon.gov.uk/community-and-safety/advice-and-funding-community-groups/are-you-interested-running-community-base-heart-our-local-communities-croydon

Musical instruments needed!

Donations of musical instruments for charitable use are sought. We have been asked to draw the following to members’ attentions …

Andrew Moore, recently-appointed Musical Director of Croydon Male Voice Choir, has issued this call for donations of musical instruments:

I am looking to collect any old, unused instruments that people may have. I am building up a collection for my music therapy work. In particular, any handheld percussion instruments. If you may have old instruments looking for a new home please do pass them to me if you are happy to donate!

*Andrew Moore is also an HCPC registered Music Therapist and Assistant Director of Music at St. Anselm’s Church, Kennington. If you have an instrument you would like to donate, please contact Philip Talmage at 33 Wickham Avenue, tel 8656 1886, philiptalmage@gmail.com.