 Forest Hill Society e-Newsletter November 2026 Your Neighbourhood Matters In this issue:
 Forest Hill Society AGM 2026We will be having our AGM on Monday 9th November at 7:30pm at Forest Hill Library. Come and hear more about what was achieved, and what there is to come in the year ahead. There is a lot we need to get on with in 2027. This is also an excellent opportunity to join a committee or to get involved in one of the many projects being run by the sub-committees on Planning, Transport, Environment and Communications. Let's get on with improving Forest Hill. If you would like more information about any of the committees or projects please contact Robert at chair@foresthillsociety.com The Forest Hill Society has turned 20, and is looking ahead to the next 20On Saturday 17th October we gathered at Stanstead Lodge to mark two decades of standing up for SE23 and to set out a vision for the next 20 years. We heard from local elected officials, including Mayor Liam Shrivastava and Ellie Reeves MP, as well as Jonathan Whitson Cloud from the Horniman. Thank you to the almost 100 people who attended, and who are helping to kick off our town centre consultation process. Read more of Robert's initial thoughts this on our blog post: Some 20th anniversary observations  Christmas Tree Lighting & Carols on Saturday, 5th DecemberJoin us for the annual Christmas tree lighting event! Come and celebrate the holiday season with us by joining the Forest Hill Society for the annual lighting of the Christmas tree. This festive event will feature carol singing, delicious mince pies, and a wonderful opportunity to connect with other local residents. This year we're combining this event with the end of Day 1 of the Havelock Walk Winter Open Studios  Christmas Quiz on Tuesday, 8th December The celebrated annual Forest Hill Society Christmas Quiz returns, with quizmaster Gary Thornton. Test your trivia knowledge in this year's Christmas quiz from the Forest Hill Society. Our host will be The Foresters Arms in Perry Vale, Forest Hill. (we can always find you a team if you don't have one, but do grab a ticket so we know you're coming) Maroon Plaques Do you know of a past local resident of SE23 that should be celebrated? Our local councillors are promoting Lewisham's 'Maroon Plaque' programme which is similar to the Blue Plaques by English Heritage. There are already 3 in SE23 (special mentions for anyone who can list them without looking it up), but should there be more? If you have suggestions, read more about this on SE23.rocks here: Town Centre & Station GardeningA small group of local volunteers meet weekly to help maintain the plants around the station. New volunteers are very welcome to join us for a little gardening and a chat. No experience is necessary. The next dates are as follows:
Then there will be a pause over winter and new dates for Spring will be announced in the new year. Meet in the station forecourt. Equipment will be provided although you may like to bring your own gloves.  Changes on the High StreetBy the time you read this, TG Jones will have finally closed its doors for good, and so we've also lost the Post Office in Forest Hill. You can stay up to date on the latest developments on se23.rocks as we learn them. We still do not have news about the new owners' plans for the Dartmouth Arms but we are trying to get in touch with them to get more details. On a positive note, Gambado has now opened its new children’s soft play venue in what was the Capitol. And over in Kirkdale, Aga' new restaurant, Bar Mleczny, is now also open as well as the Moustache Gallery. We're looking forward to hearing the community's reviews of all locations in due course. Library Volunteers NeededOur community library has now been open for 10 years!! The library is always looking for new volunteers to help staff the library. If you have a bit of time to give to the community, helping in the library is a great way to support children's literacy, job applicants with limited computer access, and many other activities. You don't need to commit more time than you want but every volunteer makes a difference. Volunteers all tell us how rewarding it is to help people and meet other volunteers. If you might be interested in volunteering please email rota@fhlibrary.co.uk to find out more.  Find out what's happening in SE23 Join the conversations with hundreds of other friendly residents and businesses on the community forum supported by the Forest Hill Society at se23.rocks Not yet a member? Join us!If you enjoy getting news about events, history and activities in SE23 then why not join us? Check out our new membership platform |
