All hail Hazelfest!

Hazelfest #1 - the very first Green Festival on Hazelhurst Estate, Tooting

Were you there at Hazelfest to meet the Mayor of Wandsworth, most recent Tooting MP, Rosena Allin-Khan and the wonderful artists and volunteers from Work and Play Scrapstore?

On 20th May 2017, we transformed the green area in front of Hayesend House Tower block from a dis-used patch of grass to a hive of artistic and performance activity. Thanks to the 'elephant ramp', designed and erected by our artist-in-residence Jayson Singh, we gained access to the green and developed our mini-festival of 8 tents for local residents and visitors to enjoy. We had the usual range of British weather from burning sun to wind and rain - but this didn't stop us!

What a treat!... Making and artistic opportunities from the Scrapstore with Milk-Bottle-Magic, wishing trees and happy thoughts bunting and our famous Dress-a-Teddy. Did you find Weavie Stevie and help her weave the V2 bomb, the landscape or the Work and Play Scrapstore logo into the railings? How about making a Selfie in a discarded CD case with Cool-it- Art or contributing to the community mandala by Jeni Walker? Other attractions were Jayson with his rangoli sand and Chloe Mattei making bunting to decorate the Royal Opera House for its next performance of Othello.

All materials used in the making activities were otherwise destined for land-fill, incineration or recycling. What a wonderful way to save this stuff - we must have had over 200 pieces of art-work made!

Throughout the day we were entertained by wonderful performers, commencing with the Putney and Wandsworth brass band - 'Bandemonimum' (there are no auditions to join this group!), followed by Adam HIll, guitarist and Julia White and Mayda Narvey with their delightful oboe and cello duet. Olalekan Koufeidji turned up at the last minute and gave us a rendition of his jembes.

Smallwood School contributed to the day with a fabulous dance from Rhythm Nation - thanks Smallwood and Deputy Head Maryanne Boon for organising this! We were also treated to local History Talks and Walks from Geoff Simmons of Summerstown 182 and a great Story from Alison Royce of South London Storytelling. The day was rounded off with a rendition of John Byrne's 'poem 'The Hazelhurst Spirit' (thank Alison for stepping in to read it). Did anyone see Jimmy Hazelhurst at our celebration?

Here's to a bigger and better Hazelfest #2 next year! Please let us know if you have any ideas, or if you would like to join in next time...