I’m involved in a fundraiser taking place mid November. I’m having to go around asking folk for raffle prizes and everything (wait for it…). The idea came from our friend Ruth, who’s gathered a squad of South London ladies to help her put together an afternoon of live music with tea, drinks and cake in Nunhead community pub The Ivy House. All proceeds are going to our local Refugee centre – Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network – as the idea stems from a collective horror about Syria. Ruth was at Glastonbury when BrexShit happened and came home to a Facebook page full of moaning so decided to channel despair into something proactive. Go Ruth. Anyway, we’re looking for crazy great prizes for our Raffle, from businesses in S E London and beyond…. can you help?

PLEASE NOTE  THE BELOW IMAGE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FUNDRAISER AND THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING, BUT WAS CHOSEN AS AN ANNOYING AND STIRRING REMINDER ABOUT THE STATE OF THIS COUNTRY.

A quick bit about our generous venue. The Ivy House closed in 2011 and was set to be turned into flats by a property developer – obvs – until a community campaign group stepped in. They used the Localism Act – this allows residents to apply to their council to have a building listed because it adds community value – to protect the pub from a change of use. They then raised £810,000 (including a loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund and a grant from the Social Investment Business Group) to buy their pub back. Impressive eh?

Let me know in the comments below if you are able to donate to our cause and I’ll dm message you! And thanks for taking the time to read this.