Ignition Brewey needs our help!

[prince]

Ignition Brewery is a not-for-profit community enterprise that brews great beer right here in Sydenham by people with learning disabilities.

Their brewery is based at the Sydenham Centre and they want to expand to provide a tap room at the front of the centre which will be a place for the community to meet and enjoy their beer and which will provide further opportunities for jobs and training for people with learning disabilities.

To bring their great idea to life they need to fundraise £20,000 and are currently crowdfunding.

So come on let’s get behind them and make it happen!

For more info please look at their crowdfunding website:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ignition-1/

[JMLF]

Donated!

Great business, great ethos and great potential addition to the high street.

[Andwar]

I do hope that our new pub, The Greyhound, which has just won a Time Out Local Award put some of their beer on tap.

I am sure it will be a seller providing they promote the ethos behind the brewery and the beer. I shall be donating to the crowdfunding project.

[prince]

I do hope that our new pub, The Greyhound, which has just won a Time Out Local Award put some of their beer on tap.

I am sure it will be a seller providing they promote the ethos behind the brewery and the beer. I shall be donating to the crowdfunding project.

Hello good idea. I’ve emailed the owner Garry and the manager Monty to see if they can promote their beer,if they don’t already, and also to ask if they will support the crowdfunding.

[syd]

Hey I’ve donated.

[southernmoose]

Does anyone know what the implications of the tap-room would be for the existing yoga and dance classes that run at the Sydenham Centre? It would be a shame if a multi-purpose community space was lost in the heart of Sydenham, much as l love the concept...

[JMLF]

Can’t speak on behalf of anyone really but I would hope the council (who own the building) are working with all those involved who currently use the space or are hoping to to ensure its best for the community as well as for utilisation of resources. I wonder whether the upstairs area is available to those parties who currently use downstairs though it is bigger and has events such as the “spontaneous theatre” productions or council meetings.

I do know that there are two different planning applications in for new yoga studios on the high street within a few minutes walk of the centre and independent classes take place not only at the centre currently but also at other nearby locations like the church and the tennis club so there should be plenty of yoga available in various forms should this project take over the space. Can’t really comment on other things as no kids/dance isn’t really my bag!

[PilatesYogaAdam]

Does anyone know what the implications of the tap-room would be for the existing yoga and dance classes that run at the Sydenham Centre? It would be a shame if a multi-purpose community space was lost in the heart of Sydenham, much as l love the concept...

The implications are not yet known. In fact it is only via this thread and seeing Ignition's fundraising video that it has been confirmed to me that what I had heard as a 'rumour' is now definitely going ahead. I have yet to hear anything official from the council about it.
I think that is pretty poor considering the classes which I have built up in the community over the last 14 years and, not least, a fundamental cornerstone of my livelihood would now seem to be at considerable risk. It's the same situation for at least one of the other independent yoga teachers who teach out of the space who I have been speaking too. It can feel a little like we are being thrown under the bus now the council are aware that there are plans for two other yoga/Pilates studios moving into Sydenham. I hope they will offer us some capacity to carry on at the space though, either downstairs in some continuing capacity, or perhaps upstairs.

I have to hold my hand up for failing to see through my own idea for a social enterprise at the space. It's a case of act and see things through or be acted upon. I did an enormous amount of business/feasibility planning for a 'Moving Arts' not for profit which I would have liked to have seen housed in the downstairs activity room.
The only reason the space is currently under-utilised is because the council don't have the resources to go out and proactively find teachers who could offer a joined up offering of well-being activities based upon movement, dance and exercise.
This is the gap I was hoping for the not-for profit to fill. Unlike the two studios who are on the verge of moving into the high street this enterprise, on top of offering well established classes for all, would have had a focus on movement for Over 60s, dance for children and initiatives like 'Dance for Dementia'.
Not-for-profits need to make profit though in order to do the good that they do. The project I was planning was well supported at the highest levels within the council two years ago and also had support from Trinity Laban, but I am sorry to say that once the Sydenham Society, who have been supportive in so many ways - except in one crucial way- got wind that I had, out of necessity, plans for a visual identity on the windows of the centre, all sorts of local 'stakeholders' were then emailed and invited to get involved (many of whom are not even based in the the centre) and effectively torpedoed the visual identity plans with the sheer cacophony of noise created, despite never seeing them. The council officers at the time, much further down the chain from those high up lending their total support moved away from giving total backing to asking for a solution which would please all 'stakeholder' voices, hence the blinds and the tv and the assortment of paper posters that get stuck up on the glass at the space on a regular basis. I pretty much lost the will to continue at that point because you simply cannot run any type of business without a visual presence. It is simply too much of a business risk. Like I say, though I hold responsibility for walking away from the plans I had, when I couldn't see a way past the obstacles that had been put in place. Ultimately though the biggest reason this didn't happen is because I didn't fight to see it through.
Luckily Ignition Brewery won't face the same obstacles that I had to face because from what I can gather the council have since learned that you cannot get anything done with such a cacophony of 'stakeholder voices' involved, so all future stakeholder meetings to do with The Sydenham Centre, I hear, will now only involve those voices who are housed in the building. Perhaps some lessons might be learned from that moving forwards from those in our community whose hearts are no doubt in the right place, but who perhaps unknowingly get rather too involved and can actually stop dead what would have been good developments.
I hope some of my classes will be able to continue at the space in some capacity, but it is all a little up in the air at the moment. Let's see what unfolds.
Last, but not least, all the very best to Ignition Brewery. It is a good social enterprise and I hope they reach their fundraising target. I have donated and encourage others to do the same.

[CharlotteTaylorYoga]

Unfortunately Lewisham Council haven’t communicated these plans to the current users of the space so this is also the first I have heard of it. I run 3 weekly classes from that light and airy (if a little noisy!) room and had plans to increase this. I believe there are about 15 weekly classes currently using the purpose built activity studio. Although some people’s yoga needs will be met by the new studio opening down the road, the majority of people come to classes for the sense of local community that’s been created over the years and for the individual teachers that they have come to know. The studio/s will probably not cater for the over 60s groups, dance or pilates and unfortunately as a teacher it’s also very hard to earn a living from teaching at studios. The activities that take place at The Sydenham Centre are all providing positive outcomes for local peoples’ physical and mental health so I really do hope there will be a way for these to continue in a shared space. I started going to Adam’s yoga classes when I moved to the area and was going through a difficult time after my Dad died, it helped me in so many ways that I became a teacher myself and now run classes alongside Adam so that I can share some of what I’ve learnt with others. Obviously the brewery is doing great things for the community too but because of the lack of visual identity many people aren’t actually aware of all the movement, health and wellbeing activities already taking place there that may be lost. So I really hope that both the brewery and the council will do everything they can to support as much of the community’s interests as is possible. In the meantime any recommendations for alternative local spaces to hire would be very welcome!

[Sydenham]

Sounds as though there needs to be a bit of communication about this - it seems strange that those users of the space haven't been spoken to about any proposals or commitments made to Ignition Brewery.

And what a breath of fresh air to hear from those businesses potentially affected by any introduction of a tap room that despite it potentially affecting them they bear no malice to Ignition Brewery themselves.

[JRW]

The Ignition brewery is such a brilliant success, and everyone wants it to succeed. It would be good if they could take over a pub, which would give them room to expand. Maybe start a la Beer Rebellion, in a shop unit?

[CharlotteTaylorYoga]

I've just spoken with Ignition and they weren't aware that current users of the space hadn't been informed. Their plan is outside of taproom opening times to utilise the space for community activities as much as possible so they will be working with the groups involved to see how existing activities can continue and hopefully bringing some new ones in too.

[stuart]

I assume from the above the centre does have a 'manager' who oversees the operation and future exploitation within the community?

This could explain how such a clash of good intentions leaves everyone confused and confounded. I can understand that Lewisham with their budget constraints (which led to the closure of Sydenham's other centre) not being able to fund one - but is this an opportunity for, say, a councillor to take de-facto control of what is at the heart of Sydenham's community?

With a new councillor/cabinet I presume their is a re-shuffle of responsibilities amongst our own. What a wonderful opportunity for one of them to get exposure - and hopefully some kudos - for being seen to get things done?

Hopefully yours,
Stuart

[Lord Summerisle]

Whilst this sounds like a really great initiative I second those who point out that it shouldn't be at the cost of other fantastic community projects such as the Pilates and Yoga classes. It's wonderful that a wider array of interests are getting covered in the local area but they should not be at the expense of another, that is really counter productive. The Pilates classes ar eong established and provide a great community hub as well as the obvious health benefits, this should not be ridden roughshod over despite the fact i adore beer.

[Pally]

I've just spoken with Ignition and they weren't aware that current users of the space hadn't been informed. Their plan is outside of taproom opening times to utilise the space for community activities as much as possible so they will be working with the groups involved to see how existing activities can continue and hopefully bringing some new ones in too.

That is good news!

[prince]

I've just spoken with Ignition and they weren't aware that current users of the space hadn't been informed. Their plan is outside of taproom opening times to utilise the space for community activities as much as possible so they will be working with the groups involved to see how existing activities can continue and hopefully bringing some new ones in too.

That is good news!

This is good news. The other good news is that ignition have now raised half of their target to get this underway! Hooray!

I have cheekily asked Garry, the owner of the Greyhound, if he will contribute, which he has kindly agreed to do.

I have also requested that the Greyhound stock ignition Beers. I think we should all encourage our off licences and our pubs in the town centre to stock our locally produced beers - it not only tastes good but it supports such a great cause!

[JMLF]

Prince - have you also contacted the dolphin / golden lion or others which on the face of it may be less likely to stock a more niche beer (e.g.: pavilion, foxes, the Albert)?!

If not, might be nice to send a similar email (which appears worded in such a lovely way the Greyhound has pledged some support) their ways?!

Ps: Job well done - I’ve been contacting LD orientated places (e.g: mencap) and LD units I have some tenuous link to (I’m a speech therapist and work with Adults with a Learnings disability) to spread the word too

[prince]

If you haven’t already it’s a great time to donate to Ignition’s crowdfunding venture this weekend.

A very generous donor has offered to match every £ donated to their crowdfunding this weekend up to £1000!

Many thanks in advance and here’s the link again

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ignition-1

[prince]

Great news The Greyhound will be stocking Ignition’s Pale, IpA and Porter from tomorrow.

So please make sure you ask for them when you are next in the Greyhound.

[JRobinson]

What about Bob Wines, Bottle Cave, and Clapton Craft? Has anybody talked to them about stocking Ignition Brewery produce? (that is, if they don't already...)