July 16–22: art, legacy & laughter in SE15
Caribbean stories, craft exhibitions, queer community day, feminism celebration and a women's comedy takeover
Hey Peckham!
From feminist to Caribbean legacies, craft exhibitions to comedy takeovers… plus a community call to action and one seriously flavour-packed trip beyond Peckham.
In this #3 edition:
🎨 See Soft Ground at Copeland Gallery
📖 Hear Caribbean Voices From Time
📚 Celebrate 50 years of the Feminist Library
🎤 Laugh at the Women’s Takeover @ Another Level Comedy
🌈 Take part in a queer community day: Scratch Sunday
📽️ Watch a movie or two at Peckhamplex
🌍 Go beyond Peckham with the Flygerians
1 🎨 Soft Ground at Copeland Gallery
This week, Copeland Gallery hosts Soft Ground, a curated exhibition showcasing work students from West Dean College. Expect a vibrant range of media, from painting and printmaking to ceramics, tapestry and textiles, including the powerful work of Catherine O’Connor, whose handwoven and stitched forms explore embodiment, trauma, and feminist resistance through the emotional language of cloth.
When: 16–20 July, 12–6pm – late opening: Tomorrow 17 July, 6–8pm
Where: Copeland Gallery, 133 Copeland Rd, SE15 3SN
Tickets: Free. Just turn up!
2 📖 Hear Caribbean Voices From Time
Stories, sounds and snapshots of Peckham’s Caribbean community will be heard this Friday at the Caribbean Voices From Time, a living archive project honouring the largely undocumented stories of the Caribbean community in Peckham, especially around the Bellenden Road area, between 1960–1990.
Led by Dr Charmaine Brown, in partnership with the University of Greenwich, Southwark Archives, and Claire Grey, the project shines a light on the social and cultural lives of Caribbean residents, and the impact of urban regeneration and gentrification over time.
Inspired by the legendary BBC radio show Caribbean Voices, this project invites everyone to share their memories, from photographs to personal stories. Whether you lived through these years or are just discovering this history, come and take part in keeping our local memory alive.
When: Friday, 18 July – 11am-5pm
Where: Copleston Center, Copleston Road, SE15 4AN
Tickets: Free – Grab yours here
3 📚 50 years of the Feminist Library
Come celebrate five decades of radical reading, collective care, and feminist organising as the Feminist Library turns 50! 🎉 Join the incredible team behind this much-loved archive and community hub for a full day of workshops, sharing, discussion and creativity. Expect a warm, open atmosphere, home-cooked food, and new ideas blooming in every corner.
When: Saturday, 19 July from 11am
Where: The Feminist Library, Sojourner Truth Centre, 161 Sumner Road, SE15 6JL
Tickets: Free. Just turn up, but booking needed for some events.
Why: It’s a joyful reminder of how long feminist spaces have been holding us, and how much they still matter. ✨
4 🎤 Women’s Takeover @ Another Level Comedy
Peckham’s biggest comedy night is back with the spotlight’s on some of the best women in the game. The Women’s Takeover special that promises pure energy, big laughs, and vibes all night long.
Regular host Paul Certi will be handing the mic to the bold and brilliant Nancy Macdonald. She’ll be introducing five top-tier pro comics, including a surprise headliner you won’t want to miss. Expect punchlines that hit, stories that stick, and a room buzzing with that unbeatable Peckham crowd. And because you know we don’t stop at the punchline, when the show wraps, the After Party kicks off. A portion of ticket sales will support local women’s charities, so you’ll be laughing for a good cause too.
When: Saturday ,19 July, 7:30–10pm (doors 7pm) plus after party
Where: Peckham Levels, 95a Rye Lane, London SE15 4ST
Tickets: from £10 to £25. Grab yours here
💃 After party till late!
5 🌈 Scratch Sunday: queer community day
SET Social and Raze Collective are joining forces for a full-on queer community + family friendly bank holiday Sunday for all to enjoy. Expect an indoor and outdoor market, music, food, art, workshops and a night to close it all out.
👛 Browse brilliant local makers at the market
🪴 Garden together in the community garden
🎨 Join fun activities (including a Kids Rave and a Zine Making workshop)
🕺 Move your body in the Soca dance workshop
When: Sunday, 20 July 2025 – 12-7pm
Where: SET Social Peckham, 55a Nigel Road, SE15 4NP
Tickets: Free entry to market & activities, £3-£5 tickets for workshop & scratch night
6 📽️ At Peckhamplex this week
This week’s new title is Four Letters of Love (12A), a sweeping Irish love story starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter, adapted from Niall Williams’ bestselling novel. There is also Smurfs, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Friendship. What else is on:
Big hits this week include: Superman: Legacy (12A), I Know What You Did Last Summer (15), Friendship (15), F1®: The Movie (12A), 28 Years Later (15)
Family treats include: Smurfs (U), How to Train Your Dragon: Live-Action (PG), Lilo & Stitch (PG), Peppa Meets the Baby Cinema Experience (U), Elio (PG)
Subtitled for the hard of hearing (HOH): 28 Years Later (Fri 11 July, 3:15pm), The Salt Path (Mon 14 July, 5:35pm)
Watch With Baby: Jurassic World: Rebirth (12A), Superman: Legacy (12A) – Both on Friday 11 July at 12:00pm
When: check full schedule here.
Where: Peckhamplex, 95a Rye Lane, SE15 4ST
Tickets: just £5.99 every film, every seat, every day.
7 🌍 Beyond Peckham: The Flygerians at Nat Geo Food Festival
The Flygerians Jess and Jo Edun are taking over Speakers’ Corner at this year’s National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, and Peckham couldn’t be prouder. On Saturday 19th July, they’ll be serving flavour, stories, and joy at one of the UK’s biggest food and travel festivals. They’ll chat about their journey, their hit cookbook, and their love of Nigerian cuisine. Stick around after for a book signing!
These Peckham-based sisters have been redefining Nigerian food in London since 2016, first through pop-ups and now with their brilliant restaurant at Peckham Palms. Their mission? To make Nigerian food speak to your soul and warm your heart.
When: Saturday, 19 July. Talk: 4:15–4:45pm | Book signing: 4:45–5:15pm
Where: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, London N1 0QH
Tickets: £18.75 with 25% off now → Grab yours here
📢 Local business news 📢
Calling Black-owned businesses in Peckham & Nunhead! Today at 5PM, local business owner Rebecca Osewa is meeting with Miatta Fahnbulleh, MP for Peckham, to raise serious concerns about the ongoing exclusion of Black-owned businesses from local regeneration projects like the Aylesham Centre.
Despite Peckham’s large Black population, Black-owned businesses are routinely shut out of tenders, contracts, and key decisions. Rebecca is calling for 50% of all major regeneration contracts to be allocated to verified local businesses.
If you’re a Black business owner in Southwark, this is a vital conversation and your voice is needed. Help shape the future of our area and make sure regeneration reflects everyone who lives and works here.
🗓 Date: Today, Wednesday 16 July at 5:00 PM
📍 Where: Online via Microsoft Teams. Join here (or use (or Meeting ID: 327 156 000 604 1 / Passcode: 6MH6So3j)
⁉️ Did you know?
King John was said to have hunted in Peckham and granted the right to hold a three-week fair in celebration. The Peckham Fair was so rowdy it was abolished in 1827! Source: Southwark Heritage Blog.
✨ 5 quick things before you go
✊🏾 The next lecture at the Prince of Peckham University is about a a pivotal point in Peckham’s history: The Rye Lane Campaign 2012. Tue July 22. Free tickets here.
🍽️ LCC student journalists have visited, reviewed and mapped over 50 restaurants in Southwark, including many loved places in Peckham. Via @southwarkfoodmag.
🎺 Enjoy a night of ska at The Ivy House this Thursday: first UK screening of: Madness! Princes of Ska & Kings of Pop + a conversation with Daniel Rachel.
🎥 Celebrate South Asian Heritage with film, stories, art, food, music, henna + family fun at The Green Nunhead! Sun 2-5pm, free.
🦄 Is this the cheapest pint in Peckham? £4.20 pints Tue–Thu at John the Unicorn. Know a cheaper one? Let’s make a leaderboard!
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See you out there, innit!
Cat 🐾
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