Looking back on a summer of Great Get Togethers

More than 30,000 people flocked to the Council’s summer Great Get Togethers this year and over 90% of visitors rated them as good or excellent.

Wherever we went, and whatever the weather, we got a big welcome from local people, lots of feedback and lots of requests to come back next year!  

The events were held at:

• Abbey Wood Park
• Sutcliffe Park
• The Royal Artillery Barracks
• Blackheath.

Points of view

Each event featured free attractions, talented local entertainers, an array of information stalls and the Council’s ever popular Talk Café. The Talk Café gives visitors a chance to air their views on local services and talk face to face with local councillors while enjoying a free cup of tea. There was also a Talk Café at the Trust Thamesmead Community  Festival.

We now have many hundreds of completed questionnaires, surveys and suggestion cards to study and evaluate. The range of viewpoints gives the Council valuable insight into local needs and priorities.

Taster sessions

Each Great Get Together offered visitors all sorts of opportunities to try something new. Sports taster sessions included rugby, netball, mini tennis, athletics, laser clay pigeon shooting and golf. Local sports clubs like the Teviot Rangers Girls’ Football Club and Plumstead Judo Club offered coaching and demonstrations.

Visitors could also relax with a free manicure or massage or take a workshop in yoga, drumming, knitting, chess, cheerleading and even hula hooping! Children could get creative in a range of craft sessions and burn off energy on the bouncy castles, trampolines and a giant inflatable football pitch.

Local organisations are increasingly seeing the Great Get Togethers as a great way of connecting with local people. Greenwich Leisure Limited, the Army and Charlton Athletic Football Club all organised free activities.

More to come

There will be four more community engagement events in the run up to Christmas. Details will appear on this website and also in Greenwich Time.

18 July 2008