Locating Ourselves
Join us for a one-day workshop for Black community leaders in South London to rest, reconnect and locate their work within local ecological life.
This workshop is part of Everyday Ecologies, a summer series creating space for Black community leaders to pause with what they already see, carry and know in everyday life.
Event details
Dates: 22 August 2026, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Location: Sydenham Gardens, 28a Wynell Road, London, SE23 2LW
This session is free to attend. Lunch, nourishing snacks and hot and cold refreshments will be provided.
Spaces are limited, so register your interest to join this session. There is a waitlist, so do register even if the session is full; we’ll be in touch to confirm your attendance and send more details closer to the date of the session.
About the event
An interactive, in-person workshop for Black community leaders to pause, rest and explore the relationships between people, place, health and power that are already present. Through time in nature, embodied practice, conversation and collective imagination, we will trace how our bodies, homes, streets and community roles connect us to the living world we depend on. It is a space to step back from the urgency of everyday work, recognise what you already know and see your place within the ecological possibilities.
Together, we will notice what is already here, follow the relationships and pressures shaping local life, and explore what we need to create healthier, more liveable conditions for our communities and local environments.
Why attend?
Leadership in community spaces can leave little room to rest, to notice your own conditions, or to see how your work connects to something bigger. This day is designed to give you that space, without asking you to go away or set aside days you don't have.
Carve out time to step back from immediate demands and reconnect with the wider living, social and environmental conditions shaping local life
Gain a stronger sense of your own ecological position;
Develop a new language for understanding how your work connects to place, health and power;
Build new and deeper connections with peers;
Craft a shared picture of the conditions, relationships and resources that matter locally.
Who should attend?
Black community leaders based in Lewisham or neighbouring boroughs – priority will be given to those living or working in Lewisham.
This is open to organisers, carers, artists, educators, faith leaders, youth workers, active residents, advocates, or someone finding your footing in community leadership.
You do not need to work in climate or environmental spaces. What matters is that you care about health, people, safety, culture, or belonging.
What to expect
Below is an emerging flow for the day, which is subject to change. Full session timings will be sent to everyone whose registration is approved.
Settling in & Welcome (11:00 am - 11:30 am)
The day begins with slowing down and settling into the space.
Session 1: Starting From Where We Are (11:30 am - 1:30 pm)
Through simple grounding practices and shared reflection, we will pay attention to ourselves and the places and relationships that sustain us in everyday life.
This time will include a nourishing African and Caribbean meal shared as part of the day’s practice of noticing and connecting.
Session 2: The Village We Need (1:30 pm - 3:30 pm)
Building from what has emerged earlier in the day, we will turn towards the collective and structural. Through collective mapping and making, we will create Our Village, exploring what supports life, what is under pressure, and where each of us might show up and contribute.
Closing Together (3:30 pm - 4:00 pm)
We will gather what has emerged across the day and close together.
Additional breaks will be planned alongside lunch.
Access Information
The session will take place across indoor and outdoor spaces, with gentle outdoor activity and time in a garden setting. Sydenham Gardens is all on one level and has a wheelchair accessible entrance and access to the garden. There are accessible gender-neutral toilets. No specialist knowledge, fitness level or experience is required, and participants are welcome to take part in ways that feel comfortable for them.
Please let us know any access, dietary, mobility or participation needs when registering, so we can make sure the day is as welcoming and workable as possible.
This session will be photographed; please indicate in your registration form if you would prefer for your photo not to be taken.
For any questions about accessibility or if you require any additional support for your wellbeing or access needs, please email bola@rootedbydesign.co.uk, and we will be happy to make adjustments where we can.
From the Ground Up has been designed and developed by Rooted: The Centre for Reparative Innovation.