The Furzedown Community Network held its annual general meeting on February 9, 2022. The chair's report summarized the FCN's activities from January to December 2021, its second year impacted by COVID-19. Events included virtual talks on gardening and cooking, community meetings with local councillors, neighborhood walks and runs, and a Christmas tree lighting. The FCN also supported local groups and initiatives like a tree trail booklet, memorial bench, and holiday donations for children. Membership grew to 165 people with the help of social media outreach. Long service awards recognized 16 community members for their contributions over the years.

1. Furzedown Community Network (FCN) Chair’s Report of 2021
FCN AGM Weds 9 Feb 2022 1900/1930hrs at St. Albans Church Hall
Dear FCN Member,
This report covers the period from January-December 2021 (second year of covid)
Annex A: List of Committee members Jan-Dec 2021
Annex B: Financial Report (Nov 2020- Oct 2021)
Annex C: Minutes of the AGM 6 February 2021
FCN AGM – Weds 9 Feb: New committee will be elected
This report covers the events and activities the FCN carried out during our second covid
year. We again didn’t hold any face-to-face meetings and continued to hold our monthly
committee meetings via Zoom.
Events
We ran events that were covid compliant with the government guidelines issued at the
time.
Zoom events -16 & 25 Apr, and 24 May 2021
We hosted the following events for our community;
Garden Time (Apr) – Henrietta Ogbonna gave a very insightful presentation on gardens,
plants, flowers followed by an Q&A.
Cook along (Apr) – Ranji (tootingmama) hosted a cookery session whereby those attending
learnt how to make a vegetarian Sri Lanka Curry in under 30 mins
Meeting with local Councillors (May) - online event chaired by Sarah Forester (FCN): there
was a very useful discussion with our Councillors of various issues for Furzedown residents

2. Scoot, walk and run - 3 May & 7 Nov 2021
We ran this event twice during 2021 – May and Nov around the same route. We handed
out medals again. The May event was better supported than Nov. This is a great family
friendly event which was covid friendly. A great way to raise awareness of the FCN within
the community.
Yard Sales Map on FCN Website - 19 June & 11 December 2021
To help our community promote their own yard sales, we put a map on our website of those
households who wanted to be part of the yard sales. We did this in June and December
2021.
Jazz on the Lawn (JOTL) – Sun 5 September 2021
In September 2021 (covid restrictions had been eased) we managed to have a face-to-face
event and welcomed the South London Jazz Orchestra back to Streatham Park Bowling Club
on a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon. The event was well supported by the community and
the bowls club made us very welcome as usual.

3. Christmas Tree Light switch on and Carols – Weds 8 December 2021
A welcome return of the school choirs (Furzedown and Goldfinch Primary schools) and the
Great Gustos for our Christmas tree light switch on event (Mitcham Lane/Thrale Road
junction) on Weds 8 Dec. The choirs were all in fine voice and sang a fantastic array of
carols. The FCN were delighted to sponsor the tree and OASIS also supported the event,
which was broadcast live on Riverside Radio. The Mayor was in attendance to switch the
lights on. The Living room acted as the fir cone decorating point, which was very popular
with families and the Mayor who popped along and decorated a fir cone. St. Alban's
Church provided hot chocolate and mince pies.

4. We have supported the following groups and local activities in 2021:
In April, we funded the publication and printing of the booklet on the Furzedown Tree Trail
produced by Caroline Holden of '1,000 Trees for Furzedown'. The booklet is a very
interesting trail around Furzedown and the range of trees to be seen.
In May we donated towards the cost of a Covid memorial bench which is sited in the garden
of discovery (Welham road/Penwortham Road), a lovely tribute to all those members of our
community who lost their lives to Covid. The unveiling ceremony took place on Sun 5 Sept.
In Aug we provided hoodies for the Furzedown Outreach workers who work under Paul
Rook Furzedown Youth Outreach and Youth Club leader. The hoodies easily identify the
outreach workers as they go around our community helping our young people.
In August we made a donation to Lyndsay Hart, who maintains the excellent display of
flowers on the Furzedown Drive roundabout, as a contribution to the costs of flowers and
plants.
In July and Aug we provided the funding for a children’s entertainer as part of summer and
winter activities* for the families and their children on the Faylands estate.
*The winter event postponed due to covid
In Dec we supported the Gift from Furzedown Christmas Stocking Appeal, who provided 250
Christmas stockings to the 3 local primary schools, 30 gifts for children at Faylands Family
centre and 10 goody bags for the Furzedown Project (Moyser Road)

5. On behalf of the FCN, I would like to thank everyone involved in the activities mentioned
above. It was our pleasure to support them.
Chatgroup
We currently have 1100 members. Many thanks to Suzanne and Vijay for being the
moderators (and whose contribution was recognised in the Long Service Awards - see
below). There has been plenty of discussion this year again.
Website/Social Media
David, who sadly is stepping down from the committee this year, has done an excellent job
with keeping the website up to date and promoting our events again. He has also
maintained our FB page as well.
Lynn our instagram guru and Steffi our Twitter guru. Thanks to you both for ensuring the
FCN stays relevant and is using the social media to best effects to promote ourselves and
our activities – who knows TikTok next?
During 2021 we had over 7000 visitors to the website, nearly a 1000 FB hits and 801
Instagram followers.
Membership
Many thanks to Angie who has done a sterling job as membership secretary. We currently
have 165 members of which 59 of those are Life members.
Long Service Awards
During the year we (FCN) invited Furzedown to nominate people who have lived in the area
over a period of time and made a valuable contribution to the Furzedown Community over
the years.
We were very pleased to make Long Service Awards to all 16 people nominated. These are:
- Adrian Fisher
- Audrey Silkin
- Beryl Richards
- Caroline Holden
- Denise Broad
- Di Berry
- Jacquie Dredge

6. - John Farebrother
- Rev Professor June Boyce-Tillman
- Linda Lewis
- Rev Marc Richeux
- Roger Wates
- Sarah Armstrong
- Sarah Forester
- Suzanne Ellis
- Vijay Bhuchar
Congratulations and many thanks to each of these people for their contributions to the
Furzedown community over the years! We have presented them with framed certificates,
and with life membership of FCN. More information about the contribution they have made
is at our website at furzedown.net/About/Local Community Awards
Alongside, and as part of, these Long Service Awards, we also made a posthumous award to
Colette Murnaghan, an artist, very active in the community, who sadly died in March.
I would like to thank the outgoing Committee members who have served the FCN and our
community well over the last 12 months. It’s been my privilege to work with you all and you
will be missed.
David Andrew – Committee member since 2013 with responsible for the website and
Facebook
Sue Clarke – Committee member since 2010 who has been vice chair of the FCN
Tim Kahn – Committee member and founding member of the FCN since 2001, who has held
a variety of roles over the course of the last 20 years.
Dawn Thomas
Chair, Furzedown Community Network