On the Saturday 5th May 2007, we held an open day at the centre for local people to see what we had been up to and to encourage a dialogue between us and anyone who lived nearby concerning the space, our intentions, their feelings and ideas. We made tea and coffee and gave away cake to the dozen or so people who came around as a result of a leaflet that we put out to roughly 300 houses and flats in the immediate local area. This is the text of that leaflet...

Camberwell Squatted Centre

An Invitation...

You might have noticed in passing that the old Good Food Cafe at 192 Warham St, SE5 is back in use. Occupied on 10th March by some local people, we have cleaned and painted the building and are now putting on lots of different free events for anyone who wants to come down.

We haven't done this for commercial reasons or for reasons of charity. Rather we have opened up a free social space to make use of empty building for cheap caffs, film nights, talks, local seed swaps, a photo exhibition, workshops about learning practical skills and loads more. The biggest reason we re-opened the building was to meet more people who think that the above is a great idea and feel that making our own decisions about what we do in life is better than leaving the decisions up those supposedly 'above' us. It's not always easy to keep yourself free and independent but it's pretty life-affirming to try. And that's what we have found here as we made good a building that had been left to fall down by developers only interested in one thing: £££££££

But we aren't interested in that. In fact we turned down money to leave the building empty again. We are more interested in our lives and how to make what seems like pure survival something a bit more real and human
Increasingly in London, there is no real alternative to the kind of place we have spent a month creating. What you do find are places where the options are limited - either by money or by rules and controls. With more and more intrusion into our daily life, by councils or coppers, with cctv, nosey housing officers, neighbourhood wardens, we are beginning to wonder if eventually we will be allowed to do anything without some sort sanction or penalty being imposed on us. Anyway, we know that life can't be reduced to 'good' vs 'bad'. Playing football in Kennington Park is obviously good except that the council views it as bad and has banned it! Having a drink with your mates on the streets where you live is obviously healthy but again in some parts of Lambeth and Southwark, it's been designated as 'bad'.

We are neither good nor bad. We refuse to be labelled in this way because life cannot be reduced to boxes for bureaucrats to tick. We are dreamers that see that another life is possible and that's a life we try to create here and now, at work, at play, when things are stressful and when things are going well. That's why we have occupied Warham St and opened it up for all who want to use the building.


A Further Invitation to you!
The dodgy owners, a company registered in Switzerland, are taking us to court on 1st May 2007. Of course, we will fight for the building in as many ways as we can. But the best way to defend the space we have created is to keep it open and full of life. There will be more cafes, films and activities until the last body is kicked out by those who know better. Ha Ha! Who needs more expensive flats we can't afford in the area. If you feel like this too, then come on down and use the space. We have caffs on Friday nights from 8pm and films on Weds from 8pm. Other events are posted up outside and on our website: www.56a.org.uk/warham.html

We will be holding a special OPEN DAY on Sat May 5th from Midday onwards with tea and cakes. This is just a chance to meet us and for us to meet you. We will know the result of the court case by then, so come down and hear how it's going. Or come down to the building when we are open and, if you like what we are doing, help us resist any attempt to throw us out!!

All the best...

Camberwell Squatted Centre
192 Warham St, Camberwell SE5
We are behind the Post Office on Camberwell New Rd

blackfrog@alphabetthreat.co.uk
www.56a.org.uk/warham.html