What's on
Vintage Christmas market in Vinegar Yard, SE1
Explore an eclectic selection of stalls featuring exquisite jewellery, artisanal ceramics, cutting-edge fashion, vinyl records, homewares and vintage clothes. Refuel with delicious food and mulled drinks at the local bars afterwards.
See the tallest floating Christmas tree in London!
Enjoy the tallest floating Christmas tree in London, art installations, lanterns and more at the Greenland Dock festival (various dates in December).
Borrow tools to keep your home warm this winter
The Library of Things at Canada Water has a few helpful tools available to borrow, which you can use to keep your home warm and dry this winter. This includes things that can help you identify draughts, as well as tools to help you fix them.
Enchanting winter market near London Bridge
Head to London Bridge city for an enchanting winter festival including vibrant market stalls, themed karaoke rooms, pop-up bars and more!
Peckham Christmas tree lights switch on
Mince pies, hot spiced apple juice, a photo booth, brass band, musical theatre performances, Santa and more await in Peckham Square on 1 December, from 5pm.
Fitness and health
Win a six-month all-access plus membership to our leisure centres
Followers on our leisure centre social media accounts are being entered into weekly prize draws (until 11 December). On 11 December a lucky winner will win a six-month all-access plus membership including Les Mills online classes. Follow us now!
Earn rewards: walk, cycle and run
Our Better Points Southwark app encourages you to walk, cycle, run or use public transport. It tracks your travel via GPS from your smartphone and rewards you with points which can be converted into vouchers, discounts in shops or charity donations.
Free: three months' bike hire
We're funding The Try Before you Bike scheme, which allows you to hire a bike for three months, free of charge. Codes can be gifted to family and friends (as long as they live in Southwark) so they can join in on the cycling adventure.
Free day pass for our leisure centres
We're offering you a free day pass to try out one of our local leisure centres. The pass will get you a free swim session, a free gym session and a tour of the centre.
Up your tennis game at a court near you
Tennis pro, or a beginner of any age – we’ve got tennis courts across the borough for you. Some fees apply if you want to book courts or coaching. Under-18s get free membership to book once a day, for 30 minutes, with no charge.
Free five-minute health check at a local library or leisure centre
You can check your height, weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, heart rate and more at free health check kiosks. Find them at Dulwich, Brandon, Camberwell, and Canada Water libraries, and at also at The Castle Leisure Centre, SE1 and Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre.
Activities and information for children and families
Festive music, mystery stocking hunt, food and drink and more in Dulwich Village
Get your Christmas shopping started and enjoy festive music in the village from 12 noon, 3 December. There's also a children’s disco from 2pm, a mystery stocking hunt and food and drinks available at local businesses.
Hot chocolate, jazz and wreathmaking in one of London's best kept secret gardens
Wreathmaking, hot chocolate and mince pies await at the historic Red Cross Garden in SE1, all accompanied by a live jazz band. Free entry and free hot chocolate for kids (small charge for mulled wine and mince pies.)
Build a mini woodland in Peckham
Children can enjoy a tree trail, live music, make festive woodcraft decorations and cards and help build a mini woodland! Head to the Centre for Wildlife Gardening in Peckham on Sunday 3 December. Drop-in from 11am. (Tea and cake also on offer!)
Free Christmas Fair at Surrey Docks farm
Get in the festive spirit at Surrey Docks Farm in SE16 on 2 December (11am to 4pm) where there’ll be carol singing, craft stalls, mulled wine, animal handling, plus wreath making kits and beautiful Christmas trees on sale.
Flu vaccinations for school aged children
Children in primary and secondary schools (up to year 11) are offered a winter flu vaccine. Flu can be serious for some children and even lead to a stay in hospital. The vaccine is safe, and effective at preventing children from catching and spreading flu. It's normally given as a nasal spray.
Winter holiday clubs for 4 to 16s: book now
If your child gets benefits-related free school meals they can join one of many winter of Food and Fun holiday clubs in Southwark. The clubs run fun activities and provide healthy and free food.
Get over £1,000 in total to buy healthy food and milk for your child
You could be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme if you're aged:
- 18 or over and are pregnant, or have children under four-years-old and you get certain benefits
- Under 18, pregnant and don't get benefits.
Getting Healthy Start won't affect your benefits.
More trees, green space or seating? Tell us what you want in your area
We want to improve the air we breathe in Southwark. Please complete our five-minute survey to tell us what changes you’d like to see in your neighbourhood.
Consultations about walking, cycling and electric vehicles
We're also running consultations about our plans to make walking and cycling easier. Where these are not possible we want to help people switch to electric vehicles.
>> Let us know your views on walking in Southwark
>> Let us know your views cycling in Southwark
>> Let us know your views on electric vehicles in Southwark
Green tips and climate news
Save money when using your heating with our Greensavers tips
By following a few of our simple tips, you can reduce the cost of keeping your home warm this winter. These tips also help to reduce your carbon footprint, and protect the environment.
Free advice on making your home more energy efficient
Our Energy Advice Centre gives free expert advice on home improvements, retrofitting, and grants and funding for green upgrades. It can also give you advice on energy efficiency around the home – such as tips to get more out of your central heating, or guidance on whether you should change to LED light-bulbs.
Get expert help worth £6,000 to green your business
Southwark Climate Collective is a new 12 month programme designed to support small and medium businesses in Southwark to take climate action.
Get funding for solar panels or heat pumps for your community building
Southwark Community Energy Fund is a new fund for non-profit organisations to make green building improvements, or get technology like solar panels or heat pumps. The fund is for community buildings rather than private residential properties. The application window is open until 22 January 2024.
Help us tackle violence against women and girls
Join our events and help us tackle violence against women and girls
White Ribbon Day (25 November) kicked off 16 days of action against gender-based violence. We have a number of events running during this time, from training to drop-in sessions.
Survey: women's and girls' safety in Southwark
We want to learn about women’s experiences in the borough and understand how safe women feel living, working, going to school and travelling in Southwark. Please complete the confidential survey to help improve women's safety in Southwark.
Watch our video: campaign on women's safety
Our video, Through Her Eyes, is aimed at men and boys aged 16 to 25 years old. This is a key window for change in young people’s behaviours.
More updates
We're hiring: join the National Management Trainee programme at Southwark Council
We're looking for two graduates to join the national graduate development programme. Employed on a fixed-term contract, trainees will rotate between different placements at Southwark Council and study for a postgraduate-level qualification from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
Local warm spaces over winter
Heating our homes can be expensive. Drop into a local space such as a local library which offers free Wi-Fi. Or if you're a parent or carer of a pre-school child you can register with your local Children and Family Centre. They run free play sessions, baby and toddler groups you can join.
Stay warm and well this winter
Cold weather can affect your health if you’re over 65, have a long term health condition, or live in cold home. Get advice on heating your home to at least 18C, preventing falls, vaccines, support with food and prescription costs, warm spaces you can visit in Southwark and more.
Get ready for elections next year
GLA elections are taking place in May 2024, and there is a potential general election too. New rules brought in by the UK Government mean that now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote, and check you have the right voter ID or apply for a postal or proxy vote if you aren’t able to vote in person.
Booking for flu and COVID-19 vaccines ends after the 14 December
If you’re eligible, book your vaccinations online or via the NHS app by 14 December. Getting vaccinated by then will help protect you and your loved ones ahead of the winter holidays. It can take up to two weeks for your body to build up maximum defences against the viruses.
Flu protection for two and three-year olds
Last December, children under five were the largest group who ended up staying in hospital due to the serious effects of flu. The vaccine is a simple yearly spray up the nose, and is very safe and highly effective. Find out about flu vaccines for children. Book an annual flu vaccine today with your GP to protect your two or three-year old.
Donate gifts or your time to others this Christmas
If you’d like to help a local person or family in need:
Aged 16–25? Get new job opportunities by email
We send a regular enewsletter with jobs, training, volunteering and other career opportunities for young people. The newsletter lists opportunities at Southwark Council as well as across Southwark and London.
News: record number of young people turn out to elect Southwark Youth Parliament
Over 1,700 young people from across the borough turned out to vote for who they wanted in the next Southwark Youth Parliament. Young people also voted on the top issues they wanted addressed. These are mental health, youth violence, the environment, poverty, careers and training.
Children urgently need foster carers in Southwark
We're looking for foster carers for children of all ages. Our foster carers get a generous allowance and excellent training and support. We’re looking for foster carers from all our communities, but you need to have a spare room.
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